The bacterial community in a vagina plays an important role in health.  Much research has been done to characterize these communities to determine what constitutes a healthy “microbiome.”  This research aims to consider how having an unhealthy microbiome can contribute to diseases and health conditions.

People with mutations at the CYP21A2 gene can have elevated levels of male hormones. This can, among other things, lead to ambiguous genitalia in females. This disease is one of many that are genetically determined and result in intersex outcomes.

Stroke is the third leading cause of death for females in the US.  In fact, one in five will experience a stroke in their lifetime. There are only a few therapeutic options right now, and some feel that this may be due to the fact that research has largely been done with only male rodent animals.

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Fact: Leatiporus is an edible mushroom found in North Vancouver. Many people say it tastes like chicken!

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Play: Raccoon has a MOVE of 2.
Fact: A raccoon’s black fur around their eyes reduces glare and enhances nighttime vision.

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Fact: Huckleberry is a versatile plant that is tasty to eat fresh and can be made into fruit leather or pie. Indigenous communities also used it as a cold remedy and as fish bait because the berries look like salmon eggs.