The man who wants to live forever may have hit a speed bump. A fan of telling all about his longevity journey, biohacker Bryan Johnson recently shared on social media that he has an incurable autoimmune disease where his “stomach is eating itself.” And true to his biohacking ways, the 48-year-old wrote that he would … Read more
Snowflake disease is no laughing matter. While the term “snowflake” has been used to mock a fragile person who melts easily, it’s also a nickname for a rare neuromuscular disease. The condition causes the body to break down and become weak — and treatment is difficult as it becomes more complicated over the years. Myasthenia … Read more
At 15, Emma Widmar was a healthy athlete in Wisconsin before her body began to unravel. She developed facial swelling, unexplained prolonged menstrual bleeding, fainting spells and food reactions so extreme that she required a feeding tube. She lost 60 pounds. Over a decade, she saw more than 50 specialists, each treating a symptom, but … Read more
Michaela Riley knew something was wrong. At just 15, she was battling a baffling mix of symptoms: thinning, brittle hair; a missing period; crushing brain fog and fatigue so severe she would fall asleep at her desk in school. “I was rapidly gaining weight, despite eating super clean and working out six or seven days … Read more
Photos of Debbie Botzum-Pearson before (left) and after neuromyelitis optica (Courtesy of Debbie Botzum-Pearson). On the morning of Jan. 15, 2022, Debbie Botzum-Pearman, who had been a strong healthy woman for 66 years, woke up paralyzed from the chest down. On Sept. 13, 2022, nearly nine months later, she managed to stand up without assistance … Read more