Can one half of the brain do the work of both?

Plus: Colorectal cancer is striking earlier in life – here's what to do [View this email online]( [NPR Health]( March 26, 2023 by Andrea Muraskin This week, from top to tail: After losing her brain's left hemisphere as an infant, a young girl’s life [offers clues to how the brain may rewire itself after injury](. Plus, we present a grown-up’s [guide to freshening up your dental routine](. And with rates of colorectal cancer rising among younger adults, [here’s what you need to know about screenings and prevention](. --------------------------------------------------------------- [Meet the 'glass-half-full girl' whose brain rewired after losing a hemisphere]( [Mora Leeb places some pieces into a puzzle during a local puzzle tournament. The 15-year-old has grown up without the left side of her brain after it was removed when she was very young.]( Seth Leeb Most people with just one kidney lead normal, healthy lives. You may be able to drive safely and legally even if you only have vision in one eye. But while paired organs like these provide the same function on either side of the body, the two halves of the brain are a different story. In a typical adult human brain, each hemisphere specializes in processing different types of information and controlling specific behaviors. For example, in an adult brain, words are generally processed on the left side, while faces are processed on the right. When Mora Leeb was 4 four months old, she began having epileptic seizures, which became almost constant. An MRI revealed that most of the cells on the left side of Mora’s brain had died as the result of a stroke in utero, and the surviving cells were causing the seizures. At 9 months, a surgeon removed Mora’s left hemisphere. Baby Mora was initially paralyzed on her right side. But she started walking at 23 months, and speaking in sentences at age 6. Now, at 15, she plays soccer, and watches word-based game shows like Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune nightly. While Mora speaks slowly and sometimes struggles with language comprehension, she’s an outstanding example of brain plasticity – meaning her right hemisphere has taken on several of the left hemisphere’s usual functions. Scientists hope that by understanding the brains of people like Mora, they can find ways to help others recover from a stroke or traumatic brain injury. [NPR's Jon Hamilton has Mora’s inspiring story](. [Also: How a near-death experience could change the way you live]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- ['Do I really need to floss?' and other common questions about dental care]( Cavan Images/Getty Images Tooth brushing is one of those most basic self-care rituals that we learn early in life. Maybe you even had a little rhyme to help you and/or your kids learn how to do it. I had one that went "You're supposed to take a sip/ but you’re not supposed to swallow!” (I struggled with the spitting part). So once you get the basics down it’s brush and floss twice a day, visit the dentist for cleanings twice a year, right? But do we really need to do these things? And on the flip side, is there more to maintaining healthy teeth? NPR’s Life Kit asked a dentist and a dental hygienist common questions about how to maintain healthy teeth. And there are some nuances. For example, yes, you should brush your teeth twice a day. But the timing matters. Counterintuitively, Dr. Mark Burhenne recommends you don’t brush right after a meal or a drink, because that can damage your enamel. It turns out much of tooth maintenance has to do with something called biofilm – a layer of bacteria that extract minerals from saliva. And like so much in health it’s all about balance: biofilm uses those minerals to repair small cavities; but a build up of too much biofilm results in plaque and gum disease. [Read on for answers to your gnawing questions, from proper brushing technique to advice for finding affordable dental care](. [Plus: 6 tips to help you get the most out of your health insurance plan]( [Colorectal cancer is rising among Americans under 50. Here are 5 ways to protect yourself]( [Colorectal cancer is rising in young people. A growing body of evidence suggests diet and lifestyle play a role in the uptick.]( Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Fight Colorectal Cancer If you think you’re too young to worry about colorectal cancer, you might want to open your … uhh … mind. Since the mid-1990s, cases among people under 50 have increased by about 50%, according to a [report by the American Cancer Society](. About 20,000 people in the U.S. in that age group will be diagnosed this year. Researchers aren’t sure what’s causing the upswing, but factors could include eating more red meat and processed foods, a lack of vitamin D, and more people taking antibiotics as children – which affects an individual’s microbiome. Colorectal cancer is among the deadliest cancers for younger adults. But the good news is, it’s easily treatable when detected early. The recommended screening age is now 45 – but if you have certain symptoms or a family history, you should talk to your doctor about getting screened earlier. You’ve got options short of going in for a colonoscopy – like collecting a stool sample in the comfort of your own home, and having it shipped off to a lab to be analyzed. (It's not as gross as it sounds, we promise!) Plus, healthy lifestyle choices may lower your risk. [Here are five ways to be proactive about colorectal cancer.]( [Also: Does vitamin D really protect against colorectal cancer?]( Before you go: Javier Zayas Photography/Getty Images - Listen: How to talk about STIs and intimacy [with a new partner]( - Scientists sequence Beethoven's genome for clues into [his painful past]( - The happiest country in the world wants to fly you in for [a free masterclass]( - California could ban certain food additives [linked to cancer and other health effects ​​​​​​​]( We hope you enjoyed these stories. Find more of [NPR's health journalism]( on Shots and follow us on Twitter at [@NPRHealth](. All our best, Andrea Muraskin and your Shots editors --------------------------------------------------------------- Listen to your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. [Listen Live]( [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Twitter]( What do you think of today's email? 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