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A look at some of the Health Report correspondence this week, including asthma prevention and the etymology of migraine.

You can email us at healthreport@abc.net.au

We blink more than we need to, and scientists have been trying to find out why.

New research suggests blinking helps us see the world in finer detail – essentially, it makes our eyes more sensitive.

Pain can be a helpful tool to make sure we don't exceed our limits, but when it persists it can be detrimental.

Research has shown that people experiencing chronic pain see the world as a harsher place – distances are longer and hills are steeper.

If you're one of many ransacking the cold and flu aisle this winter, you might have spotted a common ingredient: zinc. 

It has been touted as a remedy for sickness — even a preventative. 

A comprehensive review has delved into the current research into the supplement and its effectiveness. 

Guest
Assistant Professor Daryl Nault, Maryland University of Integrative Health

References
Zinc for prevention and treatment of the common cold

Dr Penny Palmer, Executive Producer of ABC TV's Catalyst, looks back at her time working with Michael Mosley at the BBC in the early 2000s.

Making health new this week, could a common type-2 diabetes treatment also help in the fight against some cancers?

And, two research papers examine the most effective way to treat sepsis.