Infections Here, Infections There…

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This week in health news, let’s take a look at infections outside and in, and how to walk away from it all (in a good way):

The bird that flu away

This one cannot be described as good news. Basically, bird flu is now already epidemic amongst cows in the US, with 845 herds (not 845 cows; 845 herds) testing positive across 16 states. The US Department of Agriculture earlier this month announced a federal order to test milk nationwide. Researchers welcomed the news, but said it should have happened months ago—before the virus was so entrenched. It currently has a fatality rate of 2–5% in cows; we don’t have enough data to reasonably talk about its fatality rate in humans—yet.

❝It’s disheartening to see so many of the same failures that emerged during the COVID-19 crisis re-emerge❞

~ Tom Bollyky, director of the Global Health Program at the Council on Foreign Relations

Read in full: How America lost control of the bird flu, setting the stage for another pandemic

Related: Cows’ Milk, Bird Flu, & You

Alzheimer’s from the gut upwards

Alzheimer’s is generally thought of as being a purely brain thing, but there’s a link between a [specific] chronic gut infection, and the development of Alzheimer’s disease. This infection is called human cytomegalovirus, or HCMV for short, and usually we’ve all been exposed to it by young adulthood. However, for some people, it lingers in an active state in the gut, wherefrom it may travel to the brain via the vagus nerve “gut-brain highway”. And once there, well, you can guess the rest:

Read in full: The surprising role of gut infection in Alzheimer’s disease

Related: How To Reduce Your Alzheimer’s Risk

Walking back to happiness

Analyzing data from 96,138 adults around the world, showed that more steps meant less depression for participants.

You may be thinking “well yes, depressed people walk less”, but more specifically, increases in activity showed increases in anti-depressive benefits, with even small incremental increases showing correspondingly incremental benefits. Specifically, each additional 1,000 steps per day corresponded to a 9% reduction in depression:

Read in full: Higher daily step counts associated with fewer depressive symptoms

Related: Walking… Better.

Take care!

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  • Meningitis Outbreak

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    Don’t Let Your Guard Down

    In the US, meningitis is currently enjoying a 10-year high, with its highest levels of infection since 2014.

    This is a big deal, given the 10–15% fatality rate of meningitis, even with appropriate medical treatment.

    But of course, not everyone gets appropriate medical treatment, especially because symptoms can become life-threatening in a matter of hours.

    Most recent stats gave an 18% fatality rate for the cases with known outcomes in the last year:

    CDC Emergency | Increase in Invasive Serogroup Y Meningococcal Disease in the United States

    The quick facts:

    ❝Meningococcal disease most often presents as meningitis, with symptoms that may include fever, headache, stiff neck, nausea, vomiting, photophobia, or altered mental status.

    [It can also present] as meningococcal bloodstream infection, with symptoms that may include fever and chills, fatigue, vomiting, cold hands and feet, severe aches and pains, rapid breathing, diarrhea, or, in later stages, a dark purple rash.

    While initial symptoms of meningococcal disease can at first be non-specific, they worsen rapidly, and the disease can become life-threatening within hours. Immediate antibiotic treatment for meningococcal disease is critical.

    Survivors may experience long-term effects such as deafness or amputations of the extremities.❞

    ~ Ibid.

    The good news (but still don’t let your guard down)

    Meningococcal bacteria are, happily, not spread as easily as cold and flu viruses.

    The greatest risks come from:

    • Close and enduring proximity (e.g. living together)
    • Oral, or close-to-oral, contact (e.g. kissing, or coughing nearby)

    Read more:

    CDC | Meningococcal Disease: Causes & How It Spreads

    Is there a vaccine?

    There is, but it’s usually only offered to those most at risk, which is usually:

    • Children
    • Immunocompromised people, especially if HIV+
    • People taking certain medications (e.g. Solaris or Ultomiris)

    Read more:

    CDC | Meningococcal Vaccine Recommendations

    Will taking immune-boosting supplements help?

    Honestly, probably not, but they won’t harm either. The most important thing is: don’t rely on them—too many people pop a vitamin C supplement and then assume they are immune to everything, and it doesn’t work like that.

    On a tangential note, for more general immune health, you might also want to check out:

    Beyond Supplements: The Real Immune-Boosters!

    The short version:

    If you or someone you know experiences the above-mentioned symptoms, even if it does not seem too bad, get thee/them to a doctor, and quickly, because the (very short) clock may be ticking already.

    Better safe than sorry.

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  • Peony Against Inflammation & More

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    Yes, this is about the flower, especially white peony (Paeonia lactiflora), and especially the root thereof (Paeoniae radix alba). Yes, the root gets a different botanical name but we promise it is the same plant. You will also read about its active glycoside paeoniflorin, and less commonly, albiflorin (a neuroprotective glycoside present in the root).

    It’s one of those herbs that has made its way out of Traditional Chinese Medicine and into labs around the world.

    It can be ingested directly as food, or as a powder/capsule, or made into tea.

    Anti-inflammatory

    Peony suppresses inflammatory pathways, which thus reduces overall inflammation. In particular, this research review found:

    ❝Pharmacologically, paeoniflorin exhibits powerful anti-inflammatory and immune regulatory effects in some animal models of autoimmune diseases including Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)❞

    The reviewers also (albeit working from animal models) suggest it may be beneficial in cases of kidney disease and liver disease, along with other conditions.

    Source: The Regulatory Effects of Paeoniflorin and Its Derivative Paeoniflorin-6′-O-Benzene Sulfonate CP-25 on Inflammation and Immune Diseases

    Here’s a larger review, which also has studies involving humans (and in vivo studies), that found it to effectively help treat autoimmune conditions including rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis, amongst others:

    ❝Modern pharmacological research on TGP is based on the traditional usage of PRA, and its folk medicinal value in the treatment of autoimmune diseases has now been verified. In particular, TGP has been developed into a formulation used clinically for the treatment of autoimmune diseases.

    Based on further research on its preparation, quality control, and mechanisms of action, TGP is expected to eventually play a greater role in the treatment of autoimmune diseases. ❞

    (TGP = Total Glucosides of Paeony)

    Source: Total glucosides of paeony: A review of its phytochemistry, role in autoimmune diseases, and mechanisms of action

    Antidepressant / Anxiolytic

    It also acts as a natural serotonin reuptake inhibitor (as per many pharmaceutical antidepressants), by reducing the expression of the serotonin transporter protein:

    Gut Microbiota-Based Pharmacokinetics and the Antidepressant Mechanism of Paeoniflorin

    (remember, most serotonin is produced in the gut)

    Here’s how that played out when tested (on rats, though):

    Effects of Paeonia lactiflora Extract on Estrogen Receptor β, TPH2, and SERT in Rats with PMS Anxiety

    Against PMS and/or menopause symptoms

    Peony is widely used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to reduce these symptoms in general. However, we couldn’t find a lot of good science for that, although it is very plausible (as the extract contains phytoestrogens and may upregulate estrogen receptors while dialling down testosterone production). Here’s the best we could find for that, and it’s a side-by-side along with licorice root:

    ❝Paeoniflorin, glycyrrhetic acid and glycyrrhizin decreased significantly the testosterone production but did not change that of delta 4-androstenedione and estradiol. Testosterone/delta 4-androstenedione production ratio was lowered significantly by paeoniflorin, glycyrrhetic acid and glycyrrhizin❞

    Effect of paeoniflorin, glycyrrhizin and glycyrrhetic acid on ovarian androgen production

    (note: that it didn’t affect estradiol levels is reasonable; it contains phytoestrogens after all, not estradiol—and in fact, if you are taking estradiol, you might want to skip this one, as its phytoestrogens could compete with your estradiol for receptors)

    Want to try some?

    We don’t sell it, but here for your convenience is an example product on Amazon 😎

    Enjoy!

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  • Three Daily Servings of Beans?

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    It’s Q&A Day at 10almonds!

    Have a question or a request? We love to hear from you!

    In cases where we’ve already covered something, we might link to what we wrote before, but will always be happy to revisit any of our topics again in the future too—there’s always more to say!

    As ever: if the question/request can be answered briefly, we’ll do it here in our Q&A Thursday edition. If not, we’ll make a main feature of it shortly afterwards!

    So, no question/request too big or small

    ❝Not crazy about the Dr.s food advice. Beans 3X a day?❞

    For reference, this is in response to our recent article on the topic of 12 things to aim to get a certain amount of each day:

    Dr. Greger’s Daily Dozen

    So, there are a couple of things to look at here:

    Firstly, don’t worry, it’s a guideline and an aim. If you don’t hit it on a given day, there is always tomorrow. It’s just good to know what one is aiming for, because without knowing that, achieving it will be a lot less likely!

    Secondly, the beans/legumes/pulses category says three servings, but the example serving sizes are quite small, e.g. ½ cup cooked beans, or ¼ cup hummus. And also as you notice, dips/pastes/sauces made from beans count too. So given the portion sizes, you could easily get two servings in by breakfast (and two servings of whole grains, too) if you enjoy frijoles refritos, for example. Many of the recipes we share on this site have “stealth” beans/legumes/pulses in this fashion

    Take care!

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Related Posts

  • The Dangers Of Fires, Floods, & Having Your Hair Washed
  • Marathons in Mid- and Later-Life

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    It’s Q&A Day at 10almonds!

    Have a question or a request? You can always hit “reply” to any of our emails, or use the feedback widget at the bottom!

    In cases where we’ve already covered something, we might link to what we wrote before, but will always be happy to revisit any of our topics again in the future too—there’s always more to say!

    As ever: if the question/request can be answered briefly, we’ll do it here in our Q&A Thursday edition. If not, we’ll make a main feature of it shortly afterwards!

    So, no question/request too big or small

    We had several requests pertaining to veganism, meatless mondays, and substitutions in recipes—so we’re going to cover those on a different day!

    As for questions we’re answering today…

    Q: Is there any data on immediate and long term effects of running marathons in one’s forties?

    An interesting and very specific question! We didn’t find an overabundance of studies specifically for the short- and long-term effects of marathon-running in one’s 40s, but we did find a couple of relevant ones:

    The first looked at marathon-runners of various ages, and found that…

    • there are virtually no relevant running time differences (p<0.01) per age in marathon finishers from 20 to 55 years
    • the majority of middle-aged and elderly athletes have training histories of less than seven years of running

    From which they concluded:

    ❝The present findings strengthen the concept that considers aging as a biological process that can be considerably speeded up or slowed down by multiple lifestyle related factors.❞

    See the study: Performance, training and lifestyle parameters of marathon runners aged 20–80 years: results of the PACE-study

    The other looked specifically at the impact of running on cartilage, controlled for age (45 and under vs 46 and older) and activity level (marathon-runners vs sedentary people).

    The study had the people, of various ages and habitual activity levels, run for 30 minutes, and measured their knee cartilage thickness (using MRI) before and after running.

    They found that regardless of age or habitual activity level, running compressed the cartilage tissue to a similar extent. From this, it can be concluded that neither age nor marathon-running result in long-term changes to cartilage response to running.

    Or in lay terms: there’s no reason that marathon-running at 40 should ruin your knees (unless you are doing something wrong).

    That may or may not have been a concern you have, but it’s what the study looked at, so hey, it’s information.

    Here’s the study: Functional cartilage MRI T2 mapping: evaluating the effect of age and training on knee cartilage response to running

    Q: Information on [e-word] dysfunction for those who have negative reactions to [the most common medications]?

    When it comes to that particular issue, one or more of these three factors are often involved:

    • Hormones
    • Circulation
    • Psychology

    The most common drugs (that we can’t name here) work on the circulation side of things—specifically, by increasing the localized blood pressure. The exact mechanism of this drug action is interesting, albeit beyond the scope of a quick answer here today. On the other hand, the way that they work can cause adverse blood-pressure-related side effects for some people; perhaps you’re one of them.

    To take matters into your own hands, so to speak, you can address each of those three things we just mentioned:

    Hormones

    Ask your doctor (or a reputable phlebotomy service) for a hormone test. If your free/serum testosterone levels are low (which becomes increasingly common in men over the age of 45), they may prescribe something—such as testosterone shots—specifically for that.

    This way, it treats the underlying cause, rather than offering a workaround like those common pills whose names we can’t mention here.

    Circulation

    Look after your heart health; eat for your heart health, and exercise regularly!

    Cold showers/baths also work wonders for vascular tone—which is precisely what you need in this matter. By rapidly changing temperatures (such as by turning off the hot water for the last couple of minutes of your shower, or by plunging into a cold bath), your blood vessels will get practice at constricting and maintaining that constriction as necessary.

    Psychology

    [E-word] dysfunction can also have a psychological basis. Unfortunately, this can also then be self-reinforcing, if recalling previous difficulties causes you to get distracted/insecure and lose the moment. One of the best things you can do to get out of this catch-22 situation is to not worry about it in the moment. Depending on what you and your partner(s) like to do in bed, there are plenty of other equally respectable options, so just switch track!

    Having a conversation about this in advance will probably be helpful, so that everyone’s on the same page of the script in that eventuality, and it becomes “no big deal”. Without that conversation, misunderstandings and insecurities could arise for your partner(s) as well as yourself (“aren’t I desirable enough?” etc).

    So, to recap, we recommend:

    • Have your hormones checked
    • Look after your circulation
    • Make the decision to have fun!

    Don’t Forget…

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    Learn to Age Gracefully

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  • Replacing Sugar: Top 10 Anti-Inflammatory Sweet Foods

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    For those with a sweet tooth, it can be challenging to indulge one’s desires while also avoiding inflammation. Happily, Dr. Jia-Yia Lui has scientific insights to share!

    Dr. Liu’s Top 10

    We’ll not keep them a mystery; they are:

    • Grapes
    • Goji berries
    • Barberries
    • Persimmons
    • Longans
    • Lychees
    • Raisins¹
    • Applesauce²
    • Plums³
    • Dates

    ¹Yes, these are technically also grapes, but there are enough differences that Dr. Liu tackles them separately.
    ²It makes a difference how it’s made, though.
    ³And dried plums, in other words, prunes.

    For more details on all of these, plus their extra benefits and relevant considerations, enjoy:

    Click Here If The Embedded Video Doesn’t Load Automatically!

    Want to learn more?

    You might also like to read:

    Take care!

    Don’t Forget…

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  • Longans vs Lychees – Which is Healthier?

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    Our Verdict

    When comparing longans to lychees, we picked the lychees.

    Why?

    These two fruits are more closely related than they look from the outside, both being members of the soapberry family. However, there are some differences:

    In terms of macros, longans have more protein while lychees have more carbs, and they are equal on fiber, giving longans the lower glycemic index. They’re both good, but longans nominally take the win on this one.

    When it comes to vitamins, longans have more of vitamins B1, B2, and C, while lychees have more of vitamins B3, B6, B9, E, K, and choline, making for a respectable win for lychees in this category.

    In the category of minerals, longans have more copper and potassium, while lychees have more calcium, iron, manganese phosphorus, and zinc. Thus, a win for lychees here too.

    It’s worth looking at polyphenols too—lychees have around 10x more, which is notable.

    Adding up the categories makes for an overall win for lychees, but by all means enjoy either or both! Diversity is good.

    Want to learn more?

    You might like to read:

    Replacing Sugar: Top 10 Anti-Inflammatory Sweet Foods ← longans and lychees both make the list

    Take care!

    Don’t Forget…

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    Learn to Age Gracefully

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