When Science Brings Hope

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There’s a lot of bad news out there at present, including in the field of healthcare. So as some measure of respite from that, here’s some good news from the world of health science, including some actionable things to do:

Run for your life! Or casually meander for your life; that’s fine too.

Those who enjoy the equivalent of an average of 160mins slow (3mph) walking per day also enjoy the greatest healthspan. Now, there may be an element of two-way causality here (moving more means we live longer, but also, sometimes people move less because of having crippling disabilities, which are themselves not great for healthspan, as well as having the knock-on effect of reducing movement, and so such conditions yield and anti-longevity double-whammy), but for any who are able to, increasing the amount of time per day spend moving, ultimately results (on average) in a lot of extra days in life that we’ll then get to spend moving.

Depending on how active or not you are already, every extra 1 hour walked could add two hours and 49 minutes to life expectancy:

Read in full: Americans over 40 could live extra 5 years if they were all as active as top 25% of population, modeling study suggests

Related: The Doctor Who Wants Us To Exercise Less & Move More

Re-teaching your brain to heal itself

Cancer is often difficult to treat, and brain tumors can be amongst the most difficult with which to contend. Not only is everything in there very delicate, but also it’s the hardest place in the body to get at—not just surgically, but even chemically, because of the blood-brain barrier. To make matters worse, brain tumors such as glioblastoma weaken the function of T-cells (whose job it is to eliminate the cancer) by prolonged exposure.

Research has found a way to restore the responsiveness of these T-cells to immune checkpoint inhibitors, allowing them to go about their cancer-killing activities unimpeded:

Read in full: New possibilities for treating intractable brain tumors unveiled

Related: 5 Ways To Beat Cancer (And Other Diseases)

Here’s to your good health!

GLP-1 receptor agonists, originally developed to fight diabetes and now enjoying popularity as weight loss adjuvants, work in large part by cutting down food cravings by interfering with the chemical messaging about such.

As a bonus, it seems that they also can reduce alcohol cravings, especially by targetting the brain’s reward center; this was based on a large review of studies looking at how GLP-1RA use affects alcohol use, alcohol-related health problems, hospital visits, and brain reactions to alcohol cues:

Read in full: Diabetes medication may be effective in helping people drink less alcohol, research finds

Related: How To Reduce Or Quit Alcohol

Take care!

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  • The Immune System Recovery Plan – by Dr. Susan Blum

    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.

    The subtitle of the book is “A Doctor’s 4-Step Program to Treat Autoimmune Disease”, so we’ll not keep the four steps a secret; they are:

    1. Using food as medicine
    2. Understanding the stress connection
    3. Healing your gut and digestive system
    4. Optimizing liver function

    Each of these sections gives a primer in the relevant science, worksheets for personalizing your own plan to your own situation, condition, and goals, and of course lots of practical advice.

    This is important and perhaps the book’s greatest strength, since there are dozens of possible autoimmune conditions, and getting a professional diagnosis is often a long, arduous process. So while this book can’t necessarily speed that up, what it can do is give you a good head-start on managing your symptoms based on things that are most likely to help, and certainly, there will be no harm trying.

    While it’s not primarily a recipe book, there are also recipes targeting each part of the whole, as well as an extensive herb and supplement guide, before getting into lots of additional resources.

    Bottom line: if you are, or suspect you are, suffering from an autoimmune condition, the information in this book can make your life a lot easier.

    Click here to check out The Immune System Recovery Plan, and help yours to help you!

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  • People with dementia aren’t currently eligible for voluntary assisted dying. Should they be?

    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.

    Dementia is the second leading cause of death for Australians aged over 65. More than 421,000 Australians currently live with dementia and this figure is expected to almost double in the next 30 years.

    There is ongoing public discussion about whether dementia should be a qualifying illness under Australian voluntary assisted dying laws. Voluntary assisted dying is now lawful in all six states, but is not available for a person living with dementia.

    The Australian Capital Territory has begun debating its voluntary assisted dying bill in parliament but the government has ruled out access for dementia. Its view is that a person should retain decision-making capacity throughout the process. But the bill includes a requirement to revisit the issue in three years.

    The Northern Territory is also considering reform and has invited views on access to voluntary assisted dying for dementia.

    Several public figures have also entered the debate. Most recently, former Australian Chief Scientist, Ian Chubb, called for the law to be widened to allow access.

    Others argue permitting voluntary assisted dying for dementia would present unacceptable risks to this vulnerable group.

    Inside Creative House/Shutterstock

    Australian laws exclude access for dementia

    Current Australian voluntary assisted dying laws exclude access for people who seek to qualify because they have dementia.

    In New South Wales, the law specifically states this.

    In the other states, this occurs through a combination of the eligibility criteria: a person whose dementia is so advanced that they are likely to die within the 12 month timeframe would be highly unlikely to retain the necessary decision-making capacity to request voluntary assisted dying.

    This does not mean people who have dementia cannot access voluntary assisted dying if they also have a terminal illness. For example, a person who retains decision-making capacity in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease with terminal cancer may access voluntary assisted dying.

    What happens internationally?

    Voluntary assisted dying laws in some other countries allow access for people living with dementia.

    One mechanism, used in the Netherlands, is through advance directives or advance requests. This means a person can specify in advance the conditions under which they would want to have voluntary assisted dying when they no longer have decision-making capacity. This approach depends on the person’s family identifying when those conditions have been satisfied, generally in consultation with the person’s doctor.

    Another approach to accessing voluntary assisted dying is to allow a person with dementia to choose to access it while they still have capacity. This involves regularly assessing capacity so that just before the person is predicted to lose the ability to make a decision about voluntary assisted dying, they can seek assistance to die. In Canada, this has been referred to as the “ten minutes to midnight” approach.

    But these approaches have challenges

    International experience reveals these approaches have limitations. For advance directives, it can be difficult to specify the conditions for activating the advance directive accurately. It also requires a family member to initiate this with the doctor. Evidence also shows doctors are reluctant to act on advance directives.

    Particularly challenging are scenarios where a person with dementia who requested voluntary assisted dying in an advance directive later appears happy and content, or no longer expresses a desire to access voluntary assisted dying.

    Older man looks confused
    What if the person changes their mind? Jokiewalker/Shutterstock

    Allowing access for people with dementia who retain decision-making capacity also has practical problems. Despite regular assessments, a person may lose capacity in between them, meaning they miss the window before midnight to choose voluntary assisted dying. These capacity assessments can also be very complex.

    Also, under this approach, a person is required to make such a decision at an early stage in their illness and may lose years of otherwise enjoyable life.

    Some also argue that regardless of the approach taken, allowing access to voluntary assisted dying would involve unacceptable risks to a vulnerable group.

    More thought is needed before changing our laws

    There is public demand to allow access to voluntary assisted dying for dementia in Australia. The mandatory reviews of voluntary assisted dying legislation present an opportunity to consider such reform. These reviews generally happen after three to five years, and in some states they will occur regularly.

    The scope of these reviews can vary and sometimes governments may not wish to consider changes to the legislation. But the Queensland review “must include a review of the eligibility criteria”. And the ACT bill requires the review to consider “advanced care planning”.

    Both reviews would require consideration of who is able to access voluntary assisted dying, which opens the door for people living with dementia. This is particularly so for the ACT review, as advance care planning means allowing people to request voluntary assisted dying in the future when they have lost capacity.

    Holding hands
    The legislation undergoes a mandatory review. Jenny Sturm/Shutterstock

    This is a complex issue, and more thinking is needed about whether this public desire for voluntary assisted dying for dementia should be implemented. And, if so, how the practice could occur safely, and in a way that is acceptable to the health professionals who will be asked to provide it.

    This will require a careful review of existing international models and their practical implementation as well as what would be feasible and appropriate in Australia.

    Any future law reform should be evidence-based and draw on the views of people living with dementia, their family caregivers, and the health professionals who would be relied on to support these decisions.

    Ben White, Professor of End-of-Life Law and Regulation, Australian Centre for Health Law Research, Queensland University of Technology; Casey Haining, Research Fellow, Australian Centre for Health Law Research, Queensland University of Technology; Lindy Willmott, Professor of Law, Australian Centre for Health Law Research, Queensland University of Technology, Queensland University of Technology, and Rachel Feeney, Postdoctoral research fellow, Queensland University of Technology

    This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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  • The Worst Cookware Lurking In Your Kitchen (Toxicologist Explains)

    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.

    Dr. Yvonne Burkart gives us a rundown of the worst offenders, and what to use instead:

    Hot mess

    The very worst offender is non-stick cookware, the kind with materials such as Teflon. These are the most toxic, due to PFAS chemicals.

    Non-stick pans release toxic gases, leach chemicals into food, and release microplastic particles, which can accumulate in the body.

    One that a lot of people don’t think about, in that category, is the humble air-fryer, which often as not has a non-stick cooking “basket”. These she describes as highly toxic, as they combine plastic, non-stick coatings, and high heat, which can release fumes and other potentially dangerous chemicals into the air and food.

    You may be wondering: how bad is it? And the answer is, quite bad. PFAS chemicals are linked to infertility, hypertension in pregnancy, developmental issues in children, cancer, weakened immune systems, hormonal disruption, obesity, and intestinal inflammation.

    Dr. Burkart’s top picks for doing better:

    1. Pure ceramic cookware: top choice for safety, particularly brands like Xtrema, which are tested for heavy metal leaching.
    2. Carbon steel & cast iron: durable and safe; can leach iron in acidic foods (for most people, this is a plus, but some may need to be aware of it)
    3. Stainless steel: lightweight and affordable but can leach nickel and chromium in acidic foods at high temperatures. Use only if nothing better is available.

    And specifically as alternatives to air-fryers: glass convection ovens or stainless steel ovens are safer than conventional air fryers. The old “combination oven” can often be a good choice here.

    For more on all of these, enjoy:

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

    Want to learn more?

    You might also like to read:

    Take care!

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  • Are You A Calorie-Burning Machine?

    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.

    Burn, Calorie, Burn

    In Tuesday’s newsletter, we asked you whether you count calories, and got the above-depicted, below-described set of answers:

    • About 56% said “I am somewhat mindful of calories but keep only a rough tally”
    • About 32% said “I do not count calories / I don’t think it’s important for my health”
    • About 13% said “I rigorously check and record the calories of everything I consume”

    So what does the science say, about the merits of all these positions?

    A food’s calorie count is a good measure of how much energy we will, upon consuming the food, have to use or store: True or False?

    False, broadly. It can be, at best, a rough guideline. Do you know what a calorie actually is, by the way? Most people don’t.

    One thing to know before we get to that: there’s “cal” vs “kcal”. The latter is generally used when it comes to foodstuffs, and it’s what we’ll be meaning whenever we say “calorie” here. 1cal is 1/1000th of a kcal, that’s all.

    Now, for what a calorie actually is:

    A calorie is the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 liter of water by 1℃

    Question: so, how to we measure how much food is needed to do that?

    Answer: by using a bomb calorimeter! Which is the exciting name for the apparatus used to literally burn food and capture the heat produced to indeed raise the temperature of 1 liter of water by 1℃.

    If you’re having trouble imagining such equipment, here it is:

    Bomb Calorimeter: Definition, Construction, & Operation (with diagram and FAQs)

    The unfortunate implication of the above information

    A kilogram of sawdust contains about a 1000 kcal, give or take what wood was used and various other conditions.

    However, that does not mean you can usefully eat the sawdust. In other words:

    Calorie count tells us only how good something is at raising the temperature of water if physically burned.

    Now do you see why oils and sugars have such comparably high calorie counts?

    And while we may talk about “burning calories” as a metaphor, we do not, in fact, have a little wood stove inside us burning the food we eat.

    A calorie is a calorie: True or False?

    Definitely False! Building on from the above… We will get very little energy from sawdust; it’s not just that we can’t use it; we can’t store it either; it’ll mostly pass through as fiber.

    (however, please do not use sawdust to get your daily dose of fiber either, as it is not safe for human consumption and may give you diseases, depending on what is lurking in it)

    But let’s look at oil and sugar, two very high-calorie categories of food, because they’re really easy to physically burn and they give off a good flame.

    A bomb calorimeter may treat them quite equally, but to our body, they are metabolically very different indeed.

    For a start, most sugars will get absorbed and processed much more quickly than most oils, and that can overwhelm the liver (responsible for glycogen management), and lead to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, diabetes, and more. Metabolic syndrome in general, and if you keep it up too much and you may find it’s now a lottery between dying of NAFLD, diabetes, or heart disease (it’ll usually be the heart disease that kills).

    See also:

    Meanwhile, we know all about the different kinds of nutritional profiles that oils can have, and some can promote having high energy without putting on fat, while others can strain the heart. Not even “a fat is a fat”, so “a calorie is a calorie” doesn’t get much mileage outside of a bomb calorimeter!

    See also:

    A calorie-controlled / calorie-restricted diet is an effective weight loss strategy: True or False?

    True, usually! Surprise!

    • On the one hand: calories are a wildly imprecise way to reckon the value of food, and using them as a guide to health can be dangerously misleading
    • On the other hand: the very activity of calorie-counting itself promotes mindful eating, which is very good for the health

    There is a strong difference between the mind of somebody who is carefully logging their pre-bedtime piece of chocolate and reflecting on its nutritional value, vs someone who isn’t sure whether this is their second or third glass of wine, nor how much the glass contained.

    So if you want to get most of the benefits of a calorie-controlled diet without counting calories, you may try taking a “mindful eating” approach to diet.

    However! If you want to do this for weight loss, be aware, that you will have to practice it all the time, not just for one meal here and there.

    You can read more on how to do “mindful eating” here:

    Dr. Rupy Aujla: The Kitchen Doctor | Mindful Eating & Interoception

    Take care!

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  • What you need to know about menopause

    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.

    Menopause describes the time when a person with ovaries has gone one full year without a menstrual period. Reaching this phase is a natural aging process that marks the end of reproductive years.

    Read on to learn more about the causes, stages, signs, and management of menopause.

    What causes menopause?

    As you age, your ovaries begin making less estrogen and progesterone—two of the hormones involved in menstruation—and your fertility declines, causing menopause.

    Most people begin perimenopause, the transitional time that ends in menopause, in their late 40s, but it can start earlier. On average, people in the U.S. experience menopause in their early 50s.

    Your body may reach early menopause for a variety of reasons, including having an oophorectomy, a surgery that removes the ovaries. In this case, the hormonal changes happen abruptly rather than gradually.

    Chemotherapy and radiation therapy for cancer patients may also induce menopause, as these treatments may impact ovary function.

    What are the stages of menopause?

    There are three stages:

    • Perimenopause typically occurs eight to 10 years before menopause happens. During this stage, estrogen production begins to decline and ovaries release eggs less frequently.
    • Menopause marks the point when you have gone 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period. This means the ovaries have stopped releasing eggs and producing estrogen.
    • Postmenopause describes the time after menopause. Once your body reaches this phase, it remains there for the rest of your life.

    How do the stages of menopause affect fertility?

    Your ovaries still produce eggs during perimenopause, so it is still possible to get pregnant during that stage. If you do not wish to become pregnant, continue using your preferred form of birth control throughout perimenopause.

    Once you’ve reached menopause, you can no longer get pregnant naturally. People who would like to become pregnant after that may pursue in vitro fertilization (IVF) using eggs that were frozen earlier in life or donor eggs.

    What are the signs of menopause?

    Hormonal shifts result in a number of bodily changes. Signs you are approaching menopause may include:

    • Hot flashes (a sudden feeling of warmth).
    • Irregular menstrual periods, or unusually heavy or light menstrual periods.
    • Night sweats and/or cold flashes.
    • Insomnia.
    • Slowed metabolism.
    • Irritability, mood swings, and depression.
    • Vaginal dryness.
    • Changes in libido.
    • Dry skin, eyes, and/or mouth.
    • Worsening of premenstrual syndrome (PMS).
    • Urinary urgency (a sudden need to urinate).
    • Brain fog.

    How can I manage the effects of menopause?

    You may not need any treatment to manage the effects of menopause. However, if the effects are disrupting your life, your doctor may prescribe hormone therapy.

    If you have had a hysterectomy, your doctor may prescribe estrogen therapy (ET), which may be administered via a pill, patch, cream, spray, or vaginal ring. If you still have a uterus, your doctor may prescribe estrogen progesterone/progestin hormone therapy (EPT), which is sometimes called “combination therapy.”

    Both of these therapies work by replacing the hormones your body has stopped making, which can reduce the physical and mental effects of menopause.

    Other treatment options may include antidepressants, which can help manage mood swings and hot flashes; prescription creams to alleviate vaginal dryness; or gabapentin, an anti-seizure medication that has been shown to reduce hot flashes.

    Lifestyle changes may help alleviate the effects on their own or in combination with prescription medication. Those changes include:

    • Incorporating movement into your daily life.
    • Limiting caffeine and alcohol.
    • Quitting smoking.
    • Maintaining a regular sleep schedule.
    • Practicing relaxation techniques, such as meditation.
    • Consuming foods rich in plant estrogens, such as grains, beans, fruits, vegetables, and seeds.
    • Seeking support from a therapist and from loved ones.

    What health risks are associated with menopause?

    Having lower levels of estrogen may put you at greater risk of certain health complications, including osteoporosis and coronary artery disease.

    Osteoporosis occurs when bones lose their density, increasing the risk of fractures. A 2022 study found that the prevalence of osteoporotic fractures in postmenopausal women was 82.2 percent.

    Coronary artery disease occurs when the arteries that send blood to your heart become narrow or blocked with fatty plaque.

    Estrogen therapy can reduce your risk of osteoporosis and coronary artery disease by preserving bone mass and maintaining cardiovascular function.

    For more information, talk to your health care provider.

    This article first appeared on Public Good News and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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  • What Is Making The Ringing In Your Ears Worse?

    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.

    Dr. Rachael Cook, an audiologist at Applied Hearing Solutions in Phoenix, Arizona, shares her professional insights into managing tinnitus.

    If you’re unfamiliar with Tinnitus, it is an auditory condition characterized by a ringing, buzzing, or humming sound, and ffects nearly 10% of the population. We’ve written on Tinnitus, and how it can disrupt your life, in this article.

    Key Triggers for Tinnitus

    Several everyday habits can make your tinnitus louder. Caffeine and nicotine increase blood pressure, restricting blood flow to the cochlea and worsening tinnitus. Common medications, such as pain relievers, high-dose antibiotics, and antidepressants, can also exacerbate tinnitus, especially with higher or long-term dosages.

    Impact of Diet and Sleep

    Dietary choices significantly impact tinnitus. Alcohol and salt alter the fluid balance in the cochlea, increasing tinnitus perception. Alcohol changes blood flow patterns and neurotransmitter production, while high salt intake has similar effects. Poor sleep quality elevates stress levels, making it harder to ignore tinnitus signals. Addressing sleep disorders like sleep apnea and insomnia can help manage tinnitus symptoms.

    Importance of Treating Hearing Loss

    Untreated hearing loss worsens tinnitus. Nearly 90% of individuals with tinnitus have some hearing loss. Hearing aids can reduce tinnitus perception by restoring missing sounds and reducing the brain’s internal compensatory signals. Combining hearing aids with sound therapy is said to provide even greater relief.

    Read more about hearing loss in our article on the topic.

    Otherwise, for a great guide on managing tinnitus, we recommend watching Dr. Cook’s video:

    Here’s hoping your ear’s aren’t ringing too much whilst watching the video!

    Don’t Forget…

    Did you arrive here from our newsletter? Don’t forget to return to the email to continue learning!

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