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Some people might be prone to low back pain because of specific cells contained in their spinal disks, a new study suggests. The research could explain why only certain people develop back pain due to the degeneration of their spinal discs, which are jelly-filled spacers that act as shock absorbers between the small bones of the vertebrae. “We’ve identified for the first time particular cells that could be the key to understanding disk pain,” said senior study author Dmitriy Sheyn, a research scientist in the Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. “Learning more about how these cells work could lead to the eventual discovery of new treatment options,” Sheyn added in a Cedars Sinai news release. About 40% of adults experience low back pain due to degenerating disks in the spine, but up to now it’s not been clear exactly why the disks become painful. The jelly in spinal disks tends to dry out and degenerate as people age, but that doesn’t automatically trigger back pain, the researchers noted. “This is because the inner jelly-like layers of the disks contain no nerve endings,” Sheyn said. “But sometimes, when disks degenerate, nerve endings from the surrounding tissues invade the disk, and we believe this causes pain.” For this study, researchers first compared spinal disks from patients with low back… read on > read on >

You may think that artificial sweeteners can help you lose some weight, but a new study finds they are no good for your gut’s microbiome. People who use aspartame (Equal), sucralose (Splenda), saccharin (Sweet’N Low), or stevia leaf extract tended to have intestinal bacteria colonies that differed significantly from those of people who didn’t use sugar substitutes, researchers found. They had less rich colonies of bacteria in their small intestines or, even worse, higher levels of bacteria that churn out harmful toxins. “Artificial sweeteners are not benign for the microbiome of the gut,” said study author Dr. Ruchi Mathur, a professor and endocrinologist with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. More than 140 million Americans use artificial sweeteners to lower their sugar intake, researchers said in background notes. However, concerns have been raised that sugar substitutes don’t help with long-term weight loss and might be tied to increased risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, researchers said. The gut microbiome plays a key role in a person’s health, and diet can influence the makeup of these bacteria in significant ways. So, in a controlled study, researchers analyzed the microbial diversity of the small intestines in people who used artificial sweeteners, including nine who used aspartame and 35 who used other sugar substitutes. They compared the gut microbiome of those patients to a group of… read on > read on >

A diet laden with omega-3 fatty acids found in nuts and oily fish might help slow the progression of pulmonary fibrosis, researchers report. Pulmonary fibrosis is a relentless, potentially fatal disease where lung tissue scars and hardens over time. Often tied to smoking, the illness impairs lung function so that patients become short of breath, weak and disabled. The new study was led by Dr. John Kim, a pulmonary and critical care expert at the University of Virginia School of Medicine and UVA Health, in Charlottesville. His team tracked the health of 300 patients with interstitial lung disease — the class of respiratory ailments that includes pulmonary fibrosis. Most had “idiopathic” pulmonary fibrosis (meaning the exact cause of the illness is unknown) and most were men (males are more prone to the disease). Blood tests were taken to gauge each patient’s dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids. The team found that “higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids were predictive of better clinical outcomes in pulmonary fibrosis,” Kim said in a university news release. Specifically, people with higher levels of the nutrient had lungs that were better able to exchange carbon dioxide and oxygen — a process necessary to life. They also were better able to survive without needing a lung transplant, the study found. “These findings were consistent whether [or not] you had a history of… read on > read on >

TUESDAY, Jan. 2, 2024 — Many folks’ New Year resolutions include having a Dry January, and that’s a wise move, experts say. Taking even a one-month break from booze can lead to significant improvements in physical and mental health, said Jennifer Steiner, an associate professor at Florida State University. Your cancer risk and blood pressure might decline, your liver could start to heal in just two weeks, and you might also lose some extra pounds, Steiner said. You also might feel less stressed and have better digestion, leading to better sleep. Giving up alcohol might seem like a tough challenge, given that many social events revolve around drinking, Steiner said in a university news release. But there can be lasting benefits for toughing it out. Folks who give up alcohol for a month often wind up drinking less even after the challenge ends, Steiner noted. Steiner pointed out some tried-and-true strategies that can help you achieve a Dry January. Understand what motivates your drinking. Those who drink to relieve stress might explore other ways to manage their tension, like exercising, chatting with a friend, journaling, meditating or trying a new hobby. On the other hand, those who drink out of habit might try finding a healthier alternative to booze in their daily or weekly routine, Steiner said. When tempted to drink, a person might have… read on > read on >

Because athletes young and old can suffer cardiac arrest, some states have mandated the placement of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in gyms, stadiums and other sports venues. But a new study finds the use of AEDs by bystanders for cardiac arrest at athletic sites didn’t improve much after states enacted these laws. The bottom line: “Legislative efforts alone may not be sufficient to improve bystander AED use,” contend the authors of a study published Jan. 2 in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine. Recent high-profile cases, such as the collapse on the field of Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin exactly one year ago, have placed the spotlight on cardiac arrest among young athletes. Hamlin was lucky enough to receive CPR plus the rapid application of an AED, and has since made a full recovery. Numerous states have enacted laws to have AEDs nearby at athletic venues, should similar crises occur. The new study was led by Dr. Ahmed Kolkailah, a cardiologist at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. His team analyzed data from a national registry on cardiac arrest events and survival, to track how often AEDs were used in states with or without such mandates. They focused on 13 states that had such laws in place before 2020, and 27 states that did not. A total of 4,145 cases of cardiac… read on > read on >

Reduced income, unemployment and mental health issues are more common among people who live with a loved one diagnosed with depression, new research shows. “These findings indicate that the impact of depressive symptoms may extend beyond the affected individuals, imposing a burden on other adults in their households,” study lead author Paul Greenberg, of the Analysis Group, an economics consulting firm in Boston, said in a news release from the American Psychiatric Association. Reporting Dec. 27 in the Journal of Affective Disorders, Greenberg and his colleagues tracked the financial health and quality of life of nearly 17,000 U.S. adults. All completed a standard questionnaire with items on income, employment, health and other issues. About 1,700 of the participants lived with someone battling depression. The study showed that folks living with a depressed person had, on average, $4,720 less in total annual income, than people who didn’t. That’s an 11.3% average drop in income, Greenberg’s team calculated. Folks living with a person who was depressed also missed more workdays and were more likely to be unemployed. Their quality of life appeared to suffer, as well: Living with a depressed person was linked to lower scores on tests aimed at assessing mental and physical health, the study found. All of this, “further supports the value of adequate treatment to address depressive symptoms for adults and reduce the… read on > read on >

Glaucoma can steal your sight before you even realize it, and early diagnosis is the best way to prevent it. Many of the 3 million Americans who have glaucoma are unaware of it because they have no symptoms, according to the Glaucoma Foundation. In glaucoma, a buildup of fluid in the front part of the eye increases pressure and damages the optic nerve. Here are seven key facts to know about glaucoma: Most forms of the disease have no symptoms and vision changes don’t happen right away. Once eyesight is lost, the damage is permanent Glaucoma can strike at any stage of life, not just in old age. In fact, about 1 baby in 10,000 is born with the condition While family history is a risk factor, just because your family doesn’t have glaucoma doesn’t make you risk-free. Everyone in the family should be tested if there’s a family history Black folks are six times more likely to have glaucoma than white Americans, and it starts years earlier, often with greater loss of vision. Asian people are also at high risk and glaucoma is more common among Hispanic Americans than once believed Elevated pressure inside the eye is a risk factor for glaucoma, not the disease itself. In some of the more than 40 forms of glaucoma, elevated eye pressure is not involved. The common… read on > read on >

A diet supplement derived from citrus fruits reduced swelling and pain after knee replacement surgery, a new clinical trial found. The flavonoid supplement, diosmin, could offer a new approach to painful swelling after the procedure, according to a team led by Dr. Pengde Kang of Sichuan University in Chengdu, China. “Postoperative lower-extremity swelling is a major hindrance to the enhanced recovery of patients” after knee replacement, the researchers wrote recently in The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. Various strategies, including rest, cold packs and compressive bandages, have had mixed success. And no medications are available to reduce post-operative swelling, the researchers noted. Diosmin — which is often combined with a related flavonoid called hesperidin — is used to reduce swelling in limbs of patients with disorders of the blood vessels. It is not approved as a prescription medication in the United States or Europe, but the researchers noted that experience suggests it is well-tolerated. For the study, the team looked at 330 patients who had total knee replacement at 13 university-affiliated hospitals. They were randomly assigned to a treatment group that received a 14-day course of diosmin after surgery or to a control group that received no treatment. Both groups received standard pain medication. Swelling at specific spots was measured four times after surgery and compared between the two groups. Pain scores, knee function,… read on > read on >

Still weighing whether to make a New Year’s resolution? Or perhaps regretting letting your healthy habits slide during the holidays? Either way, the American Medical Association (AMA) has ten recommendations to help Americans improve their health in 2024. “It is quite common after the holidays to think about all you’ve eaten or your reduced physical activity and get discouraged,” said AMA President Dr. Jesse Ehrenfeld. “But the good news is you don’t have to make major health changes in one fell swoop. You can make small, positive health choices right now that can have long-lasting effects,” Ehrenfeld added in an AMA news release. The AMA’s recommendations for a healthier new year include: Increase physical activity. Exercise is essential to physical and mental health. Adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week. Eat healthier. Reduce intake of sugary drinks and processed foods, instead drinking more water and eating more nutritious whole foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, low-fat dairy and lean meats. Get up-to-date on vaccinations. Vaccines are available to protect people against COVID, influenza and RSV during this winter’s cold and flu season. Make sure all members of your family have all their recommended jabs. Go to your scheduled health screenings. Millions of screenings for breast, colorectal and prostate cancers might have… read on > read on >

Folks who habitually add an extra sprinkle of salt to their meals are doing no favors for their kidneys, new research confirms. The finding held even after researchers accounted for other health issues, such as being overweight, not exercising or smoking and/or drinking. The bottom line: “Adding salt to foods is associated with increased risk of chronic kidney disease in the general population,” concluded a team led by Dr. Lu Qi, of Tulane University’s Obesity Research Center, in New Orleans. Qi and his colleagues recently published studies showing that adding salt to meals upped people’s odds for heart disease, type 2 diabetes and shortened life spans. However, links between table salt and the odds of kidney disease in the general population hadn’t been well-researched, Qi’s group noted. To remedy that, they analyzed data on more than 465,000 people, averaging 56 years of age, who didn’t have kidney disease when they registered for a British health database known as the UK Biobank. Participants’ health and lifestyle were tracked from 2006 to 2023. According to the researchers, over 22,000 cases of kidney disease emerged over the study period. Compared to folks who never or rarely added salt to their food, people who did so had a higher odds of developing kidney trouble. The risk rose with the frequency at which people said they used table salt. For… read on > read on >

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All Sauce from Weekly Gravy:

New Clues To Origins of Lower Back Pain

Could Artificial Sweeteners Alter Your Microbiome?

Healthy Omega-3 Fatty Acids Could Slow a Deadly Lung Disease

Tips From an Expert as You Start ‘Dry January’

Defibrillators Now Mandatory at Some Gyms, Stadiums — Why Aren’t More People Using Them?

Living With a Depressed Loved One Can Take Mental, Financial Toll

Know the Facts About Glaucoma

Citrus Supplement Could Ease Swelling After Knee Replacement

America’s Doctors Offer 10 Health Resolutions as You Start a New Year

Put Down That Salt Shaker to Spare Your Kidneys