Eats « Weekly Gravy

E. coli bacteria are an infamous cause of food poisoning, but a new study suggests those same microbes lurking in meat may be behind nearly half a million cases of urinary tract infections (UTIs). UTIs are very common, affecting more than half of all women at least once in their lives. And the vast majority of those infections are caused by E. coli bacteria. Although E. coli may be best known for spurring outbreaks of food poisoning, most strains of the bacteria are actually harmless. In fact, E. coli lives happily in the human gut, as part of the vast array of beneficial bacteria that make up the body’s “microbiome.” Sometimes, though, when that gut-dwelling E. coli is shed in your stool, it can migrate to your urinary tract and cause a UTI. That, at least, is the source of most UTIs, said study author Lance Price, a microbiologist and professor at George Washington University, in Washington, D.C. Price’s team found genetic evidence that some UTIs are caused by E. coli in the chicken, turkey and pork that people buy at the grocery store. The bacteria find their way to the urinary tract the same way as other UTI-causing E. coli do — but the source is different. The researchers estimated that around 8% of UTIs caused by E. coli can be traced to a… read on > read on >

A new study has some heartening news for coffee lovers: That morning cup is unlikely to make your heart skip a beat. The study, published March 23 in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that drinking coffee does not seem to predispose healthy people to premature atrial contractions. PACs are a normal occurrence for a healthy heart, but some people sense them as a “skipped” or extra heartbeat — which can be unsettling. And if they do arise frequently, that might foretell a more serious heart arrhythmia down the road. Experts said the new findings are in line with the body of research on coffee and heart health: Despite caffeine’s bad reputation, many studies have found that coffee drinkers have lower risks of various diseases — including heart disease — than non-drinkers. But while those past studies have offered reassurance, they also had limitations, said first study author Dr. Gregory Marcus, a cardiologist and professor at the University of California, San Francisco. There could be many differences between coffee drinkers and abstainers that affect their disease risks, Marcus said. And even though studies try to control for those differences, he added, it’s impossible to account for everything. So Marcus and his colleagues conducted a clinical trial to actually test whether coffee can have particular acute effects on the heart. Their primary question was whether… read on > read on >

That road noise outside your window could be wreaking havoc on your blood pressure. A new study published March 22 in JACC: Advances found that the roaring engines, blaring horns and wailing sirens can themselves elevate high blood pressure (hypertension) risk, aside from questions about the impact of air pollution. “We were a little surprised that the association between road traffic noise and hypertension was robust even after adjustment for air pollution,” lead author Jing Huang said in a journal news release. She is an assistant professor in the School of Public Health at Peking University in Beijing. To study this, Huang and her colleagues analyzed data from more than 240,000 people in the UK Biobank. They were 40 to 69 years of age and did not have high blood pressure when the study began. Road traffic noise estimates were based on residential addresses and a European noise assessment tool. Using data over a median of about eight years, researchers found that participants who lived near road traffic noise were more likely to develop high blood pressure and that their risk rose as noise increased. The finding held even after researchers adjusted for exposure to fine particles and nitrogen dioxide in the air. People who had high exposure to both traffic noise and air pollution had the highest risk for high blood pressure. “Road traffic… read on > read on >

(HealthDay News) – A drug-resistant bacteria linked to recalled eye drops has now killed three people. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Tuesday that infections with Pseudomonas aeruginosa had led to two additional deaths. In all, 68 people have become infected in 16 states. Eight of the patients have lost their vision. Four people have had to have their eyeballs removed. Three eye products have been recalled from Global Pharma Healthcare Private Limited in India. They were sold online, at stores and provided through ophthalmologist offices. While the P. aeruginosa strain involved in the recalls is resistant to 12 antibiotics, there may be new hope for treating it. Researchers at the University of California, San Diego, say they have identified a bacteriophage that has potential for working on the bacteria, CBS News reported. “Phage” treatments send viruses in to attack the drug-resistant bacteria. The university’s Center for Innovative Phage Applications has previously reported on therapies it developed to save patients with drug-resistant infections, CBS News reported. The center did not immediately respond to CBS News’ request for comment. It’s not known how many patients have been treated with the phage identified for this bacteria. In unrelated contamination incidents, two additional eye products from other manufacturers have been recently recalled, CBS News reported. More information The National Library of Medicine has more on… read on > read on >

One way to reduce the risk of heart disease: Eat more nuts and seeds, according to a new review of 60 studies. Scandinavian researchers found that eating nuts could reduce the risk of a heart attack. “If you eat a handful of nuts every day, that is around 30 grams, you will have a 20% to 25% lower risk of suffering from cardiovascular disease. In comparison, adults in the Nordic countries only eat on average around 4 grams of nuts a day. Many do not eat nuts or seeds at all,” said study co-author Erik Arnesen, research fellow at the University of Oslo. Although scientists say, “the more the better,” eating just a few nuts is better than none at all, Arnesen said in a university news release. Almonds, pistachios and walnuts appeared to be the best for lowering cholesterol. However, researchers said there is no conclusive evidence for recommending specific kinds of nuts over others. “Nuts have a beneficial effect on cholesterol levels in the blood, which is important to keep low in order to prevent the buildup of fat in the arteries. This atherosclerosis, as it is called, is one of the greatest risk factors for heart attacks,” Arnesen explained. The review involved nearly 2 million participants. Although researchers also investigated whether eating nuts reduced the risk of strokes and type 2 diabetes,… read on > read on >

Perrigo Co., which makes Gerber Good Start SootheProTM Powdered Infant Formula, has recalled the product over concerns about contamination with a potentially dangerous bacteria. Cronobacter sakazakii was possibly present between Jan. 2 and Jan. 18 at the company’s Gateway Eau Claire, Wisc., manufacturing facility. No distributed products have tested positive for the bacteria. No one has reported adverse events, the company added in a news release. No other products made by the company are affected by the recall at this plant or other Perrigo facilities. The recall is being made voluntarily in consultation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Just last month, infant formula manufacturer Reckitt recalled 145,000 cans of Enfamil ProSobee formula because of possible contamination with C. sakazakii bacteria. And that recall followed an infant formula shortage last year that was prompted by Abbott Nutrition’s closing of its Michigan plant. That closing was necessitated after four infants fell ill and two died after consuming powdered infant formula made at the plant. However, genetic testing later found the bacteria discovered at the plant did not match the bacteria related to the infant cases. With the Gerber infant formula recall, anyone who purchased the product after March 5 should look for the lot codes and “use by” dates involved in the recall on the items they purchased, the company said. Those can be found… read on > read on >

Cutting some carbohydrates may help people with type 2 diabetes live longer — as long as they are swapping sugar for vegetables instead of steak, new research suggests. The study, of more than 10,000 U.S. adults with type 2 diabetes, found that those who ate relatively fewer carbohydrates were less likely to die over the next 30 years, versus those with a bigger taste for carbs. But the quality of those lower-carb diets was key: People who ate a moderate amount of carbs but still fit in plenty of vegetables, fruit, fiber-rich grains and beans tended to live longer, versus people with higher-carb diets. Then there were the folks with lower-carb diets that were heavy in meat and dairy. They saw no such survival advantage. Experts said the findings, published in April issue of Diabetes Care, support a familiar piece of diet advice: Limit sugar and heavily processed foods, and eat more plants. More than 37 million Americans have diabetes, the vast majority of whom have the type 2 form, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Type 2 diabetes arises when the body loses its sensitivity to the blood sugar-regulating hormone insulin. The disease is often related to obesity, and diet changes, exercise and weight loss are cornerstones of managing it. Low-carb diets are often promoted for weight loss and reining… read on > read on >

Do you ever wonder why you typically feel hungry when it’s time for dinner? Researchers say that’s not just a habit, but a physiological drive, with the human body able to predict the timing of regular meals. “We often get hungry around the same time every day, but the extent to which our biology can anticipate mealtimes is unknown. It is possible that metabolic rhythms align to meal patterns and that regularity of meals will ensure that we eat at the time when our bodies are best adapted to deal with them,” said study author Jonathan Johnston. He is a professor of chronobiology and integrative physiology at the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom. To investigate if the human circadian system anticipates meals, the researchers worked with 24 men in an eight-day laboratory study with strict sleep-wake schedules. For six days, 12 participants consumed small meals hourly throughout the waking period. The other 12 participants ate two large daily meals at 7.5 and 14.5 hours after waking. After those six days, all the participants were given the same eating schedule for 37 hours. They received small meals hourly in a procedure known to reveal internal circadian rhythms. Researchers measured the participants’ glucose (blood sugar) every 15 minutes during the study. The participants shared their hunger levels hourly during waking hours on days two, four… read on > read on >

Cutting out nutrients such as carbs, fat or protein may be a popular way to shed pounds but doing so can have unintended consequences. Instead, aim for a balance of those macronutrients to fuel your life and activities, said Dr. Elizabeth Albright of University of Michigan Health-West in Wyoming, Mich. In a university news release, she offered some suggestions for a balanced diet that will fit your lifestyle and offer the right fuel. Food is necessary to live, so don’t think of it as “good” or “bad”: Just because certain foods may fuel you toward your goals more effectively doesn’t make other foods bad, Albright said. Like putting unleaded gas in a diesel engine, some foods just aren’t the right fuel for you and can damage your body. Gender, race, genetics, metabolism and hormone levels all affect nutrition needs. Change your mindset: Rather than following a “diet” that has an end date, make your food habits a lifestyle. Pass on processed foods: Reducing your intake of processed foods will improve your general sense of well-being and lead to improvements in chronic disease and often weight loss. The chemicals used to increase foods’ shelf life are often highly inflammatory to the body, Albright said, which can put stress on organ systems and, eventually, cause dysfunction. Choose these foods: Build your menu around lean meats and proteins.… read on > read on >

Paxlovid, a medication that has helped millions of high-risk COVID patients avoid hospitalization and death since late 2021, moved one step closer to getting full approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday. An FDA advisory panel voted 16-1 that the Pfizer drug remains a safe and effective treatment and should be given full approval. It has only received emergency use authorization until now, but the FDA is expected to make a final decision on full approval by May, the Associated Press reported. The vote was not a surprise, given that Paxlovid continues to be a well-used treatment while other drugs no longer work against a mutated virus. While data for healthy adults shows the drug makes no meaningful difference, it shows significant benefits for high-risk adults. Paxlovid reduces the chance of hospitalization and death by about 60% to 85% for seniors and adults who have health issues that include obesity, diabetes, lung disease and immune system disorders, the AP reported. “We still have many groups that stand to benefit from Paxlovid, including unvaccinated persons, under-vaccinated persons, the elderly and the immuno-compromised,” said Dr. Richard Murphy, of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Paxlovid could prevent 1,500 deaths and 13,000 hospitalizations each week, according to the FDA. The United States still sees about 4,000 COVID deaths and 35,000 hospitalizations weekly, according to the AP.… read on > read on >