It’s winter, which means many of us are exposed to damp conditions and mould growth in our homes, increasing the risk of respiratory ailments and depression.
Mould grows in damp and poorly ventilated conditions. Black mould, one of the more common varieties, releases toxic spores that have been linked to severe respiratory illness, even death.
People living in damp and mouldy homes are also at higher risk of depression, which can in turn increase the risk of asthma and other respiratory symptoms. Those with existing health issues such as allergies and asthma are at greatest risk, although otherwise healthy individuals can also be affected.
As the wet winter days continue, it’s a good time to address any mould issues you may find in your home. Removing the mould is the first step. Hard surfaces can be cleaned with soapy water or commercial anti-mould products. Absorbent surfaces such as carpets and curtains can be more difficult – in extreme cases some soft furnishings could need to be replaced.
Crucially, once the mould has been removed, it is important to address the root cause of the mould – leaking roofs and window frames are a common culprit, as is poor ventilation.
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This guide from SA Health offers more information on mould and health, and tips on mould prevention.
Whole-body vibration (WBV) is a form of passive exercise that involves standing on a platform that vibrates between 15 and 70 times per second. New research suggests its benefits may result from a boost in gut bacteria.
Research into the possible benefits of WBV have shown improvements in muscle performance, bone density, strength and balance, and a reduction in inflammation. Some research has even shown a reversal of some symptoms of type 2 diabetes.
The new study, at Augusta University in Georgia, found that mice given 20-minute WBV sessions daily for four weeks had a 17-fold increase in a crucial gut bacterium known as Alistipes.
Alistipes, which helps to ferment food in the gut, is generally found in lower levels in people with Crohn’s disease and inflammatory bowel disease.
WBV also led to higher levels of M2 macrophages – immune cells that suppress inflammation – and anti-inflammatory cytokines.
Further research is needed to fully understand the phenomenon, which further illustrates the importance of the microbiome in our wellbeing.
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New research examined almost 80,000 people over more than a quarter of a century to investigate a possible link between vitamin A intake and squamous cell carcinoma, the second-most common form of skin cancer.
The study was carried out by researchers from the Warren Alpert Medical School and the Brown School of Public Health, in Providence, RI, Harvard Medical School, in Boston, MA, and Inje University, in Seoul, South Korea.
Analysing data from 75,150 women and 48,400 men over more than 26 years. They determined participants’ vitamin A intake from detailed dietary surveys completed every four years.
The researchers found that people with a higher intake of vitamin A had a lower risk of developing cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. More research is needed to understand the relationship between vitamin intake and cancer risk.
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A family history of dementia does not mean you are destined to suffer from the condition, according to new research from the University of Exeter in the UK.
A study of almost 200,000 people showed the risk can be reduced by up to a third by living a healthy lifestyle.
The study followed people over 64 years of age for eight years, and found those leading a healthy lifestyle – not smoking, exercising moderately and regularly, eating a balanced diet and not drinking to excess – were less likely to develop dementia.
Researchers say this could translate to hundreds of thousands of people not developing dementia as they age.
This type of research cannot show a causal link, but does show a pattern – and living a healthier lifestyle has many other documented benefits, so it makes sense!
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Sugary drinks, including fruit juice, may increase the risk of cancer, according to a study by French scientists.
The study, from the Université Sorbonne Paris Cité, followed more than 100,000 people for five years and concluded that drinking an extra 100ml of sugary drinks a day (about two cans per week) increased the risk of cancer by 18%.
The researchers defined sugary drinks as those containing 5% sugar or more, and included fruit juice, as well as tea and coffee with added sugar.
The study is not definitive, and researchers say more study is necessary.
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500,000 Australians may have diabetes and not even know it. The age of onset of type 2 diabetes is getting younger, leading to a greater risk of complications like heart attacks, strokes and amputations.
Research at Melbourne’s Austin Hospital found that 34% of patients had diabetes. Five percent of those patients had undiagnosed type 2 diabetes that was only discovered through the research.
Diabetes Australia chief executive Greg Johnson describes the research as ‘a wake-up call to the Australian community and our health system’.
There were approximately one million diabetes-related hospital admissions in Australia last year. With half-a-million Australians unaware they have the condition, this number looks likely to increase. Many of these people do not believe they are at risk because they fell they live a healthy lifestyle, eat well and exercise regularly.
Our clinic supports patients of all ages with a variety of health conditions. Call us to learn more.
New research from scientists in Norway and Australia has shown that vitamin C reduces the amount of time patients spend in intensive care units.
People who are seriously ill require higher vitamin C intake than healthy people, and the study found that doses of vitamin C reduced the time spent in ICU by more than 8%.
The researchers looked at published research covering more than 2000 patients and found that doses of between 1 and 3 grams of vitamin C cut ICU time by an average of 8.6%. In case where patients required mechanical ventilation, vitamin C reduced the need for this ventilation by 18.2%
Our injectable nutrient clinic supports patients with a variety of health conditions. Click here to learn more.
A new study suggests that scratching itches caused by eczema could exacerbate food allergies.
Eczema and food allergies have long been connected, but scientists have so far been unable to explain exactly how and why the two are linked.
This new study, conducted on mice, suggests that scratching an itch can start a chain reaction that leads to higher numbers of mast cells in the intestine, making the intestinal lining more permeable to allergens. The mouse study was bolstered by tests on children with a type of eczema known as atopic dermatitis, which found they had higher levels of mast cells in their intestines.
More research is needed to better understand the link, but scientists are hopeful the discovery could mean that reducing scratching in children with eczema could reduce the severity of food allergies in the future.
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A new study by the World Health Organisation has found that diets high in salt and sugar, and low in fibre led to the deaths of 11 million people every year. Tobacco smoking is believed to kill 7 million people per year.
The study involved analysing 20 years of data from more than 190 countries, examining deaths from diseases including cancer, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular conditions. In addition to high levels of sugar and salt, people with the worst health issues were not eating enough fruits and vegetables that are high in dietary fibre.
Overconsumption of sugary soft drinks and processed meats was one of the main culprits identified by the study, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
The nations with the lowest levels of diet-related death were those that tend to follow the Mediterranean diet, which is high in fresh fruit and vegetables, healthy fats and proteins.
Poor diet emerged as the biggest risk factor for death around the world, and affects people regardless of gender, age and other demographic measures.
Our nutritional consultant, Deb Ashton, can assist with diet-related issues. Call us on 08 8379 1124 to find out more.
$3million of federal government funding is earmarked for research into Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).
At PIM we have seen many patients suffering from this condition, and more research into its causes and potential treatments is very welcome news.
More than 240,000 Australians have some form of ME/CFS and funding for research so far has been hard to come by.
The $3million is a fraction of the $15million of biomedical research funding sought by ME Australia, but Health Minister Greg Hunt said he is confident of finding more money for biomedical research into ME/CFS.
Brett Lidbury, Associate Professor at the Australian National University’s National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, said that Australian researchers have already established themselves as leaders in the field, in spite of low levels of funding support. “This significant Federal funding is recognition of these achievements, and overdue recognition of the “missing” patients and families who have patiently lobbied and counselled the wider community on this overlooked disease,” Lidbury said.
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Doctors may be banned from recommending vitamins, nutritional supplements and other therapies under new regulations planned by the Medical Board of Australia.
Many doctors are concerned that the new regulations increase risk for patients and fail to differentiate between evidence-based therapies and more ‘fringe’ practices.
One doctor, Nadine Perlen, is concerned that the regulations could effectively outlaw therapies that are known to support patients with a variety of conditions.
“Potentially a doctor like myself, who is a qualified GP working in general practice, who integrates knowledge of nutrition and biochemistry and gastrointestinal health, could be told … you are not allowed to recommend vitamins or minerals to your patients,” Dr Perlen said.
Crucially, there is no evidence the current code of conduct was inadequate or that the proposed guidelines would improve patient safety, according to the Australasian Integrative Medicine Association.
Only one per cent of all adverse drug reactions reported between 2014–16 were caused by complementary medicines, the Association says.
Such is the level of concern about the proposed censorship of doctors, the consultation period has twice been extended due to the volume of submissions from patients and doctors alike.
Patients are encouraged to make submissions before the closing date of June 30.
Please click here to make a submission – remember to support Option One!
A worldwide collaboration involving more than 40 doctors in three major hospitals has found a causal link between the gut microbiome and the immune system’s ability to fight cancer.
The researchers identified 11 strains of gut bacteria that can activate the immune system to slow the growth of melanoma.
Immunotherapy using immune checkpoint inhibitors has been a major breakthrough in cancer treatment, but the treatments don’t work for everybody and often have significant side effects.
The new research offers the possibility to better understand which patients will benefit from treatment and ultimately to expand the number of people who benefit from immunotherapy.
It’s another example of the critical importance of our gut microbiome to our overall health and wellbeing.
You can read more about the research here.
New research shows that vitamin D dramatically affects our immune system, and could make people less susceptible to autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis.
Scientists at the University of Edinburgh looked at the way vitamin D affects the ability of dendritic cells to activate T cells.
T cells are crucial in fighting infections, but in autoimmune diseases, they can attack the body’s own tissues.
The researchers looked at cells from both mice and humans, and found that vitamin D reduces the activation of T cells by limiting production of a molecule called CD31.
Vitamin D is produced by the body in response to sunlight, and a deficiency in vitamin D levels has been linked to a variety of autoimmune conditions. This study suggests one mechanism behind the link.
Our injectable nutrient clinic supports patients with a variety of health conditions. Click here to learn more.
The microbes that live in our gut are known to influence a wide range of health issues, and a new study suggests that depression is linked to our gut microbiome.
In a study published in Nature Microbiology, researchers found that higher levels of two types of gut bacteria were associated with better mental health.
The research is in its early stages, and the researchers believe it could lead to probiotic treatments for depression.
Studying the genomes of more than 500 types of bacteria, the researchers have developed a catalogue of microbe species that can interact with the human nervous system. With further study, this could lead to advances in our understanding and treatment of mental health.
Our injectable nutrient clinic supports patients with a variety of health conditions. Click here to learn more.
For people who are obese and suffer migraines, losing weight can dramatically improve quality of life, according to researchers from Italy and the USA.
The researchers found that weight loss resulted in fewer migraine headaches, as well as a reduction in severity of pain and the duration of each migraine.
The researchers looked at 473 patients in a number of previous studies to see if weight loss from surgery or behavioural change had any impact on migraines. They found that weight loss was linked with significant reductions in headache frequency, pain intensity and duration.
The degree of obesity and amount of weight loss did not affect the results, and it also did not make a difference whether the weight loss was from bariatric surgery or changes in lifestyle. The improvements were noted in children and adults.
Achieving a healthy body weight has multiple positive effects on our health, and this new research adds to our understanding of the effects of obesity.
Our injectable nutrient clinic supports patients with a variety of health conditions. Click here to learn more.
