🦠 3 People die From Flesh Eating Bacteria
It's not just something you see in movies!
Health Squeeze
August 18, 2023
In This Newsletter
🏃♂️ Starting a fitness routine when you’re young can really pay off in the long run.
🪴 Increased social acceptance of cannabis may be leading to some false perceptions.
🧠 This commonly used medication could increase risk of dementia.
Health Q and A
What is one food that never expires?
Answer at the bottom
🏃♂️ Fitness in Youth Could Lower Your Risk for Nine Types of Cancer
Maintaining good fitness when young could significantly reduce your cancer risk.
A new study revealed that cardiorespiratory fitness, the ability to engage in aerobic exercise, is linked to a notable decrease of up to 42% in the risk of nine types of cancers.
The research involved Swedish registry data, tracking male conscripts who began military service between 1968 and 2005, aged 16 to 25. Their cardiorespiratory fitness, alongside other health metrics, was assessed at that time.
Over a 33-year average monitoring period involving over 1 million men, those with higher cardiorespiratory fitness exhibited a notably lower risk of specific cancer types.
Increased fitness levels correlated with a 5% to 42% decreased risk for various cancers, including rectal, pancreatic, colon, head and neck, kidney, stomach, esophageal, liver, and lung cancers.
However, odd findings showed a 7% heightened risk of prostate cancer and a 31% heightened risk of skin cancer in individuals with better cardiorespiratory fitness, potentially attributed to factors like prostate cancer screening and sun exposure during exercise.
While these results align with the American Society of Clinical Oncology exercise guidelines during cancer treatment, the study is observational and cannot establish a causal relationship. Other lifestyle aspects and genetic data were not tracked.
The research underscores the value of fitness at a young age to mitigate the risk of various site-specific cancers, particularly in the gastrointestinal tract.
The findings were published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine on August 15.
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💨 More Adults Think Smoking Marijuana is Safer than Cigarettes, But It’s Not.
As cannabis legalization spreads across numerous U.S. states for medical and recreational use, public attitudes toward the drug have evolved.
A recent study encompassing over 5,000 adults reveals a concerning shift in perception. Despite scientific evidence to the contrary, many adults now believe that smoking cannabis daily is safer than inhaling tobacco smoke.
From 2017 to 2021, researchers explored changing perceptions regarding smoking cannabis and tobacco. The study exposed a growing belief in the safety of daily cannabis smoking, rising from 37% in 2017 to 44% in 2021.
A similar trend was observed concerning secondhand smoke, where 35% considered secondhand cannabis smoke safer than tobacco smoke in 2017, increasing to 40% in 2021.
However, this perception contradicts scientific understanding and poses potential risks to public health. Research indicates substantial similarities between the toxins and carcinogens in cannabis and tobacco smoke.
Furthermore, the study's authors emphasized that any form of smoke is detrimental to lung health. Combusted material generates particulate matter that can deeply harm the lungs.
Several factors might explain these perceptions. Tobacco's extensive study history and public health campaigns have highlighted its dangers.
In contrast, cannabis research is limited due to federal illegality, hindering comprehensive understanding.
Cannabis is currently medically legal in 38 states and recreationally legal in 23 states, along with Washington, D.C., and two territories. The shifting legal landscape and potential health benefits of cannabis usage contribute to the perception's complexity.
💊 Reflux Meds Linked to Higher Risk of Dementia
Millions of Americans take proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) for heartburn and acid reflux, but recent studies have linked them to a higher risk of kidney failure, stroke, early death, and now, dementia.
New research reveals that individuals aged 45 and above who use PPIs for over four years are 33% more likely to develop dementia compared to those who never took the medication.
A study analyzing 5,712 individuals aged 45 to 64 found that out of the 497 participants taking PPIs for almost 4½ years, 58 developed dementia, while 415 of the 4,222 participants not on PPIs developed dementia.
However, no heightened risk was observed in individuals using PPIs for less than 4.4 years. The research noted limitations due to annual medication usage reporting and the exclusion of over-the-counter medications from the study.
Experts suggest a link between PPIs and B12 deficiency and impaired amyloid metabolism, both potentially impacting brain health. Dr. Gregory Day, an associate professor at the Mayo Clinic, indicated that PPIs might influence enzymes that manage amyloid buildup in the brain, a factor in Alzheimer's disease.
📝 Health Snippets
Flesh-Eating Bacteria. At least three individuals have died in Connecticut and New York after contracting a rare flesh-eating bacteria known as Vibrio vulnificus. The bacteria can be found in warm, brackish waters or raw shellfish. Two people in Connecticut died after swimming in different locations on Long Island Sound, while a third person was infected in July after consuming raw oysters from an out-of-state establishment. All three victims were between 60 and 80 years old.
Maui Fires Pose Broad Health Risk. The ongoing fires in Maui, Hawaii, have raised concerns about potential long-term health hazards for residents due to contamination of air, water, and debris with chemical compounds. The Hawaii State Health Department has warned of possible toxic chemicals like asbestos and lead in the ash and dust from burned buildings, particularly in Lahaina, the hardest-hit community, where many structures predating the 1970s contain such substances.
Teens Who Vape. Adolescents who use e-cigarettes are at a doubled risk of experiencing lung issues such as wheezing, shortness of breath, and bronchitis compared to their non-using counterparts, as revealed by a recent study. E-cigarettes are known to contain damaging flavorings and chemical compounds that can harm the lungs, and approximately 14% of U.S. youths use these devices.
Origins of Autism. A recent study by Yale University and Mayo Clinic, published in Nature Neuroscience, has illuminated a possible mechanism underlying the development of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The research identified two neurodevelopmental abnormalities involving excitatory neurons linked to ASD. Moreover, a connection was established between these abnormalities and the occurrence of macrocephaly, characterized by an unusually large head size.
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Answer
When stored properly, honey never expires.
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