Diet and walking for the wins | #25
Plus: new studies on IBS, cancer, Parkinson's, and air pollution's effect on kids
Greetings!
This month, we published a piece on celiac disease, which many of you may know is a subject close to my heart:
My wife, Amy, was diagnosed with celiac disease after her last pregnancy. As I have written, this was one of several events after a long career in emergency medicine which led me to want to explore integrative medicine.
In the article, I explain:
The differences between celiac disease and gluten sensitivity
The role of gliadin, the protein behind reactions to gluten
Whether how we grow wheat has anything to do with the rise in prevalence
Connections with leaky gut syndrome
The perspective of gastroenterologists on celiac disease
You can read the full post here.
And now, on to the recommendations:
#1: Dietary treatment beats medicine for treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Dietary treatment bests medication for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), according to a new study.
While not surprising, the use of a structured dietary approach to treat IBS still meets resistance in traditional medicine.
In the study of 300 patients, those who received traditional IBS dietary advice and low content of FODMAPs, 76% had significantly reduced symptoms. In the group receiving low carbohydrates and high protein and fat, the proportion was 71%, and in the medication group 58%.
We discuss the FODMAP diet in our blog, An Integrative Approach to Abdominal Pain.
#2: Yet another study showing how bad air pollution from traffic is for kids
Exposure to NO2 air pollution during the first two years of life is associated with worse attention capacity in children, especially in boys, according to a new study published in Environment International.
NO2 is a pollutant that comes mainly from traffic emissions.
The prefrontal cortex, a part of the brain responsible for executive functions, develops slowly and it is still maturing during pregnancy and childhood, adds the author. This makes it vulnerable to exposure to air pollution, which has been linked in animal studies to inflammation, oxidative stress, and impaired energy metabolism in the brain.
#3: A new link between poor diet and cancer
New research using cell studies has shown a possible association between poor diet and cancer through the formation of a substance called methylglyoxal.
Methylglyoxal is produced when glucose is broken down to produce energy and is found in higher amounts in people with poor glucose control. Methylglyoxal produces a group of complex compounds known as advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), which accumulate in the body and contribute to various health conditions, including diabetes and obesity.
These AGEs have been linked to increased oxidative stress and inflammation, both of which are critical factors in cancer development.
#4: The Body or the brain: new research on Parkinson’s disease
There is continuing research on Parkinson’s looking at “brain first” or “body first” causes.
The authors of a new study argue that inhalation of certain pesticides, common dry cleaning chemicals, and air pollution predispose to a brain-first model of the disease. Other ingested toxicants, such as tainted food and contaminated drinking water, lead to a body-first model of the disease.
The unifying link is a misfolded protein called alpha-synuclein which has been in scientists' sights for the last 25 years as one of the driving forces behind Parkinson's.
While many are exposed to these chemicals, research is continuing to unravel the susceptibility in certain individuals to progress to Parkinson’s.
#5: Why loneliness is bad for your health
In this study from Nature, people who report loneliness have significant increases in health conditions including sleep disorders, substance use, mental health issues, and dementia:
The group with the highest self-reported loneliness, somewhat surprisingly, are those 18-24 years of age with a whopping 79%!
Strengthening your tribe is one of the key components I discuss at Dignity Integrative as part of developing high mental resiliency.
#6: Two more arguments to get walking
First, an evaluation of more than 700 studies on the relationship between exercise and depression was clear in its results: low to moderate-intensity exercise reduces the risk of depression by 23%, while high intensity reduced anxiety by almost 30%.
Second, a new study of nearly 30,000 people with obesity (and a subset of 2,955) with diabetes) showed the best time to walk may be in the evening when glucose control is poorer. The study showed the lowest risk of death occurring in the group who did over three minutes of moderate to severe exercise in the evening hours.
Yet two more reasons I always recommend getting out walking, especially after your evening meal!
#7: Plant-based meats are no better for you than regular meats
Plant-based meat alternatives (PBMA)—think the Impossible Burger or Beyond Meat—are often suggested to be a good alternative to animal proteins and higher saturated fat foods. At least when it comes to lipoprotein levels including LDL, this study suggests PBMAs are no better.
The study compared PBMA to an omnivore diet in 82 people over an 8-week period. No change was seen in lipoprotein levels, a primary outcome measure. While plant-based meats may be an alternative for folks looking to “bridge” to lower animal protein intake, the metabolic benefits appear to be minimal.