Vitamin B12 Breakthrough for more complete Vegetarian and Vegan diets

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Vitamin B12 (known as cobalamin) is an essential dietary component but vegetarians are more prone to B12 deficiency as plants neither make nor require this nutrient.

But now a team, led by Professor Martin Warren at the University’s School of Biosciences, has proved that common garden cress can indeed take up cobalamin.

The amount of B12 absorbed by garden cress is dependent on the amount present in the growth medium, and the Kent team was able to confirm B12 uptake by showing that the nutrient ends up in the leaf.

I can’t wait for the silly money and marketers to grab this and run.

Read the source article here.

 

Vegan Diet Rapidly Improves Type 2 Diabetes Markers in Adults

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The 16-week randomized controlled trial in 73 adults showed that participants who ate a diet of vegetables, grains, legumes, and fruits significantly improved their overall metabolic condition, say Hana Kahleova, MD, PhD, of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in Washington, DC, and colleagues.

Previous studies have shown that the prevalence of diabetes is 46% to 74% lower in people who eat a plant-based diet compared with meat lovers in the general population, according to background information in the article.

A vegan diet has also been shown to improve glycemic control in type 2 diabetes better than calorie-restricted, low-carbohydrate diets, the researchers note.

You can access the Medscape article here.

This is a link to the online abstract.

Reminder — Beer, wine and whiskey are vegan!

Sleep Apnea Raises Your Risk of Sudden Cardiac Death

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In a five-year study of nearly 11,000 people, those with obstructive sleep apnea had a higher risk of sudden cardiac death. At greatest risk were those aged 60 and older with moderate to severe apnea (20 episodes an hour).

When their oxygen saturation levels dipped below 78 percent — preventing air from flowing into the lungs — their risk increased by 80 percent.

Memo to Underwriters:

In case anyone asks why we are so harsh on untreated OSA quote this study.

Article link here.

Link to the study abstract here.

RESULTS:

During an average follow-up of 5.3 years, 142 patients had resuscitated or fatal SCD (annual rate 0.27%). In multivariate analysis, independent risk factors for SCD were age, hypertension, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy or heart failure, ventricular ectopy or nonsustained ventricular tachycardia, and lowest nocturnal O2sat (per 10% decrease, hazard ratio [HR]: 1.14; p = 0.029). SCD was best predicted by age >60 years (HR: 5.53), apnea-hypopnea index >20 (HR: 1.60), mean nocturnal O2sat <93% (HR: 2.93), and lowest nocturnal O2sat <78% (HR: 2.60; all p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS:

In a population of 10,701 adults referred for polysomnography, OSA predicted incident SCD, and the magnitude of risk was predicted by multiple parameters characterizing OSA severity. Nocturnal hypoxemia, an important pathophysiological feature of OSA, strongly predicted SCD independently of well-established risk factors. These findings implicate OSA, a prevalent condition, as a novel risk factor for SCD.

Walmart is Big Brother is Amazon

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This whole surveillance state thing is just plain creepy.

It is perfectly clear that patients are going to get some kind of a grade from The Walmart Enforcement Agency and you’d better believe that there will be consequences if that grade isn’t good. Good luck getting a legal prescription filled there if you don’t make the grade. Pharmacies around the country are already arbitrarily deciding who does or does not get their scripts filled. Although is not explicitly stated it a pretty safe bet that patients could be refused prescriptions because of their score doesn’t meet Walmart’s “standards.”

I wonder what George Orwell would say.

Read the article here.

Experts Say Keep Amazon’s Alexa Away From Your Kids

Hey Alexa.  Brainwash my children.

Hey Alexa, What Are You Doing to My Kid’s Brain?

Hey Alexa.  What are you doing to my kid’s brain?

The Rise of the Rural Creative Class

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Artists and creatives in America have long sought out rural places to fuel their creativity, from the Hudson River School painters to Bob Dylan and The Band developing their music in Woodstock. But the arts in rural places are not just a byproduct of the scenery; they play a key role in spurring the innovation that ultimately leads to economic development and rising living standards. The myth that urban areas are creative and rural areas are not is just that: a myth.

Read the entire article at this link.

I left NY/NJ a long time ago for Dallas Texas.

I left Dallas Texas over 15 years ago for Oklahoma City.

I want to be more creative.

Guymon?

OA is a Pain in the Hands (try exercises)

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The source article is here.

For many people, hand strength declines with age, especially if arthritis sets in, making it hard to go about daily tasks. A study published in 2017 in Arthritis & Rheumatology estimated that the overall lifetime risk of hand osteoarthritis is close to 40 percent, with twice as many women as men developing it. People who are obese are also more susceptible—possibly because obesity increases chronic low-level inflammation, which contributes to joint damage.

All of a sudden I’m paying more attention to those infomercials that are selling electric jar openers.  An older friend recommended naproxen sodium.  I’m thinking exercise, thus the link to this short informative article.

 

Fifteen percent of osteoporosis patients who take ‘drug holidays’ suffer bone fractures

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A Loyola Medicine study has found that 15.4 percent of patients who take so-called “drug holidays” from osteoporosis drugs called bisphosphonates experienced bone fractures. During a six-year follow-up period, the yearly incidence of fractures ranged from 3.7 percent to 9.9 percent, with the most fractures occurring during the fourth and fifth years.

The study by senior author Pauline Camacho, MD, and colleagues was published in the journal Endocrine Practice.

Read the source article here.