Health News

Research led by Lauri Byerley, PhD, RD, Research Associate Professor of Physiology at LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine, has found that walnuts in the diet change the makeup of bacteria in the gut, which suggests a new way walnuts may contribute to better health. The findings are published in The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry available online. Walnuts have been called a ‘superfood’ because they are rich in the omega-3 fatty acid, alpha-linoleic acid and fiber, and they contain one of the highest concentrations of antioxidants.

Super- centenarians, such as Morano and Jeanne Calment of France, who famously lived to be 122 years old, continue to fascinate scientists and have led them to wonder just how long humans can live. A study published in Nature last October concluded that the upper limit of human age is peaking at around 115 years. Now, however, a new study in Nature by McGill University biologists Bryan G. Hughes and Siegfried Hekimi comes to a starkly different conclusion.

Chronic pain afflicts about half of adults who have anxiety or depression, a new study finds. More than 5,000 adults in Brazil diagnosed with anxiety or mood disorders such as depression and bipolar disorder were asked about other health problems. Among those with a mood disorder, half reported chronic pain; 33 percent, respiratory diseases; 10 percent, heart disease; 9 percent, arthritis; and 7 percent, diabetes.

A new brain scan study suggests that people whose brains are wired to produce a more muted response to food may ultimately compensate by eating more, thereby raising their risk for obesity. The new study also unearthed possible evidence of a gender divide in the way men and women process the experience of eating. Women’s brains, it appears, may favor a more emotional response to the eating experience, while men are built to focus on how food satisfies the senses. \If so, such brain-wiring differences might explain why women struggle with weight more than men do, the researchers said.

Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy have had few options to alleviate the pain, tingling and numbness that is a common treatment-related side effect of chemotherapy. Known as Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy (CIPN), this condition affects up to 91 percent of chemotherapy patients; for many, the damage may be long term, increasing the risk of falls, burns and injury and impacting the quality of life. Few medications have been available to treat CIPN, and those currently used have serious additional adverse effects themselves. Until now.

Text neck. Yes, that’s now a thing. As you can probably infer, it’s a neck strain related largely to looking down at a mobile device multiple times per day. And according to chiropractors and other medical professionals, text neck is causing some very real pain. In addition to a sore neck, symptoms of text neck can include upper back pain ranging from a chronic, nagging pain to sharp, severe upper back muscle spasms. Shoulder pain and tightness can also be other symptoms. This condition, left unchecked, can lead to more serious conditions.

Some common pain relievers may increase the risk of cardiac arrest, according to a new study from Denmark. In the study, researchers found a link between the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) — including ibuprofen — and an increased risk of cardiac arrest, which is when the heart suddenly stops beating. The findings add to those of previous research, which has also found a link between NSAID use and a higher risk of heart problems, including heart attack, stroke and heart failure. The new study is the first to look specifically at the impact of NSAIDs on cardiac-arrest risk.

Despite widespread use, antibiotics are not an effective treatment for milder cases of the skin condition eczema in children, a new study contends. One pediatrician who reviewed the findings called them “terribly important” for eczema care. Eczema is an immunological condition affecting both children and adults, where patches of skin become inflamed, red and itchy. The new study, led by Nick Francis of Cardiff University in Wales, sought to settle that debate. The study included 113 children with non-severe, infected eczema who were randomly selected to join one of three groups.

Painkillers such as aspirin, Aleve and Advil don’t help most people with back pain, a new review finds. The researchers estimated that only one in six people gained a benefit from taking these nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Meanwhile, previous research has suggested that another common painkiller, Tylenol (acetaminophen), isn’t very useful either, the study authors added. he findings raise the prospect that no over-the-counter painkillers really ease back pain, at least in the short term, and some may raise the risk of gastrointestinal problems.