The foundation is releasing a five-part series of stories and videos featuring JHCC patients and their cancer journeys and the work being done by staff the Concession Street facilities.
The videos will be released and posted until Oct. 11.
Hamilton Health Sciences officials say the JHCC is the only hospital in the region where patients can be treated for all forms of cancer and its staff and doctors support more than 26,000 cancer patients each year.
Since 2018, Illuminight has raised more than $500,000 to support the highest priority needs of the cancer program at Juravinski Hospital and Cancer Centre.
The “WHO operational handbook on tuberculosis. Module 3: Diagnosis - Tests for tuberculosis infection”, is a new operational handbook on tests for TB infection. Three classess of tests are now recommended in the latest consolidated guideles on tests for tuberculosis infection. It includes for the first-time a new class of Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigen-based skin tests (TBSTs), and the two existing classes of tests: the tuberculin skin test (TST) and the interferon-gamma release assays (IGRAs).
IGRAs and TBSTs use Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex specific antigens and represent a significant advancement to TST which has been used for over half a century.
The operational handbook provides laboratory personnel, clinicians as well as ministries of health and technical partners detailed guidance on how to implement the WHO evidence-based recommendations on TB infection tests. The document describes the WHO recommended tests, test procedures, a model algorithm, and the steps required to scale-up TB infection testing within a health programme.
Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation is ramping awareness about cancer care and research through its annual fundraiser Illuminight which has raised more than $500,000 in donations since 2018.
61-year-old Sharon Walker is looking forward to family time and vacations after surviving cancer, twice. Walker is sending a message to everyone to do their annual checkups.
Walker is a survivor of breast cancer and leukemia. She’s battled both illnesses in the last six years. It all started back in 2014 when she had a clean screening but then six months later tumors developed and she had a mastectomy. Walker began chemotherapy right away and recovered. Fast forward to just last year, she began to feel ill again.
“I had bruises on my arms, bruises on my legs, lots of them all of a sudden… Went for blood work, and my doctor called me back the very next day and said ‘Sharon get to the hospital right away,'” Walker said.
Walker says she was also feeling fatigued at the time but didn’t think it was medical because of a recent job loss. Doctors at Juravinski hospital then administered chemotherapy again and she became eligible for a stem cell transplant.
The Juravinski medical team who treated Walker is telling people to book an appointment if they feel it’s needed. Dr. Kylie Lepic says throughout the pandemic, treatment for blood cancers has not slowed down.
Walker says she sees Dr. Lepic once every three months and can’t wait to book more getaway trips with her loved ones.
B.C. health officials are making preparations for a possible fall surge in COVID-19 and influenza cases that could put added pressure on an already-burdened health-care system.
Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix spoke live Wednesday afternoon about fall respiratory viruses, particularly COVID-19 and influenza.
CTVNewsVancouver.ca is streaming the news conference LIVE NOW
"I do believe we are emerging from this pandemic, but a lot of uncertainty remains," Henry said during the news conference. "COVID-19 is going to be with us for the long term, and we need to put that in the context of the other respiratory viruses that we are likely to see again come this fall."
For example, health officials explained, influenza cases stayed quite low in 2020 and 2021 because of measures meant to curb the spread of COVID-19. But with restrictions lifted and people spending more time indoors, the flu and other respiratory illnesses are likely to return this year, they said.
RISE IN HOSPITALIZATIONS?
The Health Ministry explained hospital capacity in the province is around 9,400. That estimate is based not on physical beds, but also on realistic staffing levels.
"Our hospitals are extraordinarily challenged," Dix said.
Officials said with a rise in Omicron cases, hospitalizations could go up to about 700 additional patients. Currently there are about 350 people in hospital with COVID-19, though the province includes those who are hospitalized for other reasons and test positive for COVID incidentally in that total. It's estimated that 40 to 50 per cent of people in hospital with COVID-19 are there specifically because of the disease, while the rest are there for another reason and happened to test positive.
The "big unknown," officials said, is the impact influenza will have. Projections based on a possible "high" flu season, could see a peak of up to 1,200 additional patients requiring hospitalizations over the coming months.
To prepare for this extra demand, officials said they're looking at reducing current hospitalizations by focusing on patients currently waiting for care outside the hospital, like in a community clinic or through placement in a long-term care home. Hundreds of beds could be freed up through that process, officials said.
As well, a task force is being established to improve hospital efficiency and, as a last resort, surgeries may need to be postponed again.
VACCINE CAMPAIGNS
Officials reiterated Wednesday the importance of getting a fall booster with the Omicron-targeting bivalent-vaccine. They said the boosters decrease the risk of having long COVID symptoms and reinfection of the disease.
Influenza vaccines will also soon be available in the province. They're expected to be offered to the most vulnerable community members as early as next week and may be available to all British Columbians aged six months and older after the Thanksgiving long weekend.
"We know that this bivalent booster, regardless of how many booster shots you've had in the past, we want everybody to get it," Henry said.
"We know that it protects against infection, but that wanes off over time, but does prevent against reinfection as well and we want people to have that boost in antibody levels as we go into November, December, January."
Niagara Region Public Health reported its first case of seasonal influenza Wednesday, although vaccines against the latest strains won’t be available for another month.
After countries in the southern hemisphere saw an early start to a severe flu season earlier this year, Dr. Joanne Kearon fears the same thing could happen here.
“We have good reason to be concerned,” said Kearon, a resident physician working with public health.
“However, at this point, it is difficult to confirm yet that this is what we are seeing — this may still be within the realm of what we have seen in previous years, or this may also just be us doing a better job of detecting influenza transmission.”
In each of the three seasons before COVID-19 pandemic restrictions all but eliminated the spread of seasonal influenza, she said the region’s first cases of the flu were all identified in September, although they may have been travel-related.
She said the province is conducting nine to 10 times more influenza tests compared to historically at this time of year, and so far, positivity is similar to previous years at one to two per cent.
Still, in a media release, Kearon said influenza and other respiratory viruses can be expected to “make a strong comeback this fall, alongside another surge of COVID-19,” as a result of the relaxation of most measures to prevent spread of the coronavirus.
“Being up to date on vaccines, wearing masks and staying home when sick will keep ourselves and our loved ones healthy,” she said.
Influenza vaccinations will not be available until October, and will at first be limited for high-risk people, such pregnant women, the elderly, young children, Indigenous people and people with chronic health conditions.
By the start of November, it should be available for everyone older than six months of age, accessible at pharmacies, doctors offices and some public health clinics.
It offers protection for people who receive it as well as others they come in contact with.
Influenza vaccines can also be administered at the same time as a COVID-19 vaccine, so there is no time interval that is required to wait between doses.
The twobooster clinicswill take place from 5-7 p.m. on Sept. 21 and Oct. 5 at the UW-Eau Claire Water St. parking lot, located at 101 Chippewa St., Eau Claire.
William Searles,AMIclinical group manager, said, “Our basic throughput is 50 patients an hour.”
Searles said it is important to get the new booster as it isbivalent, meaning it targets the original strain of COVID-19, as well as Omicron specific strains BA.4 and BA.5.
“People 12 and older, including college students, should get an updated booster at least two months after their last shot, even if they’ve already gotten a booster dose,” said Kristy Polden, public health nurse of the Eau Claire City-County Health Department.
Polden said the Eau Claire City-County Health Department wants to stay on top of providing the new recommended formula to the community.
“For the college population, getting up to date will help to mitigate the spread of COVID on campus and throughout our community,” Polden said.
Angela Milas, R.N. clinic nurse manager at UW-Eau Claire Health services, said the new booster is one way to prevent sickness from spreading throughout campus.
“We would encourage students to get vaccinated because it reduces the risk of illness and other health related complications and protects those who can not get vaccinated,” Milas said.
Milas said that UW-Eau Claire Health Services is working on planning more clinics in collaboration with the Eau Claire City-County Health Department in early October.
Joe Kalscheur, risk and preparedness specialist of the Eau Claire City-County Health Department, spoke on making appointments for evening clinics.
“I would definitely recommend pre-registering, otherwise it is unknown if there will be any walk-ins available at the time,” Kalscheur said.
Kalscheur said that with the first date of the clinic being very busy, it is highly encouraged to make an appointment to be sure to be able to obtain the booster at the evening clinics.
Polden said that if the times of the evening booster clinics conflict with a person’s schedule, they can visitvaccines.govto see if there are other locations to obtain the fall booster.
According to theEau Claire City-County Health Department, the fall boosters are recommended and available to anyone age 12 and older who have already been vaccinated against COVID. The last dose of any COVID vaccine must be over two months ago to be eligible.
The Eau Claire City-County Health Departmentmedia releasesaid the first and second doses of the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccines are also available at the booster clinics for ages as young as six months old.
From muscle aches and pains, joint stiffness and just plain feeling under the weather. Drops in temperatures, changes in atmospheric pressure and the 'winter blues' can all play a role in the pain we feel.
Rexall Pharmacist, Laura Buddo, said weather-induced pain is a common complaint echoed by Canadians.
"We have heard it for years and years, particularly when it comes to migraines or joint pain," said Buddo. "There's some anecdotal evidence that when the weather changes - if there are changes in pressure - systems moving through, people feel it."
The four most common complaints expressed by Canadians are:
Headaches
Back pain
Muscle Pain
Joint pain
According to Arthritis Society Canada many people living with arthritis are convinced that they can predict weather changes based on their joint pain.
For Rheumatoid arthritis advocate and writer, Eileen Davidson, weather induced pain is an everyday reality.
“I live with Rheumatoid arthritis, which is definitely impacted by different types of weather. From the cold to the super hot days, I noticed different types of symptoms will spike. Particularly when it gets cold my muscles contract and tendons contract which adds extra joint pain,” Davidson explained.
Rheumatoid arthritis can impacted by different types of weather. (Getty Images/Stock photo)
The big question is why?
Some researchers point the finger at pressure changes in the earth's atmosphere. During a low in atmospheric pressure, you're likely to see unsettled weather out your window, like heavy precipitation, strong winds and relative humidity.
This low barometric pressure may irritate sensitive nerves and cause tissues in your body to swell, creating pains in your muscles and joints.
Along with multiplying muscle aches, the weather may be to blame for triggering migraines.
Let’s look at a study out of Japan to learn more
In 2015, researchers collected daily sales figures of a popular headache medication. They found that sales peaked significantly when barometric pressure decreased - which often happens right before stormy weather hits.
When the outside pressure lowers, it causes a difference between the pressure in the outside air and the air in your sinuses (similar to the sensation of ears popping on an airplane). Because our sinuses are filled with air, any change in that pressure can affect or induce headaches.
Changes in weather can influence pain. (Getty Images/Stock photo)
While changes in weather may influence pain, it’s lifestyle and mood that can really impact the way we feel on a daily basis.
Davidson, who lives with anxiety and depression, believes her arthritis symptoms tend to worsen during the colder months because of this.
“Especially when we have less vitamin D. So my symptoms do go off, because I'm usually more sedentary and mood plays a real[ly] big factor on pain levels as well. You just don't cope with pain as much as you do say in the summer months with all the distractions,” Davidson said.
How to cope
To help cope with seasonal depression, body aches and pain, Buddo recommends staying active and getting outdoors often. Physical activity can help to strengthen bones and muscles, improve circulation and is proven to help reduce anxiety.
“In the colder temperatures we tend to not be as active, we're not moving as much and sometimes we’re more sedentary," Buddo explained. "We're going to feel it in our joints and our muscles. If we're not dressing for the weather, we're going to be a bit more stiff. While our body is great at regulating our internal temperature, it’s important to dress for the weather.”
For some at home remedies to help reduce pain, Buddo recommended:
Consume more fruits and vegetables
Staying hydrated
Vitamin D
Exercise
Ice or heat packs
Warm clothes
Davidson swears by many of these health tips.
“Exercise is definitely my favorite option for reducing pain and handling any temperature… I also find that the sauna helps a lot, especially in the colder months. And having a freezer full of ice packs,” added Davidson.
It's important to stay active even during cooler months. (Getty Images/Stock photo)
When to see a healthcare professional
Keep an eye on your pain levels throughout the seasons and make notes on your pain severity.
If you experience sudden and severe pain or if pain lasts longer than three months - it's time to see a doctor, said Buddo.
When it comes to easing pain, over the counter medications can certainly help. Buddo suggested speaking with a pharmacist first to guide you in the right direction.
“With over the counter medications your pharmacist can really help tailor an option that works for you and your medication. If you're using two different products, we want to make sure that there's no overlapping ingredients just to make sure people aren't getting too much medication,” Buddo said.
While we all have to face mother nature, even on her worst days, it doesn’t mean you can't get the most out of the colder seasons ahead.
Remember to pay close attention to your pain, stay active and stay on top of the weather for the best results - and hopefully a lot less pain!
After two years of record-low influenza rates, experts are warning the flu will likely be back in full swing this season.
That’s because of a general lifting of pandemic health measures such as required masking, gathering size limits and travel restrictions, Greater Victoria pharmacist Kim Myers says.
“It definitely increases the spread of germs and colds.”
Health Canada estimates in non-pandemic year about 12,200 Canadians are hospitalized with the flu or flu-like symptoms. Getting an exact number is difficult as only nine of the country’s provinces and territories report hospitalizations to the national flu surveillance system, FluWatch.
Flu hospitalizations dropped during pandemic
From those which do – Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Manitoba, Alberta, Yukon, Northwest Territories and Saskatchewan – 5,176 influenza-related hospitalizations were reported during the 2017-2018 season and 3,657 were reported in 2018-2019.
During the 2019-2020 season, half of which occurred within the COVID-19 pandemic, there were 2,493 hospitalizations. That number dropped to zero in 2020-2021, again not including Ontario, Quebec, B.C. or Nunavut.
Myers says it’s hard to tell whether this year’s flu season will be as bad as pre-pandemic years, but that it will almost certainly be worse than the last year or two. She says the awareness the pandemic has raised around the importance of vaccines makes her hopeful more people will get the flu shot this year. Already, she says, people coming into her pharmacy are asking when shots will be available.
Possible correlation between COVID-19 and influenza vaccine uptake
B.C. did see a small spike in flu vaccine uptake in the first year of the pandemic. In 2018, 34.6 per cent of people got the shot, followed by 37.2 per cent in 2019 and then 42.1 per cent in 2020, according to Statistics Canada. 2021 rates are not yet available.
A 2021 research paper published in medical journal Vaccine found the primary indicator of whether Canadians will get a vaccination is whether they have been vaccinated before, suggesting those who got the COVID vaccine may be more likely to get the influenza one now as well.
Over 87 per cent of British Columbians have received at least one dose of a COVID vaccine as of Sept. 26.
Beginning in early October, B.C. residents will have the option of receiving COVID vaccine boosters and flu shots at the same time. The province says it will have the capacity to vaccinate about 250,000 people a week that way.
For the majority of people, the flu means up to a week of sickness, but for young children, elderly people and the immunocompromised the virus can make it significantly harder for them to fight off infections. Health Canada says 3,500 deaths are influenza-related each year, although that number is based off a mathematical estimate rather than actual yearly data.
Myers says the best thing people can do to stop the spread of the virus and protect those most vulnerable to it is to follow many of the same precautions put in place for COVID-19: get vaccinated, wash your hands, wear a mask, stay home if you’re sick and minimize your number of crowded public outings.
“It’s not just for themselves, it’s trying to do it for those around them who are vulnerable, and for those who aren’t able to receive vaccines. It’s important that we try and do that to help protect them,” Myers says.
Participants in the study who had a higher intake of total artificial sweeteners had an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease compared to non-consumers.NYSE/PEPSICO Handout via Reuters
Artificial sweeteners are added to thousands of foods and beverages – soft drinks, yogurts, pancake syrups, jams, baked goods, frozen desserts, chewing gum, candy – to help us satisfy our sweet tooth with fewer (or zero) calories and no added sugar.
But the effect of artificial sweeteners on body weight and health has long been debated.
Short-term randomized controlled trials have mostly shown that, when substituted for sugar-sweetened beverages, artificially-sweetened drinks help prevent weight gain.
Findings from numerous observational studies, however, suggest that over the long-term, a regular intake of these substances can have harmful effects on cardiometabolic health including increased waist circumference, elevated blood sugar, insulin resistance and inflammation.
Now, new research published in The British Medical Journal adds to growing evidence that a high intake of artificial sweeteners may harm cardiovascular health.
The latest findings
For the study, researchers examined the link between artificial sweetener intake and risk of cardiovascular disease in 103,388 participants enrolled in the NutriNet-Santé study, an ongoing nutrition and health study conducted among adults living in France.
Participants, who were followed for close to a decade, provided three days’ worth of 24-hour diet records, which included brand names of products, at the start of the study and every six months thereafter. The researchers calculated participants’ intakes of total artificial sweeteners (from foods, beverages and tabletop sweeteners), as well as intakes of different types of artificial sweeteners.
Diet soft drinks accounted for half (53 per cent) of artificial sweeteners consumed. Other important contributors were tabletop sweeteners (30 per cent) and flavoured dairy products, such as yogurt and cottage cheese (8 per cent). Aspartame, acesulfame potassium and sucralose represented most of the total artificial sweetener intake.
Participants who had a higher intake of total artificial sweeteners had an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease compared to non-consumers. The average daily artificial sweetener intake among people classified as “higher consumers” was 77 mg, equivalent to roughly two packets of tabletop sweetener or 200 mL of diet pop.
Aspartame intake was linked to a greater risk of stroke; sucralose and acesulfame potassium were associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease.
The researchers accounted for several factors tied to cardiovascular risk including age, family history, smoking, physical activity and diet components.
Strengths, caveats
The study’s strengths include its large sample size and high quality dietary data. The researchers collected repeated 24-hour diet records, which are known to be more precise than food frequency questionnaires typically used in nutrition studies.
One limitation of this study is that the findings show correlations only; they don’t establish a cause-and-effect relationship.
As well, it’s possible that some participants assessed as higher consumers at the start of the study had increased artificial sweetener intake in response to having risk factors for cardiovascular disease and may have already been in poorer cardiovascular health.
Artificial sweeteners may activate sweet taste receptors in the gut, which can alter the body’s regulation of blood glucose.Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
How artificial sweeteners may harm
These new findings are consistent with those from several other large observational studies that investigated the association between artificially sweetened soft drinks and cardiovascular disease risk.
There are plausible ways in which artificial sweeteners may increase heart risk. Previous studies have linked artificially sweetened beverages to metabolic syndrome, a collection of risk factors for cardiovascular disease that can include abdominal obesity, elevated blood pressure, high blood triglycerides, increased blood sugar and low HDL (good) cholesterol.
Artificial sweeteners may also activate sweet taste receptors in the gut, which can alter the body’s regulation of blood glucose.
And experimental studies have shown that some artificial sweeteners alter the composition of the gut microbiome in a direction that can lead to inflammation and glucose intolerance.
What to do?
Due to a lack of consensus on whether the habitual use of non-sugar sweeteners is effective for long-term weight loss, or tied to other long-term health effects, in July the World Health Organization proposed a draft guideline recommending that “non-sugar sweeteners not be used as a means of achieving weight control or reducing the risk of non-communicable diseases.”
If you’re a daily consumer of artificial sweeteners, I do advise cutting back. That doesn’t mean it’s necessary to completely avoid them; there is no evidence that occasional use is harmful.
Replace soft drinks with sparkling water, unsweetened flavoured carbonated water or plain water with a wedge of citrus fruit.
If you add a packet of sweetener to coffee, tea or hot cereal, cut back gradually and incrementally. Ditto for real sugar.
Replace artificially sweetened yogurt with plain yogurt; sweeten it with fruit.
The good news: your taste buds will come to prefer a less sweet taste.
Leslie Beck, a Toronto-based private practice dietitian, is director of food and nutrition at Medcan. Follow her on Twitter@LeslieBeckRD
The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit is offering the bivalent booster dose for adults 18 and older at several clinics starting today.
The vaccine is offered to keep those most at risk of serious illness out of the hospital.
The RVH-run vaccination clinic on Sperling Drive in Barrie administers doses Tuesdays and Thursdays between 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with walk-ins welcome.
The new pediatric Pfizer vaccine is also offered for children six months to five years in Ontario.
According to the Simcoe Muskoka health unit, 86 per cent of the population ages five and older have received at least one dose of the vaccine, while roughly one in five have at least four doses.
Health officials report that 56 people have died from COVID-19 across the region since July.
Pop-up clinics are available this week:
Tues., Sept. 27
South Innisfil Community Centre, 1354 Killarney Beach Rd, Innisfil
Time: 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Wed., Sept. 28
Huntsville Trinity United Church, 33 Main St. E., Huntsville
Time: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Thurs., Sept. 29
Orillia Common Roof - Boardroom, 169 Front St. S., Orillia
Time: 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
The GO Vaxx bus and mobile clinics are available on an appointment-only basis up to four days in advance. Appointments can be made online or by calling the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre at 1-833-943-3900.
Complete information about COVID-19 vaccination, dose eligibility and booking an appointment is available here.
New research finds that glutamine, previously thought to help with burn injuries, does not improve patients’ time to discharge from hospital.
Dr. Daren Heyland, Director of the Clinical Evaluation Research Unit at Queen’s University and principal investigator and sponsor of the glutamine trial.
Queen’s researcher Daren Heyland (Medicine) has spent his career studying what nutrients are best for intensive care patients who cannot eat for themselves, trying to understand if certain nutrients assist with their recovery. Patients in intensive care who cannot eat for themselves are fed artificial nutrition through a feeding tube or an intravenous catheter. For over 20 years, Dr. Heyland has been evaluating the role of glutamine, which is an amino acid that is made in the body and is found in foods like fish, eggs, and nuts.
Worldwide, burn injuries are among the most expensive traumatic injuries to treat and 50 per cent of burn patients are treated using glutamine. Before adopting this practice more broadly, however, the medical community wanted more evidence of the efficacy of glutamine.
Seeking to understand the role of the amino acid in burn recovery, Heyland has been involved in a decade-long scientific trial involving 1,200 patients around the world with severe burns. The study was recently published in the high-impact New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), and marked the first time a clinical trial on burn patients was featured in the prestigious publication. It yielded some unexpected results – the glutamine did not appear to harm or help burn patients.
“In the past, small, single-centre trials had suggested that glutamine was beneficial in the recovery of patients with severe burns. However, our previous work with glutamine in stressed, sick patients suggested that glutamine might actually be harmful in critically ill patients with organ failure. The only way to resolve these conflicting data was to conduct a large trial evaluating glutamine in severe burns,” said Dr. Heyland.
Dr. Heyland is the Director of the Clinical Evaluation Research Unit at Queen’s University, which functioned as the coordinating centre for the trial. He also serves as the principal investigator and sponsor of the trial, partnering with over 60 hospital burn units in nearly 20 countries.
“It took us 10 years to complete the trial, including recruiting patients and securing funding,” said Dr. Heyland. “The results of this trial will hopefully cause burn units that were using glutamine to put a stop this unnecessary practice.”
The trial was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Department of Defense (DOD) in the U.S. through their competitive granting programs. About 20-30 per cent of wounded soldiers have burns, and the DOD is looking for new ways to manage burns.
Dr. Heyland’s research evaluating the use of nutrition or specific nutrients and their role in improving the recovery of critically ill patients is not over. With $1.5 million in new funding from the DOD, he is now looking at high-dose intravenous vitamin C in burn-injured patients, which may help reduce the amount of fluid burn patients require to stay alive.
Artificial sweeteners — also called sugar substitutes—can be found in everything from soft drinks to baked goods, yoghurts, cereals and dairy products. These sweeteners have long been viewed as a way to avoid the health-related risks associated with traditional sweeteners, such as high blood sugar, type 2 diabetes and obesity. Many people also use artificial sweetening alternatives rather than real sugars as a way to cut calories and lose weight.
A new study published in The BMJ journal, however, has found that artificial sweeteners may actually be harmful to your health and could potentially lead to heart disease.
“Artificial sweeteners are present in thousands of food products worldwide and consumed by millions of citizens daily,” Mathilde Touvier, PhD, the study’s author and a research director at the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research, told Health. “These results suggest that artificial sweeteners may not be safe alternatives to added sugars.”
Even though health agencies recommend people limit sugar consumption in their diet already, the new study highlights the fact that it’s just as important to “not replace sugar with artificial sweeteners” as they may not be the healthy alternative you think they are, Touvier said.
The link between artificial sweeteners and heart health risks
Image Credit: Towfiqu barbhuiya/Unsplash
Touvier and her colleagues analysed more than 103,000 adults in France who were involved in a web-based nutrition study to investigate the association between artificial sweetener intakes and cardiovascular disease risk. Almost 80% of participants were female and the average age was 42 years old.
Participants completed questionnaires detailing their food consumption over the course of 24 hours. They also provided information about health, lifestyle and sociodemographic factors—including their physical activity, smoking status and personal information like education and occupation.
Researchers also tasked participants with completing multiple food diary assessments at the start of the study and every six months afterwards. This step, Touvier said, gave researchers an estimate of how much artificial sweeteners people consumed along with their intake of other foods—such as fruits, vegetables, red meats and dairy products.
Overall, researchers found 37% of participants consumed artificial sweeteners in some form. Participants who consumed around 78 milligrams of artificial sweeteners per day were considered “high consumers” and those that had around 8 milligrams per day were identified as “low consumers.” There was also a group of participants who didn’t consume any artificial sweeteners, Touvier said.
Individuals who consumed higher amounts of artificial sweeteners had a 9% increased risk of cardiovascular disease compared to those who didn’t consume any at all, Touvier said. This included younger individuals who had a higher body mass index (BMI), were less physically active and more likely to smoke.
“We observed that total artificial sweetener intake was associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease,” Touvier said.
They also studied different types of artificial sweeteners and found aspartame intake was associated with a 17% increased risk of cerebrovascular events, while acesulfame potassium and sucralose were linked with increased coronary heart disease risk.
Observational results should be interpreted with caution
Image Credit: Towfiqu barbhuiya/Unsplash
Although the study found an association between artificial sweetener consumption and cardiovascular disease, health experts say people should consider the results with caution, as it was an observational study with self-reported data points.
“We cannot definitively say that this difference was actually caused by the sweetener,” Alexander Postalian, MD, a cardiologist at Texas Heart Institute, who was not involved in the study, told Health.
While the authors of the study did their best to ensure the accuracy of the results, limitations and confounding issues may remain, Dr Postalian added. For example, people that consume high amounts of artificial sweeteners may be in poorer health status than their counterparts, and perhaps also consume greater amounts of other unhealthy foods.
“Rather than establishing that artificial sweeteners are ‘bad’ and should be avoided at all costs, the more adequate take-home point is that we should be vigilant about the indiscriminate use of these additives and consume them in moderation while ongoing research continues,” said Dr Postalian.
The study authors and other health experts noted that further research is needed to confirm or refute the current findings. Dr Postalian, for instance, said that the links observed between artificial sweeteners and cardiovascular disease are not yet clear and more investigation is needed to better understand the connection.
“There are multiple theories about why artificial sweeteners may cause disease. From alteration of insulin and glucose balance to modification of the gut microbiota,” Dr Postalian said. “However, the truth is we don’t know for certain.”
Another factor could be the interaction of artificial sweeteners with intestinal sweet taste receptors, which play a part in insulin secretion and glucose absorption.
“Additionally, the alteration of gut microbiota by some artificial sweeteners could increase glucose intolerance and may be involved in the underlying mechanisms,” Touvier said. “Vascular dysfunction and inflammation could also be involved. But these are hypotheses that need to be confirmed.”
Some artificial sweeteners are more harmful than others
Image Credit: Mae Mu/Unsplash
Even though the researchers found an association between aspartame and a higher risk of cerebrovascular events, along with acesulfame potassium and sucralose being linked with a higher risk of coronary heart disease, Touvier said it is not possible to state why one artificial sweetener molecule might be worse than others.
Those three sweeteners were the most frequently consumed, which allowed the researchers to study them separately and observe associations with cardiovascular disease risk compared to less consumed artificial sweeteners, Touvier said.
“It does not mean that other sweeteners could not be associated as well, but since they were consumed to a lesser extent, they could not be investigated separately in this study and only contributed to the sum “total sweeteners.”
A definitive explanation as to why some sweeteners are linked to specific cardiovascular outcomes and not others, remains to be found. But Dr Page said it’s possible that “the different types of artificial sweeteners are metabolised differently, they may have different effects on the body.
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Should artificial sweeteners be avoided altogether?
Image Credit: Alexander Grey/Unsplash
If you use artificial sweeteners in foods and beverages, health experts recommend that you use them sparingly or in moderation, rather than relying on them excessively.
“Although artificial sweeteners were developed as a healthier, lower calorie alternative to sugar, they appear to carry the significant risk themselves in the development of the same conditions that are associated with high sugar intake,” Nick West, chief medical officer and divisional vice president of global medical affairs at Abbott’s vascular business, told Health. These conditions include cardiovascular diseases like coronary heart disease (angina and heart attack) and cerebrovascular disease (stroke).
While some sugar is required for metabolic needs including powering muscle contractions and cellular functions, “artificial sweeteners should not be regarded as a viable healthier sugar alternative” until more research can be conducted to examine the findings of the study, said Dr West.
Beyond cutting down your consumption of such sweeteners, Dr Page and Dr Postalian said there are other steps people can take to minimise risk of cardiovascular disease and other health conditions associated with these products. Some of the actions people can take include:
Becoming more aware of how much artificial sweetener you’re consuming in your diet
Cutting back on diet sodas or other drinks and foods. Instead drink unsweetened teas, sparkling waters and regular water
Consuming a healthy well-balanced diet that consists of fruits, vegetables, fish, proteins, legumes, beans and other food items
Getting regular physical activity
“I believe that it is reasonably safe to use these additives in moderation, avoiding excessive use,” Dr Postalian said. “More importantly, ensure positive overall habits are being followed – a healthy diet and regular physical activity.”
Poe Holistic Health has expanded their nutritional imbalance correction services in the Grafton area with new holistic supplementation services.
Shrewsbury,United States – September 26, 2022 —
Their updated service applies functional medicine principles to nutrition in order to properly balance patients’ diets. These dietary services promote healing and growth in a natural way by combining herbal and botanical supplements with dietary adjustments, overall resulting in better physical wellbeing.
The healthcare provider has expanded this service to Grafton as part of their mission to improve community health in as many areas of MA as possible. This expansion will bring their holistic healing services to thousands of new patients, allowing widespread access to their evidence-based natural healing regimen.
Their method involves getting to know a patient’s specific needs and then developing a custom action plan to tackle the underlying deficiencies at the root of their health problems. Their diet plans may be especially helpful for those suffering from chronic inflammation, allergies, joint and muscle pain, or environmental intolerances.
Since these problems are often associated with chronic illness, Poe Holistic Health focuses on combining symptom management with long-term healing. Their nutritional philosophy is designed to help the body rebuild by giving it access to micro and macro nutrients that typical diets may lack, such as peptides, amino acids, complex proteins, and more.
Their holistic health plans incorporate other elements such as yoga and other exercises to help the patient’s body fully absorb the nutrients it is being provided. By encouraging blood flow to underserved parts of the body, these health plans can reduce inflammation and allergy-related symptoms through stimulation of the nervous and immune systems.
While these treatments are not intended nor promoted as “cures” for a given ailment or condition, their leveraging of the body’s nutritional needs can act as a helpful supplement to traditional medicine. A hybrid course of treatment can not only boost immune health, but also assist the body in absorbing bioavailable compounds and fighting off infection.
Dr. Poe holds her doctorate in naprapathy, which involves the targeted manipulation of the body’s systems to promote regeneration and healing. Patients who are interested in her services should schedule a preliminary appointment to discuss primary goals and the conditions that a patient is seeking to treat with this service.
Contact Info:
Name: Kristen Poe
Email: Send Email
Organization: Poe Holistic Health
Address: 129 Hartford Turnpike, Suite 4E , Shrewsbury, MA 01545, United States
Phone: +1-508-388-2853
Website: https://www.poeholistichealth.com/
Release ID: 89082184
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A new study says reduced access to HIV services amid early COVID-19 closures in British Columbia was associated with a "sharp increase" in HIV transmission among some drug users.
The study, published in Lancet Regional Health, found that fewer people started HIV antiretroviral therapy or undertook viral load testing while services were shuttered, while visits to overdose prevention services and safe consumption sites also decreased. It used data that stretched from 1996 to 2021, and included thousands of samples.
The overall number of new HIV diagnoses in B.C. continues a decades-long decline.
But Dr. Jeffrey Joy, lead author of the report published on Friday, said he found a "surprising" spike in transmission among some drug users as businesses were closed.
Joy said transmission rates among drug users had previously been fairly stable for about a decade.
"That's because there's been really good penetration of treatment and prevention services into those populations," he said in an interview.
The Overdose Prevention Site at 99 W Pender St. is one of the services that was closed in early 2020 amid COVID-19 health measures. (Ben Nelms/CBC)
B.C. was a global leader in epidemic monitoring, which means the results are likely applicable elsewhere, Joy said.
"We are uniquely positioned to find these things," he said. "The reason that I thought it was important to do this study and get it out there is [because] it's probably happening everywhere, but other places don't monitor their HIV epidemic in the same way that we do."
Rachel Miller, a co-author of the report, said health authorities need to consider innovative solutions so the measures "put in place to address one health crisis don't inadvertently exacerbate another."
"These services are the front-line defence in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Many of them faced disruptions, closures, capacity limits and other challenges," Miller said in a news release.
"Maintaining access and engagement with HIV services is absolutely essential to preventing regression in epidemic control and unnecessary harm."
"Although the long-term effects of disruptions to engagement with HIV care services are yet to be seen, mathematical modelling studies estimate the negative impacts to be substantial," the study reads.
The Health Ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Researchers said the spike among "select groups" could be attributed to a combination of factors, including housing instability and diminished trust, increasing barriers for many people who normally receive HIV services.
British Columbia is set to become the first province in Canada to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of hard drugs in January, after receiving a temporary federal exemption in May.
Joy said this decision, alongside measures like safe supply and safe needle exchanges, will make a difference preventing similar issues in the future.
"The take-home message here is, in times of crisis and public health emergency or other crises, we need to support those really vulnerable populations more, not less," he said.
"Minimally, we need to give them continuity and the access to their services that they depend on. Otherwise, it just leads to problems that can have long, long-term consequences."
The global outbreak of monkeypox has been going on for nearly five months now. In that time, over 60,000 people have been infected in over 100 countries. Most of the cases have been in young men and the disease has disproportionately affected men who have sex with men.
The outbreak appears to have peaked in mid-August. Since then, the number of cases has been falling steadily. It's likely that the drop in infections can be attributed to the combined effect of the many public-health measures deployed to combat the virus's spread.
But while it's promising to see that case numbers have fallen, monkeypox isn't likely to go away anytime soon. So it's important to continue using all the public health measures that have been deployed against it.
One of the main strategies many countries have been using to curb the spread of monkeypox is vaccinating people at high risk of catching the virus and people who have been exposed to the virus. The smallpox vaccine has been used, as the monkeypox virus is closely related to the smallpox virus.
The factor that has probably played a more significant role in the fall in infection numbers is changes in people's behaviour. A recent US survey of men who have sex with men found that around half had reduced their number of sex partners and avoided one-off sexual encounters. The latter may be significant in reducing case numbers and curbing the spread.
A separate US study suggested that having 40% fewer one-off partnerships could result in a 20-31% decrease in infections among men who have sex with men. One-off partnerships lead to around half of daily monkeypox transmission despite only accounting for 3% of daily sexual partnerships and 16% of daily sex acts.
This change in behaviour may, therefore, have had a big effect on delaying the spread of the outbreak. The danger then is what happens when people's behaviour reverts to what it was before the current outbreak began. This could lead to infection numbers rebounding.
So far, most of the infections have been limited to men who have sex with men. We have not seen much spread to other parts of the population yet, but this could still happen. The possibility of monkeypox spreading further, especially in networks of people with multiple sexual partners, is currently considered to be highly likely. This is why effective public health messaging, early detection, contact tracing, isolation and vaccinations are all essential to keeping the outbreak in check.
While the number of monkeypox infections appears to be in retreat, globally, it's not likely to disappear anytime soon. It may fester at low levels in the population and re-emerge intermittently with future outbreaks.
Eliminating monkeypox would require sustained efforts from health authorities and the public to stamp it out over several years. We must be careful not to stigmatise the condition lest we drive it underground and make it more difficult for infected people to seek healthcare.
These numbers are probably underestimates because of the limitations of disease surveillance in these countries. There remains a risk that monkeypox could be imported from these areas, as has happened in recent years.
Unfortunately, there are a lack of monkeypox vaccination and disease control programmes in Africa. It has also been suggested that the end of smallpox vaccination programmes there before 1980 may have contributed to the resurgence of monkeypox in the years afterwards.
Consequently, if the ultimate aim is to eradicate the threat of monkeypox, far greater disease prevention and control measures will be needed in countries where the disease is endemic.
Andrew Lee, Professor of Public Health, University of Sheffield
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Rheumatoid arthritis can impacted by different types of weather. (Getty Images/Stock photo)
Changes in weather can influence pain. (Getty Images/Stock photo)
It's important to stay active even during cooler months. (Getty Images/Stock photo)
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