Helping Loved Ones Through a Medical Crisis

"...ask if they'd like you just to listen or if they need help with problem-solving. Then respect their answer." is often good advice when speaking with close friends or loved ones but is especially important if the person you care about is facing a severe medical crisis: How to help a loved one through a medical crisis

Phages

Medicine is struggling with more and more drug-resistant bacteria. A future without effective antibiotics is almost incomprehensible. The article, Viruses to Fight Superbugs, talks about the renewed interest in phage therapy. A friend (and phage researcher) gave me the book The Perfect Predator: A Scientist's Race to Save Her Husband from a Deadly Superbug. Adding the text to my queue.

Long-Covid and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Another article on how the symptoms of Long-Covid are influencing insight into another poorly understood disease, myalgic encephalomyelitis, or chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Long COVID Has Forced the U.S. to Take Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Seriously

White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health

It has been 50 years since the American government showed a significant interest in nutrition. The White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, took place on Wednesday and began with a statement by President Biden outlining their commitment before the meeting. Here is a commitment fact sheet released just before the conference: FACT SHEET: The Biden-Harris Administration Announces More Than $8 Billion in New Commitments as Part of Call to Action for White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. The call to action is focused on five pillars:

• Pillar 1 – Improve Food Access and Affordability
• Pillar 2 – Integrate Nutrition and Health
• Pillar 3 – Empower Consumers to Make and Have Access to Healthy Choices
• Pillar 4 – Support Physical Activity for All
• Pillar 5 – Enhance Nutrition and Food Security Research I'm anxious to see what other recommendations emerge from this historic conference.

F.D.A. Changes Definition of Healthy Food

The F.D.A. is trying to catch up with nutrition science and limit the burden of diet-related diseases. On Wednesday, the F.D.A. announced a new proposal to change the criteria for which packaged foods may be labeled "healthy." See the news article, F.D.A. Moves to Change 'Healthy' Food Definition. It's exciting to see our government focus on food's important influence on health.

Fasting and Cancer

Here's another video in the fasting and cancer series at Nutrition Facts: Fasting-Mimicking Diet Before and After Chemotherapy

Online Atlas of The Microbiome and Their Metabolites

Our microbial passengers have co-evolved along with us. Under normal conditions, the microbiome works synergistically with human physiology and biochemistry to maintain physical and mental well-being. A recent study, An online atlas of human plasma metabolite signatures of gut microbiome composition, found strong links between certain bacteria living in the gut and small molecules found in the blood. Read the study here: Microbiome and Metabolite Links Uncovered Using Online Atlas. Thanks, Gary!

Why Does Exercise Stick?

Virtually everyone agrees that physical activity is essential for health. Yet less than 5% of us get the recommended 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week. The article How Hard Should Your Workout Be, looks at the factors that make a difference in maintaining an exercise habit.

The Season of Mindfulness and Resilience

If you are prone to Season Affective Disorder, Fall Is the Season for Building Mindfulness and Resilience - The New York Times has some good advice for you.

Cravings and the Addicted Brain

Humans crave all sorts of things, from substances (e.g., alcohol, nicotine, opiates ) to activities (e.g., gambling, sex, or social media). Substance addictions lend some insight into the nature of human craving. Why the pull of addictive cravings is so hard to resist has lots to say.

Quote of the Week

"You can't help what you feel, but you can help how you behave" ― Margaret Atwood.