2018 has seen major sporting events (the World Cup), natural disasters (such as Hurricane Florence), and the sad loss of very notable people around the world (such as Stephen Hawking).
The rise of intermittent fasting diets
Topics related to diet and nutrition have been among the top internet searches of 2018. In particular, there has been a lot of interest in research describing the benefits of the 16: 8 diet. It is a type of intermittent fasting diet in which a person is free to eat whatever they choose for 8 hours, but must then fast for the next 16 hours.
In a study that appeared in the journal Nutrition and Healthy Aging, scientists at the University of Illinois at Chicago confirmed that this approach can effectively help obese people lose weight. The participants, who followed this diet for 12 weeks, had lost 3% of their total weight at the end of the study period. Also, the 16: 8 diet style helped them maintain lower blood pressure. This is important, as obesity is a major risk factor for hypertension (high blood pressure), which can lead to more serious cardiovascular problems.
Another study, this time published in the journal Obesity , suggested that intermittent fasting can bring many other health benefits. Its authors, based at the University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville, say this diet style works by “flipping the metabolic switch.”
Periods of fasting cause the body to start burning fat, rather than sugar, to convert it into the energy we need. This is what makes intermittent fasting so effective for weight loss. However, the authors also speculate that the metabolic processes activated by these types of diets could also increase lifespan, protect cognitive function, and reduce inflammation.
Dangerous temptations to avoid
Some of this year’s top research has shown how damaging some of these temptations can be and how seriously they can affect health. For example, a study published in the journal Addiction found that drinking alcohol can have more harmful effects than using other controversial stimulants, especially marijuana.
“Although marijuana can have some negative consequences as well, it definitely does not come close to the negative consequences of alcohol,” warns study author Kent Hutchison.
Specifically, long-term alcohol use caused a loss in the volume of gray matter (which makes up much of the brain) and also damaged white matter (which contains axons, or the connections between brain cells that allow them to transmit information).
E-cigarettes have also received a lot of attention this year, amid debates about whether they are more harmful to health compared to their usefulness. Many studies have found that the liquid in e-cigarettes contains toxic substances, which also leads to the formation of toxic fumes.
This year, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine published a detailed report that reviewed hundreds of scientific articles that looked at the benefits and risks of e-cigarette use.
The report notes that there was strong evidence that e-cigarettes contain toxic substances, as well as “conclusive evidence that substituting e-cigarettes with combustible tobacco cigarettes reduces users’ exposure to numerous toxins and carcinogens present in tobacco cigarettes. fuels “.
However, despite some of the benefits associated with using e-cigarettes VS regular cigarettes, the report also found that people who regularly use these electronic devices experience almost the same exposure to nicotine as people who smoke regular cigarettes.
Such considerations could weigh heavily against e-cigarette makers, who, according to recent news, have just struck a major and controversial deal with some of the major regular cigarette companies.
What’s Happening in Cancer Research?
This year, about 9.6 million people died from cancer-related causes, according to data from the World Health Organization (WHO). This makes cancer research one of the top priorities globally.
When it comes to cancer, obstacles are there from the beginning. The diagnosis of any type of cancer can be a long and difficult process, which can delay the prescription of adequate treatment. Therefore, a quick and accurate diagnosis could help speed up treatment delivery and improve outcomes.
To achieve this goal, researchers at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore developed a new blood test called CancerSEEK that they published in the journal Science .
They claim that this test is highly sensitive and capable of detecting eight types of cancer : breast cancer, lung cancer, colorectal cancer, ovarian cancer, liver cancer, stomach cancer, pancreatic cancer and esophageal cancer, with a grade moderate to high accuracy. It is the most accurate when it comes to detecting ovarian cancer, which can help diagnose with 98% accuracy.
The authors explain that the new blood test identifies specific cancer biomarkers, such as genetic mutations and the presence of proteins associated with different types of cancer.
Using old remedies in new ways
Another research trend in 2018 was to reevaluate old remedies or known treatments to see if specialists can use them for new purposes.
An example is baking soda, which many have traditionally used to relieve heartburn.
A study published in this year’s The Journal of Immunology found that this kitchen staple can actually help treat arthritis.
The researchers, from the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, reported that drinking a sodium bicarbonate solution can protect against rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory diseases.
This is because sodium bicarbonate influences the mesothelial cells, which line various organs, in the spleen so that they do not “overreact” to heavy foods.
