Tag Archives: #medical

The Source of Anxiety and Jitters Caused from Drinking Coffee

Posted on November 19, 2018 by SofiaSavkovic | Leave a comment

There are many types of coffee beans in the market today, and the ones you buy can greatly impact your experience with drinking coffee.

Is coffee good for our health?

Coffee has both positive and negative health effects.

Health benefits of coffee:

Can improve physical performance because it stimulates the central nervous system
Can reduce the risk of cancer. A study done in 2012 concluded that people who drank 4-5 cups of coffee per day had 15% lower cancer risk rates.
Coffee contains nutrients such as vitamin B, magnesium and potassium, which are all essential to maintaining our health.

Risks of coffee:

Can cause insomnia due the easy stimulation of the central nervous system.
Can raise blood pressure
It is possible to overdose on caffeine, which can cause death in the worst cases
Causes anxiety due to a mold toxin called Ochratoxin

Yes! Anxiety from coffee is due to a mold toxin and not caffeine itself!

Ochratoxin

Ochratoxin (OTA) is a mold toxin found on coffee beans.

Image result for coffee beans with mold
Coffee beans with apparent mold due to fermentation.
Source: Kicking Horse Coffee Company Website, post by Maddie.

An important point to note is that this toxin will not reach high enough levels to have extremely negative health consequences (but don’t forget that overdose on coffee is possible, although that’s another discussion).

However, this toxin is the reason people feel anxious and jittery when drinking coffee, which is a huge discovery!

Why Does This Happen?

OTA is fermented quickly when coffee beans sit in water after they have been roasted. This forms chemicals that cause anxiety and rev up the nervous system. Clean coffee will not actually cause the jitters!

Ways to Prevent Anxiety and Jitters from Coffee

There are several proven ways to lower the overall anxiety we may feel after drinking coffee.

Sip your coffee throughout your morning
Drink with food
Hydrate with water throughout the day

Watch this video to find more ways on making the most out of your coffee, and drinking it to gain the most benefits!
Source: Med School Insiders Youtube Channel

But most importantly, try and consume quality coffee from coffee shops that make their own coffee beans or from brands that are highly aware of preventing the formation of this toxin, like BulletProof coffee.

Image result for bullet proof coffee and purity coffee
BulletProof coffee is a brand of coffee focused on avoiding mold toxins that cause anxiety. Source: BulletProof website.

If you would like to hear more about coffee and how you can have your favourite beverage without the added anxiety, listen to this interview with Dave Asprey, the creator of BulletProof coffee through the Stronger Podcast:
https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/stronger/e/57248484?autoplay=true

It is evident that coffee has its advances and disadvantages, just like anything else we consume. However, based on recent studies, most of the adverse effects can be avoided by moderate daily consumption of quality coffee. And in these cases, the advantages far outweigh the negative aspects!

So if you were concerned about having to give up your favourite beverage, this is completely unnecessary…but you can stick with tea if you prefer.

By: Sofia Savkovic

Annual Eye Exams for Alzheimer’s Detection?

Posted on November 19, 2018 by JodieXie | Leave a comment

With winter rapidly approaching, I woke up to my grandpa pulling out his mittens and snow shoes for his daily walk.

Why? Regular physical exercise has been shown to lower the risk of Alzheimer’s. This frightening disease affects over 500,000 Canadians, with associated costs of $10.4 billion a year!

What is Alzheimer’s?

Have you heard of people forgetting their children and spouses? Memory loss is one of the main symptoms of dementia (symptoms caused by brain disorders). One of the main causes of dementia is Alzheimer’s. Although most people with Alzheimer’s are over age 65, it is not a normal process of aging. It is a disease that gets worse overtime, eventually causing severe dementia symptoms affecting daily life. Often times this means hiring an expensive full-time caretaker.

Video explaining Alzheimer’s in more depth. Credit: TED-ED

What Causes Alzheimer’s?

Comparison of a health neuron in contrast to a neuron affected by plaques and tangles.
Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Alzheimer’s disease makes two abnormal structures in the brain called plaques and tangles. The plaques and tangles develop in the brain, which eventually damages and kills brain cells leading to dementia symptoms. Unfortunately, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s currently, but early diagnosis and treatment can slow down progression.

How can Eye Exams Diagnose Alzheimer’s?

An eye exam with an ophthalmologist (an eye specialist) has two parts. The first part of the exam involves taking scans of the back of the eye called the retina. The second part is where the ophthalmologist looks into your eye for any diagnosis of eye diseases. Recent research has shown that both portions of the exam can give early warning signs of Alzheimer’s.

Scanning the Back of the Eye

Optical coherence tomographic angiography (OCTA) is a large part of an eye exam. It is a technique used to scan the retina. By examining this detailed scan, ophthalmologists can possibly predict people with symptoms of Alzheimer’s.

Retinal scan taken with Optical Coherence Tomography
Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Eye Diseases Increase the Chance of Diagnosing Alzheimer’s

Then in the exam room, the ophthalmologist will further examine the retina and other parts of the eye. This will allow the doctor to diagnosis eye conditions, such as macular degeneration, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. These are all degenerative diseases, meaning they get worse overtime. There is a positive link between degenerative eye conditions and brain health which will allow physicians to possibly diagnose Alzheimer’s.

What Does this Mean for the Future?

On the market right now are inefficient and expensive Alzheimer’s screening techniques, thus diagnosis is reliant on behavioural changes. However, these symptoms usually appear a while after disease onset. Therefore, if retinal scans can be used, it would be an effective and cheap screening solution. It is hopeful that yearly eye exams will allow for disease diagnosis and early treatment. So, if you know anyone over the age of 40, try recommending an eye exam to them!

Could this be the reason why your hands are always cold?

Posted on November 11, 2018 by SamiKo | 3 comments

I’m sure you’ve noticed that winter is fast approaching, the air is getting colder and the temperatures are dropping! Does the cold weather ever cause your fingers or toes to become blue and numb? If so, Raynaud’s phenomenon may be the reason why!

What is Raynaud’s phenomenon?

Raynaud’s phenomenon, also known as Raynaud’s disease occurs when blood cells in your finger tips or toes overreact to the cold, causing your fingers to turn white, blue, and finally red. This disease is typically diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 30; however it is quite rare, affecting less than 10% of individuals in the United States. Furthermore, females and individuals who live in colder regions are more likely to be afflicted by this disease.

Image: Tcal at English Wikipedia

Types of Raynaud’s Disease

Raynaud’s disease can be classified as either primary or secondary. Anyone can develop primary Raynaud’s; however, chances are heightened for those with a family history. On the contrary, secondary Raynaud’s is uncommon. In fact, only individuals with an underlying medical condition that makes them more prone to the disease (e.g. nerve damage) are at risk for developing secondary Raynaud’s.

0:30-2:30 A more detailed explanation of the major differences between primary and secondary Raynaud’s disease

Video: Johns Hopkins Rheumatology

Symptoms and Causes

The most common symptoms include: numbness, tingling, and sometimes even pain in the fingers and toes. In most cases, symptoms will subside after about 15 minutes when your body warms up and blood flow returns to its normal rate. Additionally, Raynaud’s is triggered primarily by the cold, but other potential triggers include: emotional stress, smoking, caffeine, and certain medications.

How does this happen?

When temperatures drop, your body conserves heat by reducing the rate of blood flow to your hands and feet (i.e. the network of arteries that carry blood to these parts of your body narrow). If you have Raynaud’s disease, however, these arteries narrow more than necessary, causing your fingers and toes to feel numb and turn blue.

Image result for raynaud's phenomenon

An image showing regular blood flow to the fingers (A) versus constricted blood flow to the fingers (B & C)

Image: National Heart,Lung, and Blood Institute: Heart & Vascular Diseases: Raynaud’s: What Is Raynaud’s?

How dangerous is this disease?

Raynaud’s is not dangerous; however, individuals with this condition are more prone to frost bites and spasms in the fingers and toes. Furthermore, in extreme cases, blood flow to the fingers and toes may be completely blocked resulting in potential deformities and tissue damage.

Is there a cure?

There are no known cures for Raynaud’s; however, symptoms typically improve over time. Simple measures, such as covering exposed skin can be taken to prevent any symptoms. However, if you do happen to experience any symptoms, soaking the area in warm water can help relieve them.

Sami Ko

3 Comments

Posted in Biological Sciences

Tagged #medical, disease, health, Science in the News, winter

Does Not Wearing Glasses Mean Contact Lenses for Life?

Posted on October 8, 2018 by JodieXie | 5 comments

“Why don’t you try contact lenses,” my optometrist offered when I told him I hated my glasses. This is a more common situation than not. I hated spending $200 on glasses each time I wanted to change my style, which is already on the lower end of the price range. Similarly, getting contacts would mean spending up to $1200 a year! Thus, are contact lenses the only solution to glasses?

NO!

A pair of stylish glasses. Credit: Max Pixel

I am sure you have heard of the term myopia and presbyopia or even astigmatism. These are all different types of refractive errors; a condition where the shape of your eye does not bend light properly. With the introduction of refractive surgery, the eye care scene grew drastically with new methods to correct refractive errors through changing the eye’s structures.

Where to Start?

Like any medical procedure, you will arrive for your initial consultation. Your visit will likely begin with the careful investigation of your medical history and countless tests to assess your eye. Then your doctor will discuss the different procedures you are a candidate for. Two of these are LASIK and PRK.

What is LASIK?

Laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis or more commonly known as LASIK, is the most well-known refractive surgery technique. By using a laser, ophthalmologists form a thin flap in the cornea – a transparent dome covering the outermost layer of the eye – making the removal of a specific amount of corneal tissue possible, before refolding the flap into its original position. This alters the eye’s ability to focus light.

The basic steps on the LASIK procedure. Credit: Andrearchy LASIK

What is PRK?

Do you enjoy sports or just have a very active lifestyle in general? If so, another type of refractive surgery called photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) is perfect for you. In contrast to LASIK, where instead of creating a corneal flap that can become dislodged with intense movement, the doctor will remove the corneal epithelial, which will allow a laser to reshape the deeper cornea.

Am I Free From Corrective Lenses Now?

It would be pointless if your surgery does not improve your eyesight at all. That’s money down the drain! With any of the procedures, most people end up with 20/40 vision or better. Thus, you can leave your fashionable glasses at home!

Snellen chart to help determine visual acuity.
Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Laser Correction Sounds Exciting, but Scary!

Unfortunately, there are inherent risks and potential side effects. Over time your eyesight will deteriorate and you might one day need glasses again to see properly. As for the immediate side effects of surgery, there is the rare chance of going blind, but in the hands of an expert surgeon the probability is 1 in 5 million. Instead, the possibility of chronic dry eyes is more worrisome. Thus, as you begin your journey remember to save up some money in advance for artificial tears!

By: Jodie Xie

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5 Comments

Posted in Biological Sciences, Science Communication, Uncategorized

Tagged #medical, Cosmetics, Eye health, glasses and contact lenses, health, Health and Nutrition, Laser eye correction, lifestyle, ophthalmology, science, Surgery

Two’s a Crowd: Liver Disease Risk Increases With Multiple Risk Factors

Posted on October 8, 2018 by SarahSpeckmaier | 1 comment

Why It Matters

If you’re a health-conscious sort of person, you probably already know that keeping a healthy diet and living an active lifestyle can reduce your risk of certain health problems – for instance, liver disease. But did you know that exposure to certain chemicals can influence your liver’s health for the worse?

How Tough is Your Liver?

When faced with handling its typical everyday duties, the liver is a very resilient organ. It can easily recover from the early stages of damage that may lead to liver disease, such as having a few drinks in one night. However, when the number of risk factors concerning the liver begins to add up, the likelihood of developing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease increases. Included in the list of risk factors that may pose a threat is the presence of certain chemicals in the environment.

Diagram of the liver in the human body. Source: Wikimedia Commons

PCBs: A Potential Threat

Two chemicals that may pose a threat to your liver’s health are vinyl chloride, an industrial chemical, and polychlorinated biphenyl compounds (PCBs), which are oily liquids used in electrical equipment. PCBs have been banned since the 1970s due to their health risks, but unfortunately, they break down very slowly and as a result are oftentimes still present in air, water, and soil sources across the globe. Currently, the greatest potential source for coming into contact with PCBs is through consuming animal products. Recent studies by the Environmental Protection Agency revealed that the maximum concentration of PCBs is just a few parts per billion (ppb) in fish, and even less for meat and dairy. These levels are considered safe for humans, though people who eat large amounts of seafood may be at higher risk.

Structure of a polychlorinated biphenyl compound. Source: OSPAR

Healthy Choices Can Reduce Your Risk

However, experts agree that for most people, there’s no need to panic – the effects of these chemicals were only seen to be harmful when combined with additional unhealthy lifestyle factors such as obesity or a diet with a large excess of calories. Just look to rodents for an example: in lab experiments, only the obese mice which were fed excessive amounts of food suffered from the chemicals’ harmful effects, while the healthy mice were not affected by the chemicals. It’s only when faced with additional risk factors, such as obesity, lifestyle, or genetics, that it becomes necessary to pay extra attention to your liver’s health by watching out for the warning signs of liver damage.

https://youtu.be/Rht-1EZc3S0

Video explaining the warning signs of liver damage. Source: Intan Farisha

A Final Note

The good news is that for an active person of a healthy weight, these chemicals likely don’t pose a cause for concern. So don’t worry, your liver is probably going to be just fine – as long as you remember to eat your veggies and go for a jog once in a while!

1 Comment

Posted in Biological Sciences

Tagged #medical, health, liver, liverdisease, obesity, pcbs, vinylchloride

Image

Yes, it’s true…you can be allergic to exercise!

“I’m allergic to exercise!!!”

I bet you’ve heard that phrase before or perhaps you even used it to get out of gym class in elementary school!

For the longest time, I thought it was just a figure of speech until last year when my friend was rushed to the hospital after running on the treadmill. In short, I learned that being allergic to exercise is a real condition known as exercise-induced anaphylaxis.

What is exercise-induced anaphylaxis?

Exercise-induced anaphylaxis is rare, affecting only 2% of the population; however, it can be potentially life-threatening. Although, this type of allergic reaction can occur either before or after physical activity, most cases occur after intense exercise, such as running. Nevertheless, don’t count light physical activity out. In fact, exercise-induced anaphylaxis can even occur after gardening!

Image: Pixnio

What are the symptoms?

Although, the severity of exercise-induced anaphylaxis differs among individuals, the most common symptoms include: flushing of the skin, hives, swelling of the lips, abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. A combination of several other symptoms, such as swollen tongue, difficulty speaking, swallowing, and breathing, feeling weak, and falling unconscious can also occur in more severe cases. However, this doesn’t mean that you’re allergic to exercise just because your face is beet red and you’re out of breath after a ten-minute run!

Image of hives. Image: Blausen Medical

How does exercise trigger an allergic reaction?

The process is simple. Imagine the allergen (i.e. exercise) as a foreign invader. Once the invader enters your body, your immune system will produce immunoglobulin E antibodies to protect itself. The foreign invader will then bind to the antibodies causing mast cells to break open and release histamines. Histamines maneuver through your body to fight off the foreign invader and symptoms vary depending on where in the body histamines are released. For example, mast cells reacting in your nose will cause a runny nose.

Animation of anaphylaxis (0:00-2:32). Video: offworld | design + motion

Do people out grow it?

Exercise-induced anaphylaxis only recently became recognized as a ‘real’ condition. As a result, not many people know about it and more cases still need be studied to determine if it is a long-term condition or not.

If you ever experience a combination of those symptoms listed above, your doctor may recommend an allergy test. Moreover, if you’ve been diagnosed with exercise-induced anaphylaxis but you enjoy exercising, try lowering the intensity of your workout to decrease the chances of having an allergic reaction. Finally, always carry an EpiPen with you and remember “Blue to the sky and orange to the thigh!”