compiled by Martin Flynn
FESTIVE FOLLY HARMS
THE GUT
The
festive season often leads to gross over indulgence in food and alcohol
that does more harm than good to the sensitive digestive systems of HIV positive
people.
Many people living with HIV have a range of gut problems related to the virus
itself and drug side effects, so looking after your innards over the holidays
is a priority.
Research from the University of California has concluded that HIV hides away
in the gut, even when blood samples show an undetectable viral load.
Dr Satya Dandekar told Reuters that HIV did serious damage to the cells which
line the small intestine and the gut is where massive destruction of immune
cells occurs among people exposed to the virus.
“Gut associated lymphoid tissue accounts for 70 per cent of the body’s
immune system and restoring its function is crucial to ridding the body of
the virus,” Dr Dandekar said.
His team found evidence of gut inflammation among people undergoing antiretroviral
treatments which impairs tissue function, promotes cell death and destabilises
the normal balance of gut bacteria.
“We found a substantial delay in the time it takes to restore the gut
mucosal immune system in those with chronic infection,” Dandekar reported
in the Journal of Virology.
“In these patients the gut is acting as a viral reservoir that keeps
us from ridding patients of the virus.”
Various tips to remedy gut problems include watching your consumption of fatty
foods, restricting sugar intake and increasing how much fresh fruit and veg
you eat.
Red wine, ironically, has been shown to be good for the gut and immune system
because of its tannins. Rice and bananas can help bind the gut naturally and
avoid having to rely on drugs such as Imodium or codeine phosphate. Taking
natural yoghurt or probiotic drinks helps rebalance the damaged gut’s
bacterial flora.
Another fascinating piece of research published this month highlights the
beneficial effects of walnuts. A team at Barcelona’s Hospital Clinico
found eating walnuts at the end of a meal can help reduce the damage fatty
foods do to arteries.
Walnuts are rich in arginine, an amino acid used by the body to produce nitric
oxide. Eating high-fat meals disrupts nitric oxide production in the lining
of arteries and reduces the elasticity of blood vessels, raising risks of
heart disease, blood clots and strokes.
Tests showed that eating walnuts helped reduce the sudden onset of harmful
inflammation and oxidation in arteries that follows a meal high in saturated
fat.
So the best advice for a healthy gut over the holidays is to avoid foods rich
in high saturated fats as much as possible and adopt a Mediterranean diet
rich in olive oil, fresh fish and vegetables. Be good to yourself (and enjoy).
A WARNING TO MUSCLE
MARYS
The continuing trend to use anabolic steroids to build up muscles
quickly may come at a price. Steroid use can lead to catastrophic loss of
brain cells, according to new research from Yale University.
Steroids raise levels of the male hormone testosterone which kills nerve cells
and may partially explain why steroid users often become aggressive or suicidal
(‘roid rage’).
The Yale team found high doses of testosterone triggered programmed cell death,
DNA fragmentation and the activation of executioner proteins.
Normally placid animals became incredibly aggressive after being given steroids
and post-mortems revealed neurological problems and illnesses such as Alzheimer’s
and Huntingdon’s.
Steroid use has also been shown to inhibit the body’s natural production
of testosterone, leading to testicular shrinkage and long-term loss of sexual
performance.
COLA ‘BAD’
FOR BONES
Women who drink cola could be at increased risk of osteoporosis,
according to new research from Tufts University, Boston. The study of 2,500
people showed cola was linked to low bone density in women regardless of age
or calcium intake. Cola consumption was linked to lower bone density in women,
but not in men. The research also found no link with other soft drinks and
bone strength.
Phosphoric acid in cola is believed to be the dangerous chemical, Professor
Katherine Tucker explained.
“Phosphoric acid creates an acidic environment in the blood and we think
calcium is then used to balance that out. Women, particularly those concerned
about osteoporosis, should limit their intake of cola to occasional,”
Tucker added.
“The women did seem to be getting a good intake of calcium from other
food sources,” a spokesman from the UK National Osteoporosis Society
said, “yet their bone density was affected by drinking as little as
four cans of cola a week, which isn’t much.”
