Dr. Chet’s Health Memos
If it’s in the health news today, I’ll be writing about it as soon as I read the research, both old and new. With my email Health Memos, you’ll know more about making lifestyle choices that will help you get and keep good health. These free, concise updates on health are emailed to subscribers twice a week. Subscribe today and get a free MP3, in English or Spanish, of Dr. Chet’s Top Ten Tips—Small Changes for a Healthier Life.
Iron from Meat and Type 2 Diabetes
/in Memos/by Chet ZelaskoThe abstract begins simply enough: “Dietary Haem iron intake is linked to an increased risk of Type 2 Diabetes.” Haem iron is another word for heme iron, iron sourced from animal meat. But let’s get back to the statement. The first question that pops into my mind is this: how did they measure iron intake […]
Nutrition Research: Incomplete
/in Memos/by Chet ZelaskoIn July and August, I wrote about recently published studies on multivitamins and mortality and fish oil and atrial fibrillation. My criticism of those observational studies was because the analyses of the data were incomplete, in my opinion. Here’s how the study we just finished on quercetin and irritable bowel did the correct analysis. Researchers […]
Quercetin and Irritable Bowel
/in Memos/by Chet ZelaskoIn the study I talked about on Saturday, the typical way of analyzing this data is to divide the group into segments by a specific variable and then compare the hazard ratios. In this case, the variable was quercetin and they chose to divide the subjects up by quartiles. During the follow-up time of nine […]
If You Have an Irritable Bowel…
/in Memos/by Chet ZelaskoIt seems many people experience digestive issues, from constipation, heartburn, and many types of irritation in their bowels. Many people are avoiding some food or ingredient—from gluten, most often found in wheat and bread products, to certain ingredients that are found in food, at least the foods that are available today. I have a slight […]
One Decision, Lasting Impact
/in Memos/by Chet ZelaskoI love behind-the-scenes shows: how do things work? That probably explains why I like to dig into health studies the way I do. My latest fascination is with a show on the National Geographic channel called Disaster Autopsy. Several scientists examine man-made disasters to find out what went wrong. Most of the time, it comes […]
Research Update: Cancer and Diet
/in Memos/by Chet ZelaskoA recent paper used an interesting approach to treat pancreatic cancer using a high-fat diet. That flies in the face of the typical approach: “If it was ever alive, don’t eat it.” In other words, a vegan diet. I’ve reviewed fasting prior to cancer treatment, which demonstrated improved outcomes for those who fasted, but this […]
Research Update: Preventing Dementia
/in Memos/by Chet ZelaskoHow many of you have had this experience: “Why did I walk into this room—what was I supposed to do?” I’ll bet you begin to wonder, “Am I losing it?” I don’t think so, but just to be sure, I decided to present the Lancet Commission’s latest update for dementia prevention, intervention, and care. They’ve […]
Back Pain: A Potential Solution
/in Memos/by Chet ZelaskoBack pain is a leading cause of work-loss days according to the Georgetown University Heath Policy Institute; that’s true in just about every high-income country. Finding a solution to reduce back pain occurrence not only reduces lost wages but also improves the quality of life of the individual. Researchers in Australia wanted to find out […]
Your Breath and Your Dental Health
/in Memos/by Chet ZelaskoWhen I speak at events, I often answer questions afterward. To maintain some confidentiality, I often ask people to get close so it remains private. When you’re that close to people, you get a really good sense of the odor of their breath. People worry about garlic and onions but to me, those are normal. […]
Long COVID and Possible Solutions
/in Memos/by Chet ZelaskoI had a talk with someone who had a question about a skin condition, something that’s been a minor issue but suddenly got much worse. I happened to mention that sometimes when you deal with the flu or COVID, your immune system is weakened and it can impact other conditions; people report their symptoms began […]