UF Health Podcasts

Microplastics are a veritable plague on humanity, filling the air and the water with pieces so small they’re impossible to see and avoid. And that could have implications for the health of humanity.

Now, French researchers say we’re inhaling a vast amount of them from indoor air, especially in our vehicles.

The team of scientists used sophisticated detection methods and estimated that we inhale about 68,000 microplastics daily. That’s the equivalent of up to four particles per breath.

That number is 100 times higher than earlier estimates, mostly because the new figure is based on the detection of smaller particles than previously observed.

Microplastics are just about everywhere in the environment. Concern about them has climbed in the last couple of years as they are increasingly found in human organs.

These plastics can be smaller than a bacterium, or one micrometer. When we inhale them, they can make their way into our blood and eventually find a home in human tissue. They’ve been found in many organs, including the brain.

These pollutants can cause inflammation and cell damage, and even carry toxins as we inhale them.

Levels of microplastics are four times higher in our cars than in our homes. The higher count is partially the result of a more confined space and increased ultraviolet radiation exposure.

The study’s detection limit is one micrometer. The next step is to break that barrier and measure even smaller particles.

Experts suggest opening windows to dilute concentrations, using HEPA air purifiers, vacuuming and not overheating plastic. Oh, and avoid plastics as much as you can.

These days, that’s easier said than done.

There might be a way to relieve pain without money and medication, and it might just blow your mind.

A new study suggests mindfulness meditation is more effective at relieving pain than placebo treatments. Researchers from the University of California – San Diego and Dartmouth College studied 115 healthy volunteers and assigned them to four groups. One group practiced mindfulness meditation, one group practiced a placebo-type meditation, one group used a placebo cream and the last group acted as the control. In the placebo arm of the study, participants meditated, but without mindfulness instruction.

Participants received four 20-minute training sessions for the technique they were assigned to, then underwent pain testing. During this testing, researchers applied heat to their legs while scanning their brains using an MRI. The mindfulness meditation group were told to focus on their breath and observe and acknowledge the feeling of pain without judgment. The placebo- meditation group performed similar exercises but did not receive mindfulness instruction. The placebo group used a cream on their leg that they were told would relieve pain, and the control group rested.

Results showed that participants in the mindfulness meditation group rated their pain lower than those in the placebo meditation and placebo groups. And, after using advanced analysis on the brain, the researchers found mindfulness meditation was the only pain-relieving technique that decreased brain activity in the regions linked to pain sensation and pain’s emotional impact.

In short: Need to alleviate some pain? Sometimes all you may need is your brain.

It starts with bloating and gassiness. Then, it causes constipation and abdominal cramping. Eventually, you guessed it — you’re dashing to the nearest toilet.

According to the American College of Gastroenterology, irritable bowel syndrome, more commonly known as IBS, affects 10% to 15% of Americans. While some aspects may be addressed by diet, research suggests that factors like stress can cause the disease … and even trigger worsened symptoms. The NIH indicates that even childhood trauma and other forms of abuse can cause more rumbling inside your intestines.

That’s because the brain and the gut interact with one another more than you might think. Together, they help coordinate body function and digestion. Stressors to your nervous system can change how efficiently food and waste move through your gastrointestinal tract and how quickly you experience bowel movements.

Stress responses also affect the balance of beneficial and harmful bacteria within the gut microbiota. Even mood swings and stressful stimuli affecting your serotonin levels will increase your gut motility, resulting in diarrhea.

Thankfully, there are several ways you can manage stress to mitigate IBS symptoms. Experts say regular physical exercise and good quality sleep will work to your benefit. If you have the means, a meal plan recommended by a doctor or dietitian will help pinpoint which foods exacerbate your tummy trouble and guide you in adjusting accordingly.

It’s important to remember IBS does not damage your intestines. Spending more time outside and getting enough sleep are just a few different techniques to help lower the level of your stress … and the corresponding number of uncomfortable bathroom trips.

National Veterinary Technician Week is October 12-18, and we’re incredibly grateful for the role our vet techs play on our patient care teams and within our hospital community. This week on Animal Airwaves live, UF veterinary technician Billi Wilson, CVT, will celebrate the week by shining a light on the role of veterinary technicians. Billi will touch on her training and education to become a vet tech, her areas of expertise in veterinary anesthesia and analgesia, and the many hats she wears at UF Vet Med, including her dynamic experiences with RECOVER-CPR – evidence-based veterinary cardiopulmonary resuscitation – and animal technical rescue as part of the UF Veterinary Emergency Treatment Service team.

National Veterinary Technician Week is October 12-18, and we’re incredibly grateful for the role our vet techs play on our patient care teams and within our hospital community. This week on Animal Airwaves live, UF veterinary technician Billi Wilson, CVT, will celebrate the week by shining a light on the role of veterinary technicians. Billi will touch on her training and education to become a vet tech, her areas of expertise in veterinary anesthesia and analgesia, and the many hats she wears at UF Vet Med, including her dynamic experiences with RECOVER-CPR – evidence-based veterinary cardiopulmonary resuscitation – and animal technical rescue as part of the UF Veterinary Emergency Treatment Service team.

Smartphones are a staple in most people’s daily lives, whether they are catching up on the news, scrolling social media or … going to the bathroom. Don’t be embarrassed — if you’re a bathroom scroller, you’re not alone. But new research suggests that using your smartphone in the restroom significantly increases your chances of developing hemorrhoids.

The recent study, which is the first of its kind to connect smartphone use and hemorrhoids, revealed that those who use smartphones on the toilet were 46% more likely to have hemorrhoids. The researchers adjusted their findings for age, sex, body mass index and other lifestyle factors, but the link between toilet phone use and hemorrhoids held strong.

Additionally, those who scrolled away their time in the restroom spent notably more time on the toilet, with one-third sitting for more than five minutes at a time. In those who didn’t bring smartphones to the bathroom, only about 7% sat for more than five minutes.

Hemorrhoids can be caused by prolonged sitting. Sitting on a toilet adds more pressure to our most sensitive areas — increasing the chance for irritation and inflammation.

And they are not only a literal pain in the rear, but also the condition responsible for about $4 million in outpatient and emergency room visits in the U.S. each year. In total, they cost more than $800 million annually in health care expenses (for those insured by employers).

So, though it may be hard to resist the impulse, consider leaving your phone behind next time you head to the restroom. Keeping bathroom time short could do more than save your screen from an accidental splash — it might also help save you from unnecessary discomfort.

You’ve likely heard about the benefits of walking and getting your 10,000 steps a day. And you might believe this level of time commitment isn’t always possible. Between work, taking care of the kids and catching a moment of Zen, getting to the gym for a rigorous 45-minute session can seem like mission impossible.

But what about a 15-minute speed walk, where the faster your trot, the better your benefits?

Research published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that fast walking for at least 15 minutes each day reduced premature death by 20%.

Of course, walking of any kind has its health benefits, like managing your weight, lessening joint pain and reducing cancer risk. The cognitive benefits are equally abundant: Walking daily lowers the chances of dementia and lessens cognitive decline in those susceptible to Alzheimer’s.

When it comes to fast walking, however, the benefits are hefty. You receive a decreased risk of three conditions: heart failure, arrhythmias and Type 2 diabetes.

But how fast is fast enough?

The National Health Service in the UK advises that you should still be able to talk while walking but have difficulty singing or speaking loudly. Those activities require more respiratory expenditure. If you can belt a song out to the rooftops, the soles of your shoes aren’t shuffling fast enough.

Need more of a challenge? Try adding certain breathing techniques. For example, nasal breathing when you inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. Experts say doing this during any form of exercise helps regulate your blood pressure and prevent hypertension. How’s that for a bargain?

French fries are a staple of the American diet, for better or worse. Thomas Jefferson, the third U.S. president, is often credited with helping popularize them in America after enjoying the delicacy as U.S. minister to France in the 1780s.

He’s also sometimes recognized for promoting ice cream and a rudimentary mac-and-cheese dish. So, if overindulgence in these foods has expanded your waistline, you might blame the Founding Father.

Unlike Jefferson, we now know that fries are an unhealthy dish.

Now, a large study by Harvard researchers shows that eating French fries substantially increases the risk of Type 2 diabetes. The researchers tracked 200,000 Americans over several decades and found a 20% higher risk of the disease for those who ate three extra servings of fries a week.

In contrast, scientists found no significant correlation between diabetes and the consumption of baked, boiled or mashed potatoes.

Participants filled out questionnaires about health and diet every two to four years. That amounts to more than 5 million years collectively. The group was composed of medical professionals like doctors and nurses. Why they were exclusively selected is not stated in the study. But medical professionals are considered reliable and accurate in self-reports, which in turn makes the data more reliable.

Researchers found diabetes risk dropped 19% if those three extra servings of French fries were swapped with whole grains, such as brown rice or oats.

The biggest contributor to risk appeared to be weight gain, since the fry aficionados tended to put on the pounds.

So, don’t be Thomas Jefferson. Skip the fries. Grab a baked potato, or better yet some brown rice.

Young, fast-growing horses are prone to a condition called osteochondrosis [ah-stee-oh-kahn-DROE-sus] dissecans [DISS-ah-cans], or OCD for short. That’s when rapid growth outmatches the normal progression of bone development. Bone or cartilage fragments may loosen within the joint, causing inflammation and pain.

OCD occurs most often in large breeds, like draft horses, although other breeds may have genetic predispositions. Additional contributing factors include nutrition and physical trauma — like early training that places undue stress on developing joints.

Common signs of OCD include lameness — especially after exercise — as well as joint swelling and decreased performance. Contact your veterinarian if you notice any of these signs or other abnormalities. Without treatment, OCD can result in permanent loss of mobility.

Cats love their sleep. That goes without saying, since most sleep 12 to 16 hours each day. Why do they do that?

Instead of sleeping for long uninterrupted periods, most cats take frequent naps lasting up to half an hour. Light versus deep sleep allows them to react quicker to environmental changes. Cats are hunters by nature and that takes lots of energy. They need plenty of restorative rest to stay alert — even if they’re only playing or exploring. Cats tend to be most active at dusk and dawn, and nighttime shenanigans can make them sleepy during the day.

Still, some cats sleep more for abnormal reasons. They may be bored, stressed, sore or just not feeling well. If your cat is sleeping more than usual, it may be time to check in with your veterinarian.