UF Health Podcasts

Veterinary technicians, or nurses, are essential to veterinary hospitals and practices. Their roles are diverse, and career paths can vary widely. On this week’s Animal Airwaves-Live, Holly Kitchen, a certified veterinary technician (CVT) and veterinary technician specialist in ophthalmology (VTS), shares her career journey and insights into her specialization, along with some of the rewards unique to her profession.

Is your newborn getting all the nutrients needed to grow? If you rely on baby food, the answer might surprise you.

According to research by the George Institute for Global Health in Australia, about 60% of packaged baby food sold in the United States does not meet nutritional standards set by the World Health Organization.

Using standards from the 2022 nutrient and promotion profile outlined by the WHO Regional Office for Europe, researchers found that 70% of commercialized infant food did not meet protein requirements and nearly half exceeded total sugar limits.

As your children grow, food choices are influenced by what they are exposed to. Experts say many foods marketed to children in the United States are high in sugar, fat, and preservatives while lacking essential nutrients. This results in an unhealthy diet for many.

The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that on average, children’s diets have almost twice as much sugar as recommended. And, many sugary foods are associated with a rise in illness in children.

This creates a greater need to put your little one on the right path. By choosing packaged food that promotes healthy growth and following recommended nutrient guidelines, you can help ensure your baby gets all the important nutrients.

After all, nutrient deficiencies can have a lasting negative impact. Choosing healthy foods for your child that are low in sugar and salt can prepare them for a lifetime of good eating habits.

Of course, you are your child’s best role model. Let them see you nibble on vegetables, fruit, or nuts, rather than something out of a box or bag.

While a mosquito bite might be nothing but a fleeting nuisance for some, in many parts of the world, the buzzing pest poses a serious concern.

Mosquitoes are notorious for spreading deadly diseases, like malaria, which kills over 400,000 people each year. It’s no surprise mosquitoes have earned the title of the deadliest animal, along with the unofficial title of most irritating.

For over a century, scientists have studied how these tiny insects target their hosts. We’ve learned mosquitoes rely on a blend of cues: carbon dioxide from our breath, body odors, heat from our skin, and humidity. Yet, each cue on its own has limitations. For instance, mosquitoes have poor vision, and strong winds or rapid movement can disrupt their chemical tracking.

Enter the latest breakthrough from researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Their study reveals that mosquitoes have a previously unknown sense: infrared detection. Their research shows that mosquitoes use infrared radiation, emitted by sources at roughly human skin temperature, to double their host-seeking behavior when combined with CO2 and human odor.

The team found that infrared radiation enhances mosquitoes’ ability to find their targets from about 2.5 feet. The key to this discovery lies in the mosquitoes’ antennae, which contain specialized heat-sensing neurons.

By understanding how mosquitoes detect infrared, research may be able to develop better methods for controlling these flying fiends, and, by extension, reduce the spread of diseases they carry.

Not to mention how much they bug us.

It lasts about three years but feels like 300. You’ll endure unspeakable terrors, like public speaking, group exercise and misperceiving your talents as a dancer … all while dodging pimples and acrid body odor. You won’t recognize yourself — or your friends. It happens to everyone.

It, friends, is middle school.

According to research from scientists at Florida Atlantic University, we know the harsh truth — those years are much harder on those perceived as unattractive or unathletic. Some of us still carry the unhappy memories.

The study included 580 middle school students between 10 and 13 years old. Participants were asked to pinpoint classmates who best fit a handful of descriptors, like athletic, attractive, and unpopular.

Students were also asked how often they felt lonely and how many times they drank alcohol to the point of intoxication during the past month.

Results indicated that those rated as low on the attractiveness and athletic scales experienced decreasing popularity over the course of a school year, which led to more loneliness and alcohol misuse. Notably, there were no differences between gender — or even location. The same pattern held in youth from a large metropolitan area in Florida as it did for a homogeneous sample from a small town in Lithuania.

The study’s authors offered suggestions for mitigating these effects in the classroom, like creating a supportive environment for everyone and emphasizing the importance of other traits.

But it seems even researchers agree — middle school can be a traumatic ordeal. Its saving grace? It’s temporary.

Doctors in recent years have noticed an alarming trend: Colorectal cancer rates among younger people have nearly doubled.

Between 1995 and 2019, colorectal cancer diagnoses increased from 11 percent to 20 percent in people under 55 years old. That’s one in five individuals.

Scientists have been working to get to the bottom of this trend and a new Cleveland Clinic study may have uncovered a major factor in this uptick: diet.

Using artificial intelligence, researchers zeroed in on the gut microbiome as an important area to explore. What they discovered was a difference in the type and amount of metabolites present in younger versus older adults.

The higher levels of metabolites in younger adults point to the likelihood that they are overeating red meat and processed meats. The study’s authors are currently examining national datasets to confirm their findings.

The study illuminates the complicated relationship between the gut microbiome, diet, metabolism, and cancer.

The researchers said young people should be cognizant of their dietary choices. And making healthy food choices is something we can all do.

The study lays the groundwork for more study on how diet and drugs respond to the treatment and prevention of colorectal cancer. Scientists hope they can create tests for measuring metabolite levels to determine whether a person is at higher risk for colorectal cancer.

While it’s easy enough to grab a burger or sub sandwich when we’re on the go, the science is clear: Avoid red and processed meat or eat them in moderation.

After all, it’s a lot easier to change one’s diet than it is to reset your microbiome.

When you reach into your bathroom cabinet for a swig of mouthwash, you probably wouldn’t expect to find matcha [maa-chuh] there.

But a new study has found that when used as a dental hygiene product, matcha can reduce the risk of gum disease caused by the growth of bacteria.

Matcha, a vibrant green tea powder, is known for its antioxidant properties. It’s popular in Japanese culture and has caught on in the West in teas, lattes, and even desserts.

But it’s more than a tasty treat. According to researchers from Qatar [cutter] University, matcha can benefit brain and heart health and even prevent the development of cancerous tumors.

Now, Japanese researchers have added dental health to the list of matcha’s benefits. The researchers placed 45 participants diagnosed with chronic gum disease, called periodontitis, into three groups. One group used a mouthwash with barley tea, one group used a mouthwash with an anti-inflammatory solution, and one group used a matcha mouthwash.

Those who used the matcha-based mouthwash saw a significant reduction in the levels of gum disease-causing bacteria in their saliva compared with the other groups, who saw little change.

The researchers also found that matcha inhibited the growth of these gum disease-causing bacteria in lab experiments.

Left untreated, periodontitis can cause tooth loss and has been associated with both diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

While commercial matcha mouthwashes aren’t widely available, there are several recipes online to make your own version. And you won’t even need a milk frother.

Join us for a riveting episode of Animal Airwaves – Live! featuring Dr. Cory Woliver, an emergency and critical care expert at the UF Small Animal Hospital. Dr. Woliver delves into the lives of coral snakes, discussing what happens from an envenomation and what makes these snakes unique among venomous serpents. Dr. Woliver will also discuss his groundbreaking clinical trial, which is being used to treat dogs envenomated by coral snakes. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain potentially life-saving knowledge about this elusive fossorial species and the latest advancement in treatment.

Mindfulness, or the ability to be fully present in whatever moment you’re in, requires focusing attention on the present — without judgment, and with a gentle curiosity about what is going on around you.

Research has long touted this as something of a silver bullet we all can practice to reduce stress. Now, researchers from North Carolina State University suggest that hope may be just as effective, if not more so.

Specifically, their study showed that hope may better at helping employees manage stress and stay professionally engaged during periods of prolonged duress.

Researchers posited that, during tough patches, looking ahead to rosier times could be more effective than living in the moment.

For their study, researchers recruited more than 200 professional musicians from the organization MusiCares to take two surveys, one month apart, on their feelings related to hope and their state of mind during the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by questions about work engagement and tensions.

The leisure and hospitality industries were among the hardest hit during the pandemic, with millions of jobs lost.

Using advanced statistical techniques, the researchers identified connections between hope, mindfulness, musicians’ personal well-being, and attitudes toward work.

When people were hopeful, as opposed to simply mindful, they were able to take more satisfaction with their lives at work while experiencing less distress.

Now, don’t take this wrong. Living in the moment, or mindfulness, has its place. But a light at the end of the tunnel may be the ticket to withstanding long stretches of workplace — or life — stress.

Humans have had their hands in the proverbial honey jar for millennia.

There’s just something about the sticky sweetness, wonderful golden color, and rich flavor that keeps us coming back for more. Honey’s health benefits have long been explored, with evidence of honey being used for therapeutic purposes in ancient Greece and ancient Egypt.

Even after thousands of years, we are still discovering ways honey can benefit humans. Scientists also continue to better understand how important a healthy gut microbiome is in preventing chronic diseases, promoting mental health and aiding in a healthy immune system.

These two topics coalesced recently as a pair of new studies offered evidence that clover honey, when added to yogurt, can help promote gut health.

So, how does it work?

When we eat yogurt, live probiotic cultures contained in the food undertake a treacherous journey as they weather the harsh environments of the mouth, stomach, and intestines. Many of these microscopic organisms will never reach their destination.

But researchers discovered that one to two teaspoons of clover honey, when added to a serving of yogurt, seemed to create a more hospitable environment for the probiotics, allowing more of them to make it safely to the gut.

The levels of enzymes, sugars, and antioxidants in clover honey seem to offer an added layer of protection for the probiotics. Researchers did point out that honey is an added sugar, so we should be mindful of how much of it we consume.

But all things considered, adding honey to a yogurt treat seems like a pretty sweet deal.

What color is pain relief? A study from the University of Arizona in Tucson suggests green — at least when it comes to migraines.

Previously, researchers discovered that green light could lead to pain relief in laboratory rats. Now, researchers are exploring the healing hue as a preventive treatment for people who experience migraines.

A migraine is a headache of extreme intensity and can cause symptoms that interfere with daily activities, such as throbbing pain, intense nausea, vomiting, and heightened sensitivity to light and sound.

For some, a migraine can last for a couple hours. For others, it can be days.

Although pain relief can be found through some medications, people can experience unwanted side effects or minimal effectiveness.

Study participants fell into two categories: those who had episodic migraines, or up to 14 headache days per month, and chronic migraines, 15 or more headache days per month for three or more months.

At first, the participants spent one to two hours every day in a dark room with a white light strip, which served as a control condition. After 10 weeks of the white lighting, participants stopped for two weeks as part of a “washout” period.

Then, for another 10 weeks, participants spent one to two hours daily with a strip that emitted green light, at the same brightness level as the white. On average, the green light treatment resulted in fewer migraines experienced.

More study is needed to replicate the light’s effects in a larger participant pool and account for the placebo effect. But the early results could be a green light on the way to migraine relief.