UF Health Podcasts

This week on Animal Airwaves, we’re focusing on your furry friend’s peepers! Join us as we welcome Dr. Bret Moore, a veterinary ophthalmology specialist, who’ll share his expertise on recognizing and treating eye problems in pets. Dr. Moore will discuss why early detection is crucial for maintaining your pet’s vision and overall eye health. Learn about common signs of eye issues, when to seek veterinary care, and how prompt treatment can lead to better outcomes.

While it may not be possible to always keep the doctor away, a new study offers strong evidence that consuming apples, berries, and other fruit can help keep antidepressants at bay.

With aging populations growing around the globe, depressive symptoms in older adults are also increasing. Specifically, many of these older adults face delayed cognitive processing, waning motivation, appetite loss, poor sleep, and increased fatigue.

Scientists in Singapore studied the dietary habits of nearly 14,000 adults there between the ages of 45 and 74 and over the course of about 20 years, controlling for other lifestyle factors such as sleep duration, smoking status, and physical activity.

Study participants who consumed at least three servings of fruit per day —compared with those who consumed less than one serving — reduced their likelihood of late-life depression by 21%.

Researchers looked at 14 of the most common fruits consumed in Singapore, including oranges, tangerines, bananas, papayas, watermelons, apples, and honeydew melon.

Fruit’s high levels of antioxidants and micronutrients, such as vitamin C, carotenoids and flavonoids — which reduce oxidative stress and inhibit inflammation —  are believed to be the driving nutritional components in staving off depression later in life.

Vegetable consumption did not seem to have any impact on whether people developed late-life depressive symptoms. Enjoy relaying that to the veggie nag in your life.

The old saw about apples and doctors is a fine one, but perhaps it’s time for a modern, science-backed update: “Three apples a day keep the blues away.”

In recent years, glucose-lowering drugs — originally prescribed to treat Type 2 diabetes — have gained attention for their ability to kick-start weight loss. Simply starting one of these medications seems to help many shed pounds easily.

But what if similar results could be achieved by increasing your fiber intake?

A recent study indicates this might just be the case. But not any old fiber will do.

University of Arizona researchers observed evidence in mice that specifically, beta-glucan [beta-glue-can], a dietary fiber found in oats and barley, can mirror many of the weight loss benefits of drugs like Ozempic.

These drugs are effective weight loss tools because they mimic a naturally occurring hormone that regulates appetite and blood-sugar levels. Beta-glucan from oats and barley also regulates appetite and blood sugar levels by causing the release of the same hormone into the gut microbiome.

The mice given a beta-glucan supplement showed reductions in weight gain and body fat along with improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity. Researchers believe these mice had a boost in energy expenditure, thanks to the beta-glucan.

This study adds to the growing body of research that points to the many benefits of dietary fiber, including constipation prevention, decreased risk of heart disease, and protection against inflammation.

For those considering medications to help them drop pounds: The research indicates that a smaller change, simply eating more beta-glucan rich foods, might be worth a try first. It’s certainly a less-expensive path to choose.

Bowl of oatmeal, anyone?

Ever caught yourself endlessly scrolling through troubling news and feeling defeated? Read a headline that left you needing to put your phone down and stare into space? Do you wonder how an endless supply of information is affecting you?

Well, you’re not the only one. A new study from Flinders University [Flin-drz] suggests that doomscrolling isn’t just a harmless habit — it might be reshaping how we view life itself. Findings suggest that routine, habitual consumption of negative news can lead to a profound shift in our outlook on humanity and the meaning we construct from our lives.

Researchers found that scrolling through negative or disturbing stories can result in a kind of vicarious trauma, or one where you experience negative psychological impacts without directly going through the trauma yourself.

In their study, the researchers surveyed 800 university students from Iran and the United States, to better understand two culturally distinct groups and how they might respond to repeated negative news or stories. Participants reported how often they engaged in doomscrolling, their feelings about their existence, and their worldview — like whether the world is a fair place, and how they felt about humanity.

The results? Doomscrolling was linked to increased existential anxiety in both the American and Iranian groups.

Most days, we’re inundated, so it can be hard to keep tabs on how much time we spend consuming negative news. But this study, and pre-digital generations, remind us that taking breaks from social media and paying attention to our emotional well-being is crucial.

More than 10 million texts, calls, and chats in just two years.

The 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which launched in July 2022, has had quite an impact.

In 2022, suicide deaths reached a record high in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The change to a three-digit number, instead of its 10-digit predecessor, led to a 45% increase in people reaching out in the lifeline’s first month.

Mental health is a priority for many Americans. A recent poll from the National Alliance on Mental Illness reported that 3 in 4 Americans say they are not content with mental health treatment in the United States.

When someone calls 9-8-8, the caller first hears a greeting message with options to connect with specialized services. They are then routed to a national network or local network crisis center. A trained crisis counselor answers the phone, works to understand the problem, and shares resources. Similarly, users can get care by texting 9-8-8, which has become an increasingly popular option, along with digital chats.

The Department of Health and Human Services’ hotline has made 110,000 contacts in Spanish and 475,000 with LGBTQI+ youth and young adults this year, the federal agency reports. About 20,000 videophone contacts were made in American Sign Language, and 1.2 million calls were answered by the Veterans Crisis Line through 9-8-8.

Studies show that speaking with a trained crisis counselor makes callers feel more hopeful while reducing feelings of depression and thoughts of suicide.

Ten million is just the start for a resource that saves lives every day. One text or phone call at a time.

In the universe of healthy snacks, baby carrots might just be one of the trendiest. A favored snack among the younger set, even the family dog might love a few if your hot dog stash runs dry.

New research tells us that if you’re a young adult, these cutest of carrots could boost your skin, too.

A team from Samford University presented findings at a national gathering of nutritionists that suggest nibbling on carrots a few times a week — especially in conjunction with a multivitamin — can improve skin carotenoid levels.

Besides increasing immunity, higher skin carotenoid levels mean better antioxidant protection and lower risk for diseases like cancer and heart ailments. And carotenoids help protect skin against premature aging and hyperpigmentation from UV radiation, hormones, and acne.

The researchers randomly assigned 60 young adults to three groups. One group snacked on Granny Smith apple slices for a month, the second took a multivitamin with beta-carotene, and the third ate baby carrots plus the multivitamin.

The researchers used an instrument called a Veggie Meter to measure skin carotenoids, which create the bright colors in some fruits and vegetables.

The subjects who ate baby carrots saw their skin carotenoid scores rise by 10%. Those who took the multivitamin and ate baby carrots saw their scores go up more than 21%.

Those who ate apple slices saw no change in carotenoid levels. Nor did those who only took the multivitamin.

So, if you’d like nicer skin: Add carrots and a multivitamin to your menu.

Scientists say their research plate includes studying colorful sweet potatoes and green, leafy vegetables.

Has your pet shown abnormal behavior lately, such as hiding or growling? Our animals can’t tell us when they’re hurting, and assessing pain in our pets can be difficult. It’s important that pet owners be tuned in to any changes in behavior, the way your pet stands, walks or even looks at you. On this show, Dr. Elizabeth Maxwell, a surgical oncology specialist, will discuss why pain assessment is so important and why contacting your veterinarian is critical if you suspect your pet is in pain. She’ll also discuss methods of pain management.

As nutritional science has evolved over time, butter has passed in and out of favor with nutritionists and the public. At times butter has been touted for its nutritional value and that it may contribute to weight loss for those on a low-carb diet.

But butter is looked upon less favorably when its fat profile is examined. That’s because butter is high in saturated animal fats, which have been shown to contribute to cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes.

A recent study adds even more fuel to the argument that a diet rich in plant-based unsaturated fats beats out a diet heavy on butter and other saturated animal fats. The Chalmers University of Technology study takes previous work in this area a step further by analyzing fat in the blood using lipodomics, or finely detailed lipid measurements.

Individuals with a high multi-lipid score, called an MLS, have a healthy blood fat profile and tend to have a higher intake of unsaturated plant-based fats. These folks showed significantly lower risk for developing cardiometabolic diseases.

Those with a low MLS consumed a larger amount of saturated animal fats and were at greater risk for stroke, heart attack, Type 2 diabetes, and related conditions.

The study concluded that switching to a diet high in unsaturated plant fats — such as the Mediterranean diet — can indeed deliver notable health benefits.

While some may still reach for good old-fashioned butter at the grocery store, plant-based oils are more readily available than ever before.

Perhaps the news from the recent study can finally help many of us answer the age-old question: To butter, or not to butter?

You’re pouring yourself a cup of coffee while chatting up the new boss, and you get distracted — subsequently spilling it all over. You feel your face turn beet red, and it’s not the first time. After all, blushing is a universal part of the human experience.

Now, researchers are trying to understand why.

Using MRI scans to track brain activity, teams from the Netherlands and Italy are exploring the neural mechanisms behind blushing. Notably, the behavior is more than just a physical reaction; it’s tied to our brain’s response to social judgment, especially during adolescence.

To trigger a blushing response, the adolescent girls who participated in the study took part in two lab sessions. In the first, they sang challenging karaoke songs, and in the second, they watched videos of their own performances. Raising the stakes, researchers told them an audience would be watching their recordings.

Ultimately, the teens blushed more when viewing their own videos compared with others. Brain scans revealed that blushing was linked to increased activity in the cerebellum, known for its role in movement and coordination, and heightened activation in early visual areas. That suggests for these teens, seeing themselves on screen was something that dominated their attention.

The next area of study may include investigating how blushing works in even younger children, before they are as aware of their peers.

In the future, when you find yourself blushing, remember there’s a lot happening in your brain — and you’re in great, human species-wide company. In other words: It happens to all of us.

You might be 10 slices of bacon away from a longer, healthier life. Yes, you heard that correctly.

Bacon has a rap sheet. It’s high in sodium and fat. While some sing its praises, many doctors are not in the choir. The World Health Organization calls the food a carcinogen.

University of Edinburgh scientists recently found that if Americans collectively cut back just 30% of their consumption of processed meats like sausage and bacon, it would have a profound impact on public health.

Yes, that percentage is the equivalent of 10 slices of bacon a week.

What would that do from a national perspective? Researchers estimate this reduction would lead to 353,000 fewer cases of Type 2 diabetes over a decade. Cardiovascular disease diagnoses would drop by more than 92,000, colorectal cancer by more than 50,000 cases. Thousands of deaths would be avoided.

The impact is even greater for those cutting unprocessed red meats.

The researchers used computer modeling to make these projections, aided by data from national health surveys.

Of course, bacon isn’t the only game in town when it comes to processed meats. Hot dogs, deli meats, chicken nuggets, and other foods could be flagged, too.

The study notes that restricting meat intake is not just good for your body. It’s good for the planet. A collective effort to reduce consumption will lessen the meat industry’s impact on climate change.

We can all squeeze out a health benefit by reducing our bad habits, even if we are unable to quit something entirely. In other words: It’s not great if you eat half the birthday cake at a sitting. But it’s still better than eating it all.