UF Health Podcasts

Cats are always safest indoors. But if your feline friend likes to roam in warm weather, here are some hazards to keep in mind.

Traffic accidents and animal bites can happen at any time but are most common in summer when people and animals are out and about. Excessive heat can cause dehydration, so make sure fresh water is always available. That should keep your cat away from algae-contaminated water, which is often fatal.

Many cats like to sunbathe, but some burn easily and can benefit from cat-friendly sunscreens. Insect stings, snake bites, contact with toxic toads and lilies are all dangerous, too.

Protecting against fleas and ticks is also important — but don’t use preventatives containing permethrin. It’s toxic to cats.

A cat’s paws do more than cushion their gait and help them stick their landings. They provide a window into their overall health.

Some cats develop a condition called plasma cell pododermatitis, also known as “pillow foot.” Plasma cells are immune cells that normally pump out antibodies to fight infections. But in pillow foot, many of these cells invade soft tissues of the paw, causing swelling and even open sores. It can leave cats in great pain, less active and often lame. Some develop fevers and lose their appetite.

This is when keen veterinary diagnostic skills are called for, since other conditions can look similar. Once diagnosed, a veterinarian can formulate an individual treatment plan.

Feline immunodeficiency virus, or FIV, is akin to HIV in people. It weakens a cat’s immune system, increasing the risk of infections and certain cancers. So, is it possible for FIV-positive cats to live good lives?

The odds are better than you might think — if a cat’s care centers around optimizing health and catching medical issues quickly. That means keeping FIV-positive cats indoors where they’re less apt to catch infections. Top-line nutrition helps, which means avoiding raw foods that can carry germs. Frequent checkups are key — every 4 to 6 months is recommended.

There’s no guarantee that FIV-positive cats won’t develop fatal problems, but with excellent care, they have a good chance of living long, happy lives.

Did you listen to your mom when you were 12? According to researchers in Illinois, it may not matter — because the advice improved your well-being anyway.

Hard to believe, we know, but while some parents find their advice falling on deaf ears, this research indicated that even seemingly disinterested preteens may benefit from their parents’ input.

In the study, researchers analyzed conversations between fifth-grade students and their mothers regarding challenges in school. Then, they tracked how the preteens coped with the transition to middle school the following year.

Researchers found that moms tended to encourage their children to actively tackle academic obstacles through strategies like reframing how you view something, strategizing and seeking help.

Surprisingly, the adolescents who received reframing advice showed more adaptive coping skills in middle school, while those who received more strategizing and help-seeking advice did not. Interestingly, some children who initially rejected or responded ambiguously to their mother’s advice showed more adaptive coping skills later. Conversely, those who accepted help-seeking advice reported less adaptive coping.

Now, although the study focused on mother-child relationships due to many mothers acting as the primary caregiver for their children, future iterations of the study may turn toward fathers and their roles in adolescent development.

For now, rest assured your words aren’t going in one ear and out the other. Not all of them, anyway.

College has always been a stressful time for some students, and mental health conditions have been on the rise at many campuses.

But researchers said they had no idea it was this bad.

Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD [P-T-S-D], diagnoses among college students more than doubled between 2017 and 2022, rising most sharply as the COVID-19 pandemic closed campuses and changed life as we knew it.

PTSD rose from 3.4% among college students to 7.5%. Researchers, typically very careful to avoid sensationalized headlines about their work, called the increase “shocking.”

The team analyzed survey responses from nearly 400,000 participants in the annual online Healthy Minds Study.

PTSD is characterized by intrusive memories, avoidance, negative changes in thinking and mood and changes in physical and emotional reactions. It can include “flashbacks” to traumatic episodes. It is diagnosed when symptoms last more than a month.

Researchers said some of the increased stress clearly stemmed from the pandemic, when campuses and cities locked down while health officials worked to stop COVID-19’s spread and learned how to treat the illness. But they noted that other stressors affect college students, too, like campus shootings, global tensions and polarized politics.

An estimated 5% of adults in the U.S. experience PTSD in any given year. Over their lifetimes, 8% of women and 4% of men will face the condition.

The takeaway? PTSD treatment is needed on college campuses. Fortunately, short-term treatments created for veterans, like exposure therapy and cognitive processing therapy, are effective at managing symptoms.

World-class athletes adhere to strict diets to help them perform their best and maintain peak physical condition. Conversely, those who make unhealthy dietary choices are more likely to be overweight, have lower energy and generally be in poor physical health.

But what do dietary choices do for brain health?

Well, here’s some food for thought: A new study by researchers in China and the United Kingdom shows that making healthier dietary choices not only leads to better physical fitness, but it also optimizes brain health.

The study broke down food preferences into four categories: Starch-free or reduced-starch; vegetarian; high protein and low fiber; and balanced.

Study participants in the balanced diet category displayed evidence of better mental well-being, superior cognitive function and more gray matter in the brain, which is linked to intelligence.

Those in this category showed balanced preferences for foods across a range of categories, including meats, dairy, vegetables, alcohol and bread.

The study’s implications are wide-ranging.

To start, it emphasizes the importance of considering diet when clinicians look at mental health, cognitive function and brain structure. It also shows how food preferences could help identify those at higher risk of mental health challenges or cognitive impairment — leading to earlier interventions.

The researchers suggest promoting healthy food choices from an early age, which can boost public health and help people lead healthier and happier lives.

Making healthy food choices isn’t just good for your physical health. Turns out, a balanced diet is the ultimate brain food.

Colorectal cancer rates are going up among young adults in their 20s, 30s and 40s.

Millennials born around 1990 are at nearly twice the risk compared with those born in the 1950s. While far more older people get colorectal cancer, researchers say younger adults often pay less attention to warning signs.

In a new study led by the University of California, San Diego, researchers say the most common warning sign for colorectal cancer is easy to see. You just need to look before you flush.

According to the research, which looked at the results of studies including nearly 25 million adults 50 years old and younger, blood in the stool is the most common warning sign for colorectal cancer.

Other signs include abdominal pain, changes in your bowel habits, abdominal pain, anemia, diarrhea, constipation and loss of appetite.

The study found that it takes nearly four to six months on average for a young adult to go from their first symptom to diagnosis. Because of those delays, they may find themselves with advanced colorectal cancer that is more difficult to treat.

For now, health researchers aren’t sure why an increasing number of younger adults are being diagnosed with early-onset colorectal cancer, but they’re investigating several factors: chemicals in the environment, changes in gut bacteria and the use of some medications, such as antibiotics.

Several studies have found a correlation between higher alcohol use and colorectal cancer, especially for men.

For peace of mind amid this worrisome trend, regular screenings, now recommended to start at age 45, and acting quickly when you notice something wrong are your best defense against colorectal cancer.

July is the peak of the heat. The month brings the scorching “dog days” of summer, a season of perspiration.

When most of the northern hemisphere isn’t taking refuge in air-conditioned places, it’s a time many of us spend outdoors, at barbecues, pool parties or trips to the beach.

Hence this reminder that July is also UV Safety Month.

Ultraviolet rays cause most skin cancers. Groups like the American Academy of Dermatology and the American Cancer Society offer plenty of tips for protecting yourself from the sun’s penetrating rays.

First, the basics: Find the shade and stay in it when you can. Wear clothing that protects you from the sun and liberally apply a broad-spectrum water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or more. And reapply as the manufacturer’s instructions suggest.

There’s more to it than that, of course.

Know that the sun’s UV rays are strongest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

If you’re in or on the water, sand or snow, the sun’s rays will be reflected and more intense. Protect your eyes with UV-blocking sunglasses and wear UV-blocking clothing. Rule of thumb: If you can see through a garment, it’s too sheer to protect you. For those with the fairest complexions who are most vulnerable to the sun, some companies make clothing that’s both comfortable and protective.

Even on a cloudy day, UV rays still cause problems. Watch for forecasts that include a UV index. In general, the higher the number, the more caution you need to take.

So, get your sun-protection game in order this month and get through summer safely. And don’t forget to put sunscreen on your ears. They burn, too.

It’s OK, everyone forgets.

There are experiences we call bitter pills to swallow — and then, there are the meds themselves. Now, researchers at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia have found a way to trick our tongues into ignoring the flavor altogether.

Scientists are testing a taste blocker that could change medication intake, particularly for those who struggle with swallowing pills or bitter-tasting liquids. The blocker, called AF-353, targets taste-cell receptors that signal bitterness, providing a temporary reprieve from the unpleasant taste of some medications.

Unlike previous blockers that targeted specific taste receptors, AF-353 inhibits a broader range of taste sensations, including bitter, sweet, savory, salty, and sour. By blocking taste-nerve transmission, AF-353 reduces the bitterness signal caused by medications, making them more palatable. This is especially important for reducing bitterness related to vital medications such as those for parasites and HIV.

AF-353’s effects lasted 60 to 90 minutes in humans. The researchers plan to investigate ways to limit the time taste is blocked as much as possible, and to find the best way to administer it to children, perhaps through a lollipop or pacifier.

Though it’s no Flintstones vitamin, the compound carries the potential to improve medication adherence among children and elderly individuals, and its temporary nature allows taste to return to normal after a short period.

It doesn’t take away the need for medication, but it may help it go down a bit easier. And not having to cajole your youngster to take her much-needed medicine? That could make life a lot sweeter.

When it comes to water cooler talk, stress is a common theme. An even more common one? Your coworker who never seems to catch a break — and is always more stressed than anyone else.

If you’ve felt annoyed — or even privately wondered what’s going on — you’re far from alone. A recent study from the University of Georgia indicates that boasting about one’s stress levels at work can backfire, making a person appear less competent and likable to their colleagues.

The research involved 360 participants who assessed imaginary co-workers’ statements about returning from a conference. Those who bragged about stress were rated lower in likability, competence and willingness to receive help compared with those who simply acknowledged stress or focused on positive aspects of the conference. Additionally, employees with stress-bragging co-workers reported higher personal stress and burnout levels.

Interestingly, discussing stress in passing or being perceived as stressed didn’t provoke negative reactions from colleagues, nor did it increase their own stress levels.

The research suggests that being perceived as stressed isn’t inherently negative; in fact, colleagues may view stressed individuals as more competent.

But boasting about stress creates the impression that chronic stress is normal in the workplace — and that can contribute to a toxic work culture where chronic stress is accepted as the norm.

And, although we can’t tell you why Stuart from accounting is in a frazzle and insists on telling you about it, this study suggests you may not be the only one who’s noticing — and ready to talk about the weather, instead.