UF Health Podcasts

All animal species can experience certain types of eye disease, but in exotic or wild animals, the diagnosis and treatment eye problems can be difficult, even for highly trained veterinary ophthalmologists. The explosion in popularity of exotic animals as pets, coupled with the need for improved medical attention to endangered species, are reasons why ophthalmology has become an important medical specialty for managing the health of exotic and wild animals. On this show, Dr. Bret Moore, a veterinary ophthalmology specialist, will discuss some of the challenges associated with maintaining vision health in these species.

Proponents of a vegan diet point to its numerous health benefits. It promotes weight loss, improves heart health, is beneficial to gut health and might reduce the risk of some cancers.

Now, vegans have something else to brag about. They appear to have a lower risk of contracting COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.

Brazilian researchers say a predominantly plant-based diet might reduce the risk by as much as 39%.

Scientists set out to examine the interplay between diet and the incidence, severity and duration of COVID-19. They recruited about 700 people in the spring and summer of 2022, separating them into two groups: omnivores and those on a plant-based diet.

Participants were asked about their eating patterns, medical history and coronavirus vaccination status. The age and sex of group members were similar across groups. Scientists noticed, however, that the plant eaters were more likely to be highly educated. The meat-eaters tended to be heavier.

The study found that vegans had a significantly lower incidence of COVID-19 and that omnivores tended to get sicker when infected. No change in the duration of symptoms was noted.

Researchers say a plant-based diet can positively influence the health of immune cells that play a role in the body’s ability to fight infection.

So, it’s not surprising that investigators recommend a vegan diet. Even so, they say more research must be done to determine how diet impacts COVID.

Still, it’s hard to go wrong with a vegetarian diet while waiting for scientists’ final word. It’d be a different story, of course, if greasy hamburgers were found to protect us from the disease.

Many years ago, the television set was dubbed “the electronic babysitter.” And what parent hasn’t used it for that purpose, if only to get a short respite? Now, new research suggests there’s a downside to putting your toddler in front of the TV too often.

Toddlers and babies who get too much TV time may be more likely to show atypical behaviors such as disengagement from activities. They also tend to crave more intense stimulation and are more likely to get overwhelmed by bright lights and loud sounds than children who get less screen time. That’s the upshot of a study by Drexel University researchers, who studied the habits of nearly 1,500 children nationwide.

To establish their findings, the team analyzed the TV and video-watching habits of babies and toddlers at 12, 18 and 24 months of age. At 33 months, their sensory processing was measured with a questionnaire answered by their parents or caregivers.

The researchers found that even modest amounts of screen time were likely to have an effect on very young children. Among 1-year-olds, any screen exposure was associated with a 105% greater likelihood of “high” sensory behavior. That includes such actions as excessively touching objects or being overly upset by lights and noises. At 18 and 24 months of age, each additional hour of daily screen time resulted in at least a 20% increase in the odds of high-sensory behavior.

So, what’s a parent to do? The American Academy of Pediatrics has an idea: No screen time for kids less than two years old.

As tempting as it is, parents should strongly consider sidelining the electronic babysitter.

Envy the fruit bat. They can eat twice their body weight in sugary fruit without spiking blood sugar endangering their health. In fact, you’ll see a unicorn in the wild before you find a fruit bat with diabetes.

We humans aren’t so lucky. Unlike our batty friends, we must watch what we eat. Those of us with diabetes avoid sugary treats.

The bats have evolved to accommodate their diet. A world of chocolate bars and high-carb food is a relatively modern trend. We humans can’t wait a hundred million years for a natural adaptation to fix that. So, scientists look to the fruit bat.

What’s going on in their tiny pancreases, the insulin-producing organ that regulates blood sugar?

Scientists at the University of California found that the fruit bat pancreas boasts extra insulin-producing cells compared with their insect-eating brethren. They also discovered other tiny genetic differences that allow fruit bats to process an immense amount of sugar.

A better understanding of how sugar metabolism works in this quirky species could help researchers find ways to treat people with diabetes or prediabetes. Could that knowledge one day lead to a cure?

More than 37 million Americans have diabetes, and 1 in 3 Americans are prediabetic. It’s the eighth leading cause of death in the U.S.

One other thing about those fruit bats. They don’t need a dentist. They can eat all the sugar they want without getting cavities. Their saliva is thought to play a role in that.

But don’t let bat envy eat you alive. After all, when was the last time you had to sleep upside down in a cave?

Don’t forget to eat your vegetables. And your tofu. Oh, and drink your soy milk.

Whether it’s in its humble bean form, disguised as a meat alternative, or serving as a dairy substitute, soy continues to wow with its health benefits.

A recent analysis looked at how soybeans, cruciferous vegetables, green tea and lignans [LIG-nans] — compounds found in many plants, nuts and seeds.

The scientists specifically looked at how those foods and compounds impact breast cancer recurrence and mortality.

In the analysis, soy isoflavones [i-so-flave-ins] were associated with a 26% reduced risk of breast cancer recurrence.

Researchers found that the greatest risk reduction was observed when consuming 60 milligrams — that’s two to three servings — of soy per day. One serving of soy is equal to one cup of soy milk, three ounces of tofu or a half-cup of cooked soybeans.

While soy made an impressive showing, a compound metabolized from lignans reduced the risk of breast cancer-specific mortality by 28%. The compound, known as enterolactone [enter-a-lack-tone], also reduced the risk of death from any cause by 31%. The effect of soy on mortality risk was not statistically significant.

The optimal dose of lignans is unknown as they are metabolized at different rates, depending on an individual’s unique gut microbiome.

Scientists noted that the foods studied in their analysis should not be considered alternatives to breast cancer treatment. The analysis illustrates the health benefits of the compounds studied while demonstrating the need for more research.

In the meantime, breast cancer survivors can rejoice. And maybe at mealtime, raise a glass — of veggie juice.

Spring is nearly here, but some parts of the country may still see some snow.

You may not think of shoveling snow as that tough a task. But the American Heart Association says shoveling snow in cold temperatures can be dangerous. Their research indicates that the physical strain of shoveling snow may lead to an increased risk of heart attack or sudden cardiac arrest.

The cold temperature exacerbates the strain because cold air causes blood vessels to constrict throughout the body. By constricting, your blood vessels raise your blood pressure.

As you might imagine, shoveling snow depends on your arms, which is much more taxing on your heart than activities that require leg strength.

Also, when we lift heavy objects, say, shovels full of snow, we often unconsciously hold our breath. This also leads to significant increases in heart rate and blood pressure.

Speaking of blood, it tends to pool in our lower extremities as we shovel because we are, more or less, standing still. That means oxygenated blood is not getting back to the heart nearly as fast.

Here’s how to shovel the white stuff and stay safe doing so.

Experts recommend that you start gradually and pace yourself. Pushing or sweeping the snow may be easier because it involves less exertion than lifting and tossing the snow.

Always cover your mouth and nose, wear layered clothing and don’t forget a hat and gloves.

If you have a heart condition or high blood pressure, you might consider a snow blower. The American Heart Association says they have been scientifically proven to have less of an impact on your heart rate than shoveling snow.

The public is increasingly conscious of the teeny-tiny particles called microplastics that are turning up everywhere from snow-capped mountains to the ocean. They’re even getting into our food and drinking water.

Now Columbia University scientists have figured out how to measure microplastic’s tinier cousin — nanoplastics. Their findings are unsettling.

Nanoplastics are so small they can pass through intestines and lungs and go directly into the bloodstream, and then into our organs.

The research team, using a new microscopic technique, found that a one-liter plastic bottle of water contains an average 240,000 fragments of plastic small enough to breach our bodies.

Nanoplastics are particles less than 1 micrometer long. Microplastics range from less than a quarter-inch to 1 micrometer. By comparison, a human hair is about 70 micrometers wide.

With the new technique, researchers probe samples with two lasers tuned to make specific molecules resonate.

Testing three popular bottled-water brands, they found 110,000 to 370,000 particles in each liter. Ninety percent were nanoplastics; the rest were microplastics.

A common find was polyethylene terephthalate [pol-ee-eth-uh-lean terr-eff-thuh-late], or PET [P-E-T]. Many plastic water bottles are made of it. So are bottles for soda, sports drinks and ketchup. Even more prevalent was polyamide [poly-ah-myde], a nylon used in plastic filters purported to purify water before it’s bottled.

Some researchers note that these invaders can be toxic to humans.

Another plot twist: The seven types of known plastics the researchers looked for accounted for only about 10% of the nanoparticles they spotted. The other 90%, the researchers said, could be almost anything.

If your dog is suddenly unable to rise, or can’t move its legs, that’s a scary situation for any pet owner. However, the causes for these signs can vary greatly, ranging from trauma – such as being hit by a car – to affliction with tick-borne or other diseases, to name just a few. Getting to the root of the cause of your pet’s problem may require assistance from a veterinary neurology specialist. Dr. Gabriel Garcia, a board-certified veterinary neurologist, will describe how veterinarians work toward a diagnosis in these situations, and why pet owners faced with this problem should not panic but rather seek immediate veterinary care for the best possible outcome.

The ancients loved their olive oil. The Greek writer Homer of Iliad and Odyssey fame called it “liquid gold.” It was used to anoint the dead and the heads of kings, besides more pedestrian applications in cooking. One reason why it was so coveted by the old world? Its supposed medicinal qualities.

Indeed, physicians in antiquity prescribed it to treat fevers, hair loss, nausea, ulcers, wounds and even flatulence. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, described olive oil as “the great healer.”

Turns out, Hippocrates might have been onto something.

A study out of Harvard University’s public health college found that olive oil might substantially lower the risk of premature death. An analysis of health and dietary data collected from more than 90,000 people found that heavy olive oil consumers had a 19% lower risk of total mortality. These are folks who consumed more than seven grams of liquid gold a day.

The olive oil crowd also lowered their risk of dying of several diseases. They had a 19% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, 17% lower risk of dying from cancer and a 29% lower risk of dying from a neurodegenerative disease.

Researchers, who tracked data gathered over nearly 30 years, described their analysis as the first long-term observational study of its kind.

Compared with ingesting margarine, butter, mayonnaise or dairy fat, olive oil consumption was also associated with a lower risk of premature death.

Investigators say clinicians might encourage their patients to replace some fats, like butter and margarine, with olive oil. The current study, however, is silent on the question of whether it cures flatulence.

Did the ancient Greeks and Romans get age-related dementia? The answer is, surprisingly seldom.

A new study suggests severe cognitive decline was not a significant societal problem 2,000 or more years ago. Indeed, the Greeks seem largely free of the condition.

And it’s not because the average lifespan is much longer today.

A team led by University of Southern California researchers analyzed ancient Greek and Roman texts dating from 2,000 to 2,500 ago. They looked for descriptions of severe dementia and Alzheimer’s symptoms in older adults.

They found few mentions of severe memory loss, indicating cognitive decline was extremely rare.

This supports the notion that Alzheimer’s and related cognitive diseases are a more recent phenomenon. The modern environment and lifestyle are thought to be responsible for the much higher rate of cognitive decline, from our poor diets and sedentary behavior to pollution.

Greek text revealed cases of what is today considered mild cognitive impairment. However, scientists found no cases suggesting a significant loss of reasoning, memory and speech.

The study found four later Roman cases of advanced dementia. Pliny [Plie-nee] the Elder, for example, wrote of a Roman senator who often forgot his name.

Investigators believe the congestion of some Roman cities caused pollution that posed a higher risk of dementia than in the Greek world.

Even today, indigenous Amazonians who live an active, preindustrial lifestyle rarely experience severe cognitive impairment in old age.

The lesson here is to keep to a healthy lifestyle. Yes, that’s harder said than done. Pliny the Elder, after all, didn’t own a widescreen TV.