Green fluorescence in Nubian skeletons indicated tetracycline-labeled bone, the first clue that the ancients were producing the antibiotic. (Credit: Emory)
Now this is a treatment I would like to try
Check out this article on Futurity. It seems that ancient Nubians used Tetracycline-infused beer in an attempt to cure sickness in people.
…researchers later tied the source of the antibiotic to the Nubian beer. The grain used to make the fermented gruel contained the soil bacteria streptomyces, which produces tetracycline.
I always thought that antibiotic use started back in the mid to late 1800s, but apparently the Nubians were fermenting-up some microbrewed goodness over 2,000 years ago.
I was reading one of the health/fitness blog that I follow and came across this study on the National Center for Biotechnology Information’s website.
I’m not good at judging the structure of studies like this, but I read through this one and — from a non-researcher point of view — it seems well done. The aim was to study the effects an exercise routine had on the musculoskeletal discomfort and mental/physical fatigue of airline call center employees.
The results showed that appropriately designed and supervised exercise programs may be more efficient than rest breaks in decreasing discomfort and fatigue levels in call-center operators.
Musculoskeletal discomfort decreased in both groups, and in the experimental group significant differences in the level of mental fatigue, especially in questions related to memory were found.
Two thoughts came to mind upon reading this
People move around and they feel better and smarter? Duh?!
The study results fall inline with my theory that the level of activity I keep is what helps preserve my lack of major Lyme-related joint issues.
I also know a woman who currently suffers from fibromyalgia (but who also “had” Lyme twice several years ago) and she says that staying active and playing tennis really cuts down on her joint and muscle pains.
Again, just more reasons to stay active and keep moving!
I found a couple of interesting articles. The first one is particular compelling…
Here’s what I’ve got this week
Futurity.org: Probiotics prime immune system to fight – Scientists have long pondered the seeming contradiction that taking broad-spectrum antibiotics over an extended period of time can lead to severe secondary bacterial infections. Now researchers may have figured out why.
We suggest that if the immune system is on idle, and you treat someone with broad-spectrum antibiotics, then you turn the system off. The system is deprimed and will be less efficient at responding quickly to new infections.
NPR.org: How Revving Up Your Heart Rate, Even A Bit, Pays Off – I know a lot of people with Lyme struggle to exercise. They want to bike, run, hike or do whatever they did before getting sick. Sadly, they hit the wall quickly and are wiped out for days afterward.
This article and accompanying podcast show that even just a little bit of activity can be beneficial. According to the researchers involved, even as little as 72 minutes a week (that’s just over 10 minutes a day) can deliver an increase in your health.
I wrote an article many months ago about how I used targeted heart rate training to help me restart my running. Check it out here.
Oh, and a side benefit to the cardiovascular improvement is that exercise increases blood flow to the prefrontal cortex. This helps with cognition, attention and overall mood. Who couldn’t use some of that?
They’re putting together a multichannel PSA campaign to help raise awareness about the disease. On their blog post they’ve listed several ways that you can help, but if you just want to give some cash, check this link. Good luck!!
Finally! Hints that Spring, though still months away here in NYC, is coming! I’ve been running in the late afternoon and have noticed that it’s not as pitch black as it was back in December. Each day we get two more minutes of daylight.
I can’t wait for warmer weather. I’m so over winter and running in tights, a base layer, a t-shirt, windbreaker, hat and gloves. I long for tank tops and race shorts!
Here’s what I’ve got this week
Guardian: Start running and watch your brain grow, say scientists – Props to my man EyeBob for sending this link to me. It’s a brief but well written article about how a group of Neuroscientists at Cambridge University have shown that running stimulates the brain to grow fresh grey matter (in mice) and that it has a big impact on mental ability.
I’ve read research in the past saying that running (or aerobic exercise in general) is good for the brain and that it may help prevent or at least hold off mental issues like dementia and Alzheimer. I’ve also talked from time to time with my friend Christopher Bergland about his theories on neuroplasticity and running mental health. It’s nice, however, to see science advancing this theory and examining the mechanisms behind it.
British Medical Journal: Auto-appendectomy in the Antarctic – I use Feedly.com to help me organize and filter through all of the RSS feeds that I follow. I recommend it because it smartly suggests interesting articles based on what you choose to read. This link was a recommendation, but from what I can’t recall. The story was so gripping that I got completely side tracked from what I was doing when I read it. It’s one of those stories that’s good to recall on those days where you feel like shit and start getting all “woe is me” about your health and life.
On those occasions, think about being Dr. Leonid Rogozov. Trapped in the Antarctic, he had to perform an appendectomy on himself while an assistant held up a mirror. His strong will and determination to live are more than admirable.
A.V. Club (the Onion): KFC’s Double Down Sandwich – This link is to a hilariously written “taste test” of the new KFC Double Down sandwich by the A.V. Club’s Nathan Rabin. Truly worth the five-minutes it takes to read.
I’ve been getting more and more involved in what I’m eating. The more I look into the truth behind what I (we) eat, the more I’m HORRIFIED. It’s really no wonder that so many Americans are obese especially when you see something like this. KFC’s Double Down is a bunless grease-bomb. An artery-clogging marriage of bacon, two kinds of cheeses and “the Colonel’s sauce” (WTF?!) between two pieces of fried chicken.
A quick Google showed me that I’m not the only one who’s appalled at the new KFC menu item. Here’s humorous video review:
