ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANT BACTERIA
Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria evolve to withstand the effects of antibiotics, rendering treatments ineffective. This global health crisis is driven by overuse and misuse of antibiotics in medicine and agriculture, allowing resistant strains to proliferate. It leads to harder-to-treat infections, increased mortality, and higher healthcare costs.
But some good news is on the horizon as a new class of antibiotics may have been discovered in bacteria called Paenibacillus found in backyard soil. That particular bacterium produces a peptide called Lariocidin that attacks bacteria and keeps it from growing and surviving. Therefore, the hope is that from it, a new drug can be developed to which the bacteria cannot form resistance as with current antibiotics. A new class of antibiotics has not emerged in decades, giving deadly bacteria years to mutate and form resistance to the current antibiotics.
Researchers are now looking for ways to produce the newly discovered molecule for clinical settings. That could take years. In the meantime, AI is also helping researchers in solving the problem of antibiotic resistance that kills millions each year.
What you can do is minimize taking antibiotics for viral infections for which they are ineffective. Doctors tend to hand antibiotics out too easily just to make their patients feel like they are doing something helpful. That Z-pak or other antibiotic may be doing you more harm than good when inappropriately prescribed
Source: the journal Nature , McMaster University, via Fox News Health
MICROPLASTICS AND YOU
In the 1967 movie The Graduate, a man advises Dustin Hoffman’s character Ben saying, “I just want to say one word to you…Plastics.” Plastic and its many uses were just being discovered in 1967. Now, 58 years later plastic is found everywhere, but most especially in places we would prefer not to find it: in our air, our food, in our water, and in our bodies in the form of microplastics. A microplastic is the result of plastic deteriorating into particles often smaller than a grain of sand. Because it’s difficult to measure them in our body, the science related to microplastics is far from definitive but over 3000 studies have linked microplastics to cancer, infertility, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, heart disease, and immune system damage. Most of those studies, however, have not been on humans. And despite our constant exposure to microplastics, only a small amount gets absorbed in our bodies with some studies suggesting our bodies eliminate a lot of them naturally.
What can you do to minimize your risk?
1. Minimize use of foods in plastic packaging
2. Buy goods with more natural than synthetic materials
3. Decrease your use of single use plastic like bottled water
4. Invest in a tap water filter
5. Stop cooking or microwaving in plastic containers
6. Use shorter dishwasher cycles
7. Vacuum your house regularly.
Remember, currently microplastics are a cause of concern but not panic. Source: Advent Health, March, 2025
EFFECTIVE? NOT REALLY!
While a wellness newsletter should inform you about what works to improve your health and wellness, sometimes it is important to know what is not effective. I asked an AI the following question: “What wellness programs have been scientifically proven not to be effective?” The following is the verbatim answer provided.
Several wellness programs have been scrutinized and found lacking in scientific evidence for effectiveness. Here are some notable examples:
· Workplace Wellness Programs (Generalized Models): Many corporate wellness programs, like those offering gym memberships, health screenings, or generic stress management workshops, often fail to deliver significant health improvements or cost savings. Studies, including a 2019 randomized controlled trial published in JAMA, showed no substantial changes in health outcomes (e.g., blood pressure, cholesterol) or healthcare costs after 18 months for participants compared to controls. These programs often suffer from low engagement and selection bias, where healthier employees are more likely to participate.
· Juice Cleanses and Detox Diets: Programs promoting juice cleanses or “detox” regimens claim to flush toxins and boost health. However, research, such as reviews in Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics (2015), indicates no evidence that these diets remove toxins or provide lasting benefits. The body’s liver and kidneys naturally handle detoxification, and such diets can lead to nutrient deficiencies or metabolic imbalances.
· Certain Mindfulness Apps (Without Tailored Guidance): While mindfulness can be effective, standalone apps without personalized support often show minimal impact. A 2020 meta-analysis in Nature Digital Medicine found that many popular mindfulness apps failed to significantly reduce stress or anxiety compared to active controls, especially for users without prior meditation experience.
· Step-Counting Competitions (Without Behavioral Support): Programs centered solely on tracking steps (e.g., via Fitbits) often don’t sustain behavior change. A 2016 study in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology found that wearable step trackers didn’t improve weight loss or fitness outcomes over two years without additional coaching or incentives.
· Hormone-Based Weight Loss Plans (e.g., HCG Diets): Diets like the HCG protocol, which combine human chorionic gonadotropin injections with extreme calorie restriction, have been debunked. A 1995 meta-analysis in British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology found no evidence that HCG aids weight loss beyond the effects of calorie restriction alone, and it carries risks like nutrient deficiency.
These programs often rely on anecdotal success or marketing hype rather than robust data.
