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2016 wasn’t all bad. The medical field enjoyed some amazing new discoveries, and the health conscious benefitted from some interesting new research. A recap is always helpful, so here are my favorite health breakthroughs to remember!
1) A WAY TO FIGHT CANCER CELLS WHILE SPARING THE HEALTHY ONES
Cancer is still a number one killer for Americans across most ages. We all know that chemotherapy can work to shrink tumors, but at the expense of healthy cells, causing awful side effects from hair loss to life threatening infections. This year gifted us what is no doubt a game changer in cancer treatment: “Adoptive T cell therapy.” This therapy involves taking out a patient’s healthy T cells and genetically modifying them to become cancer-fighters. After being reintroduced into the patient’s body, these T cells selectively kill cancerous cells and leave the healthy cells alone.
It’s programming our cells to help us fight cancer and It’s truly amazing!
2) EXERCISE IS AS GOOD FOR THE BRAIN AS IT IS FOR YOUR BODY
Even if you aren’t trying to lose pounds or maintain weight, exercise is crucial to your brain’s ability to think as we get older. In one large study, patients who exercised very little or not at all had brains that were about 10 years older than patients the same age who exercised regularly. The patient’s cognitive ability was measured, from simple mental tasks to memory and problem solving tasks. Those who exercised on a regular basis were basically sharper than those who didn’t!
Exercise in these studies is defined as anything from simply walking daily to more strenuous activity. SO GET WALKING, PEOPLE!
3) MEDICAL MARIJUANA BECOMES MAINSTREAM
The November elections brought more surprises than just a new president. Several more states approved medical marijuana, making the total 28 states that offer marijuana for various medical conditions.
The problem is that less studies have been done on marijuana use long term than any other prescribed medication approved by the FDA. The government hasn’t conducted studies that give us important information, mostly due to political reasons. The few reliable studies that have been completed so far show mixed reviews. States with medical marijuana available for chronic pain have significantly decreased opioid overdoses (See below!), proving marijuana to be a safe alternative in chronic pain management. Another study out this year, however, suggests that long term marijuana use may lead to long term memory loss and an increased risk of dementia with age.
Bottom line – WE NEED MORE RESEARCH ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA!
4) PAINKILLERS DO MORE HARM THAN GOOD
For years, doctors were concerned they weren’t treating their patient’s pain effectively; leading to a huge increase in prescriptions of opioid painkillers over the past two decades. Now we are in the midst of major opioid abuse epidemic. Our surgeon general has made it his number one priority, and new studies suggest that opioid use for longer than one week may actually INCREASE our pain. One study suggests that chronic use of these painkillers may actually amplify pain signals along the spinal cord, worsening patient’s sense of pain.
5) DIRT IS GOOD FOR US!
Parents rejoice! A large study out of New Zealand confirmed what physicians have suspected for years now: A child’s immune system is boosted by exposure to dirt. The findings suggested that children who bite their nails and suck their thumbs are less likely to suffer from environmental allergies. Other studies confirmed that frequent use of hand sanitizers in schools and daycares could be linked to MORE upper respiratory infections, not LESS.
