Latest / Morning Medical with Dr. Chow / Brain health strategies, WHO updates, marine collagen sustainability, and sun safety misconceptions

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Brain health strategies, WHO updates, marine collagen sustainability, and sun safety misconceptions · Morning Medical with Dr. Chow

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  Good morning, and welcome to Morning Medical with Doctor E.
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  Chow.
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  I am your host, Doctor Chow Chow.
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  Each day, we bring you the latest in medical and health news from around the world using the
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  power of artificial intelligence, I am a trained family physician, general internist,
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  and cardiologist, and I also serve as a professor of medicine at the University of
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  Toronto.
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  Today, we have an exciting lineup of topics starting with how to keep your brain sharp.
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  Let's dive right in.
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  The health of our brains can change as we age.
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  For some that might look like worries about memory loss, But experts say cognitive health
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  is about much more than forgetting someone's name or where you put your phone.
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  It also includes focus and concentration, judgment, and intuition, and learning.
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  As we age, we lose neurons.
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  But as we gain experience and knowledge, we also make new ones said neurologist, doctor
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  Steven Laurie's.
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  That's neuroplasticity in action.
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  Laurie's told doctor Brian Goldman, host of CBC's the dose.
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  You're challenging what you know today and what you will be able to do tomorrow.
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  Neuroplasticity is the way the brain can change its structure over time.
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  There are lots of things we can do to help our brains stay sharp.
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  Including learning new things, staying social, being physically active, sleeping well, and
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  meditating.
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  Let's break down these activities 1 by 1.
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  1st, learning something new can significantly help your brain.
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  It's normal to pay less attention to certain things as we age because we've done them
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  thousands of times, said doctor Vina Duivetti a psychology and neuroscience professor at Brock
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  University who researches the brain and language.
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  She suggests taking a new route home from the store, for example, so your brain will have to
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  work a little harder.
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  Make it novel so that you will pay attention, said Duvedi.
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  To help your brain, try learning something that is unfamiliar and challenging, said doctor
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  Manuel Montero Odasso.
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  A professor of medicine at Western University, and the director of the gate and brain lab.
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  For example, you could learn a new language or a new musical instrument.
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  He said, this kind of challenge in the beginning generates more communication between
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  the neurons, said Montero Odaso.
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  But when starting a new activity, try not to set the bar too high, said Laurie's, who is the
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  Canada Excellence Research chair in neuroplasticity at La Valle University.
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  Sometimes we expect too much too quickly.
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  Just enjoy the ride, he said.
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  We may think that regularly playing wordle, crosswords, or other vocabulary puzzles will
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  help us avoid cognitive decline.
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  The evidence for that is scant according to a systematic review published in 2021, but that
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  does not mean they are a waste of time.
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  Puzzles work on multiple parts of the brain, said Lorie's, including helping us pay
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  attention, recognize patterns, and stimulate vocabulary.
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  Crosswords, he said, challenge your general knowledge and help with problem solving.
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  Word games do not improve your memory, though they may help you improve at that particular
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  type of game, said Montero Odasso.
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  Experts recommend you pair word games with other activities like playing alongside friends
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  and family.
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  Wordle is fine, but if you're sitting by yourself and you do not talk to anybody, It is
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  not going to help that much, said Duvidei.
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  Creating social connections is key to brain health.
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  Experts said.
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  Studies have shown that social engagement and activities are associated with a lower risk of
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  cognitive decline.
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  For example, you could create a group chat or schedule a meetup around your daily wordle,
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  said Vivetti.
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  So if you do the wordle, plus you have the social connection and then you walk to your
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  friend's house to talk about it.
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  It is a game changer.
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  She said any kind of social activity will help your brain, such as volunteering at the food
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  bank or joining an artist's group.
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  Social engagement and activities are associated with a lower risk of cognitive decline.
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  Studies have shown that social engagement and activities are associated with a lower risk of
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  cognitive decline.
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  Everyone knows that exercise helps your heart, but what about your brain?
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  There are well known links between cardiovascular health and brain health.
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  Experts said, Lori's recommends his patients get 20 minutes of aerobic exercise, a workout
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  that causes you to sweat three times a week.
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  It really changes the neurochemistry of the brain, he said.
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  In a study from 2023, Montero Odasso and colleagues showed that combining aerobic
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  resistance exercises with cognitive training gave the best results for improving global
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  cognition in older adults with mild cognitive impairment.
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  Your brain is an oxygen hungry organ, said doctor Duivetti, and exercise increases both
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  oxygen and blood flow to the brain.
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  You wanna keep the brain healthy, stay physically fit.
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  We are all familiar with how foggy our brains can feel after a poor night's rest.
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  Over time, bad sleep can have a negative impact on brain health and puts us at risk for certain
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  brain diseases such as dementia.
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  A system in our brain called the glymphatic system, which was only discovered in 2012, is
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  integral to cognitive health by helping the brain get rid of waste, said Lorie's.
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  It's a natural efficient detox happening during deep sleep.
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  He said, If you struggle to sleep well, it's important to figure out why and get medical
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  help to try to sleep better.
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  He added, Laurie's has been meditating for just over 10 years and prescribes meditation to his
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  patients.
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  It's gymnastics for the brain.
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  Laurie said, He recently published a book about how meditation helps the brain and said there
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  are many ways to practice it.
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  The key is paying attention to what's happening in your head.
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  You spend a lot of time there, said, Laurie.
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  He recommends an 8 week program called mindfulness based stress reduction, which is
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  offered in several Canadian locations as well as virtually.
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  Lori said the program has been shown to help people who are at risk of cognitive decline.
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  The World Health Organization's annual assembly kicked off on Monday with the goal of improving
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  global readiness for future pandemics.
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  In the wake of the COVID 19 pandemic.
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  Member countries are trying to come to an agreement on new methods to prepare for and
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  combat inevitable future outbreaks.
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  This comes after a bold project to adopt a pandemic treaty was shelved last week due to
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  disagreements over sharing information about pathogens and the technology used to fight
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  them.
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  The pandemic treaty was a highly ambitious project that aimed to create a comprehensive
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  framework for pandemic preparedness and response.
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  However, after two and a half years of negotiations, the project stalled.
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  The main sticking points were disagreements between countries over the sharing of pathogen
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  information and the transfer of technology, which are crucial for combating pandemics.
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  Given the failure to reach a consensus on the pandemic treaty, experts are now focusing on
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  proposed changes to the World Health Organization's International Health Regulation
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  which were established in 2004.
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  These amendments would encourage countries to enhance their alert, detection, and containment
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  capabilities and to cooperate more effectively on a global scale.
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  1 of the key proposals is to give the World Health Organization's director general the
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  authority to declare a pandemic emergency.
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  This would enable a more rapid and coordinated international response to emerging health
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  threats.
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  While Envoy's believe a deal is close, disagreements similar to those that hindered
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  the pandemic treaty negotiations still persist.
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  Particularly between wealthy and developing nations.
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  A significant issue remains the proposed transfer of technology, and the creation of a
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  new fund under the World Health Organization by 2030.
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  This fund would aim to bolster pandemic fighting capacities, especially in developing
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  countries.
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  These aspects are crucial ensuring that all nations have the resources and capabilities to
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  respond effectively to future pandemics.
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  World Health Organization director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized that the
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  stalled work on the pandemic treaty should not be seen as a failure.
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  He acknowledged the immense challenge and the ambitious timeline, noting that it typically
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  takes many years for United Nations member countries to finalize global treaties.
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  Of course, we all wish that we had been able to reach a consensus on the agreement in time for
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  this health assembly and crossed the finish line.
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  Tedros said in his opening remarks, but I remain confident that you still will because
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  where there is a will, there is a way.
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  The underlying premise is that pathogens do not respect national borders, necessitating a
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  united response from all countries.
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  However, decision makers have struggled to balance national interests with the broader
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  call from World Health Organization officials to act in the interest of global health.
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  Health ministers now face the task of overcoming deep seated differences.
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  Particularly regarding the sharing of information on emerging pathogens and the
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  distribution of scarce resources like vaccines when demand is high.
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  Young Kim Hu, a senior legal and policy adviser at doctors without borders expressed concern
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  about the potential consequences if the assembly fails to produce tangible results.
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  If nothing comes out of the World Health Assembly, It's a huge missed opportunity, who
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  said, if they don't come up with a clear roadmap, how are they going to finish this
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  process?
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  Marine collagen is becoming increasingly popular in the health and beauty industry
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  touted for its benefits for joint health and youthful skin.
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  However, the rise in demand raises questions about sustainability, especially given the
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  current state of global ocean wildlife.
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  The market for Marine Collagen is already valued at over 1,000,000,000 United States
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  dollars and continues to grow.
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  This surge is driven by consumers looking for alternatives to traditional collagen sources
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  like cows and pigs, which some people avoid for religious or ethical reasons.
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  Marine collagen is often marketed as a natural and eco friendly option, featuring images of
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  waves and fish, and references to cold, clean ocean waters.
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  But with overfishing and climate change already threatening global ocean wildlife, experts are
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  questioning whether this is a sustainable source for anti aging products.
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  Kelly Robuck a sustainable seafood campaigner with the Canadian Marine Conservation Group
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  living ocean society cautions that consumers may not all always know where their marine
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  collagen is coming from.
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  With these marine collagen products, shoppers are buying a black box of marine ingredients
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  she said in an email to CBC News.
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  Our bodies naturally produce collagen, which provides elasticity and strength to our skin,
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  tendons, bones, and other tissues.
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  As we age, collagen production decreases, leading many to turn to supplements.
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  Collagen is widely found in the animal kingdom, and health Canada licenses more than 2000
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  natural health products containing hydrolyzed collagen, including over 1000 with collagen
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  from marine sources.
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  Bovine Collagen, derived from cows, has historically dominated the market.
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  However, an investigation by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism and the Guardian
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  linked cattle ranches producing collagen, leather, and beef to tropical rainforest loss
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  in the Brazilian Amazon.
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  This has led to increased interest in marine collagen as a potentially more sustainable
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  alternative.
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  Marine collagen is being hailed by researchers as abundant and sustainable with lower risk of
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  disease transfer compared to collagen from mammals.
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  Azizor Rahman the director of the University of Toronto's Center for Climate Change Research
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  noted that the market for Marine Based Cosmetics has seen remarkable growth over the
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  past decade.
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  Over the past decade or so, there has been a remarkable rise in market demand for marine
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  based cosmetics.
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  Driven by growing consumer interest in natural and sustainable ingredients.
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  Raman said.
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  However, sustainability is not guaranteed.
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  More than a third of the world's fish stocks are overfished, and most of the rest are fished
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  to their biologically sustainable maximum.
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  William Chung, director of the Institute for oceans and fisheries at the University of
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  British Columbia, emphasized that any new demand on marine resources should be considered
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  in context of existing pressures on ocean wildlife.
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  Canadian scientists have also raised concerns about the demand for other nutritional
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  supplements derived from fish.
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  Such as shark liver oil and omega-three fatty acids.
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  A 2022 paper in Nature Ecology And Evolution flagged marine collagen as an emerging issue in
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  ocean biodiversity, noting that it could threaten species like sharks or sponges.
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  However, the paper also pointed out that marine collagen could be an opportunity for
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  sustainable resource use if it is sourced from byproducts of the fish processing industry that
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  would otherwise go to waste.
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  The challenges that marine collagen products often do not disclose their sources.
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  Some companies like Nova Scotia Based Landish And Toronto Based Genuine Health claim their
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  marine collagen comes from wild cod, haddock, and Pollock caught in the North Atlantic using
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  byproducts like skin and scales.
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  However, many products do not provide such transparency, making it difficult for consumers
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  to make informed choices.
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  Curtis Hain, program director for the Marine stewardship Council in Canada, mentioned that
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  their blue eco label can help consumers identify sustainable fishery products.
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  So anything with that blue MSC echo label is a way of signaling that it is from a sustainable
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  fishery.
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  Hain said.
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  However, he acknowledged that the standard has faced criticism for not being stringent enough
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  and that the organization is revising it.
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  While using byproducts to make marine collagen seems to have a lower impact, it could still
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  have consequences.
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  Critics argue that even byproducts can help the bottom line of industries linked to
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  environmental degradation.
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  Similar to how bovine collagen supports cattle production linked to deforestation.
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  On the other hand, when fisheries invest in sustainability, Chi-Ming profits from
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  byproducts can encourage further improvements.
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  William Chung criticized the wasteful that discard much of the fish.
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  I grew up in the Chinese culture from Hong Kong, so we eat almost every part of the fish,
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  Chung said.
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  We use the whole fish to make soup because I think with the fish bones, that the fish soup
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  is really rich and tasty.
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  And that actually provides a lot of nutrients.
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  He hopes the growing demand for marine resources like collagen will prompt broader
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  discussions about resource management trade off equity and food security, food.
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  In summary, while marine collagen offers potential benefits for health and beauty, It is
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  essential to consider the environmental and ethical implications.
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  As consumers being informed and making conscientious choices, can help ensure that our
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  pursuit of youthfulness does not come at the expense of our planet's health.
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  2 new surveys suggest a troubling trend.
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  Young adults seem to be slacking on sun safety.
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  In an online survey of more than 1000 people published this month by the American Academy of
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  Dermatology, 28% of 18 to 26 year olds said they did not believe Suntan's caused skin
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  cancer, and 37% said they wore sunscreen only when others nag them about it.
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  In another poll, published this month by Orlando Health Cancer Institute, 14% of adults
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  under 35 believe the myth that wearing sunscreen every day is more harmful than direct
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  sun exposure.
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  While the surveys are too small to capture the behaviors of all young adults, doctors said
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  they have noticed these knowledge gaps and riskier behaviors anecdotally among their
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  younger patients too.
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  To some extent, experts said this issue is not unique to the current generation of young
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  adults.
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  There is a component of young people, just being young people, said doctor Melissa Shive,
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  a dermatologist at UCI Health in Irvine, California.
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  One survey conducted between 19861996 found that then 18 to twenty four year olds who are
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  now middle aged were more likely than older adults to visit tanning booths and get
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  sunburns.
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  Young adults are often unaware of what sun damage looks like and how best to prevent it.
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  Doctor Shiv said.
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  She said she recently saw a young patient who did not know Tanskin and freckles were signs of
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  sun damage.
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  Doctor Heather Rogers, a clinical assistant professor of dermatology at the University of
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  Washington, said more of her young patients now report visiting tanning beds.
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  Ultra Violet rays, whether from tanning beds or direct sunlight, can damage skin and cause skin
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  cancer, which can be deadly.
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  Older adults who participated in the recent surveys did not have perfect sun safety
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  knowledge either.
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  17 percent of millennials surveyed by the American Academy of Dermatology did not know
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  tanning caused skin cancer, for instance.
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  But on the whole, younger adults, most of whom fell into generation z, Chi-Ming they were born
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  after 1997 were more likely to report believing sun safety myths.
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  Experts said that generation z is uniquely susceptible to misinformation about sunscreen
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  and skin cancer that has proliferated on social media platforms like TikTok.
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  They pointed to posts from influencers who claim incorrectly that sunscreen can cause
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  cancer.
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  Or from celebrities who claim that they do not use sunscreen because it interferes with
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  vitamin D absorption.
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  Years of scientific evidence support sunscreens benefits in preventing skin cancer.
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  Doctor Sheave said.
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  Our final story today takes us to the stunning Kenyan coast where a small factory is making a
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  big impact on Africa's healthcare landscape.
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  The factory, Revital Healthcare is located in Khalifa County, about halfway between 15th
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  century ruins and the vibrant city of Mombasa.
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  With fewer than 700 employees, Revital Healthcare produces 300,000,000 syringes a
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  year.
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  Meeting more than half of Africa's routine immunization needs.
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  During the coronavirus pandemic, when governments around the world struggled to
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  vaccinate millions amid severe shortages, revival stepped up to the plate.
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  The company shipped syringes to countries as far flung Sri Lanka, Sweden, the United Arab
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  Emirates, and Uzbekistan.
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  In a particularly noteworthy achievement, revital even sent 15,000,000 syringes to India,
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  a country known as a powerhouse of syringe manufacturing.
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  This is the first time ever in the life of Africa that a medical industry is exporting
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  syringes to India, said Ronique Vora, the company's director of sales and marketing.
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  This was a very big deal for us.
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  It broke a lot of barriers he added.
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  The success of Revital Healthcare is particularly remarkable given the numerous
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  challenges that have historically hampered Africa's attempts at medical self reliance.
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  Limited funds, the lack of a robust regulatory system, and difficulties in transporting drugs
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  and vaccines have all been significant obstacles.
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  Yet, Revital has managed to overcome these hurdles with the help of grants and contracts
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  from many donor organizations, including the United States Agency for international
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  development, the Save the Children Foundation, and multiple arms of the United Nations.
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  Revital's achievements offer a beacon of hope that an African company can not only meet the
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  continent's health care needs, but also compete on the global stage.
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  The company's success is a testament to the potential for self reliance in Africa's medical
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  industry, demonstrating that essential products can be manufactured locally and exported to
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  other countries.
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  As we wrap up today's episode, it is inspiring to see how innovation and determination can
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  lead to significant advancements in health care, not just locally, but globally.
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  From keeping our brains sharp to improving pandemic preparedness and from the ethical
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  considerations of marine collagen to the importance of sun safety.
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  Today's store underscore the interconnectedness of health and well-being around the world.
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  Thank you for joining me on morning medical with Doctor.
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  Ed Chow.
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  Stay healthy and see you next time.
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  You next.