Processed Foods: Reader Feedback

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Today we reproduce the comment of our regular reader Ms Gaynor Lynch, on our recent piece about processed foods. Many thanks to her for taking the time to contact us:

Ultra-processed foods are bad for you – full stop. They are highly addictive and affect your brain chemistry so that you crave them more. Emerging research suggests ultra processed foods are particularly bad for not just the gut but the heart and brain as well, with mood and cognition badly affected.

Professor Tim Spectre is the go expert on the gut https://zoe.com/post/tim-spector-gut-tips,

There is an excellent excellent article in National Geographic on brain health but there is a pay wall. It may be available through your library service.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/premium/article/ultra-processed-foods-damage-brain-depression-anxiety-cognitive-decline#:~:text=Although%20many%20ultra-processed%20foods%E2%80%94soda%2C%20candy%2C%20energy%20bars%2C%20fruit-flavored,brain%2C%20with%20mood%20and%20cognition%20taking%20a%20hit.

Abstract of research article in the journal Neurology on associations between ultra-processed food consumption and adverse brain health outcomes. Free, paywall to full article.

https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WNL.0000000000209432

We at LSS think that this whole issue is only going to grow in the next few years and welcome the thoughts of any other readers who might care to join the debate

#nutrition #obesity #food #diet #sustainability #health #heart

Are Ultra-Processed foods bad for your immune system? The Conversation thinks they might be

Go on any diet course these days (we’ve been on many) and the chances are that your course leader will inveigh against the dangers of processed foods[1] You know, those ones that saved us all so much time in the 1980s and 1990s, when it was essential to answer your e-mails and plan a talk over a delicious microwaved chicken korma. Well, processed foods comprise a lot more than just quick ready meals.And, l like a lot of labour-saving devices, they’re not all bad if used in moderation. Trouble comes when we all go too far. And our old friends The Conversation have an intriguing take on that. [2] Look at this extract frpm their article by Sam White and Phillipe Wilson

[there is] growing evidence that ultra-processed foods may affect how our immune system works. This may explain why some studies have linked ultra-processed foods with inflammatory bowel disease and potentially autoimmune diseases.

We on this blog have been tracking stories which link the digestive tract and immune system for some years. So it’s nice to see some real scientists really opening up this field. But there is a deeper lesson for us here, and it’s from economics, not science. Because economists of the classical school, or at least those who swallow their undergraduate textbooks, whole, always asseverate the a pure free market is the quickest way to achieve the optimum benefit. Well, processed foods are certainly free market. They have developed at breakneck speed, and certainly give the people what they want. The question is: how much do they need it? And at what cost does it come?

[1]https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/how-to-eat-a-balanced-diet/what-are-processed-foods/

[2]https://theconversation.com/ultra-processed-foods-heres-how-they-may-affect-the-way-the-immune-system-functions-231884?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Latest

diet #food #microbiome# gut #immune system

How to really help Antibiotics Research UK for just one hour a week

We often talk about the Charity Antibiotics Research UK on this blog.[1] Since 2015, they have been doing invaluable work. Not only have they pointed to the need for new antibiotics. They have also tried to fund research. But they do a lot more than that.

Now, many people think “Disease-Diagnosis-Antibiotic-Cured-bosh!” is the way it works. That’s the ideal of course, and in many cases, it’s true. But all too often people have long term chronic conditions. [2] Such poor souls need all kinds of advice on treatments, health care, contacts-and sometimes just someone to talk to. And that is where antibiotic research UK’s brilliant patient support services comes in. If it’s done properly, it will eke out the effectiveness of our dwindling supplies of antibiotics, and , who knows, have support networks in place if new ones are developed. And now, gentle reader, is where YOU come in. To quote their appeal

We’re currently seeking volunteers to review the information we provide, whether it’s directly from our website or in response to enquiries. We’re looking for two types of reviewers:

Lay reviewers: Individuals without a healthcare background who can assess whether our articles are easy to understand and digest.
Expert reviewers: Professionals with a background in science or health who can provide insights into the accuracy and comprehensiveness of our content.

Come on, it’s not as if we’re asking you to climb Mount Kanchenjunga backwards, or swim the English Channel while dressed as the Red Queen from Alice Through the Looking Glass, is it? We bet a few of you reading this are retired after a successful career and are now sratching round for something useful to do. Could this be it?

[1]www.antibioticresearch.org.uk

[2]patient.support@antibioticresearch.org.uk

#antibiotics #patient care #medicine #health #hospital #nurse #doctor #bacteria #infection #chronic