RD20190301

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SUNLIGHT KILLS GERMS,
EVEN INDOORS

Researchers from the University of Oregon
and Harvard University collected dust from
homes in the Eugene, Oregon, area and
placed it in rooms exposed to the sun’s visible
rays, its ultraviolet light, or no light at all.
Ninety days later, the dark rooms had twice
as many living bacteria as the sunlit rooms,
including bacteria related to respiratory
pathogens, while the UV rooms had slightly
fewer bacteria than the visible-light ones did.
So remember: Going outside can improve
health in many ways, but even at home you
should let the sun shine in.

Psoriasis
Treatment
May Prevent
Heart Attacks

In a recent study of
84 patients with psoria-
sis, a chronic inflam-
matory skin disease,
those who received
treatment with biologic
drugs (drugs produced
from or containing
elements of living
organisms) had fewer
coronary plaques than
those who didn’t. Coro-
nary plaques, made up
of fat, cholesterol, and
other substances, can
block arteries and
cause a heart attack.
The biologic treatments
not only reduced the
volume of plaque by
40 percent over one
year but also caused it
to became less inflam-
matory, further reduc-
ing heart attack risk.
Since biologics are not
FDA-approved to treat
coronary artery disease,
they are not likely to be
covered by insurance.
Ask your doctor about
using them off-label.

Photograph by The Voorhes

Reader’s Digest


News From the

WORLD OF


MEDICINE


34 march 2019 | rd.com

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