12 WDDTY | ISSUE 01 | AUG/SEP 2019 FACEBOOK.COM/WDDTYAUNZUPFRONTThe four lifestyle
changes to control
irregular heart beat
Atrial fibrillation (AF, or irregular heart
beat) can be controlled by four simple
lifestyle changes.
The condition is one of the major
causes of stroke and is thought to
affect one in four adults over the age of
40—and yet it can be easily managed
by lifestyle changes (see right), say
researchers from the University of
California at San Francisco.
AF sufferers say they are more
likely to experience a bout of irregular
heartbeat after one of these
behaviors. Drinking too much alcohol
was the most common cause,
selected by 35 percent of 1,
patients who completed the survey.
Caffeine was chosen by 28 percent,
excessive exercise by 23 percent anda poor night’s sleep by 21
percent.
Often, the sufferers said two of
the lifestyle factors together had
together triggered an attack.
As well as causing stroke, atrial
fibrillation can lead to dementia,
kidney disease and heart attack.
Heart Rhythm. 2019 Feb 14. pii: S1547-
5271(19)30099-Male infertility
being caused by
chemicals in the home
Chemicals around the home are making men
less fertile—and researchers were able to
pinpoint the cause because
the same thing is happening to the
family dog.
The common chemical DEHP
(diethylhexyl phthalate)—found
in carpets, flooring, upholstery and
wires—and the industrial chemical
PCB (polychlorinated biphenyl) 153,
still found in foods despite a global
ban, were the main causes for a decline
in sperm quality.
Although sperm quality has declined by
50 percent over the past 80 years, scientists
haven’t been entirely sure about the cause, although they’ve
assumed it’s been a reaction to environmental pollution.
But now they know it’s much closer to home—and in the home,
in fact. The missing clue was provided by researchers at Nottingham
University, who discovered that the family dog has also suffered
a sharp decline in sperm quality. “The domestic dog is a sentinel
or mirror for human male reproductive decline,” said researcher
Richard Lea.
The two pollutants were found in samples of human and dog
sperm, and they affected sperm motility as well as causing DNA
fragmentation, where the DNA breaks into smaller pieces.
Sci Rep, 2019; 9: 3409DEHP
After amalgam, dentists turn to car
bumper material to fill your teeth
Just when you thought it was safe to have a dental filling after the quiet demise
of amalgam (which is 50 percent mercury), your dentist may soon be using a new
compound that helps make car bumpers strong and protects wood decking.
The new compound, thiourethane, could soon become the standard filling
material for cavities and is expected to be as strong and long-lasting as amalgam.
Dental authorities around the world have quietly dropped amalgam after
concerns that dentists could face legal claims from patients who have suffered
poor health—or worse—after having the fillings. Dentists were
barred from using amalgam on pregnant women, but many
critics believe that the vapors from the fillings have the
potential to affect anyone.
Researchers at the Oregon Health & Science
University School of Dentistry have been
developing the new compound together with a
new, stronger adhesive.
The resin compounds that have replaced
amalgam last for only between seven and 10
years, and they can crack when people chew.
But what’s not known is the safety of
thiourethane and its long-term impact on health.
Sci Rep, 2019; 9: 228628%
LOWERING
CAFFEINE INTAKE23%
NOT OVERDOING
EXERCISE21%
GETTING A
GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP35%
DRINKING LESS
ALCOHOL