Good morning, and welcome to The Epoch Times Health Brief for Dec. 29. I’m Bill Thomas; we have some very intriguing stories to share with you as 2025 rapidly approaches, and here’s what’s going on. A new study shows that a widely used over-the-counter pain reliever might not be safe for long-term use; cooking with a pair of commonly used vegetables may aid in the prevention of cancer, and we’ll share a story with you regarding what some people are doing to deal with a very common vision problem.
Also, we’ll break down for you a number of ways you can help your brain heal overnight and new information to break down for you today regarding our nation’s seniors, antipsychotic drugs, and the use of those medications in retirement facilities.
Acetaminophen May Not Be Safe for Long-Term Use
Researchers from the University of Nottingham in England found that people aged 65 and older should take extra care when they take “repeated doses” of acetaminophen, which is the active ingredient in Tylenol.The study’s authors analyzed medical data from more than 180,000 people, with an average age of 75, who were prescribed the anti-inflammatory medication regularly for 20 year period ending in 2018. Their health outcomes were then compared with over 400,000 individuals who did not use the medicine on a regular basis.
They determined that prolonged use of acetaminophen was associated with a higher risk of developing heart failure, chronic kidney disease, hypertension, and even peptic ulcers, which affect the lining of the upper part of the small intestine and stomach.
One researcher pointed out that because it was once thought to be safe, acetaminophen has long been recommended as the first-line drug treatment for a number of chronically painful conditions, including osteoarthritis, especially in older people who are at risk of other drug-related complications.
Additionally, earlier this year, researchers at the University of California–Davis also called into question whether or not the regular use of acetaminophen is safe. Their study, which was conducted on mice, found that regular use of the anti-inflammatory at levels considered to be acceptable changed some crucial protein levels inside the heart of the mice.
That study’s lead author said the outcome of the research prompted her to consider using acetaminophen at the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration possible.
Onion and Garlic: Cancer’s Natural Nemeses
Onions and garlic are popular foods used for seasoning many dishes, but their underlying ability to protect us against cancer is often overlooked.One particular cancer specialist at a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) clinic in Taiwan says that according to TCM, medicine and food share the same origin and that the characteristics found in certain foods and herbs can directly benefit the lungs.
As a result, eating foods like onions and garlic can effectively stimulate lung energy, promote blood flow, and help regulate the stagnation of a body’s vital energy source, known as qi.
So you know, in TCM, “blood” is a general term for elements that nourish the body, and along with qi, it’s considered a key foundation for maintaining good health. Meanwhile, an imbalance in these two crucial health indicators may lead to a number of substantial illnesses and other medical issues.
The specialist says that based on his clinical observations, a number of factors may contribute to a higher risk of cancer, including lack of exercise, prolonged stress, poor digestion, mood swings, depression, lack of sleep, and even genetics.
He also said that quite a few protective substances produced by plants can function as crucial antioxidants and may even prevent the formation of carcinogens.
He added that in order to best bring out the active ingredients in onions and garlic, we should cut them into small pieces, leave them for 10 minutes in the open air, and eat them raw. He says important protective ingredients are destroyed at high temperatures, so if they must be cooked, you should fry or steam them quickly to retain more of the vital nutrients.
By the way, another study from 2016 also showed that onions and garlic have anti-cancer properties and that they can help prevent stomach, colorectal, and, to some extent, esophageal cancer.
However, since everyone’s body is different, it’s important to always consult with a health care professional or a TCM practitioner before changing your diet in substantial ways.
Eye Floaters: Natural Approaches to Treatment
Floaters are those small dark shapes, such as spots or threads, that appear to drift across your field of vision, and while they’re typically harmless and don’t require treatment, they can occasionally be a sign of a more serious eye condition.So, you know, these floating spots are quite common, and about 30 percent of the U.S. population has experienced this at one time or another. They come in various forms and sizes and are often more noticeable when a person is looking at plain backgrounds, such as a blue sky or a white wall.
Basically, floaters are cell fragments that have resulted from inflammation, retinal tear, debris, or even aging. They’re suspended in a part of the eye that contains a gel-like substance, and they move in tandem with the eye, making them appear to shift away when someone tries to look at them directly, with a slight lag.
Even when your eye stops moving, the floaters continue to drift across your field of vision. They are typically painless, and as a general rule, they really don’t affect a person’s vision.
Most eye floaters become less noticeable over time—eventually, our brains may adjust to them and stop drawing attention to their presence—so they don’t always require treatment.
Additionally, a number of natural approaches can be used to address floaters, including taking daily supplements, drinking herbal teas and soups, and even getting something called acupoint massages. Taking in a sufficient supply of key nutrients, including Vitamins A, C, and E, is also important for general eye health and your overall physical well-being.
By the way, this condition seems to affect men and women equally, and anyone exhibiting signs or symptoms of floaters should consult with an eye doctor before trying any natural approaches to deal with the issue.
How to Help Your Brain Flush Out Waste
Our brains are constantly producing waste products, and if they’re not cleared out regularly, we may feel foggy, tired, or even experience cognitive impairment.It turns out our brains begin clearing out all the junk when we fall asleep, and fortunately, we now know that a number of efforts can be made to optimize this nightly purging.
So, you know, the human brain is one of our most metabolically active organs. It accounts for nearly 20 percent of a body’s total energy use. It generates a significant amount of waste, either cleared out through the bloodstream or flushed out by a special system emanating from deep within the brain.
This special cleaning system operates when we sleep, allowing blood vessels to constrict while allowing an important type of spinal fluid to enter the brain, which aids in keeping our brains healthy.
One sleep expert told The Epoch Times that the brain’s waste-removing processes rarely operate while we’re awake and that it occurs mostly during our deepest sleep stages when brain waves are moving their slowest.
Unfortunately, Americans today are sleeping less than ever. Last year, a Gallup poll found that more than half of all Americans think they’re not getting enough sleep, and one in five people sleep fewer than five hours a night.
Experts say that an accumulation of waste in the brain can lead to various complications, including difficulty concentrating, trouble managing complex errands, and a number of mood disorders. Also, one doctor said that it may be directly linked to both Alzheimer’s disease as well as Parkinson’s disease.
The position of your body during sleep, the amount of physical activity you get, and even the calmness of meditation could also contribute to better sleep and help with how your brain cleans out its waste each and every night.
Antipsychotics Worsen Behavior in Nursing Home Residents
A recent study published in the Journal of American Medical Directors looked at nearly half a million nursing home residents in Canada from 2000 through 2022, and it found that prescribing antipsychotics commonly used to treat behavioral issues and psychosis may actually be linked to worse behavior.So, you know, the average age of the study’s residents was 83, and nearly two-thirds of them were women. The study also showed that in addition to dementia, those residents who received antipsychotics were more likely to suffer from depression, cognitive impairment, frailty, a higher risk of falls, and delirium.
The study found that almost three-quarters of these older people who were prescribed antipsychotic medications actually experienced a higher level of agitation and irritability. Nearly the same number of people experienced worsening behavior, including changes in appetite, altered sleep patterns, repetitive questioning, and inappropriate sexual behavior.
One of the paper’s authors says it’s time to seriously reconsider the use of these drugs for people who don’t have conditions directly associated with psychosis. He said that instead of immediately turning to medication, nursing homes should prioritize other strategies such as music, art, and even physical exercise.
These approaches have been shown to reduce symptoms such as agitation and aggression, improve the well-being of nursing home residents, and add to their quality of life.
And now, it looks like our time is just about up for today, so we'll call it a wrap for this edition of the Epoch Times Health Brief.
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And finally, as we do each and every week on this program, we wrap everything up with a very notable quote, and this one comes to us from Victoria Principal who said:
“I believe that how you feel is very important to how you look—that healthy equals beautiful.”
Principal is an American actress, producer, entrepreneur, and author, best known for her role as Pamela Barnes Ewing on one of the greatest TV shows of all time, “Dallas.”
And to this very day, I still have no idea who shot J.R.
For all of us here at the Epoch Times Health Brief, I’m Bill Thomas.
The Epoch Times Health Brief program was written today by David Ross.
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For now, let’s all continue to watch out for one another and have an absolutely superb day. Bye for now, and happy New Year!
