Forget about landing on the moon or inventing the computer, I think the smallpox vaccination campaign, which eliminated a horrible disease that killed more than 300 million people in the 20th century alone, is one of the great achievements of mankind.
And it’s a gift he keeps giving because it could protect you from the monkey’s smallpox, even if you were vaccinated decades ago.
There have been close to 200 cases of monkeypox in the UK since the outbreak began four weeks ago.
Although rarely fatal, it can cause a nasty rash that first appears on the palms and soles of the feet and then on the rest of the body.
To what extent should we be concerned about smallpox? The World Health Organization says “at the moment, we are not worried about a pandemic,” but it is monitoring events.
What’s especially impressive is that decades later, when people who were inoculated as babies are tested again, they still show a strong response of protective antibodies to smallpox (the record so far is someone who was inoculated long ago). over 90 years).
One concern is that as the monkey’s smallpox spreads it can mutate into something much more contagious, as Covid did.
The good news is, at least if you’re over 51, you’re probably protected from the smallpox vaccine with the smallpox vaccine, which until 1971 was usually given to young children (vaccines were stopped when the smallpox did not exist). is already considered a risk in the UK).
Smallpox is related to smallpox, and studies suggest that smallpox vaccines also offer 85% protection against smallpox.
What’s especially impressive is that decades later, when people who were inoculated as babies are tested again, they still show a strong response of protective antibodies to smallpox (the record so far is someone who was inoculated long ago). over 90 years).
This could help explain why most cases of smallpox have been in people under the age of 50. So many thanks to my parents for inoculating me.
But the smallpox vaccine is not the only one that offers unexpected benefits.
Flu shots protect against dementia
It may seem unlikely, but getting a flu shot or pneumonia not only protects you from these diseases, but also reduces your risk of Alzheimer’s.
This was the conclusion of a study by the University of Texas Health Sciences Center in the United States, based on the health records of more than 9,000 people: those with an annual flu shot were 13% less of chances of developing Alzheimer’s than those who did not. ‘t; with pneumonia, they were up to 40% less likely to develop the disease.
One theory is that vaccines prevent inflammation that can spread to the brain.
It may seem unlikely, but getting a flu shot or pneumonia not only protects you from these diseases, but also reduces your risk of Alzheimer’s.
Yellow fever and breast cancer
Yellow fever is a much more exotic vaccine, which tends to be used to travel to parts of Africa and South America.
Surprisingly, the vaccine can also protect women from breast cancer.
In a ten-year study by the University of Padua in Italy, researchers tracked more than 12,000 women who had been immunized against yellow fever and found that those who had had the puncture between the ages of 40 and 54 they had almost half the chances. of developing breast cancer in the two years after vaccination compared to women who were not vaccinated.
Interestingly, the jab did not offer the same protection to women who were given it before the age of 40 or after the age of 54.
The yellow fever vaccine contains a live virus but weakness (which is also found in chickenpox and polio vaccines): the live virus is thought to stimulate the immune system, which then also destroys the cells. of breast cancer at a very early stage. the disease, before they become aggressive, which they are more likely to do in younger women.
Shingles and risk of stroke
Having a herpes zoster vaccine can also reduce your risk of stroke.
Shingles is caused by the reactivation of the chickenpox virus that is latent on the nerves after the original infection and can cause a rash with lasting nerve pain. It is common in people over the age of 50, although you need to be over the age of 70 to offer a free vaccine to the NHS.
In addition to preventing shingles, the vaccine can reduce the risk of stroke by nearly 20 percent, according to research from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, based on medical records of one million of people aged 66 or over. Like flu and pneumonia vaccines, the benefit may be due to the reduction in inflammation.
Tuberculosis and bladder cancer
In the UK, more than 10,300 people are diagnosed with bladder cancer each year.
Surprisingly, one of the first-line treatments, which helps prevent it from spreading or returning, is an injection of BCG, a vaccine made up of weakened bacteria that give you a baby to protect you from tuberculosis (TB).
As with the yellow fever vaccine, it seems to encourage your immune system to get active and kill cancer cells that could grow back or be left behind.
It is part of an exciting approach to preventing and treating cancer, known as immunotherapy, which is very promising for the future.
So there. At a time when the anti-vaccine movement is stronger than ever, here are some more reasons to celebrate the remarkable things that vaccines can protect us from, and a reminder of why you really want to keep up with your blows. .
Dance to increase your brain
I recently did a podcast on the health benefits of dancing, part of a series I present called Just One Thing.
As I discovered when I interviewed Dr. Julia Christensen of the Max Planck Institute in Germany, the dancer turned neuroscientist, dance not only increases muscle and balance, it can even increase brain size.
But is it just because dancing is a great way to exercise?
In a recent study in Japan, brain scans of people before and after listening to the kind of music that makes you want to flaunt your stuff showed that it has a beneficial impact on our brain, especially in the brain. “executive function,” that is, skills such as concentration. and planning.
Although the researchers did not suggest why, one theory is that this is because music has a complex neurological and multisensory effect on us.
So the next time your head catches you dancing next to the fountain, you can always say “I’m working on my personal development” and quote me.
As I discovered when I interviewed Dr. Julia Christensen of the Max Planck Institute in Germany, the dancer turned neuroscientist, dance not only increases muscle and balance, it can even increase brain size. But is it just because dancing is a great way to exercise?
Go work on an egg, the queen does!
I don’t have much in common with the queen, but like her, I like scrambled eggs for breakfast. They are a great source of protein and nutrients.
My knowledge of Her Majesty’s eating habits is not based on time spent at the Palace, but on a “cook and explain” book published years ago by one of her former chefs.
I was thrilled to see that the queen is a fan of eggs (apparently preferring brown ones), because until recently they were being demonized by the concern that as they contain fairly high cholesterol levels, they must be bad for you. However, study after study, including one in 2018, which looked at nearly half a million adults in China, has shown that people who eat eggs have substantially lower rates of heart disease and stroke than those who do not. they do.
Now a new study, from Peking University in China, has revealed why.
From blood samples of about 5,000 people, some of whom had heart disease and some did not, researchers found that those who ate an egg a day on average not only had lower rates of heart disease, but also who also had higher HDL (‘good’) cholesterol levels.
HDL helps remove “bad” cholesterol from blood vessels and protects against blockages that can lead to heart attacks and strokes.
In addition to eggs or kippers for breakfast, the queen seems to like fairly simple food, such as meat or fish with vegetables, and tends to avoid starchy potatoes and rice.
But, like me, he also has a fondness for candy and a passion for chocolate. Whatever you do, it’s definitely working.
I don’t have much in common with the queen, but like her, I like scrambled eggs for breakfast. They are a great source of protein and nutrients