Another Global Emergency…Mpox?!

After the fatiguing few years the world has experienced, this might seem like groundhog day. Another year, another world public health emergency declared by the WHO – this time its mpox…but what is actually going on?

Right now in Central and West Africa there an ongoing outbreak of the virus mpox (formerly known as monkeypox). There is also one confirmed case outside of Africa, picked up in Sweden.

Well what the hell is mpox firstly? It’s a viral disease that usually spreads amongst animals like rodents and monkeys in Central and West Africa but occasionally jumps into humans causing small outbreaks.

In 2022/23 there was a similar outbreak caused by a less severe strain of the virus (clade II), this time it’s a more severe form (clade 1b).

Right now the outbreak seems to be limited to 11 African countries and one isolated case in Sweden. Mpox usually starts with a rash (a flat sore then turning into a blister) and typically starts on the face before spreading to the body, hands and feet.

It’s usually spread through close skin to skin contact with people who have the illness or via respiratory droplets.

Currently the risk to the UK is considered extremely low and I suspect it will be a similar picture for other countries where mpox is not endemic.

So yes, we should be aware of the situation, see how it evolves, pray that those affected in the various African countries can get vaccine supplies and the assistance required – but we should also not give in to fear mongering headlines suggesting the end is nigh.

If you want to stay up-to-date on health topics, interesting science and cutting edge medicine, make sure you tune into my weekly podcast “Dr Karan Explores”. You can have my dulcet tones entering your ear spaces on any of these listening apps:

Or view it in full 4k glory on YouTube here:

What Your Pooping Frequency Says About Your Health…

One undeniable fact of life, like death and taxes is that we all take dumps, Yes even you, as much as you might deny such an abhorrent act.

The amount we partake in this activity however varies greatly. So what is the “right amount of pooping”?!

An interesting piece of research was conducted by the Institute for Systems Biology in the USA and they made 4 categories for pooping frequency:

1.     Constipated (1-2 bowel motions a week)

2.     Low Normal (3-6 motions a week)

3.     High normal (1-3 motions a day)

4.     Diarrhoea

So according to the study the ideal zone was 1-2 x a day which falls under the high normal category. For those in this bracket, the microbial tenants inside us, the gut bacteria thrived.

So how can you achieve this state of poophoria?

It might be worth digging into the nitty gritty of these golden poop zone poopers and what traits they share; according to the study, these high normal shitters have a higher fibre diet, more hydration and more regular exercise – boring right?

The study (Cell Reports Medicine) which involved over 1400 healthy adults who were categorised into the 4 poop groups as mentioned above also had their gut microbiomes, age, sex, genetics and other factors investigated in relation to pooping frequency.

The up short was that age, sex, and BMI also had associations in pooping frequency – specifically being young, female and having a low BMI was associated with less frequent bowel motions.

Having said this and acknowledging that this is merely an interesting study, pooping all seemingly a simple appearing act is surprisingly complex involving a number of muscular, hormonal, chemical, psychological and cultural factors.

In fact, simply the fact that women have slightly longer intestines than men predisposes them to have a higher risk of constipation!

For the moment, regardless of who you are, there are some boring basics that work for most people:

1.    Aim for 30g fibre a day (mix of soluble and insoluble fibres)

2.    Move more if you can, more movement stimulates the gut muscles = better pooping frequency

3.    Keep a regular poop time, you have small biological clocks in all cells, including your intestines.. they also run like clockwork

4.    Have a poop stool in your bathroom for when you need that extra bit of leverage to help you go!

How To ACTUALLY Tell If You’re Drinking Enough Water..

Most health guidelines recommend an arbitrary number of 6-8 glasses of water a day (around 2 litres!) and this number is the one that has been idolised by everyone!

And quick P.S no, coffee does not dehydrate you and yes, it counts towards your water intake…

The truth is our water requirements vary a lot. There is no one size fits all when it comes to health as we have different activity levels, different environments and different body processes driving our lives (medical conditions, medications etc).

Your body actually is pretty good at alerting you to needing water – thirst is a hormonally driven reflex that tells you the biological water tank needs replenishing.

Additionally how many trips to the toilet you take for a tinkle can be a “gross” indicator of hydration – roughly 4-6 pee pilgrimages a day would be assumed to mean you are meeting your water requirements.

Additionally the colour of your urine is a somewhat useful guide too – very dark coloured pee suggests you’re not drinking enough, very clear pee suggests you might be overdoing it.

Other signs of hydration include things like chapped lips, dry mucous membranes (the lips and inside of your mouth feeling sticky and dry) suggests you need more water to plump up your lips!

So throw out the idea you need 2 litres of water a day, listen to your body more, and keep a track of your internal metrics and body cues to manage your hydration!

How The Barbie Movie Changed Gynaecology… Sort Of

In 2023, the Barbie movie became a cultural sensation but it might have had an impact beyond just entertainment…

A recent study in JAMA Network Open suggested the film may have sparked an increase in gynaecological care thanks to the films closing line “I’m here to see my gynaecologist”

The study found that in the week following the movie’s release, there was a rise in online searches relating to gynaecologists suggesting there may have been a role the film played in raising awareness about women’s health issues

We’ve seen before the impact that pop culture can have on health – Angelina Jolie’s own breast cancer journey and raising awareness about BRCA gene mutation testing, Will Smith and his live streamed colonoscopy etc!

In the week following the Barbie movie release there was a 51.3% increase in search terms of “gynaecologist” and a 154.1% increase in searches for “gynaecologist definition”. These spikes weren’t just random and were shown to be statistically significantly pointed to a direct link between these searches and the movie.

What I’m Going To Read Next…

“Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell” – Susanna Clarke

I read a book by the same author called Piranesi a few weeks ago and it was “unputdownable”.

I finished it in under 24 hours and it was a wild fantasy ride that had me gripped.

The book I’ve ordered and will likely be in my hands by the time you curious folk read this newsletter, is also by the same author and from what I’ve been told is even more thrilling and intriguing.

Over the next few months, I’ll be compiling a list of the most “unputdownable” books you can read.. keep an eye out!

p.s I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention my own book – if you enjoy reading my newsletter or watching my videos or you just love learning interesting and weird things because you’re a nerd…you will love my book “This Book May Save Your Life”:

If you’ve already read it or listened to the audio version, I’d love it if you can leave a cheeky review, every little helps!

A Few Random Thoughts To Give You Something To Chew On This Coming Week…..

1.    Your most important asset is a fatty blob of tissue, soaked in a colourless juice floating in a rigid off white cage.

2.    If you’re thinking about getting a dog, be mindful of the puppy equation. It will simultaneously add and relieve stress in your life, the equation will yield favourable results depending on how much work you put in… and what type of dog you choose!

3.    Motivation is overrated. You won’t always have it, instead learn to rely on habits and routine

4.    If you’re reading this, it’s worth knowing that some of the best moments of your life haven’t happened yet. (J)

5.    The vagus nerve is your largest cranial nerve. It is also my favourite nerve and what happens in the vagus doesn’t stay in the vagus (it also happens to traverse through your guts)

I wish you a wonderful week you delicious walking sets of microbiomes, adios!