This Week in Non-Election-Related Health: Cheese, pot, and Parkinson’s

Cheese and heart disease

We all have that vegan friend who constantly bemoans just how much they miss eating cheese before halfheartedly explaining the health risks that have forced them to give up this piece of heaven on earth. But a new study from the University of Eastern Finland found that eating fermented dairy projects like yogurt, cheese and sour milk (though I’m not sure who casually sips on this) actually decreases the risk of coronary heart disease in men. High consumption of non-fermented dairy is still linked to increased risk, but as long as your milk is starting to mold, you’re in the clear.

Memory deficits in adolescent pot smokers may be reversible

Following legalization of recreational marijuana in various states around the US, adolescent use of the drug has increased due to perceptual shifts about its neurological harm. The late-developing parts of the brain related to memory and cognitive function are most affected by pot usage. But a study published Tuesday showed that these impacts may be reversible – for regular users, abstinence for four weeks demonstrated significant improvements in cognition. Though the study wasn’t completely comprehensive, the results are encouraging for researchers of the adolescent brain.

 

No appendix, no problem and no Parkinson’s

An analysis of 1.6 million people in Sweden showed a correlation between people who had their appendices removed and lowered rates of Parkinson’s. Though having this organ removed doesn’t serve as a completely protective measure, there is a significant decrease in risk of Parkinson’s development – up to 19.3% — and onset of symptoms may be delayed. A protein called α-synuclein, stored in the appendix, has been related to the development of this disorder. Reduced levels of it in the body following an appendectomy may account for the decreased risk.