Why Does Everyone Have the Flu? – Chasing Life with Dr. Sanjay Gupta

Hey, there. Welcome to Paging Dr. Gupta. Thank you a lot for becoming a member of us. I’m delighted you are right here. This is my favourite time of the week as a result of I get to listen to straight from you, hopefully reply your questions, and supply you some solutions that may enhance your life in massive methods, in small methods, at all times vital methods. Sofia is again with us. What do we’ve got first?

Hey, Sanjay. So we have been studying about the new dietary pointers and loads of us do not forget that well-known meals pyramid from well being class. Well, there’s been an replace to that. So I’d actually like to listen to what your greatest takeaways are from these new pointers. What ought to we all know?

‘Yeah, a number of questions on these dietary pointers. First of all, I ought to level out that the pointers are up to date each 5 years. So this was no shock to get these new pointers. There’s a number of headlines right here, couple takeaways, and a few nuance that I believe is actually vital. And we’ll get into it proper after the break. The new dietary pointers for 2025 to 2030 have dropped. Let me inform you what I kind of took away from this. First of all, we needs to be consuming extra complete meals. We needs to be consuming extra actual meals. That has been steering that is been on the market for many years. We know this. We’re not at all times the finest at this, however we all know this, and there is a actual promotion of most of these meals in these new dietary pointers as nicely. Also this concept that we actually must restrict our consumption of extremely-processed meals. I do know this is not at all times simple as a result of these extremely-processed meals are so out there. They’re so accessible. They’re oftentimes so low-cost, however we all know that they’re unhealthy for us. They are strongly linked to persistent illnesses. You know, remember that in the final set of dietary pointers, extremely-processed meals weren’t even talked about. Gives you an concept of simply how rapidly our meals panorama has been altering. You could surprise what are ultra- processed meals? Sometimes this may be onerous to outline, however the method that I give it some thought is that these are meals that you simply in all probability could not probably make in your individual kitchen. They comprise elements that you simply’re not going to search out in your native grocery retailer. So take a look at these labels this 12 months. If you are seeing elements that you may’t pronounce or you do not know what it’s, these are in all probability extremely-processed meals. Again, we have identified for a while that we must always eradicate or at the least keep away from, enormously scale back our consumption of that, however that is the 12 months to make it occur. Our children, by the way, are consuming increasingly more extremely-processed meals. According to a latest examine, about two thirds of a mean American child’s weight loss plan is comprised of ultra- processed meals. These dietary pointers strongly suggest limiting that. There’s additionally a deal with sugar, and as an alternative of fascinated by sugar or added sugar every day, begin fascinated by this on a per meal foundation, which means not more than 10 grams of added sugar per meal. You do not wanna be fascinated by avoiding sugar throughout the day after which immediately having a glucose spike at evening adopted by an insulin spike at evening. Instead, take into consideration limiting your added sugar all through the day. Again, no extra 10 grams added sugar, per meal, protein suggestions have gone up. This is making loads of information. The new suggestions with regard to protein is particularly 1.2. to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of physique weight. Doing the math, that principally means 80 to about 110 grams of protein, per day, for a 150-pound individual. That’s considerably increased than what it was in the previous. 13 to 56 grams of proteins per day is what the final set of dietary pointers beneficial. There’s all kinds of various methods you may get protein: animal sources, together with eggs and poultry and seafood, and plant-based mostly sources as nicely; beans, peas, lentils, legumes, nuts, seeds, and soy. It’s loads of protein to attempt to get into your physique in a specific day. You could bear in mind on a latest episode of Chasing Life, I spoke to Dr. Tim Spector, a genetic epidemiologist. He agrees that protein is vital to our weight loss plan, however there was one other nutrient that he didn’t need us to disregard.

I’m not saying protein’s unhealthy. You should take loads of it for it to be dangerous. So typically, the protein is fairly good, notably if it is plant protein, however nothing fallacious with meat protein moderately, however it’s what it replaces. We want to start out considering rather more holistically, and that is everytime you add an excessive amount of of one thing, you’ll be able to’t get the remainder of it. So research have proven that Americans have greater than sufficient protein. They’re getting so much, there is perhaps a number of exceptions on the market, however most individuals are already on twice the quantity, and but 90% of Americans are poor in fiber, and but no person’s preventing the nook of fiber.

‘I believe that is one thing actually vital that was not talked about in these new dietary pointers. We must be considering extra about fiber. And that brings us to one thing that I believe is shocking. In these new dietary pointers, there may be promotion of full fats merchandise together with dairy merchandise, pink meat, butter, and even beef tallow. And I believe it’ll shock lots of people. Part of the purpose. Over the previous few many years, there’s been a transfer away from saturated fats merchandise, like the ones I simply talked about, is due to the considerations about coronary heart illness. Keep in thoughts, about half of U.S. Adults have some type of coronary heart illness, and despite the fact that there may be now this promotion of those full fats merchandise you need to watch out, particularly when you’re fearful about coronary heart illnesses, as I’m. I’ve a powerful household historical past of coronary heart illness. There is a nuance right here in the dietary pointers, principally saying solely 10% of your total energy ought to come from these saturated fats merchandise. So be actually cautious right here. For me personally, I’m nonetheless making an attempt to keep away from, if not eradicate, a lot of these full-fats merchandise fully. Alcohol was one other factor that got here up in these new dietary pointers, and in the previous there have been exact limits on alcohol consumption. Those exact limits have gone away. Now, they principally say to attempt to restrict your alcohol consumption in pursuit of higher well being. Now that was a bit of shocking as a result of in 2023, the World Health Organization got here out with a reasonably sturdy assertion saying that individuals ought to abstain from alcohol. There was no quantity of alcohol that was good to your well being. In 2025, the American Heart Association kind of adopted, principally saying, particularly when it got here to your blood strain, you need to keep away from alcohol utterly. So that is gonna be a private selection, clearly. But remember that over the years, the science has developed on alcohol. At one level, individuals thought consuming might really enhance your well being — a pair glasses of pink wine, for instance. That began to fade away over the final decade. And then once more, over the previous couple of years, these sturdy statements popping out principally saying alcohol in and of itself was not good to your well being and folks ought to abstain from it. Okay, so these are a few of the headlines. Those are a few of the takeaways and a few of the nuances as nicely. The full fats dairy and meals suggestions — these shock me a bit of bit. I might urge warning once more, particularly when you’re fearful about coronary heart illness and be very cautious with the alcohol consumption. I believe the science is more and more trending in the direction of this concept that there actually is not any protected quantity of alcohol. I hope that helps. Now it could look like everybody round you is sniffling and sneezing and which means flu season is in full swing. So after the break, we’ll inform you what it’s good to know and how you can keep protected. Okay, we all know that sound. Sofia, what do we’ve got subsequent?

Sanjay, I really feel like everybody I do know is sick, and I hold seeing headlines on how unhealthy this flu season is. So we’re questioning, Sanjay, what’s behind this? Is it too late to get a flu shot? How are you able to get higher sooner? And do you have to fear when you have a lingering cough?

Okay, nice questions and actually vital this time of 12 months. I’m going to show this over really to my colleague and good friend, Meg Tirrell. She’s been following this flu season very carefully.

Part of the purpose we’re having such a extreme flu season is as a result of there’s a new pressure of flu going round. It’s often called subclade Okay, and it arose in the United States after well being officers had designed what the flu vaccine was gonna appear to be. So there may be little little bit of a mismatch between that circulating pressure and the flu shot. But does that imply that the shot is ineffective? Should you continue to get it, despite the fact that it does not match that circulating pressure? Experts say sure. Data out of the UK in November means that it nonetheless supplies safety, particularly towards extra extreme illness. So what which means is it could not cease you from getting the flu utterly, however it could hold you from having a very unhealthy time with it. Next, you is perhaps questioning how one can get higher sooner, and right here there may be excellent news. Unlike for the widespread chilly, for instance, there are literally methods to deal with the flu. And it is best when you get examined rapidly, as a result of that is when antiviral medicine work the finest, issues like Tamiflu and Xofluza. They’re out there by prescription, and when you take them early, they’ll shorten the length of your sickness, and so they can scale back your signs. You can even take them to attempt to stop signs of the flu if any person you reside with, for instance, has been recognized. And lastly, when you’re dealing with a lingering cough, that’s so annoying, however docs say it is not essentially uncommon to have a cough that persists for a pair weeks. After a viral an infection, whilst you begin to really feel higher in each different method. Of course, there are exceptions right here. If it goes on for longer than that, or you have got different troubling signs, like having bother swallowing, feeling hoarse, coughing blood, clearly get these issues checked out. In the meantime, wash your fingers, keep house when you can, and take care.

‘Meg, thanks a lot, I hope that helps everybody keep wholesome. And that is all the time we’ve got for at the moment’s episode. If you or anybody in your life has questions, I need to hear them. Record a voice memo, e-mail it to pagingdrgupta, that is [email protected] site, or give us a name, 470-396-0832, depart a message, and as at all times, thanks for listening.