SOME SIGNS THAT YOUR ARTERIES ARE AGEING FASTER THAN YOU ARE Cardiovascular disease (CVD) manifestations pose a substantial threat to Jamaican’s public health. Every day we hear that one of our friends or relatives has been affected by a heart...

As the global health community sounds the alarm over the rate at which antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is rising and global health systems strain under the weight of complex diseases, Barbadian ethnobotanist Dr Sonia Peter is calling for a return to the island’s natural roots as a solution. 

She is urging the government and private sector to invest seriously in the development of a local medicinal plant industry rooted in the island’s rich biodiversity and traditional healing knowledge.

“We need to go back into our history,” Dr Peter, director of the Biocultural Education and Research Programme, told Barbados TODAY over the weekend following a kitchening gardening workshop. “There is value in our plants, and there is value in our knowledge. What we lack is the investment and infrastructure to harness it properly.”

Citing a recent World Health Organisation (WHO) report on the integration of traditional medicine into public health systems, Dr Peter argued that Barbados must act now to both preserve and commercialise its botanical wealth before it disappears—along with critical knowledge passed down through generations.

“The WHO estimates that nearly 80 per cent of the global population still relies on traditional healing methods. That tells us this isn’t folklore—it’s fundamental, and we need to standardise it [local remedies] so people know how to use it safely and effectively,” she said.

Dr Peter’s warning comes amid rising global concern over antimicrobial resistance, a phenomenon where bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens evolve to outsmart conventional medications. The consequences are dire, she said, as common infections could become untreatable, surgeries riskier, and public health gains of the past century could be reversed.

“We’ve been treating microorganisms in a very temporary way. We treat them, then forget. We misuse medications. That’s how resistant strains emerge—organisms evolve, get stronger, and our drugs become useless,” she warned.

Her solution? A homegrown response rooted in the Caribbean’s natural pharmacopeia.

Dr Peter explained that the Caribbean is a biodiversity hotspot, home to hundreds of unique plant species that produce molecules not found anywhere else in the world. This, she argues, places Barbados in a prime position to develop locally derived natural therapies that could supplement national healthcare efforts—and reduce dependency on imported drugs.

“These plants are making molecules peculiar to our region. That’s exactly where we should be looking for new treatments,” she said. “We must stop calling everything ‘bush’ and start seeing these resources for what they are—life-saving and economically valuable.

“We do not have the luxury of just doing science because we like it. As a small nation, we must extract value from our scientific investment, and that starts with protecting our intellectual property,” she stressed.

Over the years, Prime Minister Mia Mottley has lamented that there were too many people dying as a result of antimicrobial resistance while addressing audiences locally, regionally and internationally. 

Mottley, who is co-chair of the One Health Quadripartite Global Leaders Group, said she had a moral duty to speak up about the dangers of overreliance on antibiotics, referring to it as a “slow motion silent pandemic”.

Beyond health, Dr Peter sees untapped economic potential in the development of a natural medicine sector in Barbados, pointing to Cuba’s successful model, which fuses traditional medicine with scientific rigour.

“Cuba is an excellent example. They’ve built a robust healthcare system partly on their own medicinal knowledge because they were forced to innovate. We don’t need to wait until we’re backed into a corner,” she said.

She envisions a dual-sector approach—combining research and development with eco-wellness tourism, where visitors can engage in healing retreats, botanical experiences, and herbal product lines unique to the island.

“This could be a niche market in tourism, as well as a driver of economic diversification. The future is in value-added knowledge, and we’re sitting on a green goldmine,” she said.

However, she also acknowledged the cultural fragmentation that has led to the erosion of traditional practices in Barbadian households. 

“The grandmothers who once held this knowledge are now working. Our social structures have changed. But those gaps can be filled through education and outreach,” she explained.

Her programme seeks to reintroduce this lost knowledge into schools and communities, bridging generational divides and reigniting respect for local plants. “We must reconnect with our landscape, our heritage, and our health . . . We are cutting down plants without knowing their value. What if that plant was the cure for cancer?” she asked. “We need more rigorous policies around our botanical resources—and the courage to invest in ourselves.” 

sheriabrathwaite@barbadostoday.bb

The post Hidden cure: Scientist urges investment in natural remedies appeared first on Barbados Today.

High cholesterol has long gotten a bad rap for causing poor heart health — but a new study suggests that the low-carb ketogenic diet may not be linked to cardiovascular disease.

The study, led by The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in collaboration with researchers across multiple institutes, assessed 100 participants following a long-term keto diet who developed elevated levels of LDL cholesterol (known as the "bad" type).

Other than the elevated cholesterol, all participants were "metabolically healthy" and had followed the key diet for an average of five years, according to an April 7 press release.

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They all qualified as LMHR (lean mass hyper-responder), which indicates people who adopt a carbohydrate-restricted diet and experience a significant rise in cholesterol.

Using advanced cardiac imaging, the researchers found that traditional cholesterol markers (ApoB and LDL-C) were not associated with changes in plaque levels in the heart’s arteries or with baseline heart disease over a one-year period.

Instead, existing plaque levels seemed to be a better predictor of future plaque accumulation.

"This population of people — metabolically healthy with elevated LDL due to being in ketosis — are not automatically at increased cardiac risk simply because their LDL is elevated," Bret Scher, MD, medical director of Baszucki Group, which provided funding for the study, told Fox News Digital.

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"Therefore, we should likely shift away from LDL and ApoB and toward vascular imaging with CAC or CTA for better risk prediction and informing how or if to treat someone's cardiac risk factors," added the California-based doctor.

The study findings were published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Advances.

Previous studies have also shown that people qualifying as LMHR have similar levels of coronary plaque to otherwise comparable groups that have normal LDL levels, "underscoring that ketogenic diet-induced LDL increases may not indicate a higher risk of coronary plaque," the researcher said.

Dr. Nick Norwitz, a study leader and independent researcher at the University of Oxford, noted that this is the first study to isolate very high LDL and ApoB as risk factors for heart disease. 

"All other human studies have included populations with metabolic dysfunction or individuals with congenital genetic causes of high LDL," he told Fox News Digital.

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The results seem to contradict what most clinicians would have predicted and what doctors are taught in medical training, according to Norwitz. 

"While these data do not prove the conventional understanding is ‘wrong,’ per se, they do suggest the conventional model has a large blind spot."

According to Norwitz, cardiac imaging, including a CAC score, has "far more value" than cholesterol levels in predicting plaque progression.

"Thus, CAC scores can be used to risk-stratify patients and help individualize care," he told Fox News Digital.

Scher noted that "ketogenic therapy" can be effective in treating certain metabolic-related conditions, but some people are afraid of continuing a keto diet because of their cholesterol. 

"This study provides support that they do not necessarily need to stop the diet or treat their cholesterol — rather, they can work with their healthcare team for a more individualized and appropriate cardiac workup," he advised.

Dr. Ken Berry, a family physician and diabetes specialist in Tennessee, was not involved in the research but shared his thoughts on what he described as a "groundbreaking" study.

"The study found no association between LDL-C, ApoB and progression of coronary plaque over one year using high-resolution CT angiography," he said to Fox News Digital.

"Instead, the strongest predictor of plaque progression was pre-existing plaque, not cholesterol levels — leading researchers to conclude that ‘plaque begets plaque, ApoB does not.’"

This is the first prospective trial of its kind in a unique population often labeled ‘high-risk’ by traditional guidelines, Berry said, raising important questions about how cardiovascular risk is assessed in the context of low-carb, high-fat diets.

"The obvious implication is that if very high ApoB levels is not a good predictor of heart attack risk in this specific group of people, then is it a good predictor in any group of people?" he said.

"Or is it, as I suspect, just the latest popular lab test being used to scare people away from eating a proper human diet rich in saturated fat?"

Dr. Bradley Serwer, a cardiologist and chief medical officer at VitalSolution, a Cincinnati-based company that offers cardiovascular and anesthesiology services to hospitals nationwide, reviewed the study and pointed out some potential limitations.

"The study’s limited scope, involving a low-risk population over a short duration, renders it challenging to generalize findings to a broader, more vulnerable population," Serwer told Fox News Digital.

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"While the study’s objective was to propose a hypothesis regarding dietary cholesterol’s role, it does not provide definitive evidence for or against its significance."

The cardiologist does, however, agree with the authors’ conclusions that "improved risk stratification tools" are essential for identifying individuals at higher risk of coronary artery disease.

"As physicians, our primary responsibility lies in evaluating each patient on an individual basis and collaborating with them through shared decision-making to develop the most appropriate long-term care plan," he added.

Michelle Routhenstein, a New York City registered dietitian who specializes in heart disease, noted that plaque formation is a multistep process that can take years to progress.

"The environment of the artery needs to be conducive to plaque formation," Routhenstein, who was not part of the study, told Fox News Digital. 

"For example, individuals with high blood pressure, a subgroup that was excluded from the study, are more prone to endothelial damage that can cause apoB to deposit more readily in the artery wall."

"If someone already has plaque in the arteries and sustains an elevated level of LDL and apoB, then it can develop into more plaque, as seen in this study."

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"However, if someone is metabolically healthy, has no plaque at baseline, and has elevated apoB and LDL levels alone, then the environment may not necessarily cause plaque to form over a one-year period."

Routhenstein pointed to prior research showing that high LDL and apoB over years of someone’s life, typically coupled with inflammation, insulin resistance and/or oxidative stress, can increase the risk of plaque development.

"It is important to note that many people who are implementing a ketogenic diet and are ignoring high LDL and apoB levels typically do not know they have soft plaque brewing," she added.

"Therefore, advising them to ignore LDL and apoB levels can be harmful — especially in a world where heart disease is so prevalent and remains the leading cause of death globally."

Scher said he hopes that more researchers will become inspired to further this study and apply it to different populations. 

"But for now, I hope doctors will embrace this research and treat this specific population of people differently from the rest of their patients, understanding the unique physiologic state of ketosis and the metabolic benefits it provides," he said.

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In addition to more studies assessing risk in this population, Norwitz said the team hopes to further investigate the mechanisms of the lean mass hyper-responder (LMHR) phenotype.

"This is a remarkable group of humans demonstrating remarkable physiology," he added.

PAHO highlights progress in reducing maternal mortality in the Americas, but warns of persistent challenges

Oscar Reyes

7 Apr 2025

South America nears eradication of foot-and-mouth disease, with over 65% of livestock in disease-free zones without vaccination

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In epidemiological week 12 of 2025, 245 suspected malaria cases were reported, totaling 5,521. However, the number of confirmed cases is 87, according to the General Directorate of Epidemiology, an agency of the Ministry of Health.

33.3% of confirmed cases affected the age range of 20 to 29 years.

The cumulative incidence of cases is 3.51 per 100,000 inhabitants, with the province of San Juan having the highest incidence.

Of the reported cases, 22.46% correspond to people of nationality, which has intensified the active search for cases, especially in migrant communities and agricultural settlements, considered high risk for the transmission of the disease transmitted by the bite of the Anopheles mosquito.

Among the actions implemented, epidemiological surveillance has been reinforced, primarily through actively detecting febrile cases with a specific focus on high-mobility areas.

Dengue

Regarding dengue, in the Dominican Republic, in epidemiological week 12, 29 suspected cases of dengue were reported without confirmed cases. The cumulative number to that week is 473 suspected cases and 37 confirmed cases. 33.3% of confirmed cases affected people between the ages of 10 and 19, with 57% of cases affecting males. The disease is transmitted through the Aedes aegypti mosquito.

Leptospirosis

In epidemiological week 12, three suspected cases of leptospirosis were reported, with no new confirmed cases.

The cumulative number reached 118 suspected cases and 19 confirmed cases. 95% of the confirmed cases affected males between the ages of 20 and 29, with 42.1%. No deaths are recorded in this indicator.

The cumulative incidence of suspected cases is 4.76 per 100,000 inhabitants; San José de Ocoa is the province with the highest incidence, with 52.11 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

52.6%(10) of the confirmed cases are of Haitian nationality, and 47% (9) are Dominican. The Ministry of Health continues to strengthen strategies for controlling the disease, such as rodent control and sanitation measures.

Hepatitis B

The report indicates that 29% affected the age group of 60 or older, followed by 22.1% in 40 to 49 years, affecting both sexes with 50% of cases.

Clearing one’s throat is a common reflex to remove mucus and irritants — particularly during allergy season.

But for some, it can become a habit that's hard to break, which can lead to stress and anxiety.

In an interview with Fox News Digital, laryngologist Dr. Inna Husain shared the causes of chronic throat clearing, as well as when to see a specialist and how to kick the habit.

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When people clear their throats, it actually slams the vocal folds together, which over time can cause lesions, nodules, bruising and hemorrhages that affect the voice, according to Husain, who works at Powers Health in Munster, Indiana.

"Those same vocal cords are used to help create sound — so if you keep slamming them, you could injure the surface area of the vocal cords," she said.

One cause of throat clearing is laryngeal pharyngeal reflux (LPR), or "silent reflux." This condition occurs when stomach contents come up into the throat, which causes inflammation without the typical heartburn symptoms.

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While LPM is not life-threatening, the main concern is its impact on quality of life, according to Husain.

"Along with the sensory changes that happen from chronic trauma, [it can] make the throat more sensitive," she noted. "Over time, people clear their throat more because they've reduced the threshold to trigger a throat-clearing."

Affected parties can then get stuck in a cycle where they clear their throats to remove irritation or mucus, which then creates more irritation and mucus.

"It takes less and less irritation and mucus to make you want to throat-clear, so that's another reason we want to try to stop it, because that can affect quality of life as well," Husain added.

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Other causes of throat irritation (and subsequent clearing) include allergies, inflammation from conditions like sinusitis, vocal cord issues, aging, asthma, tracheal narrowing and some medications.

"As we age, our vocal folds thin. That can cause an inefficient system, which can cause more sensitivity and throat clearing," said Husain.

Husain's patients often come in complaining of other symptoms, or because their family members have noticed an uptick in their throat-clearing, she shared.

Many people assume allergies are the culprit, but standalone throat clearing is rarely the only symptom, according to the doctor.

"I've actually seen throat-clearing irritation get worse when people start allergy pills or antihistamines without actually having an allergy," she cautioned.

The first step in solving the issue is determining the root cause. That typically starts with an ear, nose and throat (ENT) exam, where the doctor uses a flexible camera to examine the lining, tissue and vocal cords.

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"We try to identify if there's a root cause, if there's something very obvious," said Husain. 

"For example, in people who chronically throat-clear, I've found things like nasal polyps and sinusitis. And then we would go down the regimen of treating that root cause."

In cases where the root cause is unclear, the doctor also looks at laryngeal hygiene in general, asking, "Is there a source of inflammation? Can we make the larynx or the voice box happier?"

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Studies have shown that it helps to hydrate the vocal folds, where most of the irritation originates. Staying hydrated and limiting the source of irritation is one way to begin changing the behavior, Husain advised.

Additional tips to lessen irritation and inflammation include avoiding smoking, limiting acidic foods and using saline nebulizers.

Alternate behaviors to throat-clearing, like swallowing, humming, sipping water or blowing air, can help the components of the throat begin to heal, according to the doctor.

"Over time, that helps the larynx reset itself," she added.