How a healthy gut can reduce the severity of Covid and the flu
A study of Croatian children attending daycare saw half of them given probiotics and the other half a placebo - after three months those taking probiotics had a lower risk of respiratory tract infections and experienced less time unwell when infected.
Swedish researchers also conducted a study on 272 adults and found that the group using probiotics experienced the milder cold and flu symptoms and less time infected with a virus.
It also found cases of the cold and flu among participants those who had taken probiotics averaged 6.2 days compared to the 8.2 days those taking a placebo experienced.
As consultant gastroenterologist and UNSW Professor of Medicine Emad El-Omar explains, the gut microbiome's primary role is to educate our immune system about our environment.
The lion's share of our immune system - around two-thirds of all immune cells – is concentrated in digestive system which is why UNSW’s Microbiome Research Centre is exploring how the gut microbiome’s make-up affects immune responses and changes with various disease progression.
Source: Dispensaries and NSW Health
picture - Supercharged Food
Poll: Would you commute by public transport if it was free?
Using your car is convenient, except for finding parking.
Cycling lets you leave anytime, but you might arrive soaked.
So, neighbours, if public transport had the perk of being free, would it be your main way to commute?
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67.5% Yes
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29% No
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3.5% Other - I'll share below
What's your favourite recipe for gooseberry?
Love gooseberries? Share your favourite way to enjoy them. We're looking for our readers' favourite family recipes for this delicious crop. Send yours to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the magazine, you will receive a free copy of our December 2024 issue.
Did you know Winston Peters was in town over the weekend?
New Zealand First’s 31st convention ended with two arrests after pro-Palestine protesters and attendees clashed, following leader Winston Peters’ address.
While that incident grabbed the headlines in Hamilton, policy is also in the spotlight as a question mark now hangs over the Government’s plan to reform contractor law.
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