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Swapping red meat for plant protein may lower some cardiovascular risks, study finds

Swapping meat for plant based protein may help lower cardiovascular risks, study says

A small Stanford University School of Medicine study comparing the effect of swapping out red meat for the plant-based protein found that it may lower some cardiovascular risk factors.

The study, named SWAP-MEAT (The Study With Appetizing Plant food – Meat Eating Alternatives Trial) was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, and involved participants who alternated between a plant-based alternative meat diet — using Beyond Meat products — and animal meat diet for 8-week phases.

The single-site, randomized crossover trial study involved 36 participants who were instructed to consume two or more servings per day of plant protein for 8 weeks. They then switched and ate animal meat for another 8-week phase. Comparisons were then made between the two phases of the diets. Participants were told to keep all other foods and beverages as similar as possible between the 2 phases, according to the study.

The study, which was funded by an unrestricted gift from Beyond Meat, which makes plant-based meat alternatives, used products from the company to compare the health effects of meat with plant-based alternatives. The company was not involved in actually conducting the study. To eliminate bias throughout, the researchers worked with a third party, the Quantitative Sciences Unit, to analyze the data once all participants had finished their 16-week diet.

The researchers found the group who ate the red-meat diet during the first eight-week phase had an increase in TMAO concentrations (a substance produced during digestion and metabolism that has been linked to higher risk for cardiovascular disease in some studies), while those who ate the plant-based diet first did not. A notable finding was when they switched diets, those who changed from meat to plant had decreased levels of TMAO, but those who switched from plant to meat did not see an increase in TMAO, according to the news release by the university.

DIETS HIGHER IN PROTEIN, PARTICULARLY PLANT PROTEIN, LINKED TO LOWER RATES OF EARLY DEATH: STUDY

“It was pretty shocking; we had hypothesized that it wouldn’t matter what order the diets were in,” Christopher Gardner, PhD, professor of medicine at the Stanford Prevention Research Center said in the news release. Bacterial species are said to be responsible for the initial step of creating TMAO in the gut and this bacteria is believed to flourish in people whose diets include red-meat.

“So for the participants who had the plant-based diet first, during which they ate no meat, we basically made them vegetarians, and in so doing, may have inadvertently blunted their ability to make TMAO,” Gardner stated.

However, Gardner also cautioned that more research was needed into the relationship between TMAO and potential cardiovascular risk, saying: “At this point we cannot be sure that TMAO is a causal risk factor or just an association.”

Besides the effect on TMAO levels, the plant-based alternative diet also showed other health benefits. An average 2-pound weight loss was seen during the plant-based diet phase and participants’ levels of LDL cholesterol dropped an average 10 milligrams per deciliter. It’s also possible that other factors led to the weight loss, such as exercise or basic daily movement.

CINNAMON SUPPLEMENT MAY BENEFIT PEOPLE WITH PREDIABETES, STUDY FINDS

“The modest weight loss observed when participants substituted the plant-based meats in place of the red meats is an unexpected finding, since this was not a weight-loss study,” Anthony Crimarco, PhD, also involved in the study was quoted in the news release. “I think this indicates the importance of diet quality.”

Gardner hopes to continue studying the relationship between health and plant-based meat alternatives, particularly as it pertains to changes in the microbiome, and indicated he may investigate alternative dairy products next.

Swapping red meat for plant protein may lower some cardiovascular risks, study finds

Swapping meat for plant based protein may help lower cardiovascular risks, study says

A small Stanford University School of Medicine study comparing the effect of swapping out red meat for the plant-based protein found that it may lower some cardiovascular risk factors.

The study, named SWAP-MEAT (The Study With Appetizing Plant food – Meat Eating Alternatives Trial) was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, and involved participants who alternated between a plant-based alternative meat diet — using Beyond Meat products — and animal meat diet for 8-week phases.

The single-site, randomized crossover trial study involved 36 participants who were instructed to consume two or more servings per day of plant protein for 8 weeks. They then switched and ate animal meat for another 8-week phase. Comparisons were then made between the two phases of the diets. Participants were told to keep all other foods and beverages as similar as possible between the 2 phases, according to the study.

The study, which was funded by an unrestricted gift from Beyond Meat, which makes plant-based meat alternatives, used products from the company to compare the health effects of meat with plant-based alternatives. The company was not involved in actually conducting the study. To eliminate bias throughout, the researchers worked with a third party, the Quantitative Sciences Unit, to analyze the data once all participants had finished their 16-week diet.

The researchers found the group who ate the red-meat diet during the first eight-week phase had an increase in TMAO concentrations (a substance produced during digestion and metabolism that has been linked to higher risk for cardiovascular disease in some studies), while those who ate the plant-based diet first did not. A notable finding was when they switched diets, those who changed from meat to plant had decreased levels of TMAO, but those who switched from plant to meat did not see an increase in TMAO, according to the news release by the university.

DIETS HIGHER IN PROTEIN, PARTICULARLY PLANT PROTEIN, LINKED TO LOWER RATES OF EARLY DEATH: STUDY

“It was pretty shocking; we had hypothesized that it wouldn’t matter what order the diets were in,” Christopher Gardner, PhD, professor of medicine at the Stanford Prevention Research Center said in the news release. Bacterial species are said to be responsible for the initial step of creating TMAO in the gut and this bacteria is believed to flourish in people whose diets include red-meat.

“So for the participants who had the plant-based diet first, during which they ate no meat, we basically made them vegetarians, and in so doing, may have inadvertently blunted their ability to make TMAO,” Gardner stated.

However, Gardner also cautioned that more research was needed into the relationship between TMAO and potential cardiovascular risk, saying: “At this point we cannot be sure that TMAO is a causal risk factor or just an association.”

Besides the effect on TMAO levels, the plant-based alternative diet also showed other health benefits. An average 2-pound weight loss was seen during the plant-based diet phase and participants’ levels of LDL cholesterol dropped an average 10 milligrams per deciliter. It’s also possible that other factors led to the weight loss, such as exercise or basic daily movement.

CINNAMON SUPPLEMENT MAY BENEFIT PEOPLE WITH PREDIABETES, STUDY FINDS

“The modest weight loss observed when participants substituted the plant-based meats in place of the red meats is an unexpected finding, since this was not a weight-loss study,” Anthony Crimarco, PhD, also involved in the study was quoted in the news release. “I think this indicates the importance of diet quality.”

Gardner hopes to continue studying the relationship between health and plant-based meat alternatives, particularly as it pertains to changes in the microbiome, and indicated he may investigate alternative dairy products next.

N95 masks used against coronavirus can be decontaminated with rice cooker: study

N95 respirator masks, used to protect against the novel coronavirus, among other diseases, can be decontaminated by placing them in a rice cooker or Instant Pot for 50 minutes, according to a study out of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

The N95 respirators are considered the gold standard of personal protective equipment when it comes to protection from airborne particles and droplets, according to health experts.

HEALTH CARE WORKERS WITH CORONAVIRUS GRAPPLE WITH EMOTIONAL TOLL OF DISEASE: ‘THERE IS A SENSE OF HELPLESSNESS’

The masks, when placed in dry heat in an electric cooker, maintained their filtration capability and fit and were cleaned inside and out, according to the study published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology Letters. The findings suggest this may allow wearers to safely reuse the respirators, which are typically intended for one-time use.

“A pandemic such as COVID-19 can cause a sudden depletion of the worldwide supply of respirators, forcing health care providers to reuse them,” the researchers stated in the study.

The researchers found that when the masks were placed through one cycle in a rice cooker maintained at about 212°F for 50 minutes, the N95 respirators were decontaminated inside and out, from four different classes of the virus, including a coronavirus. The researchers stated in a news release that it was more effective than ultraviolet light against the virus, and noted that the masks’ filtration and fit remained intact.

Rick cookers may help to decontaminate N95 respirators, according to a recent study.
(iStock)

“We built a chamber in my aerosol-testing lab specifically to look at the filtration of the N95 respirators, and measured particles going through it,” stated Vishal Verma, a civil and environmental engineering professor and co-author of the study, in a news release. “The respirators maintained their filtration capacity of more than 95% and kept their fit, still properly seated on the wearer’s face, even after 20 cycles of decontamination in the electric cooker.”

The researchers warned that no water should be added to the cooker, and the heat must be a dry heat. They instructed placing a small towel to cover the bottom of the cooker to avoid the N95 mask coming into contact with the heating element and noted that multiple masks can be stacked to fit inside the cooker at the same time.

YOUNG CHILDREN WITH CORONAVIRUS MAY CARRY 10 TO 100 TIMES MORE OF VIRUS THAN ADULTS: STUDY

“On the basis of these results, dry heat decontamination generated by an electric cooker (e.g., rice cookers, Instant Pots and ovens) could be an effective and accessible decontamination method for the safe reuse of N95 respirators. We recommend users measure the temperature during decontamination to ensure the respirator temperature can be maintained at 100°C [212°F] for 50 minutes,” the study authors wrote.

The electric-cooker method can be useful for health care workers and first responders, especially those in smaller clinics or hospitals that do not have access to large-scale heat sanitization equipment, the researchers stated in the release.  For a video of the method, click here.

Coronavirus cases in children spike in California, according to reports

Nationally, the number jumped from 241,904 to 338,982 between the weeks of from 7/16-7/30, according to the joint report.
(iStock)

A new report states over 97,000 new coronavirus cases in children was reported the last half of July, an increase by 40% in children’s cases.

California, in particular, has had rampant increase of coronavirus cases among children and teenagers. The number of confirmed cases was up 150% last month, and minors are a small but growing percentage of the state’s COVID-19 cases, according to a study by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Assn.

Nationally, the number jumped from 241,904 to 338,982 between the weeks of 7/16-7/30, according to the joint report.

Seven out of ten new child cases reported were from states in the South and West of the country, according to the report by the two organizations. In California, children accounted for 8.8% of the total cases of novel coronavirus at the end of July, and the state surpassed the average with 9% of the state’s cases coming from children and teens, according to the analysis.

That number is growing, with more than 50,000 cases among teenagers and children in California this week, which represents about 9.5% of total cases, according to data from the California Department of Public Health cited in the LA Times.  The grim report comes just as health and school officials are deciding how schools will reopen.

On Monday, Gov. Gavin Newsom said the state has had “encouraging signs” in some key metrics, but “not the kind of stability … that we ultimately need,” according to the newspaper. Among the signs the governor noted included a 13% decline in ICU admissions, a decrease in hospitalizations by 19% during the past two weeks and a 1% decrease in the number of patients being treated for novel coronavirus in the past week, according to the news outlet.

YOUNG CHILDREN WITH CORONAVIRUS MAY CARRY 10 TO 100 TIMES MORE OF VIRUS THAN ADULTS: STUDY

The article reports that a new system in the state would allow health officials to grant waivers to reopen some elementary schools if the surrounding counties meet state standards.

As rates of ICU admissions and hospitalizations decline, “more and more counties will have an opportunity to consider the waiver process and determine if it is the right thing” for each school district,  Mark Ghaly, California’s Health and Human Services secretary said according to the Times.

In Los Angeles County the rate of COVID-19 cases is 335 cases per 100,000 people, so officials are not allowing elementary schools to reopen immediately, according to the Times.

DOGS ABLE TO SNIFF CORONAVIRUS IN HUMAN SALIVA, GERMAN STUDY FINDS

“We do need to prepare for the high possibility that once schools do reopen, there will be cases,” L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer was cited in the article.

Meanwhile, outbreaks have been reported on college campuses and in young adults, including 45 cases linked to fraternities and football players at California universities, according to the Times. Currently, youth sports and certain competitions are still prohibited in California, but officials have allowed limited training and conditioning activities to resume.

New tick and mosquito repellent will help protect humans and pets, CDC says

CDC discovered new natural tick and mosquito repellent, according to CDC news release
(Credit:Nataba / iStock)

Scientists have found a new way to repel and kill ticks and mosquitos using a natural ingredient found in grapefruit and cedar trees, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  Nootkatone, the ingredient responsible for the smell and taste of grapefruit, and found in some perfumes, is able to repel and kill ticks, mosquitos and other biting pests, according to a CDC news release.

“Studies show that when nootkatone is formulated into insect repellents, they may protect from bites at similar rates as products with other active ingredients already available and can provide up to several hours of protection,” the release by the CDC stated.  Nootkatone, has been registered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for use in insecticides and insect repellents after it was discovered and developed by the CDC, according to the release.

HOW CORONAVIRUS PUTS LYME DISEASE PATIENTS AT RISK, ACCORDING TO AN EXPERT

“CDC is proud to have led the research and development of nootkatone,” said Jay C. Butler, MD, Deputy Director for Infectious Diseases. “Providing new alternatives to existing bite-prevention methods paves the way to solving one of the biggest challenges in preventing vector-borne diseases—preventing bites.”

The federal agency stated Nootkatone will be used to develop new insecticides and repellants to help protect people and pets from bug biting insects. Pest control companies are in discussions with Evolva, the CDC’s licensed partner, regarding developing commercial partnerships. Commercial products may become available as early as 2022.

“This new active ingredient has the potential to be used in future insect repellents and pesticides that will protect people from disease. In many areas of the United States, mosquitoes have become resistant to currently available pesticides. A new active ingredient in our toolbox will help vector-control programs.” Alexandra Dapolito Dunn, EPA Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention said in the news release.

The CDC stated that the number of reported cases of mosquito- and tick-borne diseases doubled from 2004 to 2018, and tick-borne related illness represent almost 8 in 10 of all reported vector-borne disease cases in the U.S.

Cases of dog biting children ‘surge’ during COVID-19, study shows

The consequences of the coronavirus pandemic have been far-reaching and devastating for many Americans. But this one is surprising.

Doctors at Children’s Hospital Colorado have seen a “surge” of dogs biting children during the COVID-19 pandemic, they said in an article recently published by the Journal of Pediatrics.

The doctors suggested there could be several causes as the pandemic has kept millions of Americans at home due to remote working or lost jobs.
(iStock)

NAVY VETERAN SAVED BY CHIHUAHUA AFTER HAVING A STROKE

Dr. Cinnamon Dixon and Dr. Rakesh Mistry, who are also both faculty at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, said Children’s Colorado emergency department saw nearly three times as many dog bite cases during the spring of 2020 than it did during the same time last year.

“It is well known that the number of dog bites tends to increase during the spring and summer months,” Dixon said in a written statement. “However this year’s rates if emergency department visits due to dog bites have been startling.”

The doctors suggested there could be several causes as the pandemic has kept millions of Americans at home due to remote working or lost jobs. They said sheltering in place may have led to increased child-dog exposure, that dogs may be picking up on stress their humans are feeling and that supervision of children and dogs may be slipping as adults juggle more responsibilities at home.

Adults are less likely than children to be bitten by a dog.
(iStock)

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Children’s Colorado is one of the largest pediatric healthcare systems in the U.S. Dixon believes the trend is likely happening beyond the hospital and even outside Colorado.

“Families across the country are living under extreme stress and angst during the pandemic, and our canine friends are not immune to their human caregivers’ increased anxiety,” she said. “Not to mention, parents have competing priorities now more than ever, which may make them less focused on supervising their child when they are near a dog.”

Adults are less likely than children to be bitten by a dog, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most dog bites affecting children happen with a family or other known dog, and children face more severe injuries than adults in dog bites.

The hospital also said dog owners should train and socialize their dogs and keep them healthy with regular vet care.
(iStock)

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In order to prevent dog bites, Children’s Colorado recommends reaching children to never pet a dog through a fence or run from a dog and to never disturb a dog that is eating, sleeping or caring for puppies.

The hospital also said dog owners should train and socialize their dogs and keep them healthy with regular vet care.

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University removes coronavirus sex advice after tips ‘ridiculed’ online

The University of Georgia’s (UGA) Health Center’s sexual health page recently posted and then removed sex advice for students during the novel coronavirus pandemic after the tips were “mocked” and “ridiculed” online, a spokesperson for the university said.

“You are your safest sex partner. Practice solo sex or limit the number of sexual partners you have,” the advice began, per a screenshot posted to the social media platform Reddit. “The virus has been found in semen and feces of people with COVID-19. We do not know if COVID-19 can be spread through vaginal or anal sex,” another read.

CORONAVIRUS FOUND IN SEMEN OF MALE CORONAVIRUS PATIENTS, CHINESE RESEARCHERS SAY

“Consider wearing a face mask during sex. Heavy breathing and panting can further spread the virus, and wearing a mask can reduce the risk,” read a third tip.

The advice was also posted to Facebook and other social media platforms, after which time it was removed because the information was “mocked, ridiculed and criticized,” UGA spokesman Greg Trevor told the Athens Banner-Herald. 

The advice was also posted to Facebook and other social media platforms, after which time it was removed because the “information was mocked, ridiculed and criticized,” UGA spokesman Greg Trevor told the Athens Banner-Herald. (iStock)

“The information was consistent with language that appears on multiple health and medical sites across the country, including the Mayo Clinic. However, when the information was mocked, ridiculed and criticized on social media, we decided to take it down,” he said.

As the outlet noted, other universities and health agencies have posted similar guidance, such as the University of Maryland Medical System and the New York City Department of Health.

“If you have met someone online and want to meet without danger, keeping it online is the safest way to date. You can communicate through phone calls, video chats or other online methods,” University of Maryland health officials advise, in part.

Universities aside, a top official in at least one country has also pushed for safe-sex practices amid the coronavirus.

INHALED DRUG SHOWS PROMISE IN CORONAVIRUS TREATMENT: STUDY

In May, a senior medical expert in Thailand advised virus survivors to wait at least 30 days before having sex again. At the time, Veerawat Manosutthi, a senior medical expert at the Thai Disease Control Department, advised the 30-day hold-off and also implored men to use a condom after that time.

In addition to abstaining from sex, the Thai medical expert also said survivors should hold off from kissing for the same amount of time, as the coronavirus mainly spreads from person-to-person through infectious respiratory droplets.

Coronavirus discovered on frozen seafood packaging in China: report

The novel coronavirus was found on the packaging of frozen seafood shipped from Ecuador to China, according to a report.

The shipment arrived from the city of Dalian, which recently fought a surge of cases, per Reuters. Three companies in the port city Yantai reportedly purchased the seafood.

Yantai city officials said the seafood came from an imported shipment that “landed” in Dalian but did not specify its origins, the outlet wrote.

11% OF CORONAVIRUS PATIENTS WHO LOSE SENSE OF TASTE, SMELL, MAY SUFFER LONG TERM: ‘MAY BECOME A CHRONIC ISSUE’

Women wearing face masks following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak chat on a street in Beijing, China August 11, 2020. (REUTERS/Tingshu Wang)

Dalian customs officers found the novel virus on shrimp packaging from Ecuador in July, which prompted China to suspend imports from three Ecuadorean shrimp producers, per Reuters.

While some of the purchased seafood was processed for export, the rest was stored and has not yet entered the market, Yantai government officials reportedly said.

Officials sealed off the goods and those who handled the seafood were under quarantine and tested negative, the government said.

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Thunderstorms associated with asthma, COPD flareups lead to more than 3,500 ER visits annually: study

Thunderstorms are linked with an average of 3,700 emergency department (ED) visits annually in the U.S. among seniors with respiratory illnesses, including asthma and COPD, according to a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine on Monday.

The study suggests thunderstorms could worsen symptoms of COPD and asthma in older patient populations.

“In this study, ED visits peaked before the thunderstorm,” the researchers stated. “Assuming an average 65 years or older population of 37.7 million Americans (based on census data), approximately 52,000 additional respiratory ED visits were estimated to occur in the three or more days surrounding major storms during the 14-year study period,” or an average of 3,700 visits a year.

INHALED DRUG SHOWS PROMISE IN CORONAVIRUS TREATMENT: STUDY

The researchers out of Harvard Medical School in Boston collected lightning and atmospheric data throughout the U.S. from 1999 through 2012 in over 3,000 counties. They then compared it to increases in emergency department visits due to respiratory conditions in older patient populations in the days before and after thunderstorms. The researchers also used data collected from 46 million Medicare beneficiaries older than 65 to identify visits due to acute respiratory illnesses. Of those analyzed in the study, more than 26% had COPD, 10% had chronic asthma and 6.6% had both, according to the study.

“Emergency visits for acute respiratory illness significantly increased during the days before major thunderstorms among Medicare beneficiaries, particularly those with asthma and/or COPD,” the authors stated.

Thunderstorms are being associated with an increase in emergency department visits by older adults with chronic respiratory illnesses. (iStock)

They explained the ED visits were associated with atmospheric changes, the temperature rises, and increased air pollution that compromised breathing in patients with chronic respiratory diseases, ultimately causing them to seek medical help.

“For those with respiratory illnesses like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes bronchitis and emphysema, the weather has been a factor in leading to exacerbations. This is because both temperature and humidity can lead to flares,” Dr. Fred Davis, a physician at Northwell Health Long Island Jewish Hospitals Emergency Department on Long Island, N.Y., told Fox News.

Another possible reason for the correlation, Davis said, could be that during thunderstorms, increased wind could blow allergens and particles around that may lead to flares in those with asthma and COPD.

“Those that are older are more susceptible to temperature changes and those with respiratory illnesses should be cognizant of the weather to plan accordingly. Part of this planning would be times to reduce outdoor exposure and always carrying their rescue medication with them,” the emergency medicine physician added.

DIETS HIGHER IN PROTEIN, PARTICULARLY PLANT PROTEIN, LINKED TO LOWER RATES OF EARLY DEATH: STUDY

“It’s the weather pattern prior to the thunderstorms that seemingly caused the breathing problems. And that makes sense because it is usually hot [and] humid before thunderstorms form,” a chief meteorologist told Fox News.

“Plants are known to release spores, pollen and allergens under these circumstances. Then the gusty winds, either prior to or accompanying the thunderstorms, will transport them in higher percentages and greater distances. So [yes], I can see the correlation but one has to lead to the other and that makes it appear like the thunderstorms are causing the breathing problems but actually it’s what leads up to them. The timing goes hand in hand.”

The increase in temperature and particles in the air are both possibly the dominant triggers to thunderstorm-associated acute respiratory flare-ups in older populations, the study authors said, noting that this “may contribute to strain on the health care system as storm activity increases with rising global temperatures.”

11% of coronavirus patients who lose sense of taste, smell, may suffer long term: ‘May become a chronic issue’

A side effect of COVID-19 for this millennial is no longer being able to taste his favorite food.

When Greg Shuluk, 29, contracted COVID-19 in March, he experienced mild symptoms. He felt feverish, began coughing, and lost his sense of smell and taste. The Westchester, N.Y., native says the cough went away in a month, but now, five months later, his lack of taste and smell persists.

“I can tell if something is sweet or salty, but food tastes super bland now. I can’t really taste it,” Shuluk told Fox News on Tuesday, explaining that he feels his senses are at close to 70% back. “I’m obsessed with seafood. I went and got a lobster and cooked it and could barely taste it.”

Shuluk is one of a number of former COVID-19 patients who have experienced a long-term loss of taste and smell, and doctors say it’s unclear when, or if, people like Shuluk will ever get their senses back to their pre-COVID normal.

If not being able to savor a rich sauce or fresh catch isn’t bad enough, the long-term impact of losing vital senses can take a toll on one’s mental health, too.
(iStock)

Indeed, around 11% of coronavirus patients who suddenly couldn’t properly taste their food, or smell through their nose reported the symptoms lasted longer than a month, according to research published in July in JAMA Otolaryngoloy — Head & Neck Surgery.

Doctors say that most people who experience the symptoms will get their senses back within a few days, or between two and six weeks. However, there are a handful of patients whose anosmia, as it’s called, can last longer.

“There is a very small chance that this may last longer or may become a chronic issue. If this does occur, it’s best to consult with your doctor,” Dr. Robert Glatter, an emergency physician at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, told Fox News.

CORONAVIRUS APP FINDS LOSS OF TASTE AND SMELL MAY BE BETTER INDICATORS THAN FEVER, COUGH: STUDY

Glatter said a number of viruses can cause a temporary loss of smell and taste, and will usually improve in a few days at least or within a week, when the virus clears. People may experience an inability to detect, identify and even savor flavors and odors.  And for those whose symptoms become more long-term, its unclear how long recovery time can be.

“We don’t know the exact timeline for recovery of taste and smell among long-haulers. We will have to monitor them for longer periods of time to better understand the role chronic inflammation plays in their symptoms and recovery,” Glatter explained.

SOME CHILDREN SUFFER RARE, CORONAVIRUS-RELATED BRAIN DAMAGE, STUDY SAYS

Doctors may conduct a number of tests on patients experiencing long-lasting symptoms of lost senses of smell and taste. Those might include asking the patient to compare different smells and observing their olfactory anatomy — i.e, the bodily structures that comprise the nose and nasal cavities — through an MRI.

If not being able to savor a rich sauce or fresh catch (like in Shuluk’s case) isn’t bad enough for foodies, the long-term impact of losing vital senses can take a toll on one’s mental health, too. A separate study published in July in the medical journal The Laryngoscope found that loss of smell associated with COVID-19 could be linked to an increased risk of anxiety and a depressed mood. Researches predicted it could be a result of the coronavirus interacting with the central nervous system.

In the study, participants filled out a questionnaire of how they felt before they developed symptoms for COVID-19. Participants also ranked how bad their symptoms were, including shortness of breath, fever and loss of smell. Researchers found that the loss of smell and taste was the most commonly associated symptom with anxiety and a depressed mood.

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The experience has become so widespread during COVID-19, a number of support groups have increasingly been catering to those who have lost their sense of taste or smell, like Abscent.org.