The IAA One Minute Blog

Bruce Springsteen will not be able to perform the rest of the year.

Springsteen Cancels Due to Health

In September, Springsteen called off several shows in the hopes of recovering from a condition called peptic ulcer disease.

While the performer has been recovering from the disease, he will continue treatment for the rest of the year on his doctor’s advice, according to a statement from Springsteen and The E Street Band.

About 8 million people worldwide suffer from the condition.

What is Peptic Ulcer Disease?

Peptic ulcer disease is a condition marked by open sores that develop on the inside lining of the stomach and the small intestine, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Common symptoms include:

• Belching
• Bloating
• Feeling full too soon while eating a meal
• Feeling uncomfortably full after eating a meal
• Pain or discomfort in the upper part of the abdomen, anywhere between your belly button and breastbone. The pain may be dull or burning and may come and go over time.

Those suffering from peptic ulcer disease are usually told to cut back on their use of pain medication and limit alcohol consumption.

Many people who have peptic ulcers don’t have any symptoms. They may not develop symptoms until an ulcer leads to complications.

What IAA has to Say

Insurance Administrator of America is here to keep you up to date on the world of health. Remember, with IAA one call does it all.

A new study published suggests that eating a large meal in the early morning could help combat jet lag.

New Method to Manage Jet Lag

A lot of research on circadian rhythms has focused on the “central” body clock. The central clock responds to sunlight. But the past 20 years of research has shown that the circadian rhythm involves not just one body clock, but many. Present in every cell and tissue, these clocks calibrate to different cues. Many organs reset with meals.

The researchers developed a theoretical mathematical model that allowed them to take a new approach—studying how the clocks interact, not just with external cues, but with each other.

The study looked at two populations of clocks, one that responds to light, and another that responds to food.

In the study, the researchers ran simulations of a traveler going from New York to Paris (a six-hour time difference). They found that:

1. Failure to adjust mealtimes to the new time zone resulted in a nine-day jet lag recovery.
2. Spacing three meals throughout the light hours reduced recovery time to six days.
3. Doubling the size of breakfast and skipping dinner for the first three days sped recovery even more, to five days.

The researchers concluded that a large meal in the early morning helps the body’s clocks align, combating the effects of jet lag.

The model did not consider the number of calories in a meal or the type of food.

The study was published in “Chaos.”

Symptoms of Jet Lag

Jet lag is a temporary sleep problem that can affect anyone who travels quickly and across several time zones. Jet lag occurs because your body’s internal clock is synchronized to your original time zone. It hasn’t changed to the time zone of where you have traveled.

Symptoms of jet lag may include:

• A general feeling of not being well
• Daytime fatigue
• Mood changes
• Not being able to focus or function at your usual level
• Sleep problems such as not being able to sleep or waking up early
• Stomach issues

Jet lag symptoms usually occur within a day or two of traveling across at least two time zones.

What IAA has to Say

Insurance Administrator of America knows that jet lag is not fun to deal with. Hopefully this new study will help ward it off! IAA wishes everyone safe travels to whatever time zone you are traveling to. 

A new blood test is highly accurate at diagnosing chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), offering for the first time, an objective way to identify the disabling condition.

Blood Test for CFS

CFS is estimated to affect up to 2.5 million people in the United States.

A research team compared test results among 61 people with CFS, 21 people with multiple sclerosis and 16 people who have no known health problems.

The new test uses artificial intelligence to analyze vibrations in a single blood cell caused by a laser. The technology is called Raman Spectroscopy, which can “interrogate individual cells.”

The test can differentiate between mild, moderate and severe cases of the illness 84 percent of the time.

The researchers wrote that the new test could help differentiate between other conditions that have similar symptoms, such as fibromyalgia, Lyme disease and long COVID. 

The new test is 91 percent accurate according to the findings.

The findings were published in the journal “Advanced Science.”

What is CFS

CFS causes extreme fatigue that lasts for at least six months. Symptoms worsen with physical or mental activity, but don’t fully improve with rest.

Symptoms can vary from person to person and the severity of symptoms can fluctuate from day-to-day.

In addition to fatigue, symptoms may include:

• Extreme exhaustion after physical or mental exercise
• Dizziness that worsens with moving from lying down or sitting, to standing
• Muscle or joint pain
• Problems with memory or thinking skills
• Unrefreshing sleep

The cause of CFS is unknown, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

At this time, CFS is so difficult to diagnosis that an estimated nine in 10 people who have the condition don’t even know they have it.

What IAA has to Say

Any new research on CFS is something that Insurance Administrator of America wants to hear about. Researchers are finding new information all the time and IAA wants to make sure you are in the know.

Just one in four children with autism is diagnosed before age three, but a new eye tracking technology may allow for earlier diagnosis and intervention, according to three clinical studies of more than 1,500 kids.

New Method for Autism Diagnosis

In the United States autism affects about one child in 36, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The new eye tracking technology provides automated measures of children’s looking behavior and can help spot signs of autism as early as 16 months of age, researchers said. It may also help predict kids’ strengths and vulnerabilities.

The eye tracking tool measures a child’s eye movements while they watch a 10-minute video. Hundreds of important social cues are presented during the video, and the technology captures around 120 measurements per second.

Researchers compared measurements from children with suspected autism to those of typically developing peers.

The tool was further tested in 475 children aged 16 to 30 months who were evaluated at six U.S. autism specialty clinics.

Both studies found that the device’s diagnostic abilities were comparable to those of the specialists.

The idea behind the technology is to identify children with autism by picking up on their seeming lack of interest in people. Children typically learn social skills by observing how people around them interact. The new technology identifies children who are not paying attention to the kid-to-kid interaction in the video.

The studies were published in “JAMA” and “JAMA Network Open.”

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends screening for autism at 18 months and 24 months.

Signs of Autism

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain, according to the CDC. People with ASD have problems with social interaction and different ways of learning, moving, or paying attention.

Some children show signs of autism in early infancy, such as reduced eye contact, lack of response to their name or indifference to caregivers. Other children may develop normally for the first few months or years of life, but they suddenly become withdrawn or aggressive or lose language skills they’ve already acquired. Signs are usually seen by age two.

Each child with ASD is likely to have a unique pattern of behavior and level of severity from low functioning to high functioning.

What IAA has to Say

Insurance Administrator of America wants people to better understand this disorder. Just think of IAA as your third-party health information connection, here to keep you in the know about world of healthcare.

Paper straws, which were meant to be an eco-friendly alternative, may not be better for the environment, a new study suggests.The study warns that paper straws can contain “forever chemicals” that can harm human health.

Paper Straws and PFAS

The research team tested 39 straw brands in a variety of materials, for poly and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

The straws were made of paper, bamboo, glass, stainless steel, and plastic. Each straw went through two rounds of testing for PFAS.

PFAS were found in 69 percent of straws. Testing detected 18 different PFAS. These chemicals were found in 90 percent of paper straws; 80 percent of bamboo straws; 75 percent of plastic straws, and 40 percent of glass straw brands. PFAS were not detected in any of the five types of steel straws tested.

These all pose a limited risk to human health because people tend to use straws only occasionally and chemical concentrations were low, researchers said. But the chemicals can build up in the body for years.

Researchers said the prevalence of PFAS in the straws suggests they were added as a waterproof coating

The study was published in “Food Additives and Contaminants.”

PFAS and Your Health

PFAS are a family of synthetic chemicals used in the manufacture of consumer products because they can resist stains, grease and water.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, research suggests that high levels of certain PFAS may lead to the following:

• Changes in liver enzymes
• Decreased vaccine response in children
• Increased cholesterol levels
• Increased risk of high blood pressure or preeclampsia in pregnant women
• Increased risk of kidney or testicular cancer
• Small decreases in infant birth weights

Scientists are still learning about the health effects of exposure to mixtures of different PFAS.

What IAA has to Say

Insurance Administrator of America wants to keep you up to date in the world of health. Remember, with IAA one call does it all.