MedWatch Digest: A booster is better at promoting immunity — and more

Dina Bair
·1 min read

For Monday, April 22, WGN’s Dina Bair the latest on new medical information including:

More Coverage: WGN’s Medical Watch

Study: Booster provides better protection against COVID-19

People who got the COVID-19 booster had stronger protection against the virus that causes the disease compared to people who got the primary vaccine series alone.

York University researchers say their study proved the power of booster immunity for both the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID shots.

Immunity to COVID still wanes, but people were protected for double the time following the booster compared to the initial vaccination.

Diet better than medications at managing IBS

What patients eat does more than medication to relieve a painful disorder.

Dietary treatment is far superior to drugs when it comes to battling irritable bowel syndrome or IBS.

According to a study in the Lancet Medical Journal, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 7 out of 10 IBS patients significantly reduced their symptoms simply by changing their diet.

IBS causes abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, and constipation, which can be severe.

Avoiding onions, grains, coffee, alcohol and fizzy drinks worked best to reduce symptoms.

Exposure to nature fights inflammation

Staying on the non-drug method of treatment, doctors say nature packs a powerful punch when it comes to reducing inflammation.

New Cornell University research shows more frequent positive contact with nature lowers circulating levels of three different markers of inflammation.

Study authors say the finding offers a biological explanation for why nature improves health.

Heart disease and diabetes are linked to chronic inflammation.

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