Digestive Issues

Varol Tunali et al. (2026) · Gut microbes

This 12-month follow-up study revisited 121 adults with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS, a common gut condition causing pain, bloating, and altered bowel habits) who had completed a 6-week randomized trial comparing two dietary approaches: a standard low-FODMAP diet (LFD, which restricts fermentable carbs known to trigger IBS symptoms) and a microbiome-guided personalized diet (PD, built from each person's own gut-bacteria profile using a machine-learning algorithm). The goal was to see whether the benefits people got in the first 6 weeks actually lasted a full year, and whether either diet changed the gut microbiome (the community of bacteria living in the digestive tract) over that time. Participants, recruited at four Turkish gastroenterology clinics, were followed with symptom, quality-of-life, and mood questionnaires plus stool samples for gut-bacteria testing at 6 and 12 months after their original 6-week diet ended (nobody's diet plan was updated again after the start). Seventy people who got the personalized diet and 51 who got the low-FODMAP diet were included at the start of follow-up, though many dropped out over the year, leaving 40 and 29, respectively, providing data at 12 months. Both diets worked well at first, cutting symptom-severity scores by roughly 100 points within 6 weeks. But by 12 months the picture diverged: people on the personalized diet kept most of that improvement (still about 78 points better than baseline), while people on the low-FODMAP diet had drifted back close to where they started. About 63% of the personalized-diet group still counted as meaningful responders at 12 months, compared with about 35% of the low-FODMAP group. The personalized-diet group also showed steadier gains in quality of life and in anxiety and depression scores. On the microbiome side, gut-bacteria diversity rose more and stayed higher in the personalized-diet group throughout the year, though the two groups' overall bacterial makeup looked similar by 12 months, and no single type of bacteria reliably separated the two diets. The takeaway is that tailoring a diet to someone's own gut bacteria may help IBS relief last longer than a standard restrictive diet, which seemed to lose its effect without further guidance. That said, the researchers are careful to call these findings hypothesis-generating rather than proven: many participants dropped out, everyone knew which diet they were on, and the gut-bacteria testing used here cannot show which bacterial genes or byproducts, if any, actually drove the improvement. Larger, purpose-built trials are needed before personalized, microbiome-guided diets become a routine part of IBS care.

Tiffany J Barsotti et al. (2023) · Explore (New York, N.Y.)

This exploratory study investigates the effects of encountering a sacred object, specifically the Sri Yantra / Durga Stone, on human biofield responses. The significance of this research lies in its potential to bridge traditional healing practices with modern scientific understanding, particularly in the context of enhancing well-being through sacred objects. The study aims to explore how such encounters influence emotional and physical health, addressing a gap in existing literature regarding the biofield and sacred spaces. The study employed a pre-post single group design with a sample size of 17 participants, aged 38 to 79, consisting of 12 women and 5 men, all of whom provided informed consent. Participants engaged with the sacred object by placing their hand on the Sri Yantra / Durga Stone for up to 3 minutes, optionally reciting a mantra. Outcomes were measured using a Bio-Well device, which assessed emotional pressure, energy levels, and readings from various organ systems before and after the encounter. The intervention was conducted at the Sri Narayani Golden Temple in Vellore, India, with no specific treatment provided beyond the encounter itself. Results indicated a significant increase in the overall Bio-Well energy state, with baseline levels of 53.78 significantly lower than pre-exposure levels of 60.54 (p = 0.005) and post-exposure levels of 66.78 (p < 0.001). Significant changes were also observed in cardiovascular (F(2,32) = 11.441, p < 0.001) and endocrine system assessments (F(2,32) = 10.34, p = 0.001). However, emotional pressure and left/right symmetry measures did not show significant changes (p = 0.017 and p = 0.156, respectively). Participants reported enhanced feelings of energy, emotional balance, and a sense of peace, with no adverse events noted during the study. The findings suggest that exposure to sacred objects may enhance emotional and physical well-being, indicating potential therapeutic applications in clinical settings. However, the study's limitations include the absence of a control group and the short duration of exposure, which may affect the validity and generalizability of the results. Practitioners may consider incorporating similar interventions into therapeutic practices to explore their benefits further. Future research should include control conditions and longer engagement times with sacred objects to better assess their effects on the human biofield and overall health.

Pratyusha Veldhi et al. (2025) · Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

This 2023 ethnobotanical review investigated the medicinal plants native to Pike County, Eastern Kentucky, and their pharmacological benefits. The study combined a local survey with a literature review to validate the medicinal properties of 14 identified plants: Pawpaw (Asimina triloba), Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana), Pipsissewa (Chimaphila umbellata), Chicory (Cichorium intybus), Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum), Ghost Pipe (Monotropa uniflora), Princess Tree (Paulownia tomentosa), American Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana), Purslane (Portulaca oleracea), Sassafras (Sassafras albidum), Porcelain (Hibiscus sabdariffa), Slippery Elm (Ulmus rubra), Mullein (Verbascum thapsus), and Yellowroot (Xanthorhiza simplicissima). The survey identified various traditional uses for these plants, including nutritional benefits, insect repellent properties, and applications for conditions such as rheumatism, inflammation, and infections. For instance, Pawpaw is traditionally consumed for its nutritional value and has shown potential in modern research for anticancer and antimicrobial activities, with studies indicating its extracts inhibit the HIF-1 transcription factor, which is involved in tumor growth. Beautyberry has been noted for its insect-repelling properties and has demonstrated efficacy against MRSA infections in research settings. Pipsissewa has been traditionally used for rheumatism and has shown antifungal and anticancer properties in scientific studies. Chicory serves as a coffee substitute and has hepatoprotective and antidiabetic effects, while Boneset is recognized for its immune-boosting and anti-inflammatory properties. The findings highlight the rich ethnobotanical knowledge of the local population and the pharmacological potential of these plants. However, this review is limited by the small sample size of survey participants (n=4) and the reliance on self-reported data, which may introduce bias. Further research with larger, more diverse populations is needed to validate these findings and explore the therapeutic applications of these plants more comprehensively.