Ending Parkinson’s disease; navy beans are good for the gut; health effects from ‘Doctor Who’ - Morning Medical Update

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Lawmakers seek to cure Parkinson’s disease

The U.S. House of Representatives has approved “The Dr. Emmanuel Bilirakis and Honorable Jennifer Wexton National Plan to End Parkinson's Act,” new no-cost legislation that supports efforts to prevent, treat, and eventually cure Parkinson’s disease.

A scoop of navy beans a day keeps the doctor away

Adding navy beans to patient diets could have beneficial effects on the gut microbiome. Dry beans are among the most beneficial prebiotic foods, although little research has explored exactly how they help gut and metabolic health.

‘Doctor Who’ saves lives, not just on television

A British study found airing new episodes of legendary sci-fi television show “Doctor Who” during the December holiday period, including on Christmas Day, led to lower death rates the next year in England and Wales. While the findings do not show causality, a researcher said “watching a doctor who is caring for people ‘could encourage health-seeking behaviour.’”