Good healthcare: looking after each other

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• Bloody insights: organs-on-chip ready to help snake venom research

  A 3D model of imitation blood vessels will make it possible to see exactly how snake venom attacks blood vessels, without having to use laboratory animals. This new research model, called an organ-on-a-chip, was developed by a research team from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, MIMETAS and Naturalis Biodiversity Center.

• Here's how healthy taking an ice bath really is

  Many people firmly believe that taking an ice bath is good for you. It is said to offer numerous health benefits, both mentally and physically. But just how healthy is it to immerse yourself in icy water? VU professor of thermophysiology Hein Daanen discusses this in Quest magazine. "The healthiness of an ice-cold bath entirely depends on what you're measuring.'"

• “Spiritual care needed in battle against climate change”

  Extinction Rebellion activists often feel lonely in their struggle, says VU alumnus Marlous Ockhuysen. Targeted spiritual care can help them and others to persevere. “Spiritual caregivers can be of service by addressing the climate crisis, underpinned by their expertise.”

• More focus on stress: good for employees and organisations

  Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and a host of partners are developing an innovative way to tackle stress and increase resilience within organisations. This pioneering 10.8-million-euro initiative is funded by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) and falls within the National Science Agenda programme. Read the article (in Dutch).

• Are inequalities in long-term care growing?

  Older people with lower education use more informal care or home care from the municipality than private home care. On the contrary, older people with higher education use more private home care and less informal care. This is according to research by sociologists from VU Amsterdam. They are calling on the government to monitor the accessibility of long-term care.

• Financial interests stand in the way of solving pill shortage.

  The shortage of medicines in the Netherlands has never been greater. The solutions mentioned have been the same for years. But according to this article (in Dutch) in De Telegraaf, financial interests are preventing action being taken.

• How to grow old healthy: with strength of muscle, sleep and varied diet.

  In blakende gezondheid een gezegende leeftijd bereiken, wie wil dat nou niet? “Het is absoluut haalbaar dat we 100 of 120 jaar worden in goede gezondheid”, zegt hoogleraar gerontologie Andrea Maier op het consumentenplatform Kassa van BNNVARA. “Maar hoe en wanneer we dat bereiken, is afhankelijk van ons gedrag.” Welke rol spelen voeding, supplementen, nachtrust, spieren en genen in dit verhaal? We leggen het voor aan prof. dr. Maier.

• People less averse to wasting organic food 

  Consumers are less reluctant to waste organic food compared with non-organic food, according to the research conducted by marketing experts Kristina Nadricka, Aylin Aydinli and Kobe Millet. 

  Modified EMDR treatment reduces flashbacks in people who are suicidal  

  A brief additional treatment based on EMDR is effective in reducing the severity and frequency of flashbacks that may suddenly arise in people who are suicidal, according to the doctoral research conducted by Jaël van Bentum. 

• Cooperation in infectious disease control is insufficient 

  The downside of extensive and rapid travel and trade across the world is that infectious diseases can also spread more easily. Research by VU Amsterdam health scientist Doret de Rooij shows that international agreements on this matter have been too one-sided, and there’s insufficient cooperation between countries and their border locations. 

• First symptoms of type 2 diabetes after 6 days of physical inactivity

  Bed rest leads to a rapid reduction in muscle mass and a swift accumulation of fat and glucose in the muscles. The first signs of insulin resistance can be observed after just six days of complete bed rest, according to research by a team of movement scientists at VU Amsterdam led by Moritz Eggelbusch and Rob Wüst. Read more.

• Do you need extra protein when exercising?

  Does it make sense to eat foods boasting extra proteins? Food scientist Jaap Seidell explains more in Trouw newspaper (in Dutch). “Products featuring extra protein are nothing more than a marketing gimmick.”

• Students feel better about themselves with these 3 tips

  Did you know that VU Amsterdam has a large and varied range of initiatives to enhance the well-being of its students? They’re there to reduce stress, promote your mental health and help you get fitter, for instance. Also useful for teachers, so you know where to refer your students. Take a look at the initiatives.

• Fatigue of post-covid patients has physical cause

  Researchers from Amsterdam UMC and VU Amsterdam have discovered that the persistent fatigue in post-covid patients has a physical cause. “We see changes in the muscles in these patients,” says professor of Internal Medicine Michèle van Vugt. The results of the study have been published in Nature Communications. Read more (in Dutch).

• Supplementary health insurance in danger of disappearing

  Supplementary packages are becoming too expensive for insurers, because consumers are increasingly opting for temporary supplementary insurance to cover the costs of anticipated healthcare. “You see that only people who use or expect to require a lot of treatments take out such a policy,” says VU Amsterdam health economist Xander Koolman in BNR (in Dutch).

• Shortage of internships for psychology students puts mental healthcare in a tight spot

  Waiting lists for mental healthcare could be significantly shortened if psychology students were given the opportunity to complete their internships more quickly. Students would also experience fewer study delays – currently sometimes up to a year long. “Supply and demand on the internship market have always been out of balance,” says VU Amsterdam internship coordinator Annemarie van der Veen in the Volkskrant newspaper (in Dutch).

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