The Drs TV: Burmese Python Sense of Smell
Wild Cures are probably not your first thought, but nature’s animals can provide health clues for humans. David Mizejewski from the National Wildlife Federation visited Dr Travis Stork, Dr Rachael Ross, and Dr Ian Smith with a giant snake, the Burmese Python.
This snake uses its tongue to smell and can grow to over 20 feet long, but the guest on The Doctors was about 13 feet long. Dr Stork stayed far away from the snake, and Dr Ian showed a clip of Travis’s previous encounter with a snake, which he is afraid of.
The Doctors: Snake Heart Fatty Acids
The Doctors shared some Wild Cures, including the potential fatty acid benefit of a Burmese Python and the Diabetes solution from a venomous Gila Monster. (Rusty Dodson / Shutterstock.com)
How do snakes eat such large animals? “Snakes are adapted to be able to eat things that are much bigger than the size of their head. They can basically unhinge their bottom jaw,” Mizejewski explained, though digestion can take a long time.
Where does the cure come in? That digestion is a clue, because snakes’ hearts can expand in size by 35-100%. Production of fatty acids protects the heart of a Burmese Python. Research is ongoing to find out whether this can be used to formulate a drug to treat heart conditions in humans. However, the Burmese Python population is declining in the wild.
Dr Stork said he had a healthy respect for snakes, adding that this story does offer some hope for future medical advancements. Mizejewski said that centipedes, vampire bats, and other species of snakes also offer potential health benefits, which means there is an advantage to humans for preserving these populations.
The Drs TV: Gila Monster & Glucagon-Like Peptide Factor
Another guest in the food pharmacy was the Gila Monster, a venomous lizard. Mizejewski introduced this desert Southwest native to The Doctors team. Just like the snake, this lizard uses its tongue to smell.
The Gila Monster’s venom contains hormones that can help to treat Diabetes in humans. Dr Ian Smith elaborated that it simulates “Glucagon-Like Peptide Factor.” This natural hormone increases insulin levels but decreases Glucagon, lowering a patient’s blood sugar.
Dr Ross said that it can also make you feel full faster and help with weight loss, providing added health benefits for patients with Diabetes. Dr Stork said that these are just a few of the animals providing Wild Cures for the world of medicine.
The Doctors: Inada Dreamwave Massage Chair Review
Dr Jim Sears enjoyed a full body massage in what some call the best therapeutic massage chair on the market. The Inada Dreamwave Massage Chair hits the body’s shiatsu points.
“It does not feel like a machine. It feels like there’s somebody’s hands on my back,” Dr Sears said. The chair retails for about $8,000, and in a previous broadcast, The Doctors held a giveaway for this type of chair. However, the giveaway has now ended.
Cotton word of. The day I need this chair so bad for my (chronic pain). Donna Rang