For premature infants, adequate growth while in the neonatal intensive care unit is an indicator of better long-term health and developmental outcomes. Researchers at the USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital have now successfully incorporated a cream…
by Dr. David Juan No matter where you look in the health industry, it seems vitamin D is hot right now. And it makes sense, because the best source of it is sun exposure and it is, after all, summertime. Not a week goes by…
Natural Blaze Epigenetics is the study of changes in gene expression caused by certain base pairs in DNA being “turned off” or “turned on” again, through chemical reactions – like in your environment, diet or nutrition. It has a large say in blood formation – your…
By Heather Callaghan DEET is a heavy-duty toxin to be spraying on clothes and especially highly absorbable skin. Not all natural skin repellent combos work to keep mosquito bites at bay. Mesh curtains, candles, bug lights – all of the above – offer minimal protection…
Women with a vitamin D deficiency were nearly half as likely to conceive through in vitro fertilization (IVF) as women who had sufficient levels of the vitamin, according to a new study published in the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM). Long…
One in 10 inner-city kids allergic to milk, eggs or peanuts Already known for their higher-than-usual risk of asthma and environmental allergies, young inner-city children appear to suffer disproportionately from food allergies as well, according to results of a study led by scientists at the…
Phthalates found in plastics could block hormone involved in sexual, cognitive function Men, women and children exposed to high levels of phthalates – endocrine-disrupting chemicals found in plastics and some personal care products – tended to have reduced levels of testosterone in their blood compared…
Virginia Tech researchers who were using a disinfectant when handling mice have discovered that two active ingredients in it cause declines in mouse reproduction. Although the chemicals responsible for the declines are common in household cleaning products and disinfectants used in medical and food preparation…
by Dr. Victor Marchione If you’re thinking about going on an all-liquid “detox,” stop! Drinking expensive juices or wasting your time blending up every vegetable you can find to consume in only liquid form won’t do much for you or your health. For the most…
By Heather Callaghan In An Account of the Foxglove and Some of its Medical Uses, published in 1785, Sir William Withering cautioned readers that extracts from the poisonous plant foxglove, also called digitalis, was not a perfect drug. He wrote: …Time will fix the real…
As the oil and gas drilling technique called hydraulic fracturing (or “fracking”) proliferates, a new study on the contents of the fluids involved in the process raises concerns about several ingredients. The scientists presenting the work today at the 248th National Meeting & Exposition of…
by Dr. Victor Marchione We’re constantly being told to reduce our body fat content; that’s nothing new. But according to a study from the University of Texas at Galveston’s Medical Branch, there is one type of fat that you may not want to be completely…
Groundwater and air quality testing before, during, and after natural gas drilling – which includes hydraulic fracturing – should be key components of efforts to ensure the safety of communities near these sites, according to an expert panel convened to weigh in on public health…
By Heather Callaghan A 32-year-old obese man lies on an emergency room gurney – he’s just had a heart attack. The doctor is baffled, but the man is taken through every food and lifestyle choice he ever made, going back to when his parents made…
Testosterone, a steroid hormone, is well known to contribute to aggressive behavior in males, but the neural circuits through which testosterone exerts these effects have not been clear. Prior studies found that the administration of a single dose of testosterone influenced brain circuit function. Surprisingly,…
by Dr. David Juan I love a good nap. In fact, I try to take one every day around 2:00 or 3:00 p.m. The computer gets shut down, my phone is set to “do not disturb,” and I stretch out for a 15- to 20-minute…
Coffee drinkers beware: Surprise ingredients that are neither sweet nor flavorful may be hiding in your coffee, and growing coffee shortages may increase the chance of having these fillers in your cup of joe in the future. The good news is that a highly accurate…
by Andrew Martin What permaculturists are doing is the most important activity that any group is doing on the planet. – David Suzuki A Brief History of Agriculture Before we look at what the future might look like we need to understand how we got…
As the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) mulls over whether to rein in the use of common antibacterial compounds that are causing growing concern among environmental health experts, scientists are reporting today that many pregnant women and their fetuses are being exposed to these substances….
The China Development Strategy Research Society Committee of Cultural Strategy organized a unique event in Beijing during the last week of July to discuss the global harm caused by GMOs and glyphosate-based herbicides. The Food Safety & Sustainable Agriculture Forum 2014 held in China’s capital…
