The health benefits of eating dark chocolate have been extolled for centuries, but the exact reason has remained a mystery — until now. Researchers have just reported that certain bacteria in the stomach gobble the chocolate and ferment it into anti-inflammatory compounds that are good for the heart. Their findings were unveiled at the 247th […]
Fries with a side of acrylamide
French fry lovers, beware! You may be exposed to a chemical more commonly associated with heavy industry than crispy fried potatoes. Fortunately, researchers are finding ways to reduce that exposure. French fries contain acrylamide. The chemical poses a risk for several types of cancer in rodents. However, the evidence from human studies is still incomplete. […]
Woolsey Fire & Santa Susana Field Lab Documentary: ‘In the Dark of the Valley’
MSNBC will widely share the stories of local community members, activists, and parents in a brilliantly produced and acclaimed documentary entitled In the Dark of the Valley. This documentary, which will be aired nationwide, chronicles the stories of families living in the shadow of chemical and radiological contamination, making them and their children ill. MSNBC recently […]
Friendly bacteria love the humble apple
Why does an apple a day keep the doctor away? New research published in the open access journal BMC Microbiology contributes to our understanding of why eating apples is good for you. Microbiologists from the National Food Institute at the University of Denmark fed rats on a diet that was rich in whole apples, apple juice, purée […]
Blood metabolites associated with coffee consumption may affect kidney disease risk
Food and beverages may have important effects on kidney health, but the potential biological mechanisms involved are often unclear. New research in CJASN identifies several metabolites in the blood whose levels are altered by coffee consumption and may affect the risk of developing chronic kidney disease (CKD). When Casey M. Rebholz, PhD, MS, MNSP, MPH (Johns Hopkins […]
Thyroid cancer, genetic variations, cell phones linked in new study
Radiation from cell phones is associated with higher rates of thyroid cancer among people with genetic variations in specific genes, a new study led by the Yale School of Public Health finds. The researchers examined over 900 people in Connecticut and found that those with certain single nucleotide polymorphisms (genetic variations commonly referred to as […]
Air pollution: The silent killer called PM 2.5
Millions of people die prematurely every year from diseases and cancer caused by air pollution. The first line of defence against this carnage is ambient air quality standards. Yet, according to researchers from McGill University, over half of the world’s population lives without the protection of adequate air quality standards. Air pollution varies greatly in […]
The Most Detailed Map of Cancer-Causing Industrial Air Pollution in the U.S.
This story was originally published by ProPublica. by Lylla Younes, Ava Kofman, Al Shaw and Lisa Song, with additional reporting by Maya Miller, Poison in the Air The EPA allows polluters to turn neighborhoods into “sacrifice zones” where residents breathe carcinogens. ProPublica reveals where these places are in a first-of-its-kind map and data analysis. From the urban sprawl of Houston to […]
Getting the most out of spinach: Maximizing the antioxidant lutein
Eat your spinach in the form of a smoothie or juice — this is the best way to obtain the antioxidant lutein, according to research from Linköping University, Sweden. High levels of lutein are found in dark green vegetables, and researchers at the university have compared different ways of preparing fresh spinach in order to […]
Honey A Better Option For Childhood Cough Than Over The Counter Medications
A new study by a Penn State College of Medicine research team found that honey may offer parents an effective and safe alternative than over the counter children’s cough medicines. The study found that a small dose of buckwheat honey given before bedtime provided better relief of nighttime cough and sleep difficulty in children than […]