When combined with a diet low in saturated fats, eating walnuts may help lower blood pressure in people at risk for cardiovascular disease, according to a new Penn State study. In a randomized, controlled trial, researchers examined the effects of replacing some of the saturated fats in participants’ diets with walnuts. They found that when […]
How poppy flowers get those vibrant colors that entice insects
With bright reds and yellows — and even the occasional white — poppies are very bright and colorful. Their petals, however, are also very thin; they are made up of just three layers of cells. University of Groningen scientists Casper van der Kooi and Doekele Stavenga used microscopy and mathematical models describing how light interacts […]
High-fructose corn syrup boosts intestinal tumor growth in mice
Does sugar directly feed cancers, boosting their growth? The answer seems to be ‘Yes’ at least in mice according to a study led by researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and Weill Cornell Medicine. Their study, published in Science, showed that consuming a daily modest amount of high-fructose corn syrup — the equivalent of people drinking […]
Newborn heart problems surged after Fukushima nuke disaster
There was a significant increase in the number of infants in Japan who had surgery for complex congenital heart disease after the nuclear accident in Fukushima, a new study finds. The disaster happened in March 2011 after a tsunami and earthquake hit the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Japan, causing a meltdown and release […]
Healing Power Of Aloe Vera Proves Beneficial For Teeth And Gums
The aloe vera plant has a long history of healing power. Its ability to heal burns and cuts and soothe pain has been documented as far back as the 10th century. Legend has it that Cleopatra used aloe vera to keep her skin soft. The modern use of aloe vera was first recognized the 1930s […]
Toxic flame retardants are in children’s car seats
In a new study, Indiana University scientists found toxic flame retardants in newly manufactured children’s car seats, sparking concerns about children’s health. Of the 18 children’s car seats tested, 15 contained new or traditional hazardous flame retardant chemicals. “New replacement flame retardants, often marketed as safer alternatives, are lurking in children’s products without rigorous safety […]
Grape-seed Extract Kills Laboratory Leukemia Cells
An extract from grape seeds forces laboratory leukemia cells to commit cell suicide, according to researchers from the University of Kentucky. They found that within 24 hours, 76 percent of leukemia cells had died after being exposed to the extract. The investigators, who report their findings in the January 1, 2009, issue of Clinical Cancer […]
How Cranberry Products Prevent Urinary Tract Infections
Chemicals present in cranberries—and not the acidity of cranberry juice, as previously thought—prevent infection-causing bacteria from attaching to the cells that line the urinary tract, as documented in a report published in Journal of Medicinal Food. Urinary tract infections (UTIs) burden the healthcare system with more than $2 billion in treatment costs each year and are […]
Elderberry benefits air travelers
The negative health effects of international air travel are well documented but now it seems that the common elderberry can provide some relief. Associate Professor Evelin Tiralongo and Dr Shirley Wee from Griffith’s Menzies Health Institute Queensland (MHIQ) have completed a clinical trial showing that an elderberry supplement can provide some protection from cold and […]
Fried food linked to heightened risk of early death among older US women
Regularly eating fried food is linked with a heightened risk of death from any cause and heart-related death, among postmenopausal women, finds a US study in The BMJ today. Foods such as fried chicken and fried fish/shellfish were associated with a higher risk of heart-related death, particularly among younger women in the study (aged 50-65 […]