In recent years, cannabinoids — the active chemicals in medical marijuana — have been increasingly touted as a potential treatment for a range of neurological and psychiatric disorders. In a Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology review, investigators compare their efficacy with antiepileptic drugs for children with epilepsy. One cannabinoid, called cannabidiol (CBD), has the most evidence of […]
Chemical added to consumer products impairs response to antibiotic treatment
Grocery store aisles are stocked with products that promise to kill bacteria. People snap up those items to protect themselves from the germs that make them sick. However, new research from Washington University in St. Louis finds that a chemical that is supposed to kill bacteria is actually making them stronger and more capable of […]
Scented laundry products emit hazardous chemicals through dryer vents
The same researcher who used chemical sleuthing to deduce whats in fragranced consumer products now has turned her attention to the scented air wafting from household laundry vents. Findings, published online in the journal Air Quality, Atmosphere and Health, show that air vented from machines using the top-selling scented liquid laundry detergent and scented dryer […]
Microplastic contamination found in common source of groundwater
Microplastics contaminate the world’s surface waters, yet scientists have only just begun to explore their presence in groundwater systems. A new study is the first to report microplastics in fractured limestone aquifers – a groundwater source that accounts for 25 percent of the global drinking water supply. The study identified microplastic fibers, along with a […]
Broccoli may offer protection against liver cancer
Consumption of broccoli has increased in the United States over the last few decades as scientists have reported that eating the vegetable three to five times per week can lower the risk of many types of cancer including breast, prostate, and colon cancers. A new study from the University of Illinois reports that including broccoli […]
Scientists Discover Cinnamon Compounds’ Potential Ability to Prevent Alzheimer’s
Cinnamon: Can the red-brown spice with the unmistakable fragrance and variety of uses offer an important health benefit? The common baking spice might hold the key to delaying the onset of –– or warding off –– the effects of Alzheimer’s disease. That is, according to Roshni George and Donald Graves, scientists at UC Santa Barbara. […]
Pediatricians issue warning for parents not to microwave your kids’ food in plastic
Pediatricians have issued a warning for parents: don’t microwave your kids‘ food in plastic. Doctors say chemicals in the plastic pose health risks to children. The American Academy of Pediatrics say – in a statement published online – “that growing evidence that some chemicals found in food colorings, preservatives, and packaging materials may harm children’s health.” The Academy says […]
Exposure to chemical in Roundup increases risk for cancer
Exposure to glyphosate — the world’s most widely used, broad-spectrum herbicide and the primary ingredient in the weedkiller Roundup — increases the risk of some cancers by more than 40 percent, according to new research from the University of Washington. Various reviews and international assessments have come to different conclusions about whether glyphosate leads to cancer in […]
Pesticide Levels in Children and Adults Drop Dramatically After One Week of Eating Organic
A groundbreaking peer-reviewed study published today in the journal Environmental Research found that switching to an organic diet significantly reduced the levels of synthetic pesticides found in all participants – after less than one week. On average, the pesticide and pesticide metabolite levels detected dropped by 60.5% after just six days of eating an all-organic diet. The study, Organic Diet […]
The Bitter Price of Tropical Fruits
Sweet, healthy and delicious, and inexpensive to boot, pineapples are one of the world’s most desired fruits. On average, the world eats more than 26,000 tons of pineapples each year. But hidden beneath their low-price tag lies an industry riddled with heavy pesticide use, water pollution, deforestation and the exploitation of farmworkers, who are forced […]