Period products come in a variety of styles — liners, pads, tampons, cups and underwear — to help people feel comfortable during a menstrual bleed. But their labels don’t usually list the ingredients, so consumers don’t know what’s in their product of choice. Now, researchers have analyzed over 100 period products for fluorinated compounds, an […]
Billions of nanoplastics released when microwaving baby food containers
The fastest way to heat food and drink might also rank as the fastest route to ingesting massive quantities of minuscule plastic particles, says new research from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Experiments have shown that microwaving plastic baby food containers available on the shelves of U.S. stores can release huge numbers of plastic particles — […]
Lipid researcher, 98, reports on the dietary causes of heart disease
A 98-year-old researcher argues that, contrary to decades of clinical assumptions and advice to patients, dietary cholesterol is good for your heart — unless that cholesterol is unnaturally oxidized (by frying foods in reused oil, eating lots of polyunsaturated fats, or smoking). The researcher, Fred Kummerow, an emeritus professor of comparative biosciences at the University […]
One avocado a day helps lower ‘bad’ cholesterol for heart healthy benefits
Move over, apples — research from Penn State suggests that eating one avocado a day may help keep “bad cholesterol” at bay. According to the researchers, bad cholesterol can refer to both oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and small, dense LDL particles. In a randomized, controlled feeding study, the researchers found that eating one avocado a […]
Snap! Crackle! Pop! Electric bug zappers are useless for controlling mosquitoes
If mosquitoes and other insects are taking a bite out of your summer fun, don’t bother with one of those electric bug zappers, says a University of Florida pest control expert. “They are a total waste of money. Bug zappers will not control mosquitoes or other biting insects such as horseflies, dogflies or deerflies,” said […]
Common Pain Cream Could Protect Heart During Attack
Research from the University of Cincinnati shows that a common, over-the-counter pain salve rubbed on the skin during a heart attack could serve as a cardiac-protectant, preventing or reducing damage to the heart while interventions are administered. These findings are published in the Sept. 14 edition of the journal Circulation. Keith Jones, PhD, a researcher in […]
WHO advises not to use non-sugar sweeteners for weight control
The World Health Organization (WHO) has released a new guideline on non-sugar sweeteners (NSS), which recommends against the use of NSS to control body weight or reduce the risk of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). The recommendation is based on the findings of a systematic review of the available evidence which suggests that use of NSS does […]
Most U.S. children use potentially toxic makeup products, often during play
A study by scientists at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and Earthjustice found that most children in the United States use makeup and body products that may contain carcinogens and other toxic chemicals. Results are published in the peer-reviewed International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. The study, based on more than 200 […]
10 pesticides toxic to neurons involved in Parkinson’s
Researchers at UCLA Health and Harvard have identified 10 pesticides that significantly damaged neurons implicated in the development of Parkinson’s disease, providing new clues about environmental toxins’ role in the disease. While environmental factors such as pesticide exposure have long been linked to Parkinson’s, it has been harder to pinpoint which pesticides may raise risk […]
Soaking Potatoes In Water Before Frying Reduces Acrylamide
Good news for chips lovers everywhere — new research in the journal Science of Food and Agriculture shows that pre-soaking potatoes in water before frying can reduce levels of acrylamide. Acrylamide is a naturally occurring chemical that occurs when starch rich foods are cooked at high temperatures, such as frying, baking, grilling or roasting. There […]