Honey bees pollinate the crops we eat and provide honey. Where they forage for nectar now has gained nutritional importance: What they eat determines the level of antioxidants in honey, according to new research. In a study that analyzed 19 samples of honey from 14 different floral sources, University of Illinois scientists found that honey […]
Chemicals in lavender and tea tree oil appear to be hormone disruptors
A new study lends further evidence to a suspected link between abnormal breast growth in young boys — called prepubertal gynecomastia — and regular exposure to lavender or tea tree oil, by finding that key chemicals in these common plant-derived oils act as endocrine-disrupting chemicals. The study results will be presented Monday at ENDO 2018, […]
Clean: The New Science of Skin
A preventative medicine physician and staff writer for The Atlantic explains the surprising and unintended effects of our hygiene practices in this informative and entertaining introduction to the new science of skin microbes and probiotics. Keeping skin healthy is a booming industry, and yet it seems like almost no one agrees on what actually works. Confusing messages from health authorities and ineffective treatments […]
Processed foods highly correlated with obesity epidemic in the US
As food consumed in the U.S. becomes more and more processed, obesity may become more prevalent. Through reviewing overall trends in food, George Washington University (GW) researcher Leigh A. Frame, PhD, MHS, concluded that detailed recommendations to improve diet quality and overall nutrition are needed for consumers, who are prioritizing food that is cheaper and […]
Ulcerative colitis linked to missing gut microbes
About 1 million people in the United States have ulcerative colitis, a serious disease of the colon that has no cure and whose cause is obscure. Now, a study by Stanford University School of Medicine investigators has tied the condition to a missing microbe. The microbe makes metabolites that help keep the gut healthy. “This […]
Your iPhone 12 and its accessories can interfere with pacemaker behavior
According to a recent study in the Heart Rhythm Journal, the iPhone 12 and its accessories can interfere with an ICD’s behavior, and even stop it from working. If you or someone you know has an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD), you may want to avoid using an iPhone 12. The study found several components within the […]
Turmeric could have antiviral properties
Curcumin, a natural compound found in the spice turmeric, could help eliminate certain viruses, research has found. A study published in the Journal of General Virology showed that curcumin can prevent Transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) — an alpha-group coronavirus that infects pigs — from infecting cells. At higher doses, the compound was also found to kill virus […]
Elderberry compounds could help minimize flu symptoms, study suggests
Folk medicines and herbal products have been used for millennia to combat a whole range of ailments, at times to the chagrin of modern scientists who have struggled to explain their medicinal benefits. However, a recent study by a group of Chemical and Biomlolecular Engineering researchers from the University of Sydney’s Faculty of Engineering and […]
Using copper to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses
New research from the University of Southampton has found that copper can effectively help to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, which are linked to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). Animal coronaviruses that ‘host jump’ to humans, such as SARS and MERS, result in severe infections with high mortality. […]
Popular Cold And Cough Treatment May Create Respiratory Distress In Young Children
New research out of Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center suggests that Vicks® VapoRub®, the popular menthol compound used to relieve symptoms of cough and congestion, may instead create respiratory distress in infants and small children. Vicks VapoRub may stimulate mucus production and airway inflammation, which can have severe effects on breathing in an infant […]