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 […]
Early research indicates vaping impairs lung immune function
Lung cell impairment can occur with exposure to e-cigarettes, but other short and long-term effects of vaping remain unknown. The use of electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, is becoming increasingly popular in the United States, especially amongst teenagers. An e-cigarette is a device that produces an aerosol by heating a liquid, allowing users to inhale the […]
Likelihood of tick bite to cause red meat allergy could be higher than previously thought
Until now it has been believed that in order for a tick to trigger an allergic immune response to alpha-gal in humans, the tick would need to have recently fed on the alpha-gal-rich blood of a mammal. New research from the UNC School of Medicine presented at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology […]
Compound derived from marijuana may benefit children with epilepsy
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 […]
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 […]
Phthalates may impair fertility in female mice
A phthalate found in many plastic and personal care products may decrease fertility in female mice, a new study found. Researchers at the University of Illinois found that giving female mice oral doses of the phthalate DiNP for 10 days disrupted their reproductive cycles, decreasing their ability to become pregnant for up to nine months […]
Laughter may be best medicine — for brain surgery
Neuroscientists at Emory University School of Medicine have discovered a focal pathway in the brain that when electrically stimulated causes immediate laughter, followed by a sense of calm and happiness, even during awake brain surgery. The effects of stimulation were observed in an epilepsy patient undergoing diagnostic monitoring for seizure diagnosis. These effects were then […]