December 13, 2016

Carcinogens Lurking In Consumer Goods

WASHINGTON – Last week, the Environmental Protection Agency named the first 10 chemicals it will evaluate under the new Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, the first update since 1976 of the nation’s primary toxic substances law. The safety reviews could lead to bans or restrictions on a number of hazardous chemicals in consumer products and workplaces, including asbestos, paint strippers, flame retardants and solvents. The first 10 were selected from the Toxic Substances Control Act Work Plan, a list of 90 chemicals chosen based on their hazards and the public’s potential exposure, as well as […]
November 20, 2016

How To Eat To Avoid Acne

Acne is the bane of adolescence. It can make a self-conscious teenager feel even more insecure. For decades, dermatologists insisted that diet didn’t matter. Sometimes they cautioned against high-fat foods like milkshakes, but more often the dermatology dogma was that there was no relationship between what you ate and how your face looked (Clinical Dermatology, September-October 2004; Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery, June 2005). It turns out that they were wrong on both counts. Research now shows that diet does matter and also that low-fat dairy products are worse than full fat when it comes to complexion. Starting around […]
November 19, 2016

Latest Vitamin D Research Suggests Life Span Link

New understanding of vitamin D’s manifold benefits continues to expand. In an investigation published in the October 25, 2016 issue of Cell Reports, a team from the Buck Institute for Research on Aging found that the vitamin extended median lifespan by a third in the roundworm C. elegans and helped support protein homeostasis:  the ability of proteins to maintain shape and function. “Vitamin D3 reduced the age-dependent formation of insoluble proteins across a wide range of predicted functions and cellular compartments, supporting our hypothesis that decreasing protein insolubility can prolong lifespan,” reported research team leader Karla Mark, PhD. “Vitamin D […]
November 18, 2016

We Should All Be Longin’ For Longan

Longans are natives of Southeast Asia and related to lychees and rambutans. Growing up in the Philippines, we ate longans like candy (but longans are much better for you). Like lychees, the fruit is sweet and succulent, but they are a little smaller and the sweetness is a little drier. They’re eaten fresh and also used soups, snacks, desserts, and sweet-and-sour foods. They’re also easy to eat — just peel off the smooth skin to get to the fruit, then eat it like a cherry, removing the seed. It better to wait until just before serving to peel the fruit.  […]
November 18, 2016

EWG Announces Initiative For Children’s Health

WASHINGTON – With the generous support of the Jonas Family Fund, EWG is launching the Jonas Initiative for Children’s Environmental Health, redoubling EWG’s decades-long commitment to children’s environmental health with a bold new research and advocacy agenda for 2017 and beyond, both organizations announced today. “The mounting evidence connecting children’s exposures to environmental contaminants and serious, life-altering health problems continues to grow,” said Ken Cook, president and co-founder of EWG. “We know that toxic chemical exposures affect the well-being of our kids. This new partnership between EWG and the Jonas Family Fund will bolster the current body of children’s health […]
November 15, 2016

Focus On Omega-3s Rather Than Calories

To help manage the obesity pandemic, governments should focus on the restoration of an optimal balance of omega 6 to omega 3 fatty acids rather than on calories, according to an editorial appearing recently in the journal Open Heart. An imbalance in the amount of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids consumed is a relatively new phenomenon that was never a part of human evolution, note authors Artemis Simopoulos of the Center for Genetics, Nutrition, and Health in Washington DC, and James DiNicolantonio of Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute in Kansas City, Missouri.  Historically, humans have consumed equal amounts of omega […]
November 14, 2016

Heart Can Be Boosted By Chocolate

One piece of dark chocolate a day could prevent heart disease and reduce insulin levels, scientists have discovered. Revealing further benefits of cocoa to the body, research found that chocolate increases “good” cholesterol when eaten in amounts of between 200 and 600 milligrams a day. The benefits depend on the amount of cocoa taken, making plain chocolate better than white or milk varieties. Experts who orchestrated the randomised controlled trials (RCTs) claim the study shows the “urgent need” for more research. Report author Dr Simin Liu, professor and director of the Centre for Global Cardiometabolic Health at Brown University, USA, […]
October 31, 2016

Ancient Grains May Lower Risk of Heart Problems

Eating bread made from trendy ancient grains such as spelt, barley or quinoa protects against heart disease, according to new research. The study shows eating bread made with ancient grains could help lower cholesterol and blood glucose — leading risk factors for heart attacks and strokes. The researchers said that compared to modern grain varieties, which are often heavily refined, ancient grains offer antioxidant and anti-inflammatory profiles. They also contain beneficial vitamins (B and E), as well as minerals such as magnesium, iron and potassium which protect against chronic diseases. The Italian research team said the findings, published in the […]
October 28, 2016

Can Green Tea Help Ease Tendinitis?

Study Data from State University of Campinas Provide New Insights into Tendinitis (Green Tea and Glycine Modulate the Activity of Metalloproteinases and Collagen in the Tendinitis of the Myotendinous Junction of the Achilles Tendon) By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Health & Medicine Week — Investigators publish new report on Tendinitis. According to news reporting from Sao Paulo, Brazil, by NewsRx journalists, research stated, “The myotendinous junction (MTJ) is the weakest element in the muscle-tendon unit of the heel, and thus the most susceptible to injuries. The scarcity of adequate treatments means that tendinitis is a major concern to […]