Public Health
First responders working at ground zero in New York City following the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center were exposed to cement dust, smoke, glass fibers, and heavy metals.
Research presented at the American Society of Nephrology Kidney Week 2013 in Atlanta, GA say exposure to high levels of such particulate matter caused significant damage to first responders' kidneys.
But aren't first responders generally exposed to particulate matter? Where there's smoke, there's fire, and that is where you find firefighters. And where there is smoke, you also find particulate…
Hank |
Anaphylaxis is a severe, sometimes life-threatening allergic reaction. After being exposed to a substance, sometimes even for the first time, the body releases histamine, allergen fighting antibody immunoglobulin E and other substances, which can cause airways to tighten and other symptoms.
Anaphylaxis has occurred, and been known about, basically forever. Charles Richet coined the modern term and got a Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1913 for his work.
There's a difference between a reaction, an allergy and actual anaphylaxis. Some dyes, x-rays and even aspirin can cause a reaction in…
From gluten allergy and hypoallergenic pets, to avoiding the flu shot because of an egg allergy, there are a lot of common myths and misconceptions about allergies.
The power of the Internet is such that anyone selling a product or a world view that relies on deception or doubt has a ready outlet - while many are just kooky or harmless, some of the misconceptions can be damaging to public health if vaccinations are skipped and extreme dietary avoidances are taken. An astonishing 72 percent of users turn to Internet sources of suspect value for health information.
A…
Can you prevent the flu? Sure you can. Don't come into contact with someone who has the flu, or get a vaccine.
Can diet do it? A group of researchers say bacteria found in a traditional Japanese pickle can - and they have primed mainstream science media for coverage by declaring it the next superfood.
Their study found immune-boosting powers of Lactobacillus brevis from Suguki, a pickled turnip popular in Japan, in mice that were exposed to a flu virus.
Suguki enthusiasts have often cited its protective powers but there has been no evidence beyond anecdotes - like buying magic rocks to ward…
miles |
Many doctors agree that abnormally high level of cholesterol in the blood can lead to hypertension and/or heart problems (MNT, 2013).
Doctors often advise their patients to reduce the level of cholesterol in their blood through dieting, exercising, or even by taking cholesterol-reducing drugs such as statins; but never will they advise one to masturbate. Maybe, they are afraid that “masturbating” is contrary to the patient's customs and/or moral/ beliefs, or perhaps it is because there are not enough studies to show that masturbation can reduce cholesterol level in the…
If you have wondered why a disease like anorexia seems to impact primarily middle class white girls, a new paper in JAMA Pediatrics will shed some new light on the issue.
A new paper analyzed survey responses of 5,527 teenage males from across the U.S.and found that 17.9% of these young men are suffering under the yoke of female body expectations and are extremely concerned about their weight and physique. These boys were found to be more likely to start engaging in risky behaviors, including drug use and frequent binge drinking.
Evaluations for eating disorders have been developed to…
Occupational, recreational and environmental noise exposure poses a serious public health threat going far beyond hearing damage, according to a new review in The Lancet.
The analysis team examined the latest research on noise's impact on an array of health indicators, including hearing loss, cardiovascular disease, cognitive performance, mental health, and sleep disturbance, in order to inform the medical community and lay public about the burden of both auditory and non-auditory effects of noise.
Occupational noise and its negative impact on hearing has been the most frequently…
Hank |
If you read mainstream media in 2013, you will learn that wheat and sugar are trying to kill you.
It's better not to take them too seriously. While science tends to be rather rigorous in its claims - peer review is an inherently prudent idea that conservative Russell Kirk was likely proud of - health advice is instead based on flitting from one fad to the next, and leading the charge today are the Four Horsemen of the Alternative, Drs. Chopra, Oz, Weil and Gupta, with foot soldiers like Mark Bittman and William Davis gathering up stragglers.
When I was a lad, the war was on red meat and eggs…
Pediatric musculoskeletal Staphylococcus aureus bacterial infections have been evolving over the past decade, with more children diagnosed with the more virulent, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) today than 10 years ago. The result is longer hospitals stays, more surgeries and other related complications.
The researchers studied pediatric patients with culture-positive Staphylococcus aureus, including MRSA and the less toxic methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA), between January 2001 and June 2010, at a major urban children's hospital.
There were 148 cases of…
There's a reason why organic food sickens far more people than conventional produce; a lack of science in agricultural practices.
Researchers have identified some agricultural management practices in the field that can either boost or reduce the risk of contamination in produce from two major foodborne pathogens: salmonella, the biggest single killer among the foodborne microbes, and Listeria monocytogenes.
Foodborne illness kills around 1,300 people annually in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Produce accounts for nearly half the illnesses and 23…