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Published on Leave a comment on California Is Finally Taking Steps To Ban A Highly Toxic Pesticide

For years it has been known that the pesticide paraquat has serious health effects, which is why it is banned in so many countries - but not the US. But California, the US's largest user of the toxic pesticide, is now the second state to ban the use of the pesticide. It is considered the deadliest pesticide used in agriculture in the US.

Paraquat is a herbicide (weed-killer) that is strongly linked to (causes) Parkinson's disease, and is known to damage the lungs, kidneys. liver, cardiac system, and other bodily systems. While it is banned in more than 70 countries world-wide (e.g., the EU, China, UK, Brazil), the EPA reapproved its use in 2024. More than 10 million pounds annually are sprayed on US crops (e.g., soybeans, almonds, walnuts, cotton), with the most used in California.

Once again, the US is lagging behind other countries in safety and health regulations. Unfortunately, the current EPA is led by persons affiliated with the chemical industry. No wonder it's big industry first in all decisions!

Excerpts from The Guardian: California bans paraquat, highly toxic herbicide outlawed in more than 70 countries

California is banning paraquat, a highly toxic, controversial herbicide used across millions of acres of American cropland. ...continue reading "California Is Finally Taking Steps To Ban A Highly Toxic Pesticide"

Published on Leave a comment on Residents of a NY Town, Parkinson’s Disease, and the Pesticide Paraquat

Stories about the toxic pesticide paraquat keep coming. Paraquat is a herbicide (weed-killer) that is strongly associated (causes) Parkinson's disease plus other health harms. This pesticide is banned in over 70 countries world-wide due to its known health harms, but not the US.

California recently took steps to ban the pesticide, but people in New York state are also demanding a ban. The Guardian recently wrote an investigative piece describing the elevated incidence of Parkinson's disease among residents in the rural farming community of Hebron in upstate NY.

The residents want a state-wide ban on the use of paraquat. They say that too many of them have developed Parkinson's disease due to the use of paraquat in their area.

Paraquat is a herbicide (weed-killer) that is strongly linked to (causes) Parkinson's disease, and is known to damage the lungs, kidneys. liver, cardiac system, and other bodily systems. While it is banned in more than 70 countries world-wide (e.g., the EU, China, UK, Brazil), the EPA reapproved its use in 2024. More than 10 million pounds annually are sprayed on US crops (e.g., soybeans, almonds, walnuts, cotton).

Excerpts from the Guardian: The herbicide haunting a New York farm town

Gordon Chaplin gingerly stepped out of the car at the top of the steep hill behind his farmhouse, sporting a bandage on his hand from a fall the day before. He gripped his cane as he shuffled through the knee-high grass. He stopped every few feet to catch his breath, leaning on his caregiver for support. ...continue reading "Residents of a NY Town, Parkinson’s Disease, and the Pesticide Paraquat"

Published on Leave a comment on July Was Hot, Hot, Hot

It was incredibly hot last month. So hot that that the lower 48 United States broke all records since record-keeping started in 1895. But globally, Earth's temperature (surface temperature) in July was tied with 2024 as the warmest July since global record-keeping began in 1850.

An example of extreme heat in the US was Arizona - while many days in Phoenix hit over 110 degrees F, on July 24 they recorded 117 degrees Fahrenheit. The second article (scroll down) lists the hottest temperature recorded globally in July:  126.9 °F (52.7 degrees C) Omidieh (Omidiyeh), Iran on July 14. Population estimates for Omidieh in 2026 are about 84,000 people.

Scientists say the increased warmth is due to global warming and climate change tied to fossil fuels (gas, oil, coal). Yet we are doing nothing about it in the US. Instead, it's business as usual - "Drill, baby, drill"!

From AP News: Contiguous US breaks its record for hottest month ever, NOAA says

 The contiguous United States sizzled to its hottest month ever last month, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

July averaged 76.89 degrees Fahrenheit (24.94 degrees Celsius) across the Lower 48 states, eclipsing the Dust Bowl’s July 1936 by an eighth of a degree. Records go back to 1895. ...continue reading "July Was Hot, Hot, Hot"

Published on Leave a comment on Full-Fat Dairy Products Have Health Benefits
Glass of whole milk

For years health professionals advised everyone to avoid whole fat dairy products. They said all that saturated fat was unhealthy, but studies from the last decade is proving that advice wrong. Recent studies have found that consuming full-fat dairy products, including whole milk, is associated with a number of health benefits.

The latest is a Canadian study that found health benefits (e.g., lower blood pressure, and increased ingestion of protein, vitamin D, and calcium) from consuming three servings of full-fat dairy products daily for 12 weeks. The full-fat dairy products were milk, yogurt, and cheese. There were no negative health effects (e.g., in weight, cholesterol levels, lipids, insulin resistance) when compared to two other groups that did not consume full-fat dairy.

Interestingly, all the study participants had metabolic syndrome, so the researchers were pleasantly surprised to see health benefits and no adverse effects from consuming all that full-fat dairy.

Bottom line: Stop avoiding full-fat dairy! Dairy products are healthy for us.

From Science Daily: For decades, we were told to choose low-fat dairy. New research says otherwise

A new Canadian study led by University of Toronto professor Harvey Anderson adds to growing evidence that full-fat dairy can be part of a healthy diet. ...continue reading "Full-Fat Dairy Products Have Health Benefits"

Published on Leave a comment on Rescue Boat Crews And Brain Injuries From Years of Crashing Through High Waves

Could it be that rescue boat crews (surf rescuers) can suffer with brain damage from constant or frequent exposure to very high waves? And that this is being ignored by the Coast Guard? The answer is YES - brain damage is occurring and it is not being acknowledged by the US Coast Guard.

The NY Times just published a very interesting article about this issue. Highly trained elite rescuers rescue people in the roughest seas - which involves driving lifeboats multiple times each day through crashing waves as high as 25 feet, which they describe as similar to "being in a car crash". The rescuers go through training and rescues for years. But now many are reporting neurological issues typical of brain injuries, including headaches, memory problems, cognitive problems, anxiety attacks, and mood swings.

But only from questioning by NY Times reporters has the Coast Guard finally admitted: "brain injuries caused by impacts with waves were an emerging concern". But so far the Coast Guard has not studied the "hazard that waves may pose to the brain and knows little about the force of the hits or the consequences of years of exposure".

Excerpts from NY Times: Rescue Boat Crews Show Signs of Brain Injuries, but Coast Guard Isn’t Looking

Brett Bonner saved hundreds of lives during 21 years on rescue boats in the Coast Guard. When he died, his teenage daughter Kayleigh wondered why he couldn’t save his own.

He was a big, gregarious man who seemed able to handle anything. But as Kayleigh grew up, she watched him slowly fall apart. First came headaches. Then sleeplessness. His memory frayed and his moods turned raw. ...continue reading "Rescue Boat Crews And Brain Injuries From Years of Crashing Through High Waves"

Published on Leave a comment on The Farm Bill and Pesticide Liability

There was a huge blow to anyone concerned with hidden (by pesticide manufacturers) health effects of pesticides this week. Senate Republican members of the Senate Farm Appropriations Committee voted down an amendment to the Senate farm bill that would have enabled lawsuits against pesticide manufacturers when pesticide health effects and harms are revealed.

The amendment, which was proposed by Senator Booker, also stated that if a product causes cancer, it should be on the pesticide label.

The only good news is that the farm bill did not advance out of committee this week. But it will reconsider the farm bill in September. If the farm bill passes as it is written, only what is on pesticide labels can be acknowledged - and it generally just talks about immediate acute effects, such as skin irritation.

Cancer, neurological harms, effects on the fetus, long-term harms, etc. are typically not on pesticide labels, even if pesticide companies know of  harmful health effects (hiding harmful effects is called "failure to warn"). Basically, not allowing consumers to sue pesticide companies is a screw you to Americans.

And yes, the voting was along party lines - Republicans don't want us to be able to sue if health harms are found, while Democrats voted to preserve the right to sue.

From The Hill: Republicans vote down farm bill amendment enabling lawsuits against pesticide companies, a blow to MAHA

Senate Republicans on Thursday voted down an amendment that sought to open up Americans’ ability to sue pesticide companies over the health impacts of their products. ...continue reading "The Farm Bill and Pesticide Liability"

Published on Leave a comment on Sauna Sessions Boost Immune Cell Release Into Bloodstream
Finnish sauna Credit: Wikipedia

For years sauna lovers have been praising the health benefits of hot sauna sessions, with studies finding reduced risk of hypertension, sudden cardiac death, stroke, dementia, and a lower risk of a number of respiratory conditions. A study from Finland suggests why these benefits from sauna sessions occur.

Researchers in Finland found that one 30 minute session of sauna heat increases beneficial immune effects by releasing more infection-fighting white blood cells into the bloodstream - an "immune cell mobilization". This effect is temporary.

The participants (51 healthy males and females, average age 50 years) in the study were exposed to traditional Finnish sauna sessions - with dry air and a relatively high temperature. The sessions lasted 30 minutes, with a brief cold shower midway during the session to cool down. They could drink water during and after the sauna sessions.

Physical activity also results in a similar temporary release of white blood cells. This is considered beneficial.

From Science Daily: A single sauna session sends immune cells surging

A new Finnish study suggests that spending time in a sauna can temporarily move more white blood cells into the bloodstream. These immune cells help the body detect and respond to pathogens and disease. ...continue reading "Sauna Sessions Boost Immune Cell Release Into Bloodstream"

Published on Leave a comment on Some Weight Loss Drugs Can Result In Menstrual Related Problems

It looks like another health problem has popped up with some of the weight loss drugs so many women of reproductive age are now taking. This time menstrual related events, including heavy menstrual bleeding, blood clots, and frequency of menstrual bleeding.

Researchers looked at data in the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System for 3 weight loss drugs (Semaglutide, Tirzepatide, and Liraglutide), which are glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists. They found that females aged 12 to 55 years (reproductive age) reported problems with 2 of the weight-loss drugs. Semaglutide had the most adverse reports: heavy menstrual bleeding, intermenstrual bleeding, menstrual clots, infrequent menstrual periods (oligomenorrhea), and cycles without ovulation (anovulatory cycles). Tirzepatide had reports of intermenstrual bleeding and menstrual clots, and Liraglutide had by far the fewest adverse reports ("produced no significant signals").

From Medscape: Menstrual Clots and Heavy Bleeding Linked to Popular Weight-Loss Drugs

GLP-1 receptor agonists (RAs), particularly semaglutide, are associated with disproportionate reporting of menstrual adverse events including heavy bleeding, intermenstrual bleeding, and menstrual clots in reproductive-aged female patients. Tirzepatide showed signals for intermenstrual bleeding and menstrual clots. ...continue reading "Some Weight Loss Drugs Can Result In Menstrual Related Problems"

Published on Leave a comment on Male Testosterone Levels Show A Steep Decline Over Last Fifty Years
Human sperm Credit: Wikipedia

Uh-oh. Things are looking worse and worse for male fertility. Studies already are finding that human sperm count is going down year after year throughout the world. But a recent study also found that testosterone levels are going down in men.

According to a study presented at the July 2026 meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, testosterone levels in men have declined 54% between 1972 and 2019. This is a decline of more than 1% per year. Scientists are referring to this as a "major crisis in male reproductive health".

And no, the answer is not just giving men testosterone. As researchers have pointed out:  this suppresses or "cuts off sperm production".

Instead, it would be much, much better to address the causes of the drop in male sperm counts and lowered testosterone - for example, pesticides, endocrine disruptors (e.g., phthalates, bisphenols), heavy metals, microplastics, and pollution. These are all known to adversely affect male reproduction.

Excerpts from The Guardian: Men’s average testosterone levels have halved in last 50 years, say scientists

Men’s average testosterone levels have halved over the past 50 years, according to scientists, who say society is facing a male fertility crisis. ...continue reading "Male Testosterone Levels Show A Steep Decline Over Last Fifty Years"

Published on Leave a comment on A Mediterranean Style Diet Cuts the Risk of Developing Heart Disease
Mediterranean diet Credit: Wikipedia

People have been arguing for years over what kinds of foods and dietary patterns are best for health, with many studies finding that a Mediterranean style diet is best for health.  Another recent study found that a Mediterranean-style diet rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, whole grains, fish, and dairy is best for heart health when compared to other diets.

The study of 3042 Greek adults found that those following a plant-based style diet (basically a Mediterranean-style diet) had a 26% lower risk of developing heart disease over a 20 year period, when compared to either a Western diet rich in processed meat and ultra-processed foods, or to a high-calorie, but low-white-meat dietary pattern.

The high calorie, low white-meat diet seemed especially unhealthy. They also found that physical activity reduced heart disease (cardiovascular disease) risk, but smoking increased it.

Physical activity reduced CVD risk, while smoking increased it.

Excerpts from Medical News: Plant-based Mediterranean-style diet cuts heart disease risk by 26%

A recent European Journal of Nutrition study examined common dietary patterns in a Mediterranean cohort and assessed their long-term associations with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and outcomes. 

Poor dietary habits, especially inadequate consumption of nutrient-dense foods, remain a leading modifiable risk factor. ...continue reading "A Mediterranean Style Diet Cuts the Risk of Developing Heart Disease"