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Published on Leave a comment on Children’s Clothing Can Contain Harmful Levels of Lead

Did you know that many items of children's clothing can contain lead? This surprising finding was presented by researchers at the spring 2026 meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS).

Researchers tested 11 shirts from four retailers, including fast fashion and discount retailers. They found that every sample contained lead that exceeded US safety (federal regulatory) limits - which is 100 ppm. Brightly colored fabrics, especially red and yellow, had particularly high levels.

The researchers than analyzed how much lead would be transferred if chewed, sucked, or held by a child. They found that such exposure would exceed the daily lead ingestion limit for children. This means young children may be exposed to especially high and dangerous levels if they briefly chew or suck on their clothes - which many children do.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission currently has a 100-parts-per-million (ppm) lead limit for children’s products like toys and clothing. Apparently some manufacturers use lead acetate as an inexpensive way to help dyes stick to the materials and produce bright, long-lasting color. And yes, there are safe alternatives to lead acetate that fix dyes to fabrics and keep them vibrant.

By the way, there is no safe level for lead. It is always dangerous and can cause nervous system damage, including lower IQs.

From Science Daily: Study finds dangerous lead levels in children’s clothing

Fast fashion offers an affordable way to keep up with kids who quickly outgrow their clothes. But new early research suggests that some of these garments may contain a dangerous substance: lead. After analyzing shirts from several retailers, undergraduate researchers found that every item tested exceeded U.S. federal safety limits for lead. Their findings also suggest that even brief chewing on these fabrics (which young children often do) could expose kids to unsafe levels. ...continue reading "Children’s Clothing Can Contain Harmful Levels of Lead"

Published on Leave a comment on A Daily Glass of Wine Is Associated With A Slower Rate of Aging

Several studies have recently been published that push back at the idea that all alcohol intake has negative health effects. Actual results are more nuanced. High alcohol intake is always harmful, but low to moderate intake appears to be protective for a number of health conditions. In fact, low to moderate intake appears to be better for health than totally abstaining from alcohol.

Similar to research reported in the last post, another recent study looking at alcohol consumption found that low to moderate alcohol consumption has beneficial health effects (is protective). Again, a J curve finding that low to moderate intake best delays biological aging (as measured by biomarker measurements), then alcohol never or rarely consumed, and finally that high intake was harmful - it canceled any alcohol protective effects. In other words, low to moderate alcohol consumption slows down aging.

The most beneficial effects were at 1 to 2 glasses of wine per day. These associations were predominantly in men, and these effects went hand in hand with eating a Mediterranean diet. The Mediterranean diet is eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, beans, and olive oil. The researchers thought that compounds such as polyphenols in wine could play a role in why low to moderate alcohol consumption was beneficial.

From Medical Life Sciences News: Moderate wine intake tied to slower biological aging in men

A large Italian cohort study suggests that moderate wine intake, as defined within a traditional Mediterranean diet, may be associated with slightly slower biological aging in men, whereas total alcohol intake showed a different, less favorable pattern. ...continue reading "A Daily Glass of Wine Is Associated With A Slower Rate of Aging"

Published on Leave a comment on Some Wine With Dinner Can Have Health Benefits

It seems that in the last few years all alcohol intake has been demonized, with warnings that any alcohol can increase the risk of cancer. What is not typically mentioned are the studies finding health benefits from consuming low to moderate levels of alcohol. Especially wine consumed with a meal.

Studies for years have found a J curve in health effects - with low to moderate levels of alcohol consumed best for health, and no alcohol or rarely consumed a little worse,  and high levels of alcohol consumption having the most negative health effects. In other words, low to moderate alcohol consumption (e.g., 1 glass wine daily) can be protective for certain health conditions.

The following study found that consuming low to moderate levels of wine is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks, in older adults (mean age 68 years). Best was consuming between half a glass and one glass per day of wine - a 50% lower chance of cardiovascular events.

From Science Daily: New evidence on the relationship between moderate wine consumption and cardiovascular health

Light and moderate consumption of wine is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular complications, according to a multicenter study. The study is based on the analysis of a biomarker of wine intake -- specifically, tartaric acid, present in grapes. It was carried out in 1,232 participants in the PREDIMED project, a major scientific epidemiological study in nutrition on the effects of the Mediterranean diet on cardiovascular health. ...continue reading "Some Wine With Dinner Can Have Health Benefits"

Published on Leave a comment on High-Dose Flu Vaccines Lower the Risk of Developing Dementia
Human brain Credit: Wikipedia

The risk of developing dementia increases as a person ages. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH) the risk of dementia was 4% by the time a person is 75, and 20% by age 85, and even higher after 85 years of age. Thus the interest in ways to prevent the onset of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease.

One way to lower the risk of Alzheimer's disease is getting vaccinated, including the shingles and flu vaccines, after the age of 60. A recent study found that getting vaccinated with high dose flu vaccines in adults 65 years and older (instead of standard dose) reduces the odds of developing Alzheimer's disease even more.

A possible reason for the protective effect of the flu vaccine, especially the high-dose vaccine, is that vaccination strengthens immune defenses and reduces inflammation. Inflammation is thought to play a role in the development of Alzheimer's disease.

Excerpts from CIDRAP: High-dose flu vaccine tied to lower Alzheimer’s risk in older adults

Receiving a high-dose flu vaccine is associated with a significantly lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease than a standard-dose vaccine in adults aged 65 and older, according to a large observational study published in Neurology. The findings add to a growing body of evidence linking vaccination, and possibly immune system activity, to reduced dementia risk. ...continue reading "High-Dose Flu Vaccines Lower the Risk of Developing Dementia"

Published on Leave a comment on Measles Can Be Deadly
Child with measles rash Credit: CDC

In the year 2000 the United States had a "measles elimination status" meaning measles had been eliminated in the US, but that's now over. So far in 2026 there have been 1671 measles infections, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In this past week alone there were almost 100 new cases, almost all in Utah.

Measles infections (which are bad enough) can have very serious complications, including death. According to the CDC these include severe ear infections (leading to hearing loss), severe diarrhea, pneumonia (can cause death), encephalitis (brain swelling) resulting in permanent brain damage, complications during pregnancy, and even the rare fatal condition subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) that can occur years later (typically 4 to 8 years later).

Scary facts about measles (from the CDC): about 1 in 5 unvaccinated people in the US who get measles is hospitalized, about 1 child out of every 1000 who get measles will develop encephalitis (brain swelling), and nearly 1 to 3 of every 1000 children who become infected with measles will die from respiratory and neurologic complications.

Yeah, the measles vaccine works, but only if you get vaccinated. By the way, a measles infection is especially deadly to babies because they are still too young to get vaccinated - which normally occurs at 12 to 15 months of age,

Excerpts from rom CIDRAP (Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy): US nears 1,700 measles cases, with 73 new infections in Utah

US measles cases climbed by almost 100 in the past week, reaching 1,671 infections, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today in its weekly update. The vast majority of the 96 new cases are in Utah. ...continue reading "Measles Can Be Deadly"

Published on Leave a comment on Smokeless Fuels Produce More Ultrafine Particles That Get Into Lungs
Fireplace Credit: Wikipedia

Another example of unintended consequences: a recent study found that smokeless or low-smoke fuels actually produce more ultrafine particles, which can wind up embedded deep in the lungs and even cross the blood-brain barrier. Thus having health effects, such as lung inflammation.

On the other hand, it has long been known that regular smoke from burning wood or coal contains larger particles, which also have health effects (respiratory and cardiovascular effects).

Ultrafine particles are less than 100 nm (nanometer) in diameter. Truly tiny.

Excerpts from The Guardian: ‘Smokeless’ fuels produce more ultrafine particles that get embedded in lungs, study shows

New research has found that burning “smokeless” or low-smoke fuels may be causing new air pollution hazards on streets and in homes.

These fuels are sold as alternatives to burning coal, wood and peat at home, but tests reveal their smoke contains large quantities of tiny ultrafine particles, smaller than the wavelength of light, that can deposit themselves deep in our lungs. ...continue reading "Smokeless Fuels Produce More Ultrafine Particles That Get Into Lungs"

Published on Leave a comment on Many Baby and Toddler Foods Are Ultra-Processed
Yogurt with ultra-processed ingredients Credit: Wikipedia

There is concern in the United States about the increasing rates of colon cancer in young persons. Currently it is the leading cause of cancer in persons under 50 years. Some possible causes being examined are ultra-processed foods (over 50% of calories eaten daily by Americans), low fiber intake, and microplastics.

This is why the results of a recent study are especially concerning: about 71% of baby and toddler foods sold in the United States are ultra-processed. Snack sized packages and pouches were especially likely to having ultra-processed ingredients, as well as high levels of sugar and sodium (salt).

How to recognize ultra-processed foods? Read ingredient labels and if there is something that normally is not found in a person's kitchen, then it is ultra-processed. [Good book about this topic: Ultra-Processed People]

Examples of ingredients found in ultra-processed foods: emulsifiers, carrageenan, mono- and diglycerides, soy lecithin, polysorbate, cellulose, colors, titanium dioxide, high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, dextrose, whey protein, nitrates, artificial flavors, natural flavors, colors, etc. Natural flavors are laboratory concoctions, even if they are "organic".

Excerpts from Food and Wine: Nearly 3 in 4 Packaged Baby-Food Products Sold in the US Are Ultra-Processed, Study Finds

  • A new study by The George Institute for Global Health found that 71% of baby and toddler foods sold in major U.S. grocery stores are ultra-processed.
  • Researchers identified more than 100 different additives in these products, with general additives, flavor enhancers, and thickeners among the most common.

...continue reading "Many Baby and Toddler Foods Are Ultra-Processed"

Published on Leave a comment on Global Warming Is Now Accelerating

The past few years have been the hottest globally since records have been kept, and have broken temperature records. And the pace of global warming is accelerating! The rate has surged so much that it is nearly double what it was in the 1970s. Yikes!

This means climate change is speeding up. Temperatures, storms, droughts, wildfires, and so on. Carbon dioxide levels are at the highest level in about 2 million years. All of this has been predicted by climate change models. So no - it is not just normal swings in climate. In fact, scientists feel we're close to Earth's tipping points (e.g, Atlantic Ocean currents weakening and slowing down.)

It is past time for governments to address this issue. But will they?

From YaleEnvironment360: Global Warming Is Accelerating, Study Shows

The Earth is warming at the fastest rate on record as emissions hit new highs and critical carbon sinks break down.

From Science Daily: Scientists detect a sudden acceleration in global warming

Global warming has been increasing at a faster pace since about 2015, according to a new study from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK). By adjusting global temperature records to remove known natural influences, researchers were able to identify a statistically significant rise in the rate of warming for the first time. ...continue reading "Global Warming Is Now Accelerating"

Published on Leave a comment on Eating Wild Blueberries Has Health Benefits

Some foods appear to have especially powerful health benefits. Berries are very beneficial, especially blueberries. (Or at least they have been studied more than other berries.) A recent study found that frequent or daily consumption of  wild blueberries is especially beneficial for cardiometabolic health, including vascular health.

Blueberries contain lots of fiber, polyphenols (which have powerful effects on vascular health), antioxidants, flavonoids (anthocyanins), and micronutrients. Wild blueberries have more of all these compared to farmed blueberries. Blueberries are especially beneficial for vascular health because they reduce inflammation and vascular dysfunction.

Bottom line: Researchers suggest eating daily half a cup to one cup blueberries, especially wild blueberries, for health benefits, such as lowering inflammation. (Less is good also - better to eat some than none)

Medical Xpress: Studies suggest Maine wild blueberries support gut and heart health

Wild blueberries—the iconic Maine crop dotting hillsides, decorating sweatshirts and adding personality to local menus—is more than a cultural symbol. More than 20 years of preclinical and clinical studies suggest that regularly consuming wild blueberries supports gut and heart health and may reduce risk factors associated with chronic disease. ...continue reading "Eating Wild Blueberries Has Health Benefits"

Published on Leave a comment on Sometimes Getting A Tattoo Can Result in Eye Problems
Tattoo Credit: Wikipedia

Tattoos are incredibly popular throughout the world. One rare, but very concerning result from getting a tattoo is tattoo-associated uveitis. This is an inflammation of the eye, which can even cause permanent vision loss.

The most common health complications of tattoos are local inflammations, infections, allergic reactions at the site of the tattoo, and other inflammatory immune responses. Uveitis is a rare inflammatory response, which is consistently  associated with long-term inflammation at the tattoo site (meaning that the inflammation has spread to the eye).

A recent review of studies found that tattoo-associated uveitis was associated with black ink and larger tattoos. Uveitis treatments included: 70.5% of individuals were treated with corticosteroids (with 50% needing long-term treatment), immunosuppressants (38.6%), and 16% had removal of the tattoo by excision. 16% also needed intraocular pressure management.

Different countries have different regulations regarding tattoo inks, with the European Union having stricter regulations than other countries. While the following article discusses tattoo-associated uveitis cases in Australia, it also occurs in the United States.

Bottom line: Monitor tattoos to see if there is long-term inflammation (swelling, redness).

Excerpts from The Conversation: What’s the link between tattoos and vision loss? 2 optometrists explain

Getting a tattoo can be a thrilling, albeit painful, experience.

About one-third of Australians have a tattoo, with many getting inked as a rite of passage. However, a small but increasing number of Australians are being diagnosed with a rare tattoo-related eye condition. It’s known as tattoo-associated uveitis and can cause permanent vision loss. ...continue reading "Sometimes Getting A Tattoo Can Result in Eye Problems"