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Author: Sima

Published on Leave a comment on Dairy Products and A Lower Risk of Colorectal Cancer

Many people (even health professionals) are still under the impression that dairy products made from milk are unhealthy. NOT TRUE. Consuming dairy products, especially whole milk products, is associated with a number of health benefits.

Recent research adds to the growing body of research finding that higher intake of dairy products is associated with a lower risk of colorectal cancer (commonly referred to as colon cancer). One big review found a 20% decrease in colon cancer with higher dairy product consumption, and an 18% decrease in colon cancer specifically with higher milk consumption.

The researchers discussed studies that found that with each 400 g (about 1 3/4 cups) of dairy foods that people consumed daily, there was a 13% reduced risk of colorectal cancer.

It's more than the calcium found in the dairy products (there is research already finding that calcium in foods is associated with lower risk of colorectal cancer). And it's more than dairy products that are fermented (e.g., yogurts). It's high fat milk products (whole milk) that have the highest association. But currently it's unclear why.

Excerpts from Medscape: Does Higher Dairy Intake Reduce CRC Risk?

Two recent studies have added to the growing body of research suggesting consuming more dairy reduces a person’s risk of getting colorectal cancer. ...continue reading "Dairy Products and A Lower Risk of Colorectal Cancer"

Published on Leave a comment on Lead and Heavy Metal Contamination In Toothpaste
Tooth Credit: Wikipedia

We are all encouraged to brush our teeth daily with a toothpaste containing fluoride. We assume that the toothpaste is safe and free from dangerous chemicals and heavy metals, such as lead, but it turns out that our assumptions are wrong.

A consumer group had independent lab analyses done of 51 toothpaste brands. They found toxic heavy metals in most toothpaste brands, even those marketed as green and pure. The presence of heavy metals such as lead was detected in 90%, arsenic in 65%, mercury in 47%, and cadmium in 35% of the toothpaste brands.

However, none of the brands tested had levels exceeding current FDA guidelines: the lead limit for fluoride free toothpaste is 10,000 ppb and 20,000 ppb for fluoride toothpastes. But Washington state recently enacted much lower lead level limits of 1000 ppb (and some brands exceeded those levels).

The toothpaste brands containing heavy metals (at varying levels) included Crest, Sensodyne, Tom's of Maine, Dr Bronner;s, Davids, and others. [Note: Arm and Hammer was not tested]. It is thought that the heavy metals (especially lead) was from ingredients added to many toothpaste brands: hydroxyapatite, calcium carbonate and bentonite clay.

The work was funded by The Lead Safe Mama, LLC (LSM) team. This group has been conducting independent, community-funded, scientific testing of consumer goods since 2009. Since March 2024 they have been conducting independent laboratory testing of foods, supplement, cosmetics, and personal care items.

From The Guardian: Toothpaste widely contaminated with lead and other metals, US research finds

Toothpaste can be widely contaminated with lead and other dangerous heavy metals, new research shows. ...continue reading "Lead and Heavy Metal Contamination In Toothpaste"

Published on Leave a comment on Regular Exercise In Winter Months Keeps Vitamin D Levels Up

Typically, our vitamin D levels drop in the winter months when we don't get as much sun exposure. After all, it is called the sunshine vitamin. However, a new study found that regular moderate-intensity exercise kept vitamin D levels up in the winter, even without vitamin D supplements or weight loss.

Good reason to exercise - prevent the usual seasonal decline in vitamin D. How much exercise? In the study, overweight adults had four indoor cardiovascular exercise sessions per week for 10 weeks: two treadmill walks, one longer steady-state bike ride, and one high-intensity interval bike session

From Science Daily: Exercise the key to maintaining Vitamin D levels in winter

The sun may be shining now, and our vitamin D levels are getting a natural boost but it wasn't long ago we were in the depths of winter, when sunlight was scarce and vitamin D was in short supply. ...continue reading "Regular Exercise In Winter Months Keeps Vitamin D Levels Up"

Published on Leave a comment on Treating Adult Peanut Allergies With Tiny Daily Doses of Peanuts
Peanuts Credit: Wikipedia

Finally some good news for adults with peanut allergies. For a while now it has been known that peanut allergies in young children can be treated with oral immunotherapy (using very tiny doses of peanut protein). But what about adults?

The Phase 2 Trial in adults (average age 24.2 years) with peanut allergies also found good results - by the end they could consume the equivalent of more than 4 peanuts without reacting.

The Grown Up Peanut Immunotherapy (GUPI) trial consisted of 21 adults who ingested tiny doses of peanut protein (peanut flour) taken under strict supervision - with slight increases of peanut protein every 2 weeks until reaching a maintenance dose of 1000 mg (4 large peanuts). 67% of the participants reached the maintenance goal, but 3 adults withdrew from the study due to adverse reactions, and another 3 for unrelated reasons. The 67% also tolerated well a final challenge equivalent to 12 peanuts.

Doing this under supervision was important because when the peanut doses were increased, there initially were side effects. It was also important that daily doses weren't skipped.

In other words, it appears that oral peanut immunotherapy might be an effective treatment for many (most?) adults with peanut allergies. The same researchers will now continue the next phase of clinical trials. Stay tuned...

From Medical Xpress: Daily doses of peanuts tackle allergic reactions in adults, Phase II trial shows

The first clinical trial to test whether adults allergic to peanuts can be desensitized has shown great success with two thirds of the cohort consuming the equivalent of five peanuts without reacting. ...continue reading "Treating Adult Peanut Allergies With Tiny Daily Doses of Peanuts"

Published on Leave a comment on The Viruses and Fungi Living In Our Gut
Bacteriophage Credit: Wikipedia

It has long been known that fungi and viruses live in the gut microbiome (the bacteria, fungi, viruses living in the gut), but generally the focus has only been on the bacteria living there. The viruses tend to be bacteriophages - viruses that go after bacteria by infecting them and killing them.

Bacteriophages have a large influence on what lives in the gut, as well as having an effect on the immune system. They start living in the human gut (the GI or gastrointestinal tract) shortly after birth. Scientists are now studying phages to see if they can be used against harmful bacteria and as a treatment for chronic diseases that involve the gastrointestinal system. They think that they could be used in place of antibiotics for antibiotic resistant bacteria.

Candida albicans Credit: Wikipedia

Fungi are considered immune stimulating. They can have beneficial effects (cause immune responses that promote metabolic health and protect against infection). Others (sometimes even the same species!) can have harmful effects, such as promoting inflammation, for example, in intestinal bowel diseases (IBD). Candida albicans is one such fungi - it is found in the gut of most people, and can cause problems or not.

From Medscape: The Extra-Bacterial Gut Ecosystem: The Influence of Phages and Fungi in the Microbiome

Research on the gut microbiome — and clinical attention to it — has focused mainly on bacteria, but bacteriophages and fungi play critical roles as well, with significant influences on health and disease, experts said at the Gut Microbiota for Health (GMFH) World Summit 2025.

Fungi account for < 1% of the total genetic material in the microbiome but 1%-2% of its total biomass. “Despite their relative rarity, they have an important and outsized influence on gut health” — an impact that results from their unique interface with the immune system, said Kyla Ost, PhD, of the Anschutz Medical Campus, University of Colorado, in Denver, whose research focuses on this interface. ...continue reading "The Viruses and Fungi Living In Our Gut"

Published on Leave a comment on The Senate Votes To Release More Mercury and Lead Into the Air

Uh oh...So many environmental regulations dealing with the environment are being overturned this year. In addition to changing the mission of the EPA (it's no longer to protect us and the environment, but instead to roll back regulations and costs - in other words, pro polluters and Big Business), the Senate is doing its bit to make our air and water dirtier.

The Senate voted last week to overturn EPA rules on 7 toxic air pollutants emitted by industry, with voting along party lines - Republicans voted to weaken regulations, and Democrats voted against it. These are horrible pollutants, including mercury, lead, dioxins.

The scientific names of the 7 pollutants are: mercury, alkylated lead compounds, hexachlorobenzene, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), polycyclic organic matter (POM), 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofurans (TCDF), and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin.

How can anyone rationalize weakening regulations on these toxic chemicals and think that allowing more to be released into the air as beneficial? These hazardous chemicals cause death, neurological problems, cancer, and so many more health problems.

This is a huge win for the chemical and fossil fuel industry, and a major loss for people (us!) and the environment.

It is expected that the House will also pass this bill. This will be the first time that the Congress weakens protections passed in the Clean Air Act. So... this will be their legacy - deliberately making our environment more polluted.

From Washington Post: Senate overturns EPA rule on seven highly toxic air pollutants

The Senate voted Thursday to overturn an Environmental Protection Agency rule limiting the seven most hazardous air pollutants emitted by chemical plants, oil refineries and other industrial facilities, reversing one of President Joe Biden’s major environmental regulations.

The 52-46 vote delivers a key victory to major companies and trade groups in the fossil fuel and petrochemical sectors that had lobbied against the regulation. It also marks the first time in the Clean Air Act’s 55-year history that Congress has scaled back protections under the landmark environmental law.

...continue reading "The Senate Votes To Release More Mercury and Lead Into the Air"

Published on Leave a comment on Walnuts, Gut Microbes, and Lower Levels of Inflammation
Credit: Wikipedia

Nowadays, the scientific view is to eat some nuts frequently for all sorts of health benefits. Recently, a study found that eating walnuts helps to lowers systemic inflammation (inflammation throughout the body), and in doing so reduces colon cancer risk.

The researchers said that the beneficial health effects are from ellagitannins, plant-derived polyphenol compounds, found in walnuts and pecans. Gut microbes convert the ellagitannins into anti-inflammatory urolithins.

Ellagitannins are also found in pomegranates, some berries (raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, cloudberries), and muscadine grapes. They are mainly metabolized by microbes in the colon. The consumption of foods containing ellagitannins has been associated with positive effects on many diseases (e.g., cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative syndromes, and cancer). Ellagitannins are antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cancer preventive.

From Medical Xpress: Walnut consumption curbs inflammation and may reduce colon cancer risk, clinical trial finds

There are new findings out about the benefits of eating walnuts. Results from a UConn School of Medicine clinical trial on the cover of the April edition of the journal Cancer Prevention Research show that walnuts improve systemic inflammation while also reducing colon cancer risk. ...continue reading "Walnuts, Gut Microbes, and Lower Levels of Inflammation"

Published on Leave a comment on Is This the End Of the Journal Examining Effects Of the Environment On Health?
Credit: Wikipedia

Will the leading environmental health science journal Environmental Health Perspectives lose funding and be forced to shut down due to DOGE budget cuts? It appears this will happen.

This journal publishes high quality research and information on the effects of the environment on human health. It has published research on effects on humans from forever chemicals, endocrine disruptors, flamed retardants, pesticides, air pollution, lead, arsenic, mercury, toxins in skin care products, and so much more.

It is published monthly, and is free to everyone (it is open access). For decades, the journal has received funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to review studies on the health effects of environmental toxins (e.g., forever chemicals, pesticides) and publish them for free.

However, it now may be shut down due to DOGE budget cuts at NIH. The journal has already announced that it is no longer accepting articles for publication.  Shutting down this journal would be a terrible loss to all of us.

By the way, two other well-regarded journals, both published by the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), are also on the chopping block: Emerging Infectious Diseases and Preventing Chronic Disease. The first journal has cutting-edge reports on infectious disease threats (e.g., mpox viruses, Marburg virus) from around the world.

From NY Times: Citing N.I.H. Cuts, a Top Science Journal Stops Accepting Submissions

Environmental Health Perspectives, widely considered the premier environmental health journal, has announced that it would pause acceptance of new studies for publication, as federal cuts have left its future uncertain. ...continue reading "Is This the End Of the Journal Examining Effects Of the Environment On Health?"

Published on Leave a comment on Useless Female Organ Discovered To Have A Purpose
Ovary Credit: NIH

Well, well, well...it turns out that an organ in women long considered useless ("a vestigial structure") actually has a purpose.  A recent study found that the rete ovarii may have an important role in the function of the ovaries, and therefore fertility.

The rete ovarii has 3 regions and responds to hormonal signals. It is a horseshoe-shaped network of tubes nestled beneath the ovary.

The study used female mice, but the researchers think the results also apply to humans. Other species of  mammals (e.g., cows, sheep, dogs, cats, monkeys) also have a rete ovarii.

From Live Science: 'Useless' female organ discovered over a century ago may actually support ovaries, study finds

An unsung appendage in the female body, which has long been considered useless, may actually be essential for ovary development and fertility, a new mouse study finds. ...continue reading "Useless Female Organ Discovered To Have A Purpose"

Published on Leave a comment on Four Baby Foxes Doing Well
Credit: M Silgailis

This week I find myself looking to see if the 4 baby red foxes and their mother have made it through another day. This is day 3 after emerging from their den.

They now stay close to their den at all times. No sign of a father fox. Single parenthood is tough. (photos from first day)