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Author: Sima

Published on Leave a comment on Lone Star Tick Bites and Red Meat Allergies
Lone Star Tick Credit: Wikimedia Commons

For years scientists have been watching the spread of the Lone Star Tick moving progressively northward from southeastern states.  One health condition that can be caused by the Lone Star Tick is an allergy to red meat, called the alpha-gal allergy syndrome.

It was recently revealed that the first known death from the alpha-gal syndrome occurred in a healthy 47 year old New Jersey man who consumed a hamburger at a barbecue in 2024 - he died from a fatal anaphylactic reaction a few hours later. Earlier that summer he had been bitten by small Lone Star Tick larvae on his legs, but at the time he thought they were only chigger (small mites) bites.

The symptoms of the allergy are pretty incredible: eat some red meat (beef, pork, or venison) and a few hours later have severe allergy symptoms such as severe abdominal pain, itching, hives, swelling, shortness of breath, vomiting, and diarrhea. The allergy is to the sugar molecule commonly called alpha-gal which is found in red meat, dairy, and some medications (such as the cancer drug cetuximab).

Once a person has this allergy there is no cure, vaccine, or treatment other than avoiding red meat (and in more severe cases dairy foods), treating the allergy symptoms, and carrying an EpiPen (just in case). Many cases start to improve within six months to a few years.

Martha's Vineyard has been exploding with cases of alpha-gal syndrome (lots of lone star ticks on the island) to the point that restaurants are offering alpha-gal safe foods (vegetarian and vegan food) on their menus.

From Medical Xpress: First death linked to 'meat allergy' spread by ticks

A healthy 47-year-old man from New Jersey died abruptly four hours after consuming beef. The cause of his death had been a mystery until UVA Health's Thomas Platts-Mills, MD, Ph.D., investigated. A world-renowned allergist, Platts-Mills discovered the allergy and remains the foremost expert on it. ...continue reading "Lone Star Tick Bites and Red Meat Allergies"

Published on Leave a comment on Daily Coffee May Reduce Atrial Fibrillation and Atrial Flutter Risk

Good news for coffee drinkers. A recent study found that drinking coffee daily significantly lowers the risk of atrial fibrillation. By up to 39% in those who already have atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter! In other words, coffee consumption is protective.

In the well done study, participants (who already had atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter) assigned to the coffee group drank at least 1 cup of caffeinated coffee or an espresso shot daily for 6 months. And the other study group avoided all coffee and caffeinated drinks for 6 months. The results surprised the researchers because it went against medical knowledge, which said to avoid coffee in those with atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter.

That's right - go ahead and enjoy your coffee! It's beneficial!

From Science Daily: Surprising heart study finds daily coffee may cut AFib risk by 39%

New research suggests that drinking coffee may actually help protect against atrial fibrillation (AFib), a common heart rhythm disorder that causes the heart to beat too quickly and irregularly, sometimes leading to stroke or heart failure. ...continue reading "Daily Coffee May Reduce Atrial Fibrillation and Atrial Flutter Risk"

Published on Leave a comment on Our Pets Are Early Warning Systems For Pollutants

The NY Times recently published a nice article on how our pets are sensitive to the same pollutants in the environment as humans, and can act as early warning systems or sentinels. This is because they respond faster and are more sensitive than humans to many pollutants - whether in the air (air pollution), in household dust, water, or on the ground and lawns.

Since they live shorter lives than us, negative effects, such as cancers, show up faster in pets than in humans. For example, they get the same cancers as us from lawn pesticides us, but years faster. A recent study found that on days with an increase in air pollution (from fine particulate matter) pet dogs and cats significantly increase veterinary visits.

Do go read the whole article. Excerpts from NY Times: In a Toxic World, Pets Could Be Vital Health Watchdogs

On a frigid February night in 2023, a freight train carrying toxic chemicals derailed in East Palestine, Ohio. For days, the train’s hazardous contents spilled into the surrounding soil, water and air. It was an environmental and public health catastrophe, and efforts are underway to monitor the long-term health effects on the people of East Palestine.

But one team of scientists is focused on a different group of local residents: the dogs. After the derailment, the researchers recruited dog owners in and around East Palestine, asking them to attach chemical-absorbing silicone tags to their pets’ collars. ...continue reading "Our Pets Are Early Warning Systems For Pollutants"

Published on Leave a comment on Certain Types Of Fiber May Lower the Risk of Developing Crohn’s Disease

A problem with the Western diet that most of us eat is that it is low in fiber. A diet low in fiber and large amounts of ultraprocessed foods is suspected to play a role in the increasing incidence of intestinal bowel diseases (IBD) in the US and Canada.

A recent study, which was presented at the United European Gastroenterology Week 2025 found that a diet rich in fermentable fiber (specifically inulin and beta-glucan) may lower the risk of developing Crohn's disease. Each fiber type was associated with a 30% lower risk of developing Crohn's disease.

On the other hand, a lower intake of these fibers was linked to impaired intestinal permeability and inflammation.

Beta-glucan is a fiber found in cereal grains such as oats, barley, rye, sorghum, wheat, and mushrooms, seaweed, and yeast. It is a soluble fiber associated with a number of additional health benefits, such as decreasing inflammation, improve blood sugar management, and lowers cholesterol levels.

Inulin is a prebiotic fiber found in some plant foods, such as garlic, leeks, onions, asparagus, chicory root, Jerusalem artichokes, dandelion greens, apples, and bananas.

There are different fibers in different foods - so a variety of fiber foods is optimal for our health. Fiber is found in whole grains, seeds, nuts, legumes, fruits, and vegetables.

From Medscape: Fermentable Fiber May Lower Crohn’s Disease Risk

Increased intake of two fermentable fibers, inulin and beta-glucan, was associated with a significantly reduced risk of developing Crohn’s disease (CD) among first-degree relatives of patients with the condition. ...continue reading "Certain Types Of Fiber May Lower the Risk of Developing Crohn’s Disease"

Published on Leave a comment on Eating Peanut Products In Infancy Reduces the Rate of Peanut Allergies

Some more good news on the peanut allergy and other food allergy front. In 2015, medical advice changed to : Yes, please introduce tiny amounts of foods such as peanuts and eggs in the first year of life to prevent food allergies. And...since then, the incidence of food allergies, including peanut allergies, in children has dramatically gone down when that advice is followed.

A recent study found that the incidence of peanut allergies in children has really dropped since parents started introducing peanut products in infancy. Introducing tiny amounts frequently of the food of concern (nuts, eggs, etc.) in the first year of life (by 4 to 6 months of age) challenges and trains the immune system. [Official instructions on how to feed peanut products to infants]

Unfortunately, many doctors and parents are still not following the advice because it is so opposite from earlier medical advice, which for decades said to avoid, avoid, avoid the food (e.g., nuts, eggs) in early childhood. It is thought that if more doctors and parents followed the new advice for infants, then food allergy rates would drop even more.

By the way, the rate of dog and cat allergies also drops when there is more furry animal exposure in the first year of life. Same reason.

From Medscape: Food Allergy Rates Fall After 2015 Peanut Feeding Advice

Peanut allergies in babies and children up to age 3 dropped by more than one-quarter since the first consensus statement recommending the introduction of peanut products in infancy was issued in 2015, according to a new study published in Pediatrics. ...continue reading "Eating Peanut Products In Infancy Reduces the Rate of Peanut Allergies"

Published on Leave a comment on List of Banned Words In the United States Is Growing
Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Well, the forbidden words list in the USA is growing this year. That is, forbidden words in the US government. Censored words. Some of the many words: climate change (yes, it exists), clean energy (e.g., wind), global warming (temperatures are increasing, with new records being set continuously), water pollution, air pollution, solar energy, gender (we are all a gender), transgender, abortion. And on and on. Denying something's existence doesn't make it not exist.

The words are not allowed on government sites, in grant proposals, grant applications, or in research. Different government departments have different banned words lists (e.g., 110 words or phrases in the US Dept. of Agriculture research service - such as clean water, microplastics) Who knew that in 2025 that censorship would be so large scale? Yes, this is an attack on knowledge, on research, on medicine, and science. On all of us.

3 articles about the large-scale censorship. From NPR: Energy Dept. tells employees not to use words including 'climate change' and 'green'

The Department of Energy has told employees to avoid using certain words, including "climate change," "green" and "sustainable," according to an internal email sent to staff and obtained by NPR. ...continue reading "List of Banned Words In the United States Is Growing"

Published on Leave a comment on Weed-Killer Glyphosate and Cancer

Remember when back in 2015 the IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer) said that the pesticide glyphosate (the active ingredient in Roundup) is a probable human carcinogen (cancer causing)? And the American chemical industry and FDA pooh-poohed that? Well, there have been a number of studies since then finding that yes, glyphosate results in tumors and other health harms, and is cancer causing (carcinogenic).

Glyphosate is a commonly used herbicide (weed killer), the most used herbicide in the world. Its use has been increasing annually, especially due to the increase in genetically modified crops being grown.

In the latest study, an international team of researchers found that long-term daily exposure (starting prenatally and continuing after birth) to low glyphosate levels considered "safe" by government agencies resulted in multiple benign and malignant tumors, and increased rates of early death in the rats after birth. Yes, the study was done with rats, but... they are mammals, just like us humans. Rats are frequently used in studies to assess chemical safety.

The doses used in the study are currently considered safe by regulatory agencies and correspond to the EU Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) and the EU’s No Observed Adverse Effect Level (NOAEL) for glyphosate. By the way, European standards are STRICTER than USA standards. A person eating a typical diet with non-organic foods easily ingests the levels considered acceptable by European governing bodies, and in the US ingests even more. [NOTE: Eat organic foods to avoid glyphosate.]

From Environmental Health News: Common pesticide causes multiple malignant tumors in rats

In short: Exposure to glyphosate herbicides caused multiple benign and malignant tumors in rats, including leukemia and cancers of the skin, liver, thyroid, nervous system, ovary, uterus, and kidneys, among others. ...continue reading "Weed-Killer Glyphosate and Cancer"

Published on Leave a comment on Loss of Smell from A COVID Infection Can Linger For At Least Two Years

Millions of us have had a least one COVID infection. Many suffered a loss of smell during the infection. A recent study by NYU Langone researchers found that the loss of smell can linger for at least 2 years after the infection. And even if you thought that your smell was never impacted or that it has recovered, it actually may not have fully recovered, but only partially recovered.

Among the 3525 participants in the study that reported a loss of smell during a COVID infection - 80% still  had not fully recovered their sense of smell 2 years later, and for 23% it was severely diminished or lost. Interestingly, 66% of persons who originally had a COVID infection, but did not notice any smelling issues, also scored abnormally low on the evaluation done 2 years after the infection.

It can be said that their sense of smell has dulled (olfactory dysfunction). This reduced ability to smell is called hyposmia. Researchers administer a 40-odor test to persons to determine their smelling ability. To help recover the sense of smell, vitamin A supplementation and olfactory training are being tried.

From Science Daily: Millions could be living with hidden smell loss after COVID without knowing

People who suspect that their sense of smell has been dulled after a bout of COVID-19 are likely correct, a new study using an objective, 40-odor test shows. Even those who do not notice any olfactory issues may be impaired. ...continue reading "Loss of Smell from A COVID Infection Can Linger For At Least Two Years"

Published on Leave a comment on Commonly Used Chemical and Parkinson’s Disease

Over and over studies have found links with certain toxic chemicals (some pesticides and the chemical trichloroethylene) and Parkinson's disease. Another recent study found that long-term exposure to high levels of the chemical trichloroethylene (TCE) in the outside air increases the risk of developing Parkinson's disease.

TCE is an industrial solvent used in numerous industrial (as a degreaser), consumer, military, and medical applications. For example, it is used in dry cleaning clothes, removing paint, as a degreaser, carpet cleaner, and engine cleaner. Unfortunately, since it is environmentally persistent, it lingers in the air, water (e.g., in the military base Camp Lejeune), and soil across the US.

Bottom line: Outdoor air pollution also matters, not just the chemicals you are directly exposed to (e.g., in your job). TCE is a hazardous air pollutant, so avoid living (if you can) near a TCE emitting facility (especially in Lebanon, Oregon and Corydon, IN) because the risk of developing Parkinson's disease is the highest for people living near there.

From Science Daily: The invisible chemical in the air that could be raising Parkinson’s risk

Long-term exposure to the industrial solvent trichloroethylene (TCE) outdoors may be linked to an increased risk of Parkinson's disease, according to a large nationwide study published in the October 1, 2025, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. ...continue reading "Commonly Used Chemical and Parkinson’s Disease"