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Author: Sima

Published on Leave a comment on Preventing Diabetes With A Mediterranean Diet and Increased Physical Activity

There has been lots of research in the past decade over the benefits of eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and legumes, especially a Mediterranean style diet. Health benefits include lowering chronic inflammation and a lower incidence of a number of chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes.

A recent study conducted in Spain added a twist to this. The researchers found that eating a lower calorie Mediterranean diet and increased levels of physical activity, resulted in a 31% reduction in the development of type 2 diabetes, as well as a greater weight loss and reduction of their waist size. The comparison group were persons who ate a Mediterranean diet, but without lowering their calorie intake or increasing physical activity over the 6 years of the study.

The subjects in this study were 4756 overweight or obese adults with metabolic syndrome, but without prior cardiovascular disease or diabetes - thus a group that was at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes. The calorie reduction goal was to eat about 600 fewer calories per day.

Excerpts from Science Daily: Scientists found a smarter Mediterranean diet that cuts diabetes risk by 31%

Eating a Mediterranean-style diet with fewer calories, adding moderate physical activity, and receiving professional guidance for weight management can lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 31%. That is the key finding of PREDIMED-Plus, a large clinical trial led in Spain by the University of Navarra together with more than 200 researchers from 22 universities, hospitals, and research institutes. The project was carried out in over 100 primary care centers within Spain's National Health System. ...continue reading "Preventing Diabetes With A Mediterranean Diet and Increased Physical Activity"

Published on Leave a comment on Record High Levels of Carbon Dioxide In Our Atmosphere

The US government would like to shut the Mauna Loa observatory in Hawaii down because it measures levels of atmospheric CO2, a measure of climate change. Well, unlike the US government, the rest of the world is very, very concerned about increasing CO2 levels in our atmosphere, and what increasing levels of greenhouse gases are doing to our climate and environment.

The United Nation's World Meteorological Organization (WMO) does not hesitate to loudly announce that CO2 levels are steadily rising, with record high levels in 2024, and what this means for our world going forward. Their words: it's "turbocharging our climate and leading to more extreme weather".

The important thing to know is that CO2 levels keep increasing, and each year new record high levels are set. Highest ever levels were in 2024. A big reason CO2 levels are increasing is due to the burning of fossil fuels (oil, gas, coal). The increase in wildfires is also contributing.

Excerpts from New Scientist: CO2 levels in Earth's atmosphere jumped by a record amount in 2024

Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels jumped by a record amount in 2024 to push concentrations to their highest point since measurements began, the UN’s World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has reported.

Between 2023 and 2024, the global average concentration of CO2 surged by 3.5 parts per million (ppm) to reach 423.9 ppm, the WMO has said. This is the largest increase since modern measurements started in 1957 and is well in excess of the 2022 to 2023 increase of 2.3 ppm. ...continue reading "Record High Levels of Carbon Dioxide In Our Atmosphere"

Published on Leave a comment on Carbon Dioxide Levels Still Going Up Even When Not Monitored

If there is no data about something, then there is no problem because there is no data that says whether there is a problem or not. Duh... It's the new official US government policy (ignorance is bliss!), whether there is a government shut-down or not.

Unfortunately, in 2025 the US has stopped data collection and actually eliminated many  departments and sites that have been collecting information - whether diseases, losses due to major disasters (which are increasing due to climate change), toxics and pollutants in our air and water, and even how much carbon dioxide is in the air.

The US government announced in 2025 that it would close the Mauna Loa observatory (the Global Monitoring Laboratory) that measures carbon dioxide in the air. Carbon dioxide levels have been steadily increasing since measurements started, due to the burning of fossil fuels (climate change!). Well, with the government shutdown, this is what one sees when going to the site: Nothing much. Many of the old measurements are no longer there, as well as nothing new being graphed.

Luckily, at this point not all data has been removed. As you click through the site, can still see that in August 2025 the carbon dioxide levels were 425.48 ppm and that 10 years ago the weekly level was 398.62 ppm. It's going up year by year.

From Global Monitoring Laboratory: Trends in Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

Published on Leave a comment on Bottled Water A Major Source of Microplastics and Nanoparticles
Credit: Wikipedia

Many studies are finding the existence of microplastics everywhere in the environment and in our bodies. Microplastics occur when plastic items degrade over time. A recent study confirmed that drinking from plastic water bottles is a major source of the microplastics and nanoparticles that we ingest.

Microplastics are 1 µm to 5 mm in size and nanoplastics are even smaller (less than 1 µm).  They are usually invisible to the naked eye.

Study researchers did a review of over 141 studies and concluded that the average person ingests 39,000 to 52,000 microplastics each year, and those who drink bottled water ingest about 90,000 more particles than persons only drinking tap water.

Research on long-term health impacts (if any) of ingesting and breathing in microplastics and nanoparticles is just starting, but what has been done is concerning - at a minimum they are causing inflammation in our bodies. Other research suggests numerous health effects (e.g., respiratory issues, reproductive problems, disruption of the immune system).

Bottom line: buy, drink, and store as beverages in glass bottles, and drink tap water. Avoid single-use plastic water bottles.

From Phy.org: Chronic risks from single-use plastic water bottles are dangerously understudied, says study

The sun-drenched paradise of Thailand's Phi Phi islands isn't the usual starting point for a Ph.D. But for Sarah Sajedi, those soft, sandy beaches—or rather, what she found under them—inspired her pivot from a business career to an academic one. ...continue reading "Bottled Water A Major Source of Microplastics and Nanoparticles"

Published on Leave a comment on Chronic Stress and the Gut Microbiome
Credit: Wikipedia

Stress can have harmful health effects on the body, including the gut microbiome. A recent article in the medical site Medscape reviewed studies of chronic stress and the gut microbiome and found that chronic stress alters the gut microbiome, resulting in gut dysbiosis (the gut microbial community is imbalanced or out-of-whack).

For example, researchers have found alterations in gut microbes, less diversity of microbes, and fewer numbers of certain beneficial microbes  in those with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).

Interestingly, the researchers stress that a good diet (e.g., Mediterranean diet, including fermented foods) will help the gut microbiome, but that there isn't any evidence for probiotic supplements. In other words, don't take store-bought daily supplements, but instead focus on eating well, exercise, and getting enough sleep.

From Medscape: How Chronic Stress Disrupts the Gut Microbiome

Chronic psychological stress is common. A 2023 survey revealed that about one quarter of US adults reported high stress levels, and three quarters reported that chronic stress affects their daily lives.

Emerging evidence suggests that chronic stress not only exacts a high toll on mental health but also can wreak havoc on all levels of gastrointestinal (GI) functioning, all the way down to the microbiome. ...continue reading "Chronic Stress and the Gut Microbiome"

Published on Leave a comment on Healing the Small Intestine and the Amino Acid Cysteine
Small intestine Credit: Wikipedia

Many people suffer from intestinal ailments, such as intestinal bowel diseases and intestinal bowel syndrome. Over and over researchers find that altered gut microbiomes and intestinal lining alterations (e.g., "leaky gut") may be involved. A recent study from MIT found that the amino acid cysteine  promotes healing of the small intestinal lining.

Once again, a person's diet may be the answer. Cysteine is found in many high-protein foods. Foods that are rich in cysteine include: poultry, eggs, beef, fish (e.g., salmon, halibut, tuna), whole grains, soybeans, and some nuts (almonds).

While the study was conducted in mice, the researchers felt the results also applied to humans.

From Medical Xpress: A cysteine-rich diet may promote regeneration of the intestinal lining

 A diet rich in the amino acid cysteine may have rejuvenating effects in the small intestine, according to a new study from MIT. This amino acid, the researchers discovered, can turn on an immune signaling pathway that helps stem cells to regrow new intestinal tissue.

This enhanced regeneration may help to heal injuries from radiation, which often occur in patients undergoing radiation therapy for cancer. The research was conducted in mice, but if future research shows similar results in humans, then delivering elevated quantities of cysteine, through diet or supplements, could offer a new strategy to help damaged tissue heal faster, the researchers say. ...continue reading "Healing the Small Intestine and the Amino Acid Cysteine"

Published on Leave a comment on Study Finds Reason To Take Vitamin D3 and Not Vitamin D2

For years the medical advice has been that when taking vitamin D supplements, make sure it is the vitamin D3 form and not vitamin D2. The reasons given are that vitamin D3 is absorbed better and has more health benefits. A recent study found that there is an even better reason for taking vitamin D3 and not vitamin D2. It's because vitamin D2 actually lowers vitamin D levels in the blood.

From Medical Xpress: Vitamin D3 concentrations are lowered by a common vitamin D supplement

Taking vitamin D2 might lower the body's levels of the more efficient form of vitamin D, vitamin D3, according to new research from the University of Surrey, John Innes Center and Quadram Institute Bioscience. Many people take vitamin D supplements to support their bone and immune health and meet the UK government recommendation of 10 micrograms (µg) each day, especially during the winter months.

There are two forms of vitamin D supplements available: vitamin D2 and vitamin D3. Researchers have found that taking vitamin D2 supplements can lead to a drop in the body's concentration of vitamin D3, which is the form our bodies naturally produce from sunlight and use most effectively to raise overall vitamin D levels. ...continue reading "Study Finds Reason To Take Vitamin D3 and Not Vitamin D2"

Published on Leave a comment on Microplastics Are Even In Our Bones
Microplastics in toothpaste Credit: Wikipedia

Microplastics (teeny tiny plastic particles) have been detected all around us in the environment, our food, even our organs (e.g., lungs, blood, brain, placentas). Wherever we look, they are found in our bodies, with a recent study finding them in our bones.

The big question is: are these microplastics having a harmful effect on us? The researchers, who reviewed 62 studies, found that yes, microplastics could be harming bone health a number of different ways. They may be weakening our bones, impairing the function of bone marrow stem cells, accelerate cell aging, and could be worsening metabolic bone diseases like osteoporosis.

Microplastics occur as plastic items degrade over time. We breathe microplastics in, eat them (in our food), and drink them in (in water and other liquids). We can't avoid them totally, but we can cut down the amount we are exposed to and ingest - for example, not drinking bottled water (a big source of microplastics), and reducing the amount of plastic furniture, synthetic fabric (e.g., polyester), and synthetic rugs and flooring (e.g., vinyl) in our homes. Also, avoid playing on synthetic turf in playing fields and parks.

From Science Daily: Scientists discover microplastics deep inside human bones

The production and use of over 400 million tons of plastic each year has polluted beaches, rivers, and even the deepest parts of the ocean, reaching depths of up to 11,000 meters. In addition to visible environmental impacts, plastic contributes to climate change. It is estimated that plastic production generates 1.8 billion tons of greenhouse gases per year. Scientific evidence also suggests that using plastic materials in everyday life has impacted human health.

A large number of plastic particles detach from curtains, furniture, clothing, and other plastic objects. These particles remain suspended in the air, dissolve in drinking water, adhere to food, and can be inhaled, ingested, or come into contact with people's skin. Consequently, scientists have found microplastics in blood, the brain, the placenta, breast milk, and human bones.

...continue reading "Microplastics Are Even In Our Bones"

Published on Leave a comment on Following A Mediterranean Diet Leads To Big Reduction In Psoriasis Symptoms
Severe psoriasis on person's back Credit: Wikipedia

Individuals with psoriasis are always looking for ways to improve the inflammatory skin disorder, especially natural ways. A recent small study found that following a Mediterranean diet is a simple and effective way to reduce the symptoms of psoriasis (red, scaly patches and persistent itching).

Subjects with mild to moderate psoriasis were randomly assigned to one of 2 dietary groups. The group following a Mediterranean diet for 16 weeks had significantly reduced psoriasis severity and symptoms, when compared to the control group that were just told to follow a low-fat diet. Almost half of the Mediterranean group had a 75% reduction of psoriasis severity and symptoms! None of the low-fat diet group had a reduction in psoriasis severity and symptoms.

Additionally, all persons in the study were using their usual topical therapy for their psoriasis. The improvements in the Mediterranean diet group occurred without significant weight loss.

The Mediterranean diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, seeds, nuts, legumes, fish, and olive oil. In the study's Mediterranean diet group, the participants were not only given nutritional advice, but also a weekly provision of extra virgin olive oil. This diet is anti-inflammatory, which is why it may be so beneficial to those with psoriasis.

Medical Xpress: Mediterranean diet leads to 75% symptom reduction in patients with mild to moderate psoriasis

Over 60 million people worldwide are affected by psoriasis, a chronic inflammatory skin disorder that causes red, scaly patches and persistent itching. A new study has found that following a Mediterranean diet—rich in plant-based foods, extra-virgin olive oil, and a moderate amount of fish, and poultry—could provide relief to psoriasis symptoms.

...continue reading "Following A Mediterranean Diet Leads To Big Reduction In Psoriasis Symptoms"

Published on Leave a comment on Medical Imaging Radiation and Increased Risk Of Blood Cancers In Children
Chest X-ray Credit: Wikipedia

A recent study found that there is an increased risk of blood cancers occurring in  children who receive X-rays and CT scans. And as the number of X-rays and CT scans go up (thus an increase in total cumulative dose of radiation), the risk of a blood cancer also increases.

The researchers refer to these increased number of cancers as "radiation-induced hematologic cancers". These include such cancers as  lymphoid cancers, leukemia, and histiocytic- or dendritic-cell cancers. They estimated that the number of these radiation-induced cancers is 1 in 10 blood cancers in children.

They advise only getting X-rays and CT scans if necessary, and consider getting an MRI or ultrasound instead (if possible).

From Medical Xpress: Study finds 10% of pediatric blood cancers may stem from medical imaging radiation

A study led by UC San Francisco and UC Davis has concluded that radiation from medical imaging is associated with a higher risk of blood cancers in children.

The researchers examined data from nearly 4 million children and estimated that one in 10 blood cancers—some 3,000 cancers in all—may be attributable to radiation exposure from medical imaging. The risk increased proportionally based on the cumulative amount of radiation the children received. ...continue reading "Medical Imaging Radiation and Increased Risk Of Blood Cancers In Children"