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Category: healthy living

Published on Leave a comment on Postpartum Depression In New Fathers

A recent small study discussed the issue of postpartum depression in new fathers, and whether all fathers of newborns should be screened for it. Most people know that women can develop postpartum depression, but the possibility that fathers can also have it is rarely discussed.

In this small study conducted in Chicago, they found that 30% of the 24 fathers appeared to have postpartum depression - based on the same screening tool that is commonly used to screen new mothers. Other studies found/estimated that 8 to 13% of new fathers have postpartum depression, but with much higher rates if the new mother has postpartum depression.

Yes - new fathers can be stressed, anxious, worried, depressed, especially if there are financial or other stressors. Lack of sleep and fatigue was a big contributor to symptoms in the study. Pre-existing mental conditions. Problems with the relationship. Lack of paid parental leave. And on and on.

Both new mothers and new fathers need support after the birth of a baby.

From Science Daily: Should fathers be screened for postpartum depression? Pilot study

Dads can suffer from postpartum depression, and a new pilot study at the University of Illinois Chicago suggests they can and should be screened for the condition. Given the intertwined effects of mothers' and fathers' physical and mental health, addressing the health of fathers may be a powerful untapped tool in improving the nation's ongoing maternal health crisis. ...continue reading "Postpartum Depression In New Fathers"

Published on Leave a comment on Buyer Beware When It Comes to “Organic-Based” Lawn Care Services

Buyer beware when it comes to lawn care services. Lately I've been seeing a number of lawn care companies saying they offer "organic-based" or "organic  weed-free lawn care" or "natural lawn care". Nope, nope, nope.

These companies do NOT provide organic lawn care. Instead it's the same old routine of using toxic pesticides disguised with organic, environmentally friendly buzzwords. And yes, these pesticides are harmful to adults, children, pets, wildlife, birds, bees, butterflies, and the environment.

How do you you know that they are not providing organic lawn care?

1) One big tip off is "weed free" lawns. Nope. A real organic lawn has diversity of plants - for example, clover.  Only toxic pesticides can give you the sterile carpet look. Yes, an organic lawn can be lush, beautiful, and green, but it's different than a sterile carpet with only 1 species of grass (a monoculture).

2) Another warning sign is that they routinely apply "preemergent herbicides" (weed-killers). Nope, nope, nope. For example, one popular herbicide used by such companies is 2,4,-D. This was one of the 2 pesticides used in Agent Orange, and yes - it sticks around. Yikes!

3) They use the word "organic-based". They generally use this only when discussing fertilizers. Hah! Talk is cheap. I haven't yet seen evidence of real organic fertilizers being used.

4) They will routinely schedule "insect control" - of course, by using toxic pesticides. If they were real organic, they wouldn't do that - it wouldn't be needed and/or desired.

By the way, pyrethroids are synthetic toxic pesticides - they are NOT from chrysanthemums and have different effects, such as being toxic to bees and butterflies, and with harmful effects on humans, especially children. They are not used in real organic lawn care. ...continue reading "Buyer Beware When It Comes to “Organic-Based” Lawn Care Services"

Published on Leave a comment on Some Cancers In Women Linked to Chemical Exposures

Do you know what chemicals you're exposed to on a daily basis? A recent study found that women with cancers of the breast, uterus, skin (melanoma), or ovaries had significantly higher levels of certain endocrine disrupting chemicals in their bodies than women without any of those cancers.

The researchers looked at levels of some hormone disrupting chemicals: PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), phenols (e.g. BPA), and parabens in both men and women. They found that women had higher levels of endocrine disruptors for 4 types of cancers (breast, uterine, ovarian, and melanoma). However, there was no relationship between the endocrine disruptors and thyroid cancer in men or women, and no relationship in men with prostate cancer.

The reason the researchers looked at breast, prostate, thyroid, ovarian, endometrial, and testicular cancers, and melanoma is because they are "hormone-mediated" cancers. That is, hormones play a role in growth and progression of these cancers.

Bottom line: You cannot totally avoid these chemicals because they are used in so many products, but you can really lower your exposure to them. Read Avoiding Harmful Chemicals for easy tips on reducing your exposure to these harmful chemicals. For example, don't use non-stick pots and pans, don't use plug-in air fresheners, and try to use fragrance-free or unscented products as much as possible. Use paraben and phthalate-free personal care products.

From Medical Xpress: Study finds significant chemical exposures in women with cancer

In a sign that exposure to certain endocrine-disrupting chemicals may be playing a role in cancers of the breast, ovary, skin and uterus, researchers have found that people who developed those cancers have significantly higher levels of these chemicals in their bodies. ...continue reading "Some Cancers In Women Linked to Chemical Exposures"

Published on Leave a comment on The Number of Hairs In Each Nostril

This site spends a lot of time discussing the nasal passages and sinuses. That's why a study focusing on the average number of hairs in the nose drew my attention.

The study won a 2023 Ig Nobel Award in medicine. The Ig Awards are basically a good-natured parody of Nobel prizes, where studies that at first seem silly, but then make you think, win awards.

The University of California researchers used 20 cadavers (10 male and 10 female dead persons) to study whether a person has the same number of hairs in both nostrils.

They carefully counted the number of hairs in each nostril and found that people generally have between 120 and 122 hairs per nostril. [The article is behind a paywall, so I searched and found that one mention of the study said on average there were 120 nose hairs on the left side and 112 on the right side.]

Another finding: the hair grows in the front of the nostril and only grows to a height of 0.81 to 1.035 centimeters.

From Ars Technica: Meet the winners of the 2023 Ig Nobel Prizes

Medicine Prize ...continue reading "The Number of Hairs In Each Nostril"

Published on Leave a comment on Wind From A Fan Can Keep Mosquitoes Away
Mosquito feeding on human. Credit: Wikipedia

Great news! A good chemical-free way to prevent mosquitoes from bothering you when sitting outside is to just set up a fan nearby and turn it on. Mosquitos are weak flyers and this will keep them away.

The head guy in the fight against mosquitos and West Nile Virus in NYC (Dr. Bajwa, a medical entomologist) turns on a pedestal fan when sitting outside his home. No chemicals needed!

Bottom line: Using a fan can ward off mosquitoes. People differ in the types of fans they like to use (oscillating fan, stationary fan, ceiling fan). By the way, a breezy or windy day is also great in keeping mosquitos away.

He has his own method of dealing with mosquitoes. “When I find myself relaxing in my backyard, I always set up a pedestal fan,” he wrote. “Mosquitoes happen to be weak fliers, unable to contend with even a gentle breeze.” When he does get bitten, he added, “I make a conscious effort not to give in to the temptation of scratching.”

The NY Times wrote about this method already back in 2010: The Claim: To Repel Mosquitoes, Use a House Fan ...continue reading "Wind From A Fan Can Keep Mosquitoes Away"

Published on Leave a comment on Adding Herbs and Spices To Your Foods Improves Gut Microbiome
Thyme Credit: Wikipedia

It turns out that even making minor adjustments to your usual diet can improve the gut microbiome (the community of bacteria, fungi, viruses living in the gut) within a few weeks. Two separate studies found that eating some peanuts daily or adding some herbs or spices to the  foods you eat can improve the numbers of beneficial bacteria living in the gut.

In the peanut study - eating or not eating peanuts didn't change the diversity or main types of bacteria living in the gut. But eating peanuts did increase the numbers of several beneficial species --Roseburia and Ruminococcaceae, which are butyrate producing bacteria (good!). The peanut group ate 28 grams of peanuts (1 ounce or about 33 peanuts) as a night-time snack for 6 weeks.

In the spice and herb study, adding a combination of spices and herbs to the diet for 4 weeks increased microbial diversity in the gut (good!), and also increased beneficial Ruminococcaceae numbers (good!) in persons at risk for heart disease. Faecalibacterium and Agathobacter  numbers also increased (good!). A variety of dried spices and herbs (1/8 tsp, 3/4 tsp. or 1/1/2 tsp) were added to foods in the daily diet, and not taken as a capsule.

Dried spices added to foods in the spice and herb study included coriander, cumin, allspice, cinnamon, oregano, thyme, onion powder, garlic, ginger, rosemary, thyme, basil, black pepper, paprika, parsley, red pepper, etc. - 24 in all!

Bottom line: These studies agree with other research finding that eating peanuts (and all sorts of nuts, legumes), as well as adding spices and herbs to your foods is beneficial to the gut microbiome. They feed beneficial microbes in your gut, have all sorts of micronutrients, and they also have multitudes of microbes. A win-win.

From Science Daily: Peanuts and herbs and spices may positively impact gut microbiome

Adding a daily ounce of peanuts or about a teaspoon of herbs and spices to your diet may affect the composition of gut bacteria, an indicator of overall health, according to new research from Penn State. In two separate studies, nutritional scientists studied the effects of small changes to the average American diet and found improvements to the gut microbiome. ...continue reading "Adding Herbs and Spices To Your Foods Improves Gut Microbiome"

Published on Leave a comment on Scientists Report That July Was the Hottest Month On Record

We knew it was hot in July. Record breaking hot. Europe's climate monitoring organization (Copernicus Climate Change Service) announced this week that July was the Earth's hottest month on record. By a wide margin.

The global average temperature for July was 62.51 degrees F (16.95 degrees C). The record for hottest month prior to this was July 2019. According to experts, July was the hottest month in about 120,000 years!

The global sea surface temperatures for July also broke historic records. The sea ice in the Antarctic broke the July record for below average sea ice. Do you see a pattern? Uh - oh. The world is really warming up...

According to a Climate Central report, more than 6.5 billion people  (or more than 81% of people on Earth) experienced hotter temperatures in July  than they would have without human-caused climate change.

Excerpts from World Meteorological Organization: July 2023 is set to be the hottest month on record

According to ERA5 data from the EU-funded Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), the first three weeks of July have been the warmest three-week period on record and the month is on track to be the hottest July and the hottest month on record. These temperatures have been related to heatwaves in large parts of North America, Asia and Europe, which along with wildfires in countries including Canada and Greece, have had major impacts on people’s health, the environment and economies. ...continue reading "Scientists Report That July Was the Hottest Month On Record"

Published on Leave a comment on Short Bursts of Physical Activity Associated With Lower Cancer Risk

Great news for people who don't have the time or the desire to engage in exercise routines, gym visits, or sports. A recent large study found that several very short bursts of physical activity (each less than a minute or two) during the day are beneficial to health. They lower cancer risk!

Researchers followed 22,398 non-exercising adults (average age 62 years) for 7 years. The participants wore tracking devices (wrist accelerometers) for 1 week at the beginning of the study to measure their activity levels. Starting at year 2 their cancer incidence was looked at.

They found that several short bursts of vigorous physical activity (each lasting less than 1 or 2 minutes) each day was associated with lower rates of cancer. And it was a dose response - the more of these little bursts of physical activity over the day, the lower the rates of cancer, especially physical activity related cancer.

About 3 1/2 minutes a day of vigorous activity was associated with a 17 to 18% reduction in cancer risk, but 4 1/2 minutes a day was associated with a 31% to 32% reduction in physical activity-related cancers (e.g., breast, endometrial, and colon cancers).

Bottom line: Engage in a little huffing and puffing physical activity every day and lower your risk of cancer. Run up those stairs! Dance to a song! Carry those heavy groceries! Every bit counts. This could be because short bursts of physical activity improve cardiorespiratory fitness and lower inflammation.

Excerpts from Science Daily: Short bursts of daily activity linked to reduced cancer risk

Promising new research suggests a total of just 4.5 minutes of vigorous activity that makes you huff and puff during daily tasks could reduce the risk of some cancers by up to 32 percent. ...continue reading "Short Bursts of Physical Activity Associated With Lower Cancer Risk"

Published on Leave a comment on Large Study Finds That Breastfed Babies Less Likely To Die In Their First Year
Breastfeeding
Credit: Wikimedia Commons/ Anton Nosik

Breast milk is beneficial a number of ways. For example, it provides some micronutrients to the baby that formula doesn't provide. It also transmits hundreds of microbial species from the mother to the baby - thus important for the baby's microbiome.

Additionally, recent research found that breastfed babies are 33% less likely to die in the first year of life. This is a huge difference! The researchers looked at data for nearly 10 million infants born in 2016 to 2018, and who were then followed for 1 year after birth.

Studies also find that breastfeeding protects against sudden infant death syndrome and necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm infants.

Bottom line: Breastfeeding should be supported and encouraged. As the study researchers point out: "breastfeeding confers a protective benefit during the first year of life".

From Science Daily: Breastfeeding is associated with a 33% reduction in first-year post-perinatal infant mortality

Among nearly 10 million US infants born between 2016 and 2018, breastfed babies were 33% less likely to die during the post-perinatal period (day 7-364) than infants who were not breastfed, reports a new study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, published by Elsevier. The findings build on previous US research with smaller datasets, which documented the association between the initiation of breastfeeding and the reduction of post-perinatal infant mortality by a range of 19% to 26%. ...continue reading "Large Study Finds That Breastfed Babies Less Likely To Die In Their First Year"

Published on Leave a comment on Different Ways Extreme Heat Can Kill A Person

This summer has been hot, really hot, and the heat seems to be never-ending. Phoenix Arizona hit 118 degrees F on Saturday, which was the 23rd straight day of over 110 degrees F temperature! This raises the question: What is too hot for humans to tolerate?

Heat kills more people in an average year than tornados, hurricanes, and floods combined. In Texas alone, extreme heat killed at least 306 people last year.

Heat affects people differently, with some groups more at risk than others (e.g., the elderly, the very young, those with health conditions). Those working  or engaging in physical activity outdoors are also more vulnerable.

Our core body temperature is about 98.6 degrees F, which the body tries to maintain through sweating. But...when the outdoor temperature is hotter than that, especially with lots of moisture in the air, the body has difficulty cooling down. Prolonged exposure to high heat can lead to all sorts of health problems (heat stress, heat exhaustion, heat stroke) and even death.

The following article describes 3 main ways extreme heat can kill a person: organ failure, heart attack, or kidney failure. Depending on the conditions, symptoms of heat exhaustion or heat stroke can occur after only a few hours.

Excerpts from NPR: Here's what happens to the body in extreme temperatures — and how heat becomes deadly

Of all extreme weather conditions, heat is the most deadly. It kills more people in the U.S. in an average year than hurricanes, tornadoes and floods combined. The human body has a built-in cooling mechanism – sweat. But that system can only do so much, especially in soaring temperatures with high humidity. ...continue reading "Different Ways Extreme Heat Can Kill A Person"