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Published on Leave a comment on Growing Some Plants Indoors Benefits Skin and Immune System
Basil plant in a pot Credit: Wikipedia

There is a simple and easy way to improve your skin microbiome and immune system, even if you live in the city - it's indoor gardening. A new study found that just 1 month of urban indoor gardening improves the skin microbiome (community of bacteria, viruses, fungi) and boosts the immune system.

What appeared to be critical for the skin and immune system health benefits was using a good quality soil, one with lots of microbes in it, such as a compost based soil.  Avoid peat based soil, which is commonly available, because it is not rich microbially. The researchers found that growing plants in the peat based soil did not have any health benefits.

The study used flower or planter boxes filled with soil, and 7 kinds of plants (lettuce, white mustard, radish, garlic, ginger, pea, and fava bean) were planted into them. A grow lightbulb was used in a lamp because the study started in winter. Fertilizer sticks were used in the peat based soil group, while nutrients came from the compost in the rich soil group.

The participants in the study were instructed to monitor, water, harvest, and then consume the produce. That's it.

Bottom line: Set some plants on a sunny windowsill or buy grow lights for some indoor plants. Make sure the soil is a rich soil (compost based) and not peat-based. Enjoy!

From Science Daily: Urban gardening may improve human health: Microbial exposure boosts immune system

A one-month indoor gardening period increased the bacterial diversity of the skin and was associated with higher levels of anti-inflammatory molecules in the blood demonstrated a collaborative study between the University of Helsinki, Natural Resources Institute Finland and Tampere University. ...continue reading "Growing Some Plants Indoors Benefits Skin and Immune System"

Published on Leave a comment on Microplastics Found In Human and Dog Testicles
Microplastics Credit: Wikipedia

Scientists have been finding microplastics (tiny plastic particles) in our bodies - in our lungs, our blood, even our stools. The latest is a study finding microplastics in both human and dog testicles (in the testicular tissue).  The small microplastics get into our bodies through inhalation and by ingestion (in the food and water), and from there they travel to different organs of the body.

They found 12 types of microplastics in all 23 human and 47 dog testicles that were studied. [NOTE: testicles = testes] In all of them! Human testicular tissue had 3 times the amount found in dogs.

They also found that higher numbers of PVC microplastics in the dog testicular tissue was correlated with a lower sperm count. (They were unable to test for this in the human samples.)

Human sperm Credit: Wikipedia

These concerning results may be part of the reason human sperm count is dropping rapidly worldwide over the past few decades. (These are thought to be contributors to the decline: pesticides, endocrine disruptors, heavy metals, plastics.) Microplastics, occur as a result of plastics breaking down, and are now found everywhere that researchers look.

From Science Daily: Researchers find microplastics in canine and human testicular tissue

University of New Mexico researchers have detected significant concentrations of microplastics in the testicular tissue of both humans and dogs, adding to growing concern about their possible effect on human reproductive health. ...continue reading "Microplastics Found In Human and Dog Testicles"

Published on Leave a comment on Foods That Promote Healthy Brain Aging

Brains age as a person ages. Brains shrink a little over time, and thinking may not be a good as it was years ago. So you absolutely want to delay brain aging and cognitive decline. A recent study found that specific foods and nutrients promote healthy brain aging (delayed brain aging).

The Univ. of Nebraska-Lincoln and Univ. of Illinois researchers looked at a group of 100 healthy individuals (aged 65 to 75 years) and found that they fell into 2 groups: one group with accelerated brain aging and another group with delayed or slower than expected brain aging. They took blood tests and looked for specific nutritional biomarkers, they took MRI scans of the brain, gave questionnaires, and gave cognitive tests.

They found that certain nutrients, food groups, and foods are associated with healthier brains (delayed brain aging). One should eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, as well as dairy and choline rich foods (e.g., eggs). The beneficial combination of nutrients fall into 3 main groups, with especially good sources given:

1) Fatty acids (vaccenic, gondoic, alpha linolenic, elcosapentaenoic, eicosadienoic and lignoceric acids - found in different foods) a) Fish and shellfish, flaxseed, hemp seed, olive oil, soya oil, canola oil, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, leafy vegetables, and walnuts. b) Peanuts, macadamia nuts, and certain seed oils. c) Dairy products, such as milk, butter, and yogurt.

2) Carotenoids - Spinach, kale, corn, bell peppers (red, green, or yellow), tomatoes, watermelon, grapefruit, cantaloupe, broccoli, and carrots.

3) Vitamins (especially vitamin E and choline) Vitamin E - Nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils, but also significant amounts come from green leafy vegetables and fortified cereals. Choline - Meat, poultry, fish, and eggs, as well as cruciferous vegetables and certain beans.

By the way, this study was part of an emerging field called Nutritional Cognitive Neuroscience. Other studies also find that choline and elements of a Mediterranean style diet appear to be best for healthy brain aging.

From Science Daily: Food for thought: Study links key nutrients with slower brain aging

Scientists have long been studying the brain with a goal of aiding healthier aging. While much is known about risk factors for accelerated brain aging, less has been uncovered to identify ways to prevent cognitive decline. ...continue reading "Foods That Promote Healthy Brain Aging"

Published on Leave a comment on Denialism and Cover-up At Manufacturer Of Forever Chemicals
3M Company Credit: Wikipedia

Forever chemicals are in the news all the time now. A very interesting and well-researched article was recently published by the investigative journalism site ProPublica about Kris Hansen, a chemistry PhD who worked at 3M company. Initially, as part of her job in 1997, she documented that forever chemicals (PFOS, PFAS) were showing up in everyone's blood - both workers at the company, as well as people outside the company. Animals also. But then her work was suppressed, her bosses at 3M convinced her the chemicals were safe, and she continued working there for years.

Also... she was sidelined by her bosses after her initial findings, her job became more limited at the company, and finally she moved to a different area of the company (medical devices). Yet for years she told her husband and herself that the chemicals were safe. Only in 2021, after watching a John Oliver segment on TV about forever chemicals, she finally googled PFOS. But she only left the company in 2022 (after 26 years) when her job was eliminated.

One interesting part to me was - How did she rationalize doing nothing and continue working there for decades? She knew it was appearing in everyone's blood, there was research (animal and human) available showing it caused harms, and yet.... she chose to believe what management was saying (it's safe), stayed silent, and basically buried her head in the sand. Didn't want to know...

Yes, I've seen this elsewhere - when interacting with people in higher level white collar jobs in the pesticide industry. Their salaries are good, their jobs depend on denialism and ignoring scientific research, and so they spout the industry line of "it's safe"..."nothing is proven". So it continues...

A few excerpts from ProPublica: Toxic Gaslighting: How 3M Executives Convinced a Scientist the Forever Chemicals She Found in Human Blood Were Safe

The next morning, anxious to see the results, Hansen arrived at the lab before anyone else. For the first time since she had begun testing blood, some of the samples showed no trace of PFOS. She was so struck that she called her husband. There was nothing wrong with her equipment or methodology; PFOS, a man-made chemical produced by her employer, really was in human blood, practically everywhere. ...continue reading "Denialism and Cover-up At Manufacturer Of Forever Chemicals"

Published on Leave a comment on Learn About Forever Chemicals In Films and Videos
Dupont Chemical facility in Delaware Credit: Wikipedia

Reading studies or news reports is not the only way to get information about the dangerous "forever chemicals" (PFAS chemicals) that are found in basically all of us. Some films and videos are also excellent sources of information.

There is a very good legal thriller film called Dark Waters (released in 2019, official trailer, now on Netflix), an investigative documentary The Devil We Know (official trailer, now on Amazon), as well as short videos such as that produced by NRDC (PFAS: The Toxic Forever Chemicals Crisis) and PBS News Hour (Why PFAS are so impervious, and who is at most risk from the forever chemicals).

Attorney Rob Billot

The film Dark Waters is based on a true story. In it, attorney Robert Bilott (played by Mark Ruffalo) jeopardizes his career to expose Dupont's toxic chemical waste dumping scheme (of forever chemicals used in Teflon), the harms they caused (including deaths), and of corporate greed and corruption.

In 2019, Robert Billot's book (Exposure) about his battle with Dupont Exposure was also published.

Harmful PFOS chemicals, are commonly referred to as forever chemicals because they persist in the environment and accumulate in all of us, where they cause all sorts of health harms, including cancers, decreased fertility, liver damage, thyroid disease, impaired immune system, abnormal fetal development. They even go to the brain! The chemicals are found in many products that we are exposed to daily (e.g., non-stick pots and pans, grease-proof packaging).

Published on Leave a comment on Forever Chemicals Can Enter and Accumulate In the Brain

The toxic chemicals PFAS, commonly referred to as "forever chemicals" (due to their buildup and persistence in people and the environment) are in the news again. Once again, it's bad news. This time, researchers found that PFAS chemicals travel through the blood, and enter and accumulate in the human brain.

And not just the original PFAS chemicals (e.g., used in Teflon, Scotchgard), but even their replacements accumulate in the brain.

PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are called forever chemicals due to their buildup and persistence in people and the environment. They are in all of us at varying levels, and they have harmful health effects. Effects include cancer, reproductive harm (e.g., poorer semen quality), birth defects, lowered sex and growth hormones in children, thyroid disease, immune effects, and liver and kidney damage. They are endocrine disruptors.

The chemical industry would have you think that the newer PFAS chemicals that replace the older ones are "safer", but guess what? They're not. They're very similar chemically, so it shouldn't be surprising that they don't appear to be safer.

Bottom line: You can't totally avoid PFAS chemicals, but you can lower your exposure to them. If possible, avoid products that are water and stain proof or leak-proof, especially if children will be using the product. Don't use nonstick cookware, stain resistant carpeting and fabrics, clothing treated to be water-proof, and synthetic turf. PFAS don't have to be mentioned on labels, so it's buyer beware.

From Environmental Health News: PFAS can enter and accumulate in the brain, study confirms

A new study published in Environment International examines the ability of PFAS - a class of hazardous chemicals with known neurotoxic effects - to bypass the body’s protective barriers and enter into brain tissue. ...continue reading "Forever Chemicals Can Enter and Accumulate In the Brain"

Published on Leave a comment on The Skin Microbiome Is Different In Persons With Rosacea
Severe rosacea Credit: Wikipedia

A recent study confirmed that in the skin condition called rosacea, the skin microbiome is out of whack (dysbiosis). Of course. The study also confirmed that treatment with a topical ivermectin cream helps with the inflamed red skin rashes on the face and lowers the number of Demodex mites found on the skin.

Demodex mite Credit: Wikipedia

But while the cream improved symptoms in 44% of the patients, it didn't correct the skin dysbiosis. In rosacea, there is a big increase of Demodex mites (compared to normal levels) at the site of the red rashes or lesions. After the topical ivermectin cream treatment, the number of mites decreased in 88% of the rosacea group to more normal levels. [Yes, we all have Demodex mites living on our skin.]

However, other bacterial species are still different in the rosacea group compared to healthy persons without rosacea. The researchers found Cutibacterium species are predominant in healthy persons without rosacea, but are not found in persons when they have rosacea inflammation. Instead Staphylococcus species take over (just like in atopic dermatitis).

The skin microbiome is the community of bacteria, viruses, fungi that live on our skin. Rosacea is an inflammatory skin condition that typically affects the face resulting in redness, pimples, swelling, and dilated blood vessels. It frequently begins with flushing (redness) of the face in symmetrical patches, and it may or may not progress.

Excerpts from the medical site Medscape: Topical Ivermectin Study Sheds Light on Dysbiosis in Rosacea

Topical ivermectin has significant clinical efficacy and decreases the density of Demodex mites found in the skin of people with rosacea, but cutaneous dysbiosis remains, according to a report presented at the recent European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) 2023 Congress. ...continue reading "The Skin Microbiome Is Different In Persons With Rosacea"

Published on Leave a comment on Problems With Gut Microbiome Tests Available to Consumers
Oral microbiome Credit: Wikipedia

People have questions about the direct to consumer (DTC) gut microbiome tests that are now available from at least 31 companies. What do the results mean and can we believe them?  Well... according to a recent article in the medical site Medscape, the tests may be appealing to the consumer, but right now they don't mean anything at all.

This is because the tests are both unreliable and unregulated. Results of microbes found in the stool will vary from day to day, and from test to test. The same stool samples sent to different companies or even to the same company come back with different results. Generally the tests are offered by companies that want to sell you something - their supplements or other products in order to "improve your gut health."

However, there is no evidence backing up their claims. The tests are also not consistent - some do genetic sequencing, but others are just culture or a microscopic analysis (which find only a few of the microbes in the microbiome). Researchers stress that standardization of these tests is needed.

Yes, the gut microbiome has a tremendous effect on health and disease, and microbiome therapies definitely have potential. But right now it's buyer beware!

Excerpts from Medscape: Are Direct-to-Consumer Microbiome Tests Clinically Useful?

Companies selling gut microbiome tests directly to consumers offer up a variety of claims to promote their products.

"We analyze the trillions of microbes in your gut microflora and craft a unique formula for your unique gut needs," one says. "Get actionable dietary, supplement, and lifestyle recommendations from our microbiome experts based on your results, tailored to mom and baby's biomarkers.…Any family member like dads or siblings are welcome too," says another. ...continue reading "Problems With Gut Microbiome Tests Available to Consumers"