A study, in the British Medical Association’s journal Thorax, found that volatile organic compounds (VOCs) may be linked to asthma. Exposure by children to higher levels VOCs caused them to be four times more likely to suffer from asthma than children who were not exposed. The study concerned 88 children who were treated for asthma Read More …
Chemicals in Baby Products
A class of chemicals, called phthalates, is found in baby shampoos, lotions and powders. Phthalates are used to stabilize fragrances and to help make plastics flexible. A recent study, published in the journal Pediatrics (Vol. 121 No. 2 February 2008, pp. e260-e268) found elevated phthalate levels in the urine of babies on whom baby lotion, Read More …
Autism and Nutrition
The Autism Research Institute sponsors Defeat Autism Now! (DAN!) Conferences. Physicians and researchers who are doing progressive work with nutrition and other alternative modalities, gather at these conferences.The FDA has taken the position that there is no effective treatment for autism. DAN! medical professionals and researchers disagree. One small example is the use of vitamin Read More …
Asthma in Children Associated with Diet and Weight
BMI stands for body mass index. It equals a person’s weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. (BMI=kg/m2). It is a number that expresses how overweight a person is. The more overweight a person is, the higher the BMI. A BMI greater than 30 in an adult is considered obese. According to research Read More …
Preschoolers are Getting Obese
Preschoolers are Getting Obese According to pediatric endocrinologists at the University at Buffalo, children as young as three are obese. They have shown that children as young as 10 have abnormal liver function and high insulin levels—possibly leading to type II diabetes. These finding were presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies meeting being held May Read More …
Whole Grains and Heart Failure
An article appearing in the Archives of Internal Medicine (Vol. 167, Number 19) covered results from the Physican’s Health Study I. It followed over 21,000 men for nearly 20 years, looking at both their eating habits and health. Over the course of the study, the researchers found 1018 cases of heart failure. After adjusting for Read More …
Whole Grains and Cardiovascular Risk
Research appearing in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Vol. 87, No. 1, 79-90, January 2008) showed that consumption of whole grains instead of refined grains can reduce abdominal fat and lower CRP levels. CRP is C-Reactive Protein. When it is high, it indicates inflammation and an increased cardiovascular risk. The subjects were 50 obese Read More …
Vitamin Intake and Cardiovascular Disease
Research appearing in Nutrition, Metabolism, and Cardiovascular Diseases (2005; 15(3):188-97) looked at nutrient intake in 755 male and female subjects aged 66-99 years and correlated it with the incidence of heart attack and stroke.Dietary histories were taken and vitamins and mineral levels in the serum were analyzed. The researchers found that low vitamin D intake Read More …
Vitamin E and the Heart
There are many ways that vitamin E can protect the heart. It prevents the oxidation of LDL (low density lipoprotein—the so called “bad cholesterol”). It is the oxidation of the LDL that forms plaque on the arteries. Vitamin E will also prevent platelet aggregation. Clots are formed by platelet aggregation; so this is another way Read More …
Vitamin C Protects Against Heart Disease
Archives Family Medicine September 1994, 3:809-820 Atherosclerotic plaques may be caused by oxidation of LDL (the so called “bad cholesterol”). Antioxidant nutrients may prevent or delay oxidation and plaque formation. There is some evidence that vitamin E may decrease the oxidation of LDL. Vitamin C may play a role because it helps to regenerate oxidized Read More …