Molds, on foods and hidden away in homes, may be to blame.
Are you coughing and wheezy with irritated eyes, a stuffy nose, and trouble breathing? Certainly, there's plenty of ragweed around to cause trouble this time of year. But if you suffer these symptoms year-round—or if they flare up more in damp weather—you may be allergic to molds.
We're all exposed to mold spores, fungi that break down organic matter in dirt, food, leaves, and wood. Global climate change is only increasing our exposure, reports the journal Allergy. No wonder that Canadian… Continue reading Categories
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Does Damp, Humid Weather Make Your Allergies Worse?
September 1st, 2010Molds, on foods and hidden away in homes, may be to blame.
Are you coughing and wheezy with irritated eyes, a stuffy nose, and trouble breathing? Certainly, there's plenty of ragweed around to cause trouble this time of year. But if you suffer these symptoms year-round—or if they flare up more in damp weather—you may be allergic to molds.
We're all exposed to mold spores, fungi that break down organic matter in dirt, food, leaves, and wood. Global climate change is only increasing our exposure, reports the journal Allergy. No wonder that Canadian… Continue reading 
Premature Puberty Is a Growing Concern
August 30th, 2010
Environmental toxins, insulin, melatonin, and obesity may all play a role.
Precocious puberty—especially premature development of breast tissue—has dramatically increased in this country and Europe. As many as "10% of white girls at age 7 have breast development to some extent," Ann Budzah, MD, a pediatrician at Gundersen Lutheran Health Center in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, recently told the New York Times.
A new Danish study links the earliest onset of puberty in girls with both body fat and endocrine-disrupting chemicals in the environment, noting that the consequences of these environmental toxins "may not be… Continue reading Skyrocketing Drug Recalls
August 27th, 2010
Supportive supplements can help you live a long and healthy life.
Recalls of pharmaceutical medicines—both over-the-counter and prescription—have recently surged, calling into question the quality of drug manufacturing in the United States. The FDA reports that over 1,742 drugs were taken off the market last year—up enormously from 426 recalls in 2008!
In fact, independent reviews suggest that up to 85% of new drugs offer few, if any, additional benefits. But they carry potential risks of serious harm, according to new research presented several weeks ago at the 105th Annual Meeting of the… Continue reading When Your Workout Is No Longer Working
August 25th, 2010
A little rest—and relaxation—may be the missing ingredients.
We all know the importance of regular exercise. Some people just don't know when to quit, though. Unfortunately, overtraining can cause muscle soreness, irritability and restlessness, nagging injuries, and a stale feeling about working out.
"Exercise is physical stress on the body," says Pete McCall, an exercise physiologist with the American Council on Exercise, a nonprofit organization that promotes safe and effective physical activity. That's why most fitness programs alternate strenuous exercise with easy workouts the next day.
"Skeletal muscle breakdown is a normal occurrence with… Continue reading Going Back to School Can Be Risky Business
August 23rd, 2010
Be aware of invisible—but all too pervasive—hazards in your child's classroom.
Three young students at Bayville Elementary School in New York recently died of leukemia. And as many as "30% of the teachers, administrative staff, and employees have been diagnosed with some type of illness," including cancer and leukemia, which may result from cell phone antennas located on a nearby water tower, according to attorney Andrew Campanelli.
"My son went through 102 weeks of chemotherapy," says the mother of one child whose leukemia has been in remission for two years. "It kills me… Continue reading Trouble Sleeping?
August 20th, 2010
Your brain affects how often you awaken at night.
Does the slightest sound—thunder or a toilet flushing—wake you up, while others seem able to sleep through their alarm clocks? New research in the journal Current Biology offers clues to explain this.
Scientists find that bursts of brain activity—or sleep spindles—that occur only while you're snoozing protect the brain from noise at night. While they don't yet know why some people have more sleep spindles than others, these researchers hope to create a "utopia for sleepers" in the home, hotel, or hospital.
"In recent years… Continue reading Food Sensitivities on the Rise?
August 18th, 2010
Dairy, soy—and especially gluten—are all too common culprits.
Allergic reactions to foods have more than doubled in the last six years, report researchers at Children's Hospital in Boston. They find an even greater increase in more serious—and occasionally life-threatening—reactions like anaphylaxis (difficulty breathing, dizziness, hives, nausea, vomiting, rapid pulse, and/or sudden drop in blood pressure that can result in shock).
While the reasons for this rise in food allergies isn't clear, pediatrician Susan A. Rudders, MD, recently told Reuters Health that changes in the diet may play a role. Also, the season of… Continue reading Avoid Becoming a Bug Buffet
August 16th, 2010
No longer a summertime nuisance, insects can spread dangerous infections.
Mosquitoes are more than just something to swat. Every year, over a million people die from mosquito-borne disease—including Dengue fever, EEE, and West Nile virus.
Equally troubling, up to 80% of neuoroinvasive West Nile infections produce no symptoms, shows a recent study by the CDC. And even people successfully treated for West Nile report depression and fatigue a year to 18 months after infection.
Global climate change and increased international travel has increased the spread of infectious insects, which thrive in warmer climes. Not… Continue reading Has Summer Damaged Your Hair?
August 13th, 2010
Don't let chlorine, salt, and sun fry your crowning glory!
Got beach—or pool—head? Discolored, dry, frizzy, straw-like hair, and even hair loss can be all too common this time of year.
Technically, hair can't "burn" the way skin does. But after only three days of sun exposure, the scale-like cells covering each individual hair shaft start to pull off. This not only makes your tresses look dull but also allows your hair to dry out, becoming brittle and fragile.
Heat alone appears to contribute to hair loss. Dermatologists at the University of Miami Miller… Continue reading Shedding a Little Light on Pollution
August 11th, 2010
What you don't know about lighting can hurt you.
Global warming may still be up for debate. But there's no question that the world's getting brighter—due to the proliferation of both indoor and outdoor lights.
"Darkness is as essential to our biological welfare, to our internal clockwork, as light itself," writes Verlyn Klinkenborg in a recent National Geographic article. Sleep scientists find that bathing our world in artificial light not only disrupts our body clocks but also disturbs hormone production.
One recent study links higher rates of breast cancer in women with night-time brightness… Continue reading 
Visionary, health guru, diet/detox expert, author, spokesperson, role model, and natural foods icon, Ann Louise Gittleman has always been a trendsetter. 
