Hormone disruption from electropollution contributes to unwanted pounds and other health concerns.
Now that 72 million American adults are obese—or more than 30 pounds overweight—this country is the fattest of 33 developed nations, reports the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Clearly, our taste for junk foods—not to mention lack of regular, vigorous exercise—have contributed to our national weight problem.
Other less publicized factors like the latest environment toxin—electropollution—also play an important, if overlooked, role. For example, a study published in the Toxicology Letter shows that electromagnetic fields (EMFs) from cell phones… Continue reading Categories
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Uncover One More Reason Why Americans Are Getting Fat
September 29th, 2010Hormone disruption from electropollution contributes to unwanted pounds and other health concerns.
Now that 72 million American adults are obese—or more than 30 pounds overweight—this country is the fattest of 33 developed nations, reports the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Clearly, our taste for junk foods—not to mention lack of regular, vigorous exercise—have contributed to our national weight problem.
Other less publicized factors like the latest environment toxin—electropollution—also play an important, if overlooked, role. For example, a study published in the Toxicology Letter shows that electromagnetic fields (EMFs) from cell phones… Continue reading Is Your Bedroom Keeping You Awake at Night?
September 24th, 2010
A little electronic "feng shui" can help keep EMFs at bay.
A new study in the journal Sleep links insomnia with increased risk of mortality, "a risk that has been underestimated," Penn State scientists say. Recent California research suggests why you need your sleep: Insomnia has been linked to anxiety and depression, diabetes and heart disease, as well as accidents, daytime sleepiness, and decreased workplace productivity.
The hormone that regulates the sleep-wake cycle, melatonin, also regulates essential immune and inflammatory processes that help explain its importance in overall health. Melatonin is produced in the… Continue reading Have Experts Grossly Underestimated Our Toxic Exposure?
September 22nd, 2010
Most of us have eight times the "acceptable" level of hormone-disrupting BPA.
New research published in Environmental Health Perspectives shows that 90% of Americans are exposed to a hormone-disrupting chemical in packaging and plastics. While the EPA claims that 50 micrograms of bisphenol A (BPA) is a "tolerable daily level" for humans, this study suggests that we're actually exposed to at least eight times that level.
"Our data raise grave concerns that regulatory agencies have grossly underestimated human exposure levels," study authors say. Using a more sensitive test for measuring BPA, University of… Continue reading Why Your Kitchen Is Killing You
September 10th, 2010
Household cleaners still send kids to the ER—and have been linked to breast cancer.
From deadly drain and oven cleaners to abrasives and biocides (antibacterial products that can raise the risk of superbugs), common household cleaning products contain far too many environmental toxins. Over the past 17 years, common cleaners sent close to 270,000 children to the emergency room.
While child-proof packaging has substantially reduced the risk of preschooler poisonings, spray cleaners (that typically don't have child-resistant caps) account for approximately 40% of ER visits. "People don't realize that the handle can be… Continue reading Big Macs, With a Side of Statins?
September 8th, 2010
Lower cholesterol naturally with a whole body lifestyle approach.
In August, the Imperial College London published research concluding that cholesterol-lowering statin drugs could neutralize the dangerous effects of eating fast foods like Big Macs. And a year ago the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended statins for obese elementary school children.
Fortunately, new research in the journal Atherosclerosis reports that omega-3 fatty supplementation improves vascular function and reduces inflammation in obese kids. That's in addition to the considerable body of research on the benefits of these safe, healthy fats in protecting adults against cardiovascular disease. Fish… 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 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 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 
Visionary, health guru, diet/detox expert, author, spokesperson, role model, and natural foods icon, Ann Louise Gittleman has always been a trendsetter. 
