The oddest place I saw probiotics was in a straw said Dr. Patricia Hibberd a professor of pediatrics
and chief of global health at Massgeneral Hospital for Children in Boston who has studied probiotics in young children and older adults.
The Nutrition Business Journal anticipated that U s. sales of probiotic supplements in 2013 would top $1 billion. 5 Ways Gut Bacteria Affect Your Health To separate the reality from the hype here are eight
or taking them as supplements. 1. Probiotics are regulated not like drugs. I think probiotics in supplements are generally pretty safe Hibberd said.
and effectiveness as drugs do. Although supplement makers cannot make disease-specific health claims without the FDA's consent manufacturers can make vague claims such as saying that a product improves digestive health.
Also there are no standardized amounts of microbes or minimum levels required in foods or supplements. 2. Mild side effects are possible.
and less able to offer health benefits she said. 4. Probiotics might not be safe for everyone.
These might include individuals with weakened immune systems such as cancer patients who are receiving chemotherapy. The risks are increased also in people undergoing organ transplants
and for people who have had much of their gastrointestinal tract removed because of disease. People who are hospitalized
or who need heart valve surgery because there is a small risk of infection Hibberd said. 5. Pay attention to expiration dates.
Live organisms can have limited a shelf life so people should use probiotics before their expiration dates to maximize the potential benefits.
Labels on supplements should specify the genus species and strain in that order. For example a label might say Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG.
or a reputable manufacturer. 8. Select the organisms needed for your medical condition. For people who are looking to help prevent
or treat a specific health concern with probiotics Hibberd recommends finding a high-quality study published in a reputable medical journal that shows positive results.
and Ohio rivers according to a new study led by the U s. Geological Survey (USGS). Such abnormalities are linked to estrogen-mimicking chemicals
& Their Health Effects The sources of estrogenic chemicals are most likely complex mixtures from both agricultural sources such as animal wastes pesticides
but it also may stir up toxic metals such as mercury. The San francisco Bay is contaminated with mercury due to mining in California's mountains starting in the 1800s.
The researchers track the health of American avocets black-necked stilts and Forster's terns among other birds.
Health Benefits, Risks & Nutrition Facts Your parents knew what was up when they told you to eat your broccoli.
and the immune system and to have anti-inflammatory and even cancer-preventing properties. Plus broccoli is low in sodium and calories at about 31 calories per serving.
It's also a fat-free vegetable. Broccoli has an impressive nutritional profile. It is high in fiber very high in Vitamin c
and Vitamin a raved Victoria Jarzabkowski a nutritionist with the Fitness Institute of Texas at the University of Texas at Austin.
Research shows that they have numerous healthful benefits according to the American Institute for Cancer Research.
The damage they can cause may lead to cancer according to the National Cancer Institute. Broccoli is a good source of lutein a compound antioxidant and sulforaphane
Here are the nutrition facts for broccoli according to the U s. Food and Drug Administration which regulates food labeling through the National Labeling and Education Act:
Cancer prevention Probably the most publicized health benefit of broccoli is its possible ability to help prevent cancer.
and intestinal cancers Jarzabkowski said. The American Cancer Society notes broccoli's isothiocyanates including sulforaphane and indole-3-carbinol.
These chemicals boost detoxifying enzymes and act as antioxidants reducing oxidative stress. They also may affect estrogen levels which may help reduce breast cancer risk.
Cholesterol reduction According to Jarzabkowski broccoli can help lower cholesterol because the soluble fiber in the vegetable binds with the cholesterol in the blood.
This binding makes the cholesterol easier to excrete and consequently lessens cholesterol levels in the body.
Detoxification Phytocheimcals glucoraphanin gluconasturtiin and glucobrassicin compose a terrific trio in broccoli. Together they aid all steps of the body's detoxification process from activation to neutralization and elimination of contaminants.
A study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United states of america found that the sprouts of broccoli may be especially potent in this regard.
Heart health In addition to reducing cholesterol broccoli can aid in heart health by helping to keep blood vessels strong.
The sulforaphane in broccoli is also an anti-inflammatory and may be able to prevent or reverse damage to blood vessel linings caused by chronic blood sugar problems.
or reduce excessive homocysteine according to the Harvard university School of Public health. Excess homocysteine an amino acid that builds up after a person eats red meat increases the risk of coronary artery disease.
Eye health You've probably heard that carrots are good for your eyes and that's because they contain lutein Jarzabkowski said.
It's a compound antioxidant that's really good for eye health and broccoli is also a great way to get it.
Another antioxidant in broccoli called zeaxanthin is similarly beneficial. Both chemicals may help protect against macular degeneration an incurable condition that blurs central vision and cataracts a clouding of the eye's lens.
Broccoli also aids in digestion by helping to keep your stomach lining healthy. The sulforaphane in broccoli helps keep the stomach bacteria Helicobacter pylori from becoming overgrown
Anti-inflammatory benefits Broccoli is a great anti-inflammatory and may slow down the damage to joints associated with osteoarthritis. A 2013 study at the University of East Anglia found that broccoli's sulforaphane may help people suffering from arthritis
because this chemical blocks the enzymes that cause joint destruction by stopping a key molecule known to cause inflammation.
But the health benefits outweigh the discomfort. According to The Ohio State university Wexner Medical center people taking blood-thinning medications should watch their broccoli intake
since the vegetable's Vitamin k content may interfere with the medication's effectiveness. Those with hypothyroidism should also limit their intake of broccoli.
The way that you prepare broccoli can affect the amount of nutrients you get and which ones.
People looking to broccoli for its anticancer benefits will want to be sure not to cook the vegetable too long.
A 2007 University of Warwick study found that boiling broccoli can undermine the effects of the food's good cancer-fighting enzymes Researchers studied the effects of boiling steaming microwave cooking
Boiling led to the biggest losses of cancer-fighting nutrients. Steaming for up to 20 minutes microwaving for up to three minutes and stir-frying for up to five minutes produced no significant loss of cancer-preventive substances.
Raw broccoli maintains all of its nutrients but it is also more likely to irritate your bowels and cause gas.
and is meant not to offer medical advice. m
#In Africa, Anthrax Lures Animals to Their Death Areas contaminated with anthrax germs lure grazing animals like zebras
and wildebeest and these animals could spread the bacteria leading to new rounds of infections researchers say.
This research could help scientists figure out the factors that underlie the timing and intensity of anthrax outbreaks in order to better predict them.
The anthrax bacterium Bacillus anthracis can cause symptoms ranging from itchy sores on the skin to breathing problems
and fever and can be fatal. About 95 percent of known anthrax infections in people are passed to humans through skin contact with livestock.
Grazing animals on the other hand are thought to get anthrax by ingesting the microbe. Scientists investigated zebra carcasses over a 115-square-mile 300 square kilometers) area at Etosha National park in Namibia from 2010 to 2013.
The anthrax bacterium is widespread in Namibia and is considered part of the park's natural ecosystem.
Most anthrax cases seen in Etosha are in zebras; the disease can kill grazing herbivores within days after the animal is exposed to a lethal dose.
See Images of the Namibia Zebras and the Carcass Sites I revisited a carcass site in 2007 from a zebra that
I had found dead of anthrax one year previously and saw a patch of lush green grass growing up through the skeleton in an area that was
otherwise a sea of short dry grasses said lead study author Wendy Turner an ecologist at the University of Oslo in Norway.
This got me questioning the role of carcass sites for anthrax transmission. Would these areas be attractive to herbivores searching for high-quality food?
Or would the remains of the carcass repel herbivores? And for how long might this attraction or avoidance last?
Watching the grazers For this study the researchers analyzed 35 sites that tested positive for anthrax
The researchers also used motion-triggered cameras at 13 anthrax-affected carcass sites and 13 sites without carcasses to monitor the grazing activity of herbivores such as elephants wildebeest and zebras.
Zebra like anthrax grasses The scientists found that the soil fertilized by the carcasses they studied was rich with nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen.
The scientists also discovered that anthrax spores were found on grasses up to two years after the zebras had died.
This research has important implications for our understanding of anthrax in grazing wildlife and livestock Turner said.
We know a lot about weather cues associated with anthrax outbreaks and there are a lot of hypotheses about how animal behavior may contribute to differences in anthrax incidence among species
and among age and sex classes within a species . However this is the first study to look for the pathogen on grasses
and to determine how different grazing animals respond to these infectious anthrax carcass sites. It remains uncertain
whether anthrax carcass sites are more attractive to herbivores than regular carcass sites are. Because anthrax prevents blood from clotting the researchers suspect that the anthrax-ridden carcasses might release more nutrients into the soil than regular carcasses do
thus making them more attractive to herbivores. It's possible Turner said. Whether it would be easy to detect
or not given all the things that can vary in the environment that remains to be seen.
and intensity of anthrax and to find out if the locations and timing of these outbreaks can be predicted.
because there really weren't any data available about how these sites may contribute to anthrax transmission over time Turner said.
and anthrax mortality records in this system. In addition Turner noted she would like to conduct a parallel study in the United states to see how North american herbivores respond to carcass sites.
This would add to our understanding of transmission for disease agents that can persist for long periods in the environment.
In the U s. in addition to the anthrax bacterium this would include transmission of the prion causing chronic wasting disease.
#7 Strategies for Outdoor Lovers with Seasonal Allergies Do you love the great outdoors but don't feel so great out there during allergy season?
To help prevent their symptoms from acting up gardeners adventurers and outdoor exercisers with seasonal allergies may benefit from planning ahead before engaging in their favorite activities.
By taking a few precautions in advance people with a green thumb can steer clear of red watery eyes.
And runners hikers golfers cyclists and other outdoor enthusiasts who have seasonal allergies can safely pursue their passions.
and minimize them as much as possible said Dr. Sarita Patil an allergist with Massachusetts General Hospital's Allergy Associates in Boston.
Patil offered the following seven tips on how outdoor lovers can remain active during allergy season.
Know exactly what you're allergic to. People with allergic rhinitis may be sensitive to specific types of pollen from trees grasses weeds and mold spores.
Trees release pollens first usually from late winter into spring or early summer depending on the location.
Weeds such as ragweed the most common cause of hay fever pollinate in late summer and early fall.
To limit exposure know the look of the plants to which you're allergic Patil suggested.
You might decide to either premedicate by taking a nonsedating antihistamine the evening before or the morning of your hike or by picking somewhere else to go she said.
So people with allergies should keep an eye on them. Pollen levels are higher on dry warmand windy days
and lower on cloudy rainy and windless days making those days best for people with seasonal allergies who want to enjoy outdoor activities she explained.
If possible pick a time of day to exercise when your allergy-inducing plants don't pollinate Patil said.
Dawn and dusk are the worst times for people with tree pollen allergies. 9 Myths About Seasonal Allergies Protect yourself outdoors.
Golfers who have grass allergies should know whether the pollens they are allergic to are found on their favorite courses Patil said.
Cyclists get exposed to wind-carried pollens but sunglasses might help protect them from pollen entering the eyes.
People with severe weed or grass allergies may want to find someone else to care for their lawns during peak allergy season she said.
and car stay closed as much as possible during allergy season Patil said. When you come inside after gardening
Develop an allergy plan. Work with your allergist to develop a treatment plan that's right for your active lifestyle sensitivities and symptoms Patil suggested.
Follow Live Science@livescience Facebook & Google+.+Original article on Live Science i
#Trendy'Paleo'Diet May not Suppress Appetite The trendy paleo diet a plant-based diet inspired by the idea that human ancestors mainly consumed roughage may not be so good at suppressing appetite according to new research conducted on gut bacteria.
and diseases that can be spread from domestic dogs in nearby villages according to the National Zoo.
NRDC estimates that a plan to cut carbon pollution 30 percent by 2020 would net health
what some of Eben Bayer and Gavin Mcintyre s fellow students at Rensselaer Polytechnic institute thought too.
Bayer and Mcintyre soon co-founded Ecovative Design and focused on creating mycelium-based wall insulation
#Pesticides Linked to Parkinson's Risk in People with Specific Gene Several studies have linked pesticides with the development of Parkinson's disease
and now a new study has found a specific gene that may explain why some people are particularly susceptible to developing Parkinson's after exposure to certain pesticides.
Parkinson's disease results from the loss of neurons involved in processing the neurotransmitter dopamine. Researchers had previously found a gene that was involved in dopamine processing
They then tested for this gene variant in Californians with Parkinson's disease whose exposure to various pesticides could be measured by comparing where they had lived with charts of pesticide use in the state.
The findings show that for people with certain genes exposure to pesticides may increase the risk of developing Parkinson's disease two to six times the researchers said.
We should be much more careful in our industrial agriculture with the agents we're putting out in the environment said study author Dr. Beate Ritz a professor of epidemiology at University of California Los angeles and co-director of the school's Center
for Gene-Environment Studies in Parkinson's disease. All of this is environmental exposure not occupational exposure. It can be quite harmful.
to find out which genes might be involved in the nerve death that results in Parkinson's and to see
if there was a variant of that gene that could be found in people exposed to pesticides who developed Parkinson's. 10 Things You Didn't Know About the Brain There were four pesticides the researchers found that appear to trigger an effect on enzymes called neuronal aldehyde dehydrogenases (ALDHS)
The researchers then looked at exposure to those four pesticides in a group of 360 people with Parkinson's who lived in central California
but had developed not Parkinson s. They found that pesticide exposure increased the risk of Parkinson s and the risk was increased further among people with a variant of the ALDH2 gene.
Though researchers were able to identify four pesticides that might be responsible for this effect they were not able to identify a specific pesticide as the culprit.
or banned because of their potential harm she said. Another step that should be taken is to see
whether a treatment can be created to reduce the susceptibility of certain people to Parkinson's if they have the gene variant.
Can we predict who might develop Parkinson's? Would they want to take meds? These are need questions we to answer Ritz said.
but because eucalyptus leaves are laced with a toxin the koalas can eat only a limited amount before the toxin harms the animals Kearney said.
But in view of the Congressional paralysis giving states this sort of latitude is probably the best way to go within the constraints of the Clean Air Act.#
This bold proposal from Boston-area researchers appears as commentary in the current issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA.
The researchers from Tufts University Harvard university and Boston Children's Hospital wrote that their plan would surely meet strong opposition from both the food
and vegetables could be subsidized to cost pennies to consumers said Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian lead author on the JAMA commentary and dean of the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University.
and health disparities amongst the poor and other disadvantaged Americans and potentially save billions of dollars a year in health care costs for diet-related diseases.
The researchers noted that the economic burden of cardiovascular disease and diabetes predominantly caused by a poor diet is approaching $700 billion annually in the United states alone.
But their plan would perhaps hurt the poor said Michael Tanner a senior fellow at the Cato Institute a libertarian think tank based in Washington D c
I believe in health; I believe in exercise; I believe in eating right Tanner said adding that he ran a half-marathon last weekend.
Follow Christopher Wanjek@wanjek for daily tweets on health and science with a humorous edge.
Wanjek is the author of Food At work and Bad Medicine. His column Bad Medicine appears regularly on Live Science c
#How Blueberry pie Caused Girl's Strange Allergic reaction A girl in Canada experienced an unusual allergic reaction to blueberry pie she was not allergic to any of the pie's ingredients
but instead reacted to antibiotic residue in the food a new study suggests. Shortly after eating a slice of blueberry pie the girl experienced facial flushing hives and abnormal breathing.
She was taken to an emergency room and treated with drugs used for allergic reactions including epinephrine and recovered.
A team of doctors then investigated what might have caused the girl's reaction. Although the patient was allergic to milk an analysis showed the pie did not contain milk.
Doctors also performed tests to see if the girl was allergic to other ingredients in the pie such as blueberries eggs
or nuts but the tests all came back negative. 8 Strange Signs You're Having an Allergic reaction Further analysis showed that the pie contained residue from an antibiotic.
The doctors tested the girl for an allergy to streptomycin an antibiotic used as a pesticide on fruit.
And indeed she reacted to streptomycin in much the same way as she had responded to the blueberry pie.
Although the researchers did not have access to enough of the pie to confirm that it contained streptomycin specifically the study results suggests that the girl's allergic reaction was caused by streptomycin-contaminated blueberries the researchers said.
Allergic reactions to antibiotics in food such as beef and milk are rare but have been reported. The new study is the first to link an allergic reaction to antibiotics in fruit the researchers said.
The findings serve as a reminder to doctors in cases of unexplained allergic reaction. Don't forget to think about antibiotics said study researcher Dr. Anne Des Roches an allergist at CHU Sainte-Justine a health center affiliated with the University of Montreal in Quebec.
Allergic reaction to antibiotics in food are underdiagnosed because doctors cannot simply check a product label for antibiotics;
they have to send the sample to special laboratories to perform an analysis Des Roches said.
This is a very rare allergic reaction Dr. James Sublett president-elect of the American College of Allergy Asthma
and Immunology said in a statement. Nevertheless it's something allergists need to be aware of
and that emergency room personnel may need to know about. Use of antibiotics in agriculture has received criticism
because it may contribute to the rise of antibiotic resistance. Some countries have banned the use of antibiotics for growing food
but the practice is allowed in the United states and Canada. Recently the U s. Food and Drug Administration took steps to help phase out the use of certain antibiotics in livestock;
the drugs had been used to help animals gain weight faster. Stricter policies to reduce antibiotic contaminants in foods will not only help to fight antibiotic resistance
but may also reduce the type of rare allergic reaction that the girl in the study experienced the researchers said.
The study is published in the September issue of the journal Annals of Allergy Asthma and Immunology.
Follow Rachael Rettner@Rachaelrettner. Follow Live Science@livescience Facebook & Google+.+Original article on Live Science e
#Tigers: Facts & Information Tigers are the largest felines in the world. Many cultures consider the tiger to be a symbol of strength and courage.
However because hunting them is also a sign of bravery in some cultures tigers are endangered;
no more than 3200 tigers are left in the wild. Tigers have distinctive stripes which help camouflage them
when hunting prey. Some tigers have orange fur with black stripes; others are black with tan stripes white with tan stripes or all white (albino) according to the San diego Zoo.
No two tigers have the same markings on their coats. They are as individual as fingerprints are for humans.
On average tigers are 4. 8 to 9. 5 feet (1. 5 to 2. 9 m) long
and weigh 165 to 716 lbs. 75 to 325 kilograms. The largest tigers the Siberian also called Amur are 10.75 feet (3. 3 meters) long
#Apple Health App: What It Can and Can't Do Apple's new Health app is now up and running on the latest version of ios 8 but
what exactly can this app do for you? The first thing to know is that the Health app doesn't track information by itself at least not yet.
It's an aggregator meaning it pulls information from your other health apps and displays it all for you in a single dashboard.
So for Apple's Health app to be useful you'll need other health apps.
Experts say that aggregation apps like Apple's Health can offer users a new experience
while allowing them to keep the apps they've become accustomed to using. With the Health app Apple is saying you don't have to abandon your old apps
but here's a new experience that you can digest your old data in said Dan Ledger principal at consulting firm Endeavour Partners
Right now there is a limited selection of apps that work with Apple Health. For example if you track your activity with a fitness tracker such as a Fitbit a Withings Pulse
or a Basis watch you're out of luck because the apps for these devices don't integrate with Apple Health yet.
But quite a few popular apps have updated already their software and do work with Apple Health including Jawbone UP Myfitnesspal and Run with Map My Run+.
+You can allow these apps to write data to your Health app so that your data like how many steps you take
and how many calories you've eaten will show up on the Health app dashboard. You can also allow these apps to read data from the Apple app
so your different health apps can share information with one another. Essentially the Health app serves as a hub allowing information to come in
and go out of a central place. And you can choose which information you want third-party apps to see. 10 Fitness Apps:
Which Is Best for Your Personality? But how does aggregation offer more of a benefit than tracking things in just one app?
After all the new UP app (which does not require a wristband) already tracks steps calories burned
but Apple's Health app does. Here's what the graph looks like: Graphing information for a single nutrient like sodium may be a useful way to keep track of
However when I tested the app there seemed to be a few bugs in communication between Myfitnesspal and Apple Health:
First my nutrition data did not show up on the Health dashboard until I restarted my phone
Also right now the Health app can aggregate a number of measurements from your apps
In addition when developers make apps that provide prescriptive information about your health that is give you advice on how to be healthier they have to tread carefully
As a result many health apps provide only descriptive information (i e. just your stats. The biggest challenge right now is getting those insights into an extremely high level of accuracy
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