BPA AFFECTS CHILDREN, ADMITS FDA After earlier statements that declared bisphenol A (BPA) safe for all uses, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) admitted on January 17 that BPA affects human development and said it is working to take the chemical out of infant formula cans, feeding cups and baby bottles. The agency is […]

Vitamin D Alleviates Multiple Sclerosis Australian scientists have found that vitamin D may slow the progression of multiple sclerosis (MS). Previously, figures had shown that people living in Tasmania – the state furthest from the equator which gets the least amount of sunlight – are seven times more likely to develop MS than Queenslanders, residents […]

High-Fat Diets Damage Muscle A new Canadian study on mice suggests that high-fat diets significantly impair skeletal muscle – long before other pre-diabetic changes appear, such as insulin resistance, weight gain and greater fat mass. Initially, these high-fat diets don’t diminish muscle strength. But soon, some muscles alter fibre type, while others change fibre size. […]

Showers Spray Harmful Bacteria A disturbing study reported in the Sept. 15, 2009 edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that the showers people enjoy everyday are actually spraying them with bacteria. his news should not necessarily strike fear in those with normal immune systems, but such microbes could be a problem […]

Asparagus Extract Relieves Hangovers The amino acids and minerals found in asparagus extract may alleviate alcohol hangover and protect liver cells against toxins, according to a study in the Aug. 14, 2009 issue of the Journal of Food Science, published by the Institute of Food Technologists. Asparagus officinalis is a common vegetable that is consumed […]

Vitamin D Suggested for Cancer Patients Vitamin D deficiency was found to be prevalent in cancer patients regardless of nutritional status, according to the results of a recent study conducted at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA), a network of cancer hospitals across the United States. Based on these results, CTCA researchers determined that screening […]

VITAMIN D BOOSTS BRAIN POWER? Increased levels of vitamin D – synthesized in the skin following sun exposure and found in certain foods, such as oily fish, as well as supplements – are linked to improved cognitive function in middle-aged and older men, says a new study. University of Manchester scientists, in collaboration with colleagues […]

BEANS FIGHT OFF PERIPHERAL ARTERY DISEASE A new clinical study by researchers at the Canadian Centre for Agri-Food Research in Health and Medicine (CCARM) shows that daily consumption of pulses – beans, peas, lentils and chickpeas – leads to major improvements in blood vessel function in individuals with peripheral arterial disease (PAD), a condition in […]

VITAMIN D PREVENTS COLDS AND INFLUENZA In the largest study yet of the association between vitamin D and respiratory infections, people with the lowest blood vitamin D levels reported having significantly more recent colds or cases of influenza. The risks were even higher for those with chronic respiratory disorders such as asthma. Vitamin C has […]

VITAMIN C LINKED TO LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE A study in young adult women links high blood levels of vitamin C with lower blood pressure. This “strongly suggests that vitamin C is specifically important in maintaining a healthy blood pressure,” said lead author Dr. Gladys Block, of the University of California, Berkeley, in an interview with […]

INOSITOL MAY TREAT CANCER, DEPRESSION A natural compound that comes from grains, nuts and beans may be a successful alternative medical treatment for an array of conditions, from depression to cancer, experts suggest. (The human body needs a small amount of inositol, a member of the B vitamin family, for its cells to function properly.) […]

COPPER KILLS SUPER-BUGS A UK study has found that copper fittings – copper door handles, toilet seats, door push plates, taps and light switches – rapidly kill antibiotic-resistant bacteria, succeeding where other infection control measures failed. Regular cleaning with strong disinfectants has limited effect on deadly bacteria such as the super-bugs MSRA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) […]

FRIENDLY BACTERIA A CURE FOR CROHN’S DISEASE? A simple cure for Crohn’s disease could become available soon, suggests a study published in the October 20, 2008 issue of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. (Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory disorder that causes ulcerations in the small and large intestines.) The breakthrough […]

VITAMIN K2 CUTS HEART RISK According to a study that has been accepted by, and will be published soon in, the journal Atherosclerosis, a higher intake of vitamin K2 is associated with less calcification of coronary arteries. For vitamin K1, no such link was found. Researchers of the University of Utrecht in The Netherlands examined […]

MEDITERRANEAN DIET — WHAT FOODS CUT CANCER You’ve heard previously that the so-called Mediterranean diet seems to lower the risk of cancer. But a new study is one of the largest yet to look at the potential impact on cancer of the various individual foods within this diet. It confirms specific cancer risk reductions for […]

PRODUCE (NOT PROTEIN) MAINTAINS MUSCLE While many people associate protein intake with maintaining muscle size, a newly released study by US Agricultural Research Service (ARS)-funded scientists suggests that it is fruits and vegetables – not proteins or cereal grains – that preserve muscle mass in older men and women. The typical Western diet is rich […]