While they are super sweet, syrup made from this ancient fruit has antibacterial compounds that are more effective than honey. In case you've never had it or seen it before, dates are a thick, dark brown, and super-sweet fruit used in Middle Eastern cuisine. New research suggests that date syrup contains chemical compounds that help ward off a number of bacterial infections, including those caused by Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. This was discovered after scientists inhibited the growth of these pathogens for about six hours, which researchers say is faster than manuka honey - a honey known for its antibacterial and wound healing properties. ...
Protein called hemoglobin found in our blood cells carry oxygen to cells.
Hemoglobin consists of four separate polypeptide chains, and each chain is specifically designed to carry a single iron atom in its heme group. Iron has a natural affinity for oxygen, which it carries to all our cells.
When lead is present in our bloodstream, the placement of iron in the heme structure is blocked, and so hemoglobin cannot carry oxygen.
This is what's referred to as lead poisoning. It occurs when lead is breathed or consumed through contaminated water or food. Lead poisoning causes serious health problems, including brain damage and anemia.
Here's an interesting comparison on how diets impact one's blood concentration of high- and low-density lipoproteins (HDL; LDL). In the first column, we're shown how cis fatty acids have the least impact on increasing LDL. These fats constitute the healthy fats found in vegetables, nuts, and fish. On the other hand, trans fats and saturated fats have the least desirable effect. Foods that typically contain these fats are pastries and meat, respectively.
For more information on LDL and HDL, follow the links. Below is a video explaining how the consumption of eggs - albeit high in cholesterol - may actually lower blood cholesterol levels.
According to a new study published in Cell Metabolism, mice who spent their free time on a running wheel were better able to shrink tumors (a 50 percent reduction in tumor size) compared to their less active counterparts. Researchers found that the surge of adrenaline ( epinephrine) that comes with a high-intensity workout helped to move cancer-killing immune (NK) cells toward lung, liver, or skin tumors implanted into the mice.
While the research is hopeful for patients looking for inexpensive ways to manage their cancer, more needs to be learned about the effects of exercise on metastasis and longevity, as well as if the observations hold true in humans. Scientists also wants to explore the combined impact of anti-cancer treatments and ex ...
I was shopping around in Michigan a few weeks ago when I stumbled upon this product proudly made by the Velvet Peanut Butter Company. I was appalled when I read that it's made from Fully Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, while the trans-fat count is at zero grams - a very misleading claim.
This product is literally poisonous for human consumption, yet it is prepared for young children and people of lower socioeconomic status, given its low price tag. Hydrogenated oil is scientifically known to increase LDL 'bad' cholesterol and lower HDL 'good' cholesterol, thereby leading to heart disease and cancer. It should be against the law to feed it to kids.
In the United States, labelling a product trans-fat free doesn't necessarily mean it doesn't conta ...
A panel of respected physicians has written a major paper advising the public against 'wasting money' on multivitamins. Their report analysed 27 clinical studies: "We believe that the case is closed — supplementing the diet of well-nourished adults with (most) mineral or vitamin supplements has no clear benefit and might even be harmful. These vitamins should not be used for chronic disease prevention. Enough is enough."
According to a new report published out of the UK, E-cigarettes are 95% less harmful to your health than normal cigarettes. When supported by a smoking cessation service, they help most smokers to quit tobacco altogether. They have also concluded that there is "no evidence" that they offer young people a gateway into smoking.
In fact, the review suggests that e-cigarettes may be contributing to falling smoking rates in the U.K., as 2.6 million adults are now thought to be using the product. They also found that almost all of these adults are ex-smokers, providing evidence that many people are not starting to use the devices after having never smoked in the first place, and instead are using them to either quit or cut down on tobacco. ...
As cigarette smoking rates fall, more people are smoking tobacco from hookahs: communal pipes that enable users to draw tobacco smoke through water. A new meta-analysis shows that hookah smokers are inhaling a large load of toxicants. According to the study, compared with a single cigarette, one hookah session delivers approximately 125 times the smoke, 25 times the tar, 2.5 times the nicotine and 10 times the carbon monoxide (CO). The latter stat accounts for the light-headedness and high that smokers experience when inhaling the smoke, since CO reduces the amount oxygen capable of binding to circulating red blood cells.
In addition to these estimates, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported that, for the first time ...
Human trials are now planned. If successful, the simple, cheap HIV vaccine could be taken as a probiotic-like drink.
The new vaccine works in the opposite way to most vaccines - by suppressing, rather than triggering, an immune response. This is because HIV and SIV actually require immune cells known as CD4 T-cells in order to proliferate and establish an infection in the body.
A new study has found that most adults, everywhere in the world, are playing host to face mites. They live in our hair follicles, eat the oils we secrete, mate with each other near the surface of our skin, and sometimes venture out at night.
Stan Larkin (pictured on the right), who's now 25, was diagnosed with familial cardiomyopathy. This form of disease results in the heart having difficulty pumping enough blood through the body. Faced with a lack of compatible heart donors, Stan underwent an operation in 2014 to remove his failing heart and replace it with an external total artificial heart, dubbed the Freedom portable driver.
This battery-powered device uses compressed air to pump blood around the body in the same way a heart does, and as the name suggests, it is portable and only weighs 6 kilograms (13 pounds). The device does an incredible job at keeping the patient in a healthy condition while a donor heart becomes available, but it isn’t considered a long-term option. ...
It's that time of year again when the weather starts to change, and we're more prone to getting sick. One such symptom that accompanies these seasonal illnesses is a sore throat. Sore throats not only feel like you've swallowed sandpaper, but they are also accompanied by coughing, congestion, and the production of mucus, sometimes with spots of blood.
Firstly, mucus plays a crucial role in our respiratory system. It's a slippery, gel-like substance produced by the mucous membranes lining various parts of our body, including the respiratory tract. This viscous fluid serves as a protective barrier against invaders such as pathogens and irritants. It also helps keep these surfaces moist, allowing for proper functioning and efficient air exchang ...
Bayer Corporation and the Public Health Committee of the American Society for Microbiology sponsored a study of hand washing in public restrooms. Researchers from the survey group hid in stalls or pretended to comb their hair while they observed over 6,000 men and women in five large cities. Their observations revealed that many people prefer a "get up and go" strategy, failing to wash their hands after using the restroom facilities. In New York's Penn Station, for example, only 60% of restroom users washed after relieving themselves. Similar rates were found in other cities: 64% of restroom users washed at a Braves game in Atlanta, 69% washed in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, 71% used soap and water in a New Orleans casino, and a laudab ...
White bloods cells, known scientifically as leukocytes, are immune system cells that fight infect. The immune system is made up of a network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to protect the body. Sometimes our bodies encounter pathogens like bacteria, or in this case a parasitic worm. Roundworms, or nematodes, are parasites that can infect people by living and feeding in the intestines. There are different kinds of worms that can cause infection, and they can range in length from 1 millimeter to 1 meter. Luckily, this worm was no challenge for these hungry white blood cells. ...
Researchers from University of Otago have found that a natural fruit source of vitamin C – kiwifruit – is vastly superior to a purified supplement form.
The researchers are studying kiwifruit as a source of dietary vitamin C and found that in mice eating kiwifruit, vitamin C uptake was five times as effective as taking a purified supplement form.
The study was recently published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the highest ranking journal for human nutrition research. ...
