Health News

Susan Shaw, an internationally recognized marine toxicologist, author and explorer, shows evidence the toxic Gulf of Mexico oil slick is being kept off of beaches only at devastating cost to the health of the deep sea.

Vitamin D may become the most talked-about and written-about supplement of the decade. A huge part of the population is deficient in this essential nutrient.

Every tissue in your body, including your brain, heart, muscles and immune system, has receptors for vitamin D, meaning that this nutrient is needed at proper levels for these tissues to function well.

According to the New York Times:

“Studies indicate that the effects of a vitamin D deficiency include an elevated risk of developing (and dying from) cancers of the colon, breast and prostate; high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease; osteoarthritis; and immune-system abnormalities that can result in infections and autoimmune disorders like multiple sclerosis, Type 1 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis.”

Low levels of vitamin D could account for the high incidence of several chronic diseases in the U.S. For example, he said, in the Northeast, where sun exposure is reduced and vitamin D levels consequently are lower, cancer rates are higher than in the South.

If you’ve ever had a urinary tract infection, you’ve probably heard of the home remedy of drinking cranberry juice.  Scientists are still not exactly sure how the fruit juice functions as a natural antibiotic, but a new study has provided a bit more insight.

The bacteria responsible for more than 95 percent of urinary tract infections are a pathogenic strain of E. coli.  These bacteria have tiny arm-like appendages called fimbriae that anchor them to the surfaces of urinary tract cells.

Live Science reports:

“... [C]ranberry juice blocks the E. coli fimbriae from grabbing onto urinary tract cells. Cranberries contain large amounts of a chemical called proanthocyanidin, or PAC. PAC functions almost like a shield -- it forces the fimbriae to crumple so they can’t attach to surface of the cells in the urinary tract.”

Babies whose mothers are attentive and caring tend to grow up happy and well-adjusted children -- and the psychological benefits may extend well beyond childhood.

A new study followed nearly 500 infants into their 30’s.  It found that babies who receive above-average levels of affection and attention from their mothers are less likely to grow up to be emotionally distressed, anxious, or hostile adults.

CNN reports:

“What's more, the link between the emotional health of adults and their mothers' affection was evident even though the mothers and babies were observed for a single day, when the babies were just 8 months old.”

ESPN's "Outside the Lines" reviewed health department inspection reports at all 107 North American arenas and stadiums that are home to Major League Baseball, National Football League, National Hockey League and National Basketball Association.

At 30 of the venues, more than half of the concession stands or restaurants had been cited for at least one "critical" or "major" health violation. These violations pose a risk for food borne illnesses that can make someone sick or even prove fatal.

One of the most dangerous violations was food not being properly cooked, reheated or held at safe temperatures, because that allows the growth dangerous bacteria such as E. coli, salmonella, and staphylococcus aureus.

In addition, according to ESPN:

“In the past few years, Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis and Angel Stadium in Anaheim were cited with dozens of critical violations for rodent infestations. The violations ended up on local TV stations and in newspapers. Lucas Oil Stadium faced $3,500 in fines, and the violations in Anaheim angered officials with the city, which owns the stadium.”