Think again about keeping little ones so squeaky clean
Research suggests that everyday germs may prevent diseases in adulthood
EVANSTON, Ill. — A new Northwestern University study suggests that American parents should ease up on antibacterial soap and perhaps allow their little ones a romp or two in the mud — or at least a much better acquaintance with everyday germs.
The study is the first to look at how microbial exposures early in life affect inflammatory processes related to diseases associated with aging in adulthood.
Most provocatively, the Northwestern study suggests that exposure …

ATHENS, GA—Air quality in homes, offices, and other indoor spaces is becoming a major health concern, particularly in developed countries where people often spend more than 90% of their time indoors. Surprisingly, indoor air has been reported to be as much as 12 times more polluted than outdoor air in some areas. Indoor air pollutants emanate from paints, varnishes, adhesives, furnishings, clothing, solvents, building materials, and even tap water. A long list of volatile organic compounds, or VOCs [including benzene, xylene, hexane, heptane, octane, decane, trichloroethylene (TCE), and methylene chloride], …

Within our body resides an innate wisdom. This wisdom created us from one tiny cell, it inspires our smile at playing children, it brings our tears of joy and our tears of sadness, it heals our wounds when we fall and it is the driving force that allows us to succeed against all odds. It is perfect and ever-present. In our body this innate intelligence utilizes our nervous system (N.S.) as a vital means of communication. The nervous system is also the perceptual, and conceptual system of our body, meaning …

A study that tracked genetic mutations through the human equivalent of about 5,000 years has demonstrated for the first time that oxidative DNA damage is a primary cause of the process of mutation – the fuel for evolution but also a leading cause of aging, cancer and other diseases.
The research, just published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, also indicated that natural selection is affecting the parts of the genome that don’t contain genes – supposedly “junk” DNA that increasingly appears to have important roles in life processes …

Believe it or not these 4 factors have a huge impact on whether or not  you will have the most common deadly chronic diseases: Never smoking, having a body mass index lower than 30 (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared), performing 3.5 h/wk or more of physical activity, and adhering to healthy dietary principles (high intake of fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain bread and low meat consumption).  A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine (2009;169(15):1355-1362).  Adhering to 4 simple healthy lifestyle factors can have …

Alternatives to drugging our children…

 A recent article by Megan Johnson in U.S. News & World Report explored 9 natural, drug-free treatments for ADHD that have all shown to have promise and positive outcomes for the children involved.  Her list includes; positive parenting, treatment programs, neuro feedback, interactive metronome training, meditation, a natural environment, better sleep, diet, and exercise.
Positive Parenting:  Apparently there has been research that shows some similarities among the parents of ADHD kids.  A study published in Clinical Pediatrics, suggests that having a child with ADHD elicits high levels …

These days there has been a lot of attention placed on aging and along with that Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.  Emerging research has shown that the simple act of reading, playing crossword puzzles, or doing crafts can decrease your chances of mental decline as you age.  Some neuro-scientists have taken this a step further and have been developing specific, targeted exercises to not only stave off dementia, but to also improve mental sharpness, memory, attention, processing speed and cognitive control (decision making and planning).  I don’t know about you, but …