Diesel Fumes Can be Hazardous to Your Health – How to Stay Safe
Diesel fuel is a type of fuel used in large engines to power vehicles like trucks, buses, trains, ships and some types of cars, as well as construction and farm equipment. There are many types of health concerns linked to breathing diesel fumes, including cancer, lung disease and heart disease. Numerous studies, such as research conducted on miners who are constantly...
Watch Out for Advantame: The Newest Artificial Sweetener
As if there weren't enough dangerous artificial sweeteners on the market posing as "safe" sugar substitutes, the FDA has just approved a new one: advantame. Advantame, which does not yet have a brand name, is described as a "high intensity sweetener" 20,000 times sweeter than sugar. Manufacturers claim that it is low-calorie, does not raise blood sugar levels, and...
Learning a Second Language is Good for Your Brain
If you’ve ever had the desire to learn a new language, now is as good a time as ever. Only a mere 18 percent of American adults speak two or more languages, compared to more than half of all Europeans capable of transitioning from one language to the next with ease. Speaking a second language may seem illogical to...
Stop and Smell the Roses…Literally
Beautiful and fragrant rose bushes in full bloom are one of the highlights of the warmer months. You have probably heard the expression "stop and smell the roses" many times before. While this phrase means to take a moment to appreciate the beauty around you, which roses certainly represent, actually smelling roses offers many health benefits. The use of roses...
Summer Grill Safety Tips
Summer is practically synonymous with barbecues. Unfortunately, grilling also comes with a number of health and safety risks. What's the best way to protect yourself and still enjoy all of the fun and deliciousness barbecuing can bring? Avoiding HCAs Grilling meats at very high temperatures naturally produces what are known as HCAs (heterocyclic amines), which are also found in cigarette smoke....
Do You Have Diabetes But Don’t Know It?
Recently, the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a sobering report. The National Diabetes Statistics Report for 2014 laid out the facts in front of the entire nation about diabetes. Cases of the disease are at a staggering 29 million - that’s up 3 million since 2010. Since 2012, 1.7 million adults over the age of 20...
Canadian Doctor Prescribes Veganism Over Statins
Recent modifications to the American Heart Association guidelines for the treatment and prevention of heart disease made it possible for an additional 27 million people to be treated with statin drugs. This would bring the potential number of Americans prescribed these cholesterol-lowering medications from 13 million to 40 million nationwide. Statin drugs are the most commonly prescribed medication in North...
Stress Hormones Damage Short Term Memory
While short term memory lapses in older adults are commonly attributed simply to advanced age, research shows that it does not have to be this way. In fact, chronic stress may have a lot to do with it. A new study performed at the University of Iowa has linked chronically high levels of cortisol (the 'stress hormone') to impaired short term...
The 3 Stinky Secrets Indoor Air Fresheners are Hiding
The doorbell rings, it's surprise company and you've just finished cooking up a big batch of fish. You reach for the air freshener and start spraying. There… that's better, right?? Nope… it may actually be worse. We put them in our cars, our offices, our homes, our garages and everywhere that odors may linger. We mist, we spray, we plug-in...
Another Reason to Go Camping This Summer: It’s Good for You
You probably already know that camping is fun, but did you know that it's actually good for your health? Humans often long to spend time in nature; science has even come up with a term for it: biophilia. In fact, a recent study suggested that the increase in conditions like obesity, attention disorders and depression is partly due to a decrease...
