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Published on Leave a comment on Plant-Based Dairy Alternatives Can Lead to Micronutrient Deficiencies

Plant-based dairy alternative products, such as nut milks (e.g., oat and almond milks), are very popular these days. Especially for those following vegan diets. This is why doctors are increasingly concerned that avoiding all real dairy foods (milk, yogurt, cheese), and only consuming plant-based  alternatives is resulting in micronutrient deficiencies.

The biggest concerns are with iodine, B vitamins, calcium, and choline. Micronutrient deficiencies can have an effect on growth, thyroid, and brain development. A recent study pointed out that deficiencies can be especially harmful for children, young persons, and women of childbearing age.

One way to avoid these micronutrient deficiencies is to consume real dairy products as part of the diet. Or can consume plant-based dairy alternative products that have been fortified with these nutrients.

Excerpts from The Guardian: Swapping from dairy to plant-based milk, cheese and yoghurt ‘could lead to micronutrient deficiencies’

Switching from dairy products to plant-based alternatives could lead to deficiencies in vital micronutrients, especially among young people and women, a study has found. ...continue reading "Plant-Based Dairy Alternatives Can Lead to Micronutrient Deficiencies"

Published on Leave a comment on Pesticides Drift A Long Way From Where They Are Applied

Most people think that if pesticides are applied to their property, then it stays on their property. But that view is wrong. It has long been known that there is drift to neighboring properties when pesticides are applied, with even more drift occurring when it is windy. But what if there are schools or playgrounds nearby?

Research conducted in the Illinois found that pesticides from large-scale applications (farms, golf courses), drift hundreds and thousands of feet onto parks, playgrounds, and schoolyards. The researchers referred to the drifting of pesticides and landing away from the target area as "chemical trespass".

The researchers looked for 18 pesticides at 10 sites (school playgrounds and public parks) by sampling the sites monthly during 5 warm months (May - September). Silicone monitoring bands were used and foliage samples were taken. During the 5 months between 1 and 10 pesticides were detected at each site, with 2,4-D found at every site every month. (NOTE: 2,4-D was one of 2 pesticides in Agent Orange, and is still commonly used on lawns.)

Yes, many studies find that pesticides have health effects, including cancer, with children being the most vulnerable. Some of the pesticides the study detected are banned in other countries.

The chemical trespass (drift) of pesticides is especially concerning because Illinois lawmakers recently rejected a bill requiring advance notification to schools and playgrounds of near-by large-scale pesticide applications. But schools do need advance notification to protect their students - for example, keeping school children indoors or windows shut on spraying days.

By the way, it was lobbying by the chemical industry and conventional farm association that caused the bill to fail. Profits before people!

From Investigate Midwest: Pesticides detected hundreds of feet away from parks and playgrounds in these 10 Illinois counties

Eighteen different pesticide compounds were detected in public parks and playgrounds at 10 sites across Illinois last summer, including some agrichemicals that drifted at least 3,700 feet from the nearest spray site. ...continue reading "Pesticides Drift A Long Way From Where They Are Applied"

Published on Leave a comment on Some States Restrict Air Monitoring
Smokestacks Credit: Wikipedia

If you live in Louisiana, Ohio, or Kentucky (and soon West Virginia), you may be exposed to more air pollution than you know because air monitoring is restricted. Additionally, data from air monitoring done by local communities (using air sensors that are readily available and inexpensive) is not allowed to be used as evidence of air pollution.

And why is that? The chemical industry has been able to get laws passed in those 3 states that restrict the air monitoring. And they want more states to pass similar laws.

Unfortunately, the EPA has cut back its air monitoring program - not only by reducing the number of sites monitored, but also what chemicals are being looked for in the air. It's so bad that nearly six in 10 US counties have no public air monitor at all, according to a 2025 study. The study found that more than half of US counties are air quality monitoring deserts, without even a single monitoring station. Which is why inexpensive air monitors that residents and towns can easily buy are so important in detecting what is in the air.

This means that even if residents or town employees collect data or evidence that there is an air pollution problem in a town (e.g., from a nearby company) regulators are not allowed to act on it. Only expensive EPA approved equipment (costing tens of thousands of dollars) at official monitoring sites is allowed. However, the official monitoring may not be looking for the chemicals that are actually being released by companies or the monitors may be miles away from the most polluting companies.

The bottom line is: If no one is monitoring the air in all these places, can problems ever be found? If you don't measure what is in the air, then you don't know. And even if residents suspect or know there is a problem, what can be done if the data they collect is "not good enough"?

Is all this surprising? Eh... not these days.

Excerpts frrom The Guardian: Chemical industry backed laws in three US states to restrict use of air pollution data

As public air monitors disappear, federal rollbacks and state laws are making it harder than ever to know what’s in the air.

As the US’s network for monitoring air pollution deteriorates, a Floodlight investigation has found that the chemical industry is going state-to-state to restrict one of the few options citizens have left for holding polluters accountable: low-cost air sensors. ...continue reading "Some States Restrict Air Monitoring"

Published on Leave a comment on Research Shows Quitting Smoking After a Cancer Diagnosis Is Important

Most people know that cigarette smoking gives you a higher risk of developing cancer. But not many people know that after a cancer diagnosis, any cancer, one should quit smoking. It's rarely mentioned. But quitting smoking means better cancer treatment response and survival.

The medical community is so aware of the risks of continued cigarette smoking, that they call quitting smoking the "fourth pillar of cancer care" (The other 3 pillars of cancer care are: surgery, radiation, and chemo/immunotherapy.) Research finds that for many types of cancer, quitting smoking improves treatment response and also long-term survival.

Unfortunately, most cancer patients are not told this by their health professionals. Which may be why more than half of persons getting a cancer diagnosis continue smoking. 

But, continuing smoking increases the risk of death twofold within 6 months vs those who quit smoking after the cancer diagnosis. The cancers that have been shown to be affected by smoking after diagnosis include a variety of cancers, including head and neck, lung, colorectal, and bladder cancer.

Excerpts from Medscape: The ‘Fourth Pillar of Cancer Care’ That’s Often Missed

For patients with cancer who smoke tobacco, quitting may be one of the most impactful interventions available. Quitting smoking after a cancer diagnosis has been linked to better treatment response and improved overall survival. ...continue reading "Research Shows Quitting Smoking After a Cancer Diagnosis Is Important"

Published on Leave a comment on Study Finds Young Children Are Exposed To A Wide Variety of Pesticides

Most children in the US are exposed to a wide variety of pesticides, both prenatally and after birth. Pesticides and their residues are in foods, water, rain, fog, interiors of many homes,  gardens, lawns, workplaces, farms - basically everywhere. A recent study of children found that an average of 31 pesticides were found in the urine of each child (infants and toddlers).

In the study 438 urine samples collected from 187 children were analyzed for the presence of pesticide residues. A total of 215 pesticides were identified in the urine samples, with 51 pesticides detected in at least 20% of the samples. Sixteen pesticides were identified as highly detected ones - they were found in over 60% of the samples. On average, there were 31 pesticides per child  - with children ranging from 21 to 50 compounds per sample.

At this time, it is unknown what constant low level exposure to mixtures of pesticides does to a person long-term, but studies done so far are finding harmful health effects. Children are especially vulnerable to pesticides. Unfortunately, when the EPA looks at pesticide exposure, it only looks at one pesticide at a time - not at mixtures.

Health effects: Some pesticides are more hazardous than others, including effects such as endocrine disrupting effects, neurological damage, reproductive effects, and increased risk of cancer. Many scientists suspect that chronic low-level pesticide exposure may even be contributing to the year by year drop in sperm numbers and fertility problems.

Bottom line: Try to lower pesticide exposure by eating organic foods, not using pesticides routinely in yards and in homes (instead use organic products or least toxic IPM), and avoiding antimicrobial, antibacterial, and anti-odor products. [More tips.]

From Environmental Health News (EHN): Pesticide exposure widespread in U.S. children

A recent study published in Environment and Health found that young children are exposed to a wide range of pesticides during key periods of growth and development. ...continue reading "Study Finds Young Children Are Exposed To A Wide Variety of Pesticides"

Published on Leave a comment on All Daily Physical Activity Reduces Cancer Risk

Study after study finds all sorts of health benefits from exercise and physical activity. Even if it's only in short bursts. A recent large study found that all physical activity is better than just sitting in reducing cancer risks by about 7% for at least 13 cancers that have been associated with inactivity.

Standing up reduces cancer risks from just sitting for hours. And moving in any way (light activity) reduced the cancer risks even more than just standing. But vigorous activity reduced cancer risks even more. As little as three minutes of daily vigorous activity (e.g., hurrying up flights of stairs) was equivalent to 90 minutes of light-intensity movement in reducing cancer risks.

Bottom line: Move, move, move - whenever you can. Even if it's only for a few minutes. And even if it's a gentle stroll. The average American sits about 9 1/2 hours a day - and research shows that is not good for health.

From the Washington Post: 3 minutes of this activity may cut the risk of 13 cancers, study finds

To reduce your risks for at least 13 types of cancer, jog up and down the nearest steps for three minutes or stand up from your desk or couch for 30.

Either strategy might help drop your risks of certain cancers by as much as 7 percent, according to a new study of how the ways we move — and don’t move — during the day affect our chances of malignancies.

...continue reading "All Daily Physical Activity Reduces Cancer Risk"

Published on Leave a comment on Another Disappointing Vitamin D3 and Cancer Result

Another disappointing result for vitamin D3, this time looking at metastatic colorectal cancer progression and survival. For years, there was hope that taking high doses of vitamin D3 would help in preventing all sorts of cancers or would help in the treatment of cancer.  But the studies keep finding no effects from vitamin D3 supplements.

Researchers found that adding high dose vitamin D3 to standard chemotherapy plus bevacizumab did not improve progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with previously untreated metastatic colorectal cancer, when compared to those who received the same treatment except that they received a daily standard dose vitamin D3 supplement.

High dose vitamin D3 was 8000 IU daily for 14 days, followed by 4000 IU daily. Standard dose vitamin D3 (the  control group) was 400 IU daily.

Excerpts from Medscape: Does High-Dose Vitamin D3 Supplementation Improve CRC Survival?

High-dose vitamin D3 supplementation added to standard chemotherapy plus bevacizumab does not improve progression-free survival (PFS) compared with standard-dose vitamin D3 in patients with previously untreated metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Among 455 randomized patients, median PFS was 11.8 months in the high-dose group vs 10.3 months in the standard-dose group, with no significant differences in objective response rates or overall survival. ...continue reading "Another Disappointing Vitamin D3 and Cancer Result"

Published on Leave a comment on After Embassy Air Pollution Monitors Were Dismantled, Air Pollution Increased

It shouldn't be a surprise, but after the US stopped air pollution monitoring at its embassy sites around the world in early 2025 - air pollution in those areas jumped.

Researchers reported a 24 to 33% jump in air pollution within months, according to satellite measurements.

The program measuring air quality was started in 2008, when  the US government installed air pollution monitors at more than 80 embassies and consulates worldwide. Air quality results were made public. Research found that this led to a significant improvement in air quality at those sites. This was especially important for poor and middle-income countries that had limited resources for air quality monitoring.

Many studies find many health benefits (especially for the heart, lungs, and brain) when people breathe cleaner air, and increased early death rates when air quality is poor.

If there is no information about the air pollution in an area, then there is no problem. After all, it costs industries money to have pollution controls. Pollute away! As we all know, ignorance is bliss.

From NPR - Air pollution spiked after the Trump administration stopped embassy monitoring

Growing up in Shanghai in the early 1990s, Eric Zou remembers the air. "I lived a couple of miles next to a chemical plant and it was just really bad, really foggy," he says. "It's the middle of the day, but you can't see the sun."

Intensive industrial activity blanketed many cities in China during the 1990s and 2000s with extremely hazardous air. But Zou, now an environmental economist at the University of Michigan, says that many people didn't really understand this smog as air pollution, or something that could harm them.

"When you have a big smog event, people often talk about that as fog, they think it was just like bad weather," says Zou. One big key to changing that sentiment, he says, was information initially provided by the United States. ...continue reading "After Embassy Air Pollution Monitors Were Dismantled, Air Pollution Increased"

Published on Leave a comment on A Gel Is Being Developed to Regrow Tooth Enamel
Human teeth Credit: Wikipedia

Imagine that instead of drilling and filling cavities at the dentist, a gel could be applied to the damaged tooth and it would rebuild new tooth enamel. A new product is in development to do just that!

Scientists at the School of Pharmacy, Univ. of Nottingham are developing a gel that is applied to a tooth with weakened or damaged tooth enamel, and which draws calcium from saliva to grow a new mineral layer. It's not exactly tooth enamel, but it does closely match healthy tooth enamel and so far appears to withstand the stressors that healthy teeth are exposed to (e.g., chewing, acidic foods, tooth brushing).

Stay tuned for developments!

From Science News: Goodbye, cavities? New gel could regrow tooth enamel

A newly developed dental gel may be able to rebuild damaged tooth enamel, potentially creating a new approach to preventing decay and restoring worn teeth. ...continue reading "A Gel Is Being Developed to Regrow Tooth Enamel"

Published on Leave a comment on Combining Diet and Exercise Can Result in Type 2 Diabetes Remission

Over the years a number of studies have shown that intense dieting with weight loss can reverse type 2 diabetes. Another recent study came up with similar results. This time a study found that slightly more than half of persons following a low-calorie diet and an exercise program (aerobic and resistance exercise) reversed their type 2 diabetes within 12 weeks.

All the participants were between 8 to 45 years, and had an early onset type 2 diabetes diagnosis within the past 6 years. Such early onset type 2 diabetes typically means a high lifetime risk of complications. The participants were randomly assigned to either a control group that received general standard care, or the exercise and diet group.

The diet-exercise group followed a low-calorie diet (800 to 900 calories per day) for 12 weeks. During that time they also had a supervised hour of exercise (both aerobic, resistance) 2 times per week and once per week independent exercise. Between 13 to 24 weeks they followed a weight-maintenance diet and exercised independently.

Total weight loss was about 18.5 pounds in the diet-exercise group, but only 2.6 pounds in the control group. At the end of 24 weeks 54% of the diet-exercise were in type 2 diabetes remission, but only 4% of the control group.

The researchers demonstrated that having the participants follow the exercise program meant that they maintained muscle mass during the weight loss period. This showed that mass and muscle preservation is achievable with rapid weight loss -  a problem that typically occurs during rapid weight loss.

Bottom line: Following a low calorie diet and exercising, with resultant weight loss, can reverse type 2 diabetes. Not always, but for most it can.

From Medical Xpress: Low-calorie diet and exercise put early-onset type 2 diabetes in remission for 54% of participants

New research presented at the Annual Meeting of The European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Milan, Italy (Sept 28 – Oct 2) and appearing in The Lancet Regional Health Americas journal shows that in people who have developed early-onset type 2 diabetes (EOT2D) (aged under 45 years), around half these T2D cases can be reversed with a low-energy diet combined with a structured exercise program. ...continue reading "Combining Diet and Exercise Can Result in Type 2 Diabetes Remission"