A recent commentary in the New England Journal of Medicine describes what is really happening with the US food supply. In 2010, a report by the Institute of Medicine (IOM–now called the National Academy of Medicine) stated that, salt intake is actually a factor that is out of our personal control. This is because only 5% of sodium is coming from the...
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As the summer sun heats the Northern Hemisphere, getting enough water can be difficult. Recommendations for the amount of water you should drink have changed. Instead of the 8 glasses of water a day, the guidance now is to follow your body’s signals that it needs water–thirst. And take note of the color of your urine, if your urine is dark, you...
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Looking for some delicious and cool recipes for the summer? Try these two diabetes-friendly recipes from Diabetic Living[1]. Recipes: Berry-Mint Kefir Smoothies 1 cup low fat plain kefir 1 cup frozen mixed berries 1/4 cup orange juice 1-2 Tbsp. fresh mint 1Tbsp honey Combine kefir, berries, juice, mint to taste and honey in a blender Smoothies can keep for...
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A recent article in the Journal of the American Medical Association-Oncology (JAMA) contains an exciting strategy (made possible again by all the work of the Human Genome Project) for treatment decision making and finding recurrences earlier for those diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer. Treatment involves...
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Have you ever wondered about blood types? When I was in 5th grade, I needed a science experiment and obtained a kit to test my classmates blood types. They had to lance their own fingers for two drops of blood and conveniently dripped upon a glass slide. By adding a drop full of antibodies to Type A blood in one drop and, in the other, antibodies to Type B...
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Since the Human Genome Project published the first draft of the human genome in February 2001, there has been a boom in research and new technologies around genetics. The project revealed that humans have around 20,500 genes. Around 3 million base pairs make up these genes. CRISPR is a new technology that has arisen from this groundbreaking Human Genome...
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The New York Times Magazine published an article documenting the history scientific knowledge about climate change and the many efforts to push our leaders to action in “Losing Earth: The Decade We Almost Stopped Climate Change.” The American Public Health Association (APHA) has created several infographics that document the impact of climate...
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New: Thanks to InVideo, we have a video version of the post below. Check it out at bottom of the post. Incredible immunotherapy responses in some cancers, but not in others, have puzzled the research community. What is it about some cancers that allows the immune system to be activated? Why are some cancers able to evade the immune system even when...
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Our last post discussed the connection between our kidneys and blood pressure. The kidneys release urine in a steady flow. It moves down the ureters–muscular tubules–to the bladder. How does the bladder work? What happens when you hold urine in your bladder instead of going when you need to? Here is a well done description of how the bladder...
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Going to the doctor can be a challenging experience for any number of reasons–the tests, the physical exam, the news, the diagnosis, the bill–but you should at least be able to understand what your doctor is saying to you. Yet, medical jargon seems to be a necessary evil that patients and caregivers deal with on a regular basis. If you think...
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Our last blog post focused on microbiomes and their potential involvement in obesity. To complement that post, here is a TED Talk about how people who move from other countries to the US lose their normal gut flora. Another TED Talk, from 2014, describes the microbes in communities that are all over our bodies. It also discusses the Human...
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You’ve followed the diets, you’ve increased your exercise, and you still can’t lose weight. The problem may be related to the composition of your gut bacteria. Gut Bacteria and Weight Loss In a study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, researchers found evidence pointing to gut bacteria, “gut microbiota” hindering weight...
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