Posts for Ecohealth
Role of Ginger in Inflammation
Posted by: | Comments
Inflammation is a major contributing factor to many disease processes, including cancer. Ginger is known as an inhibitor of the COX pathway which produces inflammatory eicosanoids such as prostaglandin E2. Eicosanoids are signaling molecules that control over the inflammatory response. These been linked to the development of adenomas in animal models. Adenomas are benign tumors that can grow on colon, adrenal glands, pituitary gland, thyroid, prostate, etc.
Currently, ginger supplementation is being evaluated in a phase II trial to investigate ginger’s potential as a colon cancer preventative.
Oxidative Stress and Diabetes
Posted by: | Comments
High levels of oxidative stress are common in those suffering from diabetes. This can be problematic as oxidative stress can damage various tissues and body organs, typically the kidneys for instance.
In animal models of diabetes, glutamine supplementation was shown to decrease markers of oxidation and glycation end-products. The researchers go on to suggest that these effects may reduce renal damage caused by excessive oxidative stress.
Source: Effects of glutamine supplementation on oxidative stress-related gene expression and antioxidant properties in rats with streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetes
Are schools making your kids sick?
Posted by: | Comments(CNN) — As a third-grader in Winsted, Connecticut, last year, Matthew Asselin was sick — a lot. He was lethargic and
plagued with a persistent wet cough, respiratory infections and painful headaches.
As the school year wound down, Matthew’s health worsened. He was out for two weeks in the spring with pneumonia and then developed a sinus infection so severe he needed to spend the night at the hospital, where he received intravenous antibiotics and breathing treatments.
In all, Matthew missed 53 days of school.
Trouble in Toyland
Posted by: | CommentsToys made with lead and phthalates continue to pose needless risks to U.S. children,according to the annual “Trouble 
in Toyland” report from U.S. PIRG. Its findings are worth keeping in mind after this holiday season as your kids play with the toys they may have gotten – especially for the babies and toddlers most as risk.
BPA Levels in Canned Foods
Posted by: | Comments
A new study from researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) has found that a group of volunteers who consumed a serving of canned soup each day for five days had a more than 1,000% increase in urinary bisphenol A (BPA) concentrations compared with when the same individuals consumed fresh soup daily for five days. The study is one of the first to quantify BPA levels in humans after ingestion of canned foods.