Red Wine Helps?

Cancer effects millions of people around the world, whether directly or indirectly. Lives are lost or are permanently scarred by the uncontrolled growth of cells. I myself know people who have passed away from cancer, and have several friends who have lost friends and relatives as well to this unforgiving disease. For example, my girlfriend has lost her grandmother to cancer at a very early age. In addition to that, several of her aunts have had breast cancer in the past, as well as another grandmother. Honestly, I don't believe there is a human on this Earth who hasn't been affected somehow by cancer. Thankfully, new research has shown that resveratrol, a compound found in both grape skins and red wine, can potentially help aid in radiation treatment of tumor cells. The study was initially practiced on prostate cancer cells, then was also tested on melanoma cells, delivering similar results. With the melanoma cells, it was found that 65 percent of cancerous cells were killed with both radiation and resveratrol, as opposed to the normal 44 percent with radiation alone. Because of the positive outcome that occurs with the addition of resveratrol, more studies will be placed to test the use of this compound. However, researchers are unsure of just how well resveratrol aids in the radiation process. Therefore, researchers don't recommend that cancer patients to rely on resveratrol to cure their cancer. If you want to read more, please click here and you will be directed to the article.

Beneficial Breast Milk

My sister Nikki gave birth to a beautiful baby girl eighteen months ago. From the beginning she was fed nothing but breast milk. Today, I can see that my niece is far more intelligent than most babies her age. If you ask her where something is on her body, she can point it out to you. If you tell her to do something, an act that most babies her age shouldn't be able to accomplish, she will do it without struggle. More and more research is being found proving that breastfeeding has a beneficial impact on babies. Specifically, their brains. A recent study used a baby-friendly magnetic resonance imagining (MRI) to measure brain activity in children between the ages of 10 months to four years. By the age of two, signs of enhanced development in certain parts of the brain were more noticeable in children who were fed solely breast milk, as opposed to those who were fed baby formula or a mixture of both. Language, emotional function, and cognition were the most pronounced areas of development. While looking over these MRIs, researchers were looking for substantial differences in white matter growth. White matter is the tissue within the brain that helps with communication between different parts of the brain through long nerve fibers. Between breastfed and non-breastfed children, there is a 20 to 30 percent difference in white matter growth, which at this age is amazing. Researchers have also compared the effects of the duration of time at which these children were breastfed,  showing an increase in development especially in motor skills. You can find more about this subject by clicking on the link here.

Uncontrollable Food Consumption

In High School, one of my best friends suffered from an eating disorder. I hadn't realized the signs, because I thought it was some kind of girlish ritual to go to the bathroom after lunch everyday. I didn't think it was weird that she always had a pack of minty gum on her, or that she always seemed hungry. I just thought that this was common of a high school girl. Soon enough did I find out, when she ended up in the hospital for three weeks. Cases of binge-eating disorders and bulimia nervosa are on the rise among teenagers. Although not recognized as a disorder until recent months, binge-eating is a serious problem that has similar life-long impairments that are comparable to bulimia nervosa. I know I have had moments in the past where I felt as though I could eat for days and never be full, and honestly I don't know anyone who hasn't felt that way at least once in their life. However, for many, this feeling is something they struggle with on a daily basis. Both binge-eating and bulimia deal with uncontrollable bouts of eating, which in time can lead to later-onset mental and physical disorders. It is also not uncommon for people suffering with these disorders to suffer from depression, anxiety, and/or suicidal thoughts or actions. Sadly, both disorders are genetically unrecognizable by medical professionals, and therefore frequently go untreated. Even so, researchers have brought about the possibility of early detection of both binge-eating disorders and bulimia nervosa within vulnerable school years, which in turn will help prevent the often subsequent mental and physical impairments linked to these diseases. If you wish to read more, please click here.

Sleeping Patterns Among Teens

Being a college student, I know the struggle associated with not getting enough sleep. Staying up all night to complete an assignment is something I practice regularly. However, the next morning I usually wake up with a sore body, feeling as though I had been hit by a tractor trailer. When waking up this way, it makes it ten times more difficult to get out of bed and prepare myself for classes, and ultimately screws up my biological clock. Thankfully yet regretfully, I am not the only one who goes through this similar process. Research has found that among teens, lack of sleep brings about more cases of acute illnesses, as well as the increase of school absences. A study conducted over a six day period measuring both males and females' sleeping patterns reported a trend between lack of sleep and illnesses such as colds, the flu, and gastroenteritis. The study also showed that irregular sleeping patterns, as well as a need to schedule work and social time at later hours in the day, causes subtle differences in the outcomes of the illnesses. If you would like to read more on the subject, please feel free to click here, leading you to the corresponding article.

America's Number One Cookie (Addiction)

I know I've enjoyed a sleeve at a time, as I'm sure others have as well. Oreos are a delicious snack that mostly everyone seems to enjoy. Its also the most served cookie at Christmas time for Santa other than the typical chocolate chip cookie. But why when you eat an Oreo do you feel that you need more/ want more? Researchers recently conducted a test comparing the effects of drug usage on the brain and paralleling them to food addiction, in this case an Oreo loaded with sugars and high amounts of fat. Trials for the test were set up by a student and their professor. They compared the use of cocaine and heroin use to the consumption of Oreos. The study concluded that when using drugs, the addiction center of the brain lights up. When observing the results for the Oreos, those same areas were lit up as well and they seemed to be a little more intense. I can see how these foods produce such a strong reaction; I myself suffer from an eating disorder. Food doesn't judge, it is always there, and it tastes so good! If you would like to read more about this work, please click here for the article!

Lyme Disease Problem!!!

Waking up in the morning with a half-paralyzed face is never a good time. The cold water you drink drips down your neck onto your dry shirt, making for an embarrassing display. Why do you know what it's like to wake up this way, you may ask. My answer is, blame it on the Lyme Disease. A few years ago, during probably one of the most dreadfully hot summers I have experienced in a long time, a tiny menacing tick managed to slip into my bed and take advantage of my blood, leaving behind his disease; Lyme disease. This disease is no joke. Once you have it, if gone undiagnosed and untreated, it stays with you for your lifetime causing issues with daily life duties. This Lyme Disease epidemic is growing to be a prevalent issue with over 30,000 US residents confirmed to have this disease. According to a Scientific American article, researchers are blaming the decline in the red fox population for the increase of white footed mice population, which seems to be the root to why Lyme disease cases are growing quickly. So what do we do? The ethical issues surrounding its resolution make it difficult for someone to take action. Do we have the fox population rapidly reproduce in captivity and then re-populate areas where these foxes have disappeared? Or, do we just go out and exterminate the populations by hand? Maybe even control the deer population, which has been the species under fire for their contribution to the problem. I personally believe that re-introducing foxes to areas where they have disappeared seems to be the most effective and least ethical. The ecosystem will be able to re-balance itself and the population of mice will drop considerably. If you would like to read more about the article, attached is a link to it.

Lyme Disease Article (SA)http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=researchers-seek-scapegoat-for-lyme-diseases-startling-prevalence