While alligators, as a top predator, don’t fear much in the wild, they should be concerned about the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances contaminating their environments. Their thick skin prevents harm from potential attackers, but their immune systems can be sabotaged by the widespread fluorinated organic chemicals polluting much of American waterways. Having recognized that alligators…
The University of Minnesota is working to evaluate and remediate recently discovered excessive mold growth in one of their freshman dorms. After several students reported health concerns and visible mold, the university initiated a full inspection with a report to be released soon. So far, they report having found Cladosporium sphaerospermum but no mention of…
This common herbicide in your food and in your yard increases the risk of lower birthweight in high-risk pregnancies and appears to increase the risk of a neonatal intensive care unit admission. With 8% of U.S. births falling into a high-risk category due to some other health factor in the mom, many babies enter the…
We live in a paradoxical age, a time when information is more available to the average person than ever before in history, yet the truth seems more elusive than ever. Multiple factors play a role in creating this volatile and anxiety provoking situation. Together these factors challenge even the most diligent of truth seekers, while…
A study of the history of warfare emphasizes that an army’s supply lines are often the difference between victory and defeat. Our immune system’s battle for our health, though enacted at a microscopic level, likewise depends on supply lines. The recent pandemic, by highlighting the effects of nutrients like vitamin D on the outcomes of…
So many parents face the challenge of raising small children with unexplained chronic illness and hear the encouragement that the child will grow out of it sooner or later. This may cheer parents in the first week or two, but when symptoms continue for weeks or progress in severity and variety, eventually parents want more…
Settled science sometimes unsettles. Due to the universally recognized critical sensitivity of infants in the womb to toxins and stress, a wide body of evidence and resulting recommendations address what medications are safe or not safe during pregnancy. Health care providers and expecting mothers depend on these recommendations and guidelines to protect their little ones…
In practicing functional medicine, we use the best of both worlds of medicine, and both worlds benefit from quality studies looking at the therapies we recommend to our patients. Regardless of whether we’re recommending an herbal or a pharmaceutical, we want some evidence to back up our plans. Clinical experience always guides our protocols, but…
We have known for some time that various autoimmune conditions increase the risk of heart disease, but no big picture of the connection has ever been attempted. These cardiovascular risk factors have always taken a backset to the traditional risks of diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol. This research paper sought to bring the big picture…
Understanding causation of a disease often starts with recognizing correlations between possible triggers and an identified disease syndrome. Myalgic encephalomyelitis/ chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) has been recognized as a syndrome affecting millions for a number of years yet a full understanding of its mechanisms and causes is still forthcoming. Researchers who take it seriously rather…