Both short-term and long-term exposure to wildfire smoke and other pollutants like ozone and diesel emissions can cause inflammation in the brain. We believe pollutants in the lungs cause the neurological effects. Previous research has suggested that breathing in particulate matter (PM) causes pulmonary proteolysis, creating fragmented peptides that enter the bloodstream and weaken the blood–brain barrier (BBB).

Climate Central, a non-profit group, says that every person in the US took in more harmful wildfire smoke in 2023 than in any other year since 2006. Studies show that over the last ten years, exposure has grown 27 times in the United States.

Pollutants from wildfire smoke are mixed together, but fine particulate matter (PM2.5) makes up most of it and is a significant health risk. A study of more than 1.2 million people in southern California over the course of ten years found that wildfire smoke raises the chance of dementia more than any other type of air pollution. Researchers indicate that wildfire smoke is more dangerous to brain health than other types of air pollution.

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is air pollution from industry, cars, and wildfire smoke. These are very small drops of solid and liquid matter in the air, 30 times smaller than the width of a human hair. The chance of getting dementia was much higher when people were exposed to PM2.5 from wildfire smoke than when people were exposed from other sources of air pollution. Smoke from other sources increases the risk of dementia, but not as much as smoke from wildfires.

Mental Health Consequences

On days with a lot of pollution, more people go to the hospital for depression, suicide attempts, and psychotic episodes. Study after study shows that children whose mothers were exposed to high amounts of particulates while they were pregnant are more likely to have motor and cognitive problems as adults.

One study is one of the first to look at the effects of particulate matter on teens, whose brains are still growing.

Data from 10,000 pre-teens in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study (ABCD), the largest US child health study, was analyzed. Two of the 21 study sites are at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Researchers looked at parent questionnaires from four different times over three years and found that for both boys and girls, each extra day of exposure at unsafe levels increased the chance that they would have depression, anxiety, and other “internalizing symptoms” up to a year later.

But wildfire smoke doesn’t only affect the immediate area. While the exact distance depends on the wind and weather, smoke from wildfires can move hundreds of miles. This wide area has an effect on the air quality in places far from the fire, and the effects can last for weeks.

Smoke from wildfires, as previously noted, can have a significant effect on health. Some of the chemicals and small particles in smoke can impact the eyes, nose, and throat, making it hard to breathe, cough, and wheeze. If someone already has a breathing problem, like asthma, these signs can get worse.

How Can You Protect Yourself

It’s important to remember how the air quality is affected by the flames in the area, even if you are miles away. These are some simple things you can do to stay away from smoke and clean the air in your home and car.

1. Spend as much time as possible inside
Do not go outside as much, especially if you are working out when the air quality is poor. Inside is the best place to be when there is smoke. Keep a close eye on local news on the air quality. They often include a color-coded Air Quality Index (AQI) to help you decide how active you should be.

2. Close all the doors and windows
All of your windows and doors should be closed to keep smoke out of your home. Weather stripping or towels can fill in holes under doors and windows if you can. If your whole-house fan or window air conditioner does not have a HEPA filter, do not use them. They can bring smoke inside.

3. Use an air cleaner
If you have an air cleaner, especially one with a HEPA filter, use it to help clean the air inside your home. You might want to use portable air cleaners in the bedrooms and living rooms where you spend the most time. Do not use things that make ozone because it can make the air quality worse.

4. Create a room with clean air
Set aside one room as a “clean air room” if keeping your whole house smoke-free is hard. A HEPA air filter should be set up in a room with few windows and doors. During times of smoke, spend most of your time in this room.

5. Know how to use your air conditioner well
If you have an air conditioner, make sure it is set to bring in air from outside and move it inside. Keep the windows closed and, your car, set your air conditioner to the recycling mode to keep smoke out of your car while you drive.

6. Stay away from things that make indoor pollution worse
When the air quality outside is a concern, it is important to cut down on indoor pollution sources as well. Do not use gas stoves, burn candles, or smoke inside. The air quality inside can get even worse, and these actions can make the environment more dangerous.

7. Put on a mask if you need to.
If you have to go outside, wear a mask to keep out small particles. Wearing N95 respirators or KN95 masks can help protect you from dangerous particles in wildfire smoke. Scarves or masks made of cloth will not keep smoke out.

8. Keep an eye on air quality
You can check the air quality in your area in real time with apps or websites. There is a simple way to tell if the air is safe to breathe with the Air Quality Index (AQI), which helps you plan your day.

9. Drink plenty of water and look after your health
It is important to stay hydrated because wildfire smoke can irritate your lungs and make it harder to breathe. Your lungs and sinuses stay moist when you drink plenty of water. For people who already have conditions like asthma, make sure they have all of their medicines on hand. Also, do not wait to call their doctor if they have trouble breathing or other signs.

We are beginning to suffer through the effects of climate change and wildfires are a result. Living with these conflagrations may mean changes over a long period of time because climate change will be with us for decades, if not longer. Lifestyle changes are mandated if we expect to maintain our health when we need to interact with wildfire-induced pollution.

The post Wildfire Smoke Linked to Dementia, Brain Damage and Body Health, So Beware appeared first on Medika Life.

Changes and damage linked to formaldehyde have made people wonder what role it plays in controlling diseases of the central nervous system (CNS), like neurodegenerative disease (NDD) and brain tumors (BT). When humans breathe in formaldehyde, it can damage neurons and cause problems with learning and memory. Several statistical studies have looked at the link between formaldehyde exposure and brain cancer in professional workers like anatomists, pathologists, embalmers, and funeral home workers, as well as in industrial workers. The skin also is vulnerable to formaldehyde penetration, which would be a concern in any shampoo or skincare product.

One major concern related to a specific type of cancer has now come to the surface, and the FDA must address it. As part of the Sister Study, it was found that teens and adults who used hair products were more likely to get breast cancer, and adults who used straighteners were more likely to get ovarian cancer.

So, there is an established empirical problem now with cosmetics. They do have guidelines on the FDA website. Cosmetics and their ingredients do not need FDA approval before they can be sold in the U.S., but color additives (other than those used in coal-tar hair dyes) do need to be approved for their use. Businesses that sell cosmetics are legally responsible for making sure their products are safe. But you will notice that certain types of hair dyes require no prior approval—until now. New FDA guidelines are anticipated.

For many decades, formaldehyde and DMDM hydantoin have been recognized as products that are dangerous to health. It was removed from popular brands of shampoo and any beauty product with it is withheld from distribution in many countries. Currently, lawsuits have alleged that this chemical remains in products, and is responsible for several health issues, including dermatitis and hair loss, and is a known carcinogen. Specifically, the FDA is now concentrating on regulations related to hair relaxers.

Because formaldehyde is linked to cancer and other long-term health problems, the Food and Drug Administration wants to stop its use as an ingredient in hair relaxers. The new rule would stop colorless and very harmful chemicals from being used in high-straightening and hair-smoothing products, which are also called relaxers.

Why are these dangerous materials still being used in any products? They act as stabilizers, and formaldehyde is often added to creams, lotions, and other goods to prolong their shelf life and make them last longer.

Some additives slowly release small amounts of formaldehyde into the air. Low levels of formaldehyde can be harmful to health, even at levels as low as 250 parts per million and even lower levels in people who are already sensitive to it. This is why even the slow release of small amounts of formaldehyde is a problem; it’s a health hazard.

A list of products to avoid is available online, but, as the site states, you may not see all the ingredients listed as such since some may have different names or be capable of releasing harmful materials. Do we have to be chemists to protect ourselves from dangerous products? We do expect the FDA to have taken on this task on our behalf.

The post Questions About FDA Protection From Dangerous Beauty Products appeared first on Medika Life.

As you will learn, the backstory is bizarre.

Descriptions of the disease symptoms sound like something out of a horror film:

Morgellon disease causes white, black, red, or blue fibers to protrude from (or appear under) the skin (or protrude from it). Individuals may also have the sensation of something crawling beneath their skin.

Morgellon disease affects approximately 13,000 individuals in the United States.

The condition is so odd and mysterious that the consensus in the medical community is that Morgellons does not actually exist.

Icon

Joni Mitchell just snagged her 10th Grammy at last Sunday’s awards in LA — make that 11 if you count her Lifetime Achievement Award.

The honor was for Best Folk Album, celebrating her 2023 release, “At Newport.”

Even though Joni scored her first Grammy in 1970, she made her first-ever singing appearance on the awards stage just last week.

Picture this: she belted “Both Sides Now” in a cool “Joni Jam” style. She was seated on a plush throne, rocking her recent trademark cane, and surrounded by a squad of all-star musicians casually taking their seats.

Quite the scene!

Morgellons disease

Morgellons is the informal name of a self-diagnosed skin condition in which individuals have sores that they believe have fibrous material.

While clinicians do not understand the problem very well, many believe that it is a delusional parasitosis:

Patients with a delusional infestation (DI) have an overwhelming conviction that they are infested with (non) pathogens without any medical proof.

Sores

Check out the sores on the body of a patient depicted below. These lesions are typically the product of compulsive scratching.

The sores are typically the result of compulsive scratching, and the fibers, when analyzed, are consistently found to have originated from cotton and other textiles.

When the fibers in the lesions are analyzed, examiners often think that the fibers are from cotton and other textiles.

Au contraire

It can be challenging for those suffering from Morgellon disease to reconcile healthcare provider’s explanations with their own beliefs.

Many believe that Morgellon disease is an infectious disease, perhaps associated with Lyme disease.

I discovered this 2018 article headline:

“Detection of tick-borne infection in Morgellon disease patients by serological (blood) and molecular techniques.”

The authors concluded that “the role of Borrelia [a pathogen involved with Lyme disease] and coinfecting pathogens in developing Morgellon disease warrants further investigation.”

These findings are contradicted by much larger studies conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, which found skin samples mostly contained cellulose that came from cotton, with no evidence of infection or other causes.

Lyme

As noted above, some researchers believe the Lyme disease pathogen B. burgdorferi causes or has associations with Morgellon disease (MD).

A 2015 study discovered B. burgdorferi in 24 of 25 subjects with MD. Skin examination of each participant showed that many samples contained fiber-like materials.

The scientists examined the subjects’ skin samples and concluded that the fibers contained human skin cells. The researchers found that the fibers originated from hair follicles, not fabric.

As opposed to a psychological condition, an infectious agent, such as Lyme disease, may be responsible for Morgellon disease.

However, more research is necessary to confirm the cause of the condition.

Review

A review of 16 publications regarding the causes of Morgellon disease (MD) showed the majority of studies pointed to a psychiatric reason for the condition.

The researchers also reviewed 11 articles looking at treatment.

Low-dose antipsychotic medicines were the most effective management tool for MD once non-psychiatric causes have been excluded.

A 2012 U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention paper settled the debate for most doctors.

One hundred and fifteen patients reported, via a questionnaire, that they had fibers emerging from their skin or abnormal skin sensations.

The researchers examined the patients and declared that there weren’t any common medical reasons for the symptoms. To the examiners, most of the fibers the patients noted were cotton pieces from their clothing.

Media

Here is what The Washington Post reported:

“Internet discussions about Morgellons include many conspiracy theories about the cause, including biological warfare, nanotechnology, chemtrails, and extraterrestrial life.”

One of my favorite shows is Criminal Minds. A team of FBI agents specializing in criminal profiling works in the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU).

This group uses behavioral analysis and profiling techniques to assist in crime investigations, primarily identifying and apprehending the unknown subject, commonly called the “unsub.”

The television show featured Morgellon disease.

In the episode, the team discovers that two individuals were abducted. Both had small bites and deep self-inflicted marks.

The crime investigators conclude that the unsub has delusional parasitosis — he thinks he is infested with bugs — and is searching for others to support his delusion by making them feel what he feels.

When the abducted individuals don’t support the delusion, he kills them.

Thoughts

The scientific community is divided: While many believe Morgellon disease is a purely psychological disorder, a minority believe there is an underlying pathogen.

I have never met a patient with this condition.

Many individuals who believe they have Morgellons, a condition that the medical community generally questions, often turn to the internet for self-diagnosis using online sources like Google.

This situation has led to the forming of a supportive online community where people who think they have Morgellons share their experiences and seek information.

No matter the cause, it must be distressing to experience the skin sensations associated with Morgellon disease.

The post Iconic Musician Joni Mitchell’s Shocking Health Revelation: Her Battle with Morgellon Disease appeared first on Medika Life.

“Having had cancer, one important thing to know is you’re still the same person at the end. You’re stripped down to near zero. But most people come out the other end feeling more like themselves than ever.” — Kylie Minogue.

Early breast cancer detection optimizes the odds of survival. While regular screening tests for breast cancer are important, mammograms do not find every breast cancer.

It can be helpful for you to know the normal look and feel of your breasts. If changes occur, you may more easily spot them.

Let’s get right to my top 8 symptoms:

1. A new lump

A new lump is the most common symptom of breast cancer. While a painless, firm mass with irregular edges is more likely to be cancer, breast cancers can also be soft, round, or associated with discomfort or pain.

2. Swelling (with or without a lump)

Some individuals with cancer experience swelling or all or part of their breast.

3. Skin dimpling

Breast cancer is sometimes associated with dimpling. Uncommonly, the skin may take on the appearance of an orange peel, a condition known as peau d’orange.

4. Pain

Breast or nipple pain can be a symptom of breast cancer.

5. Nipple retraction

The nipple may turn inward in some cases of breast cancer.

6. Skin that is red, dry, flaking, thick, or itchy

Sometimes, the skin of the breast or nipple can change, reflecting cancer.

7. Nipple discharge

A nipple discharge (not breast milk) warrants a discussion with a healthcare provider.

8. Swollen nodes

If the lymph nodes in your underarm (axilla) or near the collarbone are larger than normal, this can sometimes be a sign of the regional spread of breast cancer. This symptom may or may not be associated with changes in the breast.

Please remember that non-cancerous (benign) conditions may cause these symptoms. Nevertheless, if you have any concerning symptoms, please get in touch with an experienced healthcare professional for an evaluation.

Finally, watching for symptoms does not substitute for appropriate screening. Mammograms can often detect breast cancer before any symptoms emerge.

Thank you for joining me in this brief look at breast cancer symptoms. It is Breast Cancer Awareness month.

The post Breast Cancer — Do You Know These 8 Symptoms? appeared first on Medika Life.

The wrath of climate change is melting glaciers, changing the course of mighty rivers, and threatening traditional ways of life worldwide. Even wildlife is affected. Along with this comes famine, a loss of occupations, and a terrible sense of helplessness where self-sufficiency existed previously.

Between 2030 and 2050, climate change is expected to cause approximately 250K additional deaths per year from malnutrition, malaria, diarrhea, and heat stress alone. The direct damage costs to health are estimated to be between US$ 2–4 billion per year by 2030.

Governments and environmental groups are desperately trying to find speedy solutions to the damage already seen and the certainty of decades devoid of so much that it is more than worrisome. Futures that seemed assured to be similar to the past for families as they planned for themselves and their children are now shrouded in uncertainty. As the adults seek legislation, where does this leave the children?

Underestimating Childhood Effects?

Children are especially vulnerable to certain weather-related events such as wildfires and the smoke and particulates spewed into the air. Systematic reviews of the literature mostly summarize adult morbidity in the setting of wildfire smoke. Those pertaining to children demonstrate an increase in respiratory infections and asthma presentations in the setting of wildfire smoke. Less is known about the health effects for children with other chronic health conditions. But aside from the detrimental physical changes in children’s health, there are the psychological ones that will affect these children’s mental health and future.

Climate change has been seen by the World Health Organization as the greatest global health challenge of the 21st century and this will be particularly true for young people in terms of both their physical and mental health. It is the mental health aspect of this challenge that has received inadequate attention. We are only now beginning to realize our lack of preparation in terms of diagnosis and treatment for climate change-related mental difficulties.

The mental health conditions that are seen as particularly vulnerable to climate change and its effects on humans include post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, reduced subjective well-being as well as increased suicide rates, and hospitalizations for mental health disorders.

Children, no matter where they look, whether on TV or the Internet, or any social media platform, are faced with inescapable and negative information on climate change. They believe they have little control over it, and any power they have is limited, all of which leads to an increasing degree of anxiety, now referred to as climate anxiety, also known as climate distress.

The Mental Effects on Children

In a survey of 10,000 children and young people ages 16 to 25 on climate change in 10 countries, 59% of the respondents were rated as very or extremely worried, and 84% at least moderately worried about climate change. Over half of the respondents indicated they were sad, anxious, angry, powerless, helpless, and guilty.

Forty-five percent of the respondents indicated their feelings about climate change had a negative impact on their daily life and functioning, and others were frightened. Eighty-three percent said they thought that adults fail to take climate change seriously enough. Government actions, also related to climate change, were not viewed in a favorable light, and the subjects’ feelings displayed a sense of betrayal rather than reassurance.

Climate change, which we might normally consider to have an impact on physical health, too, has a seriously eroding effect on children’s ability to learn. It has been reported that every 1°F increase in annual ambient temperatures in classrooms has been causally linked to a 1% reduction in overall learning in school children. How much of a learning impediment will this increasing temperature account for in the next several decades unless the problem is properly addressed?

Research has also indicated that natural storms, wildfires, and earthquakes appear more frequently than previously and affect children, their families and the entire community in which they live. This displacement puts children at higher risk for developing PTSD, depression, anxiety, phobias, sleep disorders, attachment disorders, and substance abuse.

Climate change, therefore, can be seen as instrumental in creating problems in emotional regulation, cognition, learning, behavior, language development, and academic performance. The sum total of all of these disorders and diminutions of normal development weigh heavily on our young people and our children.

The situation is even graver in the developing world. Children who live in poverty will have the most dramatic, negative effects on their existence. Climate change, therefore, will continue to maintain the existence of a related underclass that may have few opportunities to advance in a technologically developed world.

Legislation may address certain future aspects of climate change, but healthcare professionals and researchers are concerned with the present-day circumstances and what type of mental health or community help is most effective for everyone, especially children.

More inter-disciplinary research is needed in this area to better understand how risk and protective factors affect young people’s likelihood of experiencing mental health and, importantly, wellbeing impacts from both direct and indirect exposures to climate change. Of particular urgency is the need for research that investigates how to promote the protective factors of young people in the face of the ongoing, cumulative and long-term impact of climate change.

The lives we’ve learned to live over the past 50 years may have meant we were borrowing from our children’s futures, and that is unacceptable. If we give them one legacy, it should be health and the possibility of a better day tomorrow.

The post Kids Are Affected by Climate Change in Ways We Rarely Consider appeared first on Medika Life.

 Only 6.8% of the group in 2017-2018 had what would be considered optimal cardiometabolic health. And the trend is down, substantially. (See the article text for the graphic presentation.)

Let that sink in for a moment. We Americans stack up health wise very poorly.

African Americans and Mexican Americans fared somewhat worse than whites as did men compared to women, less educated vs more educated, and less affluent than more so participants.

But for you well-educated, affluent whites, be aware, you still did poorly.

Equally important, the trend is down in every category over the almost twenty years of this survey.

It is notable that the survey criteria used here did not include measurements of exercise (most Americans are deficient,) diet (most Americans eat an unhealthy diet,) stress (most are chronically stressed,) or sleep (most are sleep deprived.) Add these in along with tobacco usage (fortunately now down below 15%) and excessive alcohol consumption and we are a woeful group wondering why we develop diabetes, angina, a heart attack or a stroke, cancer, kidney disease or Alzheimer’s.

The authors of the study made the obvious conclusion that “the findings inform the need for nationwide clinical and public health interventions to improve cardiometabolic health and health equity.”

In an accompanying editorial, Failing Cardiovascular Health: A Population Code Blue^∗ in the Journal of Cardiology, the authors observe, “The reported findings of secular trends of stalling and worsening cardiometabolic profile should not be a surprise as the obesogenic lifestyle—unhealthy dietary patterns that feature foods and beverages high in saturated fat, sugar, salt, and calories; little or no physical activity; alcohol; too much or too little sleep; and hours of screen time—seems to be the norm for many Americans and other populations. These obesogenic behaviors are promoted by increasing opportunities for screen time, a snack food industry [the link will bring you to an interesting short article] that uses science to craft products that are tasty and addictive yet neither satisfying nor filling, and community designs that favor travel by automobile and discourage walking and bicycling. We are particularly concerned about the potential for the developing metaverse to decrease physical activity and increase obesity.

“Regaining the momentum toward positive cardiovascular health will not occur spontaneously. It will require the engagement of every physician and every public health policy with action at 3 levels—personal, clinical, and community.”

My last article in this series on our dysfunctional healthcare delivery system was titled “Follow the Money in Healthcare – It Will Lead You to Chronic Diseases.”

In a reader’s comment, with only the first two paragraphs copied here, Jo Lis wrote, “Prevention of chronic disease is as a practical matter, for most people; eat sensibly, exercise, don’t smoke, don’t drink excessively, get enough sleep, time outdoors, etc. We all know this, and yet only some of us check a few of those boxes regularly. Food is the key to all of this, and it is the most misunderstood ingredient in preventative care. The big #1 one principle is to eat sensibly. Most of us don’t even know what that means anymore. Consuming whole foods is the point. But that is not profitable for the big food companies, so we get told lies to make us buy processed foods that end up causing preventable chronic disease. You see the vicious circle there? … Follow the money, as usual.”

Since industry and government probably will not help much, it is incumbent upon us to take the first steps. In this regard, the American Heart Association (AHA) has set out a set of metrics designed to assist us in determining our health status and watching it into the future. Called “Life’s Essential 8,” it is an update in June 2022 of their earlier “Life’s Simple 7” published in 2010. That was a “a novel construct of cardiovascular health to promote a paradigm shift from a focus solely on disease treatment to one inclusive of positive health promotion and preservation across the life course.” This is an important paradigm shift as the vast majority of the dollars expended today for are for diagnosis and treatment of chronic disease; hardly any goes to disease prevention, wellness maintenance and health preservation.

“Life’s Essential 8,” by the American Heart Association. Each of the four health behaviors and four health factors are graded on a scale of 1-10. Those summarize as a composite score shown on the Overall scale at the top which, in this example, gives a score of 68. See text for details.

The new AHA metrics recognize that social determinants and psychological health are important determinants of cardiovascular (and all) health. The Life’s Essential 8 include health behaviors of diet, physical activity, tobacco (including vaping and chews), sleep, and health factors of BMI (body mass index), blood lipids (non-high density lipoprotein cholesterol), blood glucose (sugar, as also measured by hemoglobin A1c), and blood pressure.

As the authors point out, “numerous studies have shown strong, stepwise, inverse associations between the number of ideal CVH [cardiovascular health] metrics or overall CVH score and total cardiovascular disease (CVD) and CVD mortality” but also “all-cause mortality and a wide variety of non-CVD outcomes.”

In other words, measuring cardiovascular health status is an excellent guide toward health in general. This suggests that using the Life’s Essential 8 methodology can be an excellent guide to developing effective wellness preservation and chronic disease prevention approaches.

The Life’s Essential 8 emphasizes the importance of social and economic conditions that impact ultimate CVH. Community resources such as education, agriculture, employment, water and sanitation, housing, etc. are foundational to good health overall and CVH in particular. So too are a person’s psychological health where anxiety, depression and pessimism detract from health whereas psychological well-being, gratitude, optimism and a sense of life’s purpose all benefit good health. These factors have consistently been shown to improve longevity and “healthspan,” i.e., life lived without disease.

Obviously, the community resources group are dependent on government actions whereas the psychosocial are closely related to community status and issues but still are largely in the preview of the individual and his or her family and counsellors.

Sleep has been ignored until recently but new science has shown its importance to overall health and to cardiovascular health. Sleep is important to manage stress and inflammation, two interconnected conditions that are extremely important in the development of most all chronic diseases including coronary artery damage and plaque buildup.

Unfortunately, with just food alone, the cards are stacked against us in many ways. Nevertheless, we each need to assume responsibility for our health status. We also need help from the industrial agriculture and manufacturers of food industries, the food purveyors, insurers and governments at all levels. So far, except for tobacco, efforts have been minimal. And it is unlikely to change. There is just too much money being reaped that any attempts to push back is always met with strong resistance. Lobbyists keep Congress under control and marketing encourages us to eat more and more unhealthy processed foods.

So, it is up to you and you alone. If you would like to augment your and your loved one’s lives toward better health and a longer health lifespan, I encourage you to focus on at least some of the elements of healthy living. Read the AHA’s article in full. In later articles I will review the key concepts as outlined in the books noted below in my bio sketch.

Veal, squash, broccoli, salad, iced tea. Author’s image.

The authors of the newly released study from the CDC referred to at the top of this article also note that the prevalence of an ideal diet among all age groups of Americans is “negligible (<1%).” So, for now, focus on what you eat. That will be a great place to start. You don’t have to be perfect, just a bit better than yesterday. Each day you can make added headway.

Cut way down on sugar (soda, candies, ice cream) and white flour products (white bread, pastries, muffins, most cereals, even pizza.) Those are the “Nos.” Instead focus on fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, seeds and nuts, olives and olive oil, fatty fin fish like salmon, mackerel, or sardines, plus some dairy, poultry (preferably free range), and a limited amount of red meat, again preferably free range, grass fed. Look at the image above; do not think of this as unpleasant. Instead, make it a tasty, enjoyable meal preferably shared with a friend or two.

This will be an excellent start. You will feel better and then you can address some of the other key steps including exercise, stress management, and enhanced sleep. Follow the money; you will save dollars, not only now but big dollars in a future of lessened chronic illnesses. Your health will stack up way better than most.

Stephen C Schimpff, MD, MACP, is a quasi-retired internist, professor of medicine, former CEO of the University of Maryland Medical Center and author of Longevity Decoded – The 7 Keys to Healthy Aging and his co-authored book with Dr Harry Oken BOOM — Boost Our Own Metabolism

The post How Do We Americans Stack up Healthwise? Very Poorly! appeared first on Medika Life.

The Environmental Working Group is a non-profit organization that aims to improve the environment and human health. Each year, the group gives us a “dirty dozen” list of fruits and vegetables. It also releases a “Clean 15” produce list.

First, I want to put a disclosure front and center. Several prominent organic marketers fund the Environmental Working Group.

The “dirty dozen” fruits and vegetables

The Environmental Working Group’s annual Dirty Dozen report exclaims strawberries, spinach, and nectarines have the most pesticide residues. Here is the complete 2022 rundown:

1. Strawberries
2. Spinach
3. Kale, collard, and mustard greens
4. Nectarines
5. Apples
6. Grapes
7. Bell and hot peppers
8. Cherries
9. Peaches
10. Pears
11. Celery
12. Tomatoes

The EWG notes that a small amount of papaya, summer squash, and sweet corn sold in the United States is made from genetically modified seeds. Consider buying organic varieties of these crops if you want to dodge genetically modified produce.

The “dirty dozen” fruits and vegetables — testing

The US Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) do the testing. They found 245 different pesticides and pesticide breakdown products on over 70 percent of non-organic produce.

Before performing a test, the USDA washes, scrubs, and peels them as a typical consumer would. It seems clear from the report that simple washing is not enough to remove all pesticides.

The “dirty dozen” fruits and vegetables — Criticism

An industry group for growers of produce (both organic and non-organic) and some dieticians offer objections to the report, noting that the annual report raises an unnecessary alarm and may discourage folks from eating enough fruits and vegetables.

Listen to Teresa Thorne, Executive Director of the Alliance for Food and Farming:

“Ignore or discount the list.” Like others, she fears that if an organic fruit or vegetable costs more, as they often do, consumers will bypass produce altogether, especially low-income consumers. “Pick what’s best for you and your family,” she says.

Counters toxicologist Dr. Alexis Temkin of the Environmental Working Group: “All the residues found were within legal limits set by the Environmental Protection Agency. She adds that “although the levels are legal, that doesn’t necessarily mean they are safe.

On the other hand, the report provides information to help consumers make informed decisions about the produce they choose to purchase.

Before you turn away from buying that produce, remember that both organic and conventionally grown fruits and vegetables have pesticides of different sorts. There is a Pesticide Residue Calculator from toxicologists at the University of California, Riverside, that provides some comfort.

You can use the calculator to see that trace amounts of chemicals in conventionally grown produce don’t appear to be hazardous. One may consume 850 apples per day without suffering harm from pesticides. I am a bit sceptical about such claims, but the calculator provides another perspective.

I am a work in progress, trying to have about half of my plate filled with fruits and vegetables. That is the best move I’ve made in my diet in a long time. You too should think about getting those fruits and vegetables!

What is your approach?

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The Environmental Working Group is a non-profit organization that aims to improve our environment-related health. The group recently analyzed 39,000 US Department of Agriculture tests of 47 fruits and vegetables.

The bad news? Nearly 70 percent of conventional produce contains pesticide residues. Particularly striking that virtually all apples, cherries, nectarines, and peaches contained at least one pesticide.

Rather than focus on the “dirty dozen” fruits and vegetables, today, we turn to the so-called Clean 15 produce list. First, a disclosure: The Environmental Working Group receives funding from several prominent organic marketers.

Fruits and vegetables — the clean 15

Nearly 70 percent of the Clean Fifteen fruit and vegetable samples contained no pesticide residues. Can you guess the cleanest? If you offered avocados and sweet corn, you are spot on; fewer than two percent of the samples had pesticides.

I recently wrote about some of the upsides of avocado consumption:

Are Avocados A Weapon to Dodge a Heart Attack?AVOCADOS APPEAR TO BE ONE MORE TOOL to reduce your heart attack risk. A new study suggests that this fruit — known for…medium.com Could Phytochemicals in Avocados Protect Against Cancer?I love indescribable things, like the taste of an avocado or the smell of a gardenia. — Barbra Streisand.medium.com

Let’s turn to the whole list of so-called clean fruits and vegetables.

1. Avocados

2. Sweet corn

3. Pineapple

4. Onions

5. Papaya

6. Sweet peas (frozen)

7. Asparagus

8. Honeydew melon

9. Kiwi

10. Cabbage

11. Mushrooms

12. Cantaloupe

13. Mangoes

14. Watermelon

15. Sweet potatoes

Fruits and vegetables — Study methods

The Environmental Working Group analyzed over 44,000 samples taken by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the US Drug Administration.

Before testing the produce for pesticides, the researchers prepared each fruit or vegetable like regular folks might do, including rinsing produce with edible peels and peeling those with inedible peels.

Whether the fruit or vegetable is on the clean or dirty list, I always wash produce before peeling, cutting, or eating it. Why? I am not as concerned about the pesticides as getting enough produce into my diet. My eagerness to wash is that produce can be covered in bacteria, leading to food poisoning.

Did you know that produce causes nearly half of all foodborne illnesses? By contrast, meat and poultry are responsible for 22 percent of cases in the United States.Fruits and vegetables poison more Americans than beef and chickenEvery year, millions of Americans get sick from what they eat and drink. But it’s not always the foods you’d…www.vox.com

What is your approach?

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We are in winter here in the Northern hemisphere. Despite our often rainy days in Seattle, dry skin is still a problem for me. I have heard that shower or bath oils can be beneficial. If oils help, what is the optimal way to apply them?

Writing in Real Simple, dermatologist Marisa Garshick MD explains that

“The benefits of applying a shower oil is that it prevents moisture loss.” She continues, offering that oils serve as an occlusive — they create a barrier on the skin to keep moisture and water in and the bad stuff out.”

Writing in the same magazine issue, a second dermatologist concurs. Cosmetic dermatologist Robert Finney MD believes that shower oils are excellent for sensitive and dry skin.

The soaps most of us use have surfactants that strip our skin of natural oils. This removal can make you more likely to suffer from dry and flaky skin, especially if you have sensitive skin. Shower oils can help replace these oils and protect the skin from losing moisture, particularly if you use hot water.

Bath oils — Good for dry skin (xerosis cutis)

Researchers in Berlin (Germany) investigated the effectiveness of using bath oil to improve skin barrier function and alleviate dry skin compared to non-oil-containing skin cleansers for showering or bathing.

Researchers randomized 60 healthy adults and children to use either a commercially available bath oil versus using their regular non-oil-containing skin cleansers every other day for 28 days. The scientists assessed dry skin severity at baseline and two follow-up visits, hoping to get a sense of water loss across the skin.

Here are the findings:

Regular use of bath oil effectively improves the skin barrier in children and adults with mildly dry skin, supporting its use as a fundamental element for managing a broad spectrum of dry skin conditions.

Bath oils — for all skin types?

While bath or shower oils may be helpful for those of us with dry or sensitive skin, those with acne-prone skin (for instance, on the back) may want to be cautious.

Those with acne-prone or oily skin may be better served with cleansers with acne-fighters such as benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid. If you decide to use an oil, try a non-comedogenic (one that doesn’t clog skin pores) option.

For many of us with dry skin, shower oils can be helpful. Now you know — I moisturize! Thank you for joining me today.

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The skin lesion appears irregular in shape and color. Brown, black, and purple. The abnormality seems slightly raised above the surrounding normal-appearing skin.

Does he know about the skin lesion? Nadia Popovici, a young premedical student, types a message on her phone and knocks on the glass window to get his attention. He looks at the message, nods, smiles, and continues to work.

Only later does he get the news. Cancer. More specifically, skin melanoma.

Melanoma Basics

The American Cancer Society (ACS) explains that “melanoma is a skin cancer type that develops when melanocytes (the cells that give the skin its tan or brown color) begin to grow out of control.”

Melanoma is much less common than some other types of skin cancers. But melanoma is more dangerous because it’s much more likely to spread to other parts of the body if not caught and treated early.

A risk factor raises your risk of getting a disease such as cancer. The ACS explains that several risk factors can make a person more likely to develop melanoma.

Ultraviolet light

Sunlight is the primary source of UV rays. Others included tanning beds and sun lamps. The pattern and timing of the exposure may play roles; for example, frequent sunburns (especially in childhood) can lead to melanoma on the chest and back.

Moles

Most moles never cause cancer, but those with many moles are more likely to develop melanoma.

Family history

Got a first-degree relative (parent, sister, brother, or child) with melanoma? Your risk is high of getting this skin cancer. Approximately ten percent of those with melanoma have a family history of the disease. Your risk of melanoma is also higher if you have a personal history of skin cancer (of any type). You should have regular skin exams by a dermatologist, examine your skin monthly, and be diligent about sun protection and avoiding tanning beds.

Other

Other risk factors for melanoma include race — Whites have a significantly higher risk than African Americans. Those with blond or red, blue or green eyes, or fair skin that freckles or burns quickly have a higher risk. Males have a higher risk of melanoma, as do older people (please note that it happens in young people, too).

Finally, the inherited condition Xeroderma Pigmentosum (XP) is a rare, inherited condition that affects skin cells’ ability to repair DNA damage. Individuals with XP have a high risk of getting melanoma and other skin cancers when they are young, especially in skin areas exposed to the sun.

Fast forward to this: Popovici and Hamilton in an emotional meeting. Our premedical student hero asks Hamilton, as both wear face masks if he is okay with shaking hands or hugging. An embrace soon follows, as does $10,000 (for medical school expenses) from the two hockey teams. Yes, this suicide crisis line worker just received several offers of admission to schools of medicine.

I want to end with some melanoma warning signs. Look for any new skin lesions, changing or unusual. Melanomas can arise anywhere, even where the sun does not shine. Fortunately, most moles, growths, and brown spots are harmless, but not always.

Melanoma symptoms and cancer detection

Use the ABCDEs and the Ugly Duckling sign to help yourself detect melanoma. The Skin Care Foundation reminds us of the warning signs of melanoma:

A is for Asymmetry. Most melanomas are asymmetrical. If you draw a line through the middle of the lesion, the two halves don’t match, so it looks different from a round to oval and symmetrical common mole.

B is for Border. Melanoma borders tend to be uneven and may have scalloped or notched edges, while common moles tend to have smoother, more even borders.

C is for Color. Multiple colors are a warning sign. While benign moles are usually a single shade of brown, a melanoma may have different shades of brown, tan, or black. As it grows, red, white, or blue may also appear.

D is for Diameter or Dark. While it’s ideal to detect a melanoma when it is small, it’s a warning sign if a lesion is the size of a pencil eraser (about 6 mm, or ¼ inch in diameter) or larger. Some experts say it is also essential to look for any lesion, no matter what size, that is darker than others. Rare, amelanotic melanomas are colorless.

E is for Evolving. Any change in size, shape, color, or elevation of a spot on your skin, or any new symptom in it, such as bleeding, itching, or crusting, may be a warning sign of melanoma.

Other warning signs include

• A non-healing sore
• Pigment spread from the border of a spot into the surrounding skin
• Redness or a new swelling beyond a mole’s border
• Change in sensation (for example, itchiness or tenderness)
• Change in a mole’s surface of a mole — scaliness, oozing, bleeding, or the appearance of a lump or bump

If you notice these warning signs or anything changing, new, or unusual on your skin, please promptly see a skin doctor (dermatologist).

The five-year survival rate for patients in the United States whose melanoma is detected early.

The survival rate drops to 66 percent if the disease reaches the lymph nodes and 27 percent if it spreads to distant organs. Immunotherapy is markedly improving the last number, but more on that later.

Melanoma pictures

My message today is: Look. And have someone check your back. If you have concerns, see a skin doctor soon. I am pleased that early-stage melanoma is associated with such an excellent prognosis. Recent immunotherapy advances have dramatically improved long-term survival odds on the other end of the spectrum.

Thank you for joining me today. Oh, Vancouver won 5 to 2 over my Seattle Kraken, but you and I both know the real winner.

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