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There are plenty of good reasons to make sure your body gets enough vitamin D. Most people associate it with calcium absorption for maintaining strong bones and healthy, better-looking hair. Others think of it as a way to protect their cardiovascular health and prevent neurodegenerative disease, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

But, if the findings of a recently published study by researchers at John Hopkins University in Baltimore is correct, it could give vitamin D a whole new level of importance for people suffering from certain types of inflammatory spinal cord disease.

Continue reading: ““Low Vitamin D Levels May Be Associated With Recurrent Inflammatory Spinal Cord Disease””

Even though it’s an easy way to help reduce the spread of infectious diseases, like influenza and the common cold, some of us probably wash our hands less often than we should. Toxic alcohol-based sanitizing foams and wipes that can be used quickly and without water have made made it easy to keep our hands clean yet some people wait until after they use the bathroom or become visibly soiled before cleaning up.

If it’s any consolation, doctors in-training apparently aren’t much better.

Data collected by German researchers at the Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hospital Epidemiology at Hannover Medical School indicates fewer than one-third of medical students actually know when they’re supposed to wash their hands.

Continue reading: “2 out of 3 Medical Students Do Not Know When to Wash Their Hands”

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Any pet owner can tell you that animals have an amazing sense of smell. Dogs, cats or even hamsters— watch one for a few minutes and you’re likely to see some serious sniffing in action. That’s because most animals rely on their sense of smell for gathering important information about their surroundings.

This natural ability becomes even more apparent when watching two or more animals socialize. One of the first things most dogs will do when they meet another dog is sniff them. It seems the majority like to concentrate their attention toward the most embarrassing areas within nose reach.

While this frequently makes for great icebreakers at the dog park and awkward laughs when guests drop by, there is a practical reason why they do it. Based on odor alone, dogs and other animals are able to glean insight into personality and general state of health.

Continue reading: “Study Shows People Can Guess Personality Via Body Odor
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The findings of a 2006 study carried out by medical researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology in Richmond are being noticed within the scientific community. The study results strongly suggest that if taken regularly, cannabis oil may be able to induce remission in leukemia patients without the horrendous side effects typically associated with standard radio-chemical treatment options. Although this is only one such study, other similar studies have shown equally impressive results.

A few years ago, a team of experts convened in Germany to assess the total sum of information currently available regarding medical marijuana. According to their records, at least 37 separate controlled studies were carried out, internationally, between 2005-2009. Altogether, more than 2,500 documented test subjects have participated in these various studies with few to no negative side effects reported. Not only are these findings unusual for drug studies for their overall lack of adverse patient reaction, but also the sheer number of individual participants involved. While 2,500 people may not sound like an especially large sample population, it’s actually much larger than the number typically required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to determine whether or not most synthetic pharmacological drug compounds are safe for use in humans.

Continue reading: “THC From Cannabis Destroys Cancer Cells”

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Bowel diseases are numerous and unpleasant. Among them, celiac disease is perhaps one of the strangest and least understood. The condition is believed to stem from an abnormal reaction of the small intestines to gluten proteins, which triggers a sort of self-destructive immune response within the upper bowels.

Fortunately, there is a growing body of scientific research which supports the use of beneficial probiotic and prebiotic bacteria to help control these symptoms.

Gluten is commonly found in a variety of cereal grains, including wheat, rye, barley, and certain types of oats; and provides shape and texture. Healthy bodies are able to digest gluten like any other food. In patients who suffer from celiac disease however, gluten is treated very much like a severe allergen, and the presence of even small amounts an trigger intense flareups.

Continue reading: “Will Probiotics and a Gluten Free Diet Help Alleviate Celiac Disease?”