Health

Blueberries a big hit in South Korea

The reputation of blueberries as a so-called “super-food” has created a boom in South Korea. People here are increasingly consuming the vitamin-rich fruit because of research contending blueberries may help ward off cancer, heart disease, strokes, infections, and other ailments. The berries were virtually unseen on the Korean peninsula until just a few years ago, but that has changed:

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Researchers examine environmental factors behind autism

A conference on autism is taking place in Pennsylvania with the aim to help teachers and parents deal with challenges faced by children with autism. The disease affects a person’s ability to communicate and interact but symptoms vary. New studies are challenging formerly held beliefs that autism is passed down genetically. Now some experts say a child’s environment has to be taken into account. More from VOA’s Vidushi Sinha:

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Study shows air pollution poses greater link to heart attack, stroke

Voice of America reports that medical researchers are finding out more about the health risks of air pollution. They say the world’s dependence on fossil fuels is largely responsible for increased risk of heart attack and stroke:

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Preserving summer fruits: A sweet deal that’s easier than you thought

Summer and fall are the seasons of abundance. Fruits and vegetables abound in backyard gardens, farmer’s markets and stores. Sometimes, like when your own garden is peaking, and the farmer’s markets are replete with everything from avocados to zucchini, that abundance can be overwhelming. Then it’s time to preserve, freeze and can, so you can seize Mother Nature’s gifts while they are at their best. Here are a few ideas, assembled from many sources and countless hours in the kitchen, that will help you capture that summer spigot of fruit (we’ll deal with veggies next time) by properly canning, freezing or drying your favorite produce.

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New report finds lead in kid-friendly, popular juice boxes and packaged fruit

Where there’s a kid, there’s probably a juice box.  Ubiquitous as sippy cups – though not always the healthiest thing to hand a child – they are sometimes just what is needed to placate a thirsty kid. Now comes surprising news from a non-profit environmental group: Their tests in an EPA-approved laboratory have revealed lead levels in dozens of the most popular brands of juice boxes, bottled juice and packaged fruit that exceed California’s laws.

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To really save your skin this summer, use less toxic sunscreens

If you want to save your skin from the sun damage, you’ll have to do more than just slap on the sunscreen with the highest UVA/UVB number. In fact, there’s a wealth to learn about on the fine print of your prospective skin cancer protectant, and unless you’ve got a master’s in bio-chemistry, you’ll need a little help. That’s where the Environmental Working Group can help.

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Pecans could fight neurological disease

Chalk another one up for eating vegetarian protein instead of fatty or nitrite-loaded meats that come with higher environmental and health costs. A recent report by the Center for Cellular Neurobiology at the University of Massachusetts — Lowell suggests that munching pecans every day could protect the nervous system from age-related neuron degeneration.

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ADHD triggered by pesticides?

A study published in Pediatrics today points to pesticides as a trigger for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

The study’s team of academic researchers sampled the urine of more than 1,100 kids, finding that those with the highest pesticide residues in their urine from organophosphate pesticides were more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD. Of the sample, 119 of the children had been diagnosed with ADHD.

The team concluded that: “These findings support the hypothesis that organophosphate exposure, at levels common among US children, may contribute to ADHD prevalence.”

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Global warming really will make you sick

Get ready to sneeze. There’s another study out showing that your seasonal allergies will worsen as carbon dioxide levels rise. This one, due to be published in the peer-reviewed Environmental Health Perspectives today (May 13) finds that increasing levels of CO2 in the air drive increased production of fungal spores, including some associated with allergies and asthma.

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Your perfumes’ secret ingredients may harm your health

What is that lovely fragrance you’re wearing? Shhh, it’s a secret. Why? Because the multi-billion dollar perfume industry won’t tell you. Thanks to lax regulatory oversight and the scent industry’s ability to keep their formulas “secret,” the ingredients lurking beneath the word “fragrance” on the label likely contain unhealthy chemicals and additives.

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