A new, more dangerous strain of a germ that has long caused diarrhea in hospital patients is now widespread in the United States, causing severe, sometimes deadly outbreaks around the country. The germ may have emerged in part from the overuse of antibiotics.
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A tenth of pre-school children have a serious psychiatric illness, yet most cases are missed, say experts. Professor Adrian Angold from Duke Medical Centre found that 10% of the children in his study had obvious signs and symptoms of psychiatric illnesses such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety or depression, which is similar to the rate seen in older children. He believes that doctors should screen for and treat these disorders in babies and infants, because waiting until childhood or adulthood is too late. For example, if someone has depression it can be harder to treat if they have had it for a long time with lots of relapses.
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Fruit bats may be acting as reservoirs of the killer Ebola virus, responsible for several deadly outbreaks in central Africa. are more likely to pass the virus on to great apes such as gorillas and chimpanzees, which have been badly affected; however, it is also possible that bats could infect humans directly.
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A compound in cranberries may help prevent tooth decay and cavities. Scientists have found a compound in the fruit can stop bacteria from clinging to the teeth, blocking the formation of damaging plaque deposits.
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Certain micronutrients contained in olive oil and other foods could be responsible for the Mediterranean diet’s well known heart-healthy effects, Spanish researchers report.
Read (Reuters)
When I was on my diet and ate healthy, the only oils I used were olive oil and canola oil.
Consumers should look beyond the organic label and seek out producers that exceed the federal rules.
The next generation of labels will say “grass fed” butter and “pastured” pork.
Read (New York Times)
I grew up in the country, and the cows’ diets consisted mostly of grass, hay, and some corn. The only farms that I remember where the animals never left the “barn” were some turkey producers.
Children should be the target of malaria control as they are most likely to be bitten by mosquitoes, say researchers. It is not clear why some children provide a more attractive target for mosquitoes.
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My boys are certainly mosquito magnets. If there’s a mosquito in the area, one of both of them will get bitten, while I almost never get a bite.
Relatives of people with autism may display autistic traits despite not having the condition themselves.
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For many Californians, goat has become the other red meat, and California farmers are expanding their herds to keep up with demand for goat, which has all the protein of beef but far less fat.
Read (Los Angeles Times)
Where could I find goat meat in Roanoke? Possibly, the farmers’ market or one of the smaller, specialty grocery stores.
More than 13 million families in 2004 were unable at times to buy the food they needed, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Finances are so strained for 5 million of those families that one or more members goes hungry as a result.
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Contaminated fruits and vegetables are causing more food-borne illness among Americans than raw chicken or eggs.
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Children who are spanked when they misbehave are more likely to be anxious and aggressive than children who are disciplined in nonphysical ways, research shows. This is true even if spanking is the “cultural norm.”
One question the findings raise is whether being physically disciplined more frequently causes an increase in aggression and anxiety or whether children who are already aggressive and anxious are simply physically disciplined more often. On the basis of other work conducted in the United States, the answer is probably some of each.
Read (Reuters)
We try not to spank in our house, but there are times when time-outs and other types of punishments just do not seem to work. For us, spanking is definitely the punishment of last resort.
Trading about 10 percent of carbohydrates in the [DASH diet](http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/hbp/dash/ “National Institutes of Health”) for lean protein from plants and low-fat dairy products, or with monounsaturated fats can help control high blood pressure and raise the level of “good cholesterol,” according to a new study.
Read (Washington Post)
This sounds similar to the diet I was on about 5 years ago when I was trying to get my cholesterol and blood pressure down. They both dropped while I was on the diet, but my triglycerides were still too high and my HDL was too low. I eventually went on medication for both cholesterol and blood pressure; however, I haven’t taken the medication in several years, and I now weigh 210 lbs, which is overweight for someone who’s 6′ 0″ tall.
My wife has said she wants to start eating healthier, so maybe it’s time to try the modified DASH diet and get back on the medication. Let’s make the start date some time after Thursday (Thanksgiving).
Currently, 15% of deployed soldiers have experienced some kind of dental emergency, but help may be on the way. Once approved, protein-powered gum might replace toothbrushes for those on the move.
Read (Nature)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirms a shortage of flu vaccine in some locations in the country. The agency’s director, Julie Gerberding, said the government is taking steps to redistribute vaccine supplies from places where surpluses exist.
Listen (NPR)