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Evidence Shows the Advent of Agriculture was Bad News for our Health


drbriffa.com
Mon, 13 Jun 2011 12:26 UTC
Yesterday I had a email from a friend alerting me to an interesting piece in the Sunday Times. I went out especially to buy a copy. The piece, entitled 'Farmers, you've shrunk mankind', is based around presentation given at the Royal Society in London, last week. The lecture was delivered by Dr Marta Lahr of the Leverhulme Centre for Human Evolutionary Studies at Cambridge University, UK. It seems that the fossil record shows our ancestors 200,000 years ago to be about 10 per cent bigger and taller than we are now. And 20,000-30,000 years ago, our ancestors had brains about 10 per cent bigger than ours are now too.

A shrinking in the size of our bodies and brains happened about 10,000 years ago. What was it that caused this? The answer is our transition from hunter-gathering to a more farming-based existence.

The Sunday Times piece also relates research from Amanda Mummert, an anthropologist from Emory University in Altanta, US. Mummert has recently co-authored a paper [1] which provides evidence supporting the idea that our move to agriculture was bad news for our height and our health. One of the reasons that would explain this, according to Mummert, is an over-reliance on a grain-based diet deficient in key nutrients. Sound familiar anyone?

Comment: Read the following article to understand why scientists believe farming could be the reason people have got shorter and why our brains have shrunk: The Devastating Effects of Agriculture: We're Getting Shorter NOT Taller and Our Brains are Shrinking, So is Farming to Blame?

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Magic Wand

Sleep loss in early childhood may contribute to the development of ADHD symptoms


American Academy of Sleep Medicine
Tue, 14 Jun 2011 08:06 UTC
sleeping child
© UnknownOmega-3 fatty acids have been shown to help improved sleep for some children.
Study shows that preschool-age children who got less sleep were more likely to be hyperactive and inattentive in kindergarten.

Short sleep duration may contribute to the development or worsening of hyperactivity and inattention during early childhood, suggests a research abstract that will be presented Tuesday, June 14, in Minneapolis, Minn., at SLEEP 2011, the 25th Anniversary Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies LLC (APSS).

Results show that less sleep in preschool-age children significantly predicted worse parent-reported hyperactivity and inattention at kindergarten. In contrast, hyperactivity and inattention at preschool did not predict sleep duration at kindergarten. The sample consisted of approximately 6,860 children, and analyses controlled for gender, ethnicity and family income.

"Children who were reported to sleep less in preschool were rated by their parents as more hyperactive and less attentive compared to their peers at kindergarten," said lead author Erika Gaylor, PhD, senior researcher for SRI International, an independent, nonprofit research institute in Menlo Park, Calif. "These findings suggest that some children who are not getting adequate sleep may be at risk for developing behavioral problems manifested by hyperactivity, impulsivity, and problems sitting still and paying attention."
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Pills

Average Drug Label Lists Over Whopping 70 Side Effects


Dr. Mercola
Thu, 09 Jun 2011 19:32 UTC
Image
Using a computer program, scientists analyzed 5,600 drug labels and more than 500,000 labeled effects. They found that the average drug comes with a list of 70 potential reactions, according to researchers.

In fact, the more commonly prescribed drugs averaged around 100 side effects each, with some drugs containing as many as 525 listed reactions.

MSNBC reports:
"The greatest number of side effects was found in antidepressants, antiviral medications and newer treatments for restless leg syndrome and Parkinson's disease. In general, medications typically used by psychiatrists and neurologists had the most complex labels, while drugs used by dermatologists and ophthalmologists had the least."
Sources

MSNBC May 23, 2011

Archives of Internal Medicine May 23, 2011; 171(10):944-6
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Magic Wand

Cooling the brain during sleep may be a natural and effective treatment for insomnia


American Academy of Sleep Medicine
Mon, 13 Jun 2011 12:50 UTC
sleep
© Unknown
Study finds that treatment with frontal cerebral thermal transfer can eliminate insomnia symptoms.

People with primary insomnia may be able to find relief by wearing a cap that cools the brain during sleep, suggests a research abstract that will be presented Monday, June 13, in Minneapolis, Minn., at SLEEP 2011, the 25th Anniversary Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies LLC (APSS).

According to the authors, a reduction in metabolism in the brain's frontal cortex occurs while falling asleep and is associated with restorative sleep. However, insomnia is associated with increased metabolism in this same brain region. One way to reduce cerebral metabolic activity is to use frontal cerebral thermal transfer to cool the brain, a process known as "cerebral hypothermia."

Results show that there were linear effects of all-night thermal transfer intensities on sleep latency and sleep efficiency. The time that it took subjects with primary insomnia to fall asleep (13 minutes) and the percentage of time in bed that they slept (89 percent) during treatment at the maximal cooling intensity were similar to healthy controls (16 minutes and 89 percent).

"The most significant finding from this study is that we can have a beneficial impact on the sleep of insomnia patients via a safe, non-pharmaceutical mechanism that can be made widely available for home use by insomnia sufferers," said principal investigator and lead author Dr. Eric Nofzinger, professor and director of the Sleep Neuroimaging Research Program at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. "The finding of a linear dose response effect of the treatment implies a direct beneficial impact on the neurobiology of insomnia that can improve the sleep of insomnia patients. We believe this has far-ranging implications for how insomnia can be managed in the future."
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Health

India: City Falls Prey to Viral Fever Outbreak

Tomonash Bhattacharya
Times of India
Mon, 13 Jun 2011 04:41 UTC
Viral Attack
© Times of India

Kolkata: The city is in the grip of a viral fever that has affected thousands, including many in Ballygunge, Alipore and parts of central Kolkata. It has been leading to high fever accompanied by a severe lung and chest infection, often causing severe respiratory problems. Experts have been taken by surprise by the late outbreak of this viral epidemic which usually occurs during change of seasons.

The new virus is far more potent and different from the ones that have struck in previous years, said doctors. "This one has been attacking the respiratory system which makes it more risky. Patients have been suffereing from severe breathlessness along with an intense joint and muscle pain. Many are also falling prey to secondary bacterial infections.

There have been several cases where malaria has been detected in these patients as well," said Tomonash Bhattacharya, tropical medicine expert. Typical symptoms of the viral attack has been a dry cough, followed by high fever and joint pain. From the third day onwards, patients have had a severe lung congestion with respiratory trouble. The fever has not been subsiding before a week leaving victims too frail to resume normal activities. "It is the reactive phenomenon that has been causing the joint and muscle pain. Anti-bodies triggered to fight the virus is responsible for this.
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Nuke

Widen evacuation zone for children, pregnant women: Greenpeace chief

Jun Hongo
Japan Times
Mon, 13 Jun 2011 06:14 UTC
Image
© AFP Photo / Getty Images
The government should consider evacuating children and pregnant women from a wider area around the Fukushima No. 1 power plant because radiation levels remain high even outside the 20-km no-go zone, Kumi Naidoo, executive director of Greenpeace International, said Thursday in Tokyo.

Naidoo's team of radiology experts found hot spots that had a maximum hourly reading of 45 microsieverts of radiation alongside a school zone.

While the area likely had high levels of radiation as a result of the landscape or other natural conditions, Naidoo insisted the central government should conduct thorough checks and provide accurate and fast information to local residents.
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Smoking

Genetics May Determine How Smokers Metabolize Nicotine

Christine Emmick
Ready To Quit!
Mon, 11 Apr 2011 01:40 UTC
Image
© Jeff Schrier | The Saginaw NewsKeith A. Boesnecker, 55, the owner of Frankenmuth Original Cigar Co., 135 S. Franklin in Frankenmuth lights up one of his specialty Fat Rum Tavern cigars.
In a study funded by the American Lung Association researchers studied several hundred metabolites of 19 patients divided into groups of smokers and non-smokers. They found a significant difference in the metabolites in smokers and non-smokers.

"This gives us an idea of how people produce metabolites differently when smoking cigarettes, which is based on their particular genetic profile and other biological and environmental factors," says researcher Ping-Ching Hsu, who is a doctorial student and lead investigator in the study.

The ultimate goal of the research is to define the metabolomic profile or "metabolome" that might predict who may be most likely to develop disease from smoking, as well as more clearly define how smoking causes that disease. "Metabolomics provides a broad picture of what is happening in the body of smokers," Hsu says. In further research Hsu studied how heavy smoking affects the metabolome verses light smoking and found several biological pathways could be changed.
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Cow Skull

Chinese Scientists Genetically Modify Dairy Cows to Produce Human Breast Milk


news.com.au
Wed, 08 Jun 2011 00:00 UTC
cowz
© Agence France-PresseChinese scientists say human breast milk produced by cows is more nutritious than normal milk.
  • Scientists create breast milk produced by cows
  • Special cow herd created with human genes
  • Expected to hit supermarkets in three years
Chinese scientists have genetically modified dairy cows to produce human breast milk, and hope to be selling it in supermarkets within three years.

The milk produced by the transgenic cows is identical to the human variety, with the same immune-boosting and antibacterial qualities as breast milk, scientists at China's Agricultural University in Beijing said.

The transgenic herd of 300 was bred by inserting human genes into cloned cow embryos which were then implanted into surrogate cows, Sky News reported.

The technology used was similar to that used to produce Dolly the sheep, the first mammal to be cloned by scientists, in Scotland.

The milk is still undergoing safety tests, but with government permission will be sold to consumers as a more nutritious dairy drink than cow's milk.

Workers at the university's dairy farm have already tasted the milk - and said it is sweeter and stronger than the bovine variety.

Comment: Read more about effects of GMOs on human body and why you should avoid it.

GMOs Alter the Genetic Make Up of Our Healthy Bacteria
GMO Scandal: The Long Term Effects of Genetically Modified Food in Humans
Top 10 Ways to Avoid GMOs
Monsanto's Bt Cotton Kills Soil As Well As Farmers

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Beaker

Scientists Find Genes Linked to Migraines


Agence France-Presse
Sun, 12 Jun 2011 12:30 UTC
Image
© Agence France-PresseA scientist is seen with a HiSeq machine that is used to read DNA in a genetics lab. Scientists have uncovered a trio of genes tied to migraine headaches, including one in which the link is exclusive to women, according to a study.
Scientists have uncovered a trio of genes tied to migraine headaches, including one in which the link is exclusive to women, according to a study published Sunday.

Migraines are acutely debilitating headaches -- sometimes with an "aura", in which patients have the impression of seeing through frosted glass -- that strike up to 20 percent of the population.

Scientists describe the condition, which is three to four times more common in women, as a brain disorder in which neurons, or brain cells, respond abnormally to stimuli.

The precise cause it unknown, but inheritance is thought to play a significant role.

To assess the genetic component, Markus Schuerks of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston coordinated an international sweep of genomes in 23,230 women, 5,122 of whom suffered from migraines.

Comment: While there may be certain genetic dispositions to migraine headaches, the one thing they leave out in this article is that foods have the ability to alter gene expressions too. Many have found migraines to be the result of hidden food allergies or food sensitivities. For further reading see:

How to End Migraines

The Many Heads of Gluten Sensitivity

Why Milk Is So Evil

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Health

Your Child's Health Starts in the Gut

Consuelo Werner
robbwolf.com
Fri, 10 Jun 2011 18:33 UTC
Image
© robbwolf.com
All diseases begin in the gut - Hippocrates,460-370 BC
Many children and adults have digestive problems that they are not even aware of. Colic, bloating, flatulence, diarrhea, constipation, feeding difficulties, trouble sleeping, and many other "chronic" but accepted maladies. When looking at a child with digestive problems, the majority of cases will have started at or around the time of weaning.

When the mother replaces breast milk with formula other food components get introduced that are not natural to a babies gut flora, like gluten, Enzymatically hydrolyzed reduced minerals, whey protein concentrate, palm olein, soy, coconut, high-oleic safflower oils, lactose etc...

Many adults don't remember much of their eating habits in the first years of life. Assuming they did not have a severe reaction to these new compounds which would have raised red flags for any parents, they could have had little noticed or missed responses to the food like a fussy sleeper, or a baby that vomits a lot. Many parents will tell you this is "normal for a baby", they will "grow out of it". While this is true for some, in more and more cases around the world people are realizing that it doesn't have to be this way. Unless there is an undiagnosed medical condition babies that are feed the way their guts were designed DO NOT HAVE THESE PROBLEMS!!

Comment: For additional information about how microbes in the gut can affect the brain read the following articles:

The Secret to Brain Health: It All Begins in Your Gut!
Link between gut bacteria and behavior: That anxiety may be in your gut, not in your head
'Knowing it in your gut' is real": The state of your immune system and your gut bacteria influences your personality
Mind-Gut Connection: Why Intestinal Bacteria May Have Important Effects on Your Brain
Brain, heart and gut minds

The best approach to balance gut flora is by dietary changes and nutritional supplements like probiotics. For more information, please visit our diet and health forum, in addition read the article Heal Your Gut.

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