Like many Americans, I’ve lived under the assumption that the chemicals used in all sorts of everyday products are thoroughly tested and known to be safe. However, every so often, we’re reminded that this is not always the case. Over the past few years, we’ve …
Read moreIt is always interesting when the bright beam of modern research turns to highlight age-old wisdom. Since my childhood, I have been familiar with the adage that says, “You are what you eat,” but it wasn’t until adult years that I realized the real truth of the phrase …
Read moreWhen I was visiting family this past week, my mother-in-law shared with us how she uses her Fitbit to keep track of how much she exercises, how well she sleeps, what she has been eating, and other lifestyle information. The numbers she watches—her number of steps …
Read moreViruses are capable of creating havoc. Sometimes when I think about viruses, I get a picture of a massive outbreak. Usually this picture isn’t the nearly apocalyptic public health nightmare that’s depicted in the movie “Contagion,” but it’s still …
Read moreHave you ever tried drinking out of a straw after a mouth-numbing trip to the dentist? Hilarity can ensue. Or maybe you have slept in an awkward position and awoken with a dead arm, which you then flail about in order to revive? (Occasionally to the detriment of your …
Read moreFor years, Jenny Wilson set her alarm clock for 4:11 a.m. She rose before the sun so she could be in the pool by 4:45 a.m., a routine that started in the sixth grade. When she started swimming for Northwestern University in 2008, she was out of bed by 5:21 a.m. …
Read moreThose tiny little piercings can trigger big consequences that include allergic reactions, infection and hepatitis, according to a new research review by Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. The American Journal of Clinical Dermatology published their …
Read moreWhether you are for or against genetically modified (GM) food, it’s likely inevitable that you’ll consume it. Why? Soybean and corn seeds that have been genetically modified make up 90% and 80% respectively of the total seeds on the market! Large percentages of sugar …
Read moreIn a post-war era when sleeplessness was prevalent, thalidomide was marketed to a world hooked on tranquilizers and sleeping pills. At the time, one out of seven Americans took them regularly. The demand for sedatives was even higher in some European markets, and the …
Read moreIn Aldous Huxley’s futuristic novel Brave New World (1932), human beings are selectively bred to be genetically perfect. Based on their genes, they are sorted into a caste system that defines their social hierarchy. While capturing the scientifically misguided notions …
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