Tag: Health

Nitrates and drinking water: Impacts and disparities. Is there a safe level? Cancer and health effects on children (Part 2)

Intersections

Nitrates in drinking water sources have become a chronic problem especially in areas of intensive corporate agriculture–like the U.S. Midwest. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has not updated standards for nitrates in water for decades. Research indicates that health problems can be caused by levels far below the current U.S. Federal maximum. Background: “Nitrate (NO 3−) is a compound commonly found in fertilizers, animal manures,…

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Nitrates and drinking water: Impacts and disparities. Is there a safe level? Intensive, corporate agriculture and the United States (Part 1)

Intersections

Nitrates in drinking water sources have become a chronic problem especially in areas of intensive corporate agriculture–like the U.S. Midwest. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has not updated standards for nitrates in water for decades. Research indicates that health problems can be caused by levels far below the current U.S. Federal maximum. Background: “Nitrate (NO 3−) is a compound commonly found in fertilizers, animal manures,…

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How do people respond to political stress?

Intersections

How do people respond–positively and negatively–to political stress? Background: There is no denying that tens of millions of people in the United States–and many millions worldwide–face turmoil, dread, anxiety and real physical and psychological symptoms from the political divisions created by some politicians, their backers, and corporations often motivated primarily by power, greed, and wealth through corrupt means. Instead of public service, these politicians and…

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Sugary beverages arranged on the shelves of a grocery store

Sugar in foods and beverages: health effects throughout life

Intersections

Background: “Most people consume many different types of sugars from a variety of foods and beverages in their diet. A high intake of sugar is linked to an increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers … Sugary beverages are the greatest source of added sugar in the diet, followed by sweets and grains such as ready-to-eat cereals.” [Harvard Health Publishing…

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Striped cat lying curled in a wooden bowl

Cats as pets and companions: are there mental and physical health benefits for humans?

Quick bibliographies

Pet ownership/pet companionship has been shown to bring both mental health and physical health benefits to humans. But that is often most associated with dogs. But what about cats? Opinion has been more divided there. What does the research say? Featured articles: *Dinis, F. A. B. D. S. G., & Martins, T. L. F. (2016). Does cat attachment have an effect on human health? A…

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Do you care? We need education, resolve, and action

Intersections

WMO report documents spiralling weather and climate impacts (March 2025). Land and water degradation, food and water supply shortages, drug-resistant infections from overuse of antibiotics, overuse of pesticides and disease, sea level rise affecting coastal areas, microplastics/single-use plastic pollution on land and in the oceans, rapidly melting ice at the Poles, heatwaves, droughts, extreme rainfall, powerful hurricanes, and more … leading to people and animals…

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Chronic stress contributes to cognitive decline and dementia risk – 2 healthy-aging experts explain what you can do about it

Intersections

Jennifer E. Graham-Engeland, Penn State and Martin J. Sliwinski, Penn State (from The Conversation) The probability of any American having dementia in their lifetime may be far greater than previously thought. For instance, a 2025 study that tracked a large sample of American adults across more than three decades found that their average likelihood of developing dementia between ages 55 to 95 was 42%, and…

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p53 is both your genome’s guardian and weakness against cancer – scientists are trying to repair or replace it when it goes awry

Understanding Science

Prosper Obed Chukwuemeka, University of Pittsburgh (from The Conversation) Cancer arises when your cells grow uncontrollably and refuse to die when they should. Normally, your body is equipped with regulatory processes to prevent this chaos. One such mechanism involves a protein called p53. Often dubbed the “guardian of the genome,” this protein plays a pivotal role in ensuring that your cells grow, divide and die…

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Wildfires: Increasing frequency and intensity

Featured Article

Wildfires are in the news literally every day. Fire seasons are starting earlier and ending later. In recent times, Canada, Greece, Brazil, Hawaii, Chile, Oregon, and California–among many other places–have faced record-breaking and devastating fires. Featured article: *Cunningham, C. X., Williamson, G. J., & Bowman, D. M. J. S. (2024). Increasing frequency and intensity of the most extreme wildfires on Earth. Nature Ecology & Evolution, 8(8), 1420-1425….

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Added sugar and non-nutritive sweeteners in food: children, health, and effects later in life

Intersections

People consume many different types and amounts of sugars from the foods and beverages in their diet. “A high intake of sugar is linked to an increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers.” Does a high-sugar diet early in life lead to negative health consequences in later life? And, are some sugars healthier than others? For background, see — *Iqbal,…

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