Friday's Top 5 Tips and Trends

If the weather outside is frightful, why not stay in and read up on the latest natural health news in our newest Tips and Trends blog post?

1. Garlic could make baby formula safer

While it’s not safe to feed garlic to babies, this favourite flavouring may be key to neutralize potentially harmful pathogens in infant formula. Recently, infant formula has come under scrutiny for contamination with bacteria that can cause illness in formula-fed babies all across the globe. Garlic has powerful compounds that could be added to formula packaging, and while scientists are still working out the details, it certainly sounds promising!

2. Want to live longer? Chow down on nuts

When will the myth that nuts are bad for us because of their high calorie count finally be put to rest? Hopefully this new study will do something about it.

In what’s hailed as the largest study ever of its kind, the researchers found that people who ate a handful of nuts every day were 20 percent less likely to die from any cause, 11 percent less likely to die from cancer, and 29 percent less likely to die from heart disease. And they were also more slender! ‘Tis the season for chestnuts roasting on the open fire and nutcrackers, so what better time to join the club?

3. Active mom may mean smarter baby

In a new study, a group of pregnant women (none of whom were athletes) were separated into two groups: a sedentary group, and an exercise group (who worked out for at least 20 minutes three times a week—typically by walking or jogging).

The newborn babies of the moms in the exercise group demonstrated heightened maturity, compared to the babies of moms who were sedentary.  The researchers suspect that when the women exercised, they generated chemicals related to brain health, which then made their way to the babies. It’s a significant benefit for a very small time commitment!

4. Don’t forget to wash your hands!

It’s the middle of cold and flu season, so listen to your mom’s advice and wash those hands! After all, this week is National Handwashing Awareness Week! Who knew?

To stay germ-free, wash before eating and after using the washroom, never sneeze or cough into your hands, and keep your fingers away from your eyes, nose, and mouth—these are the portals that respiratory viruses use to get into our bodies. Also be sure to steer clear of antibacterial soap (made with triclosan), as these are ineffective against viruses, and contribute to antibiotic resistance.

5. Banned chemicals still affecting health

PCBs (Polychlorinated biphenyls) are harmful chemicals that were once used widely in industrial materials. They were banned in 1977, but are extremely persistent in the environment. This means that, as a new study shows, we’re still dealing with health effects caused by them. In this study, researchers found that seniors with lower cognitive abilities had higher amounts of PCBs in their bodies.

Learn how to lighten your toxic load in our article “Our Toxic Nation” and find out how to boost your brain power as you age in our article “Keep Your Memory Sharp.”