Colorado researchers have found high levels of micro-organisms capable of causing disease growing in mats called biofilms inside showerheads. The most worrisome of these pathogens are the non-tuberculosis mycobacteria. Unfortunately, chlorinated water doesn't kill these bacteria. In tests of 45 showerheads in 6 locations across the United States, 20% contained mycobacterium avium. Because these bacteria can attach themselves to the aerosol droplets in shower spray, they can get deep into peoples' lungs. This especially affects people with weak immune systems, which includes pregnant women. When it comes to staying healthy, this is a showerhead - ache.
Researchers at Lund University in Sweden have found that living near noisy traffic can raise blood pressure. Among 24,238 people interviewed, exposure above 60 decibels was associated with high blood pressure in the young and middle-aged. Middle-aged adults exposed to 64 decibels - just louder than ordinary conversation - were twice as likely to have high blood pressure. Of those adults 40 to 59, 28% had high blood pressure compared with 17% who lived in quieter areas. However, a similar pattern wasn't seen among the elderly. The elderly have multiple risk factors for high blood pressure - and many can turn a deaf ear to noise.
Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas have found that palmitic acid - a saturated fatty acid found in beef, butter, cheese and milk - suppresses appetite control signals. Palmitic acid molecules cause the brain to send messages to the body's cells to ignore signals from both leptin and insulin - hormones involved in weight control. As a result, the brain won't say to stop eating for up to 3 days. Because palmitic acid is very high in foods rich in saturated fat and because 67% of Americans are supposedly overweight, saturated fat seems to have us "in-fat-uated".
Researchers at the University of Chicago's Department of Medicine have discovered that not getting enough sleep causes metabolic changes in the body, which can lead to weight gain. Volunteers who slept only 4 hours for 2 nights had an 18% decrease in leptin - a hormone that signals the brain that the body has had enough to eat - and a 28% increase in ghrelin - a hormone that triggers hunger. As a result, the sleep-deprived volunteers experienced a 24% increase in appetite. Sleep experts recommend 7-9 hours of sleep nightly in a dark, quiet bedroom that is used only as a bedroom - but maybe they're dreaming.
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