Childhood Antibiotic Use Linked To Higher Food Allergy Risk

Antibiotic treatment within the first year of life is associated with an increase in food allergy diagnosis, suggests new research. The researchers found that children prescribed antibiotics within the first year of life were 1.21 times more likely to be diagnosed with food allergy than children who hadn’t received an antibiotic prescription. “Overusing antibiotics invites more opportunity for side effects, including the potential development of food allergies, and can encourage antibacterial resistance,” said lead researcher Bryan Love from South Carolina College of Pharmacy in the US. The study involved analysis…

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Regular nibbling on nuts linked to low inflammation

Regular nibbling on nuts linked to low inflammation (Richard Coombs/Getty Images) Eating a handful of nuts five times per week may reduce inflammation, a condition that contributes to heart disease, diabetes and many other chronic illnesses, say the authors of a recent U.S. study. This inflammation-dampening effect might be the secret to the health benefits of nuts, the study team writes in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Past research has linked eating nuts to lower rates of heart disease and diabetes, but the exact reason was unknown, senior study author…

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Food Allergies Linked to Higher Asthma Risk in Kids

The higher the number of food allergies a child might have, the greater is his or her risk of developing asthma and allergic rhinitis during childhood, new research has found. “Of the major food allergens, allergy to peanut, milk and egg significantly predisposed children to asthma and allergic rhinitis,” said lead researcher David Hill from The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) in the US. The study is a retrospective analysis of the electronic health records of more than one million urban and suburban children in the CHOP Care Network from…

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Regular Nibbling On Nuts Linked To Low Inflammation

Eating a handful of nuts five times per week may reduce inflammation, a condition that contributes to heart disease, diabetes and many other chronic illnesses, say the authors of a recent U.S. study.This inflammation-dampening effect might be the secret to the health benefits of nuts, the study team writes in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Past research has linked eating nuts to lower rates of heart disease and diabetes, but the exact reason was unknown, senior study author Dr. Ying Bao, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School…

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Heavy Lifting by Young Workers Linked to Low Back Pain in Midlife

Young adults with jobs that involve heavy lifting and forceful movements might be at higher risk for back pain later in life, a study from Finland suggests. “When you’re young, you do things your own way, you muscle your way through it, but sooner or later, that behavior can cause problems,” said Michael Timko, a physical therapist and instructor at the University of Pittsburgh who was not involved with the study. “If we’re going to put a dent on the back pain issue, we should consider training younger people about…

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Gum Disease Linked to Heart Disease

A report from The Netherlands adds to the evidence tying chronic gum disease to heart disease and stroke. In a study of more than 60,000 dental patients, those with gum disease were twice as likely to have had a heart attack, stroke or severe chest pain. Previous studies have linked periodontitis and clogged arteries, but this is the first to investigate the link in a group of people this large, the researchers say. At the Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam, the largest dental school in the Netherlands, investigators reviewed the…

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