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Ultra-Processed Foods are Harmful Beyond Their Lack of NutritionRecent studies show that people who eat more ultra-processed foods are at an increased risk of dying from all causes. Greater consumption is linked to obesity, cardiovascular disease, dementia, and colon cancer. Ultra-processed foods are products made more palatable by changing their makeup with industrial ingredients like emulsifiers, preservatives, artificial flavors, and artificial sweeteners. This processing often strips foods of their natural nutrients and fiber. A study in Italy found that even when a diet high in ultra-processed foods was supplemented by vitamins and other nutrients, the damaging effects on a person's health remained. Further study found that high ultra-processed food consumers also had markers of higher levels of inflammation. It's possible that the human body sees the artificial ingredients in such foods as invaders, which triggers the immune system to go into high gear. But with no biological invaders, such as bacteria or viruses, to fight against, the immune system puts chronic stress on the body. Read more about this research into ultra-processed foods at Real Clear Science.(Image credit: National Cancer Institute) #diet #nutrition #health #ultraprocessedfood

You Can Overdose on Vitamin DWe all need a regular supply of vitamins for health. That doesn't mean you need to take vitamin supplements, because a varied diet should provide what you need. Even highly processed foods have added vitamins. There are some exceptions for people with medical conditions or very unusual diets, so check with your doctor. Still, there are some folks who believe that if a little of something is good, a lot of it will be better. That's not at all true with vitamins, and you can overdose. A recent extreme case was cited in BMJ.The patient with hypervitaminosis D, as the condition is known, had recurrent vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain, leg cramps, tinnitus (ringing in the ear), dry mouth, increased thirst, diarrhea, and lost 13 kg (28 pounds) in the three months he experienced these symptoms until he finally caved in and went to the hospital. The symptoms started showing up around a month after taking 150,000 IU of vitamin D (the daily requirement is 10 micrograms or 400 IU), along with 20 other over-the-counter supplements, including vitamin K2, vitamin C, vitamin B9, vitamin B6, vitamin B2, folate, and omega-3, as well as other vitamins, minerals, nutrients, and probiotics.This was a middle-aged man who took way too many supplements on the advice of a nutritional therapist ...not a doctor. Medical professionals were able to save him, but it took hospitalization and his vitamin D levels remained high two months later. Read how vitamin D can go nuts on a human body when there's too much of it at ZME Science. -via Damn Interesting (Image credit: Raysonho @ Open Grid Scheduler / Grid Engine) #vitamin #supplement #overdose #health

Scientists are One Step Closer to Creating "Universal" Transplant OrgansIn a stunning feat of scientific prowess, researchers have successfully created a prototype of a universal transplant organ. The scientists converted donated lungs into these new organs in a proof of concept experiment. The converted lung was tested in an ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) device, which keeps lungs alive outside the body.Should the tests within the next year and a half be successful with human recipients, the developed universal organs would reduce the number of donated lungs that will be discarded due to a lack of a match. Lungs often don’t match in terms of size and blood type for potential recipients. In addition, the universal organs can cut the current shortage of type O lungs for O patients. This is because patients with type O blood cannot easily accept an organ from other blood types. The waiting time for patients and mortality rate will also be reduced.Image credit: University Health Network#universalorgans #health #science