Yogurt shines at breakfast and holds its own at lunch, when health-minded folks enjoy its low price, easy portability and willingness to play with sweet or spicy. Dinner usually finds it back in the refrigerator unless some creative soul dresses a salad or baked potato with it. And in dessert? How sweet to ask but […]
Articles
Microbe Changes at 100-Years-Old
More of us—mostly women—will live to celebrate our 100th birthdays. The number of centenarians across the globe is growing rapidly, thanks to medicine and technology. Let’s all shoot for smooth sailing. Aging changes are inevitable and built into the DNA of every cell. The immune system weakens in aging, making the elderly more likely to […]
Waging War on Our Resistome
As people age, their mix of microbes, like their politics, is fairly stable. Not so, the young. Microbes in infants and small children are easily swayed by all sorts of environmental forces: mode of delivery (Cesarean section or vaginal), food delivery (breast or bottle), and medications. Antibiotics exact a considerable toll on the palate of […]
Brush Up on Probiotics in Personal Care Products
Toothpaste, skin creams and cosmetics: we use them daily. Expect to see probiotics slip into the long lists of ingredients. Are they warranted? A recent review in a journal called Microbiology Discovery provides an overview of probiotics use in personal care products. The excellent article covers the following areas: Primer microbes on the skin and […]
Serve Up Probiotics on the Holidays
Holiday feasts. We love them: creamy casseroles, massive portions of meats and gooey desserts. When the fat and sugar-laden foods demand digestion however, the stomach isn’t always a fan . Rather than abstain entirely or suffer physical backlash, do a little planning. If you are the host, do your guests a favor and lighten it up […]
Can Probiotics Step In for Disinfectants?
“Nosocomial” is a big word for a problem that isn’t getting any smaller. Hospital-acquired infections are so common—hundreds of thousands– that few may see the irony in a sickness that results from visiting a hospital. Modern methods of control include strict sanitation policies which mean gloves as well as liberal repeat dousings of chemical disinfectants. […]