Tag: microbiome
Antivax quacks are continuing to make up fantastical biological mechanisms for COVID-19 vaccine “shedding”
A couple of weeks ago, I discussed why antivax quacks' claimed biological mechanisms for COVID-19 vaccine "shedding" reminded me of homeopaths. Confabulation about fantastical scientific mechanisms continues, courtesy of "A Midwestern Doctor."
“DNA-based” personalized nutrition advice: Not ready for prime time
There are countless vendors offering "personalized" nutrition recommendations, some based on DNA- or microbiome-testing. What does the evidence actually say?
Lessons in confounding epidemiology: Household cleaning products, the microbiome and childhood obesity
Do eco-friendly cleaning products prevent obesity? Probably not, and you shouldn't be eating them anyway.
Have Researchers Developed a Potential Microbial Miracle for Phenylketonuria Patients?
Researchers specializing in synthetic biology are developing a new therapy for PKU, a potentially devastating metabolic disorder, and they have some promising preliminary human data. But it's just too early to get excited.
Vaginal Seeding: To Swab or Not to Swab Your Newborn Baby
More mothers are requesting vaginal seeding, but does the evidence support this potentially risky intervention?
Vaginal Seeding. Ew. That’s nuts. Hmmm, interesting.
Sometimes a headline will cause me to run through a series of reactions in rapid sequence. For example “Mothers facing C-sections look to vaginal ‘seeding’ to boost their babies’ health”: Early studies show that swabbing a mother’s vagina and transferring it to her baby’s mouth, eyes and skin may stimulate microbiome development similarly to babies born naturally – and protect it from...
Everything you always wanted to know about fermented foods
Are fermented foods the best thing since...bread?
Gut Check. Probiotics and Metabiome.
I always cringe when I see an acupuncture headline with ‘needle’ or ‘point’ in the title. Can’t the writer avoid the clichéd pun? I had an editor who commented that the titles of my essays are often obtuse. Probably true. In going back over my essays on SBM I often can’t tell from the title what I have written about until I...
Meet Your Microbes: uBiome Offers New Service
We are not alone. Walt Whitman didn’t know how right he was when he said, “I contain multitudes.” The microbes on and in our bodies outnumber our own cells 10:1. Perhaps that creeps you out. Perhaps that makes you curious to know just who all these billions of creatures are that are using your body for a home and a transportation device....
Probiotics
The Wall Street Journal has an assessment of probiotics in the Jan 13, 2009 issue entitled “Bug Crazy: Assessing the Benefits of Probiotics.” For some reason when I wander around the hospital on rounds people show me articles such as this and ask, so whatcha think about this? Probiotics are interesting. They are live bacteria given to treat and prevent diseases. It...