SUMMARY: Sunscreen Safety. A JAMA study posted a few days ago (May 6, 2019) that investigated if the active ingredients in sunscreen of FOUR commercially available products gets absorbed into the human blood stream. Spoiler alert: ALL 4 of the sunscreen chemicals tested (avobenzone, oxybenzone, octocrylene, or ecamsule) were absorbed into the blood stream within one days use and in amounts greater than ever thought, exceeding amounts the FDA considers as Generally Recognized as Safe and Effective (GRASE) which is 0.5 ng/mL. This post details –> –>WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW and provides LINKS TO TWO RESOURCES YOU CAN USE FOR CHOOSING SAFER SUNSCREENS<– <– I won’t unduly burden this post with the [Matta et al 2019] study results, but you need to to know that the researchers tested different formulations for the chemicals: two different sprays, one lotion, and one cream to see if formulary mattered for skin absorption. It did not. SYSTEMIC CONCENTRATIONS GREATER THAN 0.5 ng/mL WERE REACHED FOR ALL 4 PRODUCTS AFTER 4 APPLICATIONS ON DAY 1. CNN reported on this study and said that “the amount used was twice the amount that would be applied in what the scientific community considers real-world conditions.” But the authors of the study say the amount they used is in accordance with the product usage instructions, and it is an amount that is commonly used at the beach. The authors note that it is not known what the clinical effect of plasma concentrations for these active ingredients in excess of 0.5 ng/mL means for health, so further research is needed. The FDA agrees and has proposed a new rule which requires evaluation of suncreen chemcial absorption considering reproductive, developmental, and carcinogenic effects. The authors of the study note that the study results do not indicate that individuals should refrain from the use of sunscreen despite the absorption amounts exceeding the threshold established by the FDA that permits potentially waiving some nonclinical toxicology studies for sunscreens. Hmmm… So, if you going to continue to use sunscreen, what sunscreen ingredients are you going to USE, or AVOID? I am also interested in what products you TRY and your thoughts about them! LMK in the comments below!
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Melody TRIAL- Can Maternal Diet Reduce Disease Transmission to the Newborn?
SUMMARY: I am beyond excited to begin 2019 with the announcement of a groundbreaking microbiome study that I’ve been asked to help spread the word on! The study, called the MELODY trial, peels back the layers of microbiome influence further than any study I’ve seen to date because it moves the needle for microbiome manipulation PAST the immediate host to hopefully influence and alter the health of the newborn! HOW? The MELODY Trial will recruit childbearing aged women to investigate if changing the maternal diet can reduce transmission of disease to the newborn! The Melody Trial will focus on Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) because children born to mothers with IBD have increased risk of IBD. Participant recruitment is targeted to begin mid-January, 2019. Its website is coming soon, and I’ll post that info ASAP! However, to start this discussion and catch all up to speed, this post explains another study called the MECONIUM Study (see the link here) and its EIGHT publications are below! MECONIUM stands for Exploring MEChanisms Of disease trasmission IUtero through the Microbiome. I’m starting here because the MELODY trial is based on the preliminary findings of the MECONIUM Study! The primary investigating lab for both studies is Peter Lab, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. The MECONIUM Study was a prospective study that explored the role IBD plays in the composition of the maternal and infant microbiome. The MECONIUM Study found that the dysbiotic microbiome seen in infants born to mothers with IBD can be improved when ENVIRONMENTAL factors known to have a negative effect on the microbiome are ABSENT in early life. In particular, the sub-optimal microbiome of babies born to IBD mothers were MITIGATED in early life when the baby was born vaginally, was not exposed to antibiotics, and was exclusively or partially breastfed. Because of these findings, and since DIET is also considered an environmental factor that can change the gut microbiome, the MELODY Trial investigates if IBD mothers consuming the UMass IBD-AID diet (a diet shown to change the gut microbiome to anti-inflammatory, aid in repair of the gut, and help restore balance to the immune system to help induce remission for IBD), also alters the vaginal microbiome and reduces the risk of transmitting the dysbiotic disease-prone microbiome to the newborn. Guys, if the MELODY Trial works for IBD, will this strategy work for other diseases?!? Please, do your part and share this info with your friends, daughters, gynecologists, GI docs, doulas… Lets load this cohort quickly and move the needle to make the future better for our next generation! We’ve messed so many things up microbiome-wise, WE OWE OUR CHILDREN THIS!
Guacamole Avocado Mash, PALEO, SCD GAPS
Summary: This is the third of five family favorite VEGETABLE redic delic recipes I’m posting –> Guacamole Avocado Mash, PALEO, SCD GAPS! The other two recipes posted at SCD PALEO Cucumber Salad and SCD PALEO Cauliflower Mock Potato Salad! These salads meet all healing diet tenets be it: Mediterranean Diet, Whole Foods, SCD, GAPS, PALEO, AIP… I’m posting these recipes because so many stumble over how to make vegetables taste fabulous! I was there too ⇒ These recipes evolved over a decade of trialing what our friends and kidos loved vegetable-wise! Increasing consumption of many different colorful vegs is vitally important to your health ⇒ The American Gut Data finds that a target of 30 different vegetables each week increases microbiome diversity, and that is thought to be correlated to improved health because most all chronic diseases have reduced microbiome diversity! The beauty of all of these recipes are that they top leafy greens deliciously which further increases vegetable diversity, and this Guacamole Avocado Mash ALSO is a great topper on salmon or chicken! ♥ Four take-aways from this recipe include use of fermented apple cider vinegar for probiotics, use of garlic and onion for prebiotics (or FODMAPs) to feed the microbiome (and hacks to those if intolerant), and the benefits of avocado which includes its fiber and high monounsaturated fat content for heart and brain health! Here’s my Instagram recipe card: