stevendepolo's Flickr photostream/Creative Commons

New research from Consumer Reports reveals that many canned foods, including soups, juice and vegetables, contain measurable levels of Bisphenol-A (BPA), a chemical that has been linked to a wide array of health issues such as reproductive abnormalities, cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

Here at TakePart we’ve discussed the dangers of BPA extensively, and hopefully this frightening new report will encourage the FDA to set stricter safety standards for BPA levels and ultimately strengthen efforts to ban BPA in materials that come into contact with food. Read the rest of this entry >>

Afraid to fly? Your phone might be able to help. Virgin Atlantic is introducing an IPhone app to help customers who are afraid to fly. The app includes a video-based in-flight explanation of a flight, frequently asked questions, relaxation exercises and a fear attack button for emergencies with breathing exercises. Richard Branson, president of Virgin Atlantic, said in a statement “the app will put many travelers at ease and enable them to prepare for their first Virgin Atlantic flight.”

The app is part of Virgin’s Flying Without Fear program aimed at helping customers deal with, as Virgin’s website explains it, “those strange noises that an airplane makes, turbulence” and helps people cope with “claustrophobia, panic attacks, anxiety, or the fear of losing control.”

It’s been over a year since the big 3 network’s Stand Up To Cancer broadcast but the organization is still going strong and during Game 3 of the World Series they revealed a pretty awesome ad to get attention back on the fight against cancer.

People were literally standing up to cancer!

wsilver's Flickr photostream/Creative Commons

Climate change could kill 250,000 children next year alone, and the numbers are likely to rise in years to come as climate-related famine, disease and other dangers escalate, according to Save The Children.

The new report from the international charity is certainly one of the most devastating and heart-wrenching predictions concerning climate change, and should serve as a major wake-up call to the world that we need to take serious action to cut greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for the ramifications of a rapidly changing planet.  Read the rest of this entry >>

November is National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month and National Family Caregivers Month. According to the Alzheimer’s Association 2009 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report, there are more than 5 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s and as many as 10 million family caregivers.

In 1983 President Reagan helped to launch a national campaign against Alzheimer’s disease calling members of the Alzheimer’s Association to the White House for the signing of a proclamation declaring National Alzheimer’s Disease Month.

The Alzheimer’s Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer care, support and research. Their mission is to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. Check out their site for more info on Alzheimer’s disease prevention, care, and research, also click here for a list of some great Alzheimer’s related articles.

With the swine flu as catchy in the news media as it is in humans, Americans are trying their best to keep germs of their hands and bodies. Triclosan is one germ-killing ingredient that has been touted for its ability to do just that. The chemical is present in hundreds of antibacterial toiletries and kitchen products. It has been widely used in soaps, toothpastes and deodorants, and has even been incorporated into odor-killing cloth and plastic items such as cutting boards and baby changing stations in public restrooms.

But the chemical that is killing “99.9%” of germs doesn’t do something you might assume it would: it doesn’t kill viruses. It also has a few side effects…

For example, for the last several years, the main concern over triclosan has been that it would contribute to the rise of superbugs. But now there is a newer concern: studies are proving it to be an endocrine disruptor, including interrupting thyroid function. Read the rest of this entry >>

My pal Piers ran the NY Marathon yesterday (a feat I’m greatly impressed by) to help raise money for the charity Faces of Kibera, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping orphans in Kibera, Kenya–Africa’s largest slum. Approximately 1 million people live in 1 square mile; 1 out of every 3 children is an orphan; and 1 out of every 6 is HIV positive. Their goal is to create and support a community-based facility outside Kibera. Funds raised will be spent on housing, food, psychological and medical care.

Check out this video about six girls who successfully got out of Kibera slums and then click the action link below to learn about how you can help.

While there are some people who still argue about whether drug addiction is a disease or a condition that results from the moral failing of an individual, most of the scientific community has long agreed that there are at least some influences on it that are far beyond a person’s control.

I’ve mentioned the genetic influences that have been shown to be associated with a risk for addiction before (look here). However, most of the research I’ve been involved in myself recently has more to do with the way that trying drugs changes your brain in ways that make it more likely that you’ll try them again.

Along these lines, a recently published study has shown that very specific molecular targets can have a huge impact on the probability that addicts will keep going after drugs. The molecules studied were common targets of cocaine that are altered long-term when a person uses coke. Read the rest of this entry >>

October was Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and as you might have noticed, TakePart has had it on the brain. There was Giula’s post Fight Breast Cancer, Take Photos and October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Then there was Megan’s post on self-exams, Feel Your Boobies, Save Your Life. And, on a more somber (though hopeful) note, Ciara’s post, Breast Cancer Struggle a Financial Nightmare.

Well, we’ve also been thinking about it back at the lab. Today TakePart launched a new page on breast cancer where you can get your questions about breast cancer answered, hear stories from survivors, and learn what you can do to help.  Check it out–the life you save may be your own.