Although it’s been a big news year with a lot of people focusing on the U.S. Presidential elections, the world of health and wellness hasn’t stopped turning. Here’s what fascinated us most in 2008:
My condolences to the single women of the future: men are an endangered species. Scientists have found that many of common “gender-bending” chemicals used in our modern lives have feminizing effects on the fetuses of all types of animals, from fish to mammals. This means a disproportionate amount of females are being born – and this population shift is occurring among humans, too.
Salmonella-tainted tomatoes opened people’s eyes just a little more to what really goes on behind the scenes of industrial agriculture, and gave us more incentive to eat local and organic.
Shockingly, the Environmental Protection Agency has been found guilty multiple times of not protecting the environment. The Bush administration has been keeping the agency under its not-so-eco-friendly thumb.
Bisphenol-A, an endocrine disruptor, was found in plastic baby bottles, sending concerned parents to seek out BPA-free alternatives. BPA, by the way, is one of the above-mentioned sex-swaying chemicals.
For the first time since the 1970s, scientists have begun re-exploring medical uses for psychedelic substances. Research includes using LSD to treat extremely painful cluster headaches, psilocybin (mushrooms) to aid in easing end-of-life anxiety for terminal cancer patients, and MDMA (Ecstasy) for effectively treating Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. These drugs are controversial, but in many cases they are safer for humans and the environment than the products of Big Pharma.
A large number of Iraq War veterans suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and are denied the psychological care they need. Suicide rates among active duty soldiers and veterans are high. The good news is that some psychotherapists are introducing experimental, but highly effective, forms of therapy that show long-lasting benefits for victims of PTSD.
Melamine tainted milk in China – and beyond. It’s not just about infant formula in a far-off, distant land. Melamine may be closer to home than we knew.
Stem Cell advances – and caveats. In late 2008, British scientists performed the first successful transplant of an organ grown from the woman’s own stem cells. Embryonic stem cell research has also been forging ahead. But the fact is, injecting stem cells into the body can promote cancer and the therapies are still “custom made” – and very expensive.
A promising new radiation-free cancer therapy is on the rise. Although human trials are still a year or two away, lab tests have been very successful. The idea is to send gold nano-particles into the body to target cancer cells and then use an external-radio generator to destroy cancer cells – while leaving healthy cells alone.
Image: nattu