Category Archives: All

Activated Charcoal

Image result for activated charcoal

Source: Health Magazine

Isabel Draper

Some health interventions are framed as  “detoxification” or the removal of harmful substances from one’s body. It seems plausible that if one overindulges in unhealthy foods or substances or if one is exposed to toxins in the environment that removal of unhealthy molecules from the body would be helpful. Rather than a return to healthy habits, detoxification often takes the form of a commercial product or treatment. Let’s turn a curious eye on one such product that seems to be gaining popularity: activated charcoal.  

We should start with the understanding of how well the body is designed to handle toxins. For instance, your kidneys are designed to remove toxins and keep your physiology in balance. The kidneys filter about 120-150 quarts of blood a day to produce about 1-2 quarts of urine composed of waste and extra fluid. If your kidneys are working properly, they are doing the appropriate job of filtering your blood and removing an excess fluids or waste like urea from the body. Your liver converts ammonia to urea, a less toxic substance. It also is responsible for breaking down alcohol, for producing the bile needed to digest and to absorb fats, and for getting rid of the byproducts from the breakdown of medications. These are just a few things that our liver does as one of the largest organs in the body. We should all be skeptical of products or services that claim they can outperform these systems.   

Activated charcoal is currently being marketed as a tool for detoxing your body that can be consumed in combination with lemonade, ice cream, and other food products.  Activated charcoal is normally used to treat overdoses of medications like aspirin. It is very porous allowing it to trap molecules, both medications or toxins and helpful substances such as  vitamins. It’s not clear that the addition of activated charcoal to your diet can improve upon the body’s physiology. And, it could block the absorption of important nutrients and medications and diminish your health.

Detoxing is an overly simplistic solution for a complex problem. We live in a world which is chemically complex and there are many chemicals in our environments and in our bodies. Yet, the presence of chemicals does not directly translate to a health risk. The idea that we live in a toxic environment  to which our bodies are unsuited is largely inaccurate and creates an unhealthy relationship with the world.

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323254.php

https://www.self.com/story/chrissy-teigen-activated-charcoal-detox

https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/activated-charcoal-detox-myth

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279393/

Does Turkey make you sleepy?

Image result for turkey

Source: Food Network

Nicole Kell

Have you ever wondered what causes you to be so sleepy after your Thanksgiving turkey feast? Spoiler alert… it is not the turkey! Many people believe that turkey causes sleep. These claims come from the known fact that turkey contains tryptophan, an amino acid that forms the foundation of the brain chemical serotonin. Serotonin is converted to melatonin, a sleep inducing hormone. However, turkey does not contain nearly enough tryptophan to be the main cause of  drowsiness. According to experts, consuming copious amounts of carbohydrates such as mashed potatoes, stuffing, dinner rolls, and pie, is the main cause of the infamous post-Thanksgiving meal nap.

There are many other factors that contribute to drowsiness on Thanksgiving. This is a time of year where many are taking a break from work or school and may be worn out. Scarfing down large quantities of food and stretching the small intestine also induces sleepiness. Thanksgiving is a holiday spent with friends and family, so many people are consuming alcohol with their company. Alcohol tends to have a relaxing effect on the mind and body. So do not solely blame the bird for your snooze!

https://www.livescience.com/41543-thanksgiving-myth-busted-eating-turkey-won-t-make-you-sleepy.html

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/fact-or-fiction-does-turkey-make-you-sleepy/

Cell Phone Towers

Image result for cellphone towers

Source: Science

Shika Andhole and Nicole Kell

The idea that electromagnetic fields cause cancer captured people’s imagination. Some studies have correlated instances of childhood Leukemia with distance from power lines, concluding that the closer families lived to power lines, the more likely their children would grow up with cancer. Currently, cell phone usage is now ubiquitous- since up to 90% of adults own a cell phone. Both cell phones and cell phone towers emit radio frequency waves that some people claim may be potential risk factor for cancer.

There are other factors that may account for the differences in cancer rates. People who lived closer to power lines live closer to large city centers where the population was mostly made up of poor and disenfranchised people. Poor and disadvantaged people are often face greater exposure to secondhand smoke, problems with water sanitation, pollution from factories, higher prevalence of obesity, and greater alcohol consumption. It is difficult to pinpoint direct causes of cancer because there are so many hereditary and environmental influences that can contribute to it.

In March of 2018, the National Toxicology Program conducted a study on the harmful effects of radiofrequency waves. This 2018 study concluded that there was no significant evidence that linked radiofrequency wave exposure to developing cancer.  The American Cancer Society says that radio frequency waves are not nearly strong enough to penetrate and damage human DNA. Due to the height at which cell phone tower antennas are placed and the distance that most of the population lives from the towers, the strength of frequency that humans are exposed to is several times smaller than what the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) deems harmful.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/

https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/about_ntp/trpanel/2018/march/tr596peerdraft.pdf

https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/about_ntp/trpanel/2018/march/publiccomm/rfr_comment20180221.pdf

https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/radiation-exposure/cellular-phone-towers.html

https://www.drweil.com/health-wellness/balanced-living/technology/cell-phone-tower-threat/

http://hps.org/publicinformation/ate/faqs/cellphoneqa.html

https://www.zdnet.com/article/wiring-for-wireless-5g-and-the-tower-in-your-backyard/