We live in a world obsessed with clean. Our floors are scrubbed with antibacterial cleaners, we squirt hand sanitizer gel on our children’s hands and wipe down our kitchen counters with antibacterial wipes. Knowing this, you shouldn’t be surprised there was a big buzz when a poop transplant between a mother and her toddler son
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The yogurt aisle in the grocery store has become intimidating. Although I have my favorites, most of the little cartons now seem to be claiming health benefits beyond providing nutrition. Labels and advertising campaigns extol the benefits of probiotics and prebiotics in our diets. But what are they and how do they help aid in
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Foodborne illness has been in the news all week. First, the massive multi-country European outbreak of E. coli has sickened over 1,000 people and killed more than 20. Closer to home, the United States Food and Drug Administration notified consumers of multiple recalls due to possible salmonella contamination in pig ear treats and a raw
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The tragedy in Tucson is on everyone’s mind. Since I am very medical and not very political, I was captivated by a quote in the New York Times last week attributed to one of the neurosurgeons caring for Congresswomen Gabrielle Giffords. Dr. G. Michael Lemole, Jr. had been asked if Ms. Gifford’s recovery was miraculous.
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The evening news and the morning papers often carry stories about the scary “super bug” Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA. These stories can be so frightening as reporters describe patients who have succumbed to overwhelming infections unresponsive to antibiotics. To make matters worse, MRSA was recently in the news again. This time, researchers are suggesting our
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