Alzheimer’s disease is a type of dementia that affects thinking and memory. While the disease usually progresses slowly, it becomes more severe with time and can be difficult to diagnose. Alzheimer’s cannot be cured, but catching symptoms early can allow for the implementation of treatment options that slow the progression of the disease.
“Our hope is that if we could identify patients who are developing the disease early, it would give us a much better opportunity to intervene with treatments, and it’s much more likely for those treatments to be effective,” Cedars-Sinai Medical Center chairman of neurosurgery Dr. Keith Black said in an interview with CNN.
Alzheimer’s is difficult to diagnose because no single test can identify the disease. Diagnosis requires knowledge of an individual’s medical history along with mental evaluations, blood tests, and ongoing neurological exams.
Watch for these warning signs and prepare to discuss them with a medical professional if you notice any of the following in yourself or a loved one:
1. Disruptions of Daily Life
Forgetfulness can be a normal part of aging, but it becomes a problem when a person starts struggling with recall on a regular basis.
Take note of memory loss that affects daily life. If you notice a loved one forgetting important dates, relying heavily on memory aids, or asking the same questions over and over, arrange for a professional evaluation.
2. Difficulty Solving Problems
Alzheimer’s can affect a person’s ability to work with numbers, follow directions, or make plans. This often manifests when the patient has trouble understanding conversations, paying bills, or even following recipes.
People may also have a more difficult time concentrating on a task while attempting to start or complete it. Making small occasional errors is part of human nature, but when simple tasks become extremely difficult or impossible to complete, it’s a sign of a serious problem.
3. Loss of Time
People with Alzheimer’s often struggle with an altered perception of time. These individuals might “lose” years, forget their age, not know the season, or have no idea how long someone has been out of the room.
“Five minutes can seem like five hours for someone with AD, so a husband may think his wife has been gone for hours or even weeks, even if it’s just been a few minutes, or he might tell his grandchild that he hasn’t seen him in five years, even though he just saw them yesterday,” Lisa P. Gwyther, co-author of The Alzheimer’s Action Plan: A Family Guide, shared with CBS News.
Stages of Progression
It’s a common misconception that Alzheimer’s only affects older people. According to the Alzheimer’s Association 2017 facts and figures:
“An estimated 5.5 million Americans of all ages are living with Alzheimer’s dementia in 2017. This number includes an estimated 5.3 million people age 65 and older, and approximately 200,000 individuals under age 65 who have younger-onset Alzheimer’s, though there is greater uncertainty about the younger-onset estimate.”
People of any age can begin to show signs of Alzheimer’s, and that’s why it’s important to recognize the symptoms. The disease has multiple stages of progression, and early detection can allow for effective treatment that slows progression sooner.
Most Alzheimer’s treatments involve a medication regimen that promotes neurotransmitter connections in the brain. Additionally, physicians work with patients’ families to create safe environments and promote regular exercise and a nutritious diet plan. While Alzheimer’s is a difficult disease to manage, early recognition of key symptoms can dramatically improve patients’ quality of life.
A Georgia school superintendent’s email to teachers is raising some eyebrows.
Superintendent Trent North of the Douglas County School District recently sent staff an email with a list of clothing items considered inappropriate for teachers in the classroom. One item on the list, however, is causing a stir among the district’s employees.
North’s memo reads: “Please emphasize the expectation that attire be professional and appropriate. Some items of clothing that are not appropriate for work include jeans (except on Fridays), flip flops, sneakers, leggings (except when worn with an appropriate length dress), shorts and Capris.”
It’s that last item that’s causing an uproar. According to local NBC affiliate WXIA, some are even calling it “ridiculous.”
A local individual with family working in the school district, identified only as Kevin in order remain anonymous, said, “I think it’s utterly ridiculous. Is the teacher wearing khakis going to improve test scores? Is it going to improve funding?”
“I don’t think so,” he concluded.
North later told WXIA that the memo wasn’t a ban, but rather an expectation.
“All I said is no blue jeans, no flip-flops, and no shorts below the knee,” he told the station. “If I have staff, and that’s the gist of their wardrobe, that would concern me.”
Further complicating matters is the fact that North has only been with the district for a matter of months. While some seem were surprised that dress code would be one of his top priorities, North says that’s not quite the case.
According to North, a one of the district’s principals asked about wardrobe expectations during a retreat, and the superintendent sent the email as a response.
The Douglas County controversy is just one case illustrating the ongoing conversation about what is and isn’t appropriate classroom attire for teachers.
On one hand, educators acknowledge that proper attire is a crucial part of cultivating a respectful, professional environment in the classroom.
“It’s important to dress the part,” Sherrell Lanoix, who teaches fourth grade in Los Angeles, California, told the National Education Association (NEA). “Students, parents, and administrators take you more seriously when you come to work dressed as a professional.”
Dr. Janet Stramel, Assistant Professor at the College of Education and Technology at Fort Hays State University in Kansas, reiterated the same sentiment. She told NEA, “Dress like a professional. A teacher who wears jeans or sweats, or tops that show cleavage, does not promote respect.”
Still, some educators feel that the emphasis on dress codes is misplaced.
English teacher Bill McConnell told NEA, “We are professionals, and we don’t need somebody telling us what we need to wear to work.”
“We understand that we shouldn’t show up for work in sweatpants,” McConnell continued. “We are adults and can make our own decisions. I dress in clothes that are practical for my job. I don’t need to wear a pair of $100 slacks to teach. It’s more practical and efficient to teach in blue jeans with a button-down shirt or a polo shirt.”
“It makes you feel like you’re not considered a professional,” 30-year veteran middle school teacher Donna Hanshew told the Charleston Gazette-Mail. “When you’ve got schools that are falling down—literally falling down around you—and then you’re making a big deal out of a dress code for teachers, what does that say about your priorities?”
There is no doubt about it; the prevalence of autism in the United States has gotten the attention of many parents. Although there are still many unanswered questions about this developmental disorder, there are a few things we know for sure.
First of all, we know that 1 out of every 68 children will fall somewhere on the autism spectrum. We also know that it is more common among boys than girls. An estimated 1 in 42 boys is believed to have autism spectrum disorder (ASD), while 1 in 189 girls are believed to have this disorder, according to Autism Speaks.
Perhaps most important of all the things we know about autism is that early intervention matters.
The sooner parents can spot symptoms in their children, the sooner they can seek specialized treatment for their children. Early intervention is known to be incredibly effective in improving the symptoms of autism, says Autism Speaks.
Of course, if parents want to seek early treatment, their child must be diagnosed first. For many moms and dads this will mean watching young children, even infants, for signs they may have autism.
About Early Diagnosis of Autism
Because of the nature of autism, it isn’t easy to spot in young children. This is because in some cases, children may appear to be developing typically only to regress—or lose some of their developmental skills—as they grow older.
In the same fashion, some babies will actually struggle to meet their expected developmental milestones and then suddenly catch up to what is typical for their age.
Thus many doctors wait until children reach 24 months before they will make a definitive diagnosis of autism.
This doesn’t mean that infants cannot be screened for developmental delays, however. According to Autism Speaks, some symptoms of autism can be detected as young as 6 months of age, and this advocacy organization encourages parents to be on the lookout for any troubling symptoms in their children.
Here are some tips on how to spot autism in your infant, starting when they are 3 months old.
The Earliest Signs of Autism in Your Baby
Diagnosis of autism by the time a child is 3 months of age is unheard of, but pediatricians are still keeping an eye out for potentially alarming delays in newborns that may point to an underlying issue.
At 3 months of age, most typically developing children will have started to smile, according to the Autism Society. They will also begin to notice and look at faces, especially the faces of those they care about the most.
When presented with a moving object, 3-month-olds should be able to follow that object by moving their gaze or shifting their head.
Some motor delays could also point to ASD in babies, such as being unable to lift their head or bring their hand to their mouth, according to the Autism Society.
Signs in the First Six Months of Life
By the time your baby is 6 months old, they should be able to engage in some basic social interactions with the people who are caring for them most frequently.
Absence of these interactions is one of the chief signs of autism during the first six months of a baby’s life. If your child isn’t smiling at you or showing expressions of enjoyment by this age, this might be a clue that your baby may have some developmental delays, according to Helpguide.org.
There is also some evidence that very young babies who do not seem interested in the faces of others are at a higher risk for autism. One study, performed by researchers at Yale, observed the amount of time infants spent looking at images of faces.
More than two years later, researchers followed up with this same group of infants and found that those who went on to be diagnosed with autism were more likely to belong to the group of infants who spent less time looking at faces.
Signs You Can Spot Before a Baby Is 9 Months Old
As your baby grows older, there are new milestones they should be reaching. Failure to reach these milestones can be cause for concern, even if it doesn’t guarantee a diagnosis of autism. In addition to smiling in response to being smiled at, there are other reciprocal behaviors you should expect to see in your child.
At 9 months old, typically developing babies will engage in exchanging noises back and forth. They will also show some kind of response to the facial expressions of others. In general, by the time your baby is 9 months old, you should hope to see the very beginnings of social behaviors emerging.
Signs That May Show Up Before Your Baby’s First Birthday
When your baby reaches their first birthday, there’s cause for celebration. Of course, along with this milestone comes a visit with their pediatrician to review a whole list of milestones they should be reaching.
For 1-year-olds, there are some bare-minimum developmental achievements they should have knocked out of the park. Babies this age should respond in some way when you say their name, even if it is just a glance in your direction. Your baby should also be talking some, even if they aren’t real words. Parents of typically developing children will have noticed babbling and baby talk by their first birthday. Lastly, at this point your baby should be have picked up on some non-verbal actions such as waving, pointing, or reaching when they want to be held.
Watching your child play is another way you can keep an eye out for the development of autism. By the time they are about a year old, your baby will begin to engage in very purposeful play.
They will start to use objects as they are meant to be used, according to the Autism Society, which says that pretending to talk on the phone or knowing to drink out of a glass are developmentally appropriate behaviors at this age.
As your child approaches their first birthday, you can also watch out for the presence of alarming behaviors, instead of just watching for the absence of developmentally appropriate behaviors.
Repetitive behaviors in young children can be a sign of autism. If your child is engaging in self-stimulatory behavior such as rocking, hitting themselves, or twirling, this could be a clue they are struggling with their development.
Here’s what to do if you are concerned about your infant’s development.
If you notice your child is showing signs of developmental delays, it is understandable that you may be concerned. Your first step should always be a visit with your child’s pediatrician. They have received extensive training on spotting the earliest symptoms of autism in children.
A visit with your child’s doctor will usually go one of two ways.
You may be told that your child’s delays are still within the realm of normal, since all kids develop at different paces.
At your visit your child’s doctors may instead conclude that the symptoms being displayed are reason for concern and then they will recommend next steps, like seeing a specialist or having your child formally evaluated for autism.
No matter what you learn, your doctor, other healthcare providers, and parenting support groups will help you figure out next steps for how to best support your child.
The clearest evidence of the health food craze lines the grocery store shelves. Packages of processed foods claim to be the missing piece of your health food journey—but they might just be carefully marketed junk.
It takes time and effort to make sure your diet is well balanced, and the first step is to kick these snacks to the curb.
1. Stay away from “instant.”
Anything with the words “instant” printed on the label isn’t going to be as healthy as you wish it were—even oatmeal. Oats are a great breakfast option since they contain protein and important vitamins and minerals—plus they’re high in fiber. However, if you buy pre-packaged, flavored instant oatmeal, you’re burying all those good qualities in a ton of sugar.
Most healthcare professionals say a healthy diet contains no more than 50 grams of sugar per day. Some believe in limiting sugar even more, allowing just 25 grams per day.
A single packet of some flavored instant oatmeal can contain close to your daily allowance of sugar. Instead of buying instant packets, grab a box of plain oats and add your own fruit or a little bit of honey.
Granola and energy bars are also sugar-laden snack foods in disguise. You’re supposed to eat these bars on the go, but they won’t benefit your diet. Even when these bars contain protein and fiber, their sugar content is so high that you’re basically eating candy.
2. Deli Meats vs. Your Blood Pressure
Turkey is a great protein to include in your diet. It’s a lean meat with a mild flavor that is easy to incorporate in salads or on sandwiches. But beware…if you’d like to include turkey in more of your meals, you need to go with the real stuff.
There is a big nutritional difference between fresh turkey and deli-packaged turkey. Both are fairly similar in calorie count, but fresh turkey contains more protein and less fat than packaged deli turkey.
The biggest health issue when it comes to deli turkey is its sodium content. Four ounces of deli turkey can contain 1,049 milligrams of sodium. The recommended daily allowance is just 1,300 to 1,500 milligrams. It’s worth the extra time to prepare a fresh turkey and pass on the convenience of deli slices.
3. Sweet, Sweet, Probiotics
Yogurt can be a superior dairy-based treat considering that it’s packed with protein, calcium, B vitamins, and probiotic bacteria that aids digestion. Unfortunately, as in the instant oatmeal dilemma, many flavored yogurts are full of excess sugar.
Look at the yogurt labels next time you’re in the dairy aisle. A single-serving container of fruit-on-the-bottom yogurt can contain up to 18 grams of sugar. That’s a lot.
Plain yogurt shouldn’t have added sweeteners, and it’s usually available in low-fat and nonfat varieties, allowing you to select what’s best for you and your family. Plus, you can flavor plain yogurt any way you like.
4. “Light” isn’t better.
Food items that are labeled “light” are not necessarily as healthy you think. Light foods may have fewer calories, but they are often heavily processed and filled with additives.
In fact, a study published in the Journal of Marketing Research shows consumers regularly overeat foods that are labeled “low-fat.”
This renders the lower calorie count of these foods pointless.
When it comes to eating a healthy diet, the best approach is to stick with what’s real. There’s no quick fix or shortcut when it comes to your health, no matter what a box of granola bars tells you. Snacking on fresh fruits and veggies or fresh, lean meats is always the best choice.
It’s been dubbed “Tinder for Teens,” but this app provides predators with everything they need to contact a child.
Every parent needs to be aware of Yellow.
The Yellow App
Yellow is marketed as “the app to make new friends and chat with them! It’s so fun!”
To make “new friends,” users “swipe right to like and left to pass,” much like the adult dating app Tinder.
“If it’s a mutual like,” according to the app’s description, “you get a new chat friend.”
What’s not made explicitly clear in the app’s description is that this “new chat friend” immediately becomes a Snapchat friend.
The danger with Snapchat, as child internet safety website Protect Young Eyes puts it, is that some kids “find it way too easy to send inappropriate photos.”
More Than Mischievous Teens to Worry About
While Snapchat and Yellow are both marketed to younger audiences, perhaps the scariest thing about these apps is how easy it is for adult predators to impersonate young teens.
“It’s very easy to put in a fake birthday and portray yourself as a 15-year-old boy that plays football at the high school,” FBI Special Agent Vicki Anderson told WXYZ Detroit.
A spokesperson for the UK-based National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children described the danger of the app to The Sun:
Any app that allows strangers to send photos to children or vice versa is troubling—particularly where the images being exchanged are of a sexual nature. Yellow’s settings that enable adults to view children, through a service blatantly aimed at flirting and relationships, also creates an opportunity for sexual predators to target young people.
“We’re now in a stage where adults are using [Yellow] to target students and to groom them. And grooming only leads to one conclusion. That’s a sexual encounter with a child,” said Akron Public Schools general counsel Rhonda Porter when interviewed by WXYZ Detroit.
Supposed Community Guidelines
Yellow’s community guidelines are ambitious, but it’s not entirely clear how the website enforces their rules other than following leads in reports from users, parents, or law enforcement agents.
The app’s website say it expects users not to “ask for nudes” and to “never harass, bully or spam other users.” It goes on to discourage “threats of physical harm or other criminal activities” and states that users shouldn’t “post content which is sexist, racist, homophobic or discriminatory in any other way.”
From there, Yellow expects users to feature a picture of their face first and demands that they “never pretend to be someone else.” They also insist that users not lie about their birthdays.
Unfortunately, as Kristen Smolen, a parent interviewed by WXYZ Detroit points out, there’s no system for age verification built into the app.
Yellow’s guidelines state, “If you are under 18, it is totally forbidden to make friends with users over 18.”
That’s a great sentiment, but Yellow needs to be much more transparent about how they’re enforcing these guidelines. Furthermore, for parents to make good decisions about whether to allow their kids to use Yellow, its literature should clarify whether these guidelines are explicit rules or simply recommendations.
Perhaps the most serious-sounding guidelines reads, “Any sexual content involving minors will be reported directly to the police.” Again, though, the app’s administrators are not clear about who is responsible for that reporting, nor do they clarify who this reporting is meant to serve.
“You need to be parents.”
Kids are prone to following social trends, and there are already more than 6 million users on Yellow.
“It’s an important time to warn parents—you need to be parents,” said Special Agent Anderson in her WXYZ interview.
“Be nosy. You need to know who [your] kids are talking to and what information they’re putting online.”
By spelling out clear expectations and rules and having age-appropriate conversations with children about why they need to be careful on all social media platforms, parents can help eager teens learn how to avoid potentially dangerous and compromising situations.
The International Persistent Organic Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN), an organization that works to “achieve a toxic-free future where chemical production, use and disposal does not harm people and the environment,” warns that many toys—including kids’ character slippers, of all things—contain dangerous levels of toxins.
Even worse, these chemicals are particularly toxic to children.
Describing the Toxins
IPEN releases an annual Toxic Toy Store Catalogue that satirically boasts about chemicals found in common children’s toys from around the globe. In particular, the catalogue highlights the disconcerting presence of short chain chlorinated paraffins or SCCPs.
To break down the jargon, according to an April 2017 report by IPEN, SCCPs are “industrial chemicals primarily used in metalworking but also as flame retardants and softeners in plastics.” IPEN identifies SCCPs as toxic industrial chemicals that should be prohibited in the manufacture of children’s toys.
In an attempt to avoid bombarding you with a list of chemical acronyms, we won’t get into too many specific details about dangerous chemical strains, but at least two of them, octaBDE and decaBDE, have been earmarked for global elimination by the Stockholm Convention, as noted in a separate IPEN report.
Unfortunately, many of these hazardous SCCPs are common in recycled plastics originally used in electronics. And while recycling plastics may sound like a good idea at first, when you learn that these products are being turned into children’s toys, the feasibility of eco-consciousness becomes even more complicated that it already is.
Toxic Presence
IPEN’s report recommends prohibiting SCCPs in children’s toys. It reports that these elements are “widely present in products favored by children including Mickey Mouse slippers, jump ropes, balls, and plastic ducks.”
The study also found that a hand blender commonly used to prepare baby food leaked SCCPs.
What dangers do these chemicals present?
All of these chemicals are “very difficult to degrade in the environment and our bodies, which negatively affects the nervous system and reproduction,” IPEN reports in its satirical toy catalogue. “What’s more, they are endocrine disruptors,” which means the compounds have the potential to disrupt hormonal balance in the body.
Of course, hormonal balance is extremely important when it comes to the growth and development of happy, healthy children. The bottom line? Young people are particularly vulnerable to these dangerous substances.
Eliminating Toxins in Toys
Andreas Buser, a chemical science officer with the Swiss government, told parenting website Fatherly that pollutants like SCCPs “need to be eliminated from the recycling streams as quickly as possible to avoid them from being in circulation for an extended period.”
“While recycling saves resources and energy,” IPEN concludes in their Toxic Toy Catalogue, “recycling materials that contain [hazardous toxins] only further contaminates the environment, and such practices undermine the benefits of recycling.”
“Try to avoid [purchasing] soft plastic toys.” This proactive step can keep children from being exposed to dangerous toys in the first place.
If you suspect a child is already playing with risky toys, “Focus on phasing out plastic and cheap metal/painted toys that are of concern starting with the ones that always seem to end up in your little one’s mouth. Beware – things could get ugly during this phase.”
Finally, when shopping for toys, “Look for products made with solid wood (not pressed wood), wool, organic cotton, or stainless steel and that are colored with water-based dyes or non-toxic paints,” MightyNest suggests.
The risks to children growing up today are varied and sometimes unexpected. Government entities may not agree on what to do about eliminating product-related risks to children and families, but ultimately if parents and caregivers are mindful of what children are given to play with (and put in their mouths!), playtime can be safer and more fun.
Summer brings hot weather, cool treats, and vacation time. While most people consider summer the most relaxing time of year, this season can be difficult for those with diabetes. If you have diabetes, it’s important to know how to manage your health as the heat rises.
Know the difference.
There are two types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. Type 1 occurs when a person’s immune system attacks the cells that release insulin, leaving no naturally-occurring insulin in the body. Type 1 diabetes is typically diagnosed at a very young age and cannot be prevented.
Type 2 occurs when the body loses its ability to respond to insulin. Over time, the body produces more and more insulin in an attempt to compensate for its ineffectiveness. Eventually the body becomes unable to respond to the insulin at all (a condition known as insulin resistance). Symptoms of type 2 diabetes don’t usually show up until adulthood, and type 2 can often be prevented or managed with lifestyle changes.
Regardless of which type of diabetes you or a loved one may have, extra challenges arise for both type 1 and type 2 patients during summer months. Fortunately, it doesn’t take too much planning ahead to stay cool and healthy while enjoying the sunny season.
Blame the heat and humidity
People with diabetes often experience complications that result in damage to their nerves and blood vessels. This damage can affect the functionality of their sweat glands, making it more difficult for the body to cool off in extreme heat.
When the body isn’t able to properly cool itself, heat exhaustion or heat stroke become serious concerns. It’s important to manage your time outdoors wisely and always wear sunscreen and protective clothing to prevent overheating.
Dehydration is also an issue for people with diabetes. High blood sugar can increase the risk of dehydration, so drinking enough water throughout the day during when it’s hot is imperative.
“By the time you start noticing you’re thirsty, you may already be dehydrated,” explains Lankenau Medical Center endocrinologist Dr. Dina Green. “To prevent that, start drinking water even if you’re not thirsty yet. Pour yourself a glass in the morning or right before you’re ready to go outside for the day.”
Take care of your feet.
People with diabetes have to be extra vigilant about foot care during summer months. Although it may be appealing to leave your shoes behind and take a stroll outside, this can lead to serious injury. People with diabetes might not notice serious burns or cuts on the bottoms of their feet because of poor circulation or diabetic nerve damage.
If you decide to indulge in some barefoot time, check your feet often, or recruit a family member or friend to do so. Frequent checks will allow you to treat any cuts or burns right away.
Pack your meds.
People with diabetes should always travel with their medications and testing equipment. If you need to bring insulin on the road, make sure you have a reliable cooler. Insulin must stay cool to prevent chemical breakdown.
Also, never be afraid to ask your doctor for travel tips specific to your medications.
“Patients with diabetes can easily travel with their equipment. If you’re going to be traveling with yours or you don’t know how to transport it, your endocrinologist can help you understand what you need and how to properly store it,” says Dr. Green.
Watch your absorption rate.
For individuals who use insulin shots, the summer may bring about a change in insulin absorption. High heat causes blood vessels to expand, allowing insulin to be absorbed faster than normal in the body. A faster absorption rate can result in a sudden drop in blood sugar.
Physical activity also causes blood vessels to expand, so it’s important to be extra conscious of your blood sugar levels during summer workouts.
If you’ve spent time out in the sun or doing any strenuous activity, it’s best to cool off inside for 15 to 20 minutes before injecting any insulin. This will give your body a chance to regulate its temperature.
With just a little care, people with diabetes can have just as much fun in the sun as anyone else and stay safe doing it.
Almond milk, cashew milk, coconut milk, soy milk…take a look around your grocery refrigerator section and the alternative “milks” seem to be taking over what used to be the dairy section.
They say that necessity is the mother of invention, and apparently this holds true in the case of dairy alternatives, as many people are choosing to limit their milk, cheese, yogurt, and overall dairy intake.
It’s not that dairy just fell out of favor with a fickle public. Actually, science is now suggesting that dairy isn’t as great for the human body as doctors once thought.
For example, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), about 65 percent of the global population has a reduced ability to digest lactose—the main sugar present in milk—making it impossible (or painful) to drink it.
Milk is also cited as the number two food allergy in the U.S., so it’s not surprising that consumption of dairy is way down and the dairy industry’s marketing budget is way up.
Thinking that going dairy-free may be right for you? Before you make any dietary changes, check out the six pros and cons of ditching diary for good.
1. PRO: You eliminate an inferior calcium source.
But, wait! Don’t you drink milk and eat yogurt so that your bones will be filled with calcium that helps them to be strong? Sure, milk has calcium, but other sources can be just as rich in the important mineral, without the saturated fat and growth hormones.
For example, salmon, white beans, sardines, kale, black-eyed peas, blackstrap molasses, tofu, turnip or collard greens, and orange juice are all great sources of calcium and other important micronutrients (like fiber, folates, and antioxidants.)
Additionally, the body often absorbs the calcium in non-dairy sources more easily than calcium from dairy sources.
This means non-dairy calcium is more bioavailable, which equates to the calcium present in those sources “counting” more.
For example, 1 cup of milk has 300 milligrams of calcium and an absorption rate of 30 percent. On the flip side, one cup of bok choy has the same amount of calcium but a 50 to 60 percent absorption rate—making it a healthier choice!
2. PRO: You help save the planet from global warming.
You do your part to save the environment by recycling, shutting off the faucet when you brush your teeth, and avoiding aerosol sprays. But did you know that by ditching dairy, you could help Mother Earth even more?
That’s because cow flatulence (aka methane gas) accounts for a higher percentage of total global emissions than all of the world’s automobiles put together. The transportation sector accounts for 14 percent of global emissions, whereas cows produce a whopping 14.5 to 18 percent of the global total. Want to save the planet? Save it from cows by grabbing a non-dairy alternative.
3. CON: You’ll be missing out on an easy way to build muscle.
Casein and whey are two important proteins found in dairy products. Whey, which is contained in the liquid part of milk, is known as the fast-acting protein because the body can break it down and absorb it quickly. It contains high levels of branched chain amino acids (which your body can’t make on its own) that help you build muscle and recover quickly from hard workouts.
Casein—found in milk curd—is known as the slow-acting protein because it gradually releases amino acids into the bloodstream. It contains different amino acids from whey and is high in the important amino acid glutamine.
What does glutamine do for you? When your body’s experiencing a lot of stress, whether physical or psychological, it uses glutamine to deal with it. Although your body can make glutamine by itself, if you’re under a ton of stress, it needs outside help. Milk is a quick and easy way to replenish your glutamine stores.
4. PRO: You’re investing in stronger bones and a longer life.
Remember your doctor (and your mom) telling you to drink your milk so that you’ll have strong teeth and bones? Well, guess what? New studies show that your pediatrician and mom may not have been giving perfectly accurate advice.
A big study followed more than 100,000 Swedish men and women around for 20 years and shockingly, the women who drank the most milk had the greatest incidence of hip fractures and higher rates of mortality. Men who drank more milk experienced higher rates of mortality, as well. Not only was increased milk consumption associated with increased fracture rate, the people who drank the most of it had higher rates of cancer and heart disease.
The reason for the decrease in overall health lies in the presence of D-galactose in milk. This sugar is associated with chronic inflammation, oxidative stress damage, and degeneration of health. Interestingly, the study showed that other forms of dairy didn’t produce this effect and that milk itself was the biggest offender.
5. CON: You’ll have to make sure to get your Vitamin D from another source.
Even though milk isn’t the only way to make sure that you get your recommended daily intake of vitamin D, it is one of the most convenient ones. With vitamin D deficiency rates soaring in the U.S. (three-quarters of adults and teens are deficient), people need to find easy, convenient ways to increase this important micronutrient in their bodies. Vitamin D has many functions, including aiding the absorption of calcium, building bones, preventing rickets, protecting adults from osteoporosis, reducing inflammation, and helping maintain healthy function of the immune system.
Deficient individuals catch more colds, feel weaker and achier, sweat more, break more bones, and experience depression more frequently. Some alternative food sources of vitamin D are salmon, tuna, mackerel, and D-fortified products like orange juice.
6. PRO: Cutting out milk could reduce your risk of prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men, and some studies have suggested that a diet rich in high-fat dairy increases men’s chances of getting it.
Research suggests three possible reasons for this: the effect of dairy on testosterone levels, the negative impact of high-calcium foods on vitamin D balance, and the increase of serum insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I)—a known cancer-causing agent.
A 2012 study found that men with prostate cancer who drank whole milk had an increased risk of their prostate cancer proving lethal.
As a side note, it’s important to keep in mind that almond milk and soy milk have shown promise in reducing the risk of prostate cancer—but more research on their potentiality is still needed.
Everyone has felt the sting of pool water in the eyes. We can thank chlorine for that. This chemical, which is most often used for cleaning and disinfecting, can cause serious side effects with too much exposure.
But did you know our bodies actually need some chlorine to function properly?
Our biology is dependent on elements.
Swedish pharmacist Carl Wilhelm Scheele discovered chlorine in 1774 when he dropped hydrochloric acid onto a piece of manganese dioxide. The reaction of the two chemicals released a yellow–green gas, which we now known as chlorine.
Scientists didn’t know it then, but up until Scheele’s gaff, chlorine was actually an undiscovered element. (They figured that out decades later.) Today, we know chlorine has a big impact on our biology and health.
Our bodies require numerous chemicals and minerals to function. Minerals like calcium, iron, and magnesium are widely recognized as essential to human health and are intentionally incorporated in most modern diets.
But did you know your body also needs certain chemical elements to function—and chlorine is one of them?
You can find chloride, the stable, ionic form of chlorine, inside cells and extracellular fluid as sodium chloride. According to the American Chemistry Council, the body’s cells exist in a sea of fluid. Most of this is water plus charged atoms (ions) of sodium and chloride.
Chloride plays one of the body’s most delicate balancing acts: ensuring electrical neutrality and the correct pressure of the body’s fluids, while also maintaining the body’s acid–base balance.
Eating table salt (otherwise known as sodium chloride) is the most common way we maintain the chloride levels our bodies need. Without sodium chloride, our bodies would dry out, our muscles wouldn’t be able to move, and our meals would be considerably less tasty.
Chlorine is not messing around.
Chlorine is such an effective disinfectant because of its ability to bond with and destroy the outer surfaces of bacteria and viruses. Places like hospitals, restaurants, hotels, public pools, and food processing plants use chlorine to kill harmful levels of Salmonella and E. coli.
Chlorine is also used to disinfect tap water and to sanitize sewage and industrial waste. Don’t worry, the amount of chlorine added to our drinking water is minimal and exposure to it doesn’t threaten human health.
Exposure can be dangerous, but chlorine remains useful.
Too much chlorine exposure is unsafe. The inhalation of chlorine gas is most harmful to the body and can lead to serious health issues. Throat irritation, wheezing, cough, chest tightness, and difficulty breathing are symptoms of exposure to chlorine gas.
Chlorine exposure symptoms usually appear within minutes, and it’s important to act quickly if you experience them. If you’re inside and believe you’ve been exposed, get outside or to a well-ventilated area immediately. Remove contaminated clothing, take out and throw away contact lenses, wash your eyes and skin, and seek medical attention.
Prolonged or extensive skin exposure to chlorine can also lead to problems. People who swim frequently often experience these issues. Chlorine removes the natural oils from your body’s skin and hair, leaving your body feeling dried out and your hair brittle.
You should always take a shower right after swimming to remove any lingering chlorine. Moisturizing well will also help replace the oils stripped from your skin during your swim.
Chlorine makes it work.
Chlorine also plays an important role in product manufacturing. The element is prolific in home construction products and items essential to the automobile and electronics industries.
Recreation merchandise like sports balls and tents also contain chlorine. We use chlorine all over the place in our daily lives. Scheele never could have guessed that the green gas rising from his work table would become so important.
Stories began to spread about “phantom social workers” making their way from door to door in rural England. Soon, parents in the United States reported encounters.
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The incidents seemed remarkably similar. A parent would hear a knock at the door, then go to answer it; they’d find a man or woman on their step who claimed to be a social worker. In several cases, these social workers had an overseer, typically a tall, imposing man.
The “social worker” would demand access to the house, claiming to have received evidence that the children in the home had been abused. After briefly inspecting the children, the social worker would leave.
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Parents who encountered these strange individuals would then contact their local authorities to ask about the visit. They’d get a shocking response: There were no social workers in the area.
Gradually, the phantom social worker stories spread.
Anne Wylie was one of the victims. She was sitting at home with her 20-month-old son in Hamilton, Scotland, when a woman knocked on her back door.
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While she felt like “hiding her son in the washing machine,” per The Independent, she spoke with the unusual woman.
“I thought it was strange to start off with, as no one usually comes to my back door,” she told the paper. “This woman said she was my new health visitor and she had come to check his medical records. My son had been in hospital, he was an asthmatic.
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“I said to her ‘Do you have identification?’ and she said ‘Och, I must have left it in the car,’ something my usual health visitor never does. I looked at the car and there was a gentleman in there … So I asked her my son’s name and she hesitated. But then she got out this file and I don’t know if it was my son’s but she seemed to know all his medical history—how long he’d been in hospital for and so on.
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“She was talking to my son but it was pouring with rain and I said we’d all better go into the living room. I took my son inside and she was away.”
Several months after the incident, Wylie said that she was “very wary now” and that she refused to open the door for anyone.
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“You should always ask for identification,” she told the paper at the time. “If I hadn’t then the police could have been coming round to my home saying we haven’t found [baby] Robert or we have found him but…it doesn’t bear thinking of. You can’t take any chances.”
The panic prompted rumors that the phantom social workers were child abductors.
After all, in all of the bizarre incidents, the “workers” demanded access to children. Were they attempting to abuse or abduct the kids?
Public health officials said that this was a distinct possibility and warned parents to exercise caution.
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“We stress people must check identification and health visitors come with an appointment,” said a spokeswoman for the UK’s Health Visitors’ Association.
Soon, conspiracy theorists offered an alternative explanation: The phantom social workers were demonic beings or aliens. As evidence, they cited extraordinary similarities in the appearance of the visitors.
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“The visitors were mostly one or two women, but sometimes a woman and a man,” wrote Patrick Harpur in his book, Daimonic Reality. “The women were typically in their late twenties or early thirties, heavily made up, smartly dressed and of medium height. They carried clipboards and, often, identification cards.”
One woman, Lynne Stewart, said that she fought off a fake social worker who tried to grab her 4-month-old baby.
The case, however, was quickly closed, as investigators determined that Stewart had made up the incident as a “cry for help.”
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“As far as I’m concerned, I’m sticking by my story. It’s no hoax, it all happened as I said,” the mother of two told reporters for The Herald in Scotland. ”I’m not going to be charged with wasting police time. I’ve heard rumours about this. The inquiry is now over, and if you want any more information then you’d better speak to the police.”
Her neighbor told the same paper that she didn’t appreciate the apparent hoax.
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”There are lots of young babies in the neighbourhood. Everybody has been scared to leave their children alone because of all the upset,” said 34-year-old Rosa Stewart (of no relation). “I feel she’s put everybody through hell, but she obviously must be ill and needing help. I will be there to help her, but I don’t think she’ll get much sympathy from other people. I think there will be a lot of anger.”
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”This is a quiet estate and we all look out for each other,” she added. “There is no way something like this could happen without anyone seeing it.”
Police launched several investigations, but they failed to turn up any compelling evidence of a real conspiracy.
“There have been no arrests,” said Chief Inspector Douglas Watson of the Lothian and Borders Police. “We disbanded the squad in July last year [1994]. The bottom line is there is more than one team [of people] involved. There were ones we felt were worth investigating but a lot of the reports were malicious by attention-seeking people.”
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The official explanation was that the “phantom social workers” consisted of three groups: people seeking attention, people trying (strangely) to help children, and people trying to hurt children.
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In every reported case, the phantom social workers were unsuccessful. They never abducted children, and while some reports contained serious allegations, police believed that most of the accounts could be easily explained without bringing supernatural beings into the equation.
Then, in 2014, the phantom social workers returned—at least in one part of England.
An unnamed woman reported a visit from a false Gloucestershire social service worker. The social worker, a 5’6″ woman with dark, bobbed hair, tricked her way into the parent’s home by showing fake identification. She then checked a child’s heartbeat with a stethoscope, but otherwise had no physical contact with the baby, according to detectives.
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“We don’t know what the motivation for this was, but clearly it is very concerning,” said Andy Dangerfield of Gloucestershire Police. “Our inquiries are ongoing. We have visited houses in the area to warn local people and would urge everyone to be vigilant. Remember, do not accept people into your house unless you are 100 percent sure you know who they are.”
“You can always tell them to stay outside until you have made your own inquiries and if you are suspicious in any way, then call police,” he added. “We have liaised with our partners at Gloucestershire social care services and they have alerted their staff to this incident.”
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Unlike most “strange visitor” hoaxes, the phantom social workers seem grounded in reality. Authorities have confirmed numerous visits, and while some might be copycats looking to take advantage of the creepy legend, it’s impossible to know the motivation of all of the visitors.
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Unfortunately, the phantom social worker myth might prevent some parents from reacting appropriately to legitimate visits from real public health professionals. The reports are deeply troubling, to say the least, and fearful parents are justified in playing it safe.
As for the supernatural explanations, there’s nothing to them. Sometimes, however, truth is stranger—and more disturbing—than fiction.
