Plain old Soap

If you've been spending extra to buy antibacterial soap .. faggedabout it ..

Once again, the plain old stuff is not only just as good, in this case it appears to be better.

Research done at the University of Pennsylvania school of medicine finds the plain old stuff not only cleans as well it may be better BECAUSE ( this is the TAH DAH moment) .. the antibiotic used may be ineffective at inhibiting the growth of certain bacteria - and in the end, makes those bacteria stronger. They 'learn' to beat the antibiotic and that's what makes them more resistant.

So, get out the old bar of IVORY and just scrub .. the rule of thumb is.. wash for as long as it takes to sing 'happy birthday' twice ..

If you want to read the entire study, check out the Sept. 1 issue of CLNICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES.

Mom's diet and baby's weight

An interesting little study with the potential for big impact.

Researchers in London looked at pregnant rats who were allowed to eat regular food and junk food during pregnancy and then during lactation.

Seems the momma rats who ate junk food both during pregnancy AND while feeding their babies produced offspring who 1- where bigger and fatter and 2- had a bigger taste for junk food.

The take-away .. junk food during pregnancy may not be great, but combined post pregnancy when a mom is breastfeeding ( they extrapolated ) could be a contributor to obese kids.

Now, I know, these were rats .. but previous research has found that what mom eats impacts offspring's appetite in humans as well.

So moms, if you tame your sweet tooth, you might be helping your kids stay healthy and trim. .. Just a little food for thought.

Sex and the Single Girl

That was the title of a best seller a few decades back - when the pill was just emerging on the market and women were shedding their girdles.
Now it's got a new meaning .. particularly when it comes to infection prevention.
As kids are heading off to or back to college, many parents will be discussing the HPV vaccine with their daughters. It's the vaccine that can prevent infection with the human papilloma virus - linked to cervical cancer.
It's recommended for girls ages 11 and 12 - presumably before they become sexually active and exposed to HPV.
But there are many older girls / teens - who haven't been sexually active for whom the protection is appropriate.
But the vaccine WILL NOT work against current infection .. this is not a treatment .. it's a preventative.
So moms - and other women in responsible roles - it's time to discuss this with your daughter's physician.