All posts tagged: drinking

Farmers’ union lobbied to increase pesticide limit in UK drinking water | Water

Farmers’ union lobbied to increase pesticide limit in UK drinking water | Water

Published by skeptic

[ad_1] The National Farmers’ Union lobbied to increase the amount of pesticides allowed in the UK’s drinking water and to allow farmers to spread manure more frequently as part of a post-Brexit loosening of environmental regulations, it can be revealed. Nick von Westenholz, the director of strategy for the lobby group, met Timothy Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, the Earl of Minto, who is the minister of state for regulatory reform, last year and asked him to review EU-derived environmental protections. The Guardian revealed earlier this year that the UK’s EU-derived environmental regulations were being eroded following Brexit. According to government minutes released to Unearthed, the journalism arm of Greenpeace, after a freedom of information request, Von Westenholz told Minto in July last year: “Thresholds for pesticide residues are tiny. Burden on farmers and water companies on the amount they have to invest in systems to meet negligible requirements.” He added: “Opposition to relaxation of standards is around the greater use of pesticides. But [there is] no evidence that increasing thresholds would do any harm.” The NFU said the …

Does drinking apple cider vinegar daily actually promote weight loss?

Does drinking apple cider vinegar daily actually promote weight loss?

Published by skeptic

[ad_1] Drinking apple cider vinegar has gained popularity as a weight-loss method, but does it truly aid in slimming down? (CREDIT: Creative Commons) Drinking apple cider vinegar has gained popularity as a weight-loss method, but does it truly aid in slimming down? A recent study observed Lebanese teenagers and young adults who consumed up to one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar daily for 12 weeks. The results, published in BMJ Nutrition, Prevention, & Health, showed an average weight loss of 15 pounds among participants. Additionally, their blood sugar, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels decreased by the end of the study. Notably, this research is the first to investigate the effects of apple cider vinegar on weight loss specifically in younger individuals. Rony Abou-Khalil (CREDIT: ResearchGate) Rony Abou-Khalil, PhD, head of the Department of Biology and Biochemistry at Holy Spirit University of Kaslik in Lebanon and lead author of the study, explained the rationale behind focusing on this age group: “We were motivated to explore potential natural remedies for weight reduction that could offer safe and effective …

Chris Packham ‘not drinking any more Heineken’ after thousands of apple trees felled | UK News

Chris Packham ‘not drinking any more Heineken’ after thousands of apple trees felled | UK News

Published by Sam

[ad_1] A leading wildlife broadcaster has said he will not be drinking “any more” Heineken after the company felled thousands of trees in one of its orchards. Chris Packham said the decision to cut the trees on land in Monmouthshire near the border between England and Wales was a “tragic waste of a fabulous resource”. The BBC reported thousands of apple trees had been cut on 300 acres of land at Penrhos Farm. The company, which owns Bulmer’s, says it plans to sell the land due to a lack of demand for cider and a surplus of apples. But Chris Packham, best known for presenting series such as Springwatch, told Sky News that the decision to fell the trees was “immoral”. “In a biodiversity crisis, I would say it’s bordering on unethical and certainly immoral because resources like that ought to be passed on to people who can use them to enrich wildlife and human life,” he said. Image: Chris Packham . Pic: PA Mr Packham added that he was currently teetotal and had been …

Are there any actually adult health benefits of drinking breast milk?

Are there any actually adult health benefits of drinking breast milk?

Published by skeptic

[ad_1] “I just pounded a glass of breast milk because I feel sick ???? goodnight!” wrote Kourtney Kardashian Barker on an Instagram story to her 224 million followers in April 2024. Her comment attracted shock, horror and disgust from many social media users, but it’s not the first time Kardashian Barker has used her milk as medicine. In 2013, she applied her breast milk to her sister Kim Kardashian’s leg in an effort to heal a patch of psoriasis. The Kardashians are usually trendsetters. But by drinking her own breast milk, the eldest Kardashian sister helped promote a health trend already steeped in centuries of medical history. After giving birth to Rocky, her child with Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker, Kourtney clearly wanted to put her extra breast milk to good use again. But is there any evidence that human milk is an effective remedy for illness? The production of milk defines mammals. Every mammal produces milk which has been tailored to their offspring over millennia of evolution. As well as providing all the energy …

People on Ozempic Find That They’re Drinking and Smoking Less Too

People on Ozempic Find That They’re Drinking and Smoking Less Too

Published by skeptic

[ad_1] Image by Getty / Futurism The diabetes drug Ozempic, its sister shot Wegovy, and their cousins Zepbound and Mounjaro [excellent phrasing imo] have all gained immense hype for being potent weight loss drugs — but interest is growing in their side effects as well. Case in point, in a new survey from the investment firm Morgan Stanley, which was shared with CNBC and Quartz, respondents on those drugs — collectively known as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists — also reported lower rates of smoking and alcohol consumption, suggesting that these drugs’ craving control mechanisms extend beyond food. Of the 300 people polled by the firm, 40 percent said they smoked cigarettes at least weekly before beginning a GLP-1 drug, but that number dropped 24 percent after they began treatment. E-cigarette usage, which 30 percent reported before starting the meds, also nearly halved to 16 percent. The effect seemed to be even more dramatic with alcohol. More than half of the Morgan Stanley respondents said they started drinking less after they began one of the medications, while …

Drinking milk could reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes

Drinking milk could reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes

Published by skeptic

[ad_1] Researchers have shed light on the connection between genetics, milk consumption, and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. (CREDIT: Creative Commons) A recent study conducted by a team of medical researchers from various institutions in the United States and China has shed light on the connection between genetics, milk consumption, and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Published in the journal Nature Metabolism, the study employed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) to explore the relationship between milk intake and the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes. A summary of key findings on the altered gut microbiota species, circulating metabolites, and metabolic traits associated with milk intake in lactase non-persistent individuals (LNP: LCT GG group). (CREDIT: Nature Metabolism (2024)) Previous research on the link between consuming cow’s milk and the risk of type 2 diabetes has yielded conflicting results, with some studies showing an association while others found little or no connection. Recognizing this disparity, the research team hypothesized that genetic factors might contribute to the variability in these findings. To investigate this …

Study reveals high rates of binge drinking among sports bettors

Study reveals high rates of binge drinking among sports bettors

Published by José

[ad_1] A new study finds evidence of a troubling connection between sports gambling and risky alcohol consumption. The findings, published in JAMA Network Open, suggest that individuals who bet on sports, esports, and daily fantasy sports are significantly more likely to engage in binge drinking compared to those who do not gamble or who gamble on other activities. As sports betting becomes more accessible through mobile apps and websites, its correlation with risky behaviors, particularly excessive alcohol consumption, has drawn increased scrutiny. Previous studies have already pointed to higher alcohol consumption among sports gamblers, who may also exhibit more general risk-taking behaviors. This connection prompted researchers to further investigate how sports betting might influence alcohol use patterns. For their new study, the researchers conducted a survey from March 17 to April 6, 2022, which specifically aimed to gather a representative sample of U.S. adults that was aligned with national census demographics, with an additional focus on individuals who actively participate in sports wagering. The survey included a detailed questionnaire to collect data on participants’ gambling …

Yes it’s okay to ban children from pubs: trust me, I grew up in one

Yes it’s okay to ban children from pubs: trust me, I grew up in one

Published by Sam

[ad_1] I grew up in a pub half the time. My dad owned one in Carshalton and I’d be there a lot of the time. He kicked kids out at 6pm sharp and generally they were only really allowed in if eating. I wasn’t even technically allowed in the public bar when really young. If he saw me sitting under a table drawing a picture of a heron, he’d tell me to go upstairs. Usually I’d ignore him. And then by 11 or 12, there was no getting rid of me; by 13, I was working in the kitchen anyway, chopping vegetables and washing up, and by 16 I was serving behind the bar under a pub apprenticeship scheme which I can’t imagine any longer exists. [ad_2] Source link

California sets limit for chromium-6 in drinking water

California sets limit for chromium-6 in drinking water

Published by skeptic

[ad_1] After years of analysis and debate, California regulators have adopted a nation-leading drinking water standard for hexavalent chromium, a carcinogen found in water supplies across the state. The dangers of the toxic heavy metal, also known as chromium-6, became widely known in the 1990s after a court case that then-legal clerk Erin Brockovich helped develop against Pacific Gas & Electric for contaminating water in the town of Hinkley in the Mojave Desert. The story of tainted water in that case, which led to a $330-million settlement, inspired an Oscar-winning movie starring Julia Roberts. Aggressive and impactful reporting on climate change, the environment, health and science. The California Legislature in 2001 called for the state to develop a drinking water standard for hexavalent chromium. But the path to finalizing a standard involved years of debates over the health hazards and the costs of treating water to remove the carcinogen. The State Water Resources Control Board voted unanimously Wednesday to set the maximum level for chromium-6 in drinking water at 10 parts per billion, a limit …

California Sets Long-Awaited Drinking Water Limit for ‘Erin Brockovich’ Contaminant

California Sets Long-Awaited Drinking Water Limit for ‘Erin Brockovich’ Contaminant

Published by skeptic

[ad_1] LOS ANGELES (AP) — California regulators voted Wednesday to establish a drinking water limit on hexavalent chromium, a toxic chemical compound made infamous by the movie “Erin Brockovich.” The rule is the first in the nation to specifically target the heavy metal, known as chromium-6, and is expected to reduce the number of cancer and kidney disease cases from long-term ingestion, state officials say. The proposal was unanimously passed by the State Water Resources Control Board, though it needs approval from the Office of Administrative Law to take effect. The standard could inspire other states to adopt their own. More than 200 million Americans are estimated to have the chemical compound in their drinking water, according to an analysis of federal water testing data by the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit research and advocacy organization. Until now, California combined its drinking water standard for chromium-6 with the less toxic trivalent chromium, an essential nutrient. California’s new limit on chromium-6 is 10 parts per billion — about 10 drops of water in a swimming pool. …