by Brenda Watson | Mar 11, 2016 | Adults, Antibiotic resistance, Antibiotics, Children, Cold and Flu, Common Cold, Digestive Health, Human Microbiome, Probiotics & Gut Flora, Respiratory issues
As this year’s flu and cold season wanes down a bit, I found it heartening to read that science is focusing on a way to distinguish between bacterial and viral infections to help limit over-prescribing of antibiotics. Over the last decades doctors have been far too...
by Brenda Watson | Dec 17, 2014 | Children, Environmental Toxins, Respiratory issues
Asthma rates in children have been climbing over the last thirty years, and experts have identified a number of environmental pollutants, such as tobacco smoke and airborne pollutants, as risk factors for the disease. Some researchers have added the hormone-disrupting...
by Brenda Watson | Jul 9, 2014 | Children, Cold and Flu, Common Cold, Immune System, Prebiotics, Respiratory issues
On average, children in the United States develop six respiratory tract infections each year. Another infection—gastroenteritis, also known as the stomach flu—accounts for over 1.5 million outpatients visits, 200,000 hospital visits, and about 300 deaths each year....
by Brenda Watson | Jun 16, 2014 | Common Cold, General, Immune System, Probiotics & Gut Flora, Respiratory issues
Probiotics, or beneficial bacteria, have been studied for a number of health conditions, but one of the most exciting benefits of probiotics is their effect on the common cold. A number of studies have looked at probiotic treatment and prevention of upper respiratory...
by Brenda Watson | Apr 7, 2014 | Adults, Allergies, Children, Probiotics & Gut Flora, Respiratory issues
In some parts of the country (especially here in Florida where I live) allergy season is in full swing. So many people are suffering with congested sinuses, stuffy noses, and feeling like, well, not so great. Over 11 million people in the United States are diagnosed...
by Brenda Watson | Feb 21, 2014 | Adults, Allergies, Dietary Fiber, Probiotics & Gut Flora, Respiratory issues
A diet high in fiber triggers a chain reaction via the gut bacteria that protects against the inflammatory process involved in asthma, according to a recent study published in the journal Nature Medicine. Gut bacteria are known to ferment dietary fiber, a process that...