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New evidence for a link between Epstein-Barr virus and multiple sclerosis
By Roberta Attanasio For years, Epstein-Barr virus has been a prime suspect in the effort to identify the cause of multiple sclerosis, a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nearly 1 million people in the United States and an estimated 2.8 million people worldwide. A recently published study shows that, indeed, Epstein-Barr virus is the likely cause of multiple sclerosis—an inflammatory…
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Bone loss? Osteoporosis? Don’t forget your prunes
By Roberta Attanasio “I like a good prune. I mean, when it’s soft and sweaty like a candy bar on a hot day. When it’s a sinister Disney-villain shade of brownish purple, and it tastes of nothing but honey and caramel, what’s not to like?” Prunes are dried plums, rich in phenolic compounds. Carried from China along the Silk Road…
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Pythagoras, fava beans, and favism
By Roberta Attanasio Pythagoras—a cloak-wearing mystical leader with a handsome beard—lived about 2,500 year ago in a community that cherished numbers. He was a native of the Aegean Island of Samos, but later in his life migrated westward and founded a school in Kroton (now Crotone) in South Italy. The school was called the “Semicircle of Pythagoras” and followed a…
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What we choose to eat matters. How we choose to eat also matters
By Roberta Attanasio What we choose to eat matters—not only for our health, but also for our planet. The good news is that most foods known to maintain or improve our wellbeing have low environmental impacts. Even more good news—something that for years has been simmering under the surface is now bubbling in open view. It’s the collective awareness of…
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Who is Baba Yaga?
By Roberta Attanasio Somewhere in eastern Europe, where the winters are cold and long, there is a very dark, foreboding forest. If you’re brave or foolish enough to wander through the towering trees, you might encounter Baba Yaga. She is a mythical creature, a wild old woman omnipresent in Slavic folklore, a nature-deity, a quintessential fairytale pagan hero who plays…
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Results from a global survey highlight widespread eco-anxiety in young people
By Roberta Attanasio The notion of “eco-anxiety” has been creeping into worldwide culture for the past few decades. Now, it’s in the mainstream vocabulary. It’s defined as worry or concern about climate change and its effects. Children and young adults are especially vulnerable to eco-anxiety, as shown by a recent study based on a survey of people aged 16 to…
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A new way of thinking about ice packs for sore muscles
By Roberta Attanasio We all know ice packs—many of us reach for them soon after an injury to reduce pain or inflammation. Think of strained muscles, sprained ankles, and so on. But is this the right approach to accelerate healing? A 2019 article from The Washington Post states: “Today, ice packs have become as ubiquitous as aspirin—they’re a fixture in…
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The fertile top layers of soils keep disappearing, a new study shows
By Roberta Attanasio Plants grow in and out of soils—and sustain almost all living beings on our planet, either directly or indirectly. But soils are rapidly disappearing from farms all around the world, threatening our ability to grow food. The treasure beneath our feet is continuously subjected to erosion and degradation, mostly resulting from intensive farming practices. Relentless tilling,…
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An entrepreneur takes the power of healthy soils from local farms—and delivers it to people’s doorsteps
By Roberta Attanasio All around the world, champions of regenerative farming are spearheading new projects in their communities—bringing the marvels and potential of healthy soils to everyone’s everyday life. We need them! Few of us realize that—because of industrial farming practices—most of our soils are sapped, devoid of life and nutrients. Healthy soils, instead, are a bubbling universe of microbes…
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How protecting our oceans can help solve some of the world’s greatest challenges
By Roberta Attanasio Stories of the past tell us that our oceans are deep, mysterious and indestructible—but oceans are quickly changing, bowing to biological degradation and much more. Oceans are damaged every day by oil and gas drilling, pollution, and industrial impacts. Human activities are changing the ocean’s chemistry, destroying habitats, and killing marine life. The Great Barrier Reef has…
