10 Unique (and Worthwhile) Travel Items

To completely enjoy your summer explorations, it might be worthwhile to check out some of the more unique but useful items we have found.

EZ Freeze Pure Great for backpackers, campers, and worldwide travelers. BPA-free water bottles with built-in filtration system come in 4 sizes (14, 24, 32, 64 oz) for all your travel needs. The center screw-on stick can be frozen to keep your water cold, while the filtration system screws on below. Fill up your water bottle, and as you drink, the water is filtered and cooled! Each filter lasts through 150 gallons of filtration, with replacement filters available.Starting at $9.99 for the 14-ounce Tritan bottle

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Moderate Exercise Can Reduce Risk for "Silent" Stroke

Keeping active may cut the risk for suffering “silent” stroke. Researchers from Columbia University and the University of Miami have found that among a group of elderly people, those who regularly participated in moderate exercise significantly lowered their risk of brain damage, certain types of dementia, and mobility difficulties associated with ischemic stroke. The new research was recently published in the journal Neurology.

The study found that people who exercised at higher levels of intensity were up to 40 percent less likely to experience brain tissue damage caused by interruption of blood flow due to artery blockage, than were those who participated in light exercise. According to study co-author Joshua Willey, a researcher at Columbia University’s Department of Neurology, “It’s not good enough just to exercise, but the more (intense) the better.”

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Survey Shows Most Parents Have Concerns Over Child Vaccination Safety

Although record numbers of American children are getting vaccinated, a new survey shows that the majority of parents continue to have concerns. Results of the research indicate a strong need for providing both healthcare providers and parents with evidence of the major benefits of vaccines and how these benefits far outweigh the minimal risks for side effects associated with them. The survey is published in the June issue of Health Affairs.

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E. coli Outbreak in Europe Due to Bean Sprouts

A toxic and highly infectious new strain of E. coli bacteria has been wreaking havoc in Germany and fellow European nations over the last several weeks. Food poisoning cases have been reported Sweden, Spain, the Netherlands, Austria, Denmark, Norway and Switzerland, as well as the UK and Germany, and the culprit has finally been identified: bean sprouts.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), German authorities stated that mounting epidemiological and food-chain evidence indicated that bean and seed sprouts (including fenugreek, mung beans, lentils, adzuki beans and alfalfa) are the vehicle of the outbreak in Germany.

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Discovery Of How Nicotine Suppresses Appetite May Stop Weight Gain In Quitters

A discovery of precisely how nicotine suppresses appetite, suggests it may be possible to develop drugs that help people stop gaining weight when they give up smoking, something that puts many smokers off quitting, according to a new study published online this week in the journal Science. The scientists discovered a brain pathway in mice that could be the target of new drugs for smoking cessation and weight control without triggering a craving for tobacco.

Previous studies have shown that although on average people gain no more than 10 lbs (4.5 kg) in weight when they give up smoking, the fear of weight gain is often what discourages some smokers from quitting

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