Christmas Trees Are Dying From Drought
For 23 years, Curtis Abbott and his family have been growing and selling Christmas trees on their farm in the town of Charlton, Massachusetts. Photos from previous harvests show picture-perfect trees — towering evergreens with sturdy branches dusted with white snow.
But this year, Abbott Tree Farm has shared no photographs.
Instead, a couple of days before Thanksgiving, the farm posted an unexpected message on Facebook: “Sorry we are closed.”
Drought, said Abbott, had forced the farm to shutter its doors this year — only the second time it’s done so in over two decades. “We feel it...
Source: Science - The Huffington Post - December 5, 2016 Category: Science Source Type: news
Holiday Plants Can Pose Health Risks to Kids, Pets
Mistletoe, holly berries and poinsettias should be placed out of reach, expert advises
Source: HealthDay
Related MedlinePlus Pages: Children's Health, Pet Health (Source: MedlinePlus Health News)
Source: MedlinePlus Health News - December 25, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
Natural chain that hangs the mistletoe
Mistletoe is a wonderful plant, and not just for Christmas. It is actually a vampire, a parasite which sucks water and minerals out of the trees it grows on, drawing the sap out with such power it can leave the trees short of water.For Christmas, though, this has been a great year for mistletoe. The season began well in February and March when the flowers came out in dry, sunny, weather and were pollinated well by early flying insects. “You could walk into an orchard and hear the buzzing from early emerging insects looking for nectar,” says Jonathan Briggs, an ecologist and mistletoe specialist. Sunshine and showers ov...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - December 23, 2015 Category: Science Authors: Paul Simons Tags: Plants Birds Climate change Wildlife Trees and forests Christmas Science Environment Source Type: news
Top 10 stories from 2015 every resident should read
The past year proved lively for residents as they broke records for the highest number of fellowship applicants, charted creative burnout solutions and discovered new ways to thrive in the profession. Look back at some of the top resident moments and headlines of 2015.
1. Physicians rank residency work-life balance by specialty
Physician network Doximity and U.S. News & World Report asked physicians to rate residency programs based on work hours and schedule flexibility. This resulted in more than 90,000 physician comments, which were used to create a peer-ranked list of the best—and worst—specialties for work-l...
Source: AMA Wire - December 9, 2015 Category: Journals (General) Authors: Troy Parks Source Type: news
Why Scientists Need to Embrace Crowdfunding
From the junior physician attempting to start a pilot study to the seasoned researcher in the final years of an academic grant, the harsh reality of medical research funding constantly looms. Young researchers have faced the worst funding in half a century. The competition for public research grants has intensified to the point where less than 15% of proposals obtain funding. The $1.55 billion budget cut to the National Institute of Health (NIH) in 2013 alone resulted in an estimated 640 fewer research studies receiving funding. Researchers are now encouraged to prepare for grant applications years in advance and to expect...
Source: Science - The Huffington Post - November 19, 2015 Category: Science Source Type: news
IU biologists find mistletoe species lacks genes found in all other complex organisms
(Indiana University) IU scientists have discovered the first known instance of a plant or animal lacking several key genes involved in energy production in cells. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)
Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - June 22, 2015 Category: Biology Source Type: news
Isn't it time we acknowledged the potential of immunotherapy?
Immunotherapy has few side effects for cancer patients compared to chemotherapy, and research - including some into therapies involving natural products such as mistletoe - is advancing (Source: Telegraph Health)
Source: Telegraph Health - May 26, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: cancer treatment Immunotherapy Judith Potts mistletoe chemotherapy alternative Source Type: news
Isn't it time we acknowledged the potential of immunotherapy?
Immunotherapy has few side effects for cancer patients compared to chemotherapy, and research - including some into therapies involving natural products such as mistletoe - is advancing (Source: The Telegraph : Health Advice)
Source: The Telegraph : Health Advice - May 26, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: cancer treatment Immunotherapy Judith Potts mistletoe chemotherapy alternative Source Type: news
7 surprising facts about mistletoe
The kissing plant holds some sinister secrets (Source: Health News: CBSNews.com)
Source: Health News: CBSNews.com - December 25, 2014 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
Kiss goodbye to fat under the mistletoe! Plant could help fight obesity
MISTLETOE is not only good for sealing a Christmas kiss... it could help fight obesity-related diseases. (Source: Daily Express - Health)
Source: Daily Express - Health - December 20, 2014 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
27 Vegan Christmas Recipes For A Holly, Jolly, Meat- And-Dairy-Free Holiday
Some dream of a white Christmas. Others dream of a vegan one. While holiday precipitation is out of our control, a festive, meatless and dairy-free dinner spread is not.
This holiday season, if you're fantasizing about a vegan dinner table, make it a reality with dishes like lentil shepherd's pie, warm caramelized onion and kale dip, vegan beet wellington and so much more. These 27 recipes are all so divine, you'll want to meet us under the mistletoe.
And for dessert:
Want to read more from HuffPost Taste? Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Tumblr. (Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post)
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - December 19, 2014 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
How to End 2014 With a Bang: 101 Ways to Ring in the New Year!
New year! New you! New opportunities! New energy!
Below is a list I created largely based on experiences I had and questions I have asked of friends. Some of the suggestions below are solely for the holiday season leading up to the new year, while other suggestions can be applied throughout the year. The point of the list is to give you ways to end the year on a great note and tips to begin the new year and be applied throughout the upcoming year! Enjoy!
To do by yourself:
1. Do something different with your hair -- get a trim, highlights, or dye it.
2. Sport a magazine cover look! In other words, go all out and take ...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - December 18, 2014 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
Not just for the holidays, mistletoe could fight obesity-related liver disease
Mistletoe hanging in doorways announces that the holidays are just around the corner. For some people, however, the symbolic plant might one day represent more than a kiss at Christmas time: It may mean better liver health. Researchers have found that a compound produced by a particular variety of the plant can help fight obesity-related liver disease in mice. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)
Source: ScienceDaily Headlines - December 17, 2014 Category: Science Source Type: news
Not just for the holidays, mistletoe could fight obesity-related liver disease
(American Chemical Society) Mistletoe hanging in doorways announces that the holidays are just around the corner. For some people, however, the symbolic plant might one day represent more than a kiss at Christmas time: It may mean better liver health. Researchers have found that a compound produced by a particular variety of the plant can help fight obesity-related liver disease in mice. Their study appears in ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)
Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - December 17, 2014 Category: Biology Source Type: news
Holiday Drinking: Starts Classy, Ends Trashy
Starts Classy (December 2010)
It's the most wonderful time of the year. Right? "Eat, drink and be merry" may be a popular theme for the holiday season, but not so much if you are a recovering alcoholic -- at least not the drink part. There seems to be a new invitation to a holiday cocktail party every time I sign onto Facebook or log in to my email. It's an established fact that people drink more this time of year. The opportunity is there and let's face it: the holidays are stressful and the invites make drinking look so damn sexy. There are pictures of martini glasses rimmed with red and green sugar crystals and women i...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - December 15, 2014 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
