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FOOD, NON-IRRADIATED
Non-irradiated foods are more likely to contain bacteria such as E. coli, campylobacter, and salmonella, and they spoil sooner. Given the alternative, though, salmonella is starting to look pretty tasty. |
FOOD, ORGANIC
Like so many things, it only tastes good if you don't think too hard about where it comes from. Organic farming relies on animal manure, which can contain deadly bacteria if it's not properly composted. |
FOOD, VEGETARIAN
If you're on a vegetarian diet when you get pregnant, you're less likely to give birth to a boy. (If you want a daughter, this is good news and belongs in a different book.) And if you do have a son, he's five times more likely to suffer from hypospadias, a condition in which the urethra opens below the tip of the penis. Vegetarians may suffer loss of sexual function, while vegan diets deficient in minerals and vitamins can lead to blindness. |
FOOD AID
Genetically modified corn distributed as food aid to poor Mexican peasants may have contaminated local species, threatening the invaluable genetic diversity of native strains. The World Food Program plans to solve the problem by giving the Mexicans genetically modified wheat. |
FOOD COLORING
Artificial food colorings may be linked to attention-deficit hyper-activity disorder, whose symptoms include reduced attentiveness and concentration, excessive levels of activity, distractibility, and impulsiveness. Any parent who's ever let the kids eat candy too close to bedtime could have told you this without a lot of expensive research. |
FOOTBALL
Football players are prone to acne mechanica and to injury of the medial and lateral collateral ligaments. Also this may or may not come as a surprise 20 percent of high school players and 10 percent of college players suffer brain injuries each year. More than Football half of all professional football players suffer concussions during their careers; this can lead to later problems with memory and concentration, confusion, speech or hearing difficulties, numbness or tingling in extremities, and headaches. |
FRIENDS
When your best friend says, "I'll be there for you," think twice before taking her up on it. A study found that women giving a difficult speech suffered more stress when a friend was present. |
FRUIT JUICE
Unpasteurized fruit juices can be contaminated by E. coli (which can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome, a severe blood and kidney disorder), listeria monocytogenes (a pathogen that can harm pregnant women), and salmonella. |
FURNITURE WORKER, BEING A
Save the children: buy a brand-new chair. Workers stripping old paint from furniture can carry enough dust home on their clothing to give their children lead poisoning. |
