Published September 22, 2017

Researchers at Washing University School of Medicine in St. Louis have been investigating the delicate balance between a robust immune system and inflammation in the body. Immune cells use inflammation to do their jobs properly, but can’t promote inflammation unnecessarily. The body has special cells that encourage tolerance and teach the immune cells when they’ve gone too far. The researchers found that mice who have a wealth of these tolerance-promoting cells also contain a specific bacterium, called Lactobacillus reuteri. They also found that the L. reuteri require the amino acid tryptophan to trigger the appearance of the tolerance cells. The more tryptophan the mice consumed, the more cells they produced.

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Published September 20, 2017

If you notice your sense of smell — or your appetite – isn't what it used to be, you may need to get your kidneys checked. I'm sure you know that smell plays a significant role in how we experience the taste of our food. So a diminished sense of smell can limit your ability to enjoy your meals. But what you may not realize is that olfactory deficits are a common symptom of kidney disease.

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Published September 18, 2017

We hear a lot these days about protecting the heart. We also hear a lot about protecting our brains. But what about your kidneys? According to new statistics, we need to pay better attention to our kidneys.

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