Could Research Into the Microbiome Help Cure Disease?

 

Microbiome Research Will Change Our Approach

The research surrounding the microbiome is absolutely fascinating stuff. Could it help us one day cure or predict disease? Could it help us better treat celiac disease, Lyme Disease, cancer, even diabetes? It will most certainly change the way we approach our health, food, and environment.

Microbiomes are the communities of microorganisms that live on or in people, plants, soil, oceans, lakes, rocks, and the atmosphere. Recent discoveries have generated a new view of the biological world, one that recognizes that plants and animals are actually meta-organisms containing one or many microbial species. Inanimate surfaces, from rocks to keyboards, are likewise swarming with microbial life.

~National Microbiome Initiative

We first discussed the microbiome on this blog with Dr. Alessio Fasano, MD, Chief of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition at Massachusetts General Hospital, and is the Director of the Center for Celiac Research. His ground breaking research had expanded into the microbiome, including studies on the microbiome in the gut and how that protects us from disease; as well as the gut’s relationship to the brain.

A recent article from NPR.org takes us a little further into the laboratory. Scientists are actually using food like sourdough as the "lab rats" in their experiments. Rob Dunn, a biologist out of North Carolina University, is leading an international team on the Sourdough Project. These researchers are using sour dough bread starters from home cooks all over the world. It is a citizen-science initiative," according to the NPR article. This is the ultimate collaboration - different disciplines, labs, world-wide, and with scientists and normal folks like you and me. We all affect each other. Even down to the little bugs that live in, on and around us. Why not work together?

Why sourdough, you ask? It is a fermented food, which means that some of the good bacteria that we need to digest and live are a part of their recipe. Sourdough and kimchi only have a few strains of good bacteria, which make them easier to study. Cheese rinds are more complex and their microbiome is actually similar to the one on your skin. Scientists can continually apply what they have learned from a simpler system (like sourdough), to more and more complex microbial systems, like cheese rinds, our skin, our gut, and our soil. How cool is that?

In recent years, scientists have learned that microbiomes have an outsize influence on nearly every aspect of the world, including health, agriculture and the environment. Imbalances in our gut microbiomes, for example, have been linked to a laundry list of health issues, including obesity, colon cancer and autism. Last year, then-President Barack Obama launched the National Microbiome Initiative, a half-billion-dollar plan to study the microbiome.

~NPR.org, July 17, 2017, More than Bread: Sourdough As a Window Into the Microbiome
Reporter, Marcus Woo

LEARN MORE COOL STUFF ABOUT THIS:

More than Bread: Sourdough As a Window Into the Microbiome (NPR)

National Microbiome Initiative

The Sourdough Project

Berkley Lab Participates in National Microbiome Initiative

Dr. Fasano on New Gut & Autoimmune Research, Autism, & Clearing Up the Gluten Confusion with His New Book

Where in the World is Elisabeth, the Tender Foodie?

A Note from a Tender Friend

Hi There!

My name is Sue Chaitin, a friend of the Tender Foodie, Elisabeth Veltman. Some of you know her as "Beth." You may have noticed that there haven't been many posts on this blog for awhile, and there is a reason for that. The video above is a clip from Elisabeth's past life as an opera singer. It was her last concert. The story below is about what has happened to her since then, and why we all need to become more educated about it. 

The Tender Foodie, was the start of a larger, unique business plan to help people navigate the increasingly complex road of food and disease - starting with celiac disease and multiple food allergies, and then expanding into other un-researched, but growing health issues which seem to inter-relate. Behind the blog was a business plan for "The Tender Palate" to help us more quickly get the information we need about health, exercise and the immune system, and food (like this recipe for Old Beau Steaks), and to speed up the healing journey so we all can thrive. She had to stop these plans for health reasons of her own, and before this vision was realized. She also hadn't made her personal story public, because she wanted this blog to be about the rare and wonderful experts in each area, not her specific issues alone.  She also wanted to do it without advertising, so the focus could be as objective as possible.

But now she needs our help. Here is Elisabeth's story, as written on a Go Fund Me page that I set up for her. It also has a video of her singing in her last concert. This was the first time I heard her sing, and I was absolutely floored.

I hope you will find the story helpful, and if you are able and moved by it, or have appreciated the information in this blog over the past few years, help her with some overwhelming medical expenses -- and bring her back to life.

She has told me that she will start blogging about her experience and what she is learning soon, to help thank those who are being so generous to help her. Since she can't possibly pay it back, she is determined to pay it forward as best she can.

Sincerely,

Sue

Read the original story & updates directly on Go Fund Me

Elisabeth's Story, told by Sue "Chef" Chaitin

This is my friend Beth. I met her 4 years ago through work.  At the time I didn’t know much about her.  All I really knew was that she had an amazing career as an opera singer in New York City and is now a successful writer.  She struck me right away as an honest, smart and fun person with whom I knew I would get along. She is superbly intelligent and witty. I love being with her because she never judges, she is warm, gregarious, curious, loving, and the best friend anyone could ask for.

 As time went on, I noticed some peculiar absences in our communication and I wondered why. We would call or text regularly, and then she would just drop of the face of the earth for weeks. As time went on and as she and I became closer, I learned that Beth was keeping a secret. Many of you reading this, who know Beth, may not realize the secret, because she is very good at disguising it.

My friend Beth has suffered from complications from Lyme disease for over 20 years. In fact it was so severe she could no longer perform and had to abandon the years of hard work, study and practice; and end her accomplished singing career.

Beth has been reluctant to tell her story for fear of being judged or labeled! You see, not much is understood about Lyme disease, and her story started out with many misdiagnoses: from M.S. to tumours, to the flu, to "its all in your head, sweetheart." It took enormous will and courage for Beth to fight back against the medical apathy she encountered and to continue to hunt for the reasons why her body was failing her. She went from doctor to doctor, getting sicker and sicker, until a friend encouraged her to go directly to an immunologist / infectious disease specialist.  She was so ill, she could hardly walk and almost didn't make it to the cab, let alone her appointment.  The immunologist was the first to understand the severity of her condition, and knew what to test for. The physician asked her to sit down because there would be bad news. Beth found out that she had an infection in the central nervous system which could kill her within a couple of weeks. She might survive if she took some immediate steps.  She took those steps, fought to stay on this planet, and had to radically change her life to do so. We now know that this infection is often related to Lyme Disease - the two diseases can work in tandem by suppressing the immune system, and the CNS infection most likely opened the door for the Lyme. She had loved to hike, and at some point must have been bitten by a tick, but didn't know it. This frustrating medical journey has led to long debilitating periods where she could hardly lift her head, and which still rob Beth of the ability to function on a daily basis in a way that we all take for granted.

As I have educated myself about Lyme Disease, I cannot imagine how Beth continues to soldier on as she does. While many can recover from Lyme with immediate intervention, some people end up with a chronic, devastating illness, with sometimes invisible, but far reaching complications.

If you want to get a good feel for what it’s like to live with chronic Lyme disease I suggest you watch the following video journal of another person who suffered in a similar way: https://youtu.be/So2K68r8pOY

The fact is, Lyme disease is as serious as cancer or heart disease, but it is not taken seriously by much of the medical community nor by insurance companies.

Beth’s complications continue to worsen. She is reacting to most foods, and can't be in the room with even a trace of certain perfumes, air fresheners or detergents because she has developed serious allergies to chemicals in them. Right now, she is getting necessary IV and supplemental treatment that is helping her function until she can get more comprehensive testing and accurately targeted treatment. Without any treatment, or if she has to skip them because of lack of funds,  she has episodes where she cannot get out of bed for weeks with terrifying symptoms. She has been temporarily and partially blind and paralyzed; has had weakness in the muscles that difficult or impossible to walk, and can get muscle spasms so terrible it stops her breathing; her heart and lungs get distressed, she has tremors, palpitations, nausea, fever, fatigue, body aches and pains that make even rolling over or normal movement feel impossible. It has cost Beth between $20,000 and $40,000, depending upon the severity, just for out-of-pocket medical expenses every year. This has been financially and emotionally, as well as physically devastating. Beth is not a victim. This has been a convergence of very difficult circumstances that are simply overwhelming.

You can read more about some of the complications of misdiagnosis here: http://www.forbes.com/sites/judystone/2015/09/04/lyme-deaths-from-heart-inflammation-likely-worse-than-we-thought/#db29d6e4d81b


There is good news, however. There has been advancement in treatment for Lyme Disease and its companion infections, thanks to a rare group of physicians who have the right mix of skills and passion to help this overlooked community of patients. With the right medical testing and treatment, she can go into remission, help her immune system heal, and become strong and fully herself again. With the help of an expert physician in this complex disease, Beth still has a chance to have a very full life, and with proper management, never have to suffer like this again. However, she cannot let this disease progress any further and needs this help as soon as possible.

Insurance will not cover any of Beth’s medical bills because they consider Lyme to be difficult to catch, but easy to treat. As a result, they will only cover 30 days of Lyme Disease treatment (antibiotics), which will not work for someone who has been misdiagnosed for as long as she has been. There are multiple co-infections and complications from a missed Lyme diagnosis that can be life threatening, especially as the immune system breaks down. And her immune system is breaking down. I would hate for Beth to die because of lack of money and the humiliation she feels from this disease.  Therefore I have encouraged her to allow me to tell her story and to ask for your help.

I'm afraid if Beth continues in this way and does not get the medical attention that she needs, she will die.

 Although she has had help from a couple of wonderful physicians in the past, there are very few physicians with the training and knowlege for difficult Lyme cases. They are quite rare. Physicians need to be experts in infectious disease, as well as Lyme, and understand how antibiotics/drugs work with each type of infection - and how they don't work, and what to do about it. They need to understand how the delicate immune system is altered and how to bring it back into balance. They need to know exactly what to test for and how to read the symptoms for each co-infection, and there are a lot of those to choose from. The physician needs experience to know that the infections, some of which are similar to malaria, can get into every system in the body, including muscles, nerves,  joints, organs, heart, brain and gut - if left unchecked. Beth hasn't been able to find one of these experts local to her in Michigan. But, after much research and evaluation, she has found a physician/M.D. who can help. The medical facility is in Albany, New York, and is called the Stram Center for Integrative Medicine. It specializes in Lyme Disease and has proven to be a success with patients with long-term, complex issues who have suffered like Beth. Treatment is expected to be $32,000 over a two-four month period. Adding in her travel and temporary housing expenses, Beth will need $50,000 to make it feasible. Anything over that amount will be put toward future maintenance treatments that are  out-of-pocket for her. She had enough funding to make her first appointment on May 31, and is very positive about the help she will be receiving there.

Note: She originally had an appointment with another great doctor in Florida, but since the campaign began, heard many success stories about the protocol that this center was using so when an appointment with Dr Stram, M.D. opened up, she grabbed it. For updates on her progress, visit her GofundMe page.

Beth tends to focus on the needs of others, rather than her own. She also has a lot of pride, and does not want to ask for your money.  So I will! Please give whatever you can . . . if you can, to help Beth. Please help save a kind, loving, and talented woman who has so much to give.

CLICK TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE GO FUND ME CAMPAIGN

Can We Help Stop the Destruction of Monarch Butterflies?

Me, at the Frederick Meijer Gardens butterfly exhibit several years ago. The butterly stayed in that exact position for an entire hour. Don't remember the type of butterly this is, does anyone happen to know?

"Industrial agricultural giant Dow Chemical unveiled its newest toxic herbicide, Enlist Duo, which would destroy milkweed plants that monarch butterflies need to survive. And monarch populations are crashing from nearly 1 billion butterflies 20 years ago to just 57 million last winter. Tell Dow's CEO to shelve the company's plan for selling this potent chemical cocktail — before it wreaks more destruction on monarchs."

~Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)

I never thought, not in a million years, that I would be saying, "help save the butterflies" or be writing about the destruction of our great pollinators, the honey bees. But I have been, and the quote above prompted me to sign this petition created by the NRDC, an organization that does incredible work to help protect our ecosystem, of which we are a part. I think sometimes we humans forget this. I sign many petitions that I believe in to do my part to protect our health, but today, I thought I'd share what I wrote to the Andrew Livaris, President, CEO, and Chairman of Dow Chemical. If you would like to join me in signing this petition, here is the link. If you would like, help more people understand your thoughts by copying what you wrote in your letter to Mr. Livaris, below in the comments. Thanks for reading and considering a signature.

Click here to sign the NRDC petition.

Dear Mr. Livaris,

I imagine that you have noticed the decline in butterflies in the recent years, and if you haven't, perhaps it would be good if you spent a little more time outside? Butterflies used to flock to fields where I've lived for the last 10 years, where no pesticides were used. Today, seeing a butterfly gives you the feeling that you are sighting the rare white tiger... elation, then sadness. Unlike tigers, butterflies and bees should be commonplace in our (national) ecosystem.

 Also, have you noticed the rise in autoimmune disease and food allergies? If you haven't, perhaps it would be good if you spoke to more actual people. Learned a little more about the gut damage that people are experiencing. Maybe look at some health data and step back to ask, "Could Dow, actually be a part of ruining peoples lives, killing species, and hurting our national and global health?" Even if your experts claim that there is no evidence to support this, you need to ask yourself this question like many of us do every day, when we recycle, when we choose not to litter, when we choose not to eat antibiotic fed chicken. If you haven't asked yourself this question, "Could Dow.. could I.. be a part of hurting entire species and contributing to the serious ill health of people?" Then perhaps you should. You are a powerful man. It is your responsibility to ask this question. If you haven't, then ask yourself this, "Why am I not ashamed?"

[the following is text from the NRDC]

Please shelve your plans for selling Enlist Duo, a new generation of toxic weed killer, in light of the disastrous threat it poses to monarch butterflies. The skyrocketing use of glyphosate, one of the key components in Enlist Duo, has already led to a massive decline of milkweed, a key factor in the collapse of monarch populations. The fact that your company is rushing headlong to introduce a chemical cocktail that will wreak further destruction on milkweed and poses potentially serious risks to human health is simply unconscionable. I urge you to help avert this ecological disaster by keeping Enlist Duo off the market. Thank you.

Elisabeth Veltman

More on the NRDC's action on the part of Monarchs

EPA Denies NRDC's Petition to Save Monarch Butterflies

NRDCs Lawsuit against the EPA

Some News on Bees

Mystery Malady Kills More Bees, Heightening Worry on Farms (New York Times)

Environmental Groups want Pesticide Makers to Release Bee Death Studies (CTV News, London, Ontario)

Why I Started Oil Pulling & How to Do It

WHY I STARTED

A few years ago, I had developed an obsession for organic green tea.

Why? I knew that copious amounts of green tea can flood the body with free-radical eating, anti-cancer, anti-viral, anti-bacterial, liver clearing and cardiovascular supporting polyphenols, and research seems to support this (perhaps in a little more moderation than I employed, however). Green tea is also being studied because those who drink it appear to have a lower risk of many types of degenerative disease. I’ve consumed green tea for years, but at that time I had become obsessed. I wanted to give my bod as much good stuff as I could.

One side effect of this green tea obsession, however, was that it stained my teeth quite badly.

Before, my teeth were normally and naturally white, so seeing my now-tarnished smile was a bit of a shock. A good friend of mine noticed it.  The dentist asked me what I had changed in my diet, because he was also quite surprised. This particular green tea was high in tannins – that’s the stuff where those particular healthy polyphenols live, but it is also the stuff that stains.

I didn't want to use any bleach, and I had also learned that some mouthwashes and other dental products are hidden sources of gluten (gliadin) or tapioca, two proteins to which I’m quite allergic. I needed an effective alternative.

Read more about dental products and gluten here (including a growing list of those claiming gluten-free status).


For these two reason, I decided to try “oil pulling.”

WHAT IS OIL PULLING?

Oil pulling is a simple ancient practice from Ayervedic medicine. Ayerveda is one of the oldest medical systems in the world, originating in India. Ancient cultures used oil pulling to prevent tooth decay, and to strengthen the teeth, gums and the jaw.

The practice of oil pulling is simply swishing a tablespoon of specific types of oil in your mouth for 20 minutes – but in a specific way (SEE INSTRUCTIONS BELOW). The belief is that this practice pulls toxins, parasites, & bacteria from the mouth and head and into the oil through the plethora of capillaries that exist in the mouth.

HOW TO DO IT

Traditionally, unrefined sunflower or sesame oil has been used for oil pulling, but unrefined olive oil or organic coconut oil work very well, too. I prefer coconut oil and its extra anti-bacterial, anti-parasitic qualities.

Ideally oil pulling should be done first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, before you drink any water. However, you can do this anytime and still receive great benefits. Do it as soon as you get up, and while you do other morning activities, like showering or preparing breakfast.

1. Use about 1 TBS of coconut oil (or sesame, sunflower, or unrefined olive oil)

2. Swish the oil slowly and methodically, not too vigorously.


3. Try to make sure the oil reaches every region of your mouth, but don't gargle.


4. Be careful not to swallow the oil.


5. Continue swishing the oil for at 20 minutes (the oil will become very thin and foamy as you swish & your saliva gets in the game). If you need to get used to it, start with 5 or 10 minutes and work your way up.

6. Spit the oil out into a trash can (not down the drain or you will get a clogged drain)

7. Rinse your mouth thoroughly with pure water. To go the extra step (which I love), rinse with mild salt water to help neutralize any bacteria before you brush.


8. Brush with gluten-free toothpaste afterwards.

That's it! Do it every day for a few weeks.  Read more about it below, and report back to us and let us know if you've experienced any results!

MY RESULTS

I started noticing a difference within a few weeks of practicing oil pulling every day -- the first day, actually, because my sinuses started clearing within minutes of swishing with the oil. In fact, the gunk (for lack of a better word) that came from my sinuses was rather remarkable.  After a few months of oil pulling every day (sometimes twice a day), the stains on my teeth were greatly reduced. After several months of oil pulling every day, all but the most hidden stains are gone. My friend noticed a significant difference in the whiteness of my teeth, too, and uncharacteristically remarked on this. I say, "uncharacteristically, because she is very polite, doesn't like to hurt anyone's feelings and has high whiteness standards. So for her to notice the difference was a big deal.

In addition, I recently went to the dentist because I thought that I had chipped a couple of teeth. Tooth like chunks ended up in my mouth on two separate occasions, which made me very worried. These chunks looked like teeth but apparently were not teeth. According to the hygienist, it was probably thick, deep-seated tarter that was dislodged during my regular oil pulling. Really?
Really.

HOW DOES OIL PULLING WORK?

To answer that question, "Does oil pulling work?" you have to try it for yourself. Here is a little more on the philosophy behind it. Above I mentioned the plethora of capillaries in the mouth. Capillaries, very simply put, are the thin walled blood vessels that serve as points of exchange between the blood and the surrounding tissues.

The network of capillaries in the body is estimated to be between 50,000 and 60,000 miles long!

This is why Ayurveda, like Traditional Chinese Medicine, posits that each section of the tongue is connected to different organs, like the kidneys, lungs, liver, heart, small intestines, stomach, and colon. For instance, a Chinese herbalist will have you stick out your toungue in order to see if your liver is sluggish or inflamed.

Thus, your mouth is thought to be a reflection of your overall health and the capillaries in the mouth "could" be the doorways to the rest of your body.

CLAIMS VS. CURE?

People have claimed that oil pulling can also “cure” or “prevent” 30 systemic diseases, including migraines, headaches, sinus congestion, diabetes, and asthma.

There are absolutely no scientific studies that support the prevention and healing of diseases such as diabetes from oil pulling, so please respect your good doctors recommendations for your individual conditions.

One of the reasons that these claims are being made, it seems, is because of a fairly large-scale survey that was conducted by an Indian newspaper in 1996. The survey (not a scientific study) revealed some interesting claims by its respondents. I cannot find a direct link to the survey, but here is a quote and an article about it that I did find:

In 1996, after continuous publication of a regular column for three years in their Sunday edition on OP, Andhra Jyoti, a Telugu daily news paper, conducted a survey to find out the types of diseases cured and the effectiveness of OP. Out of a total of 1041 respondents, 927 (89%) reported cure of one or more diseases. People who did not report any cure were 114(11%).

Read more about this survey on ayerveda.livejournal.com

There is also a small study which compares the use of mouthwash to oil pulling. Perhaps, based upon these results, more studies will be done. This a VERY small study on plaque-induced gingivitis, in comparison to chlorhexidine mouthwash, but it showed some promising results - it appears that the both the mouthwash and the oil pulling were equally effective:

Plaque index and modified gingival index scores were recorded for the 20 subjects and baseline plaque samples were also collected. There was a statistically significant reduction of the pre- and post-values of the plaque and modified gingival index scores in both the study and control groups (p < 0.001 in both). The oil pulling therapy showed a reduction in the plaque index, modified gingival scores, and total colony count of aerobic microorganisms in the plaque of adolescents with plaque-induced gingivitis.

Read more about the holistic oral health practices in this study.

WHY IS IT GAINING POPULARITY?

Oil pulling seems to be gaining popularity in our modern cultures as our environment becomes more toxic, our need to detoxify heightens, and as society craves simpler, less toxic prevention and cure. People with intestinal damage (i.e. from celiac disease) can also have a decay of the bones that hold their teeth in place, so ridding the teeth of plaque promoting bacteria while keeping a healthy balance of good bacteria in the mouth is as essential as healing the gut for oral health. As the above study, tiny as it is, seems to indicate, oil pulling might do as well in getting rid of plaque and bad bacteria than does the most powerful mouthwash. Oil pulling might also help keep the balance of good bacteria in the mouth better than traditional mouthwashes do, too.

I am not sure if I will permanently replace my mouthwash with coconut oil yet, but I intend to oil pull every day for the rest of my life! Personally, I find it to be a wonderful, supportive routine for my health.

Besides my own experience of whiter teeth and clearer sinuses, I have had people tell me that this practice has helped them in other ways. It dissolved their migraines, helped their teeth become less sensitive, and even helped them with their menstrual cramps. This is experiential, however, so it does not take into account any of the many potential and unique layers of health problems that any individual might have.

In other words, oil pulling may or may not give you the exact same results as it does someone else, and you might be surprised by the results that it does give you.

A FEW SIDE NOTES

Auyervedic Herb Note: In the links above you will read more about Auyerveda. If you decide to visit a practitioner or try some of the herbs, please make sure you choose high quality herbs that are not produced with heavy metals or toxins.

Green Tea Side Note: Tannins can also bind to certain types of iron (apparently vegetable-based iron, not meat-based) and can interfere with certain medications, so if you are iron deficient, or on anti-depressants or blood pressure or heart medications, or have other concerns about green tea speak to your doctor.

Here are a few other articles on the side effects of green tea:

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA400663/Is-Tea-Bad-For-Blood.html

http://www.livestrong.com/article/408826-does-green-tea-contain-tannins/

http://coffeetea.about.com/od/Coffee-Tea-Health/a/Green-Tea-Side-Effects.htm

http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/features/foods-stain-teeth-feature

Interview w/ Isabel Hoffmann: Her TellSpec device can tell us what allergens & pesticides are in our food.

ARTICLE UPDATE: I regret to report that I have decided to temporarily suspend access to this article. A few credible doubts about the technology have come to The Tender Foodie’s attention, and an interesting discussion has developed in James Randi Educational Foundation Forum, where Dr. Stephen Watson, TellSpec's CTO ("drswatson") is responding with the participants. You can follow that discussion here.

I'm suspending access to the article, not because of the technical doubts/questions, this is a natural discussion and I"m excited to hear how things progress, but because in my excitement about this potentially ground-breaking product, we missed an important detail that came to light in the forum - that the device might not be ready to properly detect allergens at the time of its release, and during its initial testing in the public arena. I feel that there is a misunderstanding here that needs to be completely clarified before we re-post the article.  I've begun corresponding with TellSpec to clarify this, and suspect that this will take some time, but my plan is to re-post the article with the proper clarifications that mitigate the risk of further misunderstanding. I certainly enjoyed speaking to Isabel Hoffmann, TellSpec's CEO during the interview, and should it prove appropriate, look forward to re-posting that interview at the proper time.

The Tender Foodie certainly hopes that this device could be created with great success for the food allergic community, and looks forward to any technical developments and information/proof regarding those developments.  Thank you for your patience.

 Visit the TellSpec Website here.

Other articles about this device:

Fast Company:http://www.fastcoexist.com/3020813/fund-this/point-this-magical-scanner-at-your-food-and-it-will-count-the-calories

Financial Post:http://business.financialpost.com/2013/10/21/how-one-entrepreneur-is-revolutionizing-the-food-industry/

Engadget: TellSpec identifies food ingredients and calories using science

Betakit: http://www.betakit.com/is-tellspec-the-star-trek-tricorder-we-have-been-waiting-for/

CanadianBusiness: Coming soon to your phone: handheld food safety 

Metro News:http://metronews.ca/news/toronto/830736/scanner-analyzes-chemical-makeup-of-your-food/

Health habits:TellSpec answers the question…what is in that food?

Daily News (UK): http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2452714/Tellspec-Future-dieting-Gadget-tells-calories-dinner-scanning.html

Silicon Angel:http://siliconangle.com/blog/2013/10/17/crowdfund-these-smart-gadgets-earring-bluetooth-audio-wrist-allergen-detectors/