Stardust http://stardust.so-pink.org/wp Mon, 02 Oct 2017 08:43:56 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.6 Crossroads http://stardust.so-pink.org/wp/2017/10/crossroads/ http://stardust.so-pink.org/wp/2017/10/crossroads/#comments Mon, 02 Oct 2017 08:38:32 +0000 Sarah http://stardust.so-pink.org/wp/?p=1022 Hi Guys! I’m back and I’m in the process of updating the blog. What kind of content would you like to see? Would an Science communication style blog be of interest to you all?

Would you prefer a weekly cooking blog? Or how about travel?

Comment on this post and I’ll do my best to make the content you most want to see!

xoxo

]]> http://stardust.so-pink.org/wp/2017/10/crossroads/feed/ 0 THESIS SUBMISSION!! http://stardust.so-pink.org/wp/2016/12/thesis-submission/ http://stardust.so-pink.org/wp/2016/12/thesis-submission/#comments Wed, 21 Dec 2016 09:14:54 +0000 Sarah http://stardust.so-pink.org/wp/?p=1006 Thesis_submission_20161114November 15th, 2016. I handed up my thesis today. It was a long journey full of challenge, insight and mentorship. Tears were shed, many new skills were acquired and I emerged, finally, on the other side, somewhat battered but also enriched for the experience.

 

]]> http://stardust.so-pink.org/wp/2016/12/thesis-submission/feed/ 0 Dog ownership and household allergies http://stardust.so-pink.org/wp/2015/07/dog-ownership-and-household-allergies/ http://stardust.so-pink.org/wp/2015/07/dog-ownership-and-household-allergies/#comments Thu, 23 Jul 2015 10:17:50 +0000 Sarah http://stardust.so-pink.org/wp/?p=985 Can owning a dog change the risk of our kids developing allergies?

A study published back in 2004 investigated dog ownership and whether it was protective for allergic disorders including food allergy and eczema.

This study looked at cat and dog ownership and found that dog ownership alone was associated with lower incidences of eczema and allergic sensitization, including food allergies.

When they further explored how dog ownership may play a role in allergy they found that having a dog had a positive effect on the immune system, as measured by two immune interleukins including the anti-inflammatory IL-10. Interleukins are messenger signals of the immune system involved in launching an immune response.

Since this study the effect of pet ownership has been examined multiple times, in many cases the same protective effect of owning a dog has been shown, although in some cases there is no net effect observed.

These findings may suggest that owning a dog could help protect children in early life against the development of allergies, although there are many other factors that contribute too.

Whilst this study shows a promising environmental protective effect our genetics play a very important role too!

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