The Alpha Gal Allergy Cookbook

The Alpha Gal Allergy Cookbook is available at http://amzn.com/1500685461 Holiday Sale paperback $9.00 and Kindle Download $2.99

Microbiome Component Fights Malaria By Bradley Fikes

Microbiome component fights malaria

By Bradley J. Fikes9 a.m.Dec. 4, 2014

An international research team has identified a bacterium in the human microbiome that triggers a natural protective response against transmitting malaria.

This may lead to development of human therapeutics against malaria. About 207 million cases of malaria were contracted in 2012, causing 627,000 deaths, according to the World Health Organization.

Working in mice, the study found that the bacterium, a strain of E. coli, triggers production of antibodies that kill the malaria parasite in the skin before it can enter the bloodstream. Moreover, in humans the presence of these antibodies correlates with malaria protection.

A team led by Portuguese researchers along with American and Australian colleagues published their study Thursday in the journal Cell. The first author is Bahtiyar Yilmaz, of the Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência in Oeiras, Portugal. The senior author is Miguel P. Soares, in whose lab Yilmaz works.

The team found that the E. coli strain expresses the sugar alpha-gal, which is also found on the surface of the Plasmodium parasite. This primes the immune system to recognize it as a foreign substance.

Exposure to alpha-gal has also been linked to an allergy to eating meat. The allergy appears to be caused by bites of the lone star tick.

Dairy Free Sugar Cut Out Cookies

Sugar Cut Out Cookies by My Wise Mom

Ingredients

Cookies

• 3 cups flour (all purpose or white, unbleached)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional based on butter used)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup Earth Balance vegan sticks, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Dairy-free Sugar Cookie Frosting

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 tablespoons almond (or other non-dairy) milk

Instructions

Cookies

1. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt. (If you are using a butter that already contains salt, skip the added salt. If there is not salt, add the salt to the mixture.)
2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs one by one and the vanilla. Mix until a batter forms.
3. Fold the flour mixture into the batter and beat until a smooth dough forms.
4. Divide the dough in half and wrap in cling wrap. Refriderate for at least 1 hour.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
6. Lightly flour your surface. Roll out the dough to 1/4 inch. Continue to flip the dough as you roll it to ensure it does not stick to the surface. Use cookie cutters and transfer cookies to a baking sheet.
7. Place baking sheets with unbaked cookies in the fridge and let them chill for 10 minutes to ensure they do not spread in the oven.
8. Bake for 8-9 minutes, until edges start turning brown.
9. Remove pan and let cookies cool on the sheet for a few minutes then transfer to a wire rack. Once completely cool, frost.

Frosting

1. Mix 1 cup powdered sugar with 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 2 tablespoons almond (or other non-dairy) milk.
2. Add more milk, a teaspoon at a time, until you get the consistency you like.