Nature’s most deadly predator isn’t a lion, a tiger or a bear.
The CDC has dubbed it “the world’s most deadly animal” because of the 700,000 deaths that occur each year.
It’s not necessary to go into the wilderness to locate it. You’ll probably find it right outside your door.
Mosquitoes, despite their small size and only a two- or three-week lifespan as adults, can cause a lot of harm in that brief time period.
One bite from these flying pests is enough to transmit serious diseases. A few infected skeeters are all it takes to start an epidemic in your community.
Malaria is the deadliest mosquito-borne disease. It causes more than 600,000.000 deaths per year in sub-Saharan Africa, with children being most affected.
Since the US eliminated malaria in early 1950s, the disease is largely a foreign-borne illness that Americans bring home. In a normal year, the country reports about 2,000 malaria cases. Most of these are linked to travel abroad.
But in 2023, malaria made an unwelcome comeback. In Florida, Texas and Maryland, ten locally acquired cases of malaria were reported in 2023.
The mosquito is also the main cause of dengue, which can lead to high fevers, joint pains, and headaches. It can cause organ damage, dangerous bleeding and even death in severe cases.
Dengue is estimated to affect 400 million people worldwide each year. About 100 millions develop symptoms, and 21,000 of them die.
The problem in the US is only getting worse. According to a CDC report released earlier this year, the number of cases expected in the US by 2024 is 359% more than what was reported annually from 2010-2023.
In the US, other mosquito-borne illnesses are on the rise. West Nile virus cases in this country have reached a record high of 22 years.
Usually, by the end of the month of June the CDC has received about 10 human West Nile reports. In the first half of this year, at least 48 cases have been reported.
Nearly forty of these cases were neuroinvasive infections, the most severe form of disease. West Nile can be asymptomatic, or cause flu-like symptoms. However, in rare cases it may progress into a life-threatening condition.
West Nile virus has no known global toll, but it claims the lives of more than 130 Americans every year.
Mosquito-borne diseases that do not currently circulate in the US still kill thousands each year around the globe.
Yellow fever. Yellow fever is a viral infection that can be found in Africa and South America. Travelers who are going to these high-risk regions should get the vaccine before leaving.
Yellow fever is usually a mild disease with few symptoms. In severe cases the illness can lead to high fevers, bleeding, and organ failure. According to the World Health Organization, it is responsible for up to 82,000 annual deaths.
The Japanese encephalitis, which is primarily found overseas, is also spread by mosquitoes. The virus is the most common cause of viral brain inflammation, which can be life-threatening. It affects much of Asia.
Japanese encephalitis can be fatal. Up to half of survivors can have permanent cognitive, neurological or behavioral issues.
As with yellow fever vaccines that are safe and effective can help to prevent this disease.
While mosquitoes are the deadliest animals on earth, they’re not all disease carriers.
More than 3700 species of mosquitoes are found around the world, but only a fraction can transmit diseases that are dangerous to humans. The majority of mosquitoes are annoying pests or feed on animals, leaving itchy red bumps after bites.

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Review by Dietitian Jane Leverich M.S. RDN
Important Points
It is important to eat the same foods over and over again.
For better heart health, cardiologists advise avoiding sugary drinks and processed meats.
Regular physical activity and a sodium-reduced diet can also support cardiovascular health.
The diet plays a major role in maintaining heart health. No single food can make or break it. Research suggests, however, that a more healthy eating pattern, rich in fruit, vegetables, beans, nuts, dairy and fish, is linked to a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. What matters most for your heart is not what you eat occasionally, but what you consume repeatedly over time.
Heart-healthy foods include fruits, vegetables and whole grains. They also contain a lot of nutrients. However, they are low in sodium, sugar and saturated fat. Cardiologists have shared four foods that they avoid or limit in order to promote heart health.
1. Processing Meats
According to research, consuming a diet high in processed foods is associated with an increased risk of developing heart disease. Randy Gould M.D. recommends that processed meats such as cold cuts, hot dogs, and bacon be avoided. Gould says that the potential health effects of processed food may be linked to sodium, saturated fat, and preservatives. He explains that sodium increases blood pressure, and can increase the risk of stroke and heart disease. Preservatives such as nitrates can also cause arterial stiffness, and can damage blood vessels.
The nitrates used to preserve meat can increase blood pressure and cause arterial stiffness, causing blood vessels to become damaged. Saturated fats in processed meat may also raise LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and cause plaque to build up on arteries. Heart disease is associated with high LDL cholesterol.
2. Sweet Beverages
Gould says that even one 8-ounce glass of sugary drinks, such as sweetened teas, energy drinks, coffee drinks with flavors, or soda, can increase the risk of developing heart disease. “Sugary beverages have a lot of sugar added, and this leads to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and weight gain,” he explains. He adds that “each of these conditions puts additional stress on the hearts”. Sugar-sweetened drinks also raise triglycerides and LDL cholesterol, and increase blood pressure. This can lead to heart disease and atherosclerosis.
3. Carbohydrates refined
Baked goods, pastas, rice, and bread are all refined carbohydrates. Refined grains are stripped of their bran and germ, which can reduce the amount of fiber and nutrients in whole grains.
Refined carbohydrates are broken down more quickly by the body, which leads to higher fluctuations in blood glucose levels. Gould says that frequent glucose spikes can cause insulin resistance as well as arterial damage. Gould says that high consumption of refined carbs can also lead to an increase in triglycerides (bad cholesterol) and LDL levels. Researchers have found that switching from refined carbs to whole grains can improve several risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
4. The Ultra-processed Foods
Christina Michael, MD, says that ultra-processed food is often high in sugar, sodium, calories and refined carbs. They are also low in fiber, and have other nutrients. She adds that “as a consequence, these foods tend to encourage overeating” and they are linked with an increased risk of heart disease.
According to research, consuming more ultra-processed food is linked with an increase in cardiovascular disease. Not all ultra-processed foods may have the same effect on heart health. The fact that ultra-processed food is defined differently and foods which fall under this category are part of the problem. For example, some packaged cereals, dairy products and breads can still be considered to have been ultra-processed, while providing valuable nutrients. It’s therefore important to consider the overall nutritional profile of a product, rather than just its processing.
Heart Health: Other Ways to Improve Your Heart Health
Cardiologists suggest that you add these habits to your heart healthy diet in order to support cardiovascular health.
Regular exercise is important. Gould suggests that you aim to do 150 minutes of aerobic activity per week, which can include brisk walking or cycling. He adds that these activities help to improve cardiovascular health and strengthen the heart.
Incorporate omega-3-rich foods. Gould says that fatty fish rich in omega-3 acids, such as salmon, sardines and anchovies can help reduce cholesterol levels, and also slow the buildup of plaque in arteries. To support your heart, aim for at least two servings of 3-ounce fatty fish per week. ,
Limit sodium. Gould explains that excessive sodium intake can cause elevated blood pressure and increase the risk of heart disease or stroke. The American Heart Association recommends that adults should limit their sodium intake to 1,500 milligrams a day.
Keep a healthy body weight. Maintaining a healthy body weight is one of the eight essential components for heart health according to The American Heart Association. Weight management supports blood pressure, blood cholesterol and blood glucose.
The Experts’ Take
To support heart health, you should take stock of what your current diet is and see what adjustments can be made. Foods like ultra-processed food, processed meats and sugary drinks, as well as refined carbohydrates, are to be avoided. Increase your intake of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Also, include beans, nuts, seeds, fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, as well as legumes, beans, and whole grain products. Exercise, sodium control and maintaining a healthy body weight are all ways to support heart health.

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In bound-to-be-controversial new research, scientists claim they’ve discovered a link between the specific balance of microflora in the gut and psychopathic behavior
As detailed in a yet-to-be-peer-reviewed study, a team of researchers led by University of Porto biomedical scientist Carolina Costa say they’ve found the first-ever evidence of how microbiota could influence traits linked to psychopathy — a controversial personality construct characterized by lack of empathy, poor behavior control, as well as antisocial and in extreme cases criminal behavior.
Science Alert notes that previous studies have found psychopaths to share brain structures including pathways within the prefrontal cortex. However, the latest study suggests that these links may extend to microbiome.
Translational Psychiatry shared an un-edited copy of their paper in which they hypothesized the association between gut and mouth microbiota compositions, as well as subclinical psychopathic traits. This is, to our knowledge the first study that has explored this relationship.
Costa and colleagues evaluated the responses of 200 adults who completed a questionnaire designed specifically to assess psychopathic characteristics. The researchers also examined the bacterial composition of blood, saliva and fecal specimens from participants.
The diversity of oral and gut microbes did not show a clear link to psychopathic characteristics in themselves, but those who had stronger psychopathic qualities had more of three types of bacteria compared with those of weaker traits.
Researchers concluded that “T. vincentii showed a negative association with psychopathy, whereas Allisonella, Prevotella and C. evryensis were significantly positive associated.” These microbacteria play a variety of roles, from aiding in digestion to fighting off infection.
Team suggests Allisonella in particular has been associated with human diseases. It has also been shown to promote inflammation as a key factor in mental disorders like anxiety and depression, suggesting “a possible link to psychopathy”.
Prevotella is also linked with “differences between brain regions that are responsible for processing emotions, sensory input, and attention, resulting in a lack of specificity in encoding context details.”
These claims will certainly be controversial. The sample size is small and the results are based on self-reported data, so they could be biased. Researchers point out that results could vary depending on geographical regions.
They concluded that “Finally as the findings are correlative, causality can’t be established,” especially due to bidirectionality in microbiota and brain communication.
It may be that psychopathic characteristics are the ones responsible for the imbalance of gut microbiome, and not the other way round.
Researchers wrote that “for example, eating behavior and hormonal differences, as well as psychopathy-linked variables, could be responsible in shaping the gut microbiota’s composition.”
The study is fascinating, but more research will be needed in the future to explore it further.

In my role as a writer for health and wellbeing, I have tried just about anything.
Bryan Johnson’s Longevity Mix A parasite cleanse. Jennifer Aniston’s viral exercise. As a fan of unconventional trends, I am always willing to give anything a try. When the chance arose for me to send my poop in to a laboratory to be tested by an Advanced Gut Intelligence Test I took it. Happily.
A few years back, I wouldn’t even have thought about it.
As a child, I had a rather closed-minded view of health and was on a strict diet. It was partly because of my food noise and because everyone else around me seemed to be cutting food groups out of fear of allergies or weight gain.
I cut out dairy completely when I was 16. I thought it was bad for me, as nut-milks were everywhere and girls talked about IBS and bloating. When I was in college, I decided to lose the 15 pounds I had gained from eating my way around Europe and Australia. In college, I decided to go gluten-free because I thought it would help me shed weight.
Few years later I was eating mostly salads and seafood, with the occasional dessert. My weight was stable, I had no bloating and I felt fine.
Something is still off.
In the last year I have become more and more interested in the gut, in part because of a conversation that took place with Gut Oggau’s founders, who run a biodynamic farm. This made me think beyond the way food can affect my appearance, and to consider how it may affect how I feel.
It is widely known that the gut and brain are connected. Yet, for many years I never stopped to think about a more fundamental question: what should I be eating in order to maintain a healthy, balanced gut microbiome. What is the impact of food on my energy levels, mood, and brain?
As soon as I began asking these questions, it became clear that I needed to establish a baseline – a better picture of the actual state of my gut. Viome’s Gut Health Test was what I needed.
How does Viome work and what is it?
Viome, a leader in health tech company offers at-home tests to analyze gut microbiomes and oral or cellular microbiomes by using advanced RNA sequences. Scientists and doctors who specialize in microbiology founded the company.
The mission of this app is to decode the signals sent by your body so that you can take proactive action.
Viome, unlike traditional DNA tests, looks for active microorganisms in the body (like bacteria, viruses, or fungi) and analyzes them. Then, it generates customized food and supplement recommendations based on each individual’s biology.
Viome has two tests: a Full Body Gut Intelligence Test (399) which also looks at longevity and heart health. Viome’s labs require users to send a stool sample for analysis. The results are usually available in two to three week.
Gut Intelligence Test was the best choice for my needs and goals. You can read my full review below, which includes what you should expect during the test, how to get your results, and if it’s worth it.
My review: Viome Gut Intelligence Test
Viome’s Gut Intelligence Test costs $279. It does require a small stool sample to be sent in, and this could turn some people off. My experience was that the test is much easier (and less gross) than what I had imagined.
Results can be received in two to three week. You will receive a lot of useful and interesting data. The test analyses more than 2,500 markers to produce over 25 gut health scores including Inflammation and Metabolic Health.
Viome provides you with 370 customized food suggestions based on your microbiome. These include what foods to increase, which to reduce, and simple recipes that are tailored specifically to your results. Viome also offers personalized supplements that help you fill in nutrient deficiencies.
Viome’s data shows that 90% of those who completed the Gut Intelligence Test, followed their customized plan and reported measurable improvement within 90 days. 72% said they had better digestion while 67% claimed better sleep.
How to do a Viome Gut Test
Viome requires users to first register the Gut Intelligence Test Kit online via Viome’s app. The test asked only a handful of basic questions.
Viome advises that you empty your bladder prior to collecting your sample in order to prevent contamination. They also warn against taking a sample when menstruating.
The first step is to collect the sample. This kit includes everything that you will need including a collection paper and a small scoop.
You then do your normal bathroom routine, but use the small scoop to carefully collect the sample. The collection tube already has a stabilizing fluid in it. Then, secure the tube and shake vigorously for thirty seconds. Let it rest for another 30 seconds. Repeat twice.
Place the biohazard bag and absorbent pad in it, then seal the bag, before popping it into the pre-paid return envelope.
What is my opinion of the whole process? It was a bit strange, but not too bad.
Viome’s health questionnaire is surprisingly detailed. It covers everything from physical activity and body measurements to medical histories, drug and alcohol use, sleep patterns and mental health.
It took me around 30 minutes to complete all the questions.
Viome Gut Test Result
Three weeks after I submitted my report, my jaw dropped to the ground.
My food recommendations were the first thing I checked out, just because I was curious. My diet, as I have said, is fairly routine. It’s mostly plant-based with lots of salads and some seafood, plus plenty of lattes made from almond milk. When I go out to eat, I tend to order the same thing over and over again, which means there’s not much variety.
What was the biggest surprise? Was it the biggest shock? You’re right, fewer vegetables.
I had a higher sulfide production, which could be contributing to my digestive distress. Cruciferous vegetables may increase the sulfur-related ferment, which can cause gas. Other words, broccoli, asparagus, and the other greens that I was forcing myself to consume weren’t really doing me any favors.
It got even worse: I was told to combine calcium-rich food, such as cow’s dairy, yogurt, and cheese with foods high in oxalates, because calcium could bind to the oxalates, reducing their absorption. My fear of milk, which I’ve had for years? The drain is also full of dairy.
My health score was a bit harder for those who are not as well-versed in science to understand. It was encouraging to see that most of my scores fell into the “maintain zone” which is green. Some, including my sulfide production and oxalate metabolic pathways, were marked in red.
It was easy to make the final, and most crucial recommendation: eat a varied diet. Grant Antoine is a naturopathic physician and the Translational Science clinical lead at Viome.
He said that microbes are trillions in number, and each one plays a different role when it comes to digestion, immunity, or overall health. Diversity is important in a healthy ecosystem. Eating a variety of food provides fibers, polyphenols and other compounds which nourish beneficial microbes.
After years of restricting food and convincing myself that carbs, dairy and other “unhealthy foods” were my enemies, I finally realized that to eat healthier, you might need more variety. This was a big wake-up. In retrospect it seems obvious but I still found this to be a very important lesson.
Viome Precision Supplements
My Precision Viome supplements were delivered to my door a few weeks after I had my test. You’ll pay about $169 per month, which is almost $6/day. Although they aren’t inexpensive, you get what you pay. You’ll receive a lot of vitamins and minerals as well as probiotics.
Formulas are tailored based on your self-reported health goals, and test results. Multivitamins are not as personalized. The My Viome Supplement Formula contained several B vitamins along with minerals and key ingredients such as ashwagandha and L-theanine. It also included calcium, copper and magnesium.
Viome claims that the supplements are subjected to strict quality tests and their dosages reflect levels proven to be effective during clinical trials. It was no surprise to me that my daily pack contained eight large pills (which is not fun to swallow). It was also not surprising that my urine turned bright yellow. This is a common side effect from taking certain vitamins. This was a little but comforting reminder that I did indeed take a lot of vitamins each day.
Viome’s Gut Formula is a customized probiotic-prebiotic formula that I take along with my supplements. It’s a powder, but it mixes into water easily and tastes like brown murky water. The powder contains probiotics, prebiotics that I could not pronounce and ginger to aid digestion.
Since taking them for three weeks, I have also made some changes in my diet. I am starting to see a real difference. I feel more energetic and my digestive system is more regular. I would even say that I am more relaxed. Oura Ring also showed that my sleep score has been steadily increasing.
Although it’s early and I haven’t declared these supplements to be a cure-all, so far I am liking the results and more importantly how I feel.
Viome Gut Intelligence Test: Who’s it best for?
The test may not be for you. It’s expensive. I would not recommend spending more than $250 on something without being genuinely invested in improving your health.
It does, however, provide very valuable and interesting information. Food recommendations is probably the easiest part to understand and interpret. The site has a color-coded system that helps you to easily see what foods to consume, limit, or avoid.
It’s a little more complicated to interpret the Health Scores unless you do some reading or talk to an expert about them (ideally, your doctor).
Overall, this test is good for anyone who is concerned about their health. They should be willing to change based on the results. This is an excellent investment for anyone who wants to solve some of their gut issues.
The Viome Gut Intelligence Test: Does it really work?
Viome’s Gut Intelligence Test is absolutely worth the money — at least for me.
The process seemed simple to me (although the idea of mailing my poop makes me queasy). The information it has given me is worth the effort. Viome’s results are easy to read and understand.
Years ago, I thought I made the best (and sometimes harder) decisions to be healthy. But I never considered my gut’s needs. Viome’s report allowed me to see my gut from the outside in and understand how to feed it. In the end, I made many small changes, including eating more variety, consuming less cruciferous vegetables, and adding more dairy.
These changes were not difficult, but they did require some effort. I have already seen a difference in my health. Improved mood. Energy. Balance. Balance.
The test encouraged me to learn how to eat intuitively. It has helped me repair my relationship to food, and I’ve not gained weight. This test is for anyone that cares about health, and who wants to be able to make an informed decision.
What We Tested
When reviewing Viome’s Gut Intelligence Test I took into consideration several factors including ease of use, results, recommendations, personalized supplements, and overall value.
The ease of testing: This included the instructions for stoma sample collection, shipping and the amount of time I spent on my Viome Health Questionnaire, as well as waiting for the results.
Results and Suggestions – I was impressed with how simple it was to use Viome and understand the results. The Food Recommendations as well as the Gut Health Scores were considered, and I looked at the clarity of the information, the ease with which the results could be deciphered, and the actionability of the recommendations.
Viome’s Gut Health Test is known for its personalized supplements. The overall quality of ingredients was important, as well as how the formula met my health needs and goals. I also considered how easily the supplements could be incorporated into my daily life. I also took into account how supplements affected me over the course of a 3-week test period.
Viome’s Gut Intelligence Test is $279 and Precision Supplements costs $6/day. Both are investments. I weighed the value of the information and the changes I noticed in my digestive system and health overall after using the tests and supplements to decide if they were worth it.
Trust Post Wanted By the New York Post