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Botulism Warning from FDA – Canned French Cut Green Beansbo

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The FDA warned consumers this week to avoid specific brands of French Cut Green beans because the beans may not have been processed properly to eliminate the potential for botulism toxin.

So far there have been no illnesses associated with the products, but the potential for serious illness exists.
Anyone who has any of the following list of beans should immediately throw them away. If you are unable to read the code on the affected cans, it is recommended to dispose of them anyway.
The affected Lakeside cut green beans are sold nationwide under the following labels: Albertson’s, Happy Harvest, Best Choice, Food Club, Bogopa, Valu Time, Hill Country Fare, HEB, Laura Lynn, Kroger, No Name, North Pride, Shop N Save, Shoppers Valu, Schnucks, Cub Foods, Dierbergs, Flavorite, IGA, Best Choice and Thrifty Maid. The specific codes (top line of can code) involved are: EAA5247, EAA5257, EAA5267, EAA5277, EAB5247, EAB5257, ECA5207, ECA5217, ECA5227, ECA5297, ECB5207, ECB5217, ECB5227, ECB5307

Health Alert: Office Printer Dust May Pose Health Dangers

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Just when you thought that your office anti-smoking policy cleared the air in the workplace, a new study by Australian scientists suggests "not so fast."
Surveying numerous laser printers, the researchers discovered that approximately thirty percent release "dangerous" levels of very small toner-type material.

The particles are small enough (described as "ultra fine") that they can penetrate deep into the lung’s alveoli and create damage similar to the damage seen in inhaled cigarettes.

Of the 62 machines tested at the University of Queensland, 17 were classified as "high particle emitters."

Source: American Chemical Society’s Environmental Science and Technology Journal

Mice Use Less Sunscreen – Substitute Coffee and Exercise Instead

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Who would have guessed that coffee and exercise induce the formation of cells that block sunrays? But they do–at least in mice.

As reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, hairless mice who were fed high doses of caffeine, and exercised on their running wheels, showed an increase in the cells which protect against sunburn.

There have been no human studies to date, so you may wish to continue your sunscreen, hats and shirts before switching to double espressos on the beach.

Source: Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, "Voluntary exercise together with oral caffeine markedly stimulates UVB light-induced apoptosis and decreases tissue fat in SKH-1"

Cell Phone Tower Dangers Psychological?

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A study out of the United Kingdom points the finger at psychological causes, not electromagnetic waves as the cause of ill health in "electromagnetic" allergy sufferers.

While stating that the distress felt by individuals was "real," the UK study pointedly noted that many of those who blamed cellular towers for their problems/symptoms reported greater problems when they thought the towers were on–even when they weren’t.

According to Professor Elaine Fox who led the three year study, "belief is a very powerful thing…. If you really believe something is going to harm you," she said, " it will."

Critics contested the findings. One, Mast Sanity, protested that currently accepted physical conditions were "initially dismissed as psychological."

Source: BBC

Scabies – Treat First and Skip the Scrape?

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Writing in the Journal of Family Practice, Dr. Barbara Walker notes, "During my medical training and years in the military, I have seen patients who suffered prolonged itching because they had no microscopic confirmation of scabies, but who cleared quickly with treatment after a skin biopsy identified scabies."
"This," she said, "has given me a short fuse for treating empirically in my own clinics."

Bottom line—if you think you have scabies, it may be a good idea to ask your doctor to skip the scrape (to find the critters), and go right to treatment, which at the moment is permethrin.
Also, make sure you treat any sexual partners, as well as anyone else who lives in your household.

Barbeque Grilled Food and Your Health

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You’ve been reading for years about the dangers lurking in grilled meats. But who doesn’t like to grill in the summer (or even the winter if the BBQ addiction is high enough).
So what do you do? How can you enjoy the simple pleasures of grilling without picturing yourself in a chemotherapy ward lamenting that last grilled steak?

The simplest solution (other than throwing the grill into the trash), is to not grill at high heats. High heats char the outside of the meat and increase the carcinogens. Cooking slower cuts down the exposure.

Additionally, cutting off the outside fat (particularly in lamb) cuts down the risk of flame-ups that burn the meat.
And it isn’t just meat. Anything with protein (fish, chicken, snake) can develop carcinogens on the grill.

Dieticians, such as Elizabeth Schaub at Baylor Medical Center point out that grilling vegetables and fruits is risk free.

Source: Baylor Health Care System

Genes Linked to Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

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Researchers have published their discovery linking two genes with multiple sclerosis (MS).
Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disorder in which the immune cells infiltrate the brain and spinal cord.

Surrounding and protecting some brain and spinal cord cells is a fatty layer known as the myelin sheath. Myelin sheath is important for conducting electrical impulses along the nerves and maintaining the health of the nerves.
In multiple sclerosis, inflammation causes the myelin to degenerate and eventually disappear, causing the impulses that travel along the nerves to decelerate.

The researchers conducted a study using DNA technology that enabled them to screen the genetic blueprint of close to 3,000 people, 931 of whom had the disease.

The data revealed 174 nucleotide differences called single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that may be associated with the risk of multiple sclerosis. They then analyzed 110 out of the 174 SNPs in a second set of subjects which number close to 5,000 people. In their final combined analysis, the scientists cited several genes that showed significant association with the risk of multiple sclerosis, two of which are implicated in the regulation of the immune response–interleukin-2 receptor alpha gene (IL2RA) and interleukin-7 receptor alpha gene (IL7R).

Other associated genes include KIAA0350, RPL5, DBC1, CD58, ALK, FAM69A, ANKRD15, EVI5, KLRB1, CBLB and PDE4B.
The research was published in the August 2007 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Health Campaign Calls for 50% Less Salt Consumption

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Because of the modern American diet, most people get too much sodium, though some older adults don’t get enough. How much salt is too much?

More and more evidence points to a need for Americans to decrease their salt intake. To that end, the American Medical Association (AMA), the American Heart Association (AHA), the American Dietetic Association (ADA), and the National Institutes of Health have kicked off a campaign with a goal of reducing individuals’ salt intake to 50% of the current levels.

Amy Schnabel, a clinical nutrition manager at UCLA Medical Center predicts that 90% of Americans will develop high blood pressure if they don’t take positive steps to prevent it.

High salt intake can lead to hypertension and increased risk of stroke or heart attack.
The good news is that there are some simple things that can be done to vastly decrease cardiovascular disease risks.

A recent study in the British Medical Journal showed that reducing salt intake by about 30% can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by 25%.

According to experts, the key is improved awareness about what you eat—identifying which foods contain high amounts of sodium.

The FDA recommends no more than 2,400 mg per day, or about 1 teaspoon.

Sources:

  • British Medical Journal (April 19, 2007)
  • Newswise: Belvoir Media Group

You Can Repay Your Sleep Debt

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6 out of 10 women get less than the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep at night. In due course, sleep debt piles up and affects their health.

A report published in Harvard Women’s Health Watch claims that this debt, however chronic or longstanding, can be repaid.
For instance, if you have a debt of 10 hours sleep, you can repay it by sleeping over the weekend and the week following it. If your sleep debt has piled up over decades, then it is advised that you take a short vacation to a place where you need not have a very busy schedule.

Ensure that you get proper sleep at night and wake up naturally in the morning—no alarm clocks allowed here. During the vacation, determine the amount of sleep you require and ensure that you get the determined amount of sleep everyday.

Source: Harvard Medical School

Obesity May be a “Contagious” Disease

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According to researchers at Harbard University, obesity is socially contagious. And, it can spread through your social ties. The research is actually inclined toward finding methods that can help in controlling the obesity and overweight epidemic.

The study reports that obesity cannot be cured just by treating the person suffering from it. For more effective treatment, it’s necessary to  treat the entire social network of the patient.
This is because people have a natural inclination of being influenced by the habits and appearance of those who are around them. Therefore, weight gain of one person in a particular social circle may encourage weight gain in others within the same group.

This new revelation supports the efforts to promote and educate people about the benefits of a nutritional diet in a workplace where many of us find social circles.

Source: Washington Post (7/25/07)