Some Health Providers Unable to Get Flu Vaccine
The United States' supply of flu vaccine will reach 80 million doses by early December, federal experts say. But many health-care providers say they can't get enough vaccine to meet patient demand -- or can't get any at all, the Associated Press reported.
Some flu vaccine shortages have occurred because one manufacturer will produce less vaccine than expected. Chiron Corp. was expected to deliver 25 million to 30 million doses of vaccine, but will likely produce fewer than 18 million and may only provide 11 million to 12 million doses, said Dr. Jeanne Santoli, deputy director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Immunization Services Division.
Santoli, who briefed a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services advisory committee on Tuesday, said there was also a delay in distribution of Chiron flu vaccine, the AP reported.
It was expected that the Chiron supplies would be distributed in late September, but they were actually distributed about a month later. By that time, some health-care providers had cancelled flu shot clinics for their patients, the news service reported.
Some members of the advisory committee expressed concern that reports of flu vaccine shortages might discourage some people from getting a flu shot. They noted that getting a shot later in the season was better than not getting one, the AP reported.
Taking Vioxx for a Month Caused Fatal Heart Attack: Lawyer
Taking Vioxx for a month was enough to cause a Florida man's fatal heart attack, his widow's lawyer said in an opening statement Tuesday in a federal liability lawsuit against drug maker Merck.
However, the drug company's lawyer countered that heart disease, not Vioxx, led to the man's death. The Merck lawyer said that extensive studies conducted before the drug was introduced in 1999 found no evidence that short-term use of the drug caused heart attacks, the Associated Press reported.
Evelyn Irvin Plunkett's husband, Richard Irvin Jr., was 53 years old when he died in May 2001. This is the third trial so far over the cardiovascular risks posed by Vioxx. Merck has lost one case and won another. More than 7,000 state and federal lawsuits have been filed over Vioxx, which was pulled from the market last year after studies showed that long-term use of the drug increased the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Plunkett's lawyer, Andy Birchfield, quoted from internal Merck e-mails to support his contention that the company knew about Vioxx's safety problems before the drug was introduced to the market in 1999. Birchfield charged that Merck made a "premeditated, financial decision" not to warn patient's about the risks of taking Vioxx, the AP reported.
Merck lawyer Philip S. Beck countered that Merck acted responsibly in developing and marketing the drug, and said Vioxx did not cause Irvin's heart attack.
China Reports 30th Bird Flu Outbreak
China announced its 30th confirmed outbreak of bird flu this year, in the westernmost region of Xinjiang County. This is the ninth outbreak to hit the county this year, making it one of the regions hit hardest by bird flu, Agence France Presse reported.
This latest outbreak of the H5N1 bird flu strain killed about 300 poultry and led to the culling of about 1.18 million farm-raised birds within a 1.8-mile radius of the outbreak, AFP said.
Chinese officials also said there was no SARS-like cover-up surrounding bird flu in the country, and that the nation was capable of preventing the disease from spreading easily from person to person.
In 2003, local governments in China did not openly report accurate figures about the extent of SARS until months after outbreaks.
"There's no such covering up of bird flu transmission in China," Health Minister Gao Qiang told reporters at a news briefing. "Once there is an outbreak, we will inform the public immediately and tell the public to be more prepared."
As of Nov. 25, China had reported three human cases of bird flu and two deaths. The virus has infected a total of 132 people in Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and China and killed 68 people in those countries, Bloomberg news reported.
Safety Alert Issued for Off-Label Use of Breast Cancer Drug
The drug letrozole (brand name Femara), which is often prescribed as a fertility aid, may cause birth defects and miscarriages, according to a Health Canada safety alert issued Monday.
The drug is approved to treat breast cancer in post-menopausal women. However, doctors in Canada and the United States often prescribe letrozole "off-label" to promote ovulation as part of fertility treatments, Knight Ridder Newspapers reported.
Health Canada and drug maker Novartis sent letters to doctors in Canada warning them about unapproved off-label use of the drug. Copies of the letter were posted on Health Canada's Web site.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration hasn't instructed Novartis to alert U.S. doctors but the Swiss drug company plans to send cautionary letters to U.S. fertility specialists. The letters will remind them that the drug is approved only for treatment of breast cancer.
Novartis has received 13 reports of adverse reactions in women who were exposed to letrozole during pregnancy. Of those 13 reports, four involved harm to babies, Knight Ridder reported.
Eye-Drop Maker Required to Sign FDA Consent Order
Eye-drop maker MBI Distributing Inc. has signed a consent decree with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to stop making and distributing drugs until the company corrects manufacturing problems and other violations at its Benicia, Calif., facility.
Among other problems, MBI lacked manufacturing controls to ensure that its eye drops were sterile, the FDA said. MBI's eye-drop product line includes Oxydrops, Bright Eyes, Bright Eyes II, Clarity Vision for Life, Visitein, and Can-C. The company also makes several over-the-counter pain relievers, the federal agency said.
The FDA also determined that two of MBI's eye-drop brands, Visitein and Clarity Vision for Life, are unapproved drugs. In addition, three of MBI's pain relievers -- Biogesic, Bio-Ice, and Bio-Heat -- don't provide adequate warnings for their safe use, the agency said.
Consumers, health-care providers, and caregivers should dispose of these MBI eye drops and pain relievers, the FDA said. Any adverse events related to these products should be reported to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Health Tip: Getting Your Zzzzs at the Wrong Time?
Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder associated with uncontrollable sleepiness and frequent daytime sleeping.
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, narcoleptic episodes often occur after meals, but they may also come at dangerous inopportune times, such as while driving.
Symptoms of the condition include extreme drowsiness, difficulty staying awake during classes or work, hallucinations before or after an episode, and sudden loss of muscle function.
There is no known cure, but planned naps, eating light meals, and some prescription medications may help ease symptoms.
Health Tip: Wear a Helmet
Helmets can prevent serious injuries on the football field, and from bicycles, skateboards, and scooters.
But for the helmet to work, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons says, it must fit properly.
To find a proper fit, you may need to try several sizes and models. Helmets should be worn flat on your head and low on your forehead, with the bottom edge parallel to the ground. Side straps should form a V shape around the ear, and the buckle should fasten tightly.
The device should also contain pads that can be removed or installed for a perfect fit. Most important, the helmet should not move in any direction when you shake your head, or interfere with vision, movement or hearing.
Helmets should be replaced when they are damaged, outgrown or at least every five years.
Food Fact:
Tea for tumors.
Research shows one kind of tea can be up to 100 times more potent at blocking growth of cancer cells than another. While all tea (green, oolong or black) contains antioxidant compounds called catechins that protect against cancer (especially of the lung, breast, colon, stomach and skin) by neutralizing free radicals, green tea contains about 7 times more catechins than black tea. Green tea also has unique catechins that block an enzyme involved in breast, prostate and colon cancers. Green tea is 10 to 100 times stronger than black tea in blocking the growth of cancer cells. Catechins also prevent heart disease and stroke, primarily by defending against the harmful effects of artery-clogging LDL cholesterol.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Battling exercise "burnout."
To keep your enthusiasm up, it may pay to put a few exercises down for a while. Changing your exercise program every couple of months may help beat boredom. Besides, after a while, your body adapts to the exercise stressors your current program had introduced, and craves new challenges.
FAQ of the day:
What is a "serving?"
All the nutrition information on a food label is based on one serving, the amount most typically eaten of that food. For example, a serving of salad dressing is 2 tablespoons. These serving sizes are not necessarily the amount you eat at a typical meal. Take breakfast cereal. The box may define a serving as one cup, but if you typically pour twice as much into your bowl; that's two servings, which means you'll be taking in twice the calories listed. Always consider the portion size when you read the nutrition information on the label.
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Health Headlines - November 29
Safety Alert Issued for Off-Label Use of Breast Cancer Drug
The drug letrozole (brand name Femara), which is often prescribed as a fertility aid, may cause birth defects and miscarriages, according to a Health Canada safety alert issued Monday.
The drug is approved to treat breast cancer in post-menopausal women. However, doctors in Canada and the United States often prescribe letrozole "off-label" to promote ovulation as part of fertility treatments, Knight Ridder Newspapers reported.
Health Canada and drug maker Novartis sent letters to doctors in Canada warning them about unapproved off-label use of the drug. Copies of the letter were posted on Health Canada's Web site.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration hasn't instructed Novartis to alert U.S. doctors but the Swiss drug company plans to send cautionary letters to U.S. fertility specialists. The letters will remind them that the drug is approved only for treatment of breast cancer.
Novartis has received 13 reports of adverse reactions in women who were exposed to letrozole during pregnancy. Of those 13 reports, four involved harm to babies, Knight Ridder reported.
Eye-Drop Maker Required to Sign FDA Consent Order
Eye-drop maker MBI Distributing Inc. has signed a consent decree with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to stop making and distributing drugs until the company corrects manufacturing problems and other violations at its Benicia, Calif., facility.
Among other problems, MBI lacked manufacturing controls to ensure that its eye drops were sterile, the FDA said. MBI's eye-drop product line includes Oxydrops, Bright Eyes, Bright Eyes II, Clarity Vision for Life, Visitein, and Can-C. The company also makes several over-the-counter pain relievers, the federal agency said.
The FDA also determined that two of MBI's eye-drop brands, Visitein and Clarity Vision for Life, are unapproved drugs. In addition, three of MBI's pain relievers -- Biogesic, Bio-Ice, and Bio-Heat -- don't provide adequate warnings for their safe use, the agency said.
Consumers, health-care providers, and caregivers should dispose of these MBI eye drops and pain relievers, the FDA said. Any adverse events related to these products should be reported to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
High POP Exposure May Increase Diabetes Risk: Study
Exposure to high levels of toxic persistent organochlorine pollutants (POPs) may increase a person's risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, according to a Swedish study in the journal Environmental Health.
POPs include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and the insecticide DDT. Eating fatty fish such as salmon is the most likely source of POPs exposure, the study authors said.
The study of 196 fishermen and their wives found significantly higher signs of POPs in the blood of the 6 percent of the men and 5 percent of the women with Type 2 diabetes, BBC News reported.
According to previous research, POPs may impair the ability of the body's cells to take up glucose or may trigger responses that disrupt the body's ability to break down fats, the news service said.
Despite their findings, the study authors said people shouldn't be concerned about eating salmon and other fatty fish. The fishermen and their wives in this study had exceptionally high levels of POP exposure, BBC News reported.
10 Million People in China May Be Infected With HIV by 2010: WHO
Unless more is done to prevent the spread of HIV in China, about 10 million people in that country will be infected with the virus that causes AIDS by 2010, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Tuesday.
The warning accompanied the WHO's call for Asian governments to show stronger political will to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS, The Times of India reported.
Last year, about five million people worldwide were infected with HIV, bringing the global total to 45 million people living with the virus. More than 13,000 people around the world contract HIV every day, the agency said.
In China, HIV has spread to all 31 provinces and autonomous regions. Injected drug use is the main method of HIV transmission in China, the WHO said.
"We know what works and what doesn't. So why has the necessary action to prevent the virus from spreading not been taken? Why is the epidemic still growing and not reversing?" Shigeru Omi, WHO director for the Western Pacific region, said in a statement issued in advance of World AIDS Day on Thursday.
2 New Bird Flu Outbreaks in China
Two new outbreaks of H5N1 bird flu have been reported in China, bringing to 29 the total number of outbreaks in that country so far this year.
Laboratory tests confirmed that H5N1 was responsible for a Nov. 18 outbreak in Yongzhou city in central Hunan province and a Nov. 22 outbreak in Shanshan County in western Xinjiang province, Bloomberg news reported.
In the Hunan outbreak, 13,481 birds were culled within a three-kilometer radius of the infection site and 52,162 birds were culled in Xinjiang.
As of Nov. 25, China had reported three human cases of bird flu and two deaths. The virus has infected a total of 132 people in Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and China and killed 68 people in those countries, Bloomberg reported.
Studies Offer Evidence of 'Placebo Effect'
If your mind truly believes your medicines will work, they may actually have more of an effect in your body, according to numerous studies examining this so-called "placebo effect."
"Your expectations can have profound impacts on your brain and your health," Columbia University neuroscientist Tor Wager told the Associated Press.
It has long been believed that the placebo effect was psychological. However, new studies are offering direct evidence that the placebo effect is physical and that expectations of benefiting from treatment actually activate the same neurological healing pathways that are triggered by drugs.
One example is new research that suggests that a proven painkiller doesn't work as well once Alzheimer's disease robs people of the ability to expect that the painkiller will help them, the AP reported.
Another example involves Parkinson's disease patients who were given a placebo while researchers measured electrical activity of individual nerve cells in an area of the brain that controls movement.
After the Parkinson's patients received the placebo, there was a 40 percent decrease in the firing of these nerve cells that correlated with improvement in the patients' ability to move, the AP reported.
Health Tip: Don't Be Shocked
Injuries stemming from electric shock can lead to muscle, nerve and tissue damage, burns, and even cardiac arrest. Such injuries often are serious because the human body is an excellent conductor of electricity.
Duke University Medical Center says about 1,000 people die each year in the United States as a result of electric shock.
Here's a list of preventive tips:
Use child safety plugs in all outlets.
Keep electrical cords out of the reach of children.
Teach children about the dangers of electricity.
Follow manufacturer safety instructions when using electrical appliances.
Avoid using electrical appliances when wet.
Never touch electrical appliances while touching faucets or cold water pipes.
Health Tip: Keep That Cast Intact
Plaster or fiberglass casts protect injured bone and soft tissue while reducing pain, swelling and muscle spasms. But in order to work properly, it is important to keep the cast in good condition.
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons recommends keeping the cast dry, because moisture weakens the plaster and can cause skin irritation. Patients should also keep dirt, sand and powder away from the inside of the cast.
Although itchy skin is a common side effect of a cast, try not to scratch. Also avoid objects or powders to stop itching. Call your doctor if the itching persists, or the cast becomes cracked or soft in spots.
Food Fact:
Soymilky way.
A splash of soy milk on your breakfast cereal may help lower your cholesterol. According to the FDA, 25 grams of soy protein, or about four daily servings, is a good part of a dietary plan for a healthy heart. One cup of soymilk has 6.25 grams. Calcium-fortified soymilk is sold in supermarkets and whole foods stores. It's available in plain, vanilla, chocolate or strawberry flavors. Not all soymilk is calcium-fortified, however, so check labels. You can also use soymilk in custards, baked goods and other desserts -- just as you would with regular dairy milk.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Don't just stand -- stretch!
It's easy to fit stretching into your day; try these 3 tips. Practice some stretches while waiting in shopping lines. Simple neck and shoulder rolls are a great way to release stress and relax tight muscles. And make use of the stairs -- a great tool for stretching out your calves. How important is it to stretch? The American College of Sports Medicine has added stretching to its fitness recommendations.
FAQ of the day:
What's a Daily Value?
The Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) and a related number, the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs), are suggested intakes of nutrients based on age and sex. They do not appear on food labels, but they were used to develop the Daily Values you see on a label. The Daily Value is a single number for everyone that is set high enough to ensure that the vast majority of people get enough of each nutrient. It's the best general guide for the public.
The drug letrozole (brand name Femara), which is often prescribed as a fertility aid, may cause birth defects and miscarriages, according to a Health Canada safety alert issued Monday.
The drug is approved to treat breast cancer in post-menopausal women. However, doctors in Canada and the United States often prescribe letrozole "off-label" to promote ovulation as part of fertility treatments, Knight Ridder Newspapers reported.
Health Canada and drug maker Novartis sent letters to doctors in Canada warning them about unapproved off-label use of the drug. Copies of the letter were posted on Health Canada's Web site.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration hasn't instructed Novartis to alert U.S. doctors but the Swiss drug company plans to send cautionary letters to U.S. fertility specialists. The letters will remind them that the drug is approved only for treatment of breast cancer.
Novartis has received 13 reports of adverse reactions in women who were exposed to letrozole during pregnancy. Of those 13 reports, four involved harm to babies, Knight Ridder reported.
Eye-Drop Maker Required to Sign FDA Consent Order
Eye-drop maker MBI Distributing Inc. has signed a consent decree with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to stop making and distributing drugs until the company corrects manufacturing problems and other violations at its Benicia, Calif., facility.
Among other problems, MBI lacked manufacturing controls to ensure that its eye drops were sterile, the FDA said. MBI's eye-drop product line includes Oxydrops, Bright Eyes, Bright Eyes II, Clarity Vision for Life, Visitein, and Can-C. The company also makes several over-the-counter pain relievers, the federal agency said.
The FDA also determined that two of MBI's eye-drop brands, Visitein and Clarity Vision for Life, are unapproved drugs. In addition, three of MBI's pain relievers -- Biogesic, Bio-Ice, and Bio-Heat -- don't provide adequate warnings for their safe use, the agency said.
Consumers, health-care providers, and caregivers should dispose of these MBI eye drops and pain relievers, the FDA said. Any adverse events related to these products should be reported to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
High POP Exposure May Increase Diabetes Risk: Study
Exposure to high levels of toxic persistent organochlorine pollutants (POPs) may increase a person's risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, according to a Swedish study in the journal Environmental Health.
POPs include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and the insecticide DDT. Eating fatty fish such as salmon is the most likely source of POPs exposure, the study authors said.
The study of 196 fishermen and their wives found significantly higher signs of POPs in the blood of the 6 percent of the men and 5 percent of the women with Type 2 diabetes, BBC News reported.
According to previous research, POPs may impair the ability of the body's cells to take up glucose or may trigger responses that disrupt the body's ability to break down fats, the news service said.
Despite their findings, the study authors said people shouldn't be concerned about eating salmon and other fatty fish. The fishermen and their wives in this study had exceptionally high levels of POP exposure, BBC News reported.
10 Million People in China May Be Infected With HIV by 2010: WHO
Unless more is done to prevent the spread of HIV in China, about 10 million people in that country will be infected with the virus that causes AIDS by 2010, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Tuesday.
The warning accompanied the WHO's call for Asian governments to show stronger political will to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS, The Times of India reported.
Last year, about five million people worldwide were infected with HIV, bringing the global total to 45 million people living with the virus. More than 13,000 people around the world contract HIV every day, the agency said.
In China, HIV has spread to all 31 provinces and autonomous regions. Injected drug use is the main method of HIV transmission in China, the WHO said.
"We know what works and what doesn't. So why has the necessary action to prevent the virus from spreading not been taken? Why is the epidemic still growing and not reversing?" Shigeru Omi, WHO director for the Western Pacific region, said in a statement issued in advance of World AIDS Day on Thursday.
2 New Bird Flu Outbreaks in China
Two new outbreaks of H5N1 bird flu have been reported in China, bringing to 29 the total number of outbreaks in that country so far this year.
Laboratory tests confirmed that H5N1 was responsible for a Nov. 18 outbreak in Yongzhou city in central Hunan province and a Nov. 22 outbreak in Shanshan County in western Xinjiang province, Bloomberg news reported.
In the Hunan outbreak, 13,481 birds were culled within a three-kilometer radius of the infection site and 52,162 birds were culled in Xinjiang.
As of Nov. 25, China had reported three human cases of bird flu and two deaths. The virus has infected a total of 132 people in Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and China and killed 68 people in those countries, Bloomberg reported.
Studies Offer Evidence of 'Placebo Effect'
If your mind truly believes your medicines will work, they may actually have more of an effect in your body, according to numerous studies examining this so-called "placebo effect."
"Your expectations can have profound impacts on your brain and your health," Columbia University neuroscientist Tor Wager told the Associated Press.
It has long been believed that the placebo effect was psychological. However, new studies are offering direct evidence that the placebo effect is physical and that expectations of benefiting from treatment actually activate the same neurological healing pathways that are triggered by drugs.
One example is new research that suggests that a proven painkiller doesn't work as well once Alzheimer's disease robs people of the ability to expect that the painkiller will help them, the AP reported.
Another example involves Parkinson's disease patients who were given a placebo while researchers measured electrical activity of individual nerve cells in an area of the brain that controls movement.
After the Parkinson's patients received the placebo, there was a 40 percent decrease in the firing of these nerve cells that correlated with improvement in the patients' ability to move, the AP reported.
Health Tip: Don't Be Shocked
Injuries stemming from electric shock can lead to muscle, nerve and tissue damage, burns, and even cardiac arrest. Such injuries often are serious because the human body is an excellent conductor of electricity.
Duke University Medical Center says about 1,000 people die each year in the United States as a result of electric shock.
Here's a list of preventive tips:
Use child safety plugs in all outlets.
Keep electrical cords out of the reach of children.
Teach children about the dangers of electricity.
Follow manufacturer safety instructions when using electrical appliances.
Avoid using electrical appliances when wet.
Never touch electrical appliances while touching faucets or cold water pipes.
Health Tip: Keep That Cast Intact
Plaster or fiberglass casts protect injured bone and soft tissue while reducing pain, swelling and muscle spasms. But in order to work properly, it is important to keep the cast in good condition.
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons recommends keeping the cast dry, because moisture weakens the plaster and can cause skin irritation. Patients should also keep dirt, sand and powder away from the inside of the cast.
Although itchy skin is a common side effect of a cast, try not to scratch. Also avoid objects or powders to stop itching. Call your doctor if the itching persists, or the cast becomes cracked or soft in spots.
Food Fact:
Soymilky way.
A splash of soy milk on your breakfast cereal may help lower your cholesterol. According to the FDA, 25 grams of soy protein, or about four daily servings, is a good part of a dietary plan for a healthy heart. One cup of soymilk has 6.25 grams. Calcium-fortified soymilk is sold in supermarkets and whole foods stores. It's available in plain, vanilla, chocolate or strawberry flavors. Not all soymilk is calcium-fortified, however, so check labels. You can also use soymilk in custards, baked goods and other desserts -- just as you would with regular dairy milk.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Don't just stand -- stretch!
It's easy to fit stretching into your day; try these 3 tips. Practice some stretches while waiting in shopping lines. Simple neck and shoulder rolls are a great way to release stress and relax tight muscles. And make use of the stairs -- a great tool for stretching out your calves. How important is it to stretch? The American College of Sports Medicine has added stretching to its fitness recommendations.
FAQ of the day:
What's a Daily Value?
The Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) and a related number, the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs), are suggested intakes of nutrients based on age and sex. They do not appear on food labels, but they were used to develop the Daily Values you see on a label. The Daily Value is a single number for everyone that is set high enough to ensure that the vast majority of people get enough of each nutrient. It's the best general guide for the public.
Monday, November 28, 2005
Heart Association Offers CPR Guidelines
Updating the way everyday people do CPR, new recommendations urge many more chest compressions for victims of cardiac arrest.
The revised guidelines issued Monday by the American Heart Association on cardiopulmonary resuscitation advise giving 30 chest compressions -— instead of 15 -— for every two rescue breaths.
"Basically, the more times someone pushes on the chest, the better off the patient is," said Dr. Michael Sayre, an Ohio State University emergency medicine professor who helped develop the new guidelines.
"When you stop compressions, blood flow stops," said Mary Fran Hazinski, a clinical nurse specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center who also helped develop the guidelines.
"You have to make up for that lost ground," she said. "We think that the fewer the interruptions, the better for blood flow."
The guidelines also recommend cooling cardiac arrest patients for 12 to 24 hours to about 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Two significant studies have shown that practice can improve survival and brain function for those who are comatose after initial resuscitation.
More than 300,000 Americans die each year of cardiac arrest, when the heart suddenly stops beating. The heart association estimates that more than 95 percent of cardiac arrest victims die before they get to the hospital.
Studies show that the chest compressions create more blood flow through the heart to the rest of the body, buying time until a defibrillator can be used or the heart can pump blood on its own. Studies have also shown that blood circulation increases with each chest compression and must be built back up after an interruption, the association says in its online journal Circulation.
The new guidelines also cut down on the number of times a rescuer needs to use a defibrillator and they advise rescuers not to stop after giving two rescue breaths to check for signs of circulation before starting compressions. The bottom line advice is to focus on the chest compressions.
Instead of applying the defibrillator pads up to three times before beginning CPR, the guidelines advise rescuers to just give one shock and then do two minutes of CPR beginning with chest compressions before trying the defibrillator again.
Studies show that the first shock works more than 85 percent of the time.
Defibrillators have been popping up in public places like airports and businesses, but the heart association says that more public places need to install the devices. Survival rates have been as high as 49 to 74 percent for lay rescuer programs when defibrillators are placed in casinos, airports or used by police.
The guidelines also urge that 911 operators be trained to provide CPR instructions by phone.
"For the bystander that witnesses a collapse, the main danger is inaction," Sayre said. "We believe there is very little downside to trying to attempt a resuscitation."
According to the heart association, about 75 percent to 80 percent of all cardiac arrests outside a hospital happen at home, and effective CPR can double a victim's chance of survival.
Sudden cardiac arrest can occur after a heart attack or as a result of electrocution or near-drowning. It's most often caused by an abnormal heart rhythm. The person experiencing it collapses, is unresponsive to gentle shaking and stops normal breathing.
"The most common reason many people die from cardiac arrest is no one nearby knows CPR," Sayre said.
The new guidelines provide an opportunity for those who have taken CPR in the past to take a refresher course, said Dr. Ahamed Idris, professor of surgery and medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.
"I think it's a good idea for people to take CPR lessons at least every couple of years," said Idris, also involved in creating the guidelines.
Hazinski said that she expects the new guidelines will be disseminated over the next few months to those who teach CPR.
The heart association says that currently about 9 million Americans a year are trained in CPR, but the association has a goal of more than doubling that number in the next five years to 20 million.
"The bottom line is we think more people need to learn CPR," Hazinski said. "We have more and more evidence that good CPR works. We're doing our best to increase the number of bystanders that learn CPR."
The revised guidelines issued Monday by the American Heart Association on cardiopulmonary resuscitation advise giving 30 chest compressions -— instead of 15 -— for every two rescue breaths.
"Basically, the more times someone pushes on the chest, the better off the patient is," said Dr. Michael Sayre, an Ohio State University emergency medicine professor who helped develop the new guidelines.
"When you stop compressions, blood flow stops," said Mary Fran Hazinski, a clinical nurse specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center who also helped develop the guidelines.
"You have to make up for that lost ground," she said. "We think that the fewer the interruptions, the better for blood flow."
The guidelines also recommend cooling cardiac arrest patients for 12 to 24 hours to about 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Two significant studies have shown that practice can improve survival and brain function for those who are comatose after initial resuscitation.
More than 300,000 Americans die each year of cardiac arrest, when the heart suddenly stops beating. The heart association estimates that more than 95 percent of cardiac arrest victims die before they get to the hospital.
Studies show that the chest compressions create more blood flow through the heart to the rest of the body, buying time until a defibrillator can be used or the heart can pump blood on its own. Studies have also shown that blood circulation increases with each chest compression and must be built back up after an interruption, the association says in its online journal Circulation.
The new guidelines also cut down on the number of times a rescuer needs to use a defibrillator and they advise rescuers not to stop after giving two rescue breaths to check for signs of circulation before starting compressions. The bottom line advice is to focus on the chest compressions.
Instead of applying the defibrillator pads up to three times before beginning CPR, the guidelines advise rescuers to just give one shock and then do two minutes of CPR beginning with chest compressions before trying the defibrillator again.
Studies show that the first shock works more than 85 percent of the time.
Defibrillators have been popping up in public places like airports and businesses, but the heart association says that more public places need to install the devices. Survival rates have been as high as 49 to 74 percent for lay rescuer programs when defibrillators are placed in casinos, airports or used by police.
The guidelines also urge that 911 operators be trained to provide CPR instructions by phone.
"For the bystander that witnesses a collapse, the main danger is inaction," Sayre said. "We believe there is very little downside to trying to attempt a resuscitation."
According to the heart association, about 75 percent to 80 percent of all cardiac arrests outside a hospital happen at home, and effective CPR can double a victim's chance of survival.
Sudden cardiac arrest can occur after a heart attack or as a result of electrocution or near-drowning. It's most often caused by an abnormal heart rhythm. The person experiencing it collapses, is unresponsive to gentle shaking and stops normal breathing.
"The most common reason many people die from cardiac arrest is no one nearby knows CPR," Sayre said.
The new guidelines provide an opportunity for those who have taken CPR in the past to take a refresher course, said Dr. Ahamed Idris, professor of surgery and medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.
"I think it's a good idea for people to take CPR lessons at least every couple of years," said Idris, also involved in creating the guidelines.
Hazinski said that she expects the new guidelines will be disseminated over the next few months to those who teach CPR.
The heart association says that currently about 9 million Americans a year are trained in CPR, but the association has a goal of more than doubling that number in the next five years to 20 million.
"The bottom line is we think more people need to learn CPR," Hazinski said. "We have more and more evidence that good CPR works. We're doing our best to increase the number of bystanders that learn CPR."
Health Headlines - November 28
Merck Suffers Vioxx Lawsuits Setback
A U.S. district judge's pretrial ruling against drug maker Merck & Co. means a tougher fight for the company in thousands of lawsuits involving its withdrawn painkiller Vioxx.
The Nov. 16 ruling affects the first federal trial of Vioxx, scheduled to begin Tuesday in Houston. U.S. District Judge Eldon Fallon ruled that plaintiff lawyers in the case may present evidence that brief use of Vioxx may trigger heart attacks and strokes, the Associated Press reported.
The judge rejected Merck's motion to throw out the case due to insufficient evidence. The case involves a 53-year-old Florida man who died of a heart attack after being on Vioxx for about a month.
This ruling blocks Merck's attempt to avoid having to fight thousands of federal lawsuits involving short-term use of Vioxx, legal experts said.
"It leaves Merck stuck with every dad-gum one of those cases," Houston lawyer Mark Lanier told the AP. In August, Lanier won a $253.4 million verdict for the widow of man who was a short-term user of Vioxx.
Merck has vowed to fight thousands of Vioxx liability lawsuits one by one. More lawsuits are being filed against the company. There were at least 7,875 as of last Wednesday, the AP reported.
Merck, meanwhile, announced Monday that it planned to slash 7,000 jobs, 11 percent of its workforce, and close or sell five factories worldwide in an effort to cut production costs and reduce the time it takes to get new products on the market, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Bird Flu Virus Mutating in China
Compared to cases in Vietnam, the H5N1 bird flu virus in humans in China has mutated, according to laboratory tests.
The genetic order of the H5N1 virus found in people infected in China is different than that found in people in Vietnam. A Chinese health ministry spokesman said the H5N1 virus in humans in China had mutated "to a certain degree," Agence France Presse reported.
However, this mutation cannot cause human-to-human transmission of the virus, the health ministry spokesman said. Health officials around the world are worried about the possibility of the virus mutating into a form that can pass easily from person to person.
So far, bird flu has killed more than 60 people in Asia since 2003.
In related news, Indonesia announced that it will establish a nationwide bird flu monitoring system. It will involve millions of people in the nation's more than 400,000 villages, AFP reported.
At least five people in each village will monitor any cases of bird flu among birds and humans in order to ensure quick reporting of any cases. The plan also involves training doctors to handle bird flu cases.
Special Straw Eases Antibiotic Use for Children
It may not be a spoonful of sugar, but a specially designed drinking straw for children may, indeed, help the medicine go down.
The Clarosip straw, made by a German company, contains granules of an antibiotic with a coating that has a neutral taste. The antibiotic is released when a child uses the straw to drink his or her favorite beverage, BBC News reported.
The straw has a filter that indicates when the child has taken the entire dose of the clarithromycin antibiotic. The straw can be used with many kinds of hot or cold beverages, including cola. However, juices with pulp can't be used with the straw.
The tasteless coating on the antibiotic is designed to dissolve once it's in the stomach. Children need to swallow the beverage immediately so that the coating doesn't dissolve in the mouth and release the bitter taste of the antibiotic, BBC News reported.
Entire Lesotho Population Offered HIV/AIDS Screening Tests
The entire population of the African kingdom of Lesotho will be offered HIV screening tests and even the King will is expected to take part, The Times of London reported.
The country will announce this week a $12 million HIV screening program for its 1.9 million people. Lesotho, which is located within South Africa, has one of the highest HIV/AIDS rates, with an adult infection rate of nearly 30 percent.
If he goes ahead with the screening, King Letsie III will be the first monarch to take an HIV test in public. Such a move is regarded as critical in reducing the stigma associated with HIV in much of Africa, The Times reported.
The testing program will be coordinated by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Lesotho's Health Ministry and is designed so that all people over age 12 will know their HIV status by the end of 2007.
It's hoped that Lesotho's screening effort will be a blueprint for other nations devastated by HIV/AIDS.
"This will be a major step forward. If we have 80 or 90 percent uptake of testing, which we believe we can, it will be a hugely effective way of reducing the rise in HIV infection. It could have as important an impact as a moderately effective vaccine," Dr. Jim Yong Kim, director of the WHO's HIV/AIDS department, told The Times.
In related news, Kim apologized for his program's failure to meet a global target for HIV treatment. The goal was to get three million people in poor nations on HIV drugs by the end of 2005, but that target will not be met, BBC News reported.
Mental Health Screening Urged for Infants
About 10 percent of children ages 2 to 5 have a serious psychiatric illness, but most of those cases are not diagnosed, says a Duke University Medical Center researcher who urged mental health checks for infants.
Adrian Angold, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, studied 307 children in this age group and found that one in 10 had obvious symptoms of psychiatric illnesses, including anxiety, depression, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, BBC News reported.
That rate is similar to that of older children and suggests that these psychiatric illnesses begin early in life, perhaps even in the womb, Angold said. He said it's essential to screen for and treat these disorders in babies and small children. Waiting until later in childhood or adulthood is too late and causes unnecessary distress and suffering, he said.
Angold presented the findings from the study at an Institute of Psychiatry meeting in London, England.
Food Fact:
Tater gallery.
A surprisingly small serving of sweet potatoes meets your entire daily needs for vitamin E. Most vitamin E-rich foods, such as vegetable oils, nuts and avocados, contain a hefty dose of fat, but just 2/3 cup of sweet potatoes provides 100% of your daily vitamin E needs, and it's virtually fat-free. A medium sweet potato has just 118 calories, and its orange-hued flesh is rich in cancer-fighting beta carotene. Sweet potatoes also contain vitamin B6, potassium, iron and fiber -- pop one in the microwave for a great late afternoon snack.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Don't discount fitness.
Can't fit exercise into your schedule? Here's how to exercise when you shop, and buy a little extra time! Mall walking makes exercise feel less like a chore and more a part of daily life. When the weather is bad walk laps with a friend around your area mall -- a great cardiovascular workout. To find a mall-walking program in your area, contact the management office of your local mall.
FAQ of the day:
Why do food labels say "Less than" for some nutrients?
Eating too much of certain nutrients -- total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium -- may increase your risk of developing heart disease, so their Daily Value is given as an upper limit not to be exceeded, rather than an amount you should try to achieve. There's no problem if you exceed the Daily Value for fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, iron or calcium.
Health Tip: Be Careful Shoveling Snow
Although shoveling snow can count as moderate-to-heavy physical activity, studies show it can cause a quick rise in heart rate and blood pressure, increasing the risk of heart attack in some people.
Here's a list of people who should limit or avoid shoveling snow, courtesy of North Dakota State University:
Anyone who has had a heart attack or heart disease.
People with high blood pressure or high cholesterol.
Smokers.
Those who lead a sedentary lifestyle.
If you must shovel snow, dress in warm layers, avoid caffeine before beginning, stretch your muscles beforehand, and begin slowly. Shovelers should always pace themselves and listen to their bodies to know when to stop.
Health Tip: Snowboard Safely
Snowboarding may look cool and be lots of fun, but don't be fooled by the fluffy white stuff. You can end up badly hurt if you don't take the right precautions.
The American Academy of Family Physicians says the right equipment is paramount to avoiding injury.
Most snowboard injuries occur on the hands, wrists, buttocks and head. To protect the wrists, wear well-made wrist guards and make fists as you snowboard to reduce the possibility of injury to open hands.
And be sure to wear a helmet, especially while learning, racing and navigating unfamiliar trails.
A U.S. district judge's pretrial ruling against drug maker Merck & Co. means a tougher fight for the company in thousands of lawsuits involving its withdrawn painkiller Vioxx.
The Nov. 16 ruling affects the first federal trial of Vioxx, scheduled to begin Tuesday in Houston. U.S. District Judge Eldon Fallon ruled that plaintiff lawyers in the case may present evidence that brief use of Vioxx may trigger heart attacks and strokes, the Associated Press reported.
The judge rejected Merck's motion to throw out the case due to insufficient evidence. The case involves a 53-year-old Florida man who died of a heart attack after being on Vioxx for about a month.
This ruling blocks Merck's attempt to avoid having to fight thousands of federal lawsuits involving short-term use of Vioxx, legal experts said.
"It leaves Merck stuck with every dad-gum one of those cases," Houston lawyer Mark Lanier told the AP. In August, Lanier won a $253.4 million verdict for the widow of man who was a short-term user of Vioxx.
Merck has vowed to fight thousands of Vioxx liability lawsuits one by one. More lawsuits are being filed against the company. There were at least 7,875 as of last Wednesday, the AP reported.
Merck, meanwhile, announced Monday that it planned to slash 7,000 jobs, 11 percent of its workforce, and close or sell five factories worldwide in an effort to cut production costs and reduce the time it takes to get new products on the market, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Bird Flu Virus Mutating in China
Compared to cases in Vietnam, the H5N1 bird flu virus in humans in China has mutated, according to laboratory tests.
The genetic order of the H5N1 virus found in people infected in China is different than that found in people in Vietnam. A Chinese health ministry spokesman said the H5N1 virus in humans in China had mutated "to a certain degree," Agence France Presse reported.
However, this mutation cannot cause human-to-human transmission of the virus, the health ministry spokesman said. Health officials around the world are worried about the possibility of the virus mutating into a form that can pass easily from person to person.
So far, bird flu has killed more than 60 people in Asia since 2003.
In related news, Indonesia announced that it will establish a nationwide bird flu monitoring system. It will involve millions of people in the nation's more than 400,000 villages, AFP reported.
At least five people in each village will monitor any cases of bird flu among birds and humans in order to ensure quick reporting of any cases. The plan also involves training doctors to handle bird flu cases.
Special Straw Eases Antibiotic Use for Children
It may not be a spoonful of sugar, but a specially designed drinking straw for children may, indeed, help the medicine go down.
The Clarosip straw, made by a German company, contains granules of an antibiotic with a coating that has a neutral taste. The antibiotic is released when a child uses the straw to drink his or her favorite beverage, BBC News reported.
The straw has a filter that indicates when the child has taken the entire dose of the clarithromycin antibiotic. The straw can be used with many kinds of hot or cold beverages, including cola. However, juices with pulp can't be used with the straw.
The tasteless coating on the antibiotic is designed to dissolve once it's in the stomach. Children need to swallow the beverage immediately so that the coating doesn't dissolve in the mouth and release the bitter taste of the antibiotic, BBC News reported.
Entire Lesotho Population Offered HIV/AIDS Screening Tests
The entire population of the African kingdom of Lesotho will be offered HIV screening tests and even the King will is expected to take part, The Times of London reported.
The country will announce this week a $12 million HIV screening program for its 1.9 million people. Lesotho, which is located within South Africa, has one of the highest HIV/AIDS rates, with an adult infection rate of nearly 30 percent.
If he goes ahead with the screening, King Letsie III will be the first monarch to take an HIV test in public. Such a move is regarded as critical in reducing the stigma associated with HIV in much of Africa, The Times reported.
The testing program will be coordinated by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Lesotho's Health Ministry and is designed so that all people over age 12 will know their HIV status by the end of 2007.
It's hoped that Lesotho's screening effort will be a blueprint for other nations devastated by HIV/AIDS.
"This will be a major step forward. If we have 80 or 90 percent uptake of testing, which we believe we can, it will be a hugely effective way of reducing the rise in HIV infection. It could have as important an impact as a moderately effective vaccine," Dr. Jim Yong Kim, director of the WHO's HIV/AIDS department, told The Times.
In related news, Kim apologized for his program's failure to meet a global target for HIV treatment. The goal was to get three million people in poor nations on HIV drugs by the end of 2005, but that target will not be met, BBC News reported.
Mental Health Screening Urged for Infants
About 10 percent of children ages 2 to 5 have a serious psychiatric illness, but most of those cases are not diagnosed, says a Duke University Medical Center researcher who urged mental health checks for infants.
Adrian Angold, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, studied 307 children in this age group and found that one in 10 had obvious symptoms of psychiatric illnesses, including anxiety, depression, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, BBC News reported.
That rate is similar to that of older children and suggests that these psychiatric illnesses begin early in life, perhaps even in the womb, Angold said. He said it's essential to screen for and treat these disorders in babies and small children. Waiting until later in childhood or adulthood is too late and causes unnecessary distress and suffering, he said.
Angold presented the findings from the study at an Institute of Psychiatry meeting in London, England.
Food Fact:
Tater gallery.
A surprisingly small serving of sweet potatoes meets your entire daily needs for vitamin E. Most vitamin E-rich foods, such as vegetable oils, nuts and avocados, contain a hefty dose of fat, but just 2/3 cup of sweet potatoes provides 100% of your daily vitamin E needs, and it's virtually fat-free. A medium sweet potato has just 118 calories, and its orange-hued flesh is rich in cancer-fighting beta carotene. Sweet potatoes also contain vitamin B6, potassium, iron and fiber -- pop one in the microwave for a great late afternoon snack.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Don't discount fitness.
Can't fit exercise into your schedule? Here's how to exercise when you shop, and buy a little extra time! Mall walking makes exercise feel less like a chore and more a part of daily life. When the weather is bad walk laps with a friend around your area mall -- a great cardiovascular workout. To find a mall-walking program in your area, contact the management office of your local mall.
FAQ of the day:
Why do food labels say "Less than" for some nutrients?
Eating too much of certain nutrients -- total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium -- may increase your risk of developing heart disease, so their Daily Value is given as an upper limit not to be exceeded, rather than an amount you should try to achieve. There's no problem if you exceed the Daily Value for fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, iron or calcium.
Health Tip: Be Careful Shoveling Snow
Although shoveling snow can count as moderate-to-heavy physical activity, studies show it can cause a quick rise in heart rate and blood pressure, increasing the risk of heart attack in some people.
Here's a list of people who should limit or avoid shoveling snow, courtesy of North Dakota State University:
Anyone who has had a heart attack or heart disease.
People with high blood pressure or high cholesterol.
Smokers.
Those who lead a sedentary lifestyle.
If you must shovel snow, dress in warm layers, avoid caffeine before beginning, stretch your muscles beforehand, and begin slowly. Shovelers should always pace themselves and listen to their bodies to know when to stop.
Health Tip: Snowboard Safely
Snowboarding may look cool and be lots of fun, but don't be fooled by the fluffy white stuff. You can end up badly hurt if you don't take the right precautions.
The American Academy of Family Physicians says the right equipment is paramount to avoiding injury.
Most snowboard injuries occur on the hands, wrists, buttocks and head. To protect the wrists, wear well-made wrist guards and make fists as you snowboard to reduce the possibility of injury to open hands.
And be sure to wear a helmet, especially while learning, racing and navigating unfamiliar trails.
Sunday, November 27, 2005
Health Headlines - November 27
U.S. Officials Probing Medicare Drug Plan Complaints
The marketing of Medicare's new prescription drug benefit has led to scores of complaints about aggressive and possibly illegal tactics used by some insurance companies and agents.
The New York Times reported that Medicare officials in the past few weeks have received complaints about uninvited door-to-door solicitation of business and misrepresentation of insurance products.
Federal and state officials said they also heard that some insurance agents have identified themselves as working for the Social Security Administration or the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and that some agents have asked beneficiaries for personal information like Social Security numbers and credit card or bank account numbers.
Officials were also investigating reports that some agents had offered cash payments to Medicare beneficiaries as an inducement to enroll in a prescription drug plan or a managed care plan.
"These steps are illegal, totally inappropriate and unacceptable," Patricia P. Smith, director of the Medicare Advantage Group at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, told the Times. "They not only endanger the beneficiary. They could endanger the program. This will draw the ire of people who are legitimately looking at the program to make sure beneficiaries are protected."
The new drug coverage, known as Part D, is available to 42 million people who are 65 and older or disabled. The benefit, which goes into effect Jan. 1, is heavily subsidized by the U.S. government but is offered through private health plans and insurers.
Christopher Eisenberg, director of health plan accountability at the Medicare agency, said the U.S. government had received "more than 100 complaints concerning misconduct by independent agents" marketing Medicare products.
Indonesia Reports New Human Bird Flu Infection
Indonesia reported a new human bird flu infection on Saturday, and Taiwan joined other Asian governments in announcing it wanted to produce the anti-viral drug Tamiflu to treat human infections.
The Indonesia announcement came a day after the health minister said her country will begin producing and stockpiling Tamiflu because of fears of a human epidemic, the Associated Press reported.
On Friday, the country had also announced outbreaks of bird flu in poultry throughout the capital, Jakarta. And authorities destroyed 400 fowl in an area of Jakarta near the home of a young girl who died from the disease. So far, avian flu has been spotted in 23 of Indonesia's 30 provinces and has killed seven people
Indonesian health officials on Saturday confirmed that a 16-year-old boy had tested positive for the H5N1 strain of the virus, bringing to 12 the number of human cases reported in the country.
A senior Health Ministry official said the boy, from the town of Bandung, 90 miles south of Jakarta, probably had contact with infected chickens.
At least 68 people have died from the virus in Asia since 2003, most in Vietnam. Almost all cases have been linked to contact with infected poultry.
Indonesia and Vietnam, meanwhile, have secured permission from Swiss-based drug manufacturer Roche Holding AG to make Tamiflu, while other countries are in talks with the company.
In Japan, officials announced Friday that they are preparing a bird flu vaccine prototype. The prototype could help speed the development of a human vaccine should the H5N1 virus mutate into a form that could pass between humans, Tomohiko Arai, head of a government panel on science, told the AP.
Salmonella Outbreak Prompts Ontario Bean Sprouts Recall
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has ordered a province-wide recall of all mung bean sprout products distributed by a Toronto-based manufacturer after a salmonella outbreak affecting hundreds was linked to the vegetable.
The recall order was issued after 15 Kingston residents developed salmonella poisoning after eating the sprouts.
Toronto Sun Wah Trading, Inc. (also known as Hollend Enterprises, Inc.) has recalled all mung bean sprout products from grocery store shelves, distributors and restaurants, the Toronto Star reported.
Dr. Sheela Basrur, Ontarios chief medical officer of health, confirmed the province is experiencing an outbreak of salmonella. Since the beginning of November, there have been 269 cases of laboratory-confirmed cases of salmonella poisoning throughout the province, and the number is increasing.
A spokesperson for the Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors, which supplies about 85 per cent of groceries on shelves to more than 25,000 grocery stores across the country, said all member stores and distribution centers pulled all bean sprout products off their shelves even before a province-wide recall was issued.
Salmonella poisoning, which can spread from person-to-person, can spawn numerous symptoms including diarrhea, nausea and fever. The bacteria, which can be found in the intestines of poultry and cattle, can contaminate food if it comes in contact with unclean water, animal manure or an infected food handler.
Study: CO2 Levels Highest in 650,000 Years
Tiny air bubbles preserved in Antarctic ice going back millennia suggest levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide are higher now than at any time over the past 650,000 years, researchers say.
Increasing levels of carbon dioxide and other "greenhouse gases" that trap the sun's heat are thought to be caused by human activity and are the main cause of global warming.
"There's no natural condition that we know about in a really long time where the greenhouse gas levels were anywhere near what they are now," geosciences expert Edward Brook, of Oregon State University, told the Associated Press.
The new data was conducted by the European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica and published Friday in the journal Science.
While skeptics have dismissed recent warming as part of the "natural cycle," the ice samples suggest today's warming trend is "over a factor of a hundred faster than anything we are seeing in the natural cycles," researcher Thomas Stocker of the University of Bern, Switzerland, told the AP.
Food Fact:
Sounds shellfishy...
Think you should avoid shrimp because it's high in cholesterol? Think again... All shellfish are low in fat, have almost no saturated fat, and fit squarely into a heart-healthy diet when boiled, steamed, grilled or pan-seared. The one no-no is ordering it fried, which boosts the fat totals way higher than they need to be.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Carry that weight?
How much should you be lifting? Here's a good rule of thumb. When you can perform 12 to 15 reps using excellent form, it's time to increase the weight used by 5%. In weight training, always use weights you can handle. Remember, we are training our bodies not our egos.
FAQ of the day:
What are the most cancer-protective vegetables?
In population surveys, the following categories seem to be the the most cancer-protective: Raw vegetables, alliums (onions, garlic), carrots, green vegetables, cruciferous vegetables and tomatoes.
The marketing of Medicare's new prescription drug benefit has led to scores of complaints about aggressive and possibly illegal tactics used by some insurance companies and agents.
The New York Times reported that Medicare officials in the past few weeks have received complaints about uninvited door-to-door solicitation of business and misrepresentation of insurance products.
Federal and state officials said they also heard that some insurance agents have identified themselves as working for the Social Security Administration or the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and that some agents have asked beneficiaries for personal information like Social Security numbers and credit card or bank account numbers.
Officials were also investigating reports that some agents had offered cash payments to Medicare beneficiaries as an inducement to enroll in a prescription drug plan or a managed care plan.
"These steps are illegal, totally inappropriate and unacceptable," Patricia P. Smith, director of the Medicare Advantage Group at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, told the Times. "They not only endanger the beneficiary. They could endanger the program. This will draw the ire of people who are legitimately looking at the program to make sure beneficiaries are protected."
The new drug coverage, known as Part D, is available to 42 million people who are 65 and older or disabled. The benefit, which goes into effect Jan. 1, is heavily subsidized by the U.S. government but is offered through private health plans and insurers.
Christopher Eisenberg, director of health plan accountability at the Medicare agency, said the U.S. government had received "more than 100 complaints concerning misconduct by independent agents" marketing Medicare products.
Indonesia Reports New Human Bird Flu Infection
Indonesia reported a new human bird flu infection on Saturday, and Taiwan joined other Asian governments in announcing it wanted to produce the anti-viral drug Tamiflu to treat human infections.
The Indonesia announcement came a day after the health minister said her country will begin producing and stockpiling Tamiflu because of fears of a human epidemic, the Associated Press reported.
On Friday, the country had also announced outbreaks of bird flu in poultry throughout the capital, Jakarta. And authorities destroyed 400 fowl in an area of Jakarta near the home of a young girl who died from the disease. So far, avian flu has been spotted in 23 of Indonesia's 30 provinces and has killed seven people
Indonesian health officials on Saturday confirmed that a 16-year-old boy had tested positive for the H5N1 strain of the virus, bringing to 12 the number of human cases reported in the country.
A senior Health Ministry official said the boy, from the town of Bandung, 90 miles south of Jakarta, probably had contact with infected chickens.
At least 68 people have died from the virus in Asia since 2003, most in Vietnam. Almost all cases have been linked to contact with infected poultry.
Indonesia and Vietnam, meanwhile, have secured permission from Swiss-based drug manufacturer Roche Holding AG to make Tamiflu, while other countries are in talks with the company.
In Japan, officials announced Friday that they are preparing a bird flu vaccine prototype. The prototype could help speed the development of a human vaccine should the H5N1 virus mutate into a form that could pass between humans, Tomohiko Arai, head of a government panel on science, told the AP.
Salmonella Outbreak Prompts Ontario Bean Sprouts Recall
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has ordered a province-wide recall of all mung bean sprout products distributed by a Toronto-based manufacturer after a salmonella outbreak affecting hundreds was linked to the vegetable.
The recall order was issued after 15 Kingston residents developed salmonella poisoning after eating the sprouts.
Toronto Sun Wah Trading, Inc. (also known as Hollend Enterprises, Inc.) has recalled all mung bean sprout products from grocery store shelves, distributors and restaurants, the Toronto Star reported.
Dr. Sheela Basrur, Ontarios chief medical officer of health, confirmed the province is experiencing an outbreak of salmonella. Since the beginning of November, there have been 269 cases of laboratory-confirmed cases of salmonella poisoning throughout the province, and the number is increasing.
A spokesperson for the Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors, which supplies about 85 per cent of groceries on shelves to more than 25,000 grocery stores across the country, said all member stores and distribution centers pulled all bean sprout products off their shelves even before a province-wide recall was issued.
Salmonella poisoning, which can spread from person-to-person, can spawn numerous symptoms including diarrhea, nausea and fever. The bacteria, which can be found in the intestines of poultry and cattle, can contaminate food if it comes in contact with unclean water, animal manure or an infected food handler.
Study: CO2 Levels Highest in 650,000 Years
Tiny air bubbles preserved in Antarctic ice going back millennia suggest levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide are higher now than at any time over the past 650,000 years, researchers say.
Increasing levels of carbon dioxide and other "greenhouse gases" that trap the sun's heat are thought to be caused by human activity and are the main cause of global warming.
"There's no natural condition that we know about in a really long time where the greenhouse gas levels were anywhere near what they are now," geosciences expert Edward Brook, of Oregon State University, told the Associated Press.
The new data was conducted by the European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica and published Friday in the journal Science.
While skeptics have dismissed recent warming as part of the "natural cycle," the ice samples suggest today's warming trend is "over a factor of a hundred faster than anything we are seeing in the natural cycles," researcher Thomas Stocker of the University of Bern, Switzerland, told the AP.
Food Fact:
Sounds shellfishy...
Think you should avoid shrimp because it's high in cholesterol? Think again... All shellfish are low in fat, have almost no saturated fat, and fit squarely into a heart-healthy diet when boiled, steamed, grilled or pan-seared. The one no-no is ordering it fried, which boosts the fat totals way higher than they need to be.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Carry that weight?
How much should you be lifting? Here's a good rule of thumb. When you can perform 12 to 15 reps using excellent form, it's time to increase the weight used by 5%. In weight training, always use weights you can handle. Remember, we are training our bodies not our egos.
FAQ of the day:
What are the most cancer-protective vegetables?
In population surveys, the following categories seem to be the the most cancer-protective: Raw vegetables, alliums (onions, garlic), carrots, green vegetables, cruciferous vegetables and tomatoes.
Saturday, November 26, 2005
Health Headlines - November 26
Indonesia Reports New Human Bird Flu Infection
Indonesia reported a new human bird flu infection on Saturday, and Taiwan joined other Asian governments in announcing it wanted to produce the anti-viral drug Tamiflu to treat human infections.
The Indonesia announcement came a day after the health minister said her country will begin producing and stockpiling Tamiflu because of fears of a human epidemic, the Associated Press reported.
On Friday, the country had also announced outbreaks of bird flu in poultry throughout the capital, Jakarta. And authorities destroyed 400 fowl in an area of Jakarta near the home of a young girl who died from the disease. So far, avian flu has been spotted in 23 of Indonesia's 30 provinces and has killed seven people
Indonesian health officials on Saturday confirmed that a 16-year-old boy had tested positive for the H5N1 strain of the virus, bringing to 12 the number of human cases reported in the country.
A senior Health Ministry official said the boy, from the town of Bandung, 90 miles south of Jakarta, probably had contact with infected chickens.
At least 68 people have died from the virus in Asia since 2003, most in Vietnam. Almost all cases have been linked to contact with infected poultry.
Indonesia and Vietnam, meanwhile, have secured permission from Swiss-based drug manufacturer Roche Holding AG to make Tamiflu, while other countries are in talks with the company.
In Japan, officials announced Friday that they are preparing a bird flu vaccine prototype. The prototype could help speed the development of a human vaccine should the H5N1 virus mutate into a form that could pass between humans, Tomohiko Arai, head of a government panel on science, told the AP.
Salmonella Outbreak Prompts Ontario Bean Sprouts Recall
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has ordered a province-wide recall of all mung bean sprout products distributed by a Toronto-based manufacturer after a salmonella outbreak affecting hundreds was linked to the vegetable.
The recall order was issued after 15 Kingston residents developed salmonella poisoning after eating the sprouts.
Toronto Sun Wah Trading, Inc. (also known as Hollend Enterprises, Inc.) has recalled all mung bean sprout products from grocery store shelves, distributors and restaurants, the Toronto Star reported.
Dr. Sheela Basrur, Ontarios chief medical officer of health, confirmed the province is experiencing an outbreak of salmonella. Since the beginning of November, there have been 269 cases of laboratory-confirmed cases of salmonella poisoning throughout the province, and the number is increasing.
A spokesperson for the Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors, which supplies about 85 per cent of groceries on shelves to more than 25,000 grocery stores across the country, said all member stores and distribution centers pulled all bean sprout products off their shelves even before a province-wide recall was issued.
Salmonella poisoning, which can spread from person-to-person, can spawn numerous symptoms including diarrhea, nausea and fever. The bacteria, which can be found in the intestines of poultry and cattle, can contaminate food if it comes in contact with unclean water, animal manure or an infected food handler.
Study: CO2 Levels Highest in 650,000 Years
Tiny air bubbles preserved in Antarctic ice going back millennia suggest levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide are higher now than at any time over the past 650,000 years, researchers say.
Increasing levels of carbon dioxide and other "greenhouse gases" that trap the sun's heat are thought to be caused by human activity and are the main cause of global warming.
"There's no natural condition that we know about in a really long time where the greenhouse gas levels were anywhere near what they are now," geosciences expert Edward Brook, of Oregon State University, told the Associated Press.
The new data was conducted by the European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica and published Friday in the journal Science.
While skeptics have dismissed recent warming as part of the "natural cycle," the ice samples suggest today's warming trend is "over a factor of a hundred faster than anything we are seeing in the natural cycles," researcher Thomas Stocker of the University of Bern, Switzerland, told the AP.
Florida Couple Awarded $60M After Hospital Negligence
A U.S. federal judge has awarded a record $60.9 million to a Florida couple whose son suffered serious brain damage during his birth at a Navy hospital two years ago, the Associated Press reported Friday.
Raiza Bravo and Oscar Rodriguez, a Navy serviceman, sued the federal government, claiming doctors at Mayport Naval Station obstetric clinic, in Mayport, Fla., waited too long to perform a Cesarean section to deliver their son, Kevin.
The 12-day trial ended with U.S. District Judge Jose A. Gonzalez ruling that the doctors and nurses who attended the child's birth were negligent.
The award is thought to be the largest ever made under the Federal Tort Claims Act, which covers suits filed by private citizens against negligent conduct by government employees.
"It's like a mix of feelings, it's been sweet and bitter," Bravo told the AP. "Nobody's going to bring back my son's life."
South Korea Stands By Disgraced Cloning Scientist
The South Korean government said on Friday it will continue to support cloning and stem cell scientist Hwang Woo-suk, who resigned his posts Thursday after admitting that eggs used in his research came from his own team of researchers.
Health Ministry official Kim Sung-soo said Hwang's group will receive another $3 million to continue its research until 2009. "We still believe it is crucial to build a srong infrastructure for stem cell research if South Korea is to produce a strong advance in the area," Kim told the Associated Press.
Hwang became a national hero in South Korea after helping to produce the world's first cloned human embryos.
"I am very sorry that I have to tell the public words that are too shameful and horrible," he said at a press conference in Seoul on Thursday.
International ethical standards forbid the use of ova from women working in a researcher's lab, due to concerns that these eggs might be given under duress.
The South Korean health ministry insists that female researchers donated their eggs without Hwang's knowledge and before the country passed new bioethics laws in January.
Suspicions as to the eggs' origins first arose late in 2004 when the journal Nature questioned Hwang, who denied at the time that the ova had come from his own researchers. Hwang now admits to lying to the journal.
The researcher -- who earlier this year created Snuppy, the world's first cloned dog -- said he will resign as chairman of the newly created World Stem Cell Hub, which was created to produce stem cell lines for research.
Food Fact:
Fillet buster.
When trying to decide on the freshest fish, a few simple rules will help end the debate. First, let your nose by your guide. Fresh fish should smell like seawater, not "fishy." Fillets should look moist, not slimy or dried out. Fish has a reputation as "brain food," and while eating it hasn't been shown to actually increase your IQ, it's certainly smart to eat fish often. Fish is a protein with little artery-clogging saturated fat. Lean, white-fleshed fish, such as cod or flounder, has about one gram of fat and 125 calories in a 4-oz. portion.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Exercise? It's in the bag.
Road trips won't stop you from exercising -- if you know what to pack. Find a little room in your suitcase for exercise tubes, a great compact tool for weight training and resistance exercises when away from home or your gym. If you travel a lot, ask a fitness pro to design an on-the-go exercise program.
FAQ of the day:
Why cut back on calories if I have diabetes?
Listen to your doctor. Cutting back on calories will improve your blood sugar, blood cholesterol profile and blood pressure -- classic signifiers of insulin resistance syndrome -- whether or not you lose weight. Even if you are eating only slightly more calories than you are burning each day, you are overloading your system, which is triggering an inherited tendency for Type 2 diabetes. If you continue to take in your current number of calories from middle age on, the imbalance will get worse, and your risk of heart disease will go up.
Indonesia reported a new human bird flu infection on Saturday, and Taiwan joined other Asian governments in announcing it wanted to produce the anti-viral drug Tamiflu to treat human infections.
The Indonesia announcement came a day after the health minister said her country will begin producing and stockpiling Tamiflu because of fears of a human epidemic, the Associated Press reported.
On Friday, the country had also announced outbreaks of bird flu in poultry throughout the capital, Jakarta. And authorities destroyed 400 fowl in an area of Jakarta near the home of a young girl who died from the disease. So far, avian flu has been spotted in 23 of Indonesia's 30 provinces and has killed seven people
Indonesian health officials on Saturday confirmed that a 16-year-old boy had tested positive for the H5N1 strain of the virus, bringing to 12 the number of human cases reported in the country.
A senior Health Ministry official said the boy, from the town of Bandung, 90 miles south of Jakarta, probably had contact with infected chickens.
At least 68 people have died from the virus in Asia since 2003, most in Vietnam. Almost all cases have been linked to contact with infected poultry.
Indonesia and Vietnam, meanwhile, have secured permission from Swiss-based drug manufacturer Roche Holding AG to make Tamiflu, while other countries are in talks with the company.
In Japan, officials announced Friday that they are preparing a bird flu vaccine prototype. The prototype could help speed the development of a human vaccine should the H5N1 virus mutate into a form that could pass between humans, Tomohiko Arai, head of a government panel on science, told the AP.
Salmonella Outbreak Prompts Ontario Bean Sprouts Recall
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has ordered a province-wide recall of all mung bean sprout products distributed by a Toronto-based manufacturer after a salmonella outbreak affecting hundreds was linked to the vegetable.
The recall order was issued after 15 Kingston residents developed salmonella poisoning after eating the sprouts.
Toronto Sun Wah Trading, Inc. (also known as Hollend Enterprises, Inc.) has recalled all mung bean sprout products from grocery store shelves, distributors and restaurants, the Toronto Star reported.
Dr. Sheela Basrur, Ontarios chief medical officer of health, confirmed the province is experiencing an outbreak of salmonella. Since the beginning of November, there have been 269 cases of laboratory-confirmed cases of salmonella poisoning throughout the province, and the number is increasing.
A spokesperson for the Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors, which supplies about 85 per cent of groceries on shelves to more than 25,000 grocery stores across the country, said all member stores and distribution centers pulled all bean sprout products off their shelves even before a province-wide recall was issued.
Salmonella poisoning, which can spread from person-to-person, can spawn numerous symptoms including diarrhea, nausea and fever. The bacteria, which can be found in the intestines of poultry and cattle, can contaminate food if it comes in contact with unclean water, animal manure or an infected food handler.
Study: CO2 Levels Highest in 650,000 Years
Tiny air bubbles preserved in Antarctic ice going back millennia suggest levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide are higher now than at any time over the past 650,000 years, researchers say.
Increasing levels of carbon dioxide and other "greenhouse gases" that trap the sun's heat are thought to be caused by human activity and are the main cause of global warming.
"There's no natural condition that we know about in a really long time where the greenhouse gas levels were anywhere near what they are now," geosciences expert Edward Brook, of Oregon State University, told the Associated Press.
The new data was conducted by the European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica and published Friday in the journal Science.
While skeptics have dismissed recent warming as part of the "natural cycle," the ice samples suggest today's warming trend is "over a factor of a hundred faster than anything we are seeing in the natural cycles," researcher Thomas Stocker of the University of Bern, Switzerland, told the AP.
Florida Couple Awarded $60M After Hospital Negligence
A U.S. federal judge has awarded a record $60.9 million to a Florida couple whose son suffered serious brain damage during his birth at a Navy hospital two years ago, the Associated Press reported Friday.
Raiza Bravo and Oscar Rodriguez, a Navy serviceman, sued the federal government, claiming doctors at Mayport Naval Station obstetric clinic, in Mayport, Fla., waited too long to perform a Cesarean section to deliver their son, Kevin.
The 12-day trial ended with U.S. District Judge Jose A. Gonzalez ruling that the doctors and nurses who attended the child's birth were negligent.
The award is thought to be the largest ever made under the Federal Tort Claims Act, which covers suits filed by private citizens against negligent conduct by government employees.
"It's like a mix of feelings, it's been sweet and bitter," Bravo told the AP. "Nobody's going to bring back my son's life."
South Korea Stands By Disgraced Cloning Scientist
The South Korean government said on Friday it will continue to support cloning and stem cell scientist Hwang Woo-suk, who resigned his posts Thursday after admitting that eggs used in his research came from his own team of researchers.
Health Ministry official Kim Sung-soo said Hwang's group will receive another $3 million to continue its research until 2009. "We still believe it is crucial to build a srong infrastructure for stem cell research if South Korea is to produce a strong advance in the area," Kim told the Associated Press.
Hwang became a national hero in South Korea after helping to produce the world's first cloned human embryos.
"I am very sorry that I have to tell the public words that are too shameful and horrible," he said at a press conference in Seoul on Thursday.
International ethical standards forbid the use of ova from women working in a researcher's lab, due to concerns that these eggs might be given under duress.
The South Korean health ministry insists that female researchers donated their eggs without Hwang's knowledge and before the country passed new bioethics laws in January.
Suspicions as to the eggs' origins first arose late in 2004 when the journal Nature questioned Hwang, who denied at the time that the ova had come from his own researchers. Hwang now admits to lying to the journal.
The researcher -- who earlier this year created Snuppy, the world's first cloned dog -- said he will resign as chairman of the newly created World Stem Cell Hub, which was created to produce stem cell lines for research.
Food Fact:
Fillet buster.
When trying to decide on the freshest fish, a few simple rules will help end the debate. First, let your nose by your guide. Fresh fish should smell like seawater, not "fishy." Fillets should look moist, not slimy or dried out. Fish has a reputation as "brain food," and while eating it hasn't been shown to actually increase your IQ, it's certainly smart to eat fish often. Fish is a protein with little artery-clogging saturated fat. Lean, white-fleshed fish, such as cod or flounder, has about one gram of fat and 125 calories in a 4-oz. portion.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Exercise? It's in the bag.
Road trips won't stop you from exercising -- if you know what to pack. Find a little room in your suitcase for exercise tubes, a great compact tool for weight training and resistance exercises when away from home or your gym. If you travel a lot, ask a fitness pro to design an on-the-go exercise program.
FAQ of the day:
Why cut back on calories if I have diabetes?
Listen to your doctor. Cutting back on calories will improve your blood sugar, blood cholesterol profile and blood pressure -- classic signifiers of insulin resistance syndrome -- whether or not you lose weight. Even if you are eating only slightly more calories than you are burning each day, you are overloading your system, which is triggering an inherited tendency for Type 2 diabetes. If you continue to take in your current number of calories from middle age on, the imbalance will get worse, and your risk of heart disease will go up.
Friday, November 25, 2005
Health Headlines - November 25
Florida Couple Awarded $60M After Hospital Negligence
A federal judge has awarded a record $60.9 million to a Florida couple whose son suffered serious brain damage during his birth at a U.S. Navy hospital two years ago, the Associated Press reported Friday.
Raiza Bravo and Oscar Rodriguez, a Navy serviceman, sued the federal government, claiming doctors at Mayport Naval Station obstetric clinic, in Mayport, Fla., waited too long to perform a Cesarean section to deliver their son, Kevin.
The 12-day trial ended with U.S. District Judge Jose A. Gonzalez ruling that the doctors and nurses who attended the child's birth were negligent.
The award is thought to be the largest ever made under the Federal Tort Claims Act, which covers suits filed by private citizens against negligent conduct by government employees.
"It's like a mix of feelings, it's been sweet and bitter," Bravo told the AP. "Nobody's going to bring back my son's life."
Indonesia to Make Tamiflu for Bird Flu Fight
Indonesia's health minister said Friday her country will begin producing and stockpiling the anti-flu drug Tamiflu (oseltamivir) due to fears of a potential bird flu epidemic in humans.
Siti Fadilah Supari told the Associated Press that Tamiflu patent holder Roche Holding AG will let the country produce the drug, which experts believe might help lessen the severity of avian flu in humans. Production will begin as soon as the country receives the necessary raw materials from China or Korea, Supari said.
The news came the same day the country announced outbreaks of bird flu in poultry through the capital, Jakarta. "It is very serious," Indonesian Agriculture Minister Anton Apriyantono told the AP. "Based on our research, the virus has spread throughout the city."
Also on Friday, authorities destroyed 400 fowl in an area of Jakarta near the home of a young girl who died from the disease. So far, avian flu has been spotted in 23 of Indonesia's 30 provinces and has killed seven people.
In Japan, officials announced Friday that they are preparing a bird flu vaccine prototype. The prototype could help speed the development of a human vaccine should the H5N1 avian flu virus mutate into a form that could pass between humans, Tomohiko Arai, head of a government panel on science, told the AP.
Study: CO2 Levels Highest in 650,000 Years
Tiny air bubbles preserved in Antarctic ice going back millennia suggest levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide are higher now than at any time over the past 650,000 years, researchers say.
Increasing levels of carbon dioxide and other "greenhouse gases" that trap the sun's heat are thought to be caused by human activity and are the main cause of global warming.
"There's no natural condition that we know about in a really long time where the greenhouse gas levels were anywhere near what they are now," geosciences expert Edward Brook, of Oregon State University, told the Associated Press.
The new data was conducted by the European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica and published Friday in the journal Science.
While skeptics have dismissed recent warming as part of the "natural cycle," the ice samples suggest today's warming trend is "over a factor of a hundred faster than anything we are seeing in the natural cycles," researcher Thomas Stocker of the University of Bern, Switzerland, told the AP.
South Korea Stands By Disgraced Cloning Scientist
The South Korean government said on Friday it will continue to support cloning and stem cell scientist Hwang Woo-suk, who resigned his posts Thursday after admitting that eggs used in his research came from his own team of researchers.
Health Ministry official Kim Sung-soo said Hwang's group will receive another $3 million to continue its research until 2009. "We still believe it is crucial to build a srong infrastructure for stem cell research if South Korea is to produce a strong advance in the area," Kim told the Associated Press.
Hwang became a national hero in South Korea after helping to produce the world's first cloned human embryos.
"I am very sorry that I have to tell the public words that are too shameful and horrible," he said at a press conference in Seoul on Thursday.
International ethical standards forbid the use of ova from women working in a researcher's lab, due to concerns that these eggs might be given under duress.
The South Korean health ministry insists that female researchers donated their eggs without Hwang's knowledge and before the country passed new bioethics laws in January.
Suspicions as to the eggs' origins first arose late in 2004 when the journal Nature questioned Hwang, who denied at the time that the ova had come from his own researchers. Hwang now admits to lying to the journal.
The researcher -- who earlier this year created Snuppy, the world's first cloned dog -- said he will resign as chairman of the newly created World Stem Cell Hub, which was created to produce stem cell lines for research. "It is my way of seeking repentance," Hwang told reporters.
China to Test Bird Flu Vaccine in Humans
China is readying a trial of bird flu vaccine to be tested on adults over the next year, according to a report published Thursday in the official China Daily newspaper.
As reported by the Associated Press, Lu Zhenyou, a spokesman for vaccine developer Sinovac Biotech, told the paper that 100 people aged 18 to 60 will be tested with the vaccine in the two-phase trial.
Should it prove successful in protecting against the H5N1 strain, the vaccine would first be given to high-risk groups, such as poultry farmers and veterinary and lab workers.
The announcement came alongside news that the country has detected a new bird flu outbreak in its far western province of Xinjiang, where officials in the city of Turpan have already killed 5,180 birds in an effort to curb the spead of the infection, the AP reported.
On Wednesday, Chinese health officials reported the country's second confirmed human death from bird flu.
The victim was a 35-year-old female farmer in Xiuning county in the eastern Anhui province. A Health Ministry officials said she died Tuesday after developing a fever and pneumonia-like symptoms following contact with sick and dead poultry.
Another woman from the same province was the first confirmed human to die of bird flu in China. A 12-year-old girl in the province of Hunan who died was listed as suspected bird flu case. But her body was cremated before the cause could be confirmed.
The only other confirmed case of bird flu in a human was the nine-year-old brother of the 12-year-old girl who died. The boy recovered from his illness.
Food Fact:
Super nova
Eating one meal of salmon a week can spawn a much healthier you. Salmon and other fatty fish like mackerel or bluefish contain omega-3 fatty acids, which are linked to a lower risk of heart attacks. As little as one weekly serving of fish can cut a middle-aged adult's chances of a fatal heart attack by as much as 50%. More good news: Eating fish rich in omega-3s helps reduce diabetes risk, in part by lowering blood triglycerides. Conversely, diets low in omega-3 fatty acids may contribute to insulin resistance, a risk for developing diabetes. Salmon also bolsters your body's ability to process serotonin, which can help relieve a tendency toward depression. Poach it. Grill it. Pan-sear it. Bake it. Just eat it.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Mirror, mirror...
Ever wonder why health clubs have all those mirrors? No, it's not for vanity's sake! The mirrors are there to assure you're maintaining proper form when exercising. You're not being a narcissist when you position yourself in front of the mirror; pay careful attention to see you're doing the exercise right. If you are uncertain as to how to perform an exercise, don't hesitate to ask for help.
FAQ of the day:
Why is fat so fattening?
Fat has more calories than carbohydrate, in part because it has a different balance of oxygen and carbon atoms; a gram of fat has 9 calories, while a gram of carbohydrates has 4. Also, carbohydrate-rich foods absorb water while fat does not, which makes a big difference in calories. Apple slices, which are mostly carbohydrates and water, have 65 calories per cup. Lard, which is nearly pure fat, contains 1,850 calories in a cup.
A federal judge has awarded a record $60.9 million to a Florida couple whose son suffered serious brain damage during his birth at a U.S. Navy hospital two years ago, the Associated Press reported Friday.
Raiza Bravo and Oscar Rodriguez, a Navy serviceman, sued the federal government, claiming doctors at Mayport Naval Station obstetric clinic, in Mayport, Fla., waited too long to perform a Cesarean section to deliver their son, Kevin.
The 12-day trial ended with U.S. District Judge Jose A. Gonzalez ruling that the doctors and nurses who attended the child's birth were negligent.
The award is thought to be the largest ever made under the Federal Tort Claims Act, which covers suits filed by private citizens against negligent conduct by government employees.
"It's like a mix of feelings, it's been sweet and bitter," Bravo told the AP. "Nobody's going to bring back my son's life."
Indonesia to Make Tamiflu for Bird Flu Fight
Indonesia's health minister said Friday her country will begin producing and stockpiling the anti-flu drug Tamiflu (oseltamivir) due to fears of a potential bird flu epidemic in humans.
Siti Fadilah Supari told the Associated Press that Tamiflu patent holder Roche Holding AG will let the country produce the drug, which experts believe might help lessen the severity of avian flu in humans. Production will begin as soon as the country receives the necessary raw materials from China or Korea, Supari said.
The news came the same day the country announced outbreaks of bird flu in poultry through the capital, Jakarta. "It is very serious," Indonesian Agriculture Minister Anton Apriyantono told the AP. "Based on our research, the virus has spread throughout the city."
Also on Friday, authorities destroyed 400 fowl in an area of Jakarta near the home of a young girl who died from the disease. So far, avian flu has been spotted in 23 of Indonesia's 30 provinces and has killed seven people.
In Japan, officials announced Friday that they are preparing a bird flu vaccine prototype. The prototype could help speed the development of a human vaccine should the H5N1 avian flu virus mutate into a form that could pass between humans, Tomohiko Arai, head of a government panel on science, told the AP.
Study: CO2 Levels Highest in 650,000 Years
Tiny air bubbles preserved in Antarctic ice going back millennia suggest levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide are higher now than at any time over the past 650,000 years, researchers say.
Increasing levels of carbon dioxide and other "greenhouse gases" that trap the sun's heat are thought to be caused by human activity and are the main cause of global warming.
"There's no natural condition that we know about in a really long time where the greenhouse gas levels were anywhere near what they are now," geosciences expert Edward Brook, of Oregon State University, told the Associated Press.
The new data was conducted by the European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica and published Friday in the journal Science.
While skeptics have dismissed recent warming as part of the "natural cycle," the ice samples suggest today's warming trend is "over a factor of a hundred faster than anything we are seeing in the natural cycles," researcher Thomas Stocker of the University of Bern, Switzerland, told the AP.
South Korea Stands By Disgraced Cloning Scientist
The South Korean government said on Friday it will continue to support cloning and stem cell scientist Hwang Woo-suk, who resigned his posts Thursday after admitting that eggs used in his research came from his own team of researchers.
Health Ministry official Kim Sung-soo said Hwang's group will receive another $3 million to continue its research until 2009. "We still believe it is crucial to build a srong infrastructure for stem cell research if South Korea is to produce a strong advance in the area," Kim told the Associated Press.
Hwang became a national hero in South Korea after helping to produce the world's first cloned human embryos.
"I am very sorry that I have to tell the public words that are too shameful and horrible," he said at a press conference in Seoul on Thursday.
International ethical standards forbid the use of ova from women working in a researcher's lab, due to concerns that these eggs might be given under duress.
The South Korean health ministry insists that female researchers donated their eggs without Hwang's knowledge and before the country passed new bioethics laws in January.
Suspicions as to the eggs' origins first arose late in 2004 when the journal Nature questioned Hwang, who denied at the time that the ova had come from his own researchers. Hwang now admits to lying to the journal.
The researcher -- who earlier this year created Snuppy, the world's first cloned dog -- said he will resign as chairman of the newly created World Stem Cell Hub, which was created to produce stem cell lines for research. "It is my way of seeking repentance," Hwang told reporters.
China to Test Bird Flu Vaccine in Humans
China is readying a trial of bird flu vaccine to be tested on adults over the next year, according to a report published Thursday in the official China Daily newspaper.
As reported by the Associated Press, Lu Zhenyou, a spokesman for vaccine developer Sinovac Biotech, told the paper that 100 people aged 18 to 60 will be tested with the vaccine in the two-phase trial.
Should it prove successful in protecting against the H5N1 strain, the vaccine would first be given to high-risk groups, such as poultry farmers and veterinary and lab workers.
The announcement came alongside news that the country has detected a new bird flu outbreak in its far western province of Xinjiang, where officials in the city of Turpan have already killed 5,180 birds in an effort to curb the spead of the infection, the AP reported.
On Wednesday, Chinese health officials reported the country's second confirmed human death from bird flu.
The victim was a 35-year-old female farmer in Xiuning county in the eastern Anhui province. A Health Ministry officials said she died Tuesday after developing a fever and pneumonia-like symptoms following contact with sick and dead poultry.
Another woman from the same province was the first confirmed human to die of bird flu in China. A 12-year-old girl in the province of Hunan who died was listed as suspected bird flu case. But her body was cremated before the cause could be confirmed.
The only other confirmed case of bird flu in a human was the nine-year-old brother of the 12-year-old girl who died. The boy recovered from his illness.
Food Fact:
Super nova
Eating one meal of salmon a week can spawn a much healthier you. Salmon and other fatty fish like mackerel or bluefish contain omega-3 fatty acids, which are linked to a lower risk of heart attacks. As little as one weekly serving of fish can cut a middle-aged adult's chances of a fatal heart attack by as much as 50%. More good news: Eating fish rich in omega-3s helps reduce diabetes risk, in part by lowering blood triglycerides. Conversely, diets low in omega-3 fatty acids may contribute to insulin resistance, a risk for developing diabetes. Salmon also bolsters your body's ability to process serotonin, which can help relieve a tendency toward depression. Poach it. Grill it. Pan-sear it. Bake it. Just eat it.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Mirror, mirror...
Ever wonder why health clubs have all those mirrors? No, it's not for vanity's sake! The mirrors are there to assure you're maintaining proper form when exercising. You're not being a narcissist when you position yourself in front of the mirror; pay careful attention to see you're doing the exercise right. If you are uncertain as to how to perform an exercise, don't hesitate to ask for help.
FAQ of the day:
Why is fat so fattening?
Fat has more calories than carbohydrate, in part because it has a different balance of oxygen and carbon atoms; a gram of fat has 9 calories, while a gram of carbohydrates has 4. Also, carbohydrate-rich foods absorb water while fat does not, which makes a big difference in calories. Apple slices, which are mostly carbohydrates and water, have 65 calories per cup. Lard, which is nearly pure fat, contains 1,850 calories in a cup.
Thursday, November 24, 2005
Health Headlines - November 24
Happy Thanksgiving!
China to Test Bird Flu Vaccine in Humans
China is readying a trial of bird flu vaccine to be tested on adults over the next year, according to a report published Thursday in the official China Daily newspaper.
As reported by the Associated Press, Lu Zhenyou, a spokesman for vaccine developer Sinovac Biotech, told the paper that 100 people aged 18 to 60 will be tested with the vaccine in the two-phase trial.
Should it prove successful in protecting against the H5N1 strain, the vaccine would first be given to high-risk groups, such as poultry farmers and veterinary and lab workers.
The announcement came alongside news that the country has detected a new bird flu outbreak in its far western province of Xinjiang, where officials in the city of Turpan have already killed 5,180 birds in an effort to curb the spead of the infection, the AP reported.
On Wednesday, Chinese health officials reported the country's second confirmed human death from bird flu.
The victim was a 35-year-old female farmer in Xiuning county in the eastern Anhui province. A Health Ministry officials said she died Tuesday after developing a fever and pneumonia-like symptoms following contact with sick and dead poultry.
Another woman from the same province was the first confirmed human to die of bird flu in China. A 12-year-old girl in the province of Hunan who died was listed as suspected bird flu case. But her body was cremated before the cause could be confirmed.
The only other confirmed case of bird flu in a human was the nine-year-old brother of the 12-year-old girl who died. The boy recovered from his illness.
Also on Thursday, a top Indonesian agriculture official announced the first outbreak of bird flu in Sumatra's Aceh province, where 130,000 people were left homeless by last December's deadly tsunami.
S. Korean Cloning Scientist Quits After Egg Scandal
The South Korean who helped produce the world's first cloned human embryos has resigned all public posts, after admitting that eggs used in his research came from his own team of researchers, the BBC reported.
"I am very sorry that I have to tell the public words that are too shameful and horrible," Professor Hwang Woo-suk said at a press conference in Seoul on Thursday.
International ethical standards forbid the use of ova from women working in a researcher's lab, due to concerns that these eggs might be given under duress.
The South Korean health ministry insists that female researchers donated their eggs without Dr. Hwang's knowledge and before the country passed new bioethics laws in January.
Suspicions as to the eggs' origins first arose late in 2004 when the journal Nature questioned Dr. Hwang, who denied at the time that the ova had come from his own researchers. Hwang now admits to lying to the journal.
The researcher -- who earlier this year created Snuppy, the world's first cloned dog -- said he will resign as chairman of the newly created World Stem Cell Hub, which was created to produce stem cell lines for research. "It is my way of seeking repentance," Hwang told reporters.
Medicare May Change Rules for Weight-Loss Surgery
U.S. health officials on Wednesday proposed expanding Medicare coverage of weight-loss surgery for disabled individuals, but cutting coverage of these procedures for the elderly, the Associated Press reported.
While studies have shown that gastric bypass and other weight-loss surgeries can help reduce extreme, disabling obesity, a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that the elderly face two to three times the risk of death from these procedures compared to younger patiets.
It's these data that are prompting the proposed changes, officials at the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said. "Some beneficiaries may significantly reduce their health risks through surgery," agency administrator Mark McClellan told the AP.
Over 8,000 Medicare beneficiaries had their weight-loss surgeries covered by the program in 2004, at about $13,000 per procedure, Medicare officials said.
The new proposal is not final and the agency is now seeking public comment on the proposed changes.
Domestic Violence a Global Health Threat
A new report from the World Health Organization finds high rates of domestic violence in countries worldwide, with similar effects on women's health regardless of where they live, the Associated Press reported.
"Whether you are a cosmopolitan woman in Sao Paolo or Belgrade, or you are a rural woman in Ethiopia or Bangladesh, the association between violence and poor health is there," said the WHO's Dr. Claudia Garcia-Moreno, who coordinated the first-ever international survey of more than 24,000 women in 10 countries.
Rates of domestic violence occurring over the preceding year ranged from 4 percent in Japan and Serbia, to between 30 percent and 54 percent in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Peru and Tanzania. Women who reported being attacked were more likely to report pain, gynecological problems, miscarriage or mental health woes, compared to those who had not suffered domestic violence.
Because most of the research into domestic violence has been done in North America and Europe, countries in those regions were not included in the survey. However, earlier studies have found rates of about 20 percent in the U.S. and 23 percent in Canada and Britain, one expert told the AP.
Toxic Slick Threatens Chinese City
A 50-mile-long slick of water carrying poisonous benzene has begun entering the northern Chinese city of Harbin after a chemical plant explosion released the toxin Nov. 13, the Associated Press reported.
Many of the city's 3.8 million residents began frantically hoarding water and the government announced it would commence digging 100 wells to help ensure a safe water supply. Harbin shut down its water system Tuesday in anticipation of the coming slick.
Bezene and a related chemical, nitrobenzene, have been found in very high levels in the Songhua River, according to the official China Daily. "Massive amounts can lead to the disorder of blood cells -- in other words, leukemia," Zhang Lanying, director of the Environment and Resources Institute at Jilin University, was quoted as saying by the AP.
Across the border in Russia, officials there are voicing concern over the threat to the health of residents in the nearby city of Khabarovsk, 435 miles downstream from Harbin. One official there complained that the Chinese have not released enough information on the amount and type of contamination released into the river.
Food Fact:
Boil meets grill.
If you're boiling vegetables, you're losing key nutrients. There is a better way. Turn up the oven to 425 degrees and roast 'em. High heat seals in the veggies' juices -- and the nutrients, which leech out in boiling water. The flavor is remarkably better, too -- roasting caramelizes veggies' natural sugars, and you won't need a pat of butter or a cheese sauce to dress them up. When roasting, cut the vegetable into evenly sized pieces to ensure even cooking. Spray a baking sheet with heart-healthy canola or olive oil. Spread the veggies evenly out on the sheet, and spray with the oil. Add your favorite seasoning and roast until the veggies are tender on the inside.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Home sweat home.
A home gym can remake your body and save money -- if you know how to use it. For home exercise programs to succeed, you need to treat a room in your home like your own private health club. When you enter the room you have entered the gym. Be sure to establish a training time that you will stick to keep all other activities OUT of the room.
FAQ of the day:
Do I burn calories even when I''m just sitting around?
You burn calories all the time, even when you're asleep. Your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the amount of energy (calories) your body uses for basic chores such as breathing, circulating blood, powering the nervous system and maintaining body temperature. A normal BMR for the average healthy male is around 1 calorie per kilogram (2.2 lbs) of body weight per hour; for women it is slightly lower, at around .9 calorie/kg/hr. But BMRs are very personal. Body composition helps determine BMR; a woman's BMR is generally lower than a man's because she carries more body fat. Other factors that affect BMR include age, activity level, nutrition, growth, pregnancy, body size and overall health.
China to Test Bird Flu Vaccine in Humans
China is readying a trial of bird flu vaccine to be tested on adults over the next year, according to a report published Thursday in the official China Daily newspaper.
As reported by the Associated Press, Lu Zhenyou, a spokesman for vaccine developer Sinovac Biotech, told the paper that 100 people aged 18 to 60 will be tested with the vaccine in the two-phase trial.
Should it prove successful in protecting against the H5N1 strain, the vaccine would first be given to high-risk groups, such as poultry farmers and veterinary and lab workers.
The announcement came alongside news that the country has detected a new bird flu outbreak in its far western province of Xinjiang, where officials in the city of Turpan have already killed 5,180 birds in an effort to curb the spead of the infection, the AP reported.
On Wednesday, Chinese health officials reported the country's second confirmed human death from bird flu.
The victim was a 35-year-old female farmer in Xiuning county in the eastern Anhui province. A Health Ministry officials said she died Tuesday after developing a fever and pneumonia-like symptoms following contact with sick and dead poultry.
Another woman from the same province was the first confirmed human to die of bird flu in China. A 12-year-old girl in the province of Hunan who died was listed as suspected bird flu case. But her body was cremated before the cause could be confirmed.
The only other confirmed case of bird flu in a human was the nine-year-old brother of the 12-year-old girl who died. The boy recovered from his illness.
Also on Thursday, a top Indonesian agriculture official announced the first outbreak of bird flu in Sumatra's Aceh province, where 130,000 people were left homeless by last December's deadly tsunami.
S. Korean Cloning Scientist Quits After Egg Scandal
The South Korean who helped produce the world's first cloned human embryos has resigned all public posts, after admitting that eggs used in his research came from his own team of researchers, the BBC reported.
"I am very sorry that I have to tell the public words that are too shameful and horrible," Professor Hwang Woo-suk said at a press conference in Seoul on Thursday.
International ethical standards forbid the use of ova from women working in a researcher's lab, due to concerns that these eggs might be given under duress.
The South Korean health ministry insists that female researchers donated their eggs without Dr. Hwang's knowledge and before the country passed new bioethics laws in January.
Suspicions as to the eggs' origins first arose late in 2004 when the journal Nature questioned Dr. Hwang, who denied at the time that the ova had come from his own researchers. Hwang now admits to lying to the journal.
The researcher -- who earlier this year created Snuppy, the world's first cloned dog -- said he will resign as chairman of the newly created World Stem Cell Hub, which was created to produce stem cell lines for research. "It is my way of seeking repentance," Hwang told reporters.
Medicare May Change Rules for Weight-Loss Surgery
U.S. health officials on Wednesday proposed expanding Medicare coverage of weight-loss surgery for disabled individuals, but cutting coverage of these procedures for the elderly, the Associated Press reported.
While studies have shown that gastric bypass and other weight-loss surgeries can help reduce extreme, disabling obesity, a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that the elderly face two to three times the risk of death from these procedures compared to younger patiets.
It's these data that are prompting the proposed changes, officials at the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said. "Some beneficiaries may significantly reduce their health risks through surgery," agency administrator Mark McClellan told the AP.
Over 8,000 Medicare beneficiaries had their weight-loss surgeries covered by the program in 2004, at about $13,000 per procedure, Medicare officials said.
The new proposal is not final and the agency is now seeking public comment on the proposed changes.
Domestic Violence a Global Health Threat
A new report from the World Health Organization finds high rates of domestic violence in countries worldwide, with similar effects on women's health regardless of where they live, the Associated Press reported.
"Whether you are a cosmopolitan woman in Sao Paolo or Belgrade, or you are a rural woman in Ethiopia or Bangladesh, the association between violence and poor health is there," said the WHO's Dr. Claudia Garcia-Moreno, who coordinated the first-ever international survey of more than 24,000 women in 10 countries.
Rates of domestic violence occurring over the preceding year ranged from 4 percent in Japan and Serbia, to between 30 percent and 54 percent in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Peru and Tanzania. Women who reported being attacked were more likely to report pain, gynecological problems, miscarriage or mental health woes, compared to those who had not suffered domestic violence.
Because most of the research into domestic violence has been done in North America and Europe, countries in those regions were not included in the survey. However, earlier studies have found rates of about 20 percent in the U.S. and 23 percent in Canada and Britain, one expert told the AP.
Toxic Slick Threatens Chinese City
A 50-mile-long slick of water carrying poisonous benzene has begun entering the northern Chinese city of Harbin after a chemical plant explosion released the toxin Nov. 13, the Associated Press reported.
Many of the city's 3.8 million residents began frantically hoarding water and the government announced it would commence digging 100 wells to help ensure a safe water supply. Harbin shut down its water system Tuesday in anticipation of the coming slick.
Bezene and a related chemical, nitrobenzene, have been found in very high levels in the Songhua River, according to the official China Daily. "Massive amounts can lead to the disorder of blood cells -- in other words, leukemia," Zhang Lanying, director of the Environment and Resources Institute at Jilin University, was quoted as saying by the AP.
Across the border in Russia, officials there are voicing concern over the threat to the health of residents in the nearby city of Khabarovsk, 435 miles downstream from Harbin. One official there complained that the Chinese have not released enough information on the amount and type of contamination released into the river.
Food Fact:
Boil meets grill.
If you're boiling vegetables, you're losing key nutrients. There is a better way. Turn up the oven to 425 degrees and roast 'em. High heat seals in the veggies' juices -- and the nutrients, which leech out in boiling water. The flavor is remarkably better, too -- roasting caramelizes veggies' natural sugars, and you won't need a pat of butter or a cheese sauce to dress them up. When roasting, cut the vegetable into evenly sized pieces to ensure even cooking. Spray a baking sheet with heart-healthy canola or olive oil. Spread the veggies evenly out on the sheet, and spray with the oil. Add your favorite seasoning and roast until the veggies are tender on the inside.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Home sweat home.
A home gym can remake your body and save money -- if you know how to use it. For home exercise programs to succeed, you need to treat a room in your home like your own private health club. When you enter the room you have entered the gym. Be sure to establish a training time that you will stick to keep all other activities OUT of the room.
FAQ of the day:
Do I burn calories even when I''m just sitting around?
You burn calories all the time, even when you're asleep. Your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the amount of energy (calories) your body uses for basic chores such as breathing, circulating blood, powering the nervous system and maintaining body temperature. A normal BMR for the average healthy male is around 1 calorie per kilogram (2.2 lbs) of body weight per hour; for women it is slightly lower, at around .9 calorie/kg/hr. But BMRs are very personal. Body composition helps determine BMR; a woman's BMR is generally lower than a man's because she carries more body fat. Other factors that affect BMR include age, activity level, nutrition, growth, pregnancy, body size and overall health.
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Health Headlines - November 23
China Reports 2nd Human Death From Bird Flu
China's second confirmed human death from bird flu was reported Wednesday.
The victim was a 35-year-old female farmer in Xiuning county in the eastern Anhui province. A Health Ministry officials said she died Tuesday after developing a fever and pneumonia-like symptoms following contact with sick and dead poultry, the Associated Press reported.
Test results showed the woman was infected with the H5N1 strain of bird flu virus.
Another woman from the same province was the first confirmed human to die of bird flu in China. A 12-year-old girl in the province of Hunan who died was listed as suspected bird flu case. But her body was cremated before the cause could be confirmed, the AP reported.
The only other confirmed case of bird flu in a human was the nine-year-old brother of the 12-year-old girl who died. The boy recovered from his illness. Officials suspect the children contracted the bird flu virus after handling sick chickens at their home, not because they ate infected chicken meat, as was initially reported by Chinese state media.
Bacterial Infection Linked to Abortion Pill Deaths
All four California women who died after taking the RU-486 (Mifeprex) abortion pill had a rare, deadly Clostridium sordellii bacterial infection, say U.S. federal drug regulators, who plan to take a closer look at the drug's safety.
The deaths from 2003 to 2005 prompted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to test if Mifeprex pills sold in California were contaminated, but they weren't, The New York Times reported.
In an attempt to get some answers, the FDA and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will hold a scientific meeting in early 2006. Experts at the meeting will consider a number of possibilities, including whether Mifeprex may make women more vulnerable to Clostridium sordellii infection.
It they conclude that's the case, the experts would consider how to more easily diagnose and even prevent such infections in women taking Mifeprex, the Times reported.
Currently, there is no sign that the FDA is considering restricting access to Mifeprex, which has been used in more than 500,000 medical abortions it won FDA approval in September 2000.
Since last July, the Mifeprex label has carried a warning about the drug's possible link with the deadly bacteria. The information is also posted on the FDA's Web site.
Oscillating Fans Recalled for Fire Hazard
A fire and burn hazard has prompted the U.S. recall of about 150,000 Haier oscillating electric tower fans, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced.
There have been eight reports of fires or flames associated with the model FTM 140GG electric fan, including one report of minor property damage and one report of minor burns. The fire hazard is linked to internal electric arcing in the fan.
This model has three speed settings and a 120-minute shut-off timer. "Haier" is printed on a silver label near the top of the front of the tower and the model number is located on the lower back of the fan.
The fans were sold for between $20 and $30 at discount department stores across the United States from February 2004 through November 2005.
Consumers should immediately stop using these fans and call Haier at 1-866-601-8073 anytime for more information and to get instructions on how to obtain a $30 coupon for the purchase of any available Haier product.
FDA Approves New Device to Treat Lumbar Problem
A newly approved device offers another treatment option for patients in the United States who suffer from lumbar spinal stenosis, a spinal problem that causes back and leg pain.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the "X-stop," a thumb of titanium on a mount that fits to a vertebra in the lower back, the Associated Press reported.
The device was developed at the St. Mary's Spine Center in San Francisco. Insertion of the X-stop usually requires only local anesthetic, and a person can have up to two devices implanted on vertebrae in the lower spine.
Lumbar spinal stenosis is the most common cause of back injury in people older than 50. The condition is caused by age-related constriction of the tube for nerves in the spine. People with lumbar spinal stenosis usually suffer pain, numbness and weakness when they stand, but these symptoms are relieved by sitting down.
The X-stop presses against parts on either side of a vertebra and pushes open the tube that contains the nerves, the AP reported.
Other current treatments for lumbar spinal stenosis include physical therapy, anti-inflammatory drugs and injections, or a form of surgery called laminectomy, which involves full anesthesia and removal of bone and tissue in order to open up the tube that contains the nerves in the spine.
Mold Concerns Prompt Recall of Eye Products
Concern about possible mold contamination has led to the recall of seven lots of GenTeal Gel and GenTeal GelDrops, which are used to relieve eye dryness, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Novartis Ophthalmics said Tuesday.
While the risk of contamination is considered to be low, contamination in these products could cause eye infections in some people.
The recall covers about 142,500 tubes in five lots of GenTeal Gel distributed across the United States from March to November 2004 and about 12,000 dropper bottles in two lots of GenTeal Gel Drops distributed nationwide in October 2005.
Mold was detected in a small number of samples of GenTeal Gel. The species of mold is generally not harmful, but can cause eye infections in people with compromised immune systems and others who may be susceptible, the FDA said.
Food Fact:
Raspberry preserve.
Fresh raspberries are delicious -- but fragile. Here's how to treat them right. Because all fresh berries are highly perishable, they should be refrigerated (unwashed) as soon as possible after they're picked. Before refrigerating, spread the juicy, fragile berries in a single layer on a large tray or baking sheet. Wash berries gently but thoroughly before you eat them or use them in a recipe. Juicy and sweet, raspberries are jam-packed with vitamin C, folate and potassium; one cup has more than a third of your daily requirement of fiber. Raspberries are particularly powerful antioxidants. When researchers at Tufts University in Boston measured levels of antioxidants in various fruits and vegetables, berries consistently cropped up at the top of the list.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Uncover hidden muscles.
The key to six-pack abs is not 500 sit-ups a day; it's skipping the excess calories. Improved muscle definition comes from losing body fat, not from increasing muscle size. For a healthy lean body, you need to find a balance between exercise and diet. Weight training will condition the muscle, but unless you address your total calorie intake, all that hard work will be hiding under a layer of fat.
FAQ of the day:
How many calories do I need each day?
Fifteen calories per pound per day is a good rule of thumb for maintaining your weight. But remember, this is a rough estimate for the average, moderately active person; the actual number you need will depend on your relative amounts of lean and fat body tissue, and your fitness level. If you're very lean and active, you may burn as many as 17 calories per pound per day. Here's a rough guide to the number of calories a 125-lb. woman burns during different activities: About 1 calorie a minute sleeping or sitting quietly, 3 calories a minute doing light housework, and 14 calories a minute walking up stairs.
China's second confirmed human death from bird flu was reported Wednesday.
The victim was a 35-year-old female farmer in Xiuning county in the eastern Anhui province. A Health Ministry officials said she died Tuesday after developing a fever and pneumonia-like symptoms following contact with sick and dead poultry, the Associated Press reported.
Test results showed the woman was infected with the H5N1 strain of bird flu virus.
Another woman from the same province was the first confirmed human to die of bird flu in China. A 12-year-old girl in the province of Hunan who died was listed as suspected bird flu case. But her body was cremated before the cause could be confirmed, the AP reported.
The only other confirmed case of bird flu in a human was the nine-year-old brother of the 12-year-old girl who died. The boy recovered from his illness. Officials suspect the children contracted the bird flu virus after handling sick chickens at their home, not because they ate infected chicken meat, as was initially reported by Chinese state media.
Bacterial Infection Linked to Abortion Pill Deaths
All four California women who died after taking the RU-486 (Mifeprex) abortion pill had a rare, deadly Clostridium sordellii bacterial infection, say U.S. federal drug regulators, who plan to take a closer look at the drug's safety.
The deaths from 2003 to 2005 prompted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to test if Mifeprex pills sold in California were contaminated, but they weren't, The New York Times reported.
In an attempt to get some answers, the FDA and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will hold a scientific meeting in early 2006. Experts at the meeting will consider a number of possibilities, including whether Mifeprex may make women more vulnerable to Clostridium sordellii infection.
It they conclude that's the case, the experts would consider how to more easily diagnose and even prevent such infections in women taking Mifeprex, the Times reported.
Currently, there is no sign that the FDA is considering restricting access to Mifeprex, which has been used in more than 500,000 medical abortions it won FDA approval in September 2000.
Since last July, the Mifeprex label has carried a warning about the drug's possible link with the deadly bacteria. The information is also posted on the FDA's Web site.
Oscillating Fans Recalled for Fire Hazard
A fire and burn hazard has prompted the U.S. recall of about 150,000 Haier oscillating electric tower fans, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced.
There have been eight reports of fires or flames associated with the model FTM 140GG electric fan, including one report of minor property damage and one report of minor burns. The fire hazard is linked to internal electric arcing in the fan.
This model has three speed settings and a 120-minute shut-off timer. "Haier" is printed on a silver label near the top of the front of the tower and the model number is located on the lower back of the fan.
The fans were sold for between $20 and $30 at discount department stores across the United States from February 2004 through November 2005.
Consumers should immediately stop using these fans and call Haier at 1-866-601-8073 anytime for more information and to get instructions on how to obtain a $30 coupon for the purchase of any available Haier product.
FDA Approves New Device to Treat Lumbar Problem
A newly approved device offers another treatment option for patients in the United States who suffer from lumbar spinal stenosis, a spinal problem that causes back and leg pain.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the "X-stop," a thumb of titanium on a mount that fits to a vertebra in the lower back, the Associated Press reported.
The device was developed at the St. Mary's Spine Center in San Francisco. Insertion of the X-stop usually requires only local anesthetic, and a person can have up to two devices implanted on vertebrae in the lower spine.
Lumbar spinal stenosis is the most common cause of back injury in people older than 50. The condition is caused by age-related constriction of the tube for nerves in the spine. People with lumbar spinal stenosis usually suffer pain, numbness and weakness when they stand, but these symptoms are relieved by sitting down.
The X-stop presses against parts on either side of a vertebra and pushes open the tube that contains the nerves, the AP reported.
Other current treatments for lumbar spinal stenosis include physical therapy, anti-inflammatory drugs and injections, or a form of surgery called laminectomy, which involves full anesthesia and removal of bone and tissue in order to open up the tube that contains the nerves in the spine.
Mold Concerns Prompt Recall of Eye Products
Concern about possible mold contamination has led to the recall of seven lots of GenTeal Gel and GenTeal GelDrops, which are used to relieve eye dryness, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Novartis Ophthalmics said Tuesday.
While the risk of contamination is considered to be low, contamination in these products could cause eye infections in some people.
The recall covers about 142,500 tubes in five lots of GenTeal Gel distributed across the United States from March to November 2004 and about 12,000 dropper bottles in two lots of GenTeal Gel Drops distributed nationwide in October 2005.
Mold was detected in a small number of samples of GenTeal Gel. The species of mold is generally not harmful, but can cause eye infections in people with compromised immune systems and others who may be susceptible, the FDA said.
Food Fact:
Raspberry preserve.
Fresh raspberries are delicious -- but fragile. Here's how to treat them right. Because all fresh berries are highly perishable, they should be refrigerated (unwashed) as soon as possible after they're picked. Before refrigerating, spread the juicy, fragile berries in a single layer on a large tray or baking sheet. Wash berries gently but thoroughly before you eat them or use them in a recipe. Juicy and sweet, raspberries are jam-packed with vitamin C, folate and potassium; one cup has more than a third of your daily requirement of fiber. Raspberries are particularly powerful antioxidants. When researchers at Tufts University in Boston measured levels of antioxidants in various fruits and vegetables, berries consistently cropped up at the top of the list.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Uncover hidden muscles.
The key to six-pack abs is not 500 sit-ups a day; it's skipping the excess calories. Improved muscle definition comes from losing body fat, not from increasing muscle size. For a healthy lean body, you need to find a balance between exercise and diet. Weight training will condition the muscle, but unless you address your total calorie intake, all that hard work will be hiding under a layer of fat.
FAQ of the day:
How many calories do I need each day?
Fifteen calories per pound per day is a good rule of thumb for maintaining your weight. But remember, this is a rough estimate for the average, moderately active person; the actual number you need will depend on your relative amounts of lean and fat body tissue, and your fitness level. If you're very lean and active, you may burn as many as 17 calories per pound per day. Here's a rough guide to the number of calories a 125-lb. woman burns during different activities: About 1 calorie a minute sleeping or sitting quietly, 3 calories a minute doing light housework, and 14 calories a minute walking up stairs.
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Trouble in Toyland: The 20th Annual Survey of Toy Safety
Toys are safer than ever before, thanks to decades of work by product safety advocates and parents and the leadership of Congress, state legislatures and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Nevertheless, as parents venture into crowded malls and browse for the perfect toy on the Internet this holiday season, they should remain vigilant about often hidden hazards posed by toys on store shelves.
The 2005 Trouble in Toyland report is the 20th annual Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) survey of toy safety. This report provides safety guidelines for parents when purchasing toys for small children and provides examples of toys currently on store shelves that may pose potential safety hazards.
PIRG’s research focused on four categories of toys: toys that may pose choking hazards, toys that may pose strangulation hazards, toys that are excessively loud, and toys that contain potentially toxic chemicals. PIRG researchers visited numerous toy stores and other retailers to find potentially dangerous toys and identify trends in toy safety. Key findings include:
CHOKING HAZARDS
Choking on small parts, small balls and balloons remains a leading cause of toy-related deaths and injuries. Between 1990 and 2004, at least 157 children died after choking or asphyxiating on a toy or toy part; seven children died in 2004 alone. Our researchers found:
• Although most toys on store shelves are safe, PIRG researchers still found toys for children under three with small parts and toys with small parts for children under six without the statutory choke hazard warning label.
• Toy manufacturers are over-labeling toys by placing choke hazard warnings on items that do not contain small parts. This could dilute the meaning of the warning labels, making them less useful to parents. CPSC should push manufacturers to apply the choke hazard warning only when necessary.
• Mattel, a large toy manufacturer, now includes a non-statutory and vague warning on some of its toys, saying “Small parts may be generated.” If a toy contains small parts or can break easily into small parts that pose a choking hazard, the company should use the statutory warning. Toys without small parts should not include this confusing label.
• Balloons, which cause more choking deaths than any other children’s product, are still marketed specifically for children under age three (such as “Baby’s First Birthday”) and with characters appealing to children under eight years old (such as “Bob the Builder”). Toy manufacturers should not market balloons to children under age eight.
STRANGULATION HAZARDS
The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) has set safety standards to prevent strangulation by cords and elastics attached to toys. These standards and other ASTM standards are enforceable by CPSC. PIRG researchers found that the popular yo-yo water ball poses particular hazards to young children, including strangulation and other injury to the eyes, neck and face. New versions of the toy contain batteries to make the toy flash; these batteries can tear through the toy easily, posing a choking hazard if swallowed.
In June 2005, Illinois became the first state to ban this toy. At the federal level, the CPSC should ban all sales of yo-yo water balls and similar toys in the United States.
LOUD TOYS
Almost 15 percent of children ages 6 to 17 show signs of hearing loss, according to a 1998 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. In November 2003, ASTM promulgated a new acoustics standard for toys, setting the loudness threshold for most handheld toys at 90 decibels; the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports that prolonged exposure to sounds at 85 decibels or higher can result in hearing damage. PIRG researchers found:
• Several toys currently on toy store shelves may not meet the ASTM standards for appropriately loud toys.
• Several toys currently on toy store shelves exceed 100 decibels when measured at close range.
CPSC should enforce the ASTM acoustics standards for loud toys and consider strengthening the standards to reduce the sound threshold for hand-held toys from 90 decibels to 85 decibels. Toy manufacturers should go above and beyond the standards and not make hand-held toys that produce sounds louder than 85 decibels.
TOXIC CHEMICALS IN TOYS
Some toys can pose hidden hazards, exposing children to dangerous chemicals that are linked to serious health problems. PIRG researchers found:
• Manufacturers are selling play cosmetic sets that include nail polish containing toxic chemicals, such as toluene and xylene. Since children often put their hands in their mouths, nail polish applied to fingernails offers a direct route of exposure.
• Even though the European Union has banned or imposed wide restrictions on the use of six phthalates in toys and childcare products, some manufacturers of children’s products continue to use phthalates in toys for the U.S. market. Phthalates, a class of chemicals used to “plasticize” or soften otherwise hard PVC plastic material, have been linked to reproductive defects and other health problems.
• In response to consumer concern about phthalates, some manufacturers are labeling their products as “phthalate-free.” The U.S. government, however, does not regulate the “phthalate-free” label or ensure that products labeled “phthalate-free” actually do not contain phthalates. To test the reliability of the “phthalate-free” label, PIRG commissioned laboratory tests of eight soft plastic toys labeled as not containing phthalates. Of the eight toys tested, six contained detectable levels of phthalates.
CPSC should ban phthalates in toys and other products intended for children under five and work with the Federal Trade Commission to take immediate action to ensure that toys labeled “phthalate-free” do not contain phthalates. In addition, CPSC should team up with the Food and Drug Administration to require manufacturers to stop using toluene, xylene, dibutyl phthalate, and other toxic chemicals in nail polish marketed for children.
OTHER TOY HAZARDS
Many toys are approved for use by young children but require additional safety precautions as well as adult supervision. Non-motorized scooters and other riding toys, for example, cause more toy-related injuries every year than any other category of toy. Electric toy minimotorcycles and gasoline-powered mini-motorcycles (“pocket bikes”) are likely to be popular purchases this shopping season. Children are vulnerable to a wide range of injuries when using both motorized and non-motorized riding toys; parents should supervise their children closely when they use these toys and outfit them with the proper safety equipment.
PURCHASING TOYS ON THE INTERNET
Increasingly, parents are turning to the Internet as a convenient way to shop for toys, especially during the busy holiday shopping season. The CPSC, however, has yet to require online retailers to include choke hazard warnings on their websites. PIRG conducted its fifth annual survey of online toy retailers, finding that some online toy retailers are voluntarily displaying some sort of choke hazard warning for at least some of their toys—although mandatory requirements are still necessary. We found:
• One-third (35%) of the 37 online retailers surveyed display some sort of choke hazard warning next to toys that otherwise require such labeling on their packaging or point of sale, although most retailers do not display these warnings consistently on their websites.
• Of the retailers surveyed, just over half (20) allow consumers to shop for toys by age group. Of these 20 websites, four post or direct parents to toys that are not age-appropriate.
• Nine of the retailers provided no manufacturer age recommendations for the toys we surveyed.
CPSC should require online toy retailers to display on their websites the safety warnings otherwise required by law to appear on toy packaging. Toy manufacturers should take the initiative and use statutory choke hazard warnings on retail toy websites.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CONSUMERS AND PARENTS
Be vigilant this holiday season and remember:
• The CPSC does not test all toys, and not all toys on store shelves meet CPSC standards.
• Online toy retailers do not have to provide the same safety warnings that otherwise are legally required on the packaging of toys sold in stores.
• PIRG’s report includes only a sampling of potentially hazardous toys. Always examine toys carefully for potential dangers before you make a purchase.
• Report unsafe toys or toy-related injuries to the CPSC.
The 2005 Trouble in Toyland report is the 20th annual Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) survey of toy safety. This report provides safety guidelines for parents when purchasing toys for small children and provides examples of toys currently on store shelves that may pose potential safety hazards.
PIRG’s research focused on four categories of toys: toys that may pose choking hazards, toys that may pose strangulation hazards, toys that are excessively loud, and toys that contain potentially toxic chemicals. PIRG researchers visited numerous toy stores and other retailers to find potentially dangerous toys and identify trends in toy safety. Key findings include:
CHOKING HAZARDS
Choking on small parts, small balls and balloons remains a leading cause of toy-related deaths and injuries. Between 1990 and 2004, at least 157 children died after choking or asphyxiating on a toy or toy part; seven children died in 2004 alone. Our researchers found:
• Although most toys on store shelves are safe, PIRG researchers still found toys for children under three with small parts and toys with small parts for children under six without the statutory choke hazard warning label.
• Toy manufacturers are over-labeling toys by placing choke hazard warnings on items that do not contain small parts. This could dilute the meaning of the warning labels, making them less useful to parents. CPSC should push manufacturers to apply the choke hazard warning only when necessary.
• Mattel, a large toy manufacturer, now includes a non-statutory and vague warning on some of its toys, saying “Small parts may be generated.” If a toy contains small parts or can break easily into small parts that pose a choking hazard, the company should use the statutory warning. Toys without small parts should not include this confusing label.
• Balloons, which cause more choking deaths than any other children’s product, are still marketed specifically for children under age three (such as “Baby’s First Birthday”) and with characters appealing to children under eight years old (such as “Bob the Builder”). Toy manufacturers should not market balloons to children under age eight.
STRANGULATION HAZARDS
The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) has set safety standards to prevent strangulation by cords and elastics attached to toys. These standards and other ASTM standards are enforceable by CPSC. PIRG researchers found that the popular yo-yo water ball poses particular hazards to young children, including strangulation and other injury to the eyes, neck and face. New versions of the toy contain batteries to make the toy flash; these batteries can tear through the toy easily, posing a choking hazard if swallowed.
In June 2005, Illinois became the first state to ban this toy. At the federal level, the CPSC should ban all sales of yo-yo water balls and similar toys in the United States.
LOUD TOYS
Almost 15 percent of children ages 6 to 17 show signs of hearing loss, according to a 1998 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. In November 2003, ASTM promulgated a new acoustics standard for toys, setting the loudness threshold for most handheld toys at 90 decibels; the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports that prolonged exposure to sounds at 85 decibels or higher can result in hearing damage. PIRG researchers found:
• Several toys currently on toy store shelves may not meet the ASTM standards for appropriately loud toys.
• Several toys currently on toy store shelves exceed 100 decibels when measured at close range.
CPSC should enforce the ASTM acoustics standards for loud toys and consider strengthening the standards to reduce the sound threshold for hand-held toys from 90 decibels to 85 decibels. Toy manufacturers should go above and beyond the standards and not make hand-held toys that produce sounds louder than 85 decibels.
TOXIC CHEMICALS IN TOYS
Some toys can pose hidden hazards, exposing children to dangerous chemicals that are linked to serious health problems. PIRG researchers found:
• Manufacturers are selling play cosmetic sets that include nail polish containing toxic chemicals, such as toluene and xylene. Since children often put their hands in their mouths, nail polish applied to fingernails offers a direct route of exposure.
• Even though the European Union has banned or imposed wide restrictions on the use of six phthalates in toys and childcare products, some manufacturers of children’s products continue to use phthalates in toys for the U.S. market. Phthalates, a class of chemicals used to “plasticize” or soften otherwise hard PVC plastic material, have been linked to reproductive defects and other health problems.
• In response to consumer concern about phthalates, some manufacturers are labeling their products as “phthalate-free.” The U.S. government, however, does not regulate the “phthalate-free” label or ensure that products labeled “phthalate-free” actually do not contain phthalates. To test the reliability of the “phthalate-free” label, PIRG commissioned laboratory tests of eight soft plastic toys labeled as not containing phthalates. Of the eight toys tested, six contained detectable levels of phthalates.
CPSC should ban phthalates in toys and other products intended for children under five and work with the Federal Trade Commission to take immediate action to ensure that toys labeled “phthalate-free” do not contain phthalates. In addition, CPSC should team up with the Food and Drug Administration to require manufacturers to stop using toluene, xylene, dibutyl phthalate, and other toxic chemicals in nail polish marketed for children.
OTHER TOY HAZARDS
Many toys are approved for use by young children but require additional safety precautions as well as adult supervision. Non-motorized scooters and other riding toys, for example, cause more toy-related injuries every year than any other category of toy. Electric toy minimotorcycles and gasoline-powered mini-motorcycles (“pocket bikes”) are likely to be popular purchases this shopping season. Children are vulnerable to a wide range of injuries when using both motorized and non-motorized riding toys; parents should supervise their children closely when they use these toys and outfit them with the proper safety equipment.
PURCHASING TOYS ON THE INTERNET
Increasingly, parents are turning to the Internet as a convenient way to shop for toys, especially during the busy holiday shopping season. The CPSC, however, has yet to require online retailers to include choke hazard warnings on their websites. PIRG conducted its fifth annual survey of online toy retailers, finding that some online toy retailers are voluntarily displaying some sort of choke hazard warning for at least some of their toys—although mandatory requirements are still necessary. We found:
• One-third (35%) of the 37 online retailers surveyed display some sort of choke hazard warning next to toys that otherwise require such labeling on their packaging or point of sale, although most retailers do not display these warnings consistently on their websites.
• Of the retailers surveyed, just over half (20) allow consumers to shop for toys by age group. Of these 20 websites, four post or direct parents to toys that are not age-appropriate.
• Nine of the retailers provided no manufacturer age recommendations for the toys we surveyed.
CPSC should require online toy retailers to display on their websites the safety warnings otherwise required by law to appear on toy packaging. Toy manufacturers should take the initiative and use statutory choke hazard warnings on retail toy websites.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CONSUMERS AND PARENTS
Be vigilant this holiday season and remember:
• The CPSC does not test all toys, and not all toys on store shelves meet CPSC standards.
• Online toy retailers do not have to provide the same safety warnings that otherwise are legally required on the packaging of toys sold in stores.
• PIRG’s report includes only a sampling of potentially hazardous toys. Always examine toys carefully for potential dangers before you make a purchase.
• Report unsafe toys or toy-related injuries to the CPSC.
Health Headlines - November 22
U.S. Bans British Columbia Poultry Imports
The United States has banned imports of poultry from the Canadian province of British Columbia in response to the discovery of a mild strain of H5 bird flu virus in one duck at a commercial poultry farm.
Taiwan and Hong Kong also imposed bans on poultry from the province, while Japan has banned all poultry from Canada.
U.S. officials are waiting for more information from Canadian authorities before deciding whether to continue the ban on all poultry imports from the province or restrict imports from only the Chilliwack area, where the farm is located, the Associated Press reported.
The duck was infected with a North American strain of H5 bird flu virus that doesn't kill poultry and is not a human health threat, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said.
The virus does sicken and weaken poultry. After the virus was confirmed in the duck, Canadian officials ordered the destruction of about 56,000 birds on the farm. Four other farms in the area have been quarantined, the AP reported.
China Reports Three New Bird Flu Outbreaks
Three new outbreaks of bird flu in China were announced Tuesday, bringing to 20 the total number of outbreaks in that country in recent weeks.
The latest outbreaks -- two in the west and one in the south of China -- have led to the killing of almost175,000 birds as part of efforts to prevent the spread of the bird flu, the Associated Press reported.
Ministry of Agriculture officials said the three outbreaks were currently under control.
In related news, health workers and officials in Hong Kong will stage a second bird flu drill this week as part of their preparations for a possible outbreak, Agence France Presse reported.
The inter-departmental communication exercise on Thursday will include more than 200 people and is designed to review the efficiency of cooperation between 30 bureaus, departments and organizations.
In Britain, meanwhile, fear of a bird flu pandemic has resulted in a shortage of winter flu vaccine, even though it offers no protection against bird flu. Fourteen million doses of winter flu vaccine were available for the elderly and other "at-risk" people, but there was an unexpected demand from what health officials termed the "worried well."
About 400,000 extra doses of flu vaccine have been released from emergency stocks and another 200,000 doses will be available in January, the health officials said.
Nestle Recalls Baby Milk in Europe
Food giant Nestle SA has recalled hundreds of thousands of gallons of baby milk from France, Italy, Portugal and Spain after tests suggested the milk may be contaminated with a chemical used in the printing on the milk cartons.
Traces of the photographic chemical isopropyl thioxanthone (ITX) were first detected in milk samples in Italy, BBC News reported.
Italian officials said the chemical may be toxic, and police in that country have started seizing the baby milk. Nestle denies the chemical poses a health risk but decided to recall the affected cartons of baby milk, which have an expiration date of September 2006.
The company also said that a new packaging process has been put in place in order to prevent further incidents of contamination, BBC News reported.
CDC Proposes Updated Quarantine Rules
Easier access to ship and aircraft passenger lists and explicit authority to offer vaccinations and medical treatment to people under quarantine are among updated quarantine regulations proposed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Tuesday.
The proposed updates also include a clearer appeals process for people placed in quarantine. The goal of the updates is to better protect the United States from infectious diseases, including bird flu, the Associated Press reported.
U.S. quarantine regulations haven't been substantially overhauled in at least 25 years and the need for updated rules was made clear during the international SARS outbreak in 2003, CDC officials said.
During the SARS outbreak, public health officials trying to trace the contacts of people who'd been infected had a difficult time obtaining passenger information from airlines, the AP reported.
The proposed changes will be open for public comment for 60 days and could be finalized by next spring.
In the past 18 months, the CDC has increased from eight to 18 the number of quarantine stations at U.S. airports, ship ports and land-border crossing, the AP reported.
CDC Reports 2nd Human Case of Mad Cow
The second documented U.S. case of the human form of mad cow disease has been confirmed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The case involves a man from the United Kingdom who lived in Houston for four years before returning to the U.K., where he is now undergoing medical treatment. The CDC said he probably contracted variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in the U.K. but he'll be listed as a U.S. case because that's where he was living when his symptoms began, the Associated Press reported.
"Almost certainly, this case represents a continuation of the outbreak that is going on in the United Kingdom," CDC medical epidemiologist Lawrence B. Schonberger told the AP.
People contract the disease by eating the brain or other nervous system tissue of animals that have mad cow disease -- bovine spongiform encephalopathy. The only other documented U.S. case of the human form of mad cow disease involved a woman from the U.K. who lived in Florida. It's believed she also contracted the disease in the U.K.
Nearly 6 Million Kids Die of Hunger, Malnutrition Yearly, U.N. Reports
Almost 6 million children worldwide die each year because of hunger and malnutrition, according to a U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization report released Tuesday.
The report also noted that there were more malnourished people in sub-Saharan Africa this decade than there were in the 1990s. The report said there were 203.5 million malnourished people in that region in 2000-02, compared to 170.4 million 10 years earlier, the Associated Press reported.
Hunger and malnutrition are among the leading causes of poverty, illiteracy, disease and death in developing countries, the U.N. agency said. Diseases such as AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis have the greatest impact on the hungry and poor, the report noted.
It said that the illness and death of income earners, health care and funeral costs, and support of orphans pushes millions of families deeper into poverty and hunger each year, the AP reported.
People living in rural areas of poor countries account for about 75 percent of the world's hungry and poor populations.
In 1996, the World Food Summit set a goal of halving the number of hungry people in the world by 2015. That target, reinforced by the Millennium Development Goals in 2000, is difficult but attainable, the report states.
Food Fact:
Plum role?
America has a prune glut, so help yourself -- and help your heart. Prunes, aka dried plums, are loaded with pectin, the soluble fiber that lowers blood cholesterol. They're also rich in iron and cancer-fighting antioxidants. As a health-conscious American, do your part by having a few prunes every day -- California orchardists, as well as your family doctor, will be glad you did.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Water on the knee?
Here's a tip for anyone whose exercise routine is hindered by sore knees. A water aerobics class is a perfect way to exercise while minimizing stress on your joints. The water provides a fair amount of resistance, yet at the same time it provides a vital protective cushion for sore joints.
FAQ of the day:
Is grape juice good for me?
White grape juice is mostly sugar and water, but purple grape juice, which includes the grape skins, is rich in the same heart-healthy compounds found in red wine. In a study at the University of Wisconsin Medical School, drinking a 12-oz. glass of purple grape juice a day reduced the tendency of blood clots to form by 40%. That's about the same as when people take aspirin to prevent heart attacks.
The United States has banned imports of poultry from the Canadian province of British Columbia in response to the discovery of a mild strain of H5 bird flu virus in one duck at a commercial poultry farm.
Taiwan and Hong Kong also imposed bans on poultry from the province, while Japan has banned all poultry from Canada.
U.S. officials are waiting for more information from Canadian authorities before deciding whether to continue the ban on all poultry imports from the province or restrict imports from only the Chilliwack area, where the farm is located, the Associated Press reported.
The duck was infected with a North American strain of H5 bird flu virus that doesn't kill poultry and is not a human health threat, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said.
The virus does sicken and weaken poultry. After the virus was confirmed in the duck, Canadian officials ordered the destruction of about 56,000 birds on the farm. Four other farms in the area have been quarantined, the AP reported.
China Reports Three New Bird Flu Outbreaks
Three new outbreaks of bird flu in China were announced Tuesday, bringing to 20 the total number of outbreaks in that country in recent weeks.
The latest outbreaks -- two in the west and one in the south of China -- have led to the killing of almost175,000 birds as part of efforts to prevent the spread of the bird flu, the Associated Press reported.
Ministry of Agriculture officials said the three outbreaks were currently under control.
In related news, health workers and officials in Hong Kong will stage a second bird flu drill this week as part of their preparations for a possible outbreak, Agence France Presse reported.
The inter-departmental communication exercise on Thursday will include more than 200 people and is designed to review the efficiency of cooperation between 30 bureaus, departments and organizations.
In Britain, meanwhile, fear of a bird flu pandemic has resulted in a shortage of winter flu vaccine, even though it offers no protection against bird flu. Fourteen million doses of winter flu vaccine were available for the elderly and other "at-risk" people, but there was an unexpected demand from what health officials termed the "worried well."
About 400,000 extra doses of flu vaccine have been released from emergency stocks and another 200,000 doses will be available in January, the health officials said.
Nestle Recalls Baby Milk in Europe
Food giant Nestle SA has recalled hundreds of thousands of gallons of baby milk from France, Italy, Portugal and Spain after tests suggested the milk may be contaminated with a chemical used in the printing on the milk cartons.
Traces of the photographic chemical isopropyl thioxanthone (ITX) were first detected in milk samples in Italy, BBC News reported.
Italian officials said the chemical may be toxic, and police in that country have started seizing the baby milk. Nestle denies the chemical poses a health risk but decided to recall the affected cartons of baby milk, which have an expiration date of September 2006.
The company also said that a new packaging process has been put in place in order to prevent further incidents of contamination, BBC News reported.
CDC Proposes Updated Quarantine Rules
Easier access to ship and aircraft passenger lists and explicit authority to offer vaccinations and medical treatment to people under quarantine are among updated quarantine regulations proposed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Tuesday.
The proposed updates also include a clearer appeals process for people placed in quarantine. The goal of the updates is to better protect the United States from infectious diseases, including bird flu, the Associated Press reported.
U.S. quarantine regulations haven't been substantially overhauled in at least 25 years and the need for updated rules was made clear during the international SARS outbreak in 2003, CDC officials said.
During the SARS outbreak, public health officials trying to trace the contacts of people who'd been infected had a difficult time obtaining passenger information from airlines, the AP reported.
The proposed changes will be open for public comment for 60 days and could be finalized by next spring.
In the past 18 months, the CDC has increased from eight to 18 the number of quarantine stations at U.S. airports, ship ports and land-border crossing, the AP reported.
CDC Reports 2nd Human Case of Mad Cow
The second documented U.S. case of the human form of mad cow disease has been confirmed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The case involves a man from the United Kingdom who lived in Houston for four years before returning to the U.K., where he is now undergoing medical treatment. The CDC said he probably contracted variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in the U.K. but he'll be listed as a U.S. case because that's where he was living when his symptoms began, the Associated Press reported.
"Almost certainly, this case represents a continuation of the outbreak that is going on in the United Kingdom," CDC medical epidemiologist Lawrence B. Schonberger told the AP.
People contract the disease by eating the brain or other nervous system tissue of animals that have mad cow disease -- bovine spongiform encephalopathy. The only other documented U.S. case of the human form of mad cow disease involved a woman from the U.K. who lived in Florida. It's believed she also contracted the disease in the U.K.
Nearly 6 Million Kids Die of Hunger, Malnutrition Yearly, U.N. Reports
Almost 6 million children worldwide die each year because of hunger and malnutrition, according to a U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization report released Tuesday.
The report also noted that there were more malnourished people in sub-Saharan Africa this decade than there were in the 1990s. The report said there were 203.5 million malnourished people in that region in 2000-02, compared to 170.4 million 10 years earlier, the Associated Press reported.
Hunger and malnutrition are among the leading causes of poverty, illiteracy, disease and death in developing countries, the U.N. agency said. Diseases such as AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis have the greatest impact on the hungry and poor, the report noted.
It said that the illness and death of income earners, health care and funeral costs, and support of orphans pushes millions of families deeper into poverty and hunger each year, the AP reported.
People living in rural areas of poor countries account for about 75 percent of the world's hungry and poor populations.
In 1996, the World Food Summit set a goal of halving the number of hungry people in the world by 2015. That target, reinforced by the Millennium Development Goals in 2000, is difficult but attainable, the report states.
Food Fact:
Plum role?
America has a prune glut, so help yourself -- and help your heart. Prunes, aka dried plums, are loaded with pectin, the soluble fiber that lowers blood cholesterol. They're also rich in iron and cancer-fighting antioxidants. As a health-conscious American, do your part by having a few prunes every day -- California orchardists, as well as your family doctor, will be glad you did.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Water on the knee?
Here's a tip for anyone whose exercise routine is hindered by sore knees. A water aerobics class is a perfect way to exercise while minimizing stress on your joints. The water provides a fair amount of resistance, yet at the same time it provides a vital protective cushion for sore joints.
FAQ of the day:
Is grape juice good for me?
White grape juice is mostly sugar and water, but purple grape juice, which includes the grape skins, is rich in the same heart-healthy compounds found in red wine. In a study at the University of Wisconsin Medical School, drinking a 12-oz. glass of purple grape juice a day reduced the tendency of blood clots to form by 40%. That's about the same as when people take aspirin to prevent heart attacks.
Monday, November 21, 2005
Health Headlines - November 21
40 Million People Infected With HIV: WHO Report
Almost five million people around the world were infected with HIV last year, bringing to 40 million the estimated number of people with the AIDS virus, says a World Health Organization (WHO) report released Monday.
About 3.1 million people died from the virus last year, which means that AIDS has killed more than 25 million people since it was first recognized in 1981, the Associated Press reported.
However, efforts over the past five years to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS are finally starting to show results in some countries, the WHO report noted.
Previously, there were declines in HIV infection rates noted in countries such as Senegal, Uganda and Thailand.
"Now we have Kenya, several of the Caribbean countries and Zimbabwe with a decline," UNAIDS chief Peter Piot told the AP, adding that all these countries have heavily promoted safe-sex and other HIV prevention.
Pregnant women in urban Kenya have shown the most dramatic decline in HIV prevalence, from about 28 percent in 1999 to 9 percent in 2003, the AP reported.
The WHO said that HIV epidemics continue to grow in southern Africa and expanding epidemics are occurring in Central and East Asia and Eastern Europe. There are indications that Indonesia and Pakistan could be on the brink of serious epidemics.
Bird Flu Virus Prompts Cull in British Columbia
More than 67,000 ducks and geese will be killed in the Canadian province of British Columbia after a bird in the Chilliwack area tested positive for avian flu, but not the deadly H5N1 strain.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) said the virus was a mild North American strain of bird flu that's been present on the continent for decades. However, they decided on the cull because this mild strain of bird flu virus does have the potential to mutate into a more dangerous version, the Globe and Mail reported.
Four farms that had contact with the affected Chilliwack facility and all farms close to where the infected bird was found will be kept under observation, CFIA officials said.
The announcement about the cull was made amid increasing concern that the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus could be brought to North America by migrating birds.
In related news, the CFIA announced that two wild ducks in the province of Manitoba tested positive for the H5N1 strain. However, it was a low-pathogenic version of H5N1 and not as dangerous as the strain currently plagued Asia, the Globe and Mail reported.
Health Official: U.S. Won't Have Enough Bird Flu Vaccine for 3-5 Years
It will take the United States at least three years to have enough doses of flu vaccine to stave off a pandemic, according to Health and Human Services Secretary MIke Leavitt.
Speaking on the NBC TV progam, "Meet the Press," Leavitt said the U.S. doesn't have the manufacturing capacity to make and distribute the 300 million doses of a vaccine to protect the country's population, and it won't have that capacity for three to five years.
The issue of a major fatal flu outbreak has been heightened because incidents of avian flu killing 67 people in Asian countries in the past year have caused health officials to become concerned. So far, however, there have been no reports of the bird flu being transmitted from person to person.
"What we all learned from (Hurricane) Katrina is sometimes we have to think clearly about the unthinkable," the Associated Press quotes Leavitt as saying. "We're probably closer to a pandemic at any time in the last 37 years. We're not as prepared as we need to be."
While scientists can't predict what type of virus the avian flu could mutate into so that it would cause a pandemic, the wire service says The U.S. has only enough doses for 4.3 million people. And says the A.P., President Bush has proposed stockpiling enough of the anti-flu drugs Tamiflu and Relenza for 81 million people. There is some evidence that these drugs might be effective against a bird flu virus.
MRI Used to Track Path of Anti-Cancer Cells
Scientists continue to find new uses for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to view the functions of organs in the body. A team of scientists says it has developed a method to use the MRI to track how well a certain cancer therapy is working.
In the latest issue of the journal Nature Biotechnology , the researchers report that implanted tiny iron oxide particles were able to determine whether the cancer-fighting cells were on target.
"In four of the eight patients, MRI revealed that the implanted cells weren't where they needed to be to be effective for treatment," says Jeff Bulte, an associate professor of radiology at Hopkins' Institute for Cell Engineering who was part of the research team. A Johns Hopkins University news release says Bulte was the author of the report and developed methods to use the iron oxide particles with the anti-cancer cells.
The iron oxide technique was much more accurate than previous tracking methods like radioactivity and ultrasound, Bulte said in the news release. The cells in question are called dendritic cells, which scientists theorize can stimulate the body's immune system to fight malignant cells.
FDA Finds No Evidence Linking Tamiflu to Deaths
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday there was insufficient evidence to tie the flu drug Tamiflu to the deaths of 12 Japanese children or to hallucinations, encephalitis and other symptoms suffered by some Japanese patients.
One day after announcing it would review the deaths, the agency's staff said it wouldn't be necessary to update the drug's labeling to reflect those deaths or possible adverse effects. But the staff is recommending adding information to the label about serious skin reactions to Tamiflu, according to papers prepared for a meeting Friday of the FDA's Pediatric Advisory Committee, the Associated Press reported.
At the meeting itself, the chairman, Dr. Robert Nelson, said, "If we ever have a pandemic of avian flu, which is a debatable point, people want to know that they have a drug that will not cause more (harm) than the flu itself," said.
The advisory committee reviewed Tamiflu as part of a routine safety check of drugs whose original uses had been extended to cover children.
Melissa Truffa, of the FDA's Office of Drug Safety, told the panel earlier Friday that they found no direct link between the use of Tamiflu and the deaths in Japan.
The FDA staff said Tamiflu is used much more often in Japan than in the United States -- 11.6 million prescriptions for children in Japan between 2001 and 2005, compared to about 872,000 during that same period in the United States, AP reported.
There are no reports of deaths in the United States or Europe associated with Tamiflu.
Food Fact:
No-fry zone.
Potatoes can be a dieter's secret weapon -- if you know how best to prepare them. Keep them away from the deep fryer or high-fat toppings, and they're excellent choices. On its own, a cooked medium-size potato has only about 200 calories, and it's very filling. Top it with yogurt and a sprinkling of chives -- you'll never miss the sour cream. Potatoes are rich in protein, iron, potassium and, if you eat the skin, fiber. They also contain glutathione, an antioxidant that may help protect against cancer. Never store potatoes in the refrigerator -- it makes them turn dark when cooked. Keep them in a cool, dark, ventilated place. Trim away any green spots before cooking.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Prestretch routines.
Do you know the one thing you should always do before stretching? To prevent injury you should perform at least 10-15 minutes of cardiovascular exercise (walking, biking) prior to stretching. Never stretch a "cold muscle" -- one that does not have sufficient blood flowing through the tissue to be stretched.
FAQ of the day:
What are the best fruits for vitamin C?
The best fruit sources of vitamin C are apricots, cantaloupe, grapefruit, honeydew, kiwi, mango, orange, pineapple, plum, strawberry, tangerine and watermelon. Apricot, cantaloupe and mango are also rich in health-protective carotenoids, including the beta-carotene our bodies make into vitamin A.
Almost five million people around the world were infected with HIV last year, bringing to 40 million the estimated number of people with the AIDS virus, says a World Health Organization (WHO) report released Monday.
About 3.1 million people died from the virus last year, which means that AIDS has killed more than 25 million people since it was first recognized in 1981, the Associated Press reported.
However, efforts over the past five years to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS are finally starting to show results in some countries, the WHO report noted.
Previously, there were declines in HIV infection rates noted in countries such as Senegal, Uganda and Thailand.
"Now we have Kenya, several of the Caribbean countries and Zimbabwe with a decline," UNAIDS chief Peter Piot told the AP, adding that all these countries have heavily promoted safe-sex and other HIV prevention.
Pregnant women in urban Kenya have shown the most dramatic decline in HIV prevalence, from about 28 percent in 1999 to 9 percent in 2003, the AP reported.
The WHO said that HIV epidemics continue to grow in southern Africa and expanding epidemics are occurring in Central and East Asia and Eastern Europe. There are indications that Indonesia and Pakistan could be on the brink of serious epidemics.
Bird Flu Virus Prompts Cull in British Columbia
More than 67,000 ducks and geese will be killed in the Canadian province of British Columbia after a bird in the Chilliwack area tested positive for avian flu, but not the deadly H5N1 strain.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) said the virus was a mild North American strain of bird flu that's been present on the continent for decades. However, they decided on the cull because this mild strain of bird flu virus does have the potential to mutate into a more dangerous version, the Globe and Mail reported.
Four farms that had contact with the affected Chilliwack facility and all farms close to where the infected bird was found will be kept under observation, CFIA officials said.
The announcement about the cull was made amid increasing concern that the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus could be brought to North America by migrating birds.
In related news, the CFIA announced that two wild ducks in the province of Manitoba tested positive for the H5N1 strain. However, it was a low-pathogenic version of H5N1 and not as dangerous as the strain currently plagued Asia, the Globe and Mail reported.
Health Official: U.S. Won't Have Enough Bird Flu Vaccine for 3-5 Years
It will take the United States at least three years to have enough doses of flu vaccine to stave off a pandemic, according to Health and Human Services Secretary MIke Leavitt.
Speaking on the NBC TV progam, "Meet the Press," Leavitt said the U.S. doesn't have the manufacturing capacity to make and distribute the 300 million doses of a vaccine to protect the country's population, and it won't have that capacity for three to five years.
The issue of a major fatal flu outbreak has been heightened because incidents of avian flu killing 67 people in Asian countries in the past year have caused health officials to become concerned. So far, however, there have been no reports of the bird flu being transmitted from person to person.
"What we all learned from (Hurricane) Katrina is sometimes we have to think clearly about the unthinkable," the Associated Press quotes Leavitt as saying. "We're probably closer to a pandemic at any time in the last 37 years. We're not as prepared as we need to be."
While scientists can't predict what type of virus the avian flu could mutate into so that it would cause a pandemic, the wire service says The U.S. has only enough doses for 4.3 million people. And says the A.P., President Bush has proposed stockpiling enough of the anti-flu drugs Tamiflu and Relenza for 81 million people. There is some evidence that these drugs might be effective against a bird flu virus.
MRI Used to Track Path of Anti-Cancer Cells
Scientists continue to find new uses for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to view the functions of organs in the body. A team of scientists says it has developed a method to use the MRI to track how well a certain cancer therapy is working.
In the latest issue of the journal Nature Biotechnology , the researchers report that implanted tiny iron oxide particles were able to determine whether the cancer-fighting cells were on target.
"In four of the eight patients, MRI revealed that the implanted cells weren't where they needed to be to be effective for treatment," says Jeff Bulte, an associate professor of radiology at Hopkins' Institute for Cell Engineering who was part of the research team. A Johns Hopkins University news release says Bulte was the author of the report and developed methods to use the iron oxide particles with the anti-cancer cells.
The iron oxide technique was much more accurate than previous tracking methods like radioactivity and ultrasound, Bulte said in the news release. The cells in question are called dendritic cells, which scientists theorize can stimulate the body's immune system to fight malignant cells.
FDA Finds No Evidence Linking Tamiflu to Deaths
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday there was insufficient evidence to tie the flu drug Tamiflu to the deaths of 12 Japanese children or to hallucinations, encephalitis and other symptoms suffered by some Japanese patients.
One day after announcing it would review the deaths, the agency's staff said it wouldn't be necessary to update the drug's labeling to reflect those deaths or possible adverse effects. But the staff is recommending adding information to the label about serious skin reactions to Tamiflu, according to papers prepared for a meeting Friday of the FDA's Pediatric Advisory Committee, the Associated Press reported.
At the meeting itself, the chairman, Dr. Robert Nelson, said, "If we ever have a pandemic of avian flu, which is a debatable point, people want to know that they have a drug that will not cause more (harm) than the flu itself," said.
The advisory committee reviewed Tamiflu as part of a routine safety check of drugs whose original uses had been extended to cover children.
Melissa Truffa, of the FDA's Office of Drug Safety, told the panel earlier Friday that they found no direct link between the use of Tamiflu and the deaths in Japan.
The FDA staff said Tamiflu is used much more often in Japan than in the United States -- 11.6 million prescriptions for children in Japan between 2001 and 2005, compared to about 872,000 during that same period in the United States, AP reported.
There are no reports of deaths in the United States or Europe associated with Tamiflu.
Food Fact:
No-fry zone.
Potatoes can be a dieter's secret weapon -- if you know how best to prepare them. Keep them away from the deep fryer or high-fat toppings, and they're excellent choices. On its own, a cooked medium-size potato has only about 200 calories, and it's very filling. Top it with yogurt and a sprinkling of chives -- you'll never miss the sour cream. Potatoes are rich in protein, iron, potassium and, if you eat the skin, fiber. They also contain glutathione, an antioxidant that may help protect against cancer. Never store potatoes in the refrigerator -- it makes them turn dark when cooked. Keep them in a cool, dark, ventilated place. Trim away any green spots before cooking.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Prestretch routines.
Do you know the one thing you should always do before stretching? To prevent injury you should perform at least 10-15 minutes of cardiovascular exercise (walking, biking) prior to stretching. Never stretch a "cold muscle" -- one that does not have sufficient blood flowing through the tissue to be stretched.
FAQ of the day:
What are the best fruits for vitamin C?
The best fruit sources of vitamin C are apricots, cantaloupe, grapefruit, honeydew, kiwi, mango, orange, pineapple, plum, strawberry, tangerine and watermelon. Apricot, cantaloupe and mango are also rich in health-protective carotenoids, including the beta-carotene our bodies make into vitamin A.
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