Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (HVP) product recalls

The FDA announced that HVP manufactured by Basic Food Flavours has been recalled, and an estimated 10000 products are affected by this recall. The recall was issued due to possible Salmonella contamination. Salmonella is one of the most common causes of  bacterial food borne illness in the United States. It can cause fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Print out this list and check your pantry.
photo credit: denn

Is Your Tap Water Pure?

Do you know what is in the tap water you drink? There’s an easy way to find out. The Environmental Working Group analyzed water throughout the United States and identified 316 different contaminants. Many of these contaminants are not regulated by the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. The contaminants included heavy metals, pesticides, and industrial pollutants. Increased risk of cancer and other diseases is associated with exposure to these pollutants, so it’s important to know if you are being subjected to them. However, bottled water isn’t necessarily safer. EWG also analyzed 10 different bottled waters and found that many of them contained the same pollutants as tap water. The bottled water not only contained the pollutants, it also contained chemicals that had leached into the water from the plastic bottle. EWG suggests using water pitchers that contain carbon filters or getting a filter that attaches directly to your faucet. To find out how your city rates, visit
ewg.org/tap-water
Search by zip code for results of water quality tests in your area.
photo credit: Flowery *L*u*z*a*

BPA May Cause Irregular Heartbeat

The FDA made a controversial conclusion that BPA (bisphenol A) is not a health risk, but there is new evidence that it may not be good for you. BPA is found in some plastic food containers. A study from the University of Cincinnati found that it causes irregular heartbeats in female rodents. It seems that when BPA is combined with estrogen it may harm the human heart. Female estrogen receptors are responsible for this effect on the heart muscle cells. These cellular changes caused the improperly controlled beating of the female heart. These effects are female specific. While this study is controversial, the FDA is reviewing its previous conclusions. In the meantime, store and heat your food in ceramic or glass instead of plastic. photocredit:reegmo

Alcohol and Depression

Alcohol is connected to depression in two ways—either a person drinks too much and as a result feels depressed or a person drinks to relieve anxiety and depression. Either way, alcohol affects the chemistry in the brain, which increases the risk for depression. Hangovers create a vicious cycle of waking up feeling sick, anxious, jittery and guilty. Life can become depressing because of the problems alcohol creates—relationship difficulties with family and friends, problems at work, memory issues and sexual problems. For many depressed drinkers, cutting out alcohol consumption can drastically improve their mood. Most start to feel better within a few weeks of cutting out alcohol. The best idea is stop drinking first to see whether that is what is causing the depression. Friends and family may find it easier to get along with a sober person. If after four weeks of not drinking, the depression has not lifted, a General Practitioner may suggest cognitive therapy or prescribe medication. Some of the symptoms of alcoholism include using alcohol as a way to cope with anxiety, anger, frustration, depression or a lack of self-confidence; relationships are negatively affected; feelings of guilt, depression or self-loathing; large amounts of time spent drinking; drinking early in the day and hiding the amount being consumed from friends and family. If this sounds like you or someone you love, you can contact your local Alcoholics Anonymous for help.
photo credit:PTRA

Coffee Alternatives

Most people drink coffee for the morning pick-me-up, but if you are wanting to cut down on your jitters or just your caffeine intake, you have choices.
• Herbal coffees are an option, such as Teeccino. It contains no caffeine, but it may provide a natural alertness. Its main ingredient is chicory root. People who are trying to give up coffee for health reasons often turn to Teeccino. It tastes a lot like coffee, but a little sweet and smoky. It contains heart-healthy potassium and inulin that helps aid digestion. Teeccino is safe for even kids to drink and comes in a variety of flavors.
• Yerba Mate is made of South American holly tree leaves. You can find it in brands such as Guayaki, which a very environmentally friendly company that is focused on restoring the rain forests. Guayaki has less than half the caffeine of coffee. Its flavor is very herbal. It has high levels of antioxidants and heart-healthy potassium.
• Morning Matcha is made of green-tea leaves ground into powder. It also contains about half the amount of caffeine of coffee. It tastes similar to steeped green tea, but has more of a kick. It has about three times the antioxidants of bagged tea, giving you extra protection from heart disease and cancer. It is pricey, though. One jar, which contains 15-20 servings, costs $33.
photo credit: Chris Owens

Bumming a Cigarette Bums out Your Heart

If you think you’re beating the bad effects of cigarettes because you don’t smoke regularly, but still bum one now and then on a night out—you’re kidding yourself! Every puff you take increases your potential for arterial damage. A University of Georgia study found that sporadic smokers who smoked two cigarettes after two days of not smoking were 36 percent less responsive to blood flow changes than nonsmokers. After four cigarettes the arterial response was even worse. Impaired arterial response is the first step to heart disease. Cigarette smokers also have more build up of fatty deposits in their arteries. In fact, the Surgeon General has declared smoking “the leading preventable cause of disease and deaths in the United States.” Secondhand smoke will cause these same effects, so try to avoid it if possible. Smoking also decreases you HDL (good) cholesterol. And don’t forget—it’s bad for your lungs, too!

photo credit: vramak

Coffee: Pros and Cons

Pros
• Coffee’s antioxidants may reduce cell damage linked to Parkinson’s disease and reduce inflammation that leads to Alzheimer’s.
• Coffee has antibacterial and anti-adhesive qualities, so it may keep bacteria from causing cavities and it could cut your risk of oral cancer in half.
• Premenopausal women who drank 4 or more cups of Java a day had a 38 percent lower risk for breast cancer.
• Two or more cups of coffee a day may reduce the risk of gallstones.
• Two to five cups a day may reduce your risk for skin cancer by up to 17 percent.
• Three to four cups a day reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes by 30 percent.

Cons
• Espresso may raise LDL “bad” cholesterol.
• More than 500 mg of caffeine can worsen anxiety by increasing stress hormones and raise blood pressure, a Duke University study found.
• Polyphenols in coffee can block your body’s absorption of iron and calcium.
• Additives such as cream and sugar add lots of empty calories.
• If consumed habitually, it may cause your adrenal glands to be exhausted.
• It contains carcinogens.
• It has been associated with low birth weight, birth defects, miscarriages, premature birth, inability to conceive, and sluggish sperm.
• It irritates the lining of the stomach and can cause digestive disorders.

Just how much caffeine is in your drink?
• 1 cup decaf coffee or tea: 2 mg or more
• 1 cup hot cocoa: 9 mg
• 1 cup green tea: 20 mg
• 12-oz. can Diet Coke: 47 mg
• 1 cup black tea: 47 mg
• 1-oz. shot espresso: 64 mg
• 8.4-oz. can Red Bull: 80 mg
• 1 cup home brewed coffee: 95 mg
• 14-oz. Dunkin’ Donuts hot coffee: 178 mg
• Grande Starbucks Pike Place Roast: 330-500 mg
photo credit: visualpanic

Avoid Dented or Bulging Cans

A little ding or dent may not be a big deal on your canned goods but if you notice a big dent, that your can is bulging or if the contents of the can spurt out when opening it get rid of it!  These are all signs of botulism, a potentially deadly form of food poisoning.  For more information on botulism check out: cdc.gov/botulism/botulism_faq.htm

photo credit: Aidan.Morgan

Rancid Fish Oil

If you are taking fish oil have you checked to see if it is Rancid?  Fish oil is sometimes taken for its source of Omega-3 fatty acids.  However if the fish oil is rancid it may be doing your body harm instead of providing the health benefits you were seeking.

If the oil is bad you may notice that you are burping up a unpleasant odor.  The easiest way to test is to cut open the capsule and take a smell and taste to make sure it is still fresh.

Storing the capsules in the fridge will help them keep but testing the capsules should be done every other week or so to prevent consumption of rancid oils. photo credit: vinodvv aka vcube

Video Health Tip Ep5 - Poison Ivy & Mangoes

YzFIT Ep5 - Poison Ivy & Mangoes from YzFIT on Vimeo.

Where's the beef on this 4th of July?

The latest voluntary beef recall came from JBS Swift Beef Company, which expanded its recall "out of an abundance of caution for consumers." The company is calling its customers and sending out letters to alert them to the recall.

Last Wednesday, JBS Swift announced it would voluntarily recall about 41,280 pounds of beef products. On Sunday USDA flagging another 380,000 pounds of beef products for possible E. coli contamination.

Click here for a complete recall list and  a Video from ABC News.

photo credit: Stefano A

Dunkin' Pulls Drinks due to Salmonella

Dunkin' Donuts has stopped selling hot chocolate and Dunkaccino! One of their supplier's facility  voluntarily recalled its instant nonfat dried milk and whey protein because of potential salmonella bacteria contamination.

Acetaminophen - leading cause of liver failure

Never underestimate over the counter drugs like DayQuil, Ny-Quil, Panadol, and Tylenol. According to the FDA,overdoses of acetaminophen have been linked to 56,000 emergency room visits, 26,000 hospitalizations and 458 deaths. Here's a video from AP News photo credit: trekkyandy

New FDA chiefs vow to fix lax food safety

The FDA has been known to at times have its personal life too closely connected industry companies. So the question is when will their main focus be protecting the American Consumer? Hamburg, who just won Senate, and Sharfstein (both physicians) have pledged to restore the FDA's credibility. More...

Natural = Safe?

It's very interesting that most patients do not tell their own physician what they are taking. I'm talking about Over the counter drugs and supplements. Most people have a false sense of security that because it's natural and readily available, then it must be safe.

You see, our body is an amazing chemical factory, when you mix different chemicals together, sometimes you get undesirable effects, sometimes it can be deadly.

The FDA have a different sets of rules when it comes to supplements, the regulations are different from food, currently there are not enough inspection and quality control that can guarantee the purity and effectiveness of the products. If you pay attention to past recalls, you'll notice it takes about 5 years and enough complains to prompt for a class action lawsuit.

So as consumers what can we do? Work with your own physician, eat whole food, you can obtain the nutrient from real food and avoid overdosing yourself in concentrated form (pills). The most healthy foods are the ones without the labels. Remember you only have one life, be smart about your health. photo credit: dmott9