11/18/14 Health News: ARSENIC IN RICE ♦ Plant-based omega-3 fatty acid ♦ Carrots might be full of lead ♦ Race, Hospital, Insurance Status Effect Cancer Treatment

CONSUMER REPORTS RELEASES NEW GUIDELINES FOR ARSENIC IN RICE AND GRAINS

Consumer Reports (CR) today issued new consumption guidelines for inorganic arsenic (IA) in rice and other grains. While past reports on the subject by CR and others have been complex and academic, this one is consumer friendly. CR says its new guidelines were developed in response to consumer questions after its 2012 study found measurable... Continue Reading

Nothing fishy about health benefits of plant-based omega-3 fatty acid Increasing the amount of omega-3s in your diet, whether from fish or flax, will likely decrease your risk of getting heart disease, according to nutritionists. A substantial amount of evidence exists supporting the heart-health benefits of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid (EPA and DHA), marine-derived omega-3 fatty acids. However, much less evidence exists to demonstrate the positive effects of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a plant-based omega-3 fatty acid. Continue Reading

Watch out, NYC, your backyard carrots might be pumped full of lead The study found five out of seven garden plots had unsafe levels of toxic metals in the soil. Gulp.Continue Reading

Race, Hospital, Insurance Status All Factors in How Lung Cancer Is Treated African Americans, Hispanics, and those who receive care at a community hospital are all significantly less likely than other patients to receive treatment for early stage non-small cell lung cancer, according to a report. The study is the largest to date looking at treatment received by patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer, an early stage of lung cancer that has not spread to the lymph nodes and is characterized by a small nodules in the lung tissue. Treatment during this early stage offers the best chance for long-term survival Continue Reading

Pickles, Pickled Green Beans, and Pickled Carrots Recalled

California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Director Dr. Ron Chapman warned consumers today not to eat Healdsburg Pickling Company jarred food products because they may have been improperly produced, making them susceptible to contamination with Clostridium Botulinum. Ingestion of botulism toxin from improperly processed jarred and canned foods may lead to serious illness and death.

Healdsburg Pickling Company of Healdsburg, California is voluntarily recalling the following varieties of jarred food products: Pickles, Pickled Green Beans, and Pickled Carrots. These food products were sold under the Healdsburg Pickling Company label and packaged in quart and pint glass jars with screw-on metal lids. The product labels do not include any coding or “use by” dates. Photographs of the affected packages can be found on CDPH’s Healdsburg Pickling Company Recalled Product Photos page.

The recalled food products were only sold at:

• The Cheese Shop, 423 Center Street, Healdsburg, CA 95448

• Perry’s Deli, 12301 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Inverness Park, CA 94937

Consumers in possession of the recalled products should discard them in the trash. Botulism toxin is odorless and colorless. Cooking the products will not inactivate any toxin that is present.

Botulism is a rare but serious paralytic illness caused by a nerve toxin that is produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. The initial symptoms frequently experienced are double or blurred vision, drooping eyelids, and dry or sore throat. Progressive descending paralysis, usually symmetrical, may follow. Additional symptoms may include slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, inability of the neck muscles to support the head, paralysis of the extremities and respiratory muscles may occur. Infants with botulism appear lethargic, feed poorly, are constipated, have a weak cry, and poor muscle tone.

CDPH recommends consumers experiencing any ill effects after consuming these products should consult their health care provider. Consumers that observe the product being offered for sale are encouraged to report the activity to the CDPH toll free complaint line at (800) 495-3232.