Health News: Poison in fruits ♦ Warning about Dungeness and Rock Crabs caught in central and northern California ♦ Mucus: The first line of defense

Poison in fruits I WANT to draw the attention of the government towards the use of a highly poisonous and carcinogenic chemical ‘calcium carbide’ (CaC2) normally known as white powder in the ripening of fruits. In recent months, the Punjab Health Authority has started a stringent checking of unhygienic and adulterated food. However, the use of calcium carbide to artificially ripen fruits and

Warning about Dungeness and Rock Crabs caught in central and northern California  A statement released by the California Department of Public Health November 3 advised the public to avoid consuming Dungeness and Rock crabs caught in waters along the Oregon border and southern Santa Barbara county line until further notice due to high levels of domoic acid after State testing revealed that the toxin had consistently exceeded the State’s action level.

Protein movement of hair bundles in the inner ear may preserve hearing for life The movement of protein within hair cells of the inner ear shows signs of a repair and renewal mechanism.

Mucus: The first line of defense By licking a wound, it heals faster – this is not simply popular belief, but scientifically proven. Our saliva consists of water and mucus, among other things, and the mucus plays an important role. It stimulates white blood cells to build a good defense against invaders,

Mixed martial arts bloodier but less dangerous than boxing Researchers evaluate a decade's worth of post-fight medical examinations to shed new light on injury risks of combative sports. The research offers a first-of-its-kind glimpse into the dangers of the two combative sports, and is the direct result of the author's quarter-century of experience as a ringside physician conducting post-fight exams, which are mandatory in both boxing and mixed martial arts.

Health Research:Designer drug 'N-bomb’ linked to 17 deaths ♦ Gut microbes help produce serotonin ♦ Tissue made of high-tech fibers

When health risks go down, worker productivity goes up Changes in employee health risk factors have a significant impact on work productivity, reports a new study. The productivity benefits of improved health are "cumulative over time," highlighting the need for companies to make "continuous investments in the culture of health," according to the study

Poison center warns against designer drug 'N-bomb’ The relatively new synthetic drug 25I-NBOMe, or “N bomb,” has been associated with the deaths of at least 17 people in the United States since 2010, when it became available over the Internet,

Microbes help produce serotonin in gut Although serotonin is well known as a brain neurotransmitter, it is estimated that 90 percent of the body's serotonin is made in the digestive tract. In fact, altered levels of this peripheral serotonin has been linked to diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome, cardiovascular disease, and osteoporosis.

Drug regulations tied to fewer prescriptions of effective gout drug Well intentioned, but costly and potentially problematic. That's how researchers describe the end result of a decision by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to regulate colchicine, a drug used to treat gout, among other ailments. Fewer patients are actually now taking it, and it has come at a cost to their wallets. Colchicine had been sold at low cost for many years in the US. It is widely used to treat gout,

Novel tissue substitute made of high-tech fibers Regenerative medicine uses cells harvested from the patient’s own body to heal damaged tissue. Researchers have developed a cell-free substrate containing proteins to which autologous cells bind and grow only after implantation

11/30/14 Health News: Chemicals That Poison our Food ♦ Missing gene linked to autism ♦ Drugs better against colorectal cancer ♦ Save thousands with student's DIY microscope

Our Daily Poison: How Chemicals Have Contaminated the Food Chain

(Image: The New Press)Kirkus Reviews praises Our Daily Poison, From Pesticides to Packaging, How Chemicals Have Contaminated the Food Chain and Are Making Us Sick: "For readers with a strong interest in environmental and public health and food safety policy, this may be one of the most important books of the year." Contribute to Truthout and receive the book now by …Continue Reading

Missing gene linked to autism

Researchers have shed light on a gene mutation linked to autistic traits. The team already knew that some people with autism were deficient in a gene called neurexin-II. To investigate whether the gene was associated with autism symptoms, the Leeds team studied mice with the same defect. They found behavioral features that were similar to autism symptoms, including a lack of sociability or interest in other mice. Continue Reading  

One-two punch of drugs better than either alone against colorectal cancer

Experimental anti-cancer agents PF-04691502 and PD-0325901 excel in lab tests against colorectal cancer models and enter phase 1 trial, scientists report. "This study demonstrates strong potential for this combination in treating laboratory models of colorectal cancer. We hope that if we can discover biomarkers that predict which tumors respond and which don't respond to the combination that we can optimize its use," one researcher says.  Continue Reading

Scientists could save thousands with student's DIY microscope

Expensive tests for measuring everything from sperm motility to cancer diagnosis have just been made hundreds of thousands of dollars cheaper by a Ph.D. student from England who hacked his own microscope  Continue Reading

9/30/14 Health News: underground trade in a West African delicacy ♦ 45 infants added to TB exposure list ♦ Poison: Anglers Advised Not To Eat Trout In 1080 Areas

Underground trade in a West African delicacy

The global youth media company Vice has launched a new documentary series about how politics and policy affect what we eat. “The Politics of Food” is available through Vice’s online food channel, Munchies, and the first 20-minute episode investigates the underground trade in a West African delicacy called “smokies” that has been banned in the... Continue Reading

45 infants added to TB exposure list

Health officials have added 45 infants to the list of more than 700 who were exposed to tuberculosis at a hospital in El Paso, Texas. Earlier this week, the city's Department of Public Health announced that 706 infants and 43 health care workers had been exposed to tuberculosis, commonly called TB, at Providence Memorial Hospital. Continue Reading

Poison: Anglers Advised Not To Eat Trout In 1080 Areas

Anglers Advised Not To Eat Trout In 1080 Areas With the fishing season opening in just a few days (1 October 2014), anglers are being warned by the Department of Conservation(DOC) not to eat trout from pristine backcountry waters and their downstream catchments, where the department is conducting 1080 poisoning operations. In response to publicly expressed concerns by the New … Continue Reading

4/15/14 Health News: Poisoning Spike Linked to TV Chefs ♦ Refills for E-cigarettes Break Poison Labelling Laws ♦ Should be Skeptical of Walmart’s Cheap Organic Food ♦ Hospital Cited for 8 Violations in TB outbreak

Most nicotine refills for e-cigarettes break poison labelling laws

Almost 70% of nicotine-based refills for electronic cigarettes fail to state the contents are poisonous, despite this being required by law, according to research by the Dutch food safety body NVWA. The packaging should carry a skull icon to show the contents are dangerous to health. This means users are not being properly warned about the contents Continue Reading

Poisoning spike linked to TV chefs

A SPIKE in food poisoning cases has been linked to South Australians undercooking eggs at home.The new cases have sparked warnings from health authorities to be wary of attempting techniques used on television cooking shows.SA Health figures show 353 cases of potentially life-threatening salmonellosis have been reported throughout the state so far this year. That is about a third more than the number of cases — 267 — reported at the same time last year.Continue Reading

Why you should be skeptical of Walmart’s cheap organic food

Out on the mean streets of the U.S. organic foods industry, Walmart has stepped onto the corner with both guns drawn. On Thursday, the superstore behemoth announced its plan to partner with Wild Oats(which you may recognize as a former subsidiary of Whole Foods) to offer a line of organic goods at unprecedentedly low prices in 2,000 of its U.S. stores. To start, the line will offer primarily canned goods and other pantry staples that will cost up to 25 percent less than those of other organic brands. Continue Reading

Summerlin Hospital cited for 8 violations in TB outbreak

The Nevada Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced Thursday that it cited Summerlin Hospital for eight violations in connection with last year's tuberculosis outbreak that claimed the life of a mother and at least one of her children. Continue Rea

Dramatic Increase in E-cigarette Related Calls to Poison Centers

New CDC study finds dramatic increase in e-cigarette-related calls to poison centers

Rapid rise highlights need to monitor nicotine exposure through e-cigarette liquid and prevent future poisonings

Poison center calls involving e-cigarettes have risen.

The number of calls to poison centers involving e-cigarette liquids containing nicotine rose from one per month in September 2010 to 215 per month in February 2014, according to a CDC study published in today’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The number of calls per month involving conventional cigarettes did not show a similar increase during the same time period.

More than half (51.1 percent) of the calls to poison centers due to e-cigarettes involved young children under age 5, and about 42 percent of the poison calls involved people age 20 and older.

The analysis compared total monthly poison center calls involving e-cigarettes and conventional cigarettes, and found the proportion of e-cigarette calls jumped from 0.3 percent in September 2010 to 41.7 percent in February 2014.  Poisoning from conventional cigarettes is generally due to young children eating them. Poisoning related to e-cigarettes involves the liquid containing nicotine used in the devices and can occur in three ways: by ingestion, inhalation or absorption through the skin or eyes.

“This report raises another red flag about e-cigarettes – the liquid nicotine used in e-cigarettes can be hazardous,” said CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H.  “Use of these products is skyrocketing and these poisonings will continue.  E-cigarette liquids as currently sold are a threat to small children because they are not required to be child proof, and they come in candy and fruit flavors that are appealing to children.”

E-cigarette calls were more likely than cigarette calls to include a report of an adverse health effect following exposure. The most common adverse health effects mentioned in e-cigarette calls were vomiting, nausea and eye irritation.

Data for this study came from the poison centers that serve the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. Territories. The study examined all calls reporting exposure to conventional cigarettes, e-cigarettes, or nicotine liquid used in e-cigarettes.  Poison centers reported 2,405 e-cigarette and 16,248 cigarette exposure calls from September 2010 to February 2014. The total number of poisoning cases is likely higher than reflected in this study, because not all exposures might have been reported to poison centers.

“The most recent National Youth Tobacco Survey showed e-cigarette use is growing fast, and now this report shows e-cigarette related poisonings are also increasing rapidly,” said Tim McAfee, M.D., M.P.H., Director of CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health.  “Health care providers, e-cigarette companies and distributors, and the general public need to be aware of this potential health risk from e-cigarettes.”

Developing strategies to monitor and prevent future poisonings is critical given the rapid increase in e-cigarette related poisonings. The report shows that e-cigarette liquids containing nicotine have the potential to cause immediate adverse health effects and represent an emerging public health concern.

Lead Tainted Ginger Candy put Children at Risk

In a lawsuit the California attorney general accused Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, and ten other 

California grocery stores of selling ginger and plum candies with dangerously high levels of lead.

While Lynda Gledhill, the attorney general's press secretary, said the lead levels were sporadic — "meaning it wasn't something that was naturally occurring" — the nature of this case poses a great threat, because pregnant women often enjoy ginger candy during their pregnancy and children are, no doubt, notorious candy eaters.

California's Proposition 65 states: Businesses must tell consumers of harmful toxins found in food, toys, jewelry, and other products — a disclosure that the suit argues never happened.

Santa Cruz Sentinel reports, the retailers have been notified of the lawsuit, and the state is expecting a response in June.

Lead poisoning occurs from a gradual buildup of lead in the body. In children under the age of six are especially at risk there brains are underdeveloped.

Pregnant women's exposure to lead can also put the fetus at risk. Lead can travels into the woman's bloodstream and enters the fetus' bones through the placenta. Then it will accumulate in the developing organs. As the lead builds up in the fetus' brain, developmental problems become more likely later in life.

Pregnant women who have been exposed to lead should contact their doctor. Sadly there is no universally established treatment for women who already exhibit elevated lead levels.

However, there are numerous preventative measures women can take to make sure their pregnancy remains healthy and lead-free, such as regularly hand washing, using cold tap water (to minimize the risk of older pipes, where lead can stay stagnant in warm water), and getting regular prenatal check-ups to ensure the health of both the baby and the mother.

Trader Joe's has not pulled the Uncrystallized Candied Ginger named in the lawsuit from its shelves. Whole Foods is investigating and the company said customers who purchased the candy can return it for a full refund, spokeswoman Jennifer Marples confirmed.

If the manufacturers fail to remove or reduce the lead levels, they will be required to print a cautionary label on the candy's packaging or remove the product altogether.

Here is a full list of companies plus the brands of candy that were named in the lawsuit:

·         99 Ranch Market: Red Lantern Plum Candy, Sliced Sweet Ginger, Sweet and Sour Prune, Sweet Fruit Dried Plum, Dried Plum, Dried Seedless Plum, Kan Rose Plum, Preserved Plum

·         Food Market: The Ginger People Baker's Cut Crystallized Ginger Chips

·         Island Pacific Supermarket: Dried Salted Prune

·         JFC International: Dynasty Sugar Ginger

·         Kam Lee Yuen: Ginger Candy, Plum Candy, Red Plum Candy

·         Lion Supermarket: Sweet Fruit Ginger, Seedless Plum, Sweet Fruit Sweet Plum, Sweet Fruit Dried Plum

·         Marina Food: Sweet Fruit Ginger, Sweet Fruit Licorice Lemon Ginger

·         Reed's: Reed's Crystallized Ginger

·         Target: Archer Farms Crystallized Ginger

·         Trader Joe's: Uncrystallized Candied Ginger

·         Whole Foods Market: The Ginger People Baker's Cut Crystallized Ginger Chips, Whole Foods Bulk Ginger