Author Archives: NurseBridgid

Let’s get to the bottom of hemorrhoids!

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Hemorrhoids are something that half of all people experience, in one way or another (itching, pain, bleeding), by the age of 50.  Yikes! So let’s not go and judge everyone we know over 50 and think about what’s going on down there, ok? The good news is that there are various treatments out there, and a lot you can do to prevent them.

What are Hemorrhoids?

They are swollen and inflamed veins in your lower rectum (internal hemorrhoids) and anus (on the outside are external hemorrhoids). And the reason that these veins get so swollen and inflamed is usually due to increased pressure in your anus, from what, you say?  Well, this is one reason that you are always told not to strain when you have to poop; if you frequently strain and have to push hard to poop, you are increasing your risk of hemorrhoids. Also, the pressure in your rectum from being pregnant (the uterus pushing up against your rectum) can lead to hemorrhoids.  These swollen and inflamed veins can be quite uncomfortable, but are very treatable.

What are the symptoms?

-Painless bleeding during bowel movements

-Itching or irritation in/around your anus

-Pain or discomfort

-Small lump or bump near your anus that may be painful

Internal hemorrhoids that you cannot see or feel, are usually pretty innocuous, until you strain when having a bowel movement and see blood on your stool or the toilet paper when you wipe. External hemorrhoids are the ones that usually cause discomfort and you have actual symptoms.  If you have large amounts of blood coming from your rectum with stool, or blood consistently with very bowel movement, it is very important to go see your HCP because rectal cancer and other tumors can also have that symptom, so you want to get checked out before assuming it is a hemorrhoid. Also if your stool is black/tarry, has a strange odor, or you feel light-headed/faint frequently, seek immediate medical assistance because you may have internal bleeding.

What causes hemorrhoids?

-Straining with bowel movements

-Anal sex

-Pregnancy

-Obesity

-Constipation

-Chronic diarrhea

With these as a part of your history, along with a digital rectal exam and a visual exam of your anus and rectum your HCP can usually make a diagnosis.  If you are over 50 o have a high risk for colorectal cancer, your HCP may send you for more extensive testing, like a colonoscopy (a visualization of the entire colon).

What are the Treatments?

Over the counter (OTC) treatment, like preparation H, can help with itching, pain, etc at the site and should not be used for more than a week. You can also sue cold packs to the area to decrease pain, and use OTC pain relievers (like ibuprofen), and take warm water soaks for 10-15 minutes a couple of times a day, which helps with many people to relieve symptoms.  If you have continued pain or discomfort, your HCP can use rubber band ligation in which they use little rubber bands around the base of the hemorrhoid, thus tangling it, and it eventually withers and falls off. They can also use sclerotherapy, in which a chemical is injected into the hemorrhoid to shrink it.  If these therapies to do not work or there is recurrence, you can have surgical removal or stapling of the hemorrhoid, which has a longer recovery time, but can be moe effective for larger hemorrhoids.

How to I Prevent hemorrhoids?

Well, keeping a healthy active lifestyle can help with prevention of hemorrhoids, working out and staying active, trying not to sit for long periods of time and drinking plenty of water and eating a high fiber diet (whole grains, prunes, etc.), will definitely help! Also, when you feel like you have to poop, go! I know a lot of men who like to wait for a while….not a good idea.  If your body is telling you that you need to poop, then poop! When you don;t have hemorrhoids, you’ll thank me!

So keep up that health lifestyle, poop when you need to, and your bottom will be happy and healthy for years to come!

Yours in Good Health

B

Sickle Cell: Who is at risk?

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September is National Sicle Cell month, and it is one of those diseases that people tend to know a little bit about but don’t really understand the full extend of the disease, who usually has the disease, and what the implications are.  And after a few questions from readers, I figured, why not highlight it and give some insight.

What is Sickle Cell Disease?

Sickle cell is a trait with the red blood cells due to a gene mutation in the hemoglobin, the red blood cells, instead of being circular, are in an abnormal and rigid “sickled” shape. It is an autosomal recessive genetic blood disorder, which causes the cells to become rigid and can cause tons of complications, especially when a person goes into “crisis”. So it is present at birth, as it is a genetic mutation, but most people aren’t diagnosed until after 4 months of age, and it does decease your life expectancy to around 50-ish years of age for both men and women.

Who is at Risk?

Sickle cell is actually a genetic mutation that the body created to prevent malaria infections. Thus, people from tropical and subtropical areas where malaria is a high risk, also those whose family/heritage is from that area can also have the genetic anomaly.  Approximately 1/3rd of all people in Sub Saharan Africa are affected by sickle cell, and 1 in 500 African-American children born in the US will also carry this trait.  If you have sickle cell, and are infected with malaria, due to the shape of the cells, the malaria infection is not  as significant as the malaria parasite lives a part of its life in the red blood cells, so you can live longer with malaria and not face as many of the side effects.

What are the Symptoms/Side Effects?

As I mentioned above, there is such a thing as sickle cell crisis, and honestly it can be one of a few reactions, usually brought on by stress or exposure to the cold, and the crises last for about 5-7 days and cause extreme pain, leading to frequent hospital stays for treatment.

–Vaso-occlusive crisis: When the sickle shaped cells obstruct blood flow in the capillaries (the very small blood vessels that come off of larger vessels), which causes swelling, pain, and can cause cellular death leading to death of the skin in the area from lack of blood flow. This can happen anywhere in the body, but men beware, this can happen in the penis causing priapism which is a medical emergency (it needs to be treated so you don’t have tissue death in your penis).

–Splenic sequestration crisis: The spleen is the organ where it basically filters out old blood cells and is a storage for red cells. Thus, you can see that it would be a high risk organ to be affected by the sickle cells. It is an acute enlargement of the spleen, which is very painful and causes a rigid abdomen, it is also a medical emergency and most often a splenectomy is required to treat the problem.  This usually happens to children with sickle cell, and they are then required to take preventative medications to stave off infections and have a very strict vaccination regimen.

–Aplastic anemia/Heamolytic crisis: A worsening of the baseline anemia that patients with sickle cell have.  anemia is having low hemoglobin levels (or low blood levels). The patient will most often have trouble breathing (low blood levels means less hemoglobin for oxygen to bind to so you need to put more work into breathing to get enough oxygen to your organs), also the are very pale, and they have very low energy. This crisis may require a blood transfusion for treatment.

Due to these various crises, there are long-term complications that can occur, such as: chronic pain, leading to opiate addiction, renal failure insufficiency (clotting in the renal tubules), stroke, transischemic attacks (TIA’s: like a mini stroke with resolving symptoms but can cause long-term brain damage), mini clots in the vessels leading to the eyes causing blindness, pulmonary hypertension which can put undue stress on the heart and lead to heart failure. There are many other complications as well.

 Are treatments available?  Prevention?

Really all the treatments are supportive treatments to make the patient comfortable while having the pain and until the crisis is over. Nothing will make sickle cell go away, it is a genetic mutation that you have for life.  And because it is a genetic disease, you can not prevent it BUT if you are at risk as a carrier, you can get genetic testing for you and your partner, to find out what the risk would be for your offspring. It truly can be a devastating disease, very painful, with frequent trips to the hospital and long stays. Learning to live with the disease and what your particular triggers are (working with your HCP) will help to make managing the disease easier and lead to fewer complications.

Yours in Good Health

B

West Nile Virus: What is it??

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I know that mosquito bites are annoying, and we hear about West Nile Virus, and I see the signs all over that West Nile can come from mosquito bites, but do we really know what that means?  What are the symptoms of West Nile?  Is it a big deal? Do I even care? I have been getting a lot of questions about this especially since there have been numerous reports of West Nile Virus found in certain areas around where I live, and the Center for Disease and Prevention (CDC) has reported that 48 of the 50 states have fond cases this summer.  So, let’s get to the bottom of it!

What is West Nile Virus?

West Nile virus is a virus transmitted by mosquitos that can cause very generalized reactions, ranging from very mild to very extreme, with potential for very serious illness. It is considered a seasonal epidemic that flares up in the summer in North America and remains as a high threat through the fall. The CDC reports that this summer has the highest rates of West Nile (just shy of 1600 cases) since it was first found in 1999, and 70% of the cases are from Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas, South Dakota, Mississippi, and Michigan.

What are the symptoms?

The virus is really defined by the symptoms really. Only about 1% of people who are infected will get a serious reaction and the two most determining factors seem to be age over 50 years old, and having a weakened immune system (due to transplantation, immunosuppression, chronic disease, etc.) It takes anywhere from 3-14 days to have symptoms of the virus after being bitten. Most people have absolutely no symptoms at all, while other people might have mild symptoms that include:

-fever

-headache

-bodyaches

-fatigue

-skin rash

-eye pain

-swollen lymph nodes

More severe symptoms include:

-high fevers

-neck aches/pain

-severe headache (like a migraine)

-stiff neck muscles

-disorientation/confusion

-muscle weakness and/or lack of muscle coordination

-coma

-partial paralysis

*These symptoms usually last a few days but the symptoms that are more severe last a week or more and some, like paralysis, can be permanent.  If you have these symptoms, you should seek medical care.

How is it transmitted?

WNV is primarily transmitted to humans and animals through mosquito bites, and the mosquitos become carriers after feeding on dead birds that are infected with the virus.  Other ways of transmission are through blood transfusion and organ transplantation, but it is now a virus that is screened for more thoroughly, so the risk is significantly diminished.  But, you are at your highest risk to become infected during warm weather, due to the nature of the transmission and high breeding levels of mosquitos!

How can I be diagnosed?

Your HCP will determine based on your symptoms if you need further testing, but they will start with lab tests to look for an increased level of antibodies to the WNV, which means that your body is fighting off the virus or has recently.  If you have increased antibodies, you will then most likely get a lumbar puncture (AKA a spinal tap) to assess for the virus in your cerebral spinal fluids (CSF); to help diagnose the meningitis (stiff neck, high fevers, muscle convulsions/rigidity).  The CSF that is drawn off, if infected will show high levels of white blood cells (WBCs) and also the WNV antibodies.  And finally, if you are having confusion/stupor, etc. you will be ordered for an MRI or an electroencephalography (EEG) to study your brain and the swelling (MRI), and the brain waves and function (EEG) to determined the severity of the infection.

Are treatments available?

Because it is a virus, not really, no.  Most of the “treatment” is just rest, and supportive care like Intravenous (IV) fluids if you are in the hospital, using tylenol/advil to treat fevers, eating a healthy diet, and focusing on regaining strength. There is some current research looking at interferon therapy, which is an immune modulating therapy, to help people with severe symptoms overcome the virus faster but the research is in pretty early stages, although at this point it looks promising, interferon therapy is a very intense therapy.

How can I protect myself?

From your home/living area, try to reduce breeding of mosquitos by eliminating any standing water, like change out bird bath date frequently, anything that has still sitting water in it, dump it, and clean out gutters.  Anything moist, damp, or filled with water is the perfect little breeding ground for mosquitos, so do what you can to eliminate them! Also, make sure to change out your animals water bowls that are left outside (if you have one). And how to prevent getting bitten? Wear long sleeves and long pants if going into mosquito ridden areas, especially at dusk or dawn as that is when they are most likely to swarm. Also use insect repellent with DEET (avoiding faces and hands of children) and for young infants you can cover their strollers with mosquito netting (do not use DEET on children under 2 months).  Use good sense, and use the monthly medications to prevent your dogs/cats from getting infected too!

If you are worried about your risk because you spend a lot of time outdoors, in the woods, or in high risk areas, then talk to your HCP about your risk and other ways to prevent WNV.  Also, talk to your HCP about any symptoms you may have had, they may want you to come in for further testing, or come in earlier if you experience symptoms again, to be able to diagnose you!  Wear that bug spray!!

Yours in Good Health

B

Antibiotic Resistant STD’s: Our Reality

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In this day and age where HIV is thought of as more of a chronic disease than a fear of certain death, and adolescents are having sex at earlier ages and using less protection, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are on the rise. There is a common misconception that every STI can be easily treated with antibiotics, so if you catch something from some random partner, no biggie, get some pills from your HCP and in 7-10 days you are good to go again.  WRONG! Thinking like that has caused and overuse of antibiotics for STIs which has led to antibiotic resistant STIs and the most common one is gonorrhea, which also happens to be one of the more frequently transmitted STIs. There are 600,000 new cases of gonorrhea documented every single year in the US alone (per the Center for Disease Control and Prevention).

Is gonorrhea harder to treat now?

So the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been tracking Neisseria gonorrhoeae since the mid 1980’s because it was an infection that was treated easily as it responded to many different antibiotic groups and regimens, unlike most bacteria.  It was officially monitored in 1986 as the Gonnococcal Surveillance Isolate Project (GISP) to look at patterns of the infection, treatment responses, and to make recommendations for treatment.  In 2010, the data that emerged was that 27.2% of all cases of gonorrhea in the US were resistant to one of the common treatment antibiotics: penicillin, tetracycline, and ciproflaxin.  Another approximately 7% were resistant to all three antibiotics in combination. Now in 2012 the recommendations are for a combination of two different antibiotics to cover all of the bacteria; but w need to remember that along with antibiotic resistance in bacteria, humans also are becoming more allergic to antibiotics, so while we can can create antibiotic “cocktails” to kill off these bacteria as they become more resistant, the other challenge becomes what we are able to give to patients based on their allergies.  It can become quite difficult to treat these bacteria.  The big fear is the cephalosporin resistant gonorrhea, in which strains have been found in other countries but we have not had any documented cases in the US.  We have very few, if any, currently FDA approved drugs to treat that strain, as cephalosporins are very powerful in treating gram positive and gram negative bacteria.  There are drugs in other countries that are used to treat this strain, but they have not been proven safe or effective by the US FDA.

Is it Rampant?

Various strains of antibiotic resistant gonorrhea are found readily throughout the US and worldwide, and at this point we still have antibiotic combinations that we can use to treat the bacteria.  The big fear by HCPs is that the more resistant strains will be brought from other countries and into ours, thus spreading further, and we do not have adequate drugs to treat this strain.  It is a bigger and bigger threat the more these gonorrhea infections keep spreading.

What are the symptoms of gonorrhea?

It can be a silent infection, usually affecting women’s cervix and if left untreated then moving into the uterus and fallopian tubes, which can lead to infertility.  Some other symptoms for women are:

-abnormal bleeding

-burning when urinating

-heavy vaginal discharge (may have a strong odor)

-general irritation of the outside of the vagina

Again, for men the symptoms may be silent, and are usually only visible in approximately 20% of cases.  For men, symptoms include:

-discharge from the tip of the penis

-frequent urination with blood present

-a burning sensation with urination

-a swelling of the glands in the groin

-the tip of the penis may turn bright red

*If the symptoms are in the rectum or throat, pain, swelling, and discharge most often occur.

What can I do to prevent it?

To prevent getting these strains of gonorrhea, you need to protect yourself from getting any STI:

-Abstain from sex

-Practice safe sex, use condoms (and/or other barrier methods) with vaginal, anal, and oral sex.

-Only have sexual intercourse in a monogamous relationship

Also, get tested regularly for STIs and encourage your partner(s) to do the same.  You need to look out for yourself and protect yourself.  No one is worth doing permanent harm to your body and reproductive organs, right?  So look out for yourself, and empower yourself by getting frequently tested, and encourage others to do the same, along with practice safe sex. Talk to your HCP about your risk, how often you should get tested, and if you are allergic to antibiotics, what your treatment options are.  So be safe and stay clean!

Yours in Good Health

B

What is effective in helping you lose and keep that weight off?

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The hardest part of weight loss, is not actually losing the weight itself.  I know that sometimes people look at it as an uphill battle, but as long as you make lifestyle changes i.e. become determined to exercise so many days a week, or no longer eat fast food, cut out butter, etc. Whatever the lifestyle choice you make, it should be towards a healthier you, and that will help you lose weight.  The more changes you make and the more determined you are to eating healthy and working out, the more weight you will lose and your body will change (for the better).  You look great, feel great, and everyone tells you how amazing you look; the world is amazing!  Then the tough part, getting to your goal weight and staying there.  Everyone has that time where they look and feel great, so they think they can “cheat” here and there….and then the weight that was long gone, is now back, and you are totally bummed, mourning that slimmer, toned body from a few weeks/months ago.  But there are some ways to off-set that downward slope, and technology has made it easier and easier for those of us on the go!

How do we keep that weight off?

Well, first of all, you have to stick to those lifestyle changes that helped you lose weight. You can allow yourself “cheat” meals or days BUT you have to offset those days by being really strict with yourself the other days.  If you go back to your previous lifestyle, you will eventually go back to your previous weight; it’s as simple as that.  I do understand that it is still tough to sink into your old ways, so set new goals for yourself, not necessarily weight loss, but toning goals, improve your speed in walking/running/biking, or learn a new sport like boxing, golf tennis, etc.

For some people they feel like that is just too much to learn something new, or they cannot push themselves to keep up the momentum to work out, and the good news is that there are other options.  Some people have the means to pay for (and the time to go to) one on one nutritional counseling or personal training to meet their needs.  Some of us don’t; we barely have the time to fit in our workouts and healthy lifestyle choices.  For those that don’t have the time, there are electronic medias that can do the same thing! Research has shown that those who need help sticking to their healthy lifestyle choices and need that extra push to meet their goals, that one on one is the best form of check in and people have the highest percentage of keeping weight off, but it is closely followed by people who use online weight management systems. Mostly they work because, while you do have to be self-directed, it can be everywhere you are…on your smart phone! There is no excuse other than you….the push you need is right at your fingertips!

What are some of the trainers/nutritionist websites?

Some are free, some aren’t; what’s important is that the program suits your needs and will be something that you will stick with!

Nike Training Club– (an app for a smart phone)

Fitclick.com

fitday.com

sparklepeople.com

Jillianmicheals.com

ediets.com

youronlinefitnesstrainer.com

It’s pretty cool that in our fast paced lives, we can still have that push and feel of a trainer and nutritionist while we are on the go!  Depending on the site, you can log you calories/meals, and log workouts, so that you can see how healthy your day is….sometimes it can be tough to tell and you think you have been eating well, but don;t realize all the calories you have taken in.  So this is a check for you, just like any other food diary, but it is quick to log (at you fingertips!) and will calculate your caloric intake! You can’t lose…unless you cheat yourself, and then there are no winners.

So, set your goals, you know what they should be, to be a healthier and better you, and use our electronic resources to assist you in meeting your goals in losing that weight, and keeping it off!

Yours in Good Health

B

Salt water gargles: A quick fix for a sore throat?

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For some reason there have been a lot of summer colds lately, people complaining of sore and/or scratchy throats as the main culprits, and really being miserable.  There are some at home remedies to soothe those sore throats, and the best ones are cheap and readily available to all!

What is the best way to soothe a sore throat? 

Well, anytime that you have a virus, you want to make sure that you are drinking plenty of fluids.  I know that when you have  a sore throat, it is really the last thing that you want to do, but you need to push fluids so that your body is able to fight off the virus!  Making a mixture of 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water, then gargling that for about 10-15 seconds (two to three times) three times daily will truly soothe your sore throat and make that scratchy dryness go away.  The water is warm and soothing, and the salt helps to draw moisture out from any viruses (and or bacteria present) thus helping to heal you!  A large study of about 400 participants in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine found that people who gargle salt water, as a preventative measure during cold and flu season had a 40% decreased rate of getting upper respiratory infections (as opposed to those who didn’t).  Another study from the University of Michigan found that the salt water gargles not only relieved sore throat symptoms but also helped to prevent transmission of the flu.

Both studies also found that due the antimicrobial effects from honey, drinking warm water with honey and lemon can also get rid of sore throat side effects, or just swallowing a teaspoon of pure honey a couple of times a day.  Cough drops with menthol usually have very little positive effects but, just like any other hard candy of choice, help to keep saliva moving around your mouth and prevent dryness which makes the sore throat seem worse.

Bottom line?

Salt water gargles can help to soothe a sore throat AND prevent viruses!  Albeit, the taste is pretty gross, and I totally understand (I am not a huge salt person), it does work and it will help you during cold/flu season this winter, and it will help ease those symptoms of a summer sore throat!  So make sure to drink fluids (like water), use your salt water gargles, and you can always feel free to alternate with honey/lemon water, or sucking on a teaspoon of honey to soothe that throat: all cheap, readily available, and easy to do! So now you know how to heal yourself with your next sore throat!!

Yours in Good Health

B

Too good to be true? A drug to Prevent HIV.

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Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is still a very real, and very serious risk for those that are sexually active, especially with the fact that there are around 50,000 new cases diagnosed even year in the US and it is  approximated that there are 240,000 undiagnosed carriers, unaware of their status, and around 1.2 million Americans live with the disease.  Those numbers are pretty staggering, right? And the FDA did approve a drug, Truvada, to help as a second preventative measure against HIV about a month ago.  But, there is some controversy related to the drugs approval.

How does it work?

Truvada has been on the market since 2004 to treat HIV, and it is two antiretrovial drugs in combination that tenofovir and emtricitabine that has a higher compliance rate because the two medications are fused into one pill.  The drug, in combination with others, help to prevent the replication of the HIV virus within the DNA, which is how the virus spreads, and usually very quickly. The use of antiretrovirals helps to prevent the virus from spreading.

How does it prevent HIV?

Well, the makers of the drugs did numerous studies with couples that have one HIV infected partner and looked at transmission rates.  Of course, they always encourage the partners to use condoms as that is the best way to prevent the spread of infection, creating a barrier technique.  There was one 3-year long study performed looking at gay and bisexual males, along with the use of condoms and counseling, and they found that the rate of HIV transmission was decreased by 42%.  In heterosexual couples with one infected partner, again with the use of condoms, the transmission rate was decreased by 75%. Those are pretty fantastic results, and give a lot of piece of mind for those at high risk.  It was already prescribed by some HCPs to patients that didn’t have HIV with HIV positive partners as an off label use, but now it is big news that the FDA approved it, which means preliminary research supports the fact that it does, in fact, help to prevent the transmission of HIV to those not infected.

Where’s the controversy?

Some HCPs and HIV/AIDS activists worry that people will ask their HCPs for the drug and be more reckless with unsafe sex because they will feel that they are able to engage in high risk activities (multiple partners, no condoms, sharing needles, etc.) and will not become infected with HIV.  That is not the point of the drug.  The drug is to be used by those at risk due to life circumstances, and they are still encouraged to use condoms and are to be counseled related to their risks and other preventative measures.

Remember that HIV can be spread when blood/genital secretions infected with HIV comes into contact with your blood/tissues, like those tissues of the oral/vaginal/anal mucosa, eyes, any cut or break in the skin.  Thus, some behaviors that put you at risk are having sex without condoms, sharing needles (not just for IV drug use, but for tattoos, steroid injections, and body piercing), and infected mothers can transmit to their babies during childbirth or through breast milk.  So try to abstain from these behaviors, and talk to your HCP about getting tested if you think you are at risk, or have been exposed. I happen to think routine testing is a good idea for anyone who is sexually active, so go for it, it will put you mind at ease!  If you your partner is infected, talk to your HCP and see if Truvada is right for you, but STILL USE CONDOMS!!  Have fun, and be safe.

Yours in Good Health

B

Is Seal Flu the next Swine Flu???

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It seems like every time I turn around there is a new threat of a pandemic flu that is sure to kill us al off.  Isn’t that fun?  It’s always something new, something inevitably scary, and something that makes waves in the news, thus people run to their HCP to find out their risk and get vaccinated. So, I figured despite it being way prior to flu season, I wanted to get the scoop out there, so you are informed when it is time to get vaccinated.

What is the Seal Flu?

Last September through December, New England harbor seals were found either dead or dying all over harbors, and it was unknown why.  It was found that the seals were infected by a highly virulent form of the flu that was transmitted by sea birds (such as seagulls), which quickly spread from seal to seal (so was able to mutate to spread between mammals), and infected their airways and destroyed lung tissues, leading to death.  The flu strain, over the course of being studied, appeared to have become more virulent (stronger and easier to spread), which is not good news at all.  This strain of flu is the H3N8, and is not a new strain, as it infected canines (dogs) and equines (horses) in the past, but was unable to mutate to be able to infect humans.  The difference with this strain is that it seems to mutate much faster and become more virulent, than those in the past.  And, the deadly flu that sea birds carry is H5N1, and scientists are worried that this flu strain will combine and mutate with the H3N8 and then become a super strain of flu that can infect all mammals, including humans.

What is my risk?

Well, the good news?  This is all just worry/concern by a few scientists, that are currently studying this strain, but nothing has been shown and many scientists believe that this theory is pretty far fetched as the other H3N8 strains have not become infective to humans in the past.  Thus far, many experts think that there is very low risk of transmission to humans, as many humans have been handling and working with this virus for months and no one has had any side effects or been infected by a mutation of the virus.  It may be a little bit of conspiracy theory at this point, as it seems like everyone is waiting for the next big pandemic that we need to worry about.

Is there a vaccine?

Since it hasn’t been shown to be a virus to actually mutate to humans, it is only a theory, there is no vaccine.  This form of flu has only mutated to affect sea lions and seals, in the New England area.

So, I would rest easy that seal flu isn’t going to kill you any time soon, and the media is merely reporting on a theory that many scientists feel falls flat. Scientists do warn that if you are swimming in New England, and see a dead seal in the water, they request that you stay away, and report it immediately to local resources. If there is any proof of this seal flu mutating, I will be sure to update everyone, but as of now, you can ease your worries and just plan on getting your regular flu shot this fall, with no worries about the seal flu!

Yours in Good Health

B

 

Have you been slimed?

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I don’t know which rock I have been living under for the last few eons, but apparently this pink slime has been in the news and is a really creepy issue….and one that makes me infinitely happy that I do not eat fast food and/or over processed foods.  There are a lot of issues with this being added to meats, and do you know what it is made of?  You may want to rethink eating some of the meats you are ingesting.

What is Pink Slime?

Pink slime is also known as Lean Finely Textured Beef (LFTB) or Boneless Lean Beef Trimmings (BLFT), and it is basically a processed beef product that was originally created for dog foods and/or cooking oils. In 2004 the USDA made it legal for humans to consume small amounts, but many companies started to add it as a filler to beef products to keep the fat content lower.  It is created by putting the meat trimmings/cartilage/sinew/connective tissues  in a centrifuge, the fat is spun off at low heat.  The heating process melts the fat and it is spun off, and the resulting product is mixed with ammonia and/or citric acid to kill off the bacteria. Once the process is finished, it is usually put into blocks, flash frozen, and shipped off as an additive. So, it is technically a lower fat product, but it is truly a byproduct, it is not natural meat after that processing. Apparently the USDA feels that way as well, as now it is required that companies that use these fillers must label their products as such, IF it is more than 15% of the product.  I feel like any bit of pink slime added to my mat should be labelled….but that’s just me!

What is the controversy?

It is sold in the US as a filler to many beef companies, and it was found that almost 70% of all meats found sold in the US had pink slime as an ingredient, and consumers had no idea.  It became big news a few months ago, and since then SOME companies have decided not to use the byproduct in their meats.  The companies that create these fillers claim they are healthy low fat, high protein meats and perfectly safe, whereas others see them as over processed additives. The USDA has made statements that it is safe and has been used in many products for years, yet Canada, along with other countries, have made pink slime illegal due to mixing the meat/product with ammonia. In the spring of 2012, despite the USDA saying the product is safe, 3 major national grocery chains made the decision to no longer carry products that contain pink slime. Consumer advocacy groups are lobbying for full disclosure of any pink slime additives, but the companies that create the product and the USDA think its OK to add this byproduct (or additive) to up to 15% of our meat and still call it 100% beef.

my local market!

I don’t know about you, but I really do try hard to eat organically and minimally processed foods as much as possible, so it really creeps me out when there is this conspiracy to label food as 100% natural product when it clearly isn’t.  We all know no one would buy meat if it said 85% Beef, 15% pink slime, right?  So don’t use it in our food!!  But hearing things like this reinforces my reasons for buying meat at local farms that are humanely treated, with no antibiotics or hormones.  And, it makes me so happy that I say no to fast food. Jus keep your eyes peeled, and check up on your favorite meat brands to find out what their practices are; you may be surprised, either happy or sad, at what they do or do not add to their meat! And, that sign at my local market made me elated!

Yours in Good Health

B

Are Raisins Better Than Energy Bars During Workouts?

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I know that I have a lot of friends that eat energy bars during long workouts, and I see people training, constantly squirting energy gels down their gullets whilst working out.  I, on the other hand, am more of a purist and drink water before I workout and after, and as a treat, I may chew gum…..I know, probably not how the Olympians train.  But, an interesting study was performed recently to study the actual difference in athletes when they ate energy bars/gels, raisins, or just had water during endurance workouts. I was not sure what the results would show, and I was rather impressed with the results.

What are raisins?

Raisins are dried dark grapes (golden raisins are dried green grapes and are known as sultanas outside of the US), and they are full of antioxidants.  They consist of about 70% fructose (natural sugars), and they have some fiber and a small amount of proteins available.  They have been shown in some recent studies to aid in decreasing blood pressure for those with hypertension (high blood pressure). A lot of people have total aversions to raisins….I happen to think they are a tasty treat!

What are energy bars?

Energy bars are supplemental foods that usually contain grains and cereals (carbohydrates), along with proteins, and sugars.  They are created for a quick burst of energy through food source when your body needs it, with a low glycemic index to give fuel over a longer period of time than a super sugar rush that will make you crash later. They are created as a food source for immediate release energy when your body needs it to refuel and to keep the body fueled for a longer amount of time.

What did the research show?

Well, in thinking about the idea behind energy bars and the idea of eating them to rejuvenate a workout versus raisins or just plain old water to rehydrate, the assumption would be that energy bars would be the winner, right?  Well, I was wrong! The study that was performed at the University of California, Davis had some interesting results.  The researchers took a group of endurance runners, and ran three different trials with a full 7 day break between trials; they were asked to run for 80 minutes (to deplete their glycogen stores- the readily available energy in the body) then either eat an energy bar/chew, raisins, or just have some water, then run a timed 5K.  It was found that the runners had over a minute faster time in the 5K after eating energy chews or raisins versus just rehydrating with water. Interesting, right?

Energy bars are supposed to be created specifically for the purpose of giving immediate energy for workouts, but if the fructose from raisins can do the exact same thing and boost your immediate energy source, they are a much cheaper alternative, so unless you hate raisins, why wouldn’t you give it a try? Plus with raisins you are getting the benefit of antioxidants, eating a totally natural food source, along with some fiber, vitamins, and some protein.  For the price difference?  I’d ditch the bars and get some raisins….as a raisin lover.  If you hate them, then back to the drawing board, or stick with the expensive energy bars!

Yours in Good Health

B