Recently in Health Category

The recall of peanut products because of possible salmonella contamination has mushroomed into one of the largest.

The outbreak -- blamed on a company that produces only about 1 percent of the nation's peanut products -- has sickened at least 575 people in 43 states. At least eight have died. More than 1,300 foods that used ingredients from Peanut Corp. of America's peanut processing plant in Blakely, Ga., have been recalled. While the outbreak appears to be slowing down, new illnesses are still being reported.

You can check to see if you have any of the recalled peanut products on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Web site, where you can search by brand name, UPC code or product description.

Depending on how recalls are measured, few others come close. If counted by the number of products, more than 1,313 had been recalled as of Thursday.

The closest is the 1,177 pet food products recalled in 2007 after melamine was discovered in some ingredients.

If measured in pounds, the February 2008 recall of beef from a California packaging plant would top the list, with 143 million pounds affected.

Here's a breakdown of recent national food contaminations that triggered recalls and warnings to consumers:

January 2009: Peanuts, peanut paste, peanut butter. 1,313 products recalled for salmonella contamination. More than 575 illnesses and eight deaths reported.

June 2008: Tomatoes and raw jalapeno peppers. More than $100 million in crops affected because of salmonella contamination. More than 1,200 illnesses reported and no deaths.

February 2008: Beef. More than 143 million pounds affected after unfit, weak and sick cattle were slaughtered for human consumption. No illnesses or deaths reported.

March 2007: Pet food. 1,177 products recalled because of melamine contamination. No human illnesses or deaths reported, but more than 14,000 pet illnesses and 16 deaths.

September 2006: Spinach. More than $86 million in crops affected because of E. coli contamination. More than 200 illnesses and three deaths reported.

The first signs of the recent salmonella outbreak were detected in November by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But disease detectives initially were puzzled because some people who had gotten sick reported eating chicken, a common source of salmonella infections.

On Jan. 7 and 8, after discussions between federal and Minnesota authorities, the focus on peanut butter got stronger. On Jan. 8, the FDA visited an Ohio distributor for Peanut Corp. of America.

The next day federal inspectors were at the company's Blakely, Ga. facility, which ultimately was identified as the source of the food poisoning. That same day, Jan. 9, Minnesota health officials found salmonella in an open container of peanut butter made at the plant. On Jan. 10, Minnesota made a positive match to the salmonella strain that caused the outbreak.

A revamped government Web site offers a service that could help save your life.

The Associated Press reports:

It happens all the time: Filling out that clipboard at the doctor's office, you can't remember what cancer killed Aunt Sally or when Dad had his heart attack.

A good family health history is far more important than a gene test in predicting your future medical needs, but it's hugely underused. Today, the government begins offering a free new service to try to change that.
It will help people compile a family history at home, then e-mail it to relatives who can fill in the gaps and even pop it straight into doctors' computers.

It's private; users download the information to their own computers. Then they can e-mail a tree-in-progress to family members to fill in missing information.

And with a simple keystroke, relatives can "reindex" the tree so it shows the biggest risks for Cousin Bill's side of the family instead of the risks for Cousin Sue who started the project.

Finally, the tool is readable, even customizable, by many of the computer systems that doctors are using to create "electronic medical records," something Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt calls key to ushering in better quality health care.

Even if your doctor hasn't gone digital, keeping a printout of the tree's detailed information in a patient's chart still provides crucial information, such as steering someone away from gene tests they don't really need.

Health officials are urging the public to get flu shots or the FluMist nasal spray vaccine to protect themselves during the flu season, which can last until spring, according to news services.

Flu activity across the nation is low right now, according to Google Flu Trends, which uses aggregated Google search data to estimate flu activity in your state.

It shows the strongest flu presence on the southeast coast of the U.S., though activity there is still only moderate.

But you should still get that shot.

"Many people mistakenly believe that there is no benefit to getting a flu vaccine after November," said Dr. Jonathan E. Fielding, Los Angeles County's Director of Public Health.

"In fact, influenza activity does not often peak until after the start of the new year and can continue through March, so vaccinations received in December provide protection at the time when people are most likely to catch the flu."

Fielding said free vaccines continue to be offered through public clinics for those who do not have a regular doctor or insurance. Learn more at the Web site of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

The kids probably have their Halloween costumes picked out and visions of that giant haul of trick-or-treat candy, but do you as a parent have a strategy to keep your little ghouls from going on a frightening gorge fest? You might want to think about it - according to a report in the San Francisco Chronicle, the average jack-o-lantern bucket can hold enough of those small candies to equal 9,000 calories (that's the recommended calorie total for an adult for 4.5 days), plus 200 grams of fat and 1,500 grams of sugar.

With Halloween being a fairly affordable event that promotes family bonding, experts expect no shortage of candy even if things are a bit blood-curdling in the economy this year. Candy sales are expected to rise to $2.26 billion from $2.20 billion a year ago.

"The trick is to plan ahead, making sure that children do not overindulge in sweets," said Kara Freeman a registered dietitian and president of the California Dietetic Association. "While we do not want to take the fun of candy out of the festivities, parents also need to be aware that Halloween kicks off the holiday season, which is usually filled with sweets and other indulgences. Parents and kids alike need to keep treats in moderation."

To help guide parents, the California Dietetic Association has teamed up with the California Milk Processors Board on a top-10 list of candy-controlling strategies.

Here's a sampling of the ideas:
-- Make sure the kids get a nutritious dinner before they go out. Dieticians say that will reduce children's appetites for candy that night.
--Consider handing out nonfood treats, such as school supplies like pencils and erasers or small toys.
-- Set a good example by keeping your own candy consumption under control.

With obesity and type 2 diabetes soaring among children, getting into good habits now can help save them from a truly scary future

In the great credit crunch that is now our reality, many are finding ways to save money just about any way they can. Love food hate waste is great resource to find ways to get the most from your refridgerator or pantry. They explain expiration dates, give food storage tips and even have "rescue recipes" searchable by what food needs to get used up quick. The Website states that each year 7 million slices of bread are thrown away. Garlic and bread soup anyone? For more stats on food waste, visit WRAP, a British organization working to reduce food waste, encourage recycling and tackle climate change.

There's a lot of junk on the Internet, especially when it comes to videos. Plenty of the content on YouTube is more ridiculous than even the most mind-numbing episodes of VH1 reality shows. Sometimes you want something more substantial, more meaty, more insightful.

That's where PBS's Frontline archive comes in -- a collection of smart, in-depth documentaries viewable online. "The Medicated Child," for example, takes a look at the issues concerning children who are prescribed psychiatric drugs. "Young & Restless in China" focuses on nine young adults in China coping with their country's rapidly changing environment. There are films on AIDS, the Holocaust, obesity and, of course, the Iraq War. The archive dates back to 2001, so there's no shortage of videos here. Log on and feed your head.

Intense smoke is choking Northern California.

And although the particles from the more than 1,000-plus wildfires burning up north have yet to have any noticeable effect on South Bay skies, air quality is always a concern in the congested L.A. area, especially in summer.

Unlike traditional weather reports that give you generic results for the entire day, Air Now gives you up-to-the-minute details on how our air is faring.

The site details air quality for more than 50 California regions. You can check out a map to see how your air compares with what folks up north or down south are breathing in, and compare today's results with those from yesterday, or even from months ago.

If you're planning a trip north, the site can also help you prepare for what may be a smokey journey.

Are you ready to commit to an exercise program, but not quite sure where to start?

While at first glance, www.crossfit.com seems more for the seasoned cross-county fanatic than the couch potato looking to abandon slothful ways, the Web site points out that the fitness needs of everyone, from Olympic athletes to grandparents, differ by intensity, not by type. Anyone can do the same exercise and benefit from it, regardless of fitness level.

CrossFit aims to accommodate all. On the Web site, you'll find an extensive library stocked with techniques, how-to guides and video demonstrations in a wide range of categories, including swimming, gymnastics, power-lifting, combative drills and rowing.

CrossFit has even developed several workout exercises especially designed for kids. Let your children in on the action at www.crossfitkids.com

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Should reports of salmonella contamination have you saying "hold the tomatoes" forever? The outbreak of Salmonella Saintpaul, an uncommon strain of the bacterium, has been responsible for more than 550 infectious cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention since April. As a result, the fruits have been pulled from markets and restaurants. Five weeks after the first reports of an outbreak, what are your tomato-eating options?

Some varieties of tomatoes are safe to eat, and some of the suspected red plum, red Roma and red round tomatoes were not grown in contaminated areas. The Associated Press offers some advice on safe tomato consumption:

• Avoid raw red plum, red Roma or red round tomatoes unless they were grown in specific states or countries that Food and Drug Administration has cleared of suspicion. The Food and Drug Administration has a salmonella updates page.
• Opt for grape tomatoes, cherry tomatoes and tomatoes sold with the vine still attached. They are unaffected.
• Choose tomatoes and other fresh produce without bruises or other damage.
• Keep uncut tomatoes at room temperature for the best flavor. Once sliced, tomatoes must be refrigerated promptly, to avoid bacterial growth.
• Wash fresh tomatoes under running water just before eating them.
• If you think you may have eaten a contaminated tomato, the CDC maintains a page on the salmonella outbreak where you can compare your symptoms and read about treatment options.

Barbara Correa, the blogger over at L.A. Mama, a parenting blog from the Los Angeles Daily News, has a post about about how to make sure your kids are drinking safe water at home and at school. She did a Q&A with Christopher Gavigan, who heads a Los Angeles organization called Healthy Child Healthy World, and is the author of a new book, "Healthy Child, Healthy World: Creating a Cleaner, Greener, Safer Home."

With the news about lead in the water and the plastic scare, what is a parent supposed to do about water? I try to avoid plastic bottles. But it's hard. You're traveling, you need water. Look at the label. You want number 1 or 5 in the label. The five-gallon jugs of water delivered by services are traditionally made of polycarbonate, which is number 7. (That's bad. Polycarbonates contain BPA and other nasty chemicals.)

But there are some that deliver water in glass. And there are those that deliver in containers that are 1 or 5.

So, what if you opt to not use plastic and go with tap water?
In the morning, let your tap run cold to flush the pipes, because lead can leech overnight. (The schools may not be doing it, but you can at home.)

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