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.

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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.

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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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So you just moved to a new neighborhood and want to explore the best jogging routes in the area. MapMyRun.com is a great place to start. All you need to do is plug in your ZIP code, and voila! A handy list pops up, complete with a map of the route, the distance and type of terrain, including ratings by other runners. You can also map your own run, keep track of your training schedule and find races in your area.

If you're getting pretty serious about long-distance running, you might need to find more than a route. Find a local running club to join. The site lists the groups by type (running, walking or triathlon) and location, though this link takes you directly to the Southern California options, which include several in Westchester and many in Los Angeles.

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Spices feeling a little flat?

Worried your containers aren't eco-friendly?

The Daily Green offers six steps to clear the clutter and the chemicals from your cabinets.

It's not just about tidying up your shelves. The solutions also focus on cleaning up your diet and your shopping choices.

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You honored mom with flowers and candy on Mother's Day in recognition of everything she does. Now, the folks who bring you the "Got Milk?" commercials want to salute one mom with some real coin -- $100,000 for her role as "chief health officer" for the family.

They've launched a nationwide search for moms who are keeping their families healthy and fit by serving lowfat or fat-free milk rather than sugary sodas or juice drinks. The contest runs through Sept. 30, when the winner will be announced.

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Text messaging isn't just a convenient way to communicate--now it's an easy way to receive a daily dose of inspiration. The company I Live Inspired offers a daily text messaging service to people in need of all sorts of things, including tips to quit smoking, words of hope for healing, wisdom from the Dalai Lama and inspiration for green living. Soon the company will also be offering meditations from Mother Teresa. The company was founded by Rob Foster, a 28-year-old former cocaine addict from Virginia who came up with the concept after leaving rehab for the second time in 2006. Click here for a feature on him in Newsweek.

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A recent report from NBC's "Today Show" this week has people scrambling to check their water bottles and plastic containers because of concerns that a harmful chemical, bisphenol A, or BPA, may leach into your water or food if the plastic is exposed to heat (via microwave or dishwasher) or excessive wear (causing cracking, peels and chips). Studies have shown that BPA is linked to fertility problems, and behavioral issues among children. A final government study will be released in a few weeks.

How do you know what bottle the chemical is in? The key is to turn it over. Inside the triangular recycling symbol is a number from 1 to 7. If it has a number 1 on it, that means use it once. Then, throw it away in a recycling bin. A 2, 4 or 5 is fine to keep refilling until you see wear or cracking, then discard. But the numbers 3, 6 and 7 pose the most danger, including cancer risks.

On the "Today Show," Dr. Nancy Snyderman said, "The reality of it is that nobody knows. There's been no long-term studies. After you repeatedly beat-up plastic and hurt the integrity of the outside, do chemicals leach out into your food and water? Common sense would say, probably yes."

Check out video of the "Today Show" report for yourself.

You can also go to the Institute of Agriculture and Trade Policy Web site for details about the numbers on the plastic bottles. Read up on recent news reports about the bisphenol A controversy.

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A Mojave-based company announced plans March 26 for a new rocket that will offer Mach 2 thrill rides to the edge of space. Test flights of the two-seat rocket ship Lynx from Xcor Aerospace are scheduled for 2010, according to The Associated Press. The announcement came two months after British billionaire Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic unveiled a model of SpaceShipTwo, a six-passenger vehicle that may begin flight tests this year.

But just how safe will space tourism be?

According to the AP story, the Lynx will have a pressurized cabin, but the pilot and passenger will wear helmets and pressure suits for safety. Passengers will need some kind of medical clearance and perhaps a day’s training in such things as operating the suits and evacuating the rocket. The Lynx will have an escape capability but no ejection seats.

Before you book your flight, however, you might want to learn more about the safety -- or lack thereof -- of space tourism.

You can learn such things as how the Federal Aviation Administration will require space tourists to agree to act as "participants," not "passengers," during flights, “since the expectations of safety will be lower on a space tour.” Citizens must also agree not to sue the government if there's a fatal accident.

Oh, and there is this: During a panel discussion concerning safety regulations for space tourism, a lawyer advising the FAA said: "We're going to kill some people." You can also find related links on the site to such topics as How Space Tourism Works, How Space Planes Will Work, and How Rocket Engines Work.

Have a good flight.

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Stingrays are getting a lot of bad press lately. This week, we ran a brief about a girl in Fresno whose fingers were sucked up by a ray in a zoo touch tank. Last week, we had one about a woman on a boat in Florida who was killed by an eagle ray that flew out of the water and hit her in the head causing massive head trauma. A couple of years ago, Steve Irwin's death by stingray was all over the news.

So just how much should you worry about being killed by a stingray? The consensus seems to be not very much, although no one really knows how deadly they are, because no one is keeping track.

Stings are common, especially in Southern California, where about 300 people a year are stung at Seal Beach alone. In fact, more people are stung by rays than by any other kind of fish, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Most often a swimmer is stung after accidentally stepping on one of the fish. But fatal damage seems to come from the barb rather than the poison, so try not to get stung in the heart or the carotid artery. If you're stung in the leg or the foot, which is where most victims get hit, you'll likely live.

Here's NOAA'S list of how not to get stung:

• Look, but do not touch or handle marine creatures.


• When walking in shallow water, shuffle your feet to alert creatures hiding on the sea floor to retreat before you step on them accidentally.


• Wear shoes and protective clothing to avoid and/or minimize getting stung or scratched.


• Be observant and look carefully where you are going.


• Skin divers, snorkelers and divers should maintain good buoyancy control at all times to avoid contact with reefs or the bottom.

Continue reading "When stingrays attack: How not to get killed by a fish" »

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The Las Vegas Sun introduces us to Mony Vital:

He’s immortal, or at least he says he is, and he’ll be happy to teach you how to be, too.
Of course, it costs you anywhere from $450 (for six months of immortality) to $2,875 (for lifetime immortality). …
Vital has discovered a way to fix your life force. It’s right here on his laptop, a program called the Quantum Prayer System. It prays for you in “millions of frequencies of prayers — they’re not religious, they’re just prayers.” And it channels and amplifies those prayers to you. “Imagine everyone in China chanting your name. That powerful.”
… The program needs to ascertain your energy signature, for which it will need your date of birth, place of birth, home address, phone number and e-mail address. Vital says the computer’s reading is 97 percent accurate — “Nobody else in the universe has this energy.”

Intrigued? Read up on Vital Energetic Balancing and Quantum Prayer System.

But there’s more to Vital than the Quantum Prayer System. The Las Vegas man used to be a breatharian, which means he lived off light energy instead of food for 18 months. Get an overview of breatharianism, also known as inedia.

Don’t believe it works? Neither does Robert Todd Carroll. The Skeptic's Dictionary tilts suspiciously in favor of food eaters.

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Tired of feeling like you are living your whole life behind a computer screen? A story in Saturday's Faith section reported on how some people in the secular world are taking a page from the Orthodox Jewish practice of a day of rest by unplugging from the wired lifestyle for one day a week.

One such person is Ariel Meadow Stallings, a Seattle author and marketing manager at Microsoft, who has attracted international attention for her program called “52 Nights Unplugged.”

Her rules, according to the Associated Press story: “Every Wednesday night, when she gets off her Wi-Fi-enabled bus, she officially removes herself from all screens. That means no television, no computer, no cell phone. She will take calls but won’t make them. She will listen to her iPod but won’t scroll through iTunes. She won’t even go to a movie theater, because that’s a screen, too.”

In an odd kind of twist, you can read about Stallings’ off-line efforts on her blog or check out the online community she started where avid Web users can discuss the notion of unplugging once a week.

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Two California companies have recalled alfalfa sprouts sold across the West because tests detected salmonella, which can be fatal.

The Always Fresh and Alfa One sprouts were distributed to Trader Joe’s markets in California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon and Washington. Shipments to Beach Market, KV Mart and Superior Warehouse stores in California were also recalled.

The California Department of Public Health has product descriptions and codes for the sprout recall.

Posted by Daily Link at 6:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Many South Bay restaurants and retailers are on a partial list of hundreds of retailers and restaurants that received shipments of recalled beef.

The list traces the largest beef recall in U.S. history — 143 million pounds from the Westland-Hallmark Meat Co. in Chino. No illnesses have been reported.

The company came under fire after the release of a Humane Society videotape showing sick cows being beaten and prodded into the slaughterhouse. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said Friday that a veterinarian and a floor inspector from the plant have been placed on paid administrative leave.

Much of the recalled beef is thought to have already been consumed, although officials warn that people who have beef in their refrigerators or freezers purchased prior to Feb. 17 either discard the meat or confirm that the retailer’s shipment did not come from Westland-Hallmark.

If you still need to check your freezer, you can get more details in the company’s recall notification letter.

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Safety officials announced a recall of 24,000 cribs Thursday due to a risk that children will fall out. The cribs, imported by Munire Furniture Inc., have improper brackets that don’t allow their mattresses to be fully lowered. This could allow children inside the crib to crawl over the railing and fall. No injuries have been reported.

The recall includes the company’s Majestic Curved Top, Majestic Flat Top, Essex, Brighton/Sussex and Captiva cribs with various model numbers. The cribs were sold at children’s specialty stores between November 2005 and November 2007.

Get more details on the crib recall from Munire Furniture or from the U.S. Product and Consumer Safety Commission.

Posted by Daily Link at 6:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Yesterday, Daily Breeze reader Bill called with a follow-up question about the recent beef recall story. He wanted to know what happens to recalled meat.
Here's an answer from a Q&A on the USDA's Web site:

Any Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Co. products in the Federal food and nutrition programs, or its derivatives, must be destroyed and cannot be used or reconditioned for human consumption. All disposal methods must be fully documented regarding type of product and destruction method and witnessed with two signatures. Entities holding 50 cases or less may destroy the product on-site by rendering the product unfit for human consumption according to destruction guidance from the State or local health authority. Quantities greater than 50 cases must be taken to a landfill, incinerated, or sent for inedible rendering.

If you have questions about national news stories, Slate Magazine has an interesting online feature, along the lines of our local Ask Us column, called Ask the Explainer. Readers ask questions about stories in the news. For example, here's the site's answer to a question similar to Bill's after a recall in 2002.

Recent questions include: Why recall two-year-old beef?
Why would Clemens shoot up with B-12?
How much do campaign staffers make?

It appears that the site has about 1,550 explanations in its archive, so chances are, your question might have been answered. If not, send your question.

But continue send your questions about the South Bay or Harbor Area to our own Ask Us editor, Stephanie Walton. We also have hundreds of answers in our archive.

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The Los Angeles city attorney's office has launched a Web site for tipsters to leave information about companies they suspect of violating rules regarding insurance policy cancellations. The site stems from the ongoing lawsuit against Health Net Inc. in which the city alleges saved about $35 million in medical expenses by illegally canceling coverage for 1,600 patients over four years.

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Do you suspect that your health insurance company is denying or delaying your claims? The City Attorney's Office recently unveiled a new Web site where you can express your concerns. City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo and his staff will collect that information to investigate unlawful and fraudulent business practices by health insurance companies.

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Through The Associated Press we found out about Carol, a Web site whose founders have set out to create a “care marketplace” that allows users to compare quality and prices for medical services.

Searches are based on the treatment you seek (organized via a body map), and insured users can input data to get an estimate of their out-of-pocket costs.

The month-old site is free and doesn’t require registration. It makes its money from health-care providers who become site “tenants.” If a customer makes an appointment with them through the site, the provider pays a fee.

Unfortunately, Carol only serves Minnesota’s Twin Cities area, but it’s an interesting site that’s already expanding. It plans to add a second market later this year.

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This weekend has brought beach weather, but last weekend brought rain, which can wash runoff from streets and sidewalks into storm drains, creeks and rivers leading to the coast. Any advisories related to those storms should be lifted by now, but if you’d like to make sure the surf is safe, check with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. The site includes information on the water’s bacteria levels and allows you to check for any advisories or beach closures in Los Angeles County.

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Are you looking for real advice on beauty that doesn't come from someone trying to sell their product? If so, you should check out totalbeauty.com, which has the first and largest product review directory of a variety of different beauty and spa brands. And if you're looking for beauty instruction from your own home, check out Total Beauty TV, which offers how-to videos, and a forum where women can connect by sharing their thoughts on beauty issues and question.

Posted by Daily Link at 6:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This year, L.A. County public health officials have too much of a good thing. In an attempt to use up a surplus of flu shots (which will expire if not used this year), the Department of Public Health is offering free vaccinations to anyone who wants one.

"It seems it's either feast or famine," Dr. Jonathan Fielding, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, said Tuesday. "It's never an easy thing to forecast exactly how much we'll need, so we always want to err on the side of protecting the public."

The shots are especially recommended for young children, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems, but any person of any age -- with or without health insurance -- can get a flu shot at the public health clinic in Torrance. You can find more clinics at the department's Web site.

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The air in the South Bay is usually pretty clear. But if you're traveling or commuting inland, you might want to check the air quality before you go. This comprehensive site has links listing air quality and UV forecasts.

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Torrance-area biomedical firm's work could prove helpful for people with cancer and Alzheimer's disease. "Determination of Protein Synthesis in vivo Using Labeling from Deuterated Water and Analysis of MALDI-TOF Spectrum" was published by a team of researchers at the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute. Read the study.

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Is there such a thing as a healthy map? Sorta! Gmaps Pedometer not only gives you mileage, but it will act as a pedometer for you. Enter your weight and route and it will tell you exactly how far you’ve walked and how many calories you burned in the process. Next time you want that Starbuck’s Cinnamon Dolce Latte with whipped cream, you might want to walk to the store in order to indulge.

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The number of abortions in the United States dropped to 1.2 million in 2005, the lowest level since 1974 (the year after the Roe v. Wade decision) and down 25 percent from the all-time high of 1.6 million in 1990, according to a report issued Thursday.

California had one of the highest rates, but that included abortions performed on nonresidents who came to the state for the procedure. Find out more about state trends and how they compare with others at the Web site for the Guttmacher Institute, which conducted the survey.

The resources include a slideshow overview of abortion in the U.S. and a slideshow on trends since 1973, as well as state-by-state facts and state-by-state trends.

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Then this is the site for you. Mapmyrun.com allows you to map how long your runs are and helps you search for trails and recommended running spots in your area. You can also keep track of your training schedule, look for local races and events and even take part in running forums.

Posted by Daily Link at 6:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The next time your child starts sniffling, head over to "My Child Has," a great feature from the Children's Hospital in Boston that can help you diagnose, treat or prevent illness. All you have to do is enter your child’s symptoms. And if you already know what you’re up against, you can also look up detailed information on specific diseases.

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If you think you might need a little more info than our LA.Com article gives you, here's a WebMD link to an article about how to prevent a hangover. Here's another about what to do if that didn't work.

Here's another site that has links to more lists of cures.

Posted by Daily Link at 6:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If you're still studying health plans for next year, there are plenty of online guides to help you determine the type and amount of coverage that is right for you and to help you sort through some of the mumbo jumbo. Try some of these reputable sites: WebMD; Consumer Reports (subscription required for some items); and The New York Times Health section's Money and Policy focus.

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It's hard to resist all the goodies that go with the traditional turkey dinner, but you might find it easier after checking out the brutally honest Thanksgiving calorie counter. Just click on the items you plan on eating. The Web site totals the calories and then shows you how many miles you'll have to go in order to walk them off. Put on some comfy shoes - an average meal could cost you more than 20 miles.

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A simple lab technique can transform ordinary skin cells into the equivalent of embryonic stem cells, according to two studies published online today. To read about the discovery that could distill the debate over the controversial treatment, check out www.cell.com or www.science.com, which include the papers detailing the experiments in Japan and the United States.

But once the transformation is complete, how can the cells be used? You can find out answers to that, as well as details about what stem cells are and where they come from at www.mayoclinic.com/health/stem-cells/CA00081.

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Two South Bay Gold’s Gym locations will offer free workouts on Black Friday as part of a Thanksgiving promotion.

Anyone wanting to burn calories by working out rather than shopping can visit Gold’s locations in Redondo Beach, 200 N. Harbor Drive, and Hawthorne, 4917 W. 147th St.

Visitors can walk in and inquire about a free workout.

Information about how to exercise at home and stay motivated during the holidays is available on the Web site.

Posted by Daily Link at 5:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

According to a new government study, being as much as 25 pounds overweight does not raise one's risk of cancer or heart disease, though more than that amount may be deadly. Here's a handy body body mass index calculator from the Centers for Disease Control:

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The Associated Press has a story today that says the rise in autism isn't so much that more kids have it, but that it is being diagnosed more often because of the increase in special education funding. And a shifting definition of what autism is.

If you suspect you or someone you know has a form of autism, taking these tests might help you.

50-question Autism test for adults.

Autism test for children.

This site has a lot of resources including book recommendations and links.

Posted by Toni Sciacqua at 9:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Are you wondering if you have a skin infection? A new Web site made in part by LA BioMed scientists has pictures of thousands of different skin ailments to help you figure out whether you should be concerned or not. Once you find the picture that is most similar to your condition, you can read more about the diagnosis and potential therapies.

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In an effort to educate and alleviate fears about methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Staph infections, the Torrance Unified School district is offering various resources for parents and students, including a health advisory with more details about the infection.

For answers to commonly asked questions regarding MRSA, view California Department of Public Health's easy-to-read brochure.

The CDPH also offers a guide for parents on prevention and important information they should pass on to their children.

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You can change the time on your digital clocks, but you can't change the time on your biological clock, according to a study released last week by some German researchers. Now that daylight savings time has ended for the year, go see what changing the clocks did to you all summer.

Read the article here.

If you forgot to set your clock back this morning, get the exact time