That Is What I'm Blogging About : health

Warning - Dangerous Bacteria Outbreak In Some Cantaloupe & Romaine Lettuce

parker — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 14:20:00 GMT

Do you enjoy eating cantaloupe? Recent news has shown that there have been 13 deaths related to an outbreak of bacteria (called Listeria) that is contaminating some cantaloupes. It is being reported that 72 people have been infected in 18 states. It is also being reported that the incubation period could be as long as two months, so more cases are expected to surface. This does not involve cantaloupe that has been sliced, but whole cantaloupe. These cantaloupes are from the same grower in Colorado and does not affect ALL cantaloupe.

Go to this ABCNews story for several videos and an article with more details and what you should do if you have recently purchased cantaloupe and are unsure of where it was grown. This site will include dates the contaminated cantaloupe was shipped to stores.

It is now being reported that there is also an outbreak related to some of the romaine lettuce that has already been shipped from a farm in California for consumption. You can read the details on ABC's website here. This outbreak SEEMS to be more contained to the California and surrounding areas.

What can you do? You can type "listeria outbreak" or "listeria symptoms" into Google to find reputable news sites that are reporting the latest on these outbreaks. Basically, just use caution and be aware that this warning is out there. Do what you can to spread the word to family and friends who might not have heard about it in the local news. This way you can help to prevent more cases of related illness until all of the food in question has been pulled of of the shelves.

Swine Flu Symptoms

parker — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 19:12:00 GMT

With “swine flu” having been confirmed to be quickly spreading throughout the US, many people are in a panic to check online for the symptoms of this potential epidemic. More important than where this disease might be showing up is whether or not it could be affecting you or a loved one. At this time, reports of a few schools in New York and Chicago are closing due to the affect that one infected child could cause. It has been reported in over 10 states at this time. It has been reported that a 23-month old child died in the US today from swine flu, however, the child and his family were from Mexico.

Please keep in mind that washing hands regularly and covering your mouth when coughing are ways to help spread of the disease. Schools are only closing because children obviously do not follow these guidelines very closely and they can easily spread it to others.

It is very important not to panic over this, but rather stay informed and be cautious that you don't touch your eyes, nose, or mouth after leaving a public place like the grocery store, doctor's office, fitness club, school/day care, etc. Hopefully this will be well contained.

After doing my own research online, I have found that the following are signs that the CDC is reporting, but keep in mind that these do not mean that it is “swine flu” as it can be so many things, including the common cold or flu. Even prior to this outbreak, the CDC says that over 36,000 deaths per year occur due to flu related illnesses in the US alone. Just be aware of these signs if they continue to worsen and seek medical care immediately.

The CDC reports some symptoms to be:

Fever
Lethargy
Lack of appetite
Coughing
Runny nose
Sore throat
Nausea
Vomiting
Diarrhea

Migraines

parker — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 18:02:00 GMT

I believe that when I compare child birth (I’ve been through it twice) and migraine headaches, I prefer to give birth. Isn’t that a crazy thing to say? And yet, I meet many migraine sufferers who say the same thing. The pain associated with a migraine headache, combined with the sickness your body goes through, is absolutely awful. Nausea, fever, vomiting, and severe sharp pain that just won’t go away. I can deal with it on day 1 and sometimes day 2, but by day 3…look out ‘cause I’m going to lose it! Thankfully, I fought off one that tried to start this morning.

Migraines are very hard to get rid of, but there might be ways to prevent them from starting as often. One helpful medicine I have found is actually Excedrin Migraine and it is sold over the counter. Excedrin Migraine has worked better than any other medicine that my doctors have prescribed over the years, however, you have to take it once you feel the migraine coming on. Once you have the full blown paid and nausea, it won’t do a thing. I have found that mine often start as extreme exhaustion. I often wonder why I am so tired and then realize it is the start of a migraine. Excedrin does contain a lot of caffeine and since I don’t drink caffeine in my every day life, that might be why it works so well for me. I don’t know if it would work the same for a caffeinated coffee or soda drinker.

I have found that many more women than men suffer from migraine, so it might be some sort of hormonal imbalance. All I know is, they hurt so bad you could go mad! For my fellow migraine sufferers, hang in there and please share your suggestions for prevention. I have heard that taking feverfew helps reduce the occurrence and intensity, so I might consider that as well.