Carrageenan – Another Food Additive that Can Make You Sick

Many of us try to eat a healthy diet; one that is “natural.” Some of us strive to eat foods that are truly “organic.” However, even something that is considered “organic” can cause you to feel ill. Carrageenan which comes from red seaweed, also known by the names of Chondrus crispus and Irish Moss, is considered an organic food additive, but has been scientifically proven to cause inflammation in the human body as well as cause mild to severe gastrointestinal symptoms in some individuals.  There has also been research linking consumption of carrageenan to the development of Cancer. 

Sunset at the El Segundo Beach by Carole Jakucs - Image subject to copyright.

Carrageenan is used in a variety of food and beverage products such as cottage cheese, ice cream, yogurt, baby formula, beverages and so much more. Currently, the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) allows it to be used in products labeled “organic."

Read you labels: If you don't want to consume carrageenan (even if you are buying an organic product) make sure you read your labels. It’s especially important to check your labels for carrageenan, if you are one who suffers from a sensitive gastrointestinal system, has a known GI disease or disorder and/or experiences GI symptoms (such as but not limited to, bloating and pain).

If you are experiencing any pain, or concerning symptoms, make sure to contact your doctor.   You may also want to check your diet for any sources of hidden carrageenan.

Lyme disease is Underreported - Number of Cases is 10 times Higher than Previously Known

It’s great to spend time in the beautiful outdoors. But, when we do, we can be exposed to ticks and tick bites.  Bites from infected ticks can give you Lyme disease. The CDC just issued a Press Release stating that the actual number of cases of Lyme disease that occurs in the United States is approximately 300,000 per year; a number that is 10 times higher than the number of cases that are actually reported. The CDC culled their data from three different studies, analyzing the numbers of Lyme disease cases via insurance claims, laboratories and patient surveys.  If you've never thought about Lyme disease before, now may be a good time to start, given that it's more prevalent than previously thought. Lyme disease also occurs in parts of Europe.

Photo by Carole Jakucs; Kinsale, Cork, Ireland.
Image subject to copyright. 

• Lyme disease is a bacterial infection caused by the bite of an infected tick.
• Initial symptoms can vary, but some are; fever, joint and muscle pain, rash and headache.
• If Lyme disease is left untreated, permanent neurological (the nervous system) and organ damage (in particular the heart) can occur. It can also spread to the joints.
• If you have any concern that you may have been exposed to Lyme disease, are sick with Lyme disease, or have any fevers, rashes or joint pain/swelling; speak to your healthcare provider and/or seek professional medical care for medical advice, a diagnosis and appropriate medical treatment. The sooner treatment is started, the better.
• The best way to prevent Lyme disease is to prevent becoming bitten by a tick. The tick carries the disease. When it bites you, it transmits the disease. 
• If you plan on spending time outdoors (even at a picnic or in your back yard) in tick laden areas; wear insect repellent on your clothes, skin and gear. Look for products that contain either 20 – 30 % DEET. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for use; since this is a poison, you want to use it correctly.
• If you plan on being outdoors (even in your own backyard) or hiking, steer clear of high brush and weeds. If you're hiking, stay on the trails where your path is clear. High brush and weeds where tick like to hide.
• Look for ticks on your skin, children’s skin, pets and gear after spending time outdoors.
• If you find any ticks on your skin, clothes, pets or gear and remove them as soon as possible.
• Remove ticks appropriately by following the right procedure, click here to view.
• For more information on Lyme disease, you can also visit The American Lyme Disease Foundation's website. 

12 Tips on Sun Safety

Being aware of the dangers of too much sun exposure is important. The risks of too much sunlight and/or tanning bed exposure for your skin are: Skin cancer, sunburns and premature wrinkling/aging of the skin. Regardless of where you live or the season, the potential for overexposure is there. Here are twelve helpful tips to help protect you.

Photo by Carole Jakucs; view of the Palos Verdes Peninsula.
Image subject to copyright.

1. Look for the words, “Broad Spectrum,” on the label of your sunscreen, for the fullest protection from both UVA and UVB rays.
2. Use a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or more, 30 or more is better to prevent sunburns.
3. Stay out of the sun between the hours of 10 AM to 4 PM when the sun is the strongest.
4. Use a, “Water Resistant,” sunscreen.
5. Reapply every hour, especially if you’re sweating or swimming because sunscreen wears off quickly when the skin is wet.
6. Apply a generous amount of sunscreen to all areas of skin that are exposed to the sun.
7. Don’t forget to cover these spots too: The bottoms of your feet, back of your neck, ears cartilage and top of the head if you have any balding areas/hair loss.
8. Remember your lips: Get a special sunscreen product formulated for the lips.
9. A good brand of sunglasses that protect against both UVA and UVB rays will help to reduce your risk of developing cataracts.
10. Wear a hat (with a brim) or sun-visor – to help cover your head and face in addition to sunscreen.
11. Burns and sun damage to our skin occurs even on cloudy days so protect yourself from premature wrinkling, skin cancer and sunburns, even if it’s cloudy.
12. If you’re prone to skin allergies, look for fragrance free or hypoallergenic sunscreen products to reduce your chances of an allergic reaction.

High Salt Intake and the Development of Autoimmune Disease

Here is another good reason ditch your high salt diet and reduce your salt (sodium chloride) intake: Recent research has pointed to a high salt intake as a possible risk factor for developing autoimmune disease. The research indicates that while genetics may play a role to predispose someone to developing autoimmune disease, a high salt diet may pull the trigger (so to speak) and push their body over the edge to develop actual disease. 

Many people consume too much salt in their diet. However, salt is an important electrolyte in the human body; too much (hypernatremia) or, too little (hyponatremia) can make you ill and in extreme cases, can cause death. 

(Photo Attribution: Ketchupfreak88 at the German language Wikipedia)

The general recommendation for salt intake is:  Less than 2300 mg per day for healthy adults and much less for people with certain health conditions at: Less than 1500 mg per day.  A high sodium diet is also one of the risk factors for the development of high blood pressure (hypertension).

You can lower your sodium intake by:

• Limit your consumption of sodas, fast food, packaged foods, canned foods, junk foods, condiments and use less salt when you cook.
• Learn to read your labels, as there is an abundance of sodium in many packaged foods.
• Choose lower sodium versions of packaged foods, but beware, as sometimes, these items have extra added fats and sugars to make the food taste good (given that it has less salt).
• Use fresh or organic herbs to flavor your foods to enhance the taste, give your foods more flavor, and lessen the need for added salt.

8 Ways to Lighten the Load on your Liver

Last week, medical researchers announced that they created the basis for a functioning human liver from liver buds created in a lab. This was a tremendous scientific breakthrough. However, duplicating these results in humans may take many years. In the interim, it’s important to try to keep your liver healthy by reducing or eliminating the many assaults on your liver that can cause illness and disease. Here are some ways to do that:

1. Alcohol:  Alcohol damages the liver and drinking alcohol in excess, can cause Cirrhosis of the Liver, which can be deadly. Most medical experts say that women should limit their alcohol intake to no more than one per day; men, no more than two per day (and better yet, don’t drink alcohol at all). 
2. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: An unhealthy diet can be one of the culprits in the development of, “Fatty Liver.” Maintain a normal weight for your height and frame and consume a healthy diet by limiting saturated fats and junk foods. Try to maintain normal cholesterol and triglyceride levels. A diet that consists of whole grains, plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins and omega 3 fatty acids, can help to improve your overall health and help keep your liver happier too.
3. Viral Hepatitis: The three main types of Viral Hepatitis are, A, B and C. The good news is that there are vaccines to help prevent Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B.
4. You can become infected with Hepatitis A by eating or drinking contaminated food or water, or by having close contact with someone that has it. To read more about Hepatitis A and the Hepatitis A Vaccine, click here.
5. Hepatitis B infections are spread by having contact with infected blood or body fluids, dirty (contaminated) needles and other objects used by someone who has the disease. To read about Hepatitis B Vaccine, click here.
6. The bad news: There is no cure and no vaccine for Hepatitis C. You can get Hepatitis C from exposure to infected blood, body fluids, contaminated needles and other objects used by someone with the disease.  
7. Know your medicines and their side effects: Some medications can damage your liver even when taken as directed. Other times, a combination of medications can be more toxic to the liver by producing a synergistic effect (the two combined are more damaging then just one).
8. Other liver diseases can be inherited or genetic such as (but not limited to): Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency and Wilson Disease. Knowing your family history can be helpful when it comes to your health. Having an awareness of family tendencies towards certain diseases can help place them on your radar, so you can be on the lookout for them.

Some chronic conditions listed above and other diseases can raise your risk for developing Liver Cancer. For more on Liver Cancer, click here. Labs can be performed on a routine basis to monitor the health of your liver. Talk to your healthcare provider about which labs and/or other diagnostic tests are right for you to help you monitor the health of your liver. 

Hepatitis A outbreaks from frozen berries, protect yourself with Hepatitis A vaccine

If you’re trying to eat healthy and part of your routine is buy frozen berries for topping off your cereal or to use in smoothies, you may be a risk for Hepatitis A. There is currently a second recall on frozen berries. You can become infected with Hepatitis A by consuming contaminated foods and/or water, or by having close contact with someone who has it.

Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org - CDC raspberry - Public Domain

Hepatitis A is a virus that infects the liver and makes you sick with jaundice, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting for starters. Here’s the good news: There is a vaccine to protect you from getting infected with Hepatitis A. Hepatitis A Vaccine is given in two separate doses given at least six months apart.  The goal of the vaccine is to provide your body immunity to the virus if you become exposed to it. 

If you have not yet been vaccinated against Hepatitis A, now is a good time to consider it. The vaccine can be obtained at most physician offices, clinics and some pharmacies (the ability to get a vaccine at a pharmacy is not available in all fifty states at this time). The vaccine is contraindicated (who should not get the vaccine) for some people. Be sure to contact your doctor to find out if you’re eligible to get the vaccine. Typically, healthcare providers that administer it, will ask you to fill out a consent/screening form to help determine if you are a candidate for the vaccine, by asking questions about your medical history and allergies. 

There is no excuse for contaminated food, and there have been many recalls involving a variety of foods from peanut butter (and related products) to fresh produce, meats and other items, involving different types of illness/disease causing organisms.  More needs to be done to ensure the safety of our food supply. Sometimes, there was nothing the consumer could do to prevent getting sick and no way to tell an item was contaminated.

In the meantime; stay up to date with all of your vaccines (for your  general health) to include Hepatitis A Vaccine, wash all produce well prior to consumption, stay informed to news about Outbreaks and food recalls, learn about food safety, the basics of which start with keeping hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Taking these steps can reduce your chances of becoming stricken with a food related illness. 

Eight tips to prevent West Nile Virus

It’s that time of year again when West Nile Virus starts to rear its ugly head. A person can become infected if they are bitten by a mosquito that is carrying the virus. Symptoms can range from mild to severe and can cause death in some cases. It’s important to recognize West Nile Virus is a preventable disease, how? By preventing mosquito bites with these tips:

Photo by Michael Jakucs; Malibu Canyon.
Image subject to copyright.

1. There is no way for you to know which mosquitoes are carrying the disease, so it’s important to prevent all mosquito bites, especially now that summer is here and most people spend more time enjoying the beautiful outdoors (like the great picture above) with activities such as barbecuing and hiking.
2. Find out if West Nile Virus is in your area (if you live in the United States) by visiting the CDC website and viewing their interactive map showing activity by state. 
3. Stay indoors when mosquitoes are most active, which generally begins at dusk (in the early evening), through the night and continues through the early morning (and sometimes during the day).
4. Wear long sleeve shirts and long pants if you’re going to be outside when mosquitoes are active.
5. Ensure that your window screens are intact, if not, have your screens replaced or repaired. 
6. Avoid having any collections of standing water near your home and in your yard. Change the water daily in items that need water such as bird baths and children’s pools.
7. If you’re spending time outdoors, protect yourself with an EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) approved insect repellent that contains either, DEET, Picaridin, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus or IR3535.
8. Apply Insect repellents correctly and safely. They should be applied to skin and sprayed on your clothes as per the package and manufacturer’s instructions. Follow the package directions to the letter, as insecticides are a poison and can be dangerous if used inappropriately. 

Bullies as Siblings can Cause Anxiety and Depression

Bullying, or picking on someone, making them feel intimidated, unwanted and/or causing social isolation by slandering and gossiping about them, can occur in schools and work settings. It also occurs in families. A recent study published by the journal, “Pediatrics,” confirms that bullying by siblings against their siblings can cause depression and anxiety for those on the receiving end. 

Mental anguish appeared in the victims with all forms of bullying from psychological/emotional abuse to physical abuse at the hands of the sibling perpetrators.

While there appears to be an increasing awareness of bullying in the school and work environments; sibling abuse has not received much attention from parents, the perpetrators, families or researchers.

Hopefully now with the publication of this study, it will bring to light the importance of healthy family dynamics (including preventing sibling abuse) and the pain and suffering that abusive siblings cause. 

(Photo attribution: By Bpenn005 at en.wikibooks [Public domain], from Wikimedia Commons)