FitSugar

Yet Another Recall: Olives

FitSugar — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 14:30:00 PDT

As if we haven't had enough of recall madness, yet another item has been recalled.

The FDA has put out a release announcing the recall of olives made by Charlie Brown di Rutigliano & Figli S.r.l, of Bari, Italy. The reason for the recall? Apparently the olives may be contaminated with the deadly bacterium, Clostridium botulinum. C. botulinum, which can cause botulism, a potentially fatal illness. What's more? Charlie Brown and Co. initiated a recall of these olives on March 27, 2007 but to date, the company has not contacted importers with specific instructions on the recall so the FDA had to step in.

The olives are sold under the following brands: Bonta di Puglia, Cento, Corrado's, Dal Raccolto, Flora, Roland and Vantia, and have codes that start with the letter "G" and are followed by 3 or 4 digits. All sizes of cans, glass jars and pouches of Cerignola, Nocerella and Castelvetrano type olives are affected.

Symptoms of botulism include general weakness, dizziness, double vision, trouble with speaking or swallowing, difficulty in breathing, weakness of other muscles, abdominal distension and constipation. People experiencing these symptoms should seek immediate medical attention. If you have further questions you can contact the Charlie Brown Company at 011-039-080-7839073 or by email (charliebrownbari@yahoo.com).

Grazie!

Freezing Wrinkles May Be the New Botox Alternative

Miriam Lacey — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 11:23:34 PDT

Beverly Hills cosmetic surgeon Dr. Francis Palmer is betting that there's a market for people who want the effects of Botox without using botulism. Specifically, the company he works for, MyoScience, has developed a machine that uses cold to freeze facial nerves. The device, which uses a series of small needles called "cryoprobes" to freeze muscles' nerves into relaxing, is currently in clinical trials and may soon be looking for approval in Europe.

To me, the procedure sounds not unlike receiving Botox injections, insofar as there are lots of little needle jabs involved and the mechanism of wrinkle relaxation involves disabling nerves for a few months. If this technique gets FDA approval sometime soon, would you try it rather than getting Botox? Or are you content to age naturally?

Why It's Better Going Raw With Honey

Heather Dale — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 01:30:19 PDT

Dr.Oz calls it "liquid gold," touting its many healing properties. The substance I'm referring to is raw honey - honey in its purest form. Raw honey isn't filtered, strained, or heated above natural hive temperatures (usually 115 degrees Fahrenheit), a process used in conventional honey that can destroy beneficial enzymes, nutrients, and antioxidants.

One of the major benefits of raw honey is that it's nature's own multivitamin. Vitamins such as B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, and even antioxidant-rich vitamin C are found in raw honey. It also contains minerals like magnesium, potassium, calcium, sodium chlorine, sulphur, and phosphate.

Check out more reasons why raw honey is amazing.