FitSugar

Campbell's Chicken Noodle BPA-Leaching Soup

FitSugar — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:00:23 -0800

It's uncertain how risky bisphenol A (BPA) is to humans, but I figure better safe than sorry. I threw out my potentially risky water bottles and containers but now a new study from Consumer Reports says there's BPA in my canned goods, too. Metal cans are often lined with plastic that contains BPA to protect the food.

The magazine tested 19 canned food products, finding levels of BPA in each product, including cans labeled "BPA free." The biggest culprits were Progresso Vegetable Soup, Campbell's Condensed Chicken Noodle Soup, and Annie's Home Grown Organic Cheesy Ravioli. Though the FDA has said in the past that BPA is safe in food contact materials, it's now revisiting the issue to see if BPA exposure limits should be revised.

If you are concerned about the effects of BPA, try limiting or cutting out canned goods from your diet. Also, look for foods packaged in glass, paper, or freezer bags.

I Don't Buy It: Kinoki Foot Pads

FitSugar — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 15:30:00 -0800

Interested in detoxing your body and getting rid of just about every bad thing that could possibly be stored in your system? Well the makers of Kinoki Foot Pads have something to get rid of all the toxins we get from our food, water, and air. They claim that if you wear these pads while you sleep (sounds comfy), they'll cure problems like insomnia, depression, and headaches by removing heavy metals, metabolic wastes, parasites, chemicals, and cellulite from your body. Wait - cellulite too? So if I wear these things on my feet, the fat from my booty will get sucked right out and onto these foot pads? Sounds like they've discovered the cure for obesity. If these things work so well, why don't they make Kinoki body pads?

The commercial mentions that one independent study was done to prove how effective these are. I'd love to see the actual data instead of some tiny chart on the screen showing "lab results." They cost $19.99 for 14 pads, and they'll send you a free supply for life. What's up with that? I'm thinking that if these things really got rid of toxins and cured migraines, depression, and back pain, you'd be sharing your lifetime supply with all your friends and relatives. Is this too hard to believe, or do you think these things may actually work?

Health Tip: Eliminate One Toxin

FitSugar — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 16:30:00 -0800

Looking to clean up your act a bit? How about eliminating at least one toxin from your life? This can be anything from smoking, alcohol, fried food (deep-fried oreos?), trans fats, or sugar. Slowly cutting out one vice is a lot easier than changing your total lifestyle, and you'll be well on your way to optimal health for the rest of the year (and your life).

Tell me which toxin would be the easiest for you to eliminate in the comments section below.

Source

Botulinum toxin type B (Injection)

admin — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:59:39 -0700

Overview

Introduction
Brand Name(s)
When This Medicine Should Not Be Used
How to Use This Medicine
Drugs and Foods to Avoid
Warnings While Using This Medicine
Possible Side Effects While Using This Medicine

HEALTH GUIDE REFERENCE FROM A.D.A.M

Introduction

Botulinum Toxin Type B (BOT-yoo-li-num TOX-in type B)

Treats symptoms of stiffness or uncontrolled muscle movements in the neck that are caused by a condition called cervical dystonia.

Brand Name(s)

Myobloc

There may be other brand names for this medicine.

When This Medicine Should Not Be Used

You should not use this medicine if you have had an allergic reaction to any type of botulinum toxin.

How to Use This Medicine

Injectable

Your doctor will prescribe your exact dose and tell you how often it should be given. This medicine is given as a shot into the muscles that you are having trouble with.
A nurse or other trained health professional will give you this medicine. It may also be given by a home health caregiver.
This medicine works slowly. Improvement often starts within 2 weeks after the injection. The effects usually last 12 to 16 weeks.

If a dose is missed:

Call your doctor or pharmacist for instructions.

Drugs and Foods to Avoid

Ask your doctor or pharmacist before using any other medicine, including over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products.

Make sure your doctor knows if you are also using amikacin (Amikin®), atracurium (Tracrium®), gallamine (Flaxedil®), gentamicin (Garamycin®), kanamycin (Kantrex®), neomycin, netilmicin (Netromycin®), pancuronium (Pavulon®), streptomycin, tobramycin, tubocurarine (Tubarine®), or vecuronium (Norcuron®).
If you need to receive an injection of any other type of botulinum toxin within 4 months after receiving this medicine, tell your doctor when you last received a dose of botulinum toxin type B.

Warnings While Using This Medicine

Make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Make sure your doctor knows if you have a nerve or nerve-muscle disorder, such as myasthenia gravis, ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease), Lambert-Eaton syndrome, or Parkinson's disease. Tell your doctor if you have trouble swallowing.
This medicine is made from donated human blood. Some human blood products have transmitted certain viruses to people who have received them. The risk of getting a virus from medicines made of human blood has been greatly reduced in recent years. This is the result of required testing of human donors for certain viruses, and testing during manufacture of these medicines. Although the risk is low, talk with your doctor if you have concerns.
If you have been inactive, be careful to resume your activities slowly.
Rarely, serious reactions have been reported within days or weeks after receiving this medicine. If you start to have muscle weakness or trouble swallowing, talking, or breathing, call your doctor right away. In some situations, these problems could be life-threatening.

Possible Side Effects While Using This Medicine

Call your doctor right away if you notice any of these side effects:

Sudden vision changes, trouble speaking, muscle weakness, or inability to move.
Trouble swallowing or breathing.
Unusual muscle weakness or paralysis (may occurs several weeks after you receive this medicine).

If you notice these less serious side effects, talk with your doctor:

Dry mouth.
Pain where the shot is given.
Stomach upset.

Review Date: 8/4/2008

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

A.D.A.M. Copyright

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997-2009 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

adam.com

Source Doc: 45_1095

Botulinum toxin type A (Injection)

admin — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:58:04 -0700

Overview

Introduction
Brand Name(s)
When This Medicine Should Not Be Used
How to Use This Medicine
Drugs and Foods to Avoid
Warnings While Using This Medicine
Possible Side Effects While Using This Medicine

HEALTH GUIDE REFERENCE FROM A.D.A.M

Introduction

Botulinum Toxin Type A (BOT-yoo-li-num TOX-in type A)

Treats uncontrolled muscle spasms or paralysis in your neck (cervical dystonia), your eyelids (blepharospasm), or around your eyes (strabismus). Also treats excessive underarm sweating (hyperhidrosis). Also used to reduce the appearance of wrinkles between the eyebrows.

Brand Name(s)

Botox Cosmetic, Botox

There may be other brand names for this medicine.

When This Medicine Should Not Be Used

You should not receive this medicine if you have had an allergic reaction to botulinum toxin. You should not receive this medicine if you have an infection of your skin where the shot will be given.

How to Use This Medicine

Injectable

Your doctor will prescribe your exact dose and tell you how often it should be given. For neck disorders, this medicine is given as a shot into a muscle on the side of your neck. For eye disorders the shot is given into your eyelid or into a muscle around your eye. For excessive sweating, you will receive up to 15 injections at one time into your underarm. For wrinkles, the shot is given along your eyebrow.
A nurse or other trained health professional will give you this medicine.
You may be given medicine to numb the area where the shot will be injected. If you will receive the medicine around your eyes, you may be given eye drops or ointment to numb the area. After your injection, you may need to wear a protective contact lens or eye patch.
If you are treated for excessive sweating, shave your underarms but do not use deodorant for 24 hours before your injection. Avoid exercise, hot foods or liquids, or anything else that could make you sweat for 30 minutes before your injection.
This medicine works slowly. For neck disorders, you should have improvement within 2 weeks after your injection and peak improvement at 6 weeks. Eyelid disorders should improve within 3 days after your injection, with peak improvement at 2 weeks. Strabismus should improve within 1 or 2 days after injection, and this improvement should last for 2 to 6 weeks. Once you reach peak improvement, the effects of the medicine will slowly decrease. For excessive sweating, you will need repeat injections when the effects of the medicine wear off.

If a dose is missed:

Call your doctor or pharmacist for instructions.

Drugs and Foods to Avoid

Ask your doctor or pharmacist before using any other medicine, including over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products.

Make sure your doctor knows if you are also using amikacin (Amikin®), atracurium (Tracrium®), gallamine (Flaxedil®), gentamicin (Garamycin®), kanamycin (Kantrex®), neomycin, netilmicin (Netromycin®), pancuronium (Pavulon®), streptomycin, tobramycin, tubocurarine (Tubarine®), or vecuronium (Norcuron®).
Tell your doctor if you have received botulinum toxin for any reason in the past several months.

Warnings While Using This Medicine

Make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Tell your doctor if you have heart disease. Make sure your doctor knows if you have a nerve or nerve-muscle disorder, such as myasthenia gravis, ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease), Lambert-Eaton syndrome, or Parkinson's disease. Tell your doctor if you have trouble swallowing.
Your doctor needs to know if you have had any swelling, infection, surgery, or unusual pain or weakness on the body area where your shot will be given.
This medicine is made from donated human blood. Some human blood products have transmitted certain viruses to people who have received them. The risk of getting a virus from medicines made of human blood has been greatly reduced in recent years. This is the result of required testing of human donors for certain viruses, and testing during manufacture of these medicines. Although the risk is low, talk with your doctor if you have concerns.
Your doctor may need to check your progress at regular visits during your treatment. Be sure to keep all appointments.
If you are receiving this medicine for dystonia and you have been inactive, be careful to resume your activities slowly.
Rarely, serious reactions have been reported within days or weeks after receiving this medicine. If you start to have muscle weakness or trouble swallowing, talking, or breathing, call your doctor right away. In some situations, these problems could be life-threatening.

Possible Side Effects While Using This Medicine

Call your doctor right away if you notice any of these side effects:

Allergic reaction: Itching or hives, swelling in your face or hands, swelling or tingling in your mouth or throat, chest tightness, trouble breathing.
Bleeding, bruising, or swelling in or around your eye.
Blistering, peeling, red skin rash.
Eye pain, redness in the whites of your eyes.
Irregular heartbeat, chest pain.
Severe trouble swallowing, breathing, or speaking.
Unusual weakness in other muscles (not where the shot was given).

If you notice these less serious side effects, talk with your doctor:

Double vision, trouble judging depth or distance.
Drooping or swelling of your eyelid, dry eyes, watery eyes.
Dry mouth, nausea.
Increased body sweating.
Mild skin rash.
Redness, pain, tenderness, bruising, swelling, or weakness where the shot was given.

Review Date: 8/4/2008

A.D.A.M. Copyright

adam.com

Source Doc: 45_0981

Another Plastic Health Risk - Erectile Dysfunction

FitSugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:13:34 -0800

While there have been previous studies, linking bisphenol A (BPA), found in hard plastics, to health problems, including precancerous tumors, prostate cancer, and brain damage, a new study, conducted in China, substantiates its claims with results in humans. In one of the first studies of its kind to be conducted on humans, researchers are finding that much of what they've previously seen in animal studies holds true - men exposed to significant amounts of BPA are at greater risk of sexual health problems.

The study compared the levels of sexual dysfunction in two groups of male factory workers - one group, which was exposed to high levels of BPA, while the other was not. The overall findings of the research reveal that when BPA enters the body, it may mimic estrogen, and block male sex hormones from functioning. In the males who were exposed to high levels of BPA, researchers observed that the risk of erectile dysfunction was four times that of a man not exposed to the chemicals.

According Dr. Rebecca Sokol, the director of the andrology program at the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine, and specialist in the effects of toxins on the reproductive system, these are some "compelling results." She notes that, "It's not cause and effect, but when you have the kind of ambient air quality assessment that they made, it comes pretty close to cause and effect."

To learn more about the study keep reading

Kristen Wants to Quit Smoking, Do It Too!

FitSugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:30:06 -0800

Kristen Stewart made the first step in kicking her cigarette habit - admitting to Entertainment Weekly that she's ready to give it up, saying, "I'm going to stop smoking. I'm not such a good smoker, anyway. It's not in my bones. I'm gonna drop it." More power to the gorgeous Twilight star, and here's hoping she sticks with it. Now, if you're out to ditch your own smoking habit, read on to kick-start your plan to quit.

Get Support - If you're ready to quit, whether or not you have friends that are smokers, make your decision known. Spreading the word that you're quitting will let your friends and family know that you'll need support. If you're having a tough day, reach out to friends. Instead of caving for a cigarette break, invite a friend for a long walk, a movie, or a workout class. Having the support of your loved ones who back your decision to quit will help give you a united front against your bad habit.

Don't Underestimate the Power of the Patch (or Gum) - Forms of nicotine replacement therapy have been shown to double your chances of quitting smoking, and can help you fight the urge to light up when you're facing nicotine withdrawal, reducing your feelings of depression and restlessness.

For more ways to help you quit, read more.

Find Another Way to Relieve Stress - Since smoking can often be a way to unwind, you'll have to find a healthier outlet to relieve stress. Combat stress with an alternative that's good for the body like a yoga class, soothing massage, or aromatherapy. Natural herbal supplements like lavender, valerian, and passionflower can aid with feelings of anxiousness and help ease tension. Short bouts of exercise can help relieve cravings, too.

Don't Drink - Alcohol and smoking are social activities that seem to go hand in hand. Plus, since alcohol naturally lowers our inhibitions, it can be harder to resist the temptation of a smoke when you're out drinking. So, when you're trying to quit, it's probably best to avoid the bar scene altogether.

Get Your Fill of Fruits and Veggies - Since many smokers fear gaining weight when they quit, many choose to diet while they're trying to give it up. But it's not a great idea to limit your food intake or choices, which can leave you feeling even more irritable while you're working to quit. Instead, think of quitting in a healthier way - focus on how eliminating the toxins from cigarettes will help to purify your body, and choose healthy fruits and veggies to fill you up. You might even try juicing your servings of fruit and vegetables. The nutrient-rich juice can help to curb cravings and can even help flush toxins from the body.

Stool C. difficile toxin

admin — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:12:40 -0700

Illustrations

Clostridium difficile organism

HEALTH GUIDE REFERENCE FROM A.D.A.M

Definition

The stool C. difficile toxin test detects harmful substances produced by the bacteria Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) in a stool sample. This bacteria is a common cause of diarrhea after antibiotic use.

How the test is performed

A sample of a stool is submitted for laboratory analysis. There are several laboratory methods used to detect C. difficile toxin in the stool specimen.

Today, an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) is most often used to detect subtances produced by the bacteria. The EIA is faster that previous culture tests, simpler to perform, and results are available in about an hour. However, it is slightly less sensitive than previous methods. Several stool samples may be needed to obtain an accurate result.

How to prepare for the test

There are many ways to collect the samples. You can catch the stool on plastic wrap that is loosely placed over the toilet bowl and held in place by the toilet seat. Then put the sample in a clean container. One test kit supplies a special toilet tissue that you use to collect the sample. After collecting the sample, you put it in a clean container.

Do not mix urine, water, or toilet tissue with the sample.

For children wearing diapers, you can line the diaper with plastic wrap. If the plastic wrap is positioned properly, mixing of urine and stool can be prevented for a better sample.

How the test will feel

There is no discomfort.

Why the test is performed

The test may be done when your doctor suspects that diarrhea is the result of recent antibiotic use. Antibiotics alter the bacterial flora in the colon ("helpful bacteria"), and this sometimes results in excessive growth of C. difficile and its toxins. Diarrhea caused by C. difficile following antibiotic use occurs frequently in hospitalized patients.

Normal Values

No C. difficile toxin is detected.

Note: Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Talk to your doctor about the meaning of your specific test results.

What abnormal results mean

Abnormal results mean that C. difficile toxins are likely present in the stool and are causing diarrhea.

What the risks are

There are no risks associated with testing for C. difficile toxin.

Special considerations

Since the test for C. difficile toxin is not 100% sensitive, several stool samples may be needed to detect it.

Review Date: 8/7/2007

Reviewed By: Jenifer K. Lehrer, MD, Department of Gastroenterology, Frankford-Torresdale Hospital, Jefferson Health System, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

A.D.A.M. Copyright

adam.com

Source Doc: 1_003590

Toxins

admin — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 18:54:46 -0700

Overview

Definition

Illustrations

Bacteria

HEALTH GUIDE REFERENCE FROM A.D.A.M

Definition

Toxins are substances created by plants and animals that are poisonous to humans. Most toxins that cause problems in humans are released by microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses.

Hemolytic anemia caused by chemicals and toxins

admin — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:50:44 -0700

Overview

Definition
Alternative Names

HEALTH GUIDE REFERENCE FROM A.D.A.M

Definition

Hemolytic anemia or destruction of red blood cells can be caused by factors other than disease.

Possible chemical or physical causes may include:

Anti-malaria drugs (quinolone compounds)
Sulfones
Sulfonamides (sulfasalazine)
Nitrofurantoin
Phenazopyridine
Pyridium
Intravenous water (not half-normal saline or normal saline)
Arsenic
Metals (chromium/chromates, platinum salts, nickel compounds, copper, lead, cis-platinum)
Snake bite (some snake venom contains hemolytic toxins)

Alternative Names

Anemia - hemolytic - caused by chemicals or toxins

Review Date: 2/6/2007

Reviewed By: William Matsui, MD, Assistant Professor of Oncology, Division of Hematologic Malignancies, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, MD. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

A.D.A.M. Copyright

adam.com

Source Doc: 1_000590