health
FDA Warns Of Tendon-Rupturing Antibiotics
The FDA slapped a black box warning on a group of antibiotics known as fluoroquinolones for their link to tendonitis and tendon rupture in patients. Drugs in this group include Cipro, Levaquin, Avelox, Oscient, Factive, Proquin XR, Floxin Noroxin. Ruptures associated with the drug have included the achilles tendon, thumbs, shoulder, bicep and hand. Public interest group Public Citizen has been petitioned the FDA in 1996, 2005 and 2006 to add greater warnings to the drug. Only after Public Citizen sued the FDA for not responding to the petitions were the warnings added. One patient described what happened after he was hospitalized for an infection and treated with Cipro…
Walmart Pharmacy Error Causes Teen To Lapse Into Coma
Jessie Scott, an 18-year-old from Draper, Utah has been in a coma since the end of April because of a critical error which occurred at a Walmart pharmacy. His doctor prescribed Jessie 5mg of Oxycodone Hydrochoride in a liquid solution to help him with the severe pain of his strep throat, however, what he received from the pharmacy was a concentrated solution which was supposed to have been diluted before being dispensed to Jessie. Exactly how much medication did Jessie consume?
Police Officer Awarded $40,000 Over KFC's Urine-Tainted Food
A police officer and his family from Sydney, Nebraska have been awarded $40,000 from their lawsuit which alleged that a KFC/Taco Bell store had served them food contaminated with an employee’s spit and urine in 2005. The lawsuit stated that fellow workers actually saw the employee taint the food and told management who failed to alert the family, according to the AP. Consequently, the officer’s two sons became violently ill. His 4-year-old was hospitalized and treated for gastroenteritis and dehydration. Details, inside…
6 Common Food-Safety Misconceptions
Since health officials seem to have very little idea about the source of the recent salmonella outbreak, perhaps it’s wise to educate ourselves a little more on the basics of food safety. Test your knowledge with Forbes’ list of some common food-safety misconceptions. The list, inside…
Modern Psychiatry: Brought To You By Selfless Pharmaceutical Companies
Psychiatry is nothing more than a well-funded front for big pharma, according to lawmakers investigating the field’s premier organization, the American Psychiatric Association. Unlike psychologists, psychiatrists can write prescriptions, giving pharmaceutical companies a powerful incentive to lavishly subsidize both their lifestyle and profession.
Delta: Sorry Your Lung Collapsed, But You Should Have Used Your Voucher Sooner
Trevor’s lung collapsed last year, flummoxing his plans to travel with Delta from New York to Toronto. Delta issued a voucher and promised Trevor that it could be redeemed anytime within one year. What they didn’t tell him, at any point, was that they started counting not from the date of his planned travel, or from the date he requested the refund, but from the date they issued the original ticket.
The 10 Healthiest Foods For Under $1
One of the biggest complaints among those who are attempting to eat healthy is the price. In general, processed foods are cheaper but may end up costing us more in the long run. Since the fuel crunch is causing the prices of almost everything to rise, DivineCaroline has assembled a list of the 20 healthiest foods for under $1. Check out the top 10, inside…
Eat Less, Live Longer
Scientists say that if you start eating 15% less food by age 25, you could add 4.5 years to your life. The theory is that it lowers metabolic rate and generates fewer “free radicals” in the body. Makes sense, run an engine at a lower overall speed and you’ll get a longer life out of it. Practitioners of the Calorie Restriction diet believe in it, and some think it will lead to eternal life. The tradeoff is that your skin is translucent. Everything in moderation, my friends.
"Whole Chicken Breast" Actually Chicken Part Composite
Why not try a SmartServe Chicken, brought to you by Sysco:
Sports Chalet Treadmill SALE!!! Save Two Cents!!!
Reader Lindsay spotted this sticker on a treadmill on SALE SALE SALE (for only two cents off) at Sports Chalet back in May. Probably a typo, or possibly an elaborate scheme by the Sports Chalet into convincing customers that he thinks they’re morons.
Health Officials: Did We Say Tomatoes? We Meant Jalapeño Peppers
After causing the tomato industry to lose an estimated $100 million, health investigators have essentially recanted their contaminated tomato theory and have focused their attention on jalapeño peppers. The Baltimore Sun reports that new interviews with salmonella victims have revealed that many of them ate salsa containing jalepeños. Other common Mexican food ingredients such as cilantro are also being investigated, however, no new samples have tested positive for salmonella. Details, inside…
Actually, The Lamp Oil Looked Like Apple Juice
There’s more to the story about the person who died from drinking lamp oil. One 84-year-old NJ lady died after mistaking tiki torch oil for apple juice. 4 other NJ residents were hospitalized after doing the same. One of them was an 8-year old girl, now suffering permanent lung damage. Oddly, the victims were located in separate parts of the state. NJ Poison Information and Education System executive director Steve Marcus told Gothamist, “During my 40 years in medicine, you get an occasional kid who ingests kerosene, but I have never seen this kind of cluster.” (The Happening Part 2? Neurotoxins disable the part of people’s brains that makes them distinguish between household cleaners and refreshing beverages?) All of them drank the same product, oil in a clear plastic bottle labeled “Tiki Torch Fuel,” sold by Lamplight Farms, Inc. Amber in color, it’s visually indistinguishable from apple juice. Don’t forget to always keep chemicals under the sink and away from food, and always in original bottles. That some of these almost seem designed to look like tasty energy drinks doesn’t help matters.
Don't Drink Lamp Oil Or You'll Die
Lamp oil manufacturers have issued a new warning: don’t drink lamp oil. The TV says someone died recently after doing so. Not sure what the story is, but like other household products, it’s important to keep them in their proper containers. For instance, some colored lamp oils can look like cranberry juice. Here are some other poisons and the foods they can look like.
7 Most Unhealthy Carnival Foods
There are few things in the universe more evil than carnival food. Why do they feed us deep-fried sugary food before we get on rides that spin us around and around? Why is it that carnies aren’t all 500 lbs.? Must be the meth. Check out Newsweek’s list of the 7 most unhealthy carnival foods.
4 Waters Enhanced With 100% Hype
“Enhanced water” is gaining popularity and is helping companies such as Coca-Cola and Pepsi to turn a tidy profit. Many of these trendy drinks contain an array of ingredients and claim a variety of health benefits. Newsweek and the Center for Science in the Public Interest, an advocacy group that focuses on nutrition, say that the science behind many of these health claims is weak. They have assembled a small list of four “enhanced water” drinks which are probably doing little more than keeping you hydrated.
This Rejected Chiropractor Is "Sorry You Don't Take Your Health Seriously"
The excellent blog, Passive Aggressive Notes has a submission from a reader who rejected his chiropractor. Clay decided not to go back after the doctor refused to show him his x-rays unless Clay attended a seminar about payment plans and treatment options. A few days later he got a note that said:
8 Common Foodborne Illnesses And Their Symptoms
Our nation’s recent salmonella outbreak has rekindled discussions about foodborne illnesses and how they spread. The good news is that most of these illnesses can be avoided with proper food processing and preparation procedures along with simple hand washing. If you don’t know your botulism from your mad cow disease, CalorieLab has put together a list of 8 of the most prevalent foodborne illnesses and their symptoms. Check out the list, inside…
