What Is E. Coli?

With the recent cases of E. coli infection in twenty states thanks to contaminated spinach from California, you may be wondering what it is, what it does, and how it spreads. Escherichia coli is a bacteria with hundreds of different strains. The current E. coli outbreak is specifically caused by E. Coli O157:H7, a leading cause of food borne illness. Every year in the United States, there are approximately 73,000 cases of E. coli infection. The bacteria was first recognized in 1982, when an outbreak of severe diarrhea and abdominal cramping was traced back to undercooked, contaminated hamburgers. How does … Continue reading →

What You Need To Know About Contaminated Spinach

More than 170 people in twenty different states have been infected with E. coli from eating contaminated fresh spinach. Do you know what is safe to eat and what should end up in the trash? Here is all the important information you need about contaminated spinach and E. coli. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control is advising people to avoid fresh spinach that comes from Monterey County, San Benito County, and Santa Clara County in California. Spinach grown outside those three counties is safe for consumption. Frozen and canned spinach are safe for consumption. If you cannot verify the origin … Continue reading →

Travel Health: Children

Will you be bringing the whole family outside the country for a vacation, extended stay, or even a business trip? Traveling abroad with children can expose your kids to some unique health risks. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, nearly two million children travel abroad each year! What kind of things do you need to be concerned about? Certain travel vaccines that are safe for adults are not recommended for children Certain preventative medications that are safe for adults are not recommended for children Children may not be as careful about what they eat or drink, putting them … Continue reading →

Travel Health: Safe Drinking Water

If your travel plans include a destination where water is not chlorinated or sanitation is not the greatest, you have several alternative methods for making sure your drinking water is safe. Travelers’ diarrhea, the most common traveler’s illness, is often contracted after drinking water contaminated with bacteria, viruses, and/or parasites. Drink bottled water, bottled juices, and bottled sodas. Make sure the caps are sealed — if the seal has been broken, the bottle may have been refilled with unsafe water. Boil your water before drinking. Boiling kills most of the water-born causes of travelers’ diarrhea. Make sure the water boils … Continue reading →

Breast Feeding Helps Kids Cope with Stress

A long term study performed in the UK showed that kids who have been breastfed are less anxious later on in life when they go through a stressful or traumatic experience, such as the divorce of their parents. In fact, it doesn’t seem to matter how long the child was breastfed for the results to show. The researchers do note that they are not 100% sure whether breast feeding is the sole reason these children are more stress resistant, there may be other advantages to breast feeding that allow them to deal with stress better. Photography by Pat Winberg Although … Continue reading →