That's Fit

Yesterday, I saw some tomatoes back in circulation. Could it be? Are they back? Some of them are.

According to a June 11 notice issued by the FDA, consumers can now consume raw red plum, raw red Roma, or raw red round tomatoes -- but ONLY if grown and harvested from certain areas that have not been associated with the outbreak. My state -- Florida -- happens to be one of these areas, which is why they are resurfacing here in the Sunshine State. Take a look at this list and see if your state makes the cut. Types of tomatoes not linked to any illnesses are cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, and any tomato with the vine still attached.

The FDA also wants you to know this: If you are unsure of where the tomatoes you have in your home are from, contact the store or place of purchase for that information. If you are unable to determine the source of the tomatoes, do not eat them. And don't forget that raw tomatoes are often used in the preparation of fresh salsa, guacamole, and pico de gallo, are part of fillings for tortillas, and are used in other dishes.

Surely, you know by now that tomatoes are a no-go. Well, some of them, anyway. I admit I was in the dark at first and didn't know of the whole tomato salmonella outbreak until I tried to order a salad at a restaurant and was told there was not a single tomato in the establishment. Bummer for me -- I rely on juicy items like tomatoes to take the place of dressing on my salads. Forgetting about the trouble with tomatoes, I tried to order them again today on my kid's chicken burrito. Nope. No tomatoes. No salsa. Nothing of the sort.

So, what's up with the trusty tomato lately? According to this washingtonpost.com post, here's the deal: On June 8, the FDA issued a broad warning, telling consumers not to eat raw Roma, red plum, or red round tomatoes. Don't eat products containing these types of raw red tomatoes either, unless the tomatoes are from California, Georgia, Hawaii, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Belgium, Canada, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Israel, Netherlands, and Puerto Rico. Also safe: Cherry, grape, and tomatoes sold with the vine still attached.

For an updated list of safe tomato sources and other important and ever-changing information, keep checking back here. And until tomatoes are clearly in the clear, please eat safely.

Breastfeeding isn't always easy in the beginning. Poor latch can lead to sore and cracked nipples, which -- until they heal -- can make nursing even more difficult. Mom's may be tempted to reach for a soothing cream to ease their pain, but the FDA recently put out a warning that babies can be harmed by the ingredients in Mommy's Bliss Nipple Cream.

The chemicals in the cream, which infants can be exposed to during breastfeeding, can cause respiratory distress, vomiting, or diarrhea. Though the company no longer sells the cream, moms may still have it in their homes. The FDA recommends throwing it away. In addition, if your baby has experienced (or is experiencing) any difficulty from this cream, contact your doctor right away and call FDA's MedWatch at 1-800-332-1088.

I don't know about you, but I get really tired of hearing these kinds of stories, both as a mother and as a consumer. It's commonsense that a cream used for breastfeeding shouldn't contain harmful chemicals. In fact, the cream itself is advertised as "all natural" and there's no mention of these two ingredients on the company's website. The company claims there have been no reports of injury; hopefully, that's the truth.

For smokers who have had trouble quitting on their own, the prescription medication Chantix might have seemed like a lifeline. A pill to help them quit smoking. But sometimes artificial help comes at a cost.

The FDA had previously released warnings that people taking Chantix may experience suicidal thoughts. More recent reports are showing that in addition, many users are experiencing extreme sleepiness and possibly even seizures. In fact, the Institute for Safe Medication Practices linked the medication to more than two dozen traffic accidents.

In response to the concerns, the Federal Aviation Administration banned use of the medication for pilots and air traffic controllers.

I'm a food label reader. I don't always understand everything I read. But I read. I mostly look for foods with way low sugar, minimal levels of sodium, moderate amounts of calories, and pretty darn low servings of fat. But what about trans fats? What if I find a low-fat item that happens to list a teeny tiny trace of trans fat? Is this OK?

It's OK, says this doctor who maintains that as long as saturated fats make up less than 10 percent of daily calorie intake, no harm will be done.

I'd still prefer none of this trans fatty stuff. But if I happen to swallow a bit of it, I guess I'll survive.

Last fall, my son played soccer. Week after week I was disappointed in the snacks that parents brought for the kids. Now it's baseball season and I'm seeing the same trend. My son has been given sugary juices, "sports" drinks that are loaded with sugar, cookies, chips, and snack cakes. I'm not completely opposed to kids having treats from time to time. But I think that, after being active, kids need some decent nutrition.

While adult and competitive athletes may need nutritional programs designed specifically to boost performance, kids don't need anything that rigid. All kids need is good nutrition to get the most out of their activities. Here are a few tips:

• Eating a healthy diet with lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beneficial fats, and lean protein will give your young athletes all the fuel they need. A daily multi-vitamin is also a good idea. Sports bars, protein gels, and other specialized foods aren't necessary.
• It's important to keep your young athlete hydrated. Young children, in particular, are prone to dehydration because their bodies produce more heat yet sweat less. But water is sufficient for youth sports. Unless the activity is constant and extends beyond one hour, drinks with added electrolytes just aren't necessary. Besides, many sports drinks offer nothing more than artificial coloring, artificial flavors, sodium, and high fructose corn syrup.
• While it's not an issue with boys my son's age, I know high-school and college-age athletes may be tempted by the powders and drinks guaranteed to pump them up. The problem is that dietary supplements (which is what those sports aids are considered) aren't screened by the FDA so their efficacy and safety aren't monitored. While many may be harmless and some might even be effective, there's risk involved.
  

Good nutrition and consistent exercise are all any young athlete needs to stay at the top of their game.

I had a roommate in college that had what we called "jimmy legs." She didn't know what was wrong, but as soon as she'd lay down to sleep her legs would start to feel "creepy crawly" (her words) and the next thing you'd know she'd be jerking and shaking her legs -- sometimes on purpose, sometimes not. We used to laugh it off, but I know it was really uncomfortable for her. And I know that, since she didn't know what was really going on, it was frightening for her, too.

Though I can't say for sure, my guess is that my roommate had restless leg syndrome (RLS). RLS is a neurological condition that affects up to 10% of the US population. RLS patients feel uncomfortable sensations and an overwhelming urge to move their legs. Symptoms become worse during rest -- particularly when lying down -- and are put at bay by movement.

GlaxoSmithKline's Requip medication has been a premiere treatment for mild to moderate RLS. The FDA just approved a generic form of Requip. The medication is also approved to treat symptoms of Parkinson's Disease.

The Food and Drug Administration has just published new research on the risks of insulin pump use in teenagers. News-wise this story was small potatoes, but if you're tuned into Type 1 (T1) diabetes you might have seen it. As a sister and daughter of two brothers and both parents with T1 diabetes, I couldn't miss it. My brother used to be an insulin pumper, but he nearly lost his life due to a pump-related skin infection and is back to the land of daily injections by needle.

The FDA reviewed a decade of reports from 1996-2005 involving adverse events and deaths in 12 to 21-year-old T1 diabetics utilizing insulin pumps. An alternative to multiple daily injections, the cell-phone sized pumps send a stream of needed insulin into the body through a plastic tube inserted under the skin. Many T1s realize better blood glucose control with pump therapy compared to daily injections.

Reviewers found 13 deaths and more than 1,500 injuries connected with the pumps. Sometimes the pumps malfunctioned (e.g., a blocked tube), others times the teens were at fault. Some dropped 'em -- teens are not exactly known for their rigorous care for gear -- just think of all those forgotten orthodontia retainers sliding off cafeteria lunch trays into the trash. Some teens simply did not know how to use the pumps correctly. FDA researchers called for parent vigilance in monitoring their children's use of the pump, as well as more research to examine pump safety concerns in teens and children. No doubt insulin pumps have improved the lives of many, but they require careful use and are no replacement for the diligent, daily monitoring of blood glucose required by people with T1 diabetes.

If you'd like to read about my brother's insulin pump nightmare, check out my recent post on Trusera. I have started blogging specifically about diabetes over at Trusera, an interactive health website for people seeking answers and a place to vent on health issues close to their hearts. Whether it's autism, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, infertility, lyme disease, migraines, Fragile X Syndrome or another condition, Trusera is a safe place to find stories, tell your story and connect with people facing similar health journeys.

A report released by the health advocacy organization, Trust for America's Health, finds that the US food safety system is lacking. Problems include out-of-date laws, inconsistencies within the system, and inadequate use of resources.

The report implies that the US food safety system is disjointed -- with more than 15 federal agencies playing some role in food safety. In addition, the report suggests that food safety needs to be more preventative than reactionary. For example, though the possibility of terrorist action infecting our food supply is known, very little has been done to prevent such a threat.

Suggestions for improvements include:

• Inspect foods through the entire production process.
• Update inspection procedures as changes occur.
• Establish standard practices of authority for recall and penalties.
• Improve inspection of imported foods.
• Increase FDA funding.

When people who want to drink raw milk live in a state where it's illegal, they often get around the law by buying a share of a cow. In many states, it's only legal to drink unpasteurized cow's milk if you own the animal, so by buying a share in a cow, they're allowed to drink its milk.

Even in states where selling and drinking raw milk is legal, the USDA and FDA are watching with concern. Demand for raw milk is on the rise, and they're worried that the milk will cause an outbreak of salmonella, listeria, or E. coli. Though no one tracks the sale of raw milk officially, dairy farmers say they're seeing more customers than ever.

The health benefits and dangers of raw milk are long debated. Some say that pasteurizing raw milk removes essential nutrients and makes the drink, essentially, junk food. Others -- the FDA included -- say that pasteurized milk is perfectly healthy and that drinking raw milk is putting your health at risk. What do you think?

Popular asthma drug Singulair has come under scrutiny recently after reports of suicidal behavior, suicide, and mood changes among patients who are using the drug. Merck says that none of the patients in clinical trials reported these types of problems, but because it's such a serious issue, the FDA is investigating. Singulair's labels will be updated to inform patients of new side effects, including tremors, anxiousness, depression, and suicide.

Singulair contains the active ingredient montelukast. This drug blocks the action of leukotrienes, which are released as part of an allergic or inflammatory reaction and create swelling of the respiratory tract. It's prescribed to people whose asthma does not stay under good control with other medications, and sometimes to people who suffer nasal allergies.

After several reported deaths and illnesses, the blood-thinner heparin was recalled and has been under intense FDA scrutiny for several months. Federal drug regulators revealed this week that they have found the contaminant in the medication. An inexpensive and unapproved ingredient was included in the medication; it eluded detection until recently because the ingredient mimics the proper component.

At this point federal officials are not certain if the contaminant (an altered form of chondroitin sulfate) was introduced accidentally or if it was included intentionally. The contaminated heparin was sourced in China; traders and producers there say that the chondroitin sulfate is significantly cheaper than heparin -- as little as 1/20 the cost of heparin.

Xylitol isn't the only natural sweetener. Have you heard of stevia? This South American calorie-free herb is purported to be 300 times sweeter than the white crystals we're trying to rid our bodies of, namely sugar. Stevia is legally available as a dietary supplement (it's on grocery shelves), but the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is concerned over its safety and has not approved stevia as a food additive, says Julie's Health Club's recent blog.

Hence, you can swirl it in your tea, but you won't currently find an official diet soda sweetened with stevia ... yet. Coca-Cola and Cargill are jointly developing a stevia product called Rebiana, and they'll likely be knocking on the FDA's door to allow it as a food additive. Japan's been using stevia as a food additive in products for years.

In worries over artificial, chemical sweeteners, I gave up regularly downing diet soda months ago. But I miss fizzy pop. Wouldn't it be great to have a natural alternative not sweetened with a chemical from a lab? Enter Zevia. With a tagline, Nature's Answer to Diet Soda, Zevia cannot be labeled as a soft drink, but it's stevia-sweetened and has no food dyes, phosphoric acid or artificial flavors. No sugar, carbs, sodium or fat, either. Zevia's Cola, Twist and Orange flavors come in aluminum cans (environmentally-friendly) and are currently available in a dozen states and over the internet. Wanna try it? Right now, you can order a Zevia six-pack on the internet for free --if you pony up the shipping and handling.

I'll admit, LASIK eye surgery frightens me. As much as I'm tempted to get rid of contacts and glasses, and I'm nearing the age of misplaced reading glasses, I worry I'll be the one with a post-surgical LASIK complication. I've got one friend who's had a LASIK nightmare, requiring multiple corrective surgeries. His story and one of those primetime news shows sharing 20 minutes of LASIK disasters were enough to convince me I'm probably four eyes and dry contacts for life. Even Tiger Woods' comforting radio ad on his successful LASIK experience won't change my mind -- and I'm a golfer.

Now some researchers and LASIK patients are saying there's a potential complication missing from the long list of risks patients sign before undergoing the laser -- depression that could lead to suicide. The Food and Drug Administration is convening a large, national study to review LASIK complications and quality of life, which includes depression.

One laser eye surgeon treating those with complications stated depression does occur, but does not believe LASIK problems are the trigger. He suspects patients were depressed or troubled before surgery. In another camp, an optometrist shared depression is compounded by remorse for patients with LASIK complications. They have lost vision after their decision to pay for a procedure that ultimately compromised their sight. A tough pill to swallow for sure. One LASIK surgeon stated people at risk for depression and anxiety are not good candidates, they may be seeking LASIK to fill a void in their life. He compared these kinds of patients with those becoming depressed after cosmetic surgery.

While the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery suggests only 2 to 3 percent of LASIK patients have complications, in the end, it's your own decision. I'll keep my glasses and contacts, thank you.

The FDA is alarmed by our collectively high salt intake, so alarmed they are thinking about removing salt -- also known as sodium chloride -- from the list of foods they categorize as "generally recognized as safe," or GRAS.

Salt "is the single most harmful element in the food supply, even worse than saturated fat and trans fat, or food additives and pesticides," says Michael Jacobson, executive director of the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Science in the Public Interest, the center petitioning the FDA to remove salt from the GRAS list. Salt is a forgotten killer, according to this group, and limiting consumption could save 150,000 lives per year.

Our bodies need a certain amount of salt to help maintain the right balance of body fluids. For healthy adults, this "need" amounts to a daily intake of less than 2,300 milligrams or one teaspoon. Most Americans ingest up to 4,000 milligrams a day.

It's not necessarily the individual to blame for this salt epidemic. Dangerous salt levels mostly come from food processing. So if salt was taken off the GRAS list, manufacturers would have limits on the quantities they could use.

Some say limiting salt will create problems elsewhere. Removing salt compromises taste and requires modifications that might lead to the addition of complex chemicals just to make up for the salt. It's not even all about the salt, say others. What about inactivity, low consumption of fruits and veggies, and excessive consumption of trans fats and alcohol? These issues clearly play a role in the mismanagement of an ideal lifestyle.

While concerned groups are lobbying for salt changes, you might want to take matters into your own hands. Hide your salt shaker, purchase low-sodium foods, and eat at home. Oh, and stay active, eat your fruits and veggies, cut the fats and minimize alcohol too. Commit to all of these tasks and the alarms you hear sounding in your future will be minimal.