BPA Found in Canned Foods

In a recent article in Consumer's Reports, BPA was found in several canned foods. Consumer's Report tested 19 different products and found all contained bisphenol A, a chemical used in the epoxy resin linings of most food and beverage cans.
According to an article in Natural Foods: “The findings are noteworthy because they indicate the extent of potential exposure,” said Dr. Urvashi Rangan, director of technical policy at Consumers Union, nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports, in a release. “Children eating multiple servings per day of canned foods with BPA levels comparable to the ones we found in some tested products could get a dose of BPA near levels that have caused adverse effects in several animal studies.”
Some studies have linked BPA with infertility, weight gain, behavioral changes, early onset puberty, prostate and breast cancers and diabetes. According to Consumer Reports, Canada and some U.S. states and cities have restricted BPA use because of potential health risks, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not yet recommended that people stop using products containing BPA.
For more of the reports, see Consumer's Reports. It is important to know the extent of BPA in our foods since children are more susceptible to the consequences of ingestion than adults. But the bottom line is that BPA is not good for humans! Stay Well!

H1N1 is Here--Again!

Yes, Novel H1N1 is still here, I guess it never went away. As of the end of last week, according to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the H1N1 is widespread throughout most of the USA. The exceptions are South Carolina and Washington DC, where the flu is more regional or local. This many reports of widespread activity are unprecedented during seasonal flu. The number of visits to the doctors for influenza like symptoms have increased drastically. And the number of influenza hospitalizations have increased, being higher than expected for this time of year. There is also a correlating increase in the death rate from influenza and pneumonia related symptoms. Sadly there were 19 confirmed pediatric deaths from H1N1 during the week of October 18-4, 2009.
So what do we do to help protect our families from this influenza? The same suggestions from earlier this year still work. One of the main things to keep in mind is to STAY HOME when you have a fever! People who are determined to go to work or school when they are ill are not helping anyone! So stay home when you have a fever and fell bad. With this flu, it has been found that you can be contagious for more than 7 days after your fever goes away!
* Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people.
* Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
* Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub such as Purell. The Purell site has lots of tips too!
* Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread that way. Stay home if you get sick. CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
Keep yourself healthy by taking care of your diet, exercise and vitamins!