XLPharmacy Canada Health News and Articles

FDA: Avoid Pistachios

In another food scare sure to rattle consumers still reeling from the national salmonella outbreak in peanuts, federal food officials now are warning people not to eat any food containing pistachios, which could carry contamination from the same bacteria.

Central California-based Setton Pistachio of Terra Bella Inc., the nation's second-largest pistachio processor, is voluntarily recalling more than 2 million pounds of its roasted nuts shipped since last fall, the Food and Drug Administration said.

The advice to consumers is that we avoid eating pistachio products, and that we hold on to those products. The number of products that are going to be recalled over the coming days will grow, simply because these pistachio nuts have then been repackaged into consumer-level containers.

Two people called the FDA complaining of gastrointestinal illness that could be associated with the nuts, but the link hasn't been confirmed. Still, the plant decided to shut down late last week, officials said.

We have a staffer who spent 3 weeks in gastro pain after eating a bulk bag of pistachios over the course of 3-4 days from a California plant.  Two trips to the doctor, one to the ER, and blood tests and ultrasounds, yet still no one could say "why".  Does it always seem these news stories hit the shelf weeks after the incidence of eating these tainted products?  Are we all going to have to give up eating anything off the shelves...existing on what we can grow ourselves?

The recalled nuts represent a small fraction of the 55 million pounds of pistachios that the company's plant processed last year and an even smaller portion of the 278 million pounds produced in the state in the 2008 season, according to the Fresno-based Administrative Committee for Pistachios.

The FDA learned about the problem March 24, when Kraft Foods Inc. notified the agency that it had detected salmonella in roasted pistachios through routine product testing. Kraft and the Georgia Nut Co. recalled their Back to Nature Nantucket Blend trail mix the next day. The FDA contacted Setton Pistachio and California health officials shortly afterward.

By Friday, grocery operator Kroger Co. recalled one of its lines of bagged pistachios because of possible salmonella contamination, saying the California plant also supplied its nuts. Those nuts were sold in 31 states.

Fabia D'Arienzo, a spokeswoman for Tulare County-based Setton Pistachio, said the company was recalling only certain bulk roasted in-shell and roasted shelled pistachios that were shipped on or after Sept. 1.

Because Setton Pistachio shipped tote bags of nuts weighing up to 2,000 pounds to 36 wholesalers across the country, it will take weeks to figure out how many products could be affected, the Food and Drug Branch of the California Department of Public Health states.

It will be safe to assume based on the volume that this will be an ingredient in a lot of different products, and that may possibly include things like ice cream and cake mixes.  Nothing seems to be safe for us to consume now days.

The Nine (9) Serious STDS

Here's a list of nine serious STDs—and one that's just a nuisance:

1. Chlamydia. Nicknamed the "silent disease," chlamydia often does its damage unnoticed; indeed, it produces virtually no symptoms in about half the men and three quarters of the women who get it, according to the CDC. But that can mean trouble, especially for women: Infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease,and dangerous ectopic pregnancies can result if the infection isn't stopped with antibiotics. While men rarely experience complications, the infection can spread to the tube that shuttles sperm, leading to pain, fever, and a remote chance of sterility. Once a woman has been infected with chlamydia, she is up to five times more likely to contract HIV if exposed to the virus. To avoid serious problems, the CDC urges—at a minimum— annual screening tests for all sexually active women ages 25 and under, as well as tests for all pregnant women. A mother's untreated chlamydia infections can invade a newborn's eyes and respiratory tract, which is why it's the leading cause of pink eye and pneumonia in infants, according to the CDC.

2. Syphilis. Once thought to be nearly eradicated in the United States, syphilis has staged a comeback in the past decade. It is most common among men with same-sex partners, although women, too, can become infected. Syphilis typically unfolds in stages, the first of which is marked by a small, often painless sore that may heal on its own (it is through direct contact with syphilis sores that the bacterial infection is spread.) If untreated, a rash of red-brown spots may pock the palms of hands and soles of feet, a sign that the infection has progressed to its second stage. Fever, swollen glands, a sore throat, hair loss, headaches, and other symptoms of this stage may emerge and resolve on their own. Without treatment, however, late-stage syphilis will develop. This can take up to 20 years, but it can involve such extensive damage to vital organs like the brain, heart, blood vessels, nerves, liver, bones, and joints that a person can't survive.

3. Genital Human Papillomavirus. It's a common complaint but should not be taken lightly: Although 90 percent of cases will be resolved by a person's own immune system within two years, some of the 40-plus HPV strains that infect the genitals boost the risk of certain cancers, according to the CDC. Cervical cancer, for one, can be especially dangerous because it tends not to produce symptoms until it's quite advanced. More rarely, HPV infections can lead to vulvar, vaginal, anal, or penile cancer. Since the infection is caused by a virus, there is no treatment (although warts can be removed by medications or physicians). Regular Pap tests and exams are recommended to flag signs of cancer before it can develop. Gardasil, a vaccine that can protect women against some of the strains linked to cervical cancer, is recommended for some women.

4. Gonorrhea. Like chlamydia, this common bacterial STD can progress silently, leaving people with intractable health problems. Symptoms such as discolored penile discharge or signs that mimic those of a bladder or vaginal infection may occur. Unnoticed and untreated, gonorrhea can cause infertility in both men and women. It is also a common culprit behind pelvic inflammatory disease. Once treated with antibiotics, people can be re-infected by untreated partners.

5. Pelvic Inflammatory Disease. Pelvic inflammatory disease occurs when the uterus, fallopian tubes, or other female reproductive organs become invaded by infection-causing bacteria. Two common culprits are chlamydia and gonorrhea. Each year, more than 100,000 women are left infertile by an untreated case of PID, which can be cured with antibiotics, according to the CDC. PID can lead to lifelong pelvic pain and pus-filled internal abscesses and can raise the odds of ectopic pregnancies. Suspicious vaginal discharge, painful sex or urination, and bleeding between periods may all be signs that something is awry.

6. Trichomoniasis. A one-celled parasite causes this STD, and a frothy, odorous, greenish-yellow discharge can be a sign that a woman has it. Infected men don't usually show signs, though some may experience abnormal penile discharge or pain after urinating or ejaculating. Trichomoniasis can make women more likely to contract HIV if exposed and may increase the likelihood that an HIV-infected woman will transmit HIV to her partner. Trichomoniasis is curable with medications.

7. Genital Herpes. Some victims have bouts of painful genital sores, but many who are infected with genital herpes are unaware because symptoms may be absent or confused with the flu. Caused by two types of the herpes simplex virus, genital herpes has no cure, though antiviral medications may help manage the severity of outbreaks. Because it's a chronic infection, genital herpes can be psychologically distressing for those infected and can cause potentially deadly infections in babies if transmitted from a mother. Transmission from mother to baby is rare, but freshly acquired genital herpes late in pregnancy can boost the risk, says the CDC.

8. HIV. The virus that causes AIDS can lie dormant with no signs for over a decade, though
symptoms include extreme fatigue, swollen lymph glands, persistent diarrhea, dry cough, rapid weight loss, pneumonia, night sweats, and a recurring fever. While any of these symptoms alone may not be cause for alarm, since they could be caused by a slew of other illnesses, the only way to be sure is to be tested, advises the CDC. Untreated, HIV can cripple the immune system. The infection may not ever advance to AIDS, but if it does, it can be deadly. While drugs can halt the progression of the virus, no cure exists. Click here to learn more about the prevalence of HIV infections among black women or here to read about one young woman's battle with HIV.

9. Chancroid. This bacterial infection is quite common in Africa and Asia and is also infecting Americans. Chancroid can cause ulcer-like genital sores that are often accompanied by swollen lymph nodes around the groin. Like many STDs, untreated chancroid makes it easier to acquire and spread HIV.

10. Crabs. Days after sex or intimate contact, the intense itching may start—a sign that these blood-sucking parasites may have chosen an unfortunate place to call home. The tiny lice typically spread by moving from one person's pubic hair to a partner's, although it is possible to acquire crabs from clothing, furniture, or bedding. The critters can survive without a human host for about 24 hours.

Stroke

XLPharmacy would like to share with you some helpful videos we learned a great deal from.  We hope they help you too.

Life After Stroke (Personal Perspectives)

After suffering a stroke, many people experience post-stroke spasticity, muscle tightness that not only impairs mobility, but also impacts the life of their family and caregivers.

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When someone close to you suffers from a stroke, the emotional impact can be tremendous.  But as anyone caring for a loved one after a stroke knows, the psychological challenges are only half the story.

XLPharmacy Blog (XLPharmacy Canada, XLPharmacy-Medications, XLPharmacy-Online, XLPharmacy-US)

Satisfactory sexual intercourse for couples lasts from 3 to 13 minutes, contrary to popular fantasy about the need for hours of sexual activity, according to a survey of U.S. and Canadian sex therapists.

A recent study done by Penn State Erie researchers Eric Corty and Jenay Guardiani conducted a survey of 50 full members of the Society for Sex Therapy and Research, which include psychologists, physicians, social workers, marriage/family therapists and nurses who have collectively seen thousands of patients over several decades.

Thirty-four, or 68 % of the group responded and rated a range of time amounts for sexual intercourse, from penetration of the vagina by the penis until ejaculation, that they considered adequate, desirable, too short and too long.

The average therapists' responses defined the ranges of intercourse activity times: "adequate," from 3-7 minutes; "desirable," from 7-13 minutes; "too short" from 1-2 minutes; and "too long" from 10-30 minutes.

"A man's or woman's interpretation of his or her sexual functioning as well as the partner's relies on personal beliefs developed in part from society's messages, formal and informal," the researchers said. ""Unfortunately, today's popular culture has reinforced stereotypes about sexual activity. Many men and women seem to believe the fantasy model of large penises, rock-hard erections and all-night-long intercourse."

Past research has found that a large percentage of men and women, who responded, wanted sex to last 30 minutes or longer.

"This seems a situation ripe for disappointment and dissatisfaction," said lead author Eric Corty, associate professor of psychology. "With this survey, we hope to dispel such fantasies and encourage men and women with realistic data about acceptable sexual intercourse, thus preventing sexual disappointments and dysfunctions."

Corty and Guardiani, then-undergraduate student and now a University graduate, are publishing their findings in the May issue of the Journal of Sexual Medicine, but the article is currently available online.

The survey's research also has implications for treatment of people with existing sexual problems.

"If a patient is concerned about how long intercourse should last, these data can help shift the patient away from a concern about physical disorders and to be initially treated with counseling, instead of medicine," Corty noted.

Adapted from materials provided by Penn State

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