Why Sex?

Response to the PBS-TV series Evolution

Episode 5: Why Sex?

by Jonathan Sarfati, CMI Australia

This episode was one of the most revealing about the conflicts between evolution and Christianity. The usual propaganda is that ‘science’ (stipulatively defined as evolution) is about facts/evidence or ‘how’ questions, while religion deals with values/faith/morals or ‘why’ questions. As explained in the Rebuttal to Episode 1, this is a faulty distinction, and this episode demonstrates this. Here, evolutionary psychology directly affects questions of sexual morality.

The program also spends much time discussing the advantages of a fully functional sexual reproductive system, but misleadingly implies that this is sufficient to explain its origin.

Sex is said to be more important than life itself, since it enables genes to be passed on to succeeding generations. Rutgers University evolutionary geneticist Robert Vrijenhoek even said:

Having to drink wild water

This guest post is by Dale Martin

In virtually ever facet of preparedness and planning, especially if money is not a problem, there are items you can buy from a commercial supplier. For most of us, however, money is somewhat relevant.

Thus, most of us are constantly deciding on a variety of issues. There are items we can buy commercially. There items we can do without. There are items we can substitute. And, finally, there are some items we can make.

I keep a deck of cards and a set of dominos in my 72 hour kit. I really don’t have to have them; they are strictly a comfort item. They would be an example of items that I could do without easily.

A person might really want to have top-notch electric lanterns or good quality oil lamps for his household emergency lighting. But, if he already has a lot of candles, he can substitute.

Scent Of A Woman

“Legs. I don’t care if they’re Greek columns, or second-hand Steinways, but what’s between them… passport to heaven”. (Al Pacino as Lt. Col. Frank Slade, Scent of a Woman, 1992).

Every woman has a signature scent. It’s her own unique perfume produced by the healthy flora (bacteria) that live in her reproductive zone and keep her system in balance. Just to clarify, this is all part of a woman’s natural freshening process and means that the vagina is kept clean by nature and is not, as some soap companies will have you think, a dirty place, in need of fake fragrances.

A Storm in a Water Cup: What is Drinkable Water?

Hella Frenkel

Hello,

My name is Hella Frankel, Director of Technologies Innovations and compliance at Strauss Water. In this post I will share with you the process of water purification and tell you about the steps required to produce quality drinkable water, suitable for human consumption.

One of the biggest challenges of humanity has always been the water issue – a challenge we are still facing today and will continue to face in the future: water availability and ensuring quality water supply to the entire population on the globe.

COPD: 8 Ways to Avoid Infections

Patients with COPD must be extra careful to prevent infections that could affect their lungs.

By Krisha McCoy, MS

Medically reviewed by Cynthia Haines, MD

For people who have COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), avoiding infections such as colds and the flu is extremely important, because these illnesses can harm their lungs and possibly cause pneumonia.

COPD: Importance of Preventing Infections

Staying healthy is important for COPD patients because being infected with viruses, bacteria, and other infectious organisms can make you more susceptible to getting lung infections, which can lead to breathing difficulties. When you have a lung infection, your shortness of breath, coughing, fatigue, and other COPD symptoms can quickly get worse. And when you have any type of respiratory infection, there is a chance it could progress to pneumonia, which can be life-threatening.

COPD: Tips to Prevent Infections

Here are eight tips that can help you reduce your risk of developing an infection:

• Wash your hands. Regular hand-washing is one of the most important things you can do to reduce your risk of infection. Wash your hands thoroughly and often, especially when you are around a lot of people (for example, in a hospital or doctor's office, or at school or work).
• Avoid infections. "Stay away from people who you know have an infection," says Jane Whalen-Price, PT, director of rehabilitation services at National Jewish Health in Denver. Ask people who are sick not to visit until they are well again, and wear a face mask if you do have to come in contact with someone who has an infection.
• Clear your airways. "COPD patients should make sure they keep their airways open and clear of mucus," says Whalen-Price. Your doctor can provide you with devices and your respiratory therapist can teach you maneuvers that can make your coughing more productive, which helps to clear your airways.
• Stay hydrated. Whalen-Price says drinking plenty of fluids is part of practicing good bronchiole hygiene, which can reduce your risk of infection. Bronchioles are small airways deep in the lungs.
• Clean your equipment. All equipment that you use, including humidifiers, oxygen masks, and flutter valves, should be properly cleaned and maintained to ensure that they don't harbor infectious organisms.
• Get vaccinated. Talk with your doctor about which vaccines you should get. In general, people with COPD should get a pneumococcal vaccine (Prevnar) once, as well as a flu vaccine every year. Revaccination for pneumococcal disease is controversial, but it may be right for you. Talk to your doctor to find out.
• Stay away from crowds. When possible, avoid large crowds, especially during cold and flu season. For example, "go to the store when it is less busy," says Phyllis Dibbern, PT, physical therapist at National Jewish Health, who has more than 30 years of experience in pulmonary rehabilitation.
• Treat infections as early as possible. Call your doctor at the first sign of infection, so it can be treated before it progresses to a more serious infection of your lungs. "When COPD patients notice a change in color of their sputum from white or clear to yellow or dark, they should go to their doctor before a major infection develops," says Dibbern.

Avoiding infections doesn't mean that you have to live in a bubble. You can still lead a normal, productive life when you have COPD, but you just need to take some extra precautions to protect yourself from getting sick. There is no way to completely prevent an infection, but by following these simple guidelines, you can increase your chances of staying healthy.

http://www.everydayhealth.com/health-report/chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease/copd-avoid-infections.aspx

COPD Triggers in Your Home

Are your COPD symptoms acting up at home? Explore the COPD-friendly house to find out how to rid your home of allergens and other lung irritants.


By Erica Patino

Medically reviewed by Rosalyn Carson-DeWitt, MD

http://www.everydayhealth.com/health-report/chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease

Why You Need Prebiotics

By Nathan Schiller 
Reviewed by QualityHealth's Medical Advisory Board

We tend to think that bacteria in the digestive system are what we want to rid our bodies of. But there is a certain food ingredient that helps these bacteria grow and is actually beneficial to our digestive health.

They are called prebiotics, nondigestible food ingredients that help bacterial species grow in the colon, which is good for our overall health.[1] In nutrition terms, prebiotic foods are classified as fibers-the stuff that runs through your digestive system. In addition to helping the intestinal tract, prebiotics have been shown to increase the absorption of certain minerals (like calcium and magnesium)[2] and inhibit the growth of lesions, thus reducing the risk factors involved in colorectal diseases.[3]

The prevalence of prebiotic foods is a continual and ongoing research project. In 2008 the Institute of Food Research published a study that identified how almonds could have prebiotic properties.[4] We already know that almonds, being high in vitamin E and other minerals, and thought to reduce cholesterol, are extremely healthy. Now we can add that they may improve digestive health: the study shows that they may increase levels of beneficial gut bacteria.

While there's a good chance you're already eating almonds-after all, they go great with cereal, yogurt, and plain, as a snack-here are three sources of prebiotics.

Whole grains. This encompasses everyday foods like rice, pasta, and cereal. In a 2007 study, wherein two groups of people ate 48 grams of cereal for 3 weeks, one group devouring wheat bran, the other taking in whole grain, the authors discovered that those who ate the whole grain had higher levels of faecal, a beneficial bacteria.[5] This suggests that the whole grains were having a prebiotic effects.

Bananas. This is one of the healthiest fruits in existence. For one, it is high in potassium, which helps stave off muscle cramps during exercise and can lower blood pressure. Secondly, its high potassium content may help promote bone health.[6] And third, its fiber content is extremely high, which helps prevent heart disease, according to the Archives of Internal Medicine. Plus, they are in season all year.

gotquestions qualityhealth.com

Gut Infections Are Growing More Lethal

VIRULENT About 20 million Americans get sick from norovirus each year, most often in winter
By DENISE GRADY

Gastrointestinal infections are killing more and more people in the United States and have become a particular threat to the elderly, according to new data released last week.

This week: Interviews with a medical power couple; a disturbing rise in gastric distress; and a filmmaker takes the plunge.

 The Science Times Podcast

Enlarge This Image

Janice Haney Carr/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

RESISTANT The bacterium C. difficile is tough to kill and has grown more virulent.

Deaths from the infections more than doubled from 1999 to 2007, to more than 17,000 a year from 7,000 a year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. Of those who died, 83 percent were over age 65. 

Two thirds of the deaths were caused by a bacterium, Clostridium difficile, which people often contract in hospitals and nursing homes, particularly when they have been taking antibiotics. The bacteria have grown increasingly virulent and resistant to treatment in recent years.

But researchers were surprised to discover that the second leading cause of death from this type of illness was the norovirus. It causes a highly contagious infection, sometimes called winter vomiting illness, that can spread rapidly on cruise ships and in prisons, dormitories and hospitals.

“I think there is perhaps a misperception that norovirus causes a mild illness,” said Aron Hall, an epidemiologist at the disease centers. “But this suggests a major problem that requires some attention.”

Both diseases are spread by the fecal-oral route, meaning that people swallow germs found in feces, often spread by people who did not wash their hands after using the toilet.

Problems with C. difficile are not new: Health officials first began warning in 2004 that a more virulent and drug-resistant strain had emerged. It produces high amounts of two potent toxins that can wreak havoc in cells lining the intestine.

But few people anticipated what gains the bacteria would make. Among hospitalized patients, cases rose to 336,000 in 2009 from 139,000 in 2000. Deaths from the infection seem to have leveled off in the past few years, but researchers say they are still far too high and should be dropping, as other hospital-related infections are.

Estimates of cases occurring outside hospitals run as high as three million annually. Overall, C. difficile infections cost $1 billion a year, according to the disease centers.

Two factors typically lead to the infection: taking antibiotics, which make the intestine vulnerable, followed by exposure to the bacteria or their spores in a hospital, clinic or nursing home that has not been properly disinfected. Spores can survive for weeks or maybe even months outside the body, and it takes bleach or other strong disinfectants to kill them.

Many people recover once they stop taking antibiotics, but some become severely ill and require treatment with different antibiotics to get rid of C. difficile. Even then, 20 percent relapse, and some suffer intestinal damage that can be fatal or can require surgery to remove part of the intestine.

In recent years, some people have received fecal transplants, in which stool from a healthy person is placed into the patient’s intestine. The idea is to restore the normal balance of bacteria in the gut, which may include 25,000 to 30,000 different species. There is simply no better way to replace them. Awful as they may sound, the transplants can cure cases that were otherwise intractable.

“The microbes have been at this a lot longer than us,” said Dr. L. Clifford McDonald, a medical epidemiologist at the disease centers. He added, “Our bodies have learned over eons how to keep harmful bacteria out.”

Health officials expressed frustration at a news conference this month, stating that many cases are preventable or at least treatable, and yet death and infection rates have continued at “historically high and unacceptable levels.”

Because nearly all C. difficile infections — 94 percent — come from hospitals or other health care settings, experts say doctors, nurses, other health workers and hospitals should take much of the responsibility for trying to fight them.

A quarter of the infections start in the hospital, and the rest occur in nursing home patients or people recently treated in doctors’ offices or clinics. Patients often carry the germs from one institution to another.

Simple hygiene measures are highly effective, like cleaning surfaces with bleach and wearing gowns and gloves when treating infected people to avoid spreading germs to other patients. One of the disturbing and more disgusting facts about C. difficile is that it is very hard to remove from bare hands: neither soap and water nor alcohol-based hand sanitizers work very well. For health workers, it is much better to wear gloves, to avoid contaminating their hands in the first place, Dr. McDonald said.

He also said that a recent study of hospitals in the United States that set up programs to fight C. difficile found that they were able to lower infection rates by 20 percent in two years. Similar efforts in Britain have cut infection rates by half.

It is also important to use antibiotics only when they are really needed, because people taking them have 7 to 10 times the usual risk of contracting C. difficile while using the drugs and for a month after, and triple the risk for the next two months, according to the disease centers.

This week: Interviews with a medical power couple; a disturbing rise in gastric distress; and a filmmaker takes the plunge.

 The Science Times Podcast

For those with serious illnesses that require antibiotics, the risk is unavoidable. But half the antibiotics prescribed in the United States are unnecessary, experts say, so people are being put at risk for no reason.

But why have the bacteria become more virulent? A likely reason, Dr. McDonald said, is that virulence can sometimes be an asset when it comes to evolution. Nice germs finish last, but nasty ones that cause a lot of diarrhea will spread around more, infect more people and beat out the competition — a trait that evolution will tend to favor.

“The strain that is more successful is selected for,” he said.

The finding on norovirus came as a surprise, said Dr. Hall, the C.D.C. epidemiologist, whose report is the first to find that the virus has become the second leading cause of death from gastroenteritis.

The virus causes about 800 deaths a year in the United States, he said, but about 50 percent more in years when new strains emerge.

About 20 million people a year in the United States get sick from norovirus, most often in the winter. It can quickly sweep through a nursing home or dormitory. Just a small dose of the virus, a few particles, is enough to cause illness.

“Someone sick is shedding billions of viruses in every gram of stool,” Dr. Hall said. “One person can expose a lot of people rapidly.”

The incubation period is short, and the virus can persist on surfaces for days or even weeks. Cold and moisture help it last.

Older people are most likely to become severely ill and die from the virus, either from dehydration or aspiration pneumonia, caused by inhaling vomit.

“The second highest death rate is in kids under 5,” Dr. Hall said.

When children die from the infection, the culprit is often dehydration, which can lead to shock and heart problems.

Dr. Hall said that he and his colleagues estimated that 27 children a year die from norovirus, similar to the number killed by another gastrointestinal infection, rotavirus, for which there is now a vaccine.

Researchers are trying to develop a norovirus vaccine, he said. But scientists say vaccines for intestinal infections are among the most difficult to create.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/20/health/gut-infections-are-growing-much-more-lethal.html?src=me&ref=general

Does Your Body Need Probiotics?

Author: Kyle Ellen Nuse

Recently, 57-year-old, Anne Turner started researching gentle ways to treat her irritable bowel syndrome, constipation and chronic digestive issues.

"I was not getting any relief with conventional methods, so I went to my local natural food store and asked the nutritionist if she had any recommendations for my specific conditions," she said.

To her surprise, the answer was simple and pain-free—she needed to take a dietary supplement called probiotics to replenish her digestive flora.

Probiotics, meaning "for life," are the antithesis of antibiotics, which are designed to kill most bacteria in the body, both good and bad.  Up to one in five people on antibiotics stop taking their full course of antibiotic therapy due to diarrhea. Physicians could help patients avoid this problem by prescribing probiotics, according to a study by researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University published in American Family Physician.

Probiotics are naturally occurring beneficial bacteria located in the intestines, whose job it is to help prevent the harmful bacteria from wreaking havoc.

After a few weeks of taking a recommended probiotic supplement and making small changes in her diet, Turner started feeling better than she had in years, affirming her decision to take control of her health with probiotics.

According to holistic nurse Luanne Pennesi, almost everyone, especially in today's industrialized society, can benefit from taking probiotics to help strengthen the immune system, utilize certain vitamins effectively, and regulate the digestive system.

"Probiotics are vital for proper digestion of fats and proteins, synthesizing vitamin K, which is vital for the prevention of osteoporosis and production of many of our B vitamins, plus they detoxify the intestinal tract," she said.

The digestive track is home to more than 500 million species of bacteria; ideally 80 percent should be beneficial bacteria and 20 percent harmful bacteria.

"Probiotics are helpful when it comes to maintaining the body's chemical and hormone balance. Their ability to protect the body from absorbing toxins from the GI tract also makes them vital to our health and longevity," said Pennesi.

Good Bacteria vs. Bad

But with literally trillions of bacteria residing in the digestive tract, how do you know which ones are the “good” guys and which are the 'bad?”

According to experts in digestive care, the two most prevalent probiotics are lactobacilli, which make up the majority of the probiotics in your small intestine, and bifidobacteria, which make up the majority of the probiotics in the large intestine.

Lactobacilli help regulate the immune system, digesting nutrients such as proteins, carbohydrates and milk sugars; and produce compounds and acids that create an unfriendly environment for harmful bacteria. Lactobacilli are also the most prevalent in the vagina and help guard women from yeast infections.

Bifidobacteria, on the other hand, is located in the large intestine and are present in much higher in numbers. This is because there is less constant movement in the large intestine compared to the small intestine, which makes it easier for harmful bacteria to build up and multiply.

Bifidobacteria also ferment soluble fiber and produce compounds including short chain fatty acid, vitamin B and K. However, studies show that the population of bifidobacteria significantly declines with age and with unhealthy lifestyle practices.

"If its balance and function is thrown off by a poor diet, lack of proper hydration, overuse of antibiotics, overweight conditions, constipation and lack of exercise, you are setting yourself up for chronic illness and premature aging," said Pennesi.

So what are different kinds of ways you can get more healthy bacteria in your body?

Here are Pennesi's Top 3 recommendations:

• Consult with your health care professional and take a high quality probiotic supplement.
• Take supplements or enjoy foods with Fructo-oligo-saccharides (FOS), which feed the healthy flora (probiotics) of the body, like bananas, onions, garlic, artichokes, barley and tomatoes.
• Eat more kefir, sauerkraut, tempeh, umeboshi plum and yogurt.

However, Pennesi cautions that not all probiotics products contain both lactobacilli (lactobacillus) and bifidobacteria (bifidus).

Minimizing the use of synthetic antibiotics, as they kill off healthy bacteria in the body, is also a great way to keep your healthy bacteria counts up.

http://www.diabetesinfocenter.org/View.aspx?url=Probiotics_Constipation_Irritable_Bowel_Digestion

Probiotics and Prebiotics

Probiotics may get star treatment, but prebiotics are their best supporting nutrient. Here's why you may benefit from both.

Confused? Here's what you need to know about these soundalike siblings.

What They Are

Probiotics are "good" bacteria that can benefit your health. They are found naturally in your digestive tract where they help fight infections and improve digestion. Foods like yogurt, aged cheese and some fermented foods are natural sources of probiotics. Eating them can boost your body's population of probiotics. You'll also find them in some fortified foods and supplements.

Prebiotics, on the other hand, are nutrients that nourish the friendly bacteria in your body. Soluble dietary fiber tops the list.  A naturally sweet, indigestible fiber derived from chicory roots, FOS (fructooligosaccharides) is one of the best-documented natural nutrients for improving the healthy balance of bacteria in intestines and stimulating the growth of the beneficial bifidobacteria—also called “friendly flora”—that reside in the colon.

What They May Help

Besides promoting overall health, certain strains of probiotics have been shown to be effective for specific conditions.

• Antibiotic-associated diarrhea. It's an unwelcome side effect of taking these medicines, but there's strong clinical evidence that probiotics can help, says Gary Huffnagle, Ph.D., professor of internal medicine at the University of Michigan Medical Center and author of The Probiotics Revolution (Bantam Books). "I also have so many anecdotal stories of physicians telling their patients that, yeah, when you're on this antibiotic, you might get diarrhea. And so you may want to eat some yogurt," Huffnagle says.
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). In an Irish study, IBS patients consumed a probiotic supplement for eight weeks and saw marked improvement in their symptoms versus the control groups (Gastroenterology). It's not a cure for IBS, says Mary Ellen Sanders, Ph.D., probiotics industry consultant and executive director of the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics. "But probiotics seem to provide a means to manage -- through diet -- the onset of symptoms of IBS."
• Immune support. There's also scientific support for a link between our immune system and the microorganisms in our digestive tract. In a recent study young children who consumed a daily yogurt beverage showed, on average, a 19 percent reduction in common infections (European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2010). "Another way to look at it is that probiotics can help you not get sick or not get as sick," Sanders says.

As for prebiotics, their claim to fame is that they nourish the body's probiotics. Boosting probiotic populations decreases disease-causing bacteria, and that may help you fight off illness.

What's Ahead

Some researchers believe that probiotics and prebiotics might someday be shown to help with colorectal cancer, insulin resistance, allergies, chronic fatigue syndrome and obesity. Until science gives us more answers, Huffnagle sees no reason not to enjoy probiotics and prebiotics for the many benefits we already know about. "Probiotics have an amazingly awesome safety record. How many adverse reactions do people have to yogurt?"

Source: GreenWise Magazine - Fall 2011 

http://www.diabetesinfocenter.org/View.aspx?url=Prebiotics_Probiotics

Antibiotic Resistance Could Bring 'End of Modern Medicine'

By Katie Moisse | ABC News Blogs

As bacteria evolve to evade antibiotics, common infections could become deadly, according to Dr. Margaret Chan, director general of the World Health Organization.

Speaking at a conference in Copenhagen, Chan said antibiotic resistance could bring about "the end of modern medicine as we know it."

"We are losing our first-line antimicrobials," she said Wednesday in her keynote address at the conference on combating antimicrobial resistance. "Replacement treatments are more costly, more toxic, need much longer durations of treatment, and may require treatment in intensive care units."

Chan said hospitals have become "hotbeds for highly-resistant pathogens" like methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, "increasing the risk that hospitalization kills instead of cures."

Indeed, diseases that were once curable, such as tuberculosis, are becoming harder and more expensive to treat.

Chan said treatment of  multidrug resistant tuberculosis was "extremely complicated, typically requiring two years of medication with toxic and expensive medicines, some of which are in constant short supply. Even with the best of care, only slightly more than 50 percent of these patients will be cured."

Antibiotic-resistant strains of salmonella, E. coli, and gonorrhea have also been discovered.

"Some experts say we are moving back to the pre-antibiotic era. No. This will be a post-antibiotic era. In terms of new replacement antibiotics, the pipeline is virtually dry," said Chan. "A post-antibiotic era means, in effect, an end to modern medicine as we know it. Things as common as strep throat or a child's scratched knee could once again kill."

The dearth of effective antibiotics could also make surgical procedures and certain cancer treatments risky or even impossible, Chan said.

"Some sophisticated interventions, like hip replacements, organ transplants, cancer chemotherapy and care of preterm infants, would become far more difficult or even too dangerous to undertake," she said.

The development of new antibiotics now could help stave off catastrophe later. But few drug makers are willing to invest in drugs designed for short term use.

"It's simply not profitable for them," said Dr. William Schaffner, chairman of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. "If you create a new drug to red cholesterol, people will be taking that drug every day for the rest of their lives. But you only take antibiotics for a week or maybe 10 days."

Schaffner likened the dilemma to Ford releasing a car that could only be driven if every other vehicle wasn't working.

"While we try to encourage the pharmaceutical industry to create new antibiotics, we have to be very prudent in their use," he said.

But there are ways to limit the potential for bacteria to develop antibiotic resistance: Use antibiotics appropriately and only when needed; follow treatment correctly; and restrict the use of antibiotics in food production to therapeutic purposes.

"At a time of multiple calamities in the world, we cannot allow the loss of essential antimicrobials, essential cures for many millions of people, to become the next global crisis," said Chan.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/antibiotic-resistance-could-bring-end-modern-medicine-150406532--abc-news.html;_ylt=AqWJ_31RT2zKHcSkT11MYzK1qHQA;_ylu=X3oDMTRvNGJjZGdhBGNjb2RlA2dtcHRvcDEwMDBwb29sd2lraXVwcmVzdARtaXQDTmV3cyBmb3IgeW91BHBrZwNiZWNkNjMyZi1iNjkxLTM3ZGQtYTEyNy04YmQ3ZjAxMTNjMTAEcG9zAzgEc2VjA25ld3NfZm9yX3lvdQR2ZXIDNzUzNzMwYjAtNmY3YS0xMWUxLWJkODktZmQzOTQzZjMzZTcy;_ylg=X3oDMTJwMG9wb3BoBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDYjlhNjUyYzctZGM3Yy0zYzc4LTgwMGItNThmOTk1ZWIxZWY1BHBzdGNhdAMEcHQDc3RvcnlwYWdlBHRlc3QD;_ylv=3

"After the Storm" What is Stormwater Runoff?

Stormwater runoff occurs when precipitation from rain or snowmelt flows over the ground. Impervious surfaces like driveways, sidewalks, and streets prevent stormwater runoff from naturally soaking into the ground.

Why is stormwater runoff a problem?    

Stormwater can pick up debris, chemicals, dirt, and other pollutants and flow into a storm sewer system or directly to a lake, stream, river, wetland, or coastal water. Anything that enters a storm sewer system is discharged untreated into the waterbodies we use for swimming, fishing and providing drinking water.

The effects of pollution

Polluted stormwater runoff can have many adverse effects on plants, fish, animals and people.

Sediment can cloud the water and make it difficult or impossible for aquatic plants to grown. Sediment also can destroy aquatic habitats.

Excess nutrients can cause algae blooms. When algae die, they sink to the bottom and decompose in a process that removes oxygen from the water. Fish and other aquatic organisms can't exist in water with low dissolved oxygen levels.

Bacteria and other pathogens can wash into swimming areas and create health hazards, often making beach closures necessary.

Debris - plastic bags, six-pack rings, bottles, and cigarette butts - washed into waterbodies can choke, suffocate, or disable aquatic life like ducks, fish, turtles, and birds.

Household hazardous wastes like insecticides, pesticides, paint, solvents, used motor oil, and other auto fluids can poison aquatic life. Land animals and people can become sick from eating diseased fish and shellfish or ingesting polluted water.

Polluted stormwater often affects drinking water sources. This, in turn, can affect human health and increase drinking water treatment costs.

gotquestions http://water.epa.gov/action/weatherchannel/stormwater.cfm

Is Ground Beef the Most Dangerous Meat to Eat?

By

Rachel Grumman Bende

The answer may be yes. Find out why eating ground beef is risky—and how to protect yourself and your family.

Thinkstock

When you sink your teeth into a juicy, tasty burger, the last thing on your mind is that you could be taking your life in your hands. But as it turns out, you may be playing Russian roulette with your health every time you take a bite.

That’s because the ground beef that makes up food favorites like hamburgers and meatballs can contain potentially deadly bacteria, such as E.coli (particularly Escherichia coli O157:H7), as well asSalmonella, Campylobacter jejuni, Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus—all of which can cause serious illness, especially if you’re very young, very old or have a compromised immune system.

An E-coli infection can bring on abdominal cramping, diarrhea (or bloody diarrhea), kidney failure and even death, while the Salmonella health risks include diarrhea, vomiting, fever and nausea, according to nutritionist Keri Glassman, author of “The O2 Diet: The Cutting Edge Antioxidant-Based Program That Will Make You Healthy, Thin, and Beautiful.” Not exactly what you’d call “good times.”

What’s more, “you can’t eye food-borne illness—you can’t see it or smell it,” says Dawn Undurraga, a nutritionist with the nonprofit Environmental Working Group. “And it only takes a little bit of E.coli to make people very sick.”

But the fact that eating ground beef can be a gamble shouldn’t come as a surprise. The news frequently reports recalls of ground beef tainted with E.coli. Just last month, Tyson Fresh Meats recalled more than 131,000 pounds of ground beef after a family in Ohio got sick from eating the manufacturer’s beef, which tested positive for E. coli O157:H7.

All four children in the family fell ill, including a nine-year-old with severe diarrhea who was hospitalized for 10 days.

So why is ground beef particularly problematic? Part of the reason is because of where it comes from. What few people realize is that hamburgers are basically made from meat mash-ups.

“Ground beef is not the meat of a single cow,” explains Caroline Smith DeWaal, director of food safety at the Center for Science in the Public Interest in Washington, D.C. “Many consumers have the mistaken impression that it comes from a single animal. The way meat is produced today, a single burger can contain meat from 12 to 20 animals.”

And sometimes the ground beef comes from animals in different parts of the world in order to get the right mix of lean and fat meat. “What that means is the risks that we’re exposed to are not just risks from a single animal and what the animal itself was exposed to, but rather different hazards coming from different areas of the country or different parts of the world,” continues DeWaal.

Adds Glassman, “The parts of the cow used for low-grade meats are the areas that are most likely to be contaminated with feces. The meat companies do not test for E-coli O157:H7 when the ingredients are separate; they only check for E-coli when the meat is ground all together.”

So by comparison, opting for steak may be the healthier choice, at least in regards to bacteria exposure (what red meat does to your heart is another story). According to the USDA, when beef is ground, more of the meat is exposed to harmful bacteria. “While a steak might be cooked thoroughly or seared on the outside where pathogens would be, with ground beef the outside and inside of the meat have been mixed up,” says DeWaal. “If you have E.coli on the outside, it can get on the inside.”

How to Eat Meat Safely

The good news is that the USDA recently announced that it will be stepping up its efforts in the battle against beef-borne bacteria. Starting in March 2012, the department will expand its E. coli testing program for raw beef beyond the dangerous O157:H7 strain to search for six other potentially deadly strains of E. coli.

In the meantime, if you choose to chow down on a burger, there are steps you can take to protect yourself. When it comes to ground beef, the two biggest threats to your health are cross-contamination and undercooking. So cleanliness and cooking meat thoroughly are key to protecting your health.

“We urge consumers to be very cautious in handling any meat products,” says DeWaal. “Bacteria can be spread around the kitchen while handling raw meat. Anything the raw beef touches whether a plate, chopping board or utensils need to be scrubbed with soapy water or put in the dishwasher before it’s used on any food product.”

Another way to guard against dangerous bacteria is to make sure you cook ground beef thoroughly by using an instant read meat thermometer. You can pick one up at Brookstone or at supermarkets, which sell instant disposable thermometers near where meats are sold. “Check your meat in a couple of difference places to make sure it’s thoroughly cooked,” suggests DeWaal.

But is it risky to order meatballs or a burger when you’re at a restaurant? “It depends on the restaurant,” says DeWaal. “A number of fast food chains have recognized the real risk to their brands and have developed foolproof systems for cooking hamburgers. Since the Jack in the Box outbreak”—in 1993, four children died and many became ill after eating E.coli infected beef at the fast food chain—“fast food restaurants have put a lot of safety into their practices, but not every restaurant follows those practices.”

Your safest bet? Make your meatballs and hamburgers at home. Or if you’re ordering take-out or eating a restaurant, have your meat cooked “well done.”

Here are more surefire ways to safeguard your health when eating meat:

Heat things up. Cook the meat at a high enough temperature—160 degrees—to kill all pathogens. “That’s the only real way to know you’ve killed E.coli,” says Undurraga.

Divide and conquer. Separate the meat from other foods in the fridge and store it on the bottom shelf to prevent cross-contamination, suggests Glassman. Also, use different cutting boards and utensils for meats versus vegetables.

Stay in the clear. When cooking the ground beef, it should no longer be pink. “The juices should be clear,” says Glassman.

Give meat the big chill. Make sure you’re storing meat at the proper temperature—40 degrees or below. “E.coli can grow if the temperature is higher than 40 degrees—that’s the temperature danger zone,” says Undurraga. According to the USDA, once E.coli gets in food, the bacteria can multiply very slowly at temperatures as low as 44 degrees.

Defrost carefully. Always thaw meat by moving it from the freezer to the fridge or by using the defrost setting on your microwave. “Don’t leave it out on the counter to thaw,” says Undurraga.

Toss meat that’s past its prime. According to FoodSafety.gov, you should refrigerate raw ground meats, all poultry and seafood for one to two days; refrigerated raw roasts, steaks and chops (beef, veal, lamb, and pork) can last three to five days; and you can keep cooked meat, poultry and seafood in the fridge three to four days.

Of course the best way to protect yourself is to give it up altogether!

http://www.youbeauty.com/health/is-ground-beef-the-most-dangerous-meat-to-eat