Modern Health Concerns and Testing Procedures for Sulfates

The news reports a lot sulfates. And if you read the back of your favorite cosmetics or cleaning bottles, you may become quite confused or conflicted when you see the word in the ingredients. There are many potentially dangerous substances, both manmade and natural, that we come into contact with on a daily basis… including sulfates. But just what are sulfates, where are they found, and what types of problems can they really cause?

Testing and Tattoos: What May Be Lurking in That Ink

Anything that is consumed or applied to our bodies can contain contaminants. In most cases, the human body does a miraculous job at resisting and fighting the pathogens. But sometimes, the contaminants can lead to health complications, disease, even death. Tattoo ink has recently come before the firing line as a contaminant carrier worthy of serious attention. But what exactly does that mean for ink enthusiasts, and can testing be performed to potentially correct the concerns?

Salmonella at the Source: What You Need to Know About Your Food

Most food recalls deal directly with simple mistakes: accidental ingredient omission on labels, or marking an item as gluten-free when it’s actually a gluten source. While these mistakes can lead to problems, primarily related to allergic reactions, news reports make it seem like every recall is an all out attack on the American public. While pathogens do play a part in recalls, for the most part they only affect those people who have low immunity to the bacteria, such as children, senior citizens, pregnant women, and individuals who have immune issues due to disease. 

What Superbugs Are Lurking in Your Body?

Estimates from the World Health Organizations suggest that the usage of antibiotics over the past 70 years has added about 20 years to the average human’s lifespan. When you take an antibiotic, you expect it to do its job and attack the pathogen that’s making you ill – but that’s not always the case.

Bacteria, fungi, viruses, and other live organisms evolve over the course of time and become immune to human medications. Part of the problem is that doctors frequently over-prescribe antibiotics due to improper information received from patients or simply due to human error. As human reliance on medication increases, so does microbial resistance. Why?

Decoding DNA: Modern Practices for Winning the War on Bacteria

You’ve probably heard of genetic mapping. It’s become a medical research staple over the past few decades to help professionals decode and comprehend the growth potential and intent of modern diseases. But new breakthroughs are leading top microbiologists toward mapping the DNA of bacteria responsible for food poisoning outbreaks as well.

Salmonella, E.coli, campylobacter and listeria are the top food poisoning bacteria concerns for pregnant women. But microbiologists are currently focusing on listeria, the third top prenatal danger, since it’s found practically everywhere on the planet. Technical advances have already led to containing an outbreak responsible for one death and seven severe illnesses across the U.S.

Discovering the Differences Between Probiotics and Live Cultures

Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that can potentially aid in specific health concerns. But aiding and curing are completely different concepts. Advertising easily confuses consumers with fancy labels and the power of suggestion. Let’s face it, food manufacturers get away with more than their share of misconceptions. Advertisements love to hint that if you just buy a certain product, all of your health issues will magically disappear. But is that true? Read on for some of the more interesting Probiotic myths.

Salmonella Outbreak Victims Unite: $6.8 Million Lawsuit Makes History

On June 2, 2014 a court decision shocked the nation as one of the largest egg manufacturers in the U.S. was charged with almost $7 million in fines for their responsibility in a nationwide salmonella breakout in 2010. The owner and chief operating officer of Quality Egg LLC, 79 year old Austin DeCoster and his son, 50-year-old Peter DeCoster, are charged with knowingly selling unapproved food to commercial businesses. The act earned them each a misdemeanor. Both DeCosters were charged $100,000 fines, each, and may be convicted for up to a year in prison.