IS IT SAFE TO EAT PEANUT BUTTER YET?

The popularity of peanut butter is spreading once again, but some people say they're not ready to partake just yet.

The salmonella outbreak related to peanut butter products earlier this year shook up
the peanut butter industry and consumers, but health officials say the peanut butter in jars in stores are once again safe to eat.

"I'd eat peanut butter right now because it never affected jars. The products linked to the salmonella outbreak have been removed from store shelves," said Kathy Lynn,a once Jiffy fan .

In January, 125 products containing peanut butter and peanut paste from a Georgia plant were recalled because of salmonella contamination.

The salmonella outbreak sickened more than 600 people and contributed to at least nine deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Many stores around the nation took peanut butter and products made with peanut butter off their shelves, but name-brand peanut butter and some related products have made their way back.

"Maybe I'll eat peanut butter again in the future, but right now, eating it is a big no-no," Kathy said.

But my friend said she purchased a jar of Jif peanut butter a week ago.

"I love peanut butter sandwiches, and I won't stop eating them," she said. "There's always some type of food outbreak, and people eventually start eating that type of food again that caused the outbreak."


Some people eat peanut butter sandwiches as a snack and as a meal, Since the incident, my family just threw away all the crackers that had peanut butter in it, would you or are eating peanut butter yet? Tell us we would love to hear from you.

SMOKING AND PREGNANCY WHAT EVERY WOMAN NEEDS TO KNOW

Pregnant women who quit smoking before the 15th week of pregnancy reduce their risk of premature birth and having small babies to that of nonsmoking women, a new study finds.Women who don't quit smoking by 15 weeks are three times more likely to give birth prematurely and twice as likely to have smaller babies, compared to women who stopped smoking.Babies that live in 'smoking homes' have a much higher risk of respiratory ailments, such as asthma and pneumonia and SIDS. In addition, women are more susceptible to the cancer-causing effects of cigarette smoke than men. The tobacco industry specifically targets women, despite this well-known fact.

LOWER BACK PAIN TREATMENTS YOU MUST READ

Treatments for acute lower back painAcute low back pain is pain that has lasted less than 3 months. If you have recently started to have low back pain, there's a good chance that it will get better within a few weeks. Most lower back pain will improve if you take the following steps:

For the first day or two, rest in a comfortable position. Try lying on your side with a pillow between your knees. Or lie on your back on the floor with a pillow under your knees. Do not stay in one position for too long, though. Every 2 or 3 hours, take a short walk (about 10 to 20 minutes), then find a comfortable position to rest again.

Take pain medicine if needed, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or medicines that reduce pain, swelling, and irritation, including ibuprofen (such as Advil or Motrin) or naproxen (such as Aleve or Naprosyn). These medicines usually work best if you take them on a regular schedule instead of waiting until the pain is severe.

Try using a heating pad on a low or medium setting, or a warm shower, for 15 to 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours. Or you can buy single-use heat wraps that last up to 8 hours. You can also try an ice pack for 10 to 15 minutes every 2 to 3 hours. There is not strong evidence that either heat or ice will help, but you can try them to see if they help. You may also want to try switching between heat and cold.

As soon as possible, get back to your normal activities. Movement helps your muscles stay strong. Staying in bed for more than 1 or 2 days can actually make your problem worse.

DEPRESSION CURES NO DOCTOR NEEDED

Treatment of depression often involves multiple and different strategies. For some patients, a few simple home remedies are all that's needed.
Laughter. The simple act of laughing also releases endorphins, thus treating depression. Of course, being depressed can make it very hard to laugh, so this may not be practical advice in the early stages of treating severe depression. But as soon as you're able to, going out of your way to find funny things and experience some good, hearty laughter is seriously helpful!


Light. It is well known that the shorter days of winter are associated with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) in many people, and worsen symptoms in those with chronic depression. Increasing your exposure to natural sunlight will help elevate your mood right away, and regular light therapy can be very beneficial for treating depression.


Attitude. For many people, depression is caused or worsened by a variety of stressful or sad thoughts and situations. Resisting or denying a diagnosis of depression can become yet another source of stress, and actually worsen your symptoms

EATING HEALTHY EVEN ON A TIGHT BUDGET

Trips to the supermarket are getting more and more expensive as the prices of food climb in response to increased fuel costs but too often, we start by cutting back on the healthy foods we should be eating more of.

Think about it white bread is less expensive than whole-grain bread; fatty ground beef is cheaper than the leaner cuts; and sugared cereals are often the ones on sale, not the whole-grain varieties. By always choosing the cheapest products, you may be compromising your health.


1. Try to limit your trips to the supermarket to just one a week. This generally cuts down on overall grocery spending and saves you some gas money, as well.

2.Make a list and try to stick to it. The only exception should be when you spot a product on sale - stock up on it and increase your overall savings.

3.Buy fresh fruits and vegetables when they're in season. Seasonal foods are where the bargains will be.

4.Try to purchase locally at a farmer's market. A win-win for you and the farmers. You could even start your own garden.

5.Buy more foods in bulk. This often saves money because you're not paying for packaging. But remember: If a food is perishable, only purchase what you can use up soon.

6.Limit the snack foods and put more of your money towards healthy meals.
Even though food costs are only going to keep rising, think about your health and don't cut so many corners that you end up shortchanging yourself on nutrition.

IF I KICK ALCOHOL WHAT ARE MY TREATMENTS

Treatment depends on how bad your alcohol problem is. Some people are able to cut back to a moderate level of drinking with help from a counselor. People who are addicted to alcohol may need medical treatment and may need to stay in a hospital or treatment center.

Your doctor may decide you need detoxification, or detox, before you start treatment. Detox flushes out the alcohol in your body. You need detox when you are physically addicted to alcohol. When you go through detox, you may need medicine to help with withdrawal symptoms.

After detox, you focus on staying alcohol-free, or sober. Most people receive some type of therapy, such as group counseling. You also may need medicine to help you stay sober.

When you are sober, you've taken the first step toward recovery. To gain full recovery, you need to take steps to improve other areas of your life, such as learning to deal with work and family. This makes it easier to stay sober.

You will likely need support to stay sober and in recovery. This can include counseling and support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous. Recovery is a long-term process, not something you can achieve in a few weeks.

Treatment doesn't focus on alcohol use alone. It addresses other parts of your life, like your relationships, work, medical problems, and living situation. Treatment and recovery support you in making positive changes so you can live without alcohol.

WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS WHEN IT COMES TO ALLERGY MEDICATIONS

There are several types of medications used to treat and prevent allergy symptoms. Medications are available in pill and liquid forms, nasal sprays, eyedrops and skin creams.

Corticosteroids help prevent and treat the inflammation associated with allergic conditions.

Antihistamines block histamine, an inflammatory chemical released by your immune system during an allergic reaction.

Decongestants relieve nasal and sinus congestion.

Leukotriene modifiers block the effects of leukotrienes, inflammatory chemicals released by your immune system during an allergic reaction.

Cromolyn sodium prevents the release of histamine, an inflammatory chemical released by your immune system during an allergic reaction

YOUR HURTING YOUR BRAIN AND DON'T EVEN KNOW IT

We all know that taking drugs, banging your head against a brick wall, or sniffing glue may be harmful to your brain and might even be deadly in some cases. But did you know that getting too much sleep, not having any friends and not reading food labels is also harmful to your brain? Read the top 10 ways you’re not protecting yourself the way you should.


From negative thinking to letting your brain gelatinize, these harmful personal habits have got to go.

1.Not getting enough sleep: Besides making you feel sluggish and unfocused the next morning, a consistent lack of sleep affects the body and brain by "disrupting hormones that regulate appetite," according to the Washington Post. This evidence supports scientists’ theory that chronic sleep deprivation also contributes to obesity. Besides the appetite connection, too little sleep also affects memory loss and your brain’s ability to process information, as your mind requires down time to preserve memory and retain information.

2.Getting in a rut: Just like any muscle or any organ in the body, your brain needs to be flexed and exercised in order to stay in top shape. If you haven’t challenged yourself in any way by trying a new sport, meeting new people or stepping outside your box even a little, your brain won’t be as sharp or quick as you age.

3.Smoking: Smoking is an unhealthy habit that stresses out your entire body, including your brain. WebMD even maintains that "smoking cigarettes affects [the] brain like heroin," because of its stimulated production of opioids, which "known to play a role in soothing pain, increasing positive emotions, and creating a sense of reward," like heroin.

4.Lack of practice: Keep your brain sharp and in practice by doing crossword puzzles or playing brain teasers and strategy games. Time even suggests that this activity can reduce your chances of developing dementia.

5.Too much sleep: Just as too little sleep is harmful, too much sleep can also cause health problems. Oversleeping too much can shorten your life span.

6.Botox: Botox is actually a very deadly poison, but has been approved for cosmetic use because it isn’t likely that it can enter the bloodstream and affect nerve cells or the brain. Newsweek reports, however, that "contrary to what turned up in preclinical testing, botulinum toxin [Botox] can travel along neurons from the injection site into the brain, at least in lab animals." This discrepancy poses a threat to humans who receive Botox injections, and at least 28 people have died since 1989.

7.Stress: Even if you think procrastinating leads to an adrenaline rush of panic, scientists believe that stress clouds the brain, especially among males.

8.Urban life: Boston.com’s Jonah Lehrer reported in January 2009 that urban life actually "impairs our basic mental processes," affecting memory and focus. One of the factors attributed to this finding is the lack of nature in city environments. Apparently, the more trees and natural surroundings we see, the better our brains function.

9.Watching TV: TV is a common scapegoat for laziness, obesity, ADD and the inability to focus, but this report details a study that may prove watching TV under the age of 2 is harmful to brain development. The 2004 study "suggested that TV might overstimulate and permanently ‘rewire’ the developing brain," according to an Associated Press story published on MSNBC.com.

10.Head-banging: The myth that head-banging kills brain cells might not be completely true, but the rocker move is still hazardous to your health and "can put you at risk for brian injury, whiplash, and even stroke," according to Discover Magazine Social and Mental Factors Work on your attitude to amp up your brain health.