Commonwealth Conversations: Public Health

A Salty Issue

 

   Kara Ryan, Department of Public Heath

 

Kara Ryan is a Nutrition Education Specialist at DPH

Some of us were born with a sweet tooth. Others yearn for a salty crunch. No matter what your preference, sodium—otherwise knows as salt— is hard to avoid.

Sodium does have its benefits—it gives foods added flavor and it can act as a preservative in processed foods. Sodium does great things for our bodies as it helps to keep our fluids in check and keeps our muscles moving well. But too much sodium can do more harm than good.

The current recommendation for sodium is no more than 2,300 mg a day. That’s equal to 1 tsp of salt. It probably won’t surprise you to know that most adults eat 2 to 3 times this amount. While 2,300 mg may be thought of as the ‘standard’ recommendation, the advice for middle aged adults and anyone who may be at risk for high blood pressure is to eat no more than 1500 mg of sodium. That’s no more than 2/3 teaspoon of sodium each day for more than half of Americans!

All of us, no matter our health, our age or our family background, should watch our sodium intake. Rather than going full-throttle and limiting all sodium, start slowly. If you limit everything at once, it may be hard to stick with it.

Begin by cutting back on the use of the salt shaker. Instead of shaking salt on your dishes, try using herbs or spices, salt-free herb blends, lemon juice, or vinegar. If you are a salt lover, don’t worry, your taste for salty flavors will begin to dwindle.

Once you have mastered control of the salt shaker, start cooking your foods without adding salt. If a recipe calls for a teaspoon of salt, try using only half a teaspoon or replace salt with herbs and spices.

When buying snack foods, popcorn, crackers, soups, canned fish, canned vegetables and vegetable juices, make sure the label says, “low sodium,” “reduced sodium,” or “no-salt-added.”

Re-think fast food. You would be surprised by how much sodium is in fast food items! At 3 major fast food chains:

• The average cheeseburger has 800 mg sodium
• The average large French fry has 490 mg sodium
• The average 10 piece chicken nuggets has 1000 mg sodium

If you were to order a cheeseburger and large French fry, you have eaten over 80% of your salt intake for the day!

Do you have any tips on making food tasty without adding salt? We’d love to hear from you!

FDA Advises Consumers to Avoid Eating Pistachio Products

Posted by: 
Tom Lyons, Department of Public Health

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a consumer advisory recommending that consumers avoid eating pistachio products until further notice.  The advisory has been issued based on concerns that some pistachio products may be contaminated by salmonella.

Salmonella are germs (bacteria) that can cause a disease called salmonellosis, and can be particularly dangerous for the very young, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems.

The advice by FDA to consumers was triggered by a report from Kraft Foods that its "Back to Nature Trail Mix" was found to be contaminated with Salmonella.  A subsequent investigation by the FDA and the California Department of Public Health linked the source of the contamination to pistachios sold by a California company, Setton Pistachio of Terra Bella, Inc.

Federal health officials do not know at this time whether the Salmonella strains found in the pistachio products are linked to an outbreak of illness.  Normally, cases of illness are first identified, then a disease investigation attempts to identify the product causing the illness. But this investigation was prompted by contamination found during routine company product testing rather than through an outbreak investigation.

Like the recent peanut recall, the firm implicated in the FDA advisory is a wholesaler, so it is likely that a number of products will be recalled as more information is gathered during the investigation.  The FDA has created a pistachio web site to provide information to consumers, and the agency will also create a searchable database of recalled products.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health is working with the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to gather more information and to determine if there are any cases of illness in our state that can be linked to eating pistachio products.

We will update this post as more information becomes available.

Statement on GI Illnesses at Babson College

Posted by: 
Tom Lyons, Department of Public Health

(Updated 3/30)  Staff from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health are assisting the Town of Wellesley Health Department, and officials from Babson College with a large outbreak of gastrointestinal illness on that campus.  Since Wednesday, March 25, more than 100 students and staff have experienced nausea and vomiting and diarrhea.  We believe that these illnesses are likely caused by noroviruses  -- a group of particularly strong viruses that can cause such signs and symptoms.  As of Sunday evening, March 29, reports from the Wellesley Health Department and the College indicate that the number of newly reported cases has declined significantly.

Because noroviruses are so easily spread person-to-person, congregate living facilities like college campuses are particularly vulnerable to outbreaks.

Babson College is taking all necessary steps to control this outbreak, including thorough environmental cleaning and providing prevention information to the campus community.

Last month DPH issued a health advisory about a rise in gastrointestinal illnesses across the state.

Everyone can reduce their chances of coming in contact with noroviruses by following these simple tips:

• Frequently wash your hands, especially after using the bathroom, changing diapers and before eating or preparing food.
• Carefully wash fruits and vegetables, and steam oysters before eating them. 
• Thoroughly clean and disinfect contaminated surfaces immediately after an episode of illness by using bleach-based household cleaner. 
• Immediately remove and wash clothing or linens that may be contaminated with virus after an episode of illness (use hot water and soap). 
• Flush any vomit or stool down the toilet and make sure that the surrounding area is kept clean. 
• Persons who are infected with norovirus should not prepare food while they have symptoms and for 3 days after they recover from their illness.  

  For a fact sheet on norovirus and how to prevent infection click here.

  A recent Podcast on Norovirus: (Transcript)

  

  Wellesley Health Department:  www.wellesleyma.gov/health

  Babson College web site (including updates from the college):  www.babson.edu

Morgan Freeman and Jimmy Smits have a message for you...

Posted by:
Tom Lyons, Department of Public Health

Continuing the focus on the fine work of our Comprehensive Cancer Control Program, I wanted to share with you a some radio public service announcement's on the importance of screening for colon cancer.  March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and we're working to get the word out about the importance of screening.  You'll be hearing these ads throughout the month of March on radio stations throughout Massachusetts.  If you haven't already done so, check out the "on the street" video about colorectal screening.  Give the PSA's a listen and let us know what you think. (Download PSA Transcript )

English:

Español:

Activities for All Abilities

Posted by:
Maya Mohan, Department of Public Health

 

Maya is the Physical Activity Coordinator for DPH. 

A physically active lifestyle is important for everyone’s health and well being. 
There’s no time like the present for every one— regardless of ability— to start being active.

Need a little help getting started?  Here’s a great resource: The National Center for Physical Activity and Disability (NCPAD for short).  Their slogan is Exercise is for Every Body. Everybody needs to move to stay healthy.  The more our bodies move, the healthier they will be.  But many of us just aren’t moving.

Maybe we would be better off if the Surgeon General warned us to “check with our doctor before remaining sedentary”.  The 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans does just that - it releases us from the traditional warning of getting our doctor’s OK to begin an activity program, and is very clear that every body (and everybody) needs to be active.  

A person that has a disability is not automatically unhealthy.  Far from it!  A disability or a chronic condition, as it relates to being active, is just one piece of a person’s overall health to consider when deciding on  an activity plan. 

Most people who live with disabilities are very capable of being (and want to be) active,  but are unsure how and where to begin.  People with disabilities do need to talk with their health care provider - not to get their OK to be active - but for individualized, tailored guidance to address their specific needs. Their doctor can also help them figure out how and where to be active.               

NCPAD provides much of this information on-line.  It offers a wealth of scientific information; guidelines around specific chronic conditions and disabilities; and fact sheets on popular games, sports and recreational activities.  It also has information about resources and organizations by state, if you’re looking for more local information.  You can even find qualified personal trainers through their database.       

Every body should enjoy the quality of life that an active lifestyle provides.  I urge you to check out and share NCPAD’s website at www.ncpad.org.   

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Get Screened, Prevent Colorectal Cancer

Posted by:
Dr. Lauren Smith, Department of Public Health

 

Lauren Smith is the Medical Director for the Department of Public Health.
 

For many of us, getting a colonoscopy isn’t at the top of our To Do list.  But a colonoscopy— a test that screens for colon cancer— can find colon cancer before you even notice any symptoms.  In fact, it may stop you from getting cancer to begin with.  If you are 50 or older, talk to your doctor about getting tested today.  Most colon cancers are preventable with routine screening and, when detected early, are almost always treatable.  This is a screening test that can save your life.

Despite this, colon cancer is the 3rd leading cause of cancer death in Massachusetts- only about half of adults get screened.   Colorectal cancer occurs most often in people over the age of 50, and it affects both men and women.

Everyone should talk to their doctor about colon cancer screening once they turn 50, but if you have a personal or family history of colorectal cancer or certain polyps, an inflammatory bowel disease (such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis), or certain other conditions, your chances of developing colon cancer may be greater.  So your doctor may want you to get tested before age 50.

Want to decrease your chances of developing colon cancer?  Here’s how:

• Get screened for colorectal cancer at age 50 (or earlier if you have any of the risk factors I mentioned)
• Get at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity every day
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Eat no more than 2 – 3 servings of red meat per week
• Eat 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day
• Take a multivitamin that contains essential folic acid
• Have no more than 1 alcoholic drink a day
• Don’t smoke

You can find out more information about colon cancer and how to prevent it at  http://www.cancer.gov/ and http://www.mass.gov/dph/cancer. 

Check out our video on You Tube where real people in Boston share their personal stories about undergoing colon cancer testing, and what it meant to their health and their lives.  And tell us your story.

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Including Public Health in National Health Care Reform.

Posted by:
Commissioner John Auerbach, Department of Public Health

In the last two weeks I had the opportunity to interact with members of the Obama Administration and Congress - as both branches of government engage in preparations for a national plan for health reform. 

Given the extraordinary success of Massachusetts in expanding health insurance coverage to almost 98% of the population, it is not surprising that there is a good deal of interest in how it was done here.  The focus of my discussions was on a particular aspect of health reform - the role of public health. 

Too Much of a Good Thing?

      

  Kara Ryan, Department of Public Heath

 

Kara Ryan is a Nutrition Education Specialist at DPH

I love food. I love to eat food and I love to talk about food. Food is always on my mind. If you are like me, you could use some help figuring out just when you have had enough to eat.

Without realizing it, most of us eat way too much at mealtime. Our bodies may be full, but the food is so yummy that it is hard to stop! “Supersized” meals have also become the normal meal size—our expanding waistlines are proof of that. So what can you do to get in control of your food portions? Below are a few tips that may be helpful to get in control and avoid a growing waistline. Try them out and decide which one works best for you!

Posted by:
Kara Ryan, Department of Public Health 

Kara is a Nutrition Education Specialist at DPH.

Do you ever feel puzzled about which foods you should be eating and which foods you should steer clear of?  If you have ever felt this way, you are not alone. 

It can seem like advice changes daily—what you thought was healthy yesterday may no longer be considered to be healthy today and vice versa.  It’s hard to keep up with what is ‘in’ and what is ‘out.’ 

If you have a burning question about the foods you eat, why not ask a Registered Dietitian (RD)?!  Simply post your question below—an RD will answer within 2 business days.

Visit ‘Ask the Nutritionist’ often.  All questions and answers will be posted for all to read. 

Being active when you’re at work…

Posted by:
Maya Mohan, Department of Public Health

 

Maya is the Physical Activity Coordinator for DPH, and is an "active" worker bee. 

... isn’t as hard as you think.   We tend to think that we have to go outside, change our clothes, sweat a lot or wear fancy gear to be active, but there are creative ways that we can add activity to our day… right in cube-land. 

The first thing you should do is start wearing a pedometer to see how many steps you get in during a typical workday. This will help you get a feel for how active you are right now.  Ideally, you should take 10,000 steps every day. 

Not getting as many steps as you would like?  Try these ideas: