Medicine.org - Environment and your Health

Dozens of Different Drugs found in U.S. Drinking Water including Antibiotics, Mood Stabilizers, Sex Hormones and Pain Medicine

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 10:26:00 -0400

What is in your drinking water? When you think of the possible contaminants that could be in your water, you don’t usually think of pharmaceutical drugs. But an Associated Press investigation has uncovered a disturbing concoction of pharmaceuticals in the municipal drinking water of at least 41 million Americans.

Pollution Taints "Pristine" U.S. Parks

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 18:27:22 -0500

Hike up to remote areas of snow-covered Crater Lake National Park and you may be miles from civilization, but don't eat the snow because it contains industrial PCBs, the banned pesticide DDT and at least two currently used pesticides.

Go fly-fishing in Golden Lake at Mount Rainier National Park but don't eat the trout because they carry relatively high levels of toxic flame retardant.

Or try fishing Montana's spectacular Glacier National Park but make sure you don't eat them either because the DDT in them is higher than levels found in fish studies from Africa, even though the United States phased out DDT production in 1972 and Africa still uses it for mosquito control.

EPA Seeks Public Comment on Possible Drinking Water Contaminants

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 08:34:17 -0500

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is asking for public comment on a list of 104 possible drinking water contaminants that may need to be regulated in the future to ensure the continued protection of drinking water. Under the Safe Drinking Water Act, EPA includes on the draft Contaminant Candidate List (CCL) currently unregulated contaminants that are known or anticipated to occur in public water systems and which may require regulation. This draft CCL, which is the third such listing, lists 93 chemical contaminants or groups and 11 microbes, and describes the process and basis for selecting these contaminants.

Lead Poisoning Is Still a Reality for Many American Citizens

Thu, 08 Nov 2007 20:51:33 -0500

Lead Poisoning is still a reality for many American citizens. Children, particularly those younger than 5, are especially vulnerable. What makes lead poisoning so alarming is no symptoms present themselves, no cues, such as sight or smell detect the substance, and even dirt and dust which are omnipresent may contain lead. Additionally, once lead is ingested it may remain in one’s body for years, and in the case of bones (where it prefers to reside) may last for decades What is a parent to do? Is there anything a parent can do?

Be Careful with Folk Medicines: They May Contain Lead

Thu, 08 Nov 2007 20:45:15 -0500

Your latest friend from India gives her child a ‘very effective’ Indian herb when they have a slight tummy ache. It has been used for centuries in her country, and has been very helpful in soothing the stressed infant. She offers you some, when you discuss your own baby’s colic. This may be the god-sent you have been waiting for! Should you take it? Read the following, and then make a decision.

Lead: Toys May Be Dangerous

Thu, 08 Nov 2007 20:41:19 -0500

Toys from imported countries have been recalled after lead exposure became a concern. However, imported countries are not the only source of lead based toys: antique or toys from the parent’s childhood, as well as collectables pose a significant risk also. While the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issues recalls of toys that could potentially expose children to lead; only the parent is aware of home sources of toys which are also dangerous.

Lead Toxicity with Children

Thu, 08 Nov 2007 20:34:57 -0500

Children exposed to lead are at high risk for cognitive, motor, behavioral, and physical disabilities. The CDC has established a toxic dose for children at greater than 10 ug/dl. Exposure below 10 ug/dl. is still undetermined, and therefore, equally unhealthy. Although children are at greatest risk for neurological damage, all ages are adversely impacted.

Once levels rise above 10 ug/dl, it can take months, even years to rid the body of lead. This inordinate amount of time includes the children we medically intervene with to reduce toxic levels. What is especially disarming is that lead is not distributed within the body evenly; 70% of lead resides in the bone and it might be decades before bone levels decrease to normal.

Fire Fighters Triage Homes to Save

Fri, 26 Oct 2007 17:21:24 -0400

When a disaster strikes a community, emergency rooms near-by go into ‘triage mode’. Triage is from the French language, and means sorting. As victims enter the emergency room they are quickly sorted, or ‘triaged’ into categories: first aid only, emergency and potential for surviving high, emergency and potential for surviving low, and dead on arrival. By triaging, emergency personnel can be utilized to the optimum level to provide care.

Hurricane Season: If You Live in Florida--Read This

Tue, 23 Oct 2007 16:16:05 -0400

In the fall of 2007, most of us were riveted to the increasing force and volume of the West’s wild fire season. Even the severe drought in Georgia captured the Nation’s imagination. However, lest we forget, it is once more Hurricane season, and if you live on the Eastern Seacoast, it is time to review a few simple rules that will help you to prepare for the worse.

Preparing for a Hurricane

Ticks Cause Respiratory Failure

Sat, 20 Oct 2007 15:15:34 -0400

Tickborne relapsing fever (TBRF) infections may be more serious than generally recognized, and can lead to the development of adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is breathing failure that can occur in critically ill persons with underlying illnesses. It is not a specific disease. Instead, it is a life-threatening condition that occurs when there is severe fluid buildup in both lungs. The fluid buildup prevents the lungs from working properly—that is, allowing the transfer of oxygen from air into the body and carbon dioxide out of the body into the air.

Super-Bugs: The New Epidemic

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 12:40:27 -0400

A 17 year old died in Massachusetts from Meth Resistant Staph Aureus (MRSA). Ashton, the teenager in this story, went to the hospital suspecting he had appendicitis. What he thought was an emergency that could be taken care of quickly, turned out to be MRSA which had invaded several of the major organs of his body. From there, all went downhill rather quickly. The end came when he had to be placed on a ventilator, whence an inoperable blood clot was discovered. He died, soon thereafter. Twenty one schools were closed, as a result, to eliminate this deadly bug. MRSA is the ‘super bug’ of the 21st Century.

The Government's Goal to Decrease Smoking to 10% by 2010 Is Possible: Some States Have Already Achieved

Sat, 29 Sep 2007 11:13:44 -0400

Cigarette smoking is never good for you. This statement is probably something we can all agree on, and yet...........

How many States are meeting the goals established by the Federal Government that smoking would not be higher than 10% in anyone State (and this goal is to be accomplished in only 2 more years).

Impossible you say! Pleasantly amazing is that it is very possible, and a few States/area are meeting this goal right now.

It's Not Always Healthy to Wash That Gray Right Out of Your Hair

Sat, 29 Sep 2007 10:44:30 -0400

Women do not like their hair to turn gray. The ‘graying’ look may even lead to age discrimination in the workplace, so there is a good rationale for not going gray. Of course, the biggest reason is that gray hair makes many women look old, and who wants to look old if you don’t have to?

Additionally, the current ‘bronde’ style (i.e. brown, with blonde highlights) is so in fashion, that to ignore the beauty of shimmering blonde highlights would be too much to bear for many women. Not to mention, that there natural color would draw negative comments, probably behind their backs, from associates and acquaintances (or so we think, and perceptions are everything).

Take No Survivors: The Story of Naegleria fowleri

Thu, 27 Sep 2007 17:34:36 -0400

Nothing more than a headache, or so it seemed at the time! Then, when the usual options to alleviate the headache did not work, including a trip to the emergency room, the teenager asked his Dad if he was going to die. “No, No, it’s just a headache”, the Dad remembers saying to his son. A few days later, he was burying his son.

This same scenario has repeated itself several times to the residents around Lake Havasu in Arizona.

A Worm Causes a Groteque Disease and Enormous Suffering

Fri, 21 Sep 2007 11:38:52 -0400

The life of someone grossly disfigured is pitiful. Jokes, comic strips, etc. all portray the hardships as something to look at and laugh. Remember, the movie Mask? If it hadn't been for a very aggressive and loving biker Mom (portrayed by Cher), Rocky's very short life would have been a lot more sad.

Therefore, when someone has Elephantitis, another grossly disfiguring disease, it is not a laughing matter.