Health Pulse ANTIBACTERIAL SOAPS BANNED! The Food and Drug Administration has issued a ban on over-the-counter antibacterial soap products because the manufacturers did not demonstrate that these soaps were any more effective than washing with plain soap and water. Furthermore, animal testing has indicated that long-term exposure to the primary ingredients in antibacterial soaps – benzalkonium chloride, benzethonium chloride and chloroxylenol – can lead to changes in hormonal levels and hasn’t been effectively tested on humans. This ruling has no impact on the sale of hand sanitizers, wipes or antibacterial products used in the health-care industry. Once again, washing your hands with warm soap and water remains the most effective method for avoiding illness and preventing the spread of germs. Source: www.fda.gov Zika Virus Awareness According to the World Health Organization, for most people the mosquito-borne Zika virus causes only brief, mild, flu-like symptoms – fever, headache, pink eye and a rash. The virus for which there is no vaccination or medication has been reported in the Caribbean, Central and South America, the Pacific Islands, Asia and southern Florida. The first line of defence during travel in known affected areas is to avoid getting bitten. Here are some basic precautions. ■■ Always use a good bug repellent. ■■ Apply repellent after sunscreen. ■■ Don’t forget to spray ankles and feet. Mosquitoes love them. ■■ Wear long pants and long sleeves. ■■ Be aware that mosquitoes can bite through Spandex clothing. ■■ Baggier clothes offer better protection. ■■ If necessary, sleep under a mosquito bed net. ■■ Use air conditioning when available. ■■ Repair any breaks in window and door screens. ■■ Remove outdoor standing water where mosquitoes breed. Colorectal cancer is one of the few forms of cancer that are routinely cured and controlled. Preventive screening can improve your odds of surviving colorectal cancer by 60-70%. The most effective method of performing preventive screening is the colonoscopy. The primary benefit of a colonoscopy is that the polyps can be detected and removed all in the same session. Any polyps that are removed can be tested for cancer immediately. If you use another test to determine if you have polyps, you’re going to need a colonoscopy to remove them anyway, so youmight as well get it over with by taking advantage of the most effective and efficient method known to medical science. Polyps are pre-cancerous clumps of cells that formon the wall of the colon (which is about four feet long) and can spread to the large intestine. Most polyps will never become cancerous and there is no reliable method of determining which polyps will and which polyps won’t. Typically, it can take 10 to 15 years for a polyp to develop into cancer. This is why you want to screen early and screen often. You should not wait for symptoms to develop before you undergo screening because, if left unchecked, cancerous polyps can metastasize to the large intestine, the lymph nodes and other organs. Source: Mayo Clinic Health Letter A recent study found that people with Type 2 diabetes who got their flu shot were less likely to suffer from a heart attack or stroke than those who didn’t.The study also found that these people also experienced a 24% lower death rate overall. Apparently, the cardiovascular benefits of getting an annual flu shot are already well documented for the general population. Now, it has been determined that it is beneficial for people with Type 2 diabetes as well. Another Reason to Get a Flu Shot Source: Health After 50 Colorectal Cancer Screening 50 | www.snowbirds.org
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