Lose Weight

This week, Spinach was disappearing from grocery store shelves faster than free candy at Halloween.

What was the cause? Producers and grocers were pulling pre packaged Spinach because of an E.coli outbreak.

Whos’ Affected?

As of this writing, the outbreak of E. coli in freshly packaged Spinach has spread to 19 states. The Spinach in question is the fresh pre-packaged type you buy in grocery stores. Also at risk is the Spinach in the pre-packages salad mixes as well as fresh Spinach served at restaurants.

The Spinach is believe to have come from California and contaminated in the field prior to packaging according to the Center For Disease Control and Prevention. There have been previous contamination of Spinach and Lettuce grown in California.

The outbreak has caused 102 people to become ill, 16 of which experienced kidney failure and one fatality as of this writing, a 77 year old lady from Wisconsin that died from kidney failure. Wisconsin accounts for a third of the reported cases. Other states reporting cases were California, Connecticut, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wyoming, according to the CDC.

What Should You Do As A Consumer?

First, you may want to consider throwing any pre-packaged or fresh Spinach away, no matter which state you live in.

Second, The CDC says that boiling the Spinach may kill the E. coli but that washing it thoroughly WILL NOT eliminate of the bacteria.

What Is E. Coli?

E. coli is a form of bacteria that commonly lives in the lower intestines of mammals. It’s actually a beneficial bacteria and important in the digestive process.

However, there is one strain of E. coli that realease a toxin that can make people ill and in some cases, such as the very young, the elderly or those with weak immune systems, can cause death. The germ is present in uncooked beef, unpasteurized milk and juice, and on raw sprouts and lettuce.

The strain believed to be the culprit is these latest cases is E. coli 0157:H7 — a potentially deadly bacterium that causes bloody diarrhea and dehydration.

What Are The Symptoms?

E. coli can cause dehydration, abdominal cramps, severe, often bloody, diarrhea and kidney failure.

Many people will overcome E. coli in about 10 days. However, if you suspect you may have been contaminated, you should visit your doctor for further test. In some cases, especially with young children and older people, they may need to be hospitalized for kidney failure.

Until this latest scare is over and all affected produce has been found and eliminated, I plan on exchanging the Spinach in my salads for something else. The sad thing is for those of us who love fresh salads is that E. coli can contaminate other leafy foods such as lettuce.

At this point in time, a Hershey Bar looks like a safe (albeit diet busting) alternative!

Donald Lawson is the Webmaster at The Biggest Loser Forums. A website dedicated to the weight loss community and those battling obesity. You can find informative articles, weight loss tools and diet planning by going to The Biggest Loser Forums. While there, sign up to become a Charter member on the Forums. Also, browse the 50 Weight Loss & Dieting Tips for information on helping you remain on track to reach your weight loss goal.

Share This

Hiking is a popular, inexpensive way to get out and take a break from daily life. The really good news is it is excellent for both your body and brain.

Go For A Hike - It Is Good For You!

Saying that there are benefits associated with hiking may sound a bit obvious. Getting out and walking is a pretty obvious way to get some exercise. That being said, burning a few calories is not really the point.

If you are looking for a workout, hiking offers an opportunity to break a sweat. The level of excursion, however, is not as high as most other exercises. As a result, there are two ways to get the cardio benefits of hiking.

The first is to walk for more than 20 minutes. This consistently keeps your heart rate up and starts to burn calories. 20 minutes, however, isn’t really going to cut it unless you do it every day. To really break a sweat and build stamina, you want to hike at least an hour. If it sounds like a lot, keep in mind you are going 30 minutes in one direction and 30 minutes back.

The second method is to go up. By up, I mean to hike a trail with elevation changes. Generally, a trail that goes up at a slight incline for a long time is better than one that goes up steeply for a short period. Time is a key factor, so try to find a trail that isn’t going to wipe you out in the first 200 feet.

Regardless of the exercise element, the mental benefits of hiking are well noted. Life can be hectic and stress can build up without being noticed. Hiking is like taking a timeout from life. You have an hour or more to just walk along and relax. The walking helps burn off the stress while the time gives you a chance to just think without interruption. Psychologist note that nearly every adult benefits from having a little “me” time when they are not being tugged this way and that by people, telephone calls and even email messages. At the end of your hike, I guarantee you will feel refreshed and have a new perspective on things.

That hiking is good for you, both physically and mentally, is an undisputed fact. Of course, the only way to benefit from it is to head out and start trekking along. Leave the damn cell phone at home!

Rick Chapo is with NomadJournals.com - makers of gifts for dads. Visit us to read more hiking articles.

Share This

If you’re a runner, training on a treadmill can be a beneficial part of your training. No, it isn’t perfect! Nevertheless, a treadmill does have some advantages.

A positive aspect of using a treadmill to work on your running skills is that you are training in a sheltered, controlled environment. The weather won’t interrupt your treadmill training. You can train any time of day or night, without having to worry about your personal safety. You can even catch up on the news or watch a movie as you train!

For beginning runners, a treadmill may be the ideal way to train. If you throw a beginner in with more experienced runners, they will likely feel intimidated. Training on a treadmill in the beginning will allow a novice runner to gain experience, build endurance and speed, and improve self-confidence before joining more advanced athletes in the sport.

When training on a treadmill with a heart rate monitor, you can easily judge and adjust your running intensity. Also, a good treadmill will display your speed, distance traveled, pace, incline level, and calories burned. These indicators are great for monitoring each workout and areas of improvement.

With a variety of training programs to choose from on a treadmill, the runner may choose a desired workout program. Or, the runner has the option of manually controlling speed, distance, time, and incline level, thus, designing a workout that practically mimics one that the runner would experience outdoors.

Training on a treadmill greatly diminishes the chance of a running injury. Because a treadmill workout is done on a smooth running belt that reduces impact and eliminates obstacles that could get in the runner’s path outside, there is virtually little or no risk of injury to knees, back, and joints.

Additional advantages of treadmill training include:

On the con side, a treadmill workout fails to provide wind resistance, such as you would encounter when running outdoors. After all, you are running in place on a treadmill…indoors, out of the wind. When you run outdoors, you run through the air, creating resistance. The faster you run, the greater the wind resistance affects you.

Although you can adjust the incline level on a good running treadmill, the treadmill still doesn’t provide the changes in terrain that you might encounter when running outside. You’re certainly not going to stumble over a stone or be hindered by soft sand when running on a treadmill.

When you run outdoors, you depend solely upon your own power to carry you along. A treadmill has a moving belt, however, that helps propel you along. It is questionable as to whether the runner is fully using his/her potential when running on a treadmill.

Training on a treadmill can be boring! It takes discipline to run in place, going nowhere, all alone, for any length of time. So, although treadmill training may be great for developing dedication, self-discipline, and self-motivation, it may seem quite tedious as compared to running outside.

Additional disadvantages to training on a treadmill include:

You may be a beginning runner or a more advanced athlete. Either way, training on a treadmill just may be the solution to your training needs!

Cyndi Schoenhals is a certified personal trainer and author of the I Hate Diets Approach to Weight Loss. Learn how to lose weight without starving yourself.

Share This