Freshway Foods is recalling bagged romaine lettuce sold to wholesalers, food service outlets, and in-store salad bars and delis because of a possible link to illness caused by E.coli bacteria.  The recall is being supported by the FDA.

Freshway does not produce prepackaged romaine or salad mixes sold to retail consumers in supermarkets.  These products are not included in the recall, but consumers are warned not not to eat “grab and go” salads sold in store salad bars and delis at Kroger, Giant Eagle, Ingles Markets, and Marsh stores.

To date 19 cases of E.coli  infection have been confirmed in Michigan, Ohio, and New York, including 12 people who were hospitalized and 3 with life-threatening conditions.  The New York State Public Health Laboratory found E.coli 0145 in an unopened bag of Freshway shredded romaine lettuce on May 5. Read the rest of this entry »

Nurses and other health professionals may be necessary to meet demand for colonoscopies as colorectal cancer screening programs grow to meet needs.  Being sure that they can meet standards for quality exams is critical.

In the Netherlands, five nurse endoscopists were trained to do colonoscopies under the supervision of a senior gastroenterologist. Each  had 100 consecutive procedures evaluated for both quality and patient satisfaction.

During the study their exams met international standards for quality, and 95 percent of patients said that, overall, they were satisfied with their experience. Read the rest of this entry »

Taking all of the laxatives to prepare for colonoscopy on the day of the procedure is effective in cleaning the colon and lets patients have a better night’s rest, less abdominal pain, and less interference with work.

For years colonoscopy prep has been done the day before the procedure.  Recently, splitting the dose between the evening before the test and the next morning has been recommended because viewing of the right colon is better.

But patients often find that they are kept awake with side effects of the laxatives after the evening dose.  In addition, they may lose work time for two days. Read the rest of this entry »

National Nurse’s Week begins today, May 6th, and runs through May 12, which is Florence Nightingale’s birthday.

This week thank the nurses around you for all they do to comfort and heal.

This year the American Nurses Association has selected Nurses: Caring Today for a Healthier Tomorrow as the theme for National Nurse’s Week. Read the rest of this entry »

The FDA has warned consumers not to take Vita Breath dietary supplements.  Some samples tested with more than 10,000 times FDA safe recommended levels for candy.

Although the Vita Breath website suggests use of the supplement for asthma, the Symptom-Formula Index on that site lists Vita Breath for a wide range of ailments including some common to people living with colon and rectal cancer. Read the rest of this entry »