Topic: bacteria

Time To Reconsider Our Bacon Obsession, Y’all: Nearly 70% Of U.S. Pork Contaminated

Time To Reconsider Our Bacon Obsession, Y'all: Nearly 70% Of U.S. Pork Contaminated

If only this would make a dent in the ridiculously played out bacon trend that refuses to die: An Consumer Reports pork investigation found that this little piggy could make you seriously ill. Well over half of the pork chops and ground pork samples the group tested were contaminated with high levels of potentially harmful bacteria, including some that was resistant to antibiotics. More »

Get Smart About Antibiotics So They Don’t Kill Us

Get Smart About Antibiotics So They Don't Kill Us

I appreciate the way the CDC has framed ”Get Smart About Antibiotics” week, with that call to action first and foremost. “Antibiotic awareness” week sounds boring. “Superbugs are trying to kill you” week sounds like a bummer. But “Get Smart About Antibiotics” feels encouraging — get smart about antibiotics? yeah, I think I will! – which is good because being dumb about antibiotics is giving rise to antibiotic resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistant bacteria are trying pretty hard to kill us all. More »

Why Fast Food Play Areas Are Even Worse For Kids Than Fast Food Itself

Why Fast Food Play Areas Are Even Worse For Kids Than Fast Food Itself

Prepare yourself, because this is pretty gross. For years, Dr. Erin Carr-Jordan has been fighting to clean up fast food restaurants. But her focus isn’t the food they serve–it’s the area that kids play in both before and after they eat, often without washing their hands. And, in an interview with Dr. Sanjay Gupta over the weekend, Dr. Carr-Jordan touched on an interesting–and highly disturbing point. Unlike kitchens, restrooms, and shipping facilities, fast foodplay areas are never looked at by health inspectors. They fall under no one’s jurisdiction. It is literally no one’s responsibility to ensure that your kid isn’t climbing around in another kid’s poo. More »

9 Surprising Places To Find Probiotics

9 Surprising Places To Find Probiotics

The World Health Organization defines probiotics as “live microorganisms which, when administred in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host,” though most people would probably just describe them as “good bacteria.” There’s been a growing body of research on how these good bacteria support good health: Boosting our immune systems, helping with digestion, fighting bad bacteria like E. coli. The balance of good and bad bacteria in our gut — our so-called ‘intestinal flora’ — can even affect our weight, insulin resistance and blood pressure, as Carrie noted here earlier today. Eating probiotic rich foods — kefir, yogurt, tempeh, kombucha — or taking probiotic supplements can help tip this balance of bacteria in your favor. But your options no longer stop there. These days, lactobacillus and bifodobacteria (two of the most powerful and common probiotic strains) are showing up in everything from chocolate bars to toothpaste to tampons. More »

7 Of The Germiest Things You’ll Encounter During Your Summer Travel

7 Of The Germiest Things You'll Encounter During Your Summer Travel

You already knew that hotel comforters are questionable when it comes to cleanliness, but a study released this week enlightened us to everything else that lurks at the Best Western. Researchers found that everything from the light switch to the window sill is crawling with bacteria…and fecal matter! But hotels aren’t the only place you can catch a summer bummer. There are plenty of gross, poop-covered summer travel pitfalls that you may encounter, whether you’re jetsetting or road-tripping. More »

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