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News Alert: Growing incidence of Alpha-gal

Dear Parent:

The increase in tick-borne meat allergies, particularly alpha-gal syndrome, is a growing public health concern. Alpha-gal syndrome is present in Texas. It is caused by an allergic reaction to a sugar molecule found in most mammals, including red meat, and is transmitted by the Lone Star tick, which is prevalent in the state. While the exact number of cases in Texas is not widely reported, the syndrome is spreading across the U.S., and Texas is included in the affected areas.

macro photography of a sheep tick on a skin
Photo by Erik Karits on Pexels.com

Here are some key points regarding the rise in tick-related meat allergies:

• Alpha-gal syndrome: This condition causes allergic reactions to red meat, dairy and animal products, after a tick bite, with symptoms appearing hours after consumption. It is primarily caused by the lone star tick and can lead to severe reactions, including anaphylaxis.

• Spread of ticks: The Lone Star tick has expanded its range, now found in areas previously too cold for it, including the Northeast and Midwest. This expansion is linked to warmer temperatures caused by climate change.

• Public health impact: The rise in tick-related meat allergies has led to a significant increase in reported cases, with estimates suggesting that up to 450,000 Americans may be affected.

• Symptoms and reactions: Symptoms can range from mild hives to severe anaphylaxis, and reactions can occur hours after eating red meat. The delay in symptom onset can make it challenging to connect the meal with the allergic reaction.

• It is crucial for individuals to be aware of the symptoms and seek medical attention if they experience any allergic reactions after consuming dairy and red meat. Additionally, preventive measures such as wearing protective clothing and using tick repellents can help reduce the risk of tick bites and associated allergies.

TEST

  • Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) is diagnosed through a blood test that measures specific IgE antibodies to alpha-gal, a carbohydrate found in mammalian products.

The views expressed in this article should not be considered as a substitute for a physician’s advice. Always make sure to seek a doctor or a professional’s advice before proceeding with anything suggested in this article.


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SAD: HOW OUR DIET HAS CHANGED IN THE LAST 20 YEARS

THE GOOD

Fat consumption is down

THE BAD
The world is also eating way more meat, cheese, milk, and sugar than we were just two decades ago — and less rice, cereal, and wheat.

Most of that protein is coming from animal sources. Wealthy countries — where people already eat too much protein — account for most of the increase.

THE UGLY

People are eating way less grain.

People are drinking way more alcohol and eating way more sugar.

SEE THE AMOUNT OF MEAT AND SUGAR RECOMMENDED

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READY FOR GMO CHICKEN?

Created by an Israeli geneticist, Avigdor Cahanerat at the genetics faculty at the Rehovot Agronomy Institute near Tel Aviv, Israel in 2002.

ARGUMENT TO EAT MEAT!

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UNDERSTAND YOUR MONSTER CHICKENS

See how the food industry manipulates your food.

YOU BELIEVE YOU NEED TO EAT MEAT FOR PROTEIN? THINK AGAIN

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LATEST HARVARD STUDY ON MEAT EATING AND BREAST CANCER

Cravers of meat and the Meat industry are not going to like this….

A LONG TERM (20 YR) Harvard study of nearly 89,000 women suggests that women who ate the most red meat increased their risk for breast cancer by a whopping 25 percent. In general, replacing one daily serving of meat with legumes, fish or poultry has the potential to reduce breast cancer risk by a relative 15 to 20 percent.
The study found that reduction of red meat intake in the diet not only decreases the risk of breast cancer but also decreases the risk of other chronic diseases, such as coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes and other kind of cancers, as well.

SOURCES: Maryam Farvid, Ph.D., department of nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston; Stephanie Bernik, M.D., chief of surgical oncology, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York City; David Katz, M.D., M.P.H., director, Yale University Prevention Research Center, New Haven, Conn.; June 10, 2014, BMJ, online


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BE A REBEL FOR A CAUSE

Eating lots of meat is a modern day phenomenon. In ancient cultures vegetarianism was much more common, except in nomadic populations.

A French research team figured out that by looking at the carbon atoms in mummies that had lived in Egypt between 3500 B.C. and 600 A.D. you could find out what they ate.

What they found was startling. Egyptians of the past were primarily vegetarians.

Many expected the ancient Egyptians living along the Nile to have eaten fish. However, despite considerable cultural evidence, there seems to have been little fish in their diet.

Now look at the way we live today: Meat Consumption WW

Source: NIH

WHAT DID THE ESTEEMED NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH (NIH) CONCLUDE?

Meat in the diet provides an important source of protein and micronutrients, such as iron, zinc, and B-vitamins. However, energy-dense diets, purported to be high in meat, fats and sugars, and further compounded by sedentary lifestyle, have been implicated in the growing epidemics of obesity and diet-related chronic diseases. Evidence suggests vegetarians may be at lower risk for CVD, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obesity, and cancer.

It is your decision, go with the trend or BE A REBEL FOR A CAUSE.

ARE YOU EATING MEAT OR GETTING A HIGH DOSE OF ANTIBIOTICS?

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FOODS – WHAT TO BUY ORGANIC

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PROTEIN IN VEGETARIAN DIET

I am a lifelong vegetarian. Frequently I come across people who say that they understand the benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle but are concerned that they cannot get enough protein. They are especially worried about kids turning vegetarian. If my health is not a testament that vegetarian food is just as rich in protein as meats, read below. Hopefully it will give you the courage and comfort to investigate vegetarian living.

A FEW FACTS ABOUT PROTEIN THAT YOU PERHAPS DIDN’T KNOW

It is easier to meet our minimum daily protein requirements than most people would imagine… with just fruits and vegetables. Because much of what experts once believed about protein has been proven incorrect, U.S. government recommendations on daily protein consumption have been reduced from 118 grams to 46 to 56 grams in the 1980’s to the present level of 25 to 35 grams. The human body recycles 70 percent of its protein waste, and our body loses only about 23 grams of protein a day. Many nutritionists now feel that 20 grams of protein a day is more than enough, and warn about the potential dangers of consistently consuming much more than this amount. The average American consumes a little over 100 grams of protein per day. We all know that protein is an essential nutrient, but what most of us have not been told is that excessive amounts of indigestible protein can be hazardous to our health.

100 calories of ground beef has 10 grams of protein while 100 calories of fresh baby spinach has 12 grams. Per calorie, spinach does have more protein than ground beef.

It has been known for decades that populations consuming high-protein, meat-based diets have higher cancer rates and lower life-spans (averaging as low as 30 to 40 years), compared to cultures subsisting on low-protein vegetarian diets (with average life-spans as high as 90 to 100 years).

Eating meat — or protein in general — does not give you strength, energy or stamina. One of the easiest ways to dispel the theory that meat is required for strength is to look at the animal kingdom. It is herbivores such as cattle, oxen, horses and elephants that have been known for strength and endurance. What carnivore has ever had the strength or endurance to be used as a beast of burden?

SO WHAT DO YOU DO

1> How much protein do you really need? Use this calculator

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2) realize that a low fat, raw veggie diet that meets your calorie requirements will supply sufficient protein, even when only 10% of your total calories come from protein.

3) Eat enough veggies, fruits and nuts to meet your calorie need. The body will adjust to get the protein it needs.

Source: Multiple including http://www.waoy.org, healthy eating


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TOO MUCH RED MEAT LEADS TO DIABETES

STUDY FINDINGS

Increasing red meat intake during a four-year interval was associated with an elevated risk of T2DM during the subsequent four years.

DETAILS: (from prestigious JAMA Internal Medicine)

The National University of Singapore analyzed data from three Harvard group studies and followed up 26,357 men in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study; 48,709 women in the Nurses’ Health Study; and 74,077 women in the Nurses” Health Study II.

During more than 1.9 million person-years of follow-up, researchers documented 7,540 incident cases of T2DM.

KEY TAKEAWAY

The results indicate that compared with a group with no change in red meat intake, increasing red meat intake of more than 0.50 servings per day was associated with a 48 percent elevated risk in the subsequent four-year period.

Eat more grains, fruits and vegetables. Limit Meat intake.


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HOW TO INFLUENCY YOUR BABY’S HEALTH DURING PREGNANCY

A healthy Pregnancy and Baby’s health are closely related. A new born’s health depends on:

· genes the child inherits from it parents

· environment in the womb

Most expectant women are warned that drinking alcohol, smoking and even eating unpasteurized cheeses can have serious consequences for the growth and development of their unborn children. But there are other ways in which a pregnant woman influences the later health of her child.

Shed pounds before pregnancy: Maternal obesity increases the risk of a woman developing gestational diabetes or going into preterm labor, as well as the risk of obesity and diabetes in the child. Recent studies have also linked a woman’s pre-pregnancy weight to her child’s risk of asthma. Regular exercise helps.

Limit Coffee Intake: Doctors and researchers have known that high caffeine intake during pregnancy may harm the fetus but the limit on caffeine is not known. However, a study published last month found that caffeine was associated with an increased risk for babies being smaller than normal at birth. Preferably avoid coffee.

Avoid secondhand smoke: Living in a smoky environment or secondhand smoke has long been tied to asthma and breathing problems in kids. Per study, kids born to mothers exposed to secondhand smoke during pregnancy were more than twice as likely to develop attention and aggression problems by the age of five than the children of mothers unexposed to smoke.

Discuss antidepressants with your doctor: Antidepressants have lasting impacts on the developing fetus, according to recent review of studies. A selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) while pregnant may be linked to a higher risk of miscarriages, birth defects, preterm delivery and behavioral problems, including autism. Behavior therapy, which includes counseling but not medication, should be the first line of depression.

Get your VITAMIN ‘D’ AND FOLIC ACID. There’s growing evidence that low levels of the “sun vitamin” & folic acid during pregnancy may lead to health problems for mother and child. The review of more than 30 studies linked low levels of vitamin D to an increased risk of gestational diabetes, autism, pre-eclampsia and lower birth weight.

CUT out Deli meats: Roughly 1,600 Americans yearly suffer from severe cases of listeriosis, a food borne illness caused by a bacteria. A Listeria infection can lead to premature delivery, infection in the infant and even stillbirth. Processed meats, such as hot dogs, deli slices and smoked salmon can become contaminated with Listeria before they are packaged. Washing all fruits and vegetables and thoroughly cook all meats before consuming.

Avoid air pollution: Breathing outdoor air pollution caused by traffic, industry and even dust during pregnancy may slightly increase the risk that a baby will be born at a lower birth weight. Avoid rush hour traffic as well as idling cars. One study published found that increasing the intake of fruits and veggies during pregnancy may help protect against the effects of air pollution.


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News Flash – Bacon

Don’t Bring Home the Bacon

By TARA PARKER-POPE, MAY 19, 2010, 1:54 PM

Research, published this week in the journal Circulation, is an indictment of processed meats like bacon, sausage and deli meats. Eating one serving of those foods a day was associated with a 42 percent higher risk of heart disease and 19 percent increased risk of diabetes. But there was no increase in risk associated with eating unprocessed red meat.

The findings come from a broad analysis of several studies tracking meat consumption and cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Processed meats include bacon, salami, sausages, hot dogs or processed deli or luncheon meats.

Notably, the culprit in processed meats wasn’t the saturated fat or cholesterol — both whole cuts of meat and processed meats contained the same amount per serving. The big differences were the levels of sodium and chemical preservatives. Processed meats had about four times more sodium and 50 percent more nitrate preservatives than unprocessed meats.

The study suggests meats like burgers and steaks have been wrongly implicated in heart disease. But that mistake likely occurred because the people who eat a lot of meat also tend to consume high amounts of bacon, hot dogs and other processed meats.

While it’s true that the study will make it easier to enjoy a burger, at least if we’re worried about our heart, it doesn’t address research that has linked an increased risk of colon cancer with high meat consumption. In addition, many people skip red meat not for personal health reasons but because they are concerned about the health of the planet.

Livestock account for 18 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions. Compared with a burger, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich saves as much as 2.5 pounds of carbon dioxide, 280 gallons of water and 50 square feet of land, according to the Web site PBJCampaign.org

And for more on the nonhealth reasons to cut back on red meat, read this story by the Times food writer Mark Bittman, “Rethinking the Meat Guzzler.”

(Originally published in NY times – http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/05/19/dont-bring-home-the-bacon/)


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YET ANOTHER MONTH AND YET ANOTHER MEAT SCARE

Given the propensity of meat to decay quickly and with meats being mass produced, it is no wonder that we have more and more incidences of health violations.

Message for us: Think twice about adding store bought meats to our diet.

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria found in ground turkey in 21 states, report finds

Published May 01, 2013

Reuters

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Dangerous antibiotic-resistant bacteria has been found in ground turkey on U.S. grocery shelves across a variety of brands and stores located in 21 states, according to a report by a consumer watchdog organization.

Of the 257 samples of ground turkey tested, more than half were found to be positive for fecal bacteria and overall, 90 percent were contaminated with one or more types of disease-causing organisms, many of which proved resistant to one or more common antibiotics, Consumer Reports found.

The non-profit, independent product-testing organization said in the June issue of its magazine that the sampling marked the first time it had conducted a laboratory analysis of ground turkey, a popular consumer alternative to hamburger. It was alarmed by the results.

“Some bacteria that end up on ground turkey, including E. coli and staph aureus, can cause not only food poisoning but also urinary, bloodstream, and other infections,” said a Consumer Reports statement on its findings.

The group said it samples ground turkey from 27 different brands including major and store brands.

Turkeys, like other livestock in the United States, are commonly given repeated low doses of antibiotics in an effort to keep the animals healthy and help promote growth. But there has been growing concern that widespread use of antibiotics in animals that are not sick is speeding the development of antibiotic resistance.

The National Turkey Federation said the findings were sensationalized on a sampling that was “extremely small,” and said that blaming use of antibiotics in animals was “misleading.”

“There is more than one way they (harmful bacteria) can wind up on food animals,” said National Turkey Federation vice president Lisa Picard. “In fact, it’s so common in the environment, studies have shown that generic E.coli and MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) can even be found on about 20 percent of computer keyboards.”

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration also found widespread contamination, discovering antibiotic resistant E coli, salmonella and other harmful bacteria in turkey, ground beef, pork chops and chicken in sampling done in 2011.

The food safety regulator says resistance of bacteria to antibiotics is “a major public health threat,” and last year issued voluntary guidelines for animal health and animal agriculture industries aimed at limiting the antibiotic use in livestock. The agency has rebuffed efforts to mandate reduced usage, however.

U.S. Rep. Louise Slaughter, a New York Democrat, last month reintroduced legislation that would ban non-therapeutic uses of eight types of antibiotics in food animal production.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also has issued a warning about antibiotic resistance infections, saying they are becoming increasingly difficult to treat and more infected people are likely to die.

“Humans don’t consume antibiotics every day to prevent disease and neither should healthy animals,” said Dr. Urvashi Rangan, Director of the Food Safety and Sustainability Group at Consumer Reports. “Prudent use of antibiotics should be required to stem the public health crisis generated from the reduced effectiveness of antibiotics.”

 


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BEWARE OF MEATS

BEWARE OF MEATS

STUDY:

According to the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System, or NARMS, Retail Meat Annual Report,

· raw ground turkey tested, 81% was contaminated with antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

· Antibiotic-resistant bacteria were found in some 69% of pork chops, 55% of ground beef.

· Of the chicken tested, 53% was tainted with an antibiotic-resistant form of E.coli,

In the meat NARMS tested, scientists found significant amounts of salmonella and Campylobacter — bacteria that cause millions of cases of food poisoning a year.

Between 1998 and 2010, chicken products, including roasted, grilled and ground chicken, were definitively linked to 452 outbreaks of foodborne illness and 6,896 cases of illness in the United States (Center for Science in the Public Interest).

Antibiotics are used in livestock to prevent disease, but they are also used as a protective agent and to help growth. Some 29.9 million pounds of antibiotics were sold in 2011 for meat and poultry production, compared with the 7.7 million sold for human use, according to the Pew Charitable Trusts, and that number has been on the rise.

Beware of the Meat caucus which would try to subdue/spin this report or minimize the effect.

SO WHAT CAN YOU DO?

The Environmental Working Group would like the FDA to regulate antibiotic use in meat better. Currently, the FDA only offers suggested guidelines, according to the group. Voice to FDA to keep your meat anti-biotics free.

Certain strains of E.coli can cause urinary tract infections, pneumonia and other illnesses. Antibiotic resistance means if you were to become ill, doctors would have fewer drug options to treat you.

Avoid meat if you can. If not, thorough cooking can kill bacteria, and washing your hands before and after touching meat can prevent the spread of disease.

ALSO READ

http://www.livescience.com/16320-foodborne-illness-listeria-cantaloupe-infographic.html