Hydroxycut again

So, the recall on Hydroxycut products is growing. Please make sure to look at the FDA site list and warnings if you do use these products. There is also a site put out by Hydroxycut directly that you can peruse. If you currently have these products, according to both sites, you can return them directly to the store where the product was purchased.

Still, Hydroxycut Hoodia and Hydroxycut Cleanse products are not included in the recall at this time.

More...

So, it seems that Hydroxycut is now being recalled. This is a product that is quite well-known and advertised. I have seen it touted in the majority of magazines aimed at women, that I can say for sure... certainly in all of the women's fitness magazines. Now, it has been linked to serious liver injuries--including one that required a transplant, and one death secondary to liver failure. This is big!


Here are the products being recalled:

Hydroxycut Regular Rapid Release Caplets
Hydroxycut Caffeine-Free Rapid Release Caplets
Hydroxycut Hardcore Liquid Caplets
Hydroxycut Max Liquid Caplets
Hydroxycut Regular Drink Packets
Hydroxycut Caffeine-Free Drink Packets
Hydroxycut Hardcore Drink Packets (Ignition Stix)
Hydroxycut Max Drink Packets
Hydroxycut Liquid Shots
Hydroxycut Hardcore RTDs (Ready-to-Drink)
Hydroxycut Max Aqua Shed
Hydroxycut 24
Hydroxycut Carb Control
Hydroxycut Natural

Hydroxycut Cleanse and Hoodia are not being recalled at this time. And again, I will say, "Eating right and exercising are head and shoulders above any 'magic' pill."

Just What We Need...

Boy, I sure haven't been here in a while. But, when I saw a certain FDA alert come across my email, I simply could not resist but put something here about it.

Apparently, there is a nail polish remover that could cause chemical burns to fingers. As if hand surgeons did not have enough to worry about, what with manicures and people accessorizing their fingernails.

Most chemical burns peel within a week like a sunburn would, but it is important to take a few steps if you should get a burn. First, stop using the product (simple, but important). If the chemical is dry (ie: lime), brush as much of it off as possible--wear a glove or do this with a towel so you do not burn the brushing hand. Next, take off any jewelry, rings, or contaminated clothing. Flush the affected body part with running cool water for at least 15 minutes. Apply a cool, wet cloth to relieve pain, and then dry and wrap loosely with a dry sterile dressing. Flush with more cool water if intense burning is still experienced. In the following days, wash the area with soap and water, dry thoroughly and apply a loose dry sterile dressing to the area until it heals. Once the skin has grown in, you can start massaging the area to lessen the chance of scar formation.

Seek emergency care if the victim feels faint, has shallow or rapid breathing, or is pale. Also, seek emergency care if the burn is over a joint, on the face, hands, or in the groin or is larger than 8 cm. If you are not sure what to do, call 911 or your poison control center.

Badge of Honor (?)

I had already taken a gander at the X-ray of the fourteen year-old boy who sat in front of me this afternoon. I already knew he had a fifth metacarpal (Boxer's) fracture. But, I like to get the story from the horse's mouth, as it were.

"What happened to your hand?"
"I was play-fighting."
"Play-fighting? Looks more like you were fight-fighting."
(kid shrugs his shoulders)
"When did this happen?"
"Sunday--in church."
...? (I raised an eyebrow, and did not say a word.)
"I punched a kid right here." (As he pointed above his father's eyebrow--sitting proudly next to him--and they giggled together.)

It was an interesting bonding moment that I witnessed; one that I must say I did not understand. But not as much as I did not understand what came a little later.

I talk to my patients--a lot. I make sure that they understand what is going on before they walk out the door. If they have questions, they always know they can call, but they rarely do. (I would like to think that is because I explained it so well the first time around.) At any rate, I was in the midst of my fracture speech: showing the X-ray to the child and his father, explaining treatment, healing rates, dos and don'ts while in the splint... Well, at least that was the plan.

I barely had started to talk about the X-ray, and the father interrupted me, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, you already said." I answered, "Actually, I haven't said, you interrupted me." He giggled and continued, "But I have a question. Is he going to lose his knuckle like me? Because I had the same thing happen a long time ago, and now I don't have a knuckle."

It was the only thing he was interested in, and I truly believe that the answer he was looking for was, "Of course, like father, like son."

FDA recalls in the New Year

First of all, a wonderfully happy and blissful 2009 to one and all!!

So I know that mum's the word around here, lately, and I do hope to get up and running again, soon.

In the meantime, it seems mighty big that peanut butter is getting recalled left and right, so I thought I would let everyone of you [3 or so people that check in here :)] know.

So, here are the facts: Peanut Corporation of America (and here) is doing a recall of peanut butter for fear of Salmonella contamination. Likewise, Kellogg (yes, THAT Kellogg) is recalling--preemptively--all peanut butter-containing products. There was also a recall of peanut butter by King Nut 2 days ago for the same reason.

Since peanut butter is a major indulgence for many, I thought I would post about this. As always, stay safe and healthy!

Time for an FDA recall alert

Well, I suppose that with this sort of thing, you just have to try it out for a few years, and see what happens.

There has been a worldwide (of course) recall on the HeartMate II Left Ventricular Assist System, which have been in use since November of 2003. The failure rate has been deemed unacceptable. Apparently the leads that connect the pump to the controller wear down significantly enough to affect pump function. "The estimated probability of the need for pump replacement due to percutaneous lead damage is 1.3% at 12 months, 6.5% at 24 months and 11.4% at 36 months." (as per the FDA site) THAT is significant!!

Left ventricular assist devices are essentially used to buy time for "CHFers" (Congestive Heart Failure patients) who are awaiting transplant, or they may even be used indefinitely in patients who are not candidates for transplant.

(Not So) French Toast

Those of you that have looked at the recipes here before have probably realized: I am not much of a sweets person. I am much more of a savory eater, and therefore, a savory cook. So, I guess it should not come as too much of a surprise that this morning's breakfast was what is commonly known as a sweet food, turned not-so-sweet.

Best served with some grilled sausages (you can use veggie sausages, if you prefer), this makes for a really quick, simple breakfast. By the way, the way I prepared the sausages:

slice up an onion and let the slices cook in a pan over a low flame for a good 10 minutes or so in a small amount of olive oil
add a healthy splash of balsamic vinegar
add the sausages in slices and let that cook over a (really) low flame until the sausages are browned

On to the bread...

You need:
3 eggs
1C milk (I used 2%, but anything, including soy, would be fine)
bread (4-5 large slices or 9-10 small)
healthy pinch of salt
1t marjoram
1t sweet savory

(I used dried herbs, as my Aerogarden has not yet produced its crop. By all means, if you have fresh, use them... and feel free to play around with other herbs.)

You do:
1. In a rather shallow bowl, beat together eggs and milk. Add salt and herbs; beat some more.
2. Start heating up a skillet over a low-medium flame. I used a le Crueset grill, to make everything pretty, but any skillet will do. Don't forget to coat with olive oil or non-stick spray. Alternatively, you can bake these--see below.*
3. Throw the slices of bread into the mixture and let soak--at least 1 minute/side.
4. Once the bread is saturated, and the grill is hot, place the slices on the grill so that they do not touch one-another. Cook until browned on both sides.
5. If you have more than one batch, they will keep warm in an oven at 250F.

Voila--not so French, but very nice.

*Now, for baking:
1. Preheat an oven to 425F.
perform steps 1 and 3 above
2. Prepare a baking sheet with non-stick spray.
3. Place the bread slices on the sheet so that they do not touch one another, and place into the preheated oven for 6 minutes or so.
4. Flip the slices and place back into the oven for an additional 5-6 minutes.

That is all. Very simple, quick, and tasty.

Enjoy!