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Potentially Fatal Bacteria Found on Potatoes, Lemons, Limes and Oranges

The Watchdog — Wed, 13 Jan 2021 15:34:50 +0000

Today’s blog is republished from my friends at TheAlternativeDaily, a leading publisher of daily health tips that I personally read every day.

By Susan Patterson, TheAlternativeDaily

Here we go again, another food recall. It seems that these are becoming more and more prominent, pushing consumers to wonder if there are any really safe foods or grocery stores? The FDA has just issued a mass recall of potatoes, lemons, limes, Valencia oranges, and even organic limes due to a potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Routine inspection raised a red flag

A routine internal inspection of Freshouse II in Salisbury North Carolina identified Listeria on some of the equipment in their packing facilities. According to company officials,

“We have ceased the production and distribution of the product that was packed on the equipment in question and are taking corrective actions and continually evaluating our cleaning and sanitation regimes.”

Recalled items were shipped to retail distribution centers located in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, along with wholesalers in North Carolina and Maryland.

What is Listeria?

Listeria is a bacteria that lives in soil, water, dust, animal poop, and other substances. The bacteria thrives in cooler temperatures and is not even destroyed by freezing. It cannot be detected by smell or sight, making Listeria difficult to notice before eating. Although dairy products are most often contaminated by Listeria, it has also been found in other food items such as deli meat, hummus, soft cheese, and cantaloupe, to name a few.

Listeria can cause severe illness and may be fatal for specific groups of the population. Anyone with a weakened immune system could be at a significantly higher risk of life-threatening health issues associated with a listeria infection, according to the CDC. Pregnant women, infants, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems, including people with HIV, cancer, and diabetes, are most at risk.

People who are otherwise healthy may also experience symptoms such as severe headache, abdominal pain, achy muscles, nausea, and diarrhea. These symptoms may appear a few days after you eat affected food items, or they can take as much as a couple of months to show up.

The infection can spread to the nervous system, where it becomes quite serious. This condition is known as listeriosis and is fatal in 20% of people who have it. Signs of listeriosis include.

• Headache
• Stiff neck
• Confusion
• Loss of balance
• Convulsions

Listeria can spread inside your home

The FDA also states that listeria can spread once it hits your kitchen counters and refrigerator shelves. The FDA states, “Contaminated food can bring Listeria into the home. Unlike most bacteria, Listeria germs can grow and spread in the refrigerator.”

According to statistics compiled by the New York Times, about 1,600 cases of Listeria appear in the US each year, and about 260 people die from the resulting infection.

What was recently recalled due to possible Listeria contamination

Fortunately, there have been no illnesses due to potentially contaminated items. Here is a list of products that are being voluntarily recalled. If you or someone you know has eaten any of the products listed below and are experiencing a fever, headache, or abdominal pain, contact a doctor as soon as possible.

• Freshouse Limes sold in 2lb Mesh Bags, UPC #33383 and 14683; Trace # 174618, 174570, 174571, 174572
• Nature’s Promise Organic Limes sold in 1lb Mesh Bags, UPC #88267 and 53813; Trace # 174375
• Fresh From the Start Red B Potatoes sold in 3lb Mesh Bags, UPC #33383 and 51003; Trace # 174575, 174403, 174595
• Fresh From the Start Lemons sold in 2lb Mesh Bags, UPC #33383 and 14020; Trace # 174551, 174552
• Wegmans Lemons sold in 2lb Mesh Bags, UPC #77890, 15917
• Wegmans Valencia Oranges sold in 4lb Mesh Bags, UPC # 77890, 52363
• Wholesale Bulk Lemons sold in 40lb Mesh Bags, Shippers Reference Numbers 1187005, 1187128, 1187103, 1187112
• Wholesale Bulk Limes sold in 40lb Mesh Bags, Shippers Reference Numbers 1187112, 1187099, 1187128, 1186832
• Wholesale Bulk Red Potatoes sold in 50lb Mesh Bags, Shippers Reference Numbers 1187098, 320873, 320992, 2182424
• Wholesale Bulk Valencia Oranges sold in 40lb Mesh Bags, Shippers Reference Numbers 1187099, 1187015, 1187112

Reduce listeria contamination in your kitchen and home by doing the following

• Keep your refrigerator cold, 40 degrees F or lower.
• Wrap and cover foods properly using plastic wrap or containers.
• After three days, ditch your leftovers.
• Clean your refrigerator. The FDA recommends using throwaway paper towels instead of cloth towels, which can transfer germs to other areas of your kitchen.
• Clean your countertops, cutting boards, and utensils with hot, soapy water when finished preparing food.
• Cook meat, poultry, and egg dishes until the temperature reaches 160 degrees F in the center.
• Scrub raw vegetables with a brush under running water.
• Always wash your hands with warm and soapy water before cooking. If you handle raw meat or poultry, wash your hands immediately after handling.
• Keep uncooked meat and poultry away from other food.
• Use deli and lunch meat 3-5 days after opening.
• Stay up to date on the latest recalls and foodborne illness outbreaks by visiting the CDC and FDA websites regularly.

Speaking of harmful bacteria, did you know that one of nature’s best (and tastiest) anti-microbial substances is actually HONEY! Honey can help kill bad bacteria and even fungus too. And my good friends at TheAlternativeDaily wanted to offer you a FREE copy of their new book, The Honey Phenomenon, which details dozens of ways to use honey to heal and revitalize your skin, hair, teeth, and even help improve your heart health, brain health, fight aging, and help with coughs or allergies too! It really is a miraculous substance.

Don’t miss your FREE copy of The Honey Phenomenon before they run out of copies.

— Susan Patterson
(The original article source is here

The post Potentially Fatal Bacteria Found on Potatoes, Lemons, Limes and Oranges appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

Salmon with Powerful Disease-Fighting Cranberry-Orange Salsa

The Watchdog — Sun, 11 Feb 2018 23:02:23 +0000

By: Cat Ebeling
Co-author of the best-sellers: The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

Cranberries contain some of the highest amounts of antioxidants of any berry, and have some fantastic health benefits as well! Compared to 19 other common fruits, cranberries were found to contain the most antioxidants and free-radical scavenging capabilities. Higher antioxidant levels mean less risk of cancer, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, arthritis, and many other diseases.

Fresh cranberries, which contain the highest levels of nutrients and phytochemicals, show up around Thanksgiving and add their bright red festive hue, tart tangy flavor and numerous health benefits to holiday meals. Right now, you can still pick up fresh cranberries at your grocery store, but they are only in season for a few months of the year, so grab some now!

Cranberries and cranberry juice have been known to fight urinary tract infections, but these powerful little berries also help prevent kidney stones, fight cancer, lower cholesterol and boost the immune system.

Cranberries powerful compounds can actually disable the dangerous E.coli bacteria, meaning it can not only fight some infections, but it can also help prevent food poisoning. Cranberries can also help fight infections in the digestive system and help fight off viruses that cause the ‘flu’.

We all know that probiotics are great for gastrointestinal health, but cranberries benefit the healthy probiotics that grow in the digestive tract, while killing off the harmful bacteria such as Listeria (responsible for food poisoning) and h.pylori (responsible for gastric ulcers).

Cranberries also contain a substance called quinic acid, which is compound that causes the urine to be more acidic, preventing kidney stones. What’s more, cranberries reduce and break down calcium in kidney stones.

Cranberries also reduce harmful LDL and raise HDL cholesterol. In one study, participants’ HDL increased an average of 10% after drinking three glasses of cranberry juice per day–an increase that corresponds to about a 40% reduction in heart disease. Cranberries also improve blood vessel function, so they can help individuals who already have atherosclerosis (clogging of the arteries).

Cancer fighters–new substances found in cranberries are showing to be highly toxic to a cancer tumor cells, according to a study from Cornell University.

Choose fresh plump cranberries, deep red in color, that are firm to the touch.

Firmness is a primary indicator of quality and freshness. The deeper red their color, the more highly concentrated the healthy phytochemical compounds.

Ingredients

2-4 wild caught salmon fillets (sockeye salmon is my favorite for this)

Jerk seasoning (I used a pre-made powdered rub)

1 cup fresh cranberries, chopped, or lightly processed in food processor

½ small red onion

1 orange or blood orange, peeled, sectioned and cut in smaller pieces

Juice of half a lime

¼ cup chopped cilantro

1 tsp honey

Sea salt

Hot pepper flakes, to taste

Directions

Chop cranberries roughly by hand or in a food processor (just enough to chop but be careful not to turn them to mush), and mix with orange, onion, lime juice, cilantro and hot pepper flakes.

Season the salmon with jerk seasoning, and grill or broil till tender and flaky. Serve topped with cranberry mixture. Enjoy! Serves 2-4.

You should also know that this recipe is an almost perfect low-glycemic snack for Diabetics, due to it’s blend of fiber, healthy fats, antioxidants, and a reasonably low amount of sugars and carbs that impact blood sugar. Speaking of Diabetes, make sure to read this page next:

1 Simple trick to REVERSE your Diabetes (hint: it’s NOT cinnamon or any supplement)

The post Salmon with Powerful Disease-Fighting Cranberry-Orange Salsa appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

Oregano Oil: More Powerful Than Antibiotics? (Unlike antibiotics, oregano oil kills viruses and parasites too)

The Watchdog — Sat, 15 Apr 2017 02:59:17 +0000

By: Cat Ebeling
Co-author of the best-sellers: The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

I love to travel and was fortunate enough to travel to Colombia, Thailand, Peru, and Nepal last year. While these countries are beautiful, exotic and fascinating to visit, their sanitation, and water supplies—as well as food preparation—are not up to the same standards as we have in the United States. In spite of taking all the usual precautions, both my significant other and I got very ill in Colombia. In fact, we were sick for a good two and a half weeks after we got home, with all the symptoms of a serious Giardia infection, which is an amoebic parasitic infection. Symptoms include: fever, aches, pains, chills, severe stomach pains, diarrhea, nausea, weight loss. It was miserable!

The general conventional treatment for giardia infections is a prescription antibiotic, which as you probably already know, will wipe out all the beneficial bacteria in your body, as well as the bad stuff. In addition, many infections are now antibiotic-resistant, making them even harder to eliminate with conventional medical antibiotics. Before resorting to antibiotics, I thought I’d try a proven natural remedy first.

After doing some research, I purchased oregano oil capsules, took as directed, and was good as new in 24 hours. Now we never travel without it—and it has saved us numerous times! As soon as I feel any kind of tummy troubles coming on, I start taking the recommended amount as a precaution, and viola! All good! In fact, I can say, that since that trip to Colombia, I have traveled to Thailand, Peru and Nepal and have not had any ‘issues’ whatsoever!

Oregano oil to the rescue!

Oregano has been used all the way back in ancient Grecian times as a highly effective medicinal herb. The Greeks used it for wounds, insect bites, snakebites, digestive and respiratory infections–and for good reason–oregano oil is the ultimate natural antibiotic, antiviral, and antifungal!

Oregano essential oil has been proven scientifically to kill bacteria, viruses, fungal infections, and parasites, including giardia, an amoebic infection. Oregano oil has actually been scientifically proven to be effective against even antibiotic-resistant pathogens.

Oregano oil is also incredibly effective against food poisoning, stomach flu, candida infections, ringworm, eczema, sinus infections, nail fungus, acne, skin infections, insect bites, warts, allergies, and more. However, oregano oil is very strong and can be irritating, so it must be diluted in a carrier oil when using on the skin.

When taken internally, it is best to purchase and take as a prepared capsule, so you get the proper strength and dosage.

The active ingredients in oregano oil include phenols, carvacrol (60-80%) and thymol (5%) which provide its antiseptic, anti-fungal, anti-viral and antioxidant components. Other ingredients include terpenes, pinene and terinene which contribute to the antiseptic, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory and anesthetic properties.

All in all, over 800 studies have been conducted on oregano oil and its amazing healing abilities.

Carvacrol is scientifically proven to be highly effective in killing off dangerous staphylococcus, norovirus, E.coli, listeria, campylobacter, and salmonella—all organisms that can cause violent food poisoning. Even better than an antibiotic (which only kills of bacteria), carvacrol is a highly effective antiviral as well. Carvacrol is also an anti-inflammatory aid, and can be used to calm down redness and swelling due to injuries or allergic reactions and insect bites. Studies show carvacrol works against candida overgrowth in the mouth or digestive tract, helps kill cancer cells, and even helps to lower blood sugar.

Oregano essential oil is one of the most potent, versatile natural medicines. Keep it on hand at all times, and you are sure to enjoy its powerful and effective healing properties. Speaking of other anti-viral substances, this article shows how powerful Quercetin is at fighting viruses.

Also, don’t miss this article:

4 essential oils more powerful than antibiotics