Results tagged “health”

Warning. Tomorrow is, ugh, National Run at Work Day. Which is also known as National Come to Work And Stink Up The Place With Your Rank Body Odor And Sweaty Ass Crack You Selfish Jerk Day. That said, jogging is a great way to get in shape. In addition to helping you "maintain a healthy weight," it also "raises your energy levels, makes it easier to fall asleep at night, and strengthens your immune system which can prevent illness," or so says the fine ladies over at Fit Sugar.

What with all this ballyhooing over health care, would you like to test drive some alternative medicinal practices? Take, for example, the prickly art of acupuncture, the popular practice of inserting tiny needles into points on your body to relieve pain or promote therapeutic processes. As luck would have it, Community Acupuncture of Marin is offering free treatment for newbies in Tuesdays. "New patients receive the first treatment at our clinic for free when scheduled on a Tuesday. Returning patients who schedule to bring a new patient in with them will also receive their treatment free. Appointments required, mention the promo please." Visit Healing Arts of Marin for more details.

Though not nearly as important as Rachel Zoe (obvi), Apple CEO Steve Jobs is facing some of the same criticism as Hollywood's most stylish heroine, namely his pin-thin stature. "I probably need to gain about 30 pounds," Steve Jobs told the New York Times after his Norma Desmond-like comeback at yesterday's iPod Nano reveal. And, yes, for better or for worse, Jobs looked rail-thin. But the reaction on Wall Street, where Apple stock ebbs and flows depending on Jobs' perceived health, is the reaction that matters. Valleywag pointed out today, "Such is the demanding CEO's importance to Apple, and shareholders must now weigh Jobs' still-gaunt look and scratchy voice against his characteristically enthusiastic delivery." Did anyone attend yesterday's Jobsian revival? If so, how did he sound?

In our continuing will-we-live-or-will-we-die H1N1 (swine) flu coverage, we just got word that Mayor Gavin Newsom is handing out free H1N1 shots. According to the Mayor's Office, "San Francisco will be organizing free H1N1 (swine) flu clinics throughout the City and County of San Francisco, utilizing a combination of public schools, private schools and community centers." The first shipment of the vaccine, 100,000 doses, will arrive in late October. "This initial shipment will be available first to those in groups who are at highest risk for more severe disease. But eventually, everyone who wants protection from H1N1 will be able to get it," said Newsom. Those at high risk are "pregnant women, children 6 months to age 24, care givers of children younger than 6 months and emergency responders and health care workers." Go here for more information.

Noted no-nonsense humor haters Stuff Stones Like came across some revealing pot news. It seems a recent scientific survey suggests that kind bud protects against cancer. Pretty cool, huh? And with that in mind, we are going to try writing about this with the UTMOST SERIOUSNESS. (After all, marijuana is serious business.).

CBS5 reports that despite the California Department of Education's strict laws that sex education programs be medically accurate and objective, abstinence-only group Free to Be has been teaching their scientifically-inaccurate curriculum in Sonoma County Schools for the past seventeen years, up until this past May.

CBS5 reports that at least five Bay Area pregnant women in their early third trimesters have been admitted to intensive care units due to complications with the H1N1 swine flu. Two of the women are no longer in ICU, and all of the fetuses appear to be fine. Some of the women were apparently in perfect health before contracting the virus, and others had unnamed underlying conditions.

Bad news, folks. The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment ruled yesterday that marijuana smoke causes cancer. Stemming from a "review of more than 30 scientific papers" state agency spokesperson Sam Delson said that wispy pot plumes contain "33 of the same harmful chemicals as tobacco smoke." Also, according to biased news agency Fox News, it can damage your DNA. Alas.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Apple CEO / His Holiness Steve Jobs just underwent a successful liver transplant. While initially reported back in 2004 that Jobs took leave of Apple due to a "hormone imbalance" -- a problem that can easily be cured by a case of Activa yogurt and a couple of Luna bars -- word is his (alleged) pancreatic cancer might have spread to his liver, hence the need for something as serious as an organ transplant. Much to the delight of fans and Apple investors, Jobs will be back to work at the end of June.

Our Gmail account efficiently filters out all undesirable emails, but we hear there's been an onslaught of swine flu "miracle cure" email scams seeking to victimize Grandma's AOL account.

Phase 5 is characterized by human-to-human spread of the virus into at least two countries in one WHO region. While most countries will not be affected at this stage, the declaration of Phase 5 is a strong signal that a pandemic is imminent and that the time to finalize the organization, communication, and implementation of the planned mitigation measures is short.

Continue reading "WHO Raises Influenza Pandemic Threat Level To 5"

What with the swine flu breaking out in Sacramento, Marin County, and "the possibility that a California man may have died from the disease" (which, actually, wasn't the case) California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency today. According to Sacto Bee, "Schwarzenegger ordered state agencies to work together in their responses, allowed some departments to enter into contracts for services and materials and waived some certification requirements at public health labs to expand California's ability to test for the virus." ABC News goes on to report that the U.S. should expect more people in different states to be affected by the swine flu outbreak.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger had a press conference to reassure California residents that the state is ready to deal with the swine flu, "I can assure you that at this time there is no reason for alarm, but we want to go and do everything that we can to make sure that we prevent an outbreak here." (Outbreak? But he wasn't in movie.) With the confirmation that a student in Fair Oaks (just outside of Sacramento) has swine flu, there are now eight cases in California. You can watch his press conference here, but the press release also outlines the steps the state is taking ("Ordered increased surveillance statewide for patients with flu-like illness"), as well as some important advice: "Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it." and "Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective."

Due to some sort of pepper recall, Chinese food appetizer the egg roll is now also being tainted pepper connected to a salmonella outbreak. According to reports, "California's Department of Public Health is advising consumers not to eat chicken or vegetable egg rolls from EDS Wrap and Roll Foods in Hayward. The item was also sold under the Tien Tien brand name in various sized containers."

According to a new study in The New England Journal of Medicine, you're most likely to die of a respiratory illness in Riverside, California, and least likely in our very own SF. San Francisco comes in last place for concentrations of ground ozone among major cities, making it the safest place for avoiding lung disease. Efforts to curb ground ozone levels by the EPA have waned in recent years, and the new study shows exactly what impact location and corresponding ozone levels have had on the health of 400,000 individuals over the course of 25 years. The study also tracked levels of airborne particulate matter--pollutants most associated with deaths from heart disease or stroke.

Not since Lindsey Lohan and Britney Spears has the media been so interested in one person's health condition. That person, of course, is Silicon Valley's Steve Jobs. And now the SEC wants to get in the know. Though the ailing Apple CEO has asked to be left alone regarding his health status, the Security and Exchange Commission is now asking the Mac cult leader what's up.

Senator Edward Kennedy had a seizure during today's Inaugural luncheon at the National Statuary Hall. (Leave it do a Kennedy to steal Obama's thunder! ) According to reports, Kennedy's seizure lasted several minutes and he had to be taken out via wheelchair. It was a "very tense moment." He has been whisked away to Boston for treatment. He was on an oxygen during his time in DC today. No word yet on his condition. But, you know, it's not good. Kennedy, if you recall, has been battling cancer and a tumor for the last year. UPDATE: Word now is Kennedy was "just exhausted." (Which... we guess means he was on too much disco dust at Club Hyde?) We're going to assume it was a seizure. Anyway, he is reportedly in "good condition."

Initiating one of the toughest city college smoking bans, San Jose City College has kicked off an extreme no-smoking ban. In addition to the typical smoke-free rules inside of all buildings, the ban also includes all areas outside of classrooms and in student gathering areas. That is to say, you can't light up anywhere at San Jose City College. Ever. This tough ban on cancer-causing delight was sparked after San Jose City College administrators received numerous complaints from whiny students about "having to endure clouds of smoke coming from smokers near the classrooms."

According to CNBC and MacRumors, Apple says CEO Steve Jobs is taking "a leave of absence," citing health reasons. Story developing. More info as it comes to us.

Our favorite 'no' judge in San Francisco, Peter Busch, brought the hammer down on beloved Walgreens today. See, after SF banned the sale of cigarettes at all Walgreens, the company, in turn, brought a lawsuit against the city, claiming they had every right to go against the wishes of the Board of Supervisors. Walgreens goes on to say that the BOS' "violated its right to equal protection under the state and federal constitutions."

Hey, did you give birth at Kaiser Permanente in San Francisco between March 10 to Aug. 10? Well, you might want to get tested for TB. See, Kaiser is in the process of contacting 960 new mothers about possible exposure after a part-time postpartum unit employee, who no longer works for the hospital, tested positive for tuberculosis. (Read more about it here.) For more info on getting tested, call Kaiser at 800-464-4000,or visit kp.org/newscenter. (SFGate)

Gone are the days of free love, free LSD, and freedom to eat whatever you want. After last week's historic decision to make San Francisco the first in the country to ban the sale of cigarettes in pharmacies Walgreens and Rite Aid stores, City Hall isn't stopping there. The Board of Supes also wants to bar you from lighting up in city parks, ATM lines, and common areas of apartment buildings; voted for chain restaurants to post nutritional information on menus; have shunned delicious trans-fats (which is semi-ridiculous since high fructose corn syrup is the real enemy, but that's an entirely different post altogether); charge restaurants a fee for selling sugary sodas (which is good since Diet Coke tastes better); and close down city streets in an effort to get you to participate in mass jazzercise.

The entertaining/controversial Chris Daly, who seems a bit quiet as of late, has a new target now: wafts of cigarette smoke. We're told that his latest push of legislation "calls for a smoking ban outside of restaurants, in waiting areas, within 20 feet of nonresidential buildings," and in common areas of apartment buildings. That is to say, you might have to look elsewhere to spark up that Capri or Virgina Slim while eating out. The Board of Supervisors will vote on the measure come Thursday.

You'd think the 1,000-plus wildfires blazing across Northern California would be our biggest concern. Not so. It seems that the Black Death is yet another thing we should fear, at least according to an alarmist article in the it is. The plague, "carried by fleas, mice, rats, squirrels, cats and other animals," was uncovered on San Bruno Mountain in the 1940s. Now, just after this week's San Bruno Mountain blaze, said creatures coming down off the mountain might kills us all. Eeps! Or so we're. The 14th Century bug that wiped out 75 million people in the days or yore infects up to five Californians per year these space-age days. But now? Maybe more!!! So, how will you bring out our dead?

We briefly touched on this yesterday, that someone at City Hall had a heart attack during the celebration cum protest. According to SF Weekly, local AIDS activist Michael Petrelis saw what went down. Apparently, a local troubadour -- who might or might not be named "Joni" or "Francis" or... something -- was singing a song of love to Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon just before going into cardiac arrest:

At the risk of sounding like an alarmist, SFist received word today about a possible virus outbreak in San Francisco. It's the Norovirus, a common cause of the stomach flu, which is "transmitted by faecally contaminated food or water [Ew! -- SFist] and by person-to-person contact."

A whooping cough outbreak has affected over 20 students at East Bay Waldorf School in El Sobrante, effectively shutting it down. Whooping cough, an illness normally thought of as an infant's, hits its victims with "severe coughing spells that end in a 'whooping' sound when the person breathes in."

Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water:

After someone supposedly stole brass fittings from a chemical company, toluenediamine, a flammable substance that causes irritation by inhalation, was released. Oops.

The American Academy of Dermatology is launching a new campaign to get girls from 16 to 29 years old (and boys in the same age range who live in district 5) to stop using indoor tanning beds. The campaign is called, fittingly enough, "Indoor Tanning is Out." How so? Because: a) only trash uses indoor tanning facilities, and b) indoor browning is associated with a significant increase in the risk of melanoma. (Though we think the AAD is primarily concerned with the latter.)