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Spare The Air Violators Escape Being Caught

There is someone from Mill Valley, Woodacre and possibly Novato, San Rafael and Kentfield who ignored the ban on fireplace smoke yesterday.  Those were the cities that air quality officials received complaints about wood being burned.  There were about 70 inspectors out and about Wednesday in the Bay Area to try and track down the violators, including Marin.  But no one in Marin was actually cited.

It was the first day that Bay Area Air Quality Management District enacted the Winter Smoke Ban. 

There were some complaints though, from people who worried that residents who didn't watch TV or go on computers would not be aware of the ban.   Officials responded by providing a phone number that anyone can call before they decide to burn that nice log in the fireplace. 

Spare The Air info at 1-800-430-1515.

Light That Log And Risk A Fine

The first ever Winter Spare The Air day popped up yesterday around the Bay Area; it's still in effect until Noon today.  The new law which was enacted over the summer, makes it illegal to light the fireplace when a Spare The Air day is announced.  And enforcers from the the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAQMD) are out making sure residents obey, or risk fines that can be as costly as $2,000.  The wood-burn ban was enacted in order to alleviate air pollution on certain bad air quality days.  The fireplace industry isn't too happy about the bans, which air quality officials predict are likely to be put in place approximately 20 times this winter season. 

The BAQMD will determine today if the Spare The Air ban will be lifted or extended another day.

Never Mind Health Insurance, You Might Even Have Trouble Finding A Doctor

Think you're frustrated with health care paperwork, HMO red tape and escalating insurance premiums?  Well, the doctors share your pain. 

Getting Too Few Zzzzzzzzzzzzs Increases Cancer Risk

A new study from the National Cancer Institute involving nearly 6,000 women found that even if females reduced their cancer risk by regular exercise, those benefits were likely to be canceled if she got too little sleep.  Among physically active women, those who slept less than seven hours nightly had a 47% higher risk of cancer than those who slept longer.   Health officials who led the study, weren't sure how the sleep loss contributed to the higher risk of cancer, but chronic sleep loss has been associated with a myriad of other health problems including heart disease and diabetes.  Turns out Mom was right...turn out the light!

Feeling Flu-ish? Google Could've Predicted That

These days everyone uses the internet to seek information on everything from news to shopping to health.  And if you're feeling sick, you're probably likely to enter your symptoms into the mighty search engine Google in order to get that information, right?

Why An iPod Might Not Be Such A Great Gift For Grandpa

One out of every four people with pacemakers, experienced some kind of interference when they wore their iPod earbud type earphones.  In one case, a pacemaker reset itself.  A cardiologist in Boston conducted the study which showed a correlation between earphones, especially the smaller earbud variety and disruption of pacemakers and implanted defibrillators.   The tiny headphones contain powerful magnets, and thats whats causing the interference.  iPods themselves, and other MP3 players, pose no threat according to the health officials.  But it's kinda hard to hear an iPod without the headphones...

Ladies, Start Scrubbing Your Hands

Listen up guys!  You may think twice about holding hands with your sweetheart.  A study found that females have a lot more bugs on their hands than you do.  Everyone has bacteria on their hands, but researchers at University of Colorado found that women had more varieties of bacteria on theirs.  Researchers aren't sure how to explain it but they believe that men have higher skin acidity which could kill more bacteria.  Women also have more bacteria that lives under the skin, and is inaccessible to washing.  USA Today has more...

Heart Attacks Rise When Clocks Are Set Ahead

You know the old adage, "spring ahead" and "fall back."  Those are the nifty little phrases we use to prompt ourselves to turn our clocks ahead for daylight savings time come Spring, and then turn them back again in Autumn for standard time. 

Well now researchers say that turning the clock ahead can give you a lot worse things than a bit less less sleep; like a heart attack for instance.

Those Red Wearing Republican Women Must Know Something

If men had to vote based on their libidos, chances are we'd all be red states.  Turns out all those red dresses, red jackets and red shoes on GOP gals get guys...well...hot.  A study led by a psych prof at the University of Rochester confirmed that red is truly the color of romance.  Men rated women more sexually attractive if they wore red, or whose photos were framed in red.  The researchers used identical photos of women dressed in other colors and red, and men strongly favored the red-dressed versions.  The tendency to prefer red may be deeply biological according to the study director.  And he also noted that wearing red didn't change men's feelings about intelligence or kindness, only attractiveness.  So gals, even if you're a True Blue Dem, you might want to consider mixing it up a bit and putting on that Rocking Red GOP dress if you want to have a really good time celebrating this Election night!!

Flatulence Finds Favor Among Scientists

The next time you need to fart, be thankful.  It means you're producing hydrogen sulfide, the stuff that makes passing gas, well, smelly.  And scientists now believe hydrogen sulfide plays a positive role in preventing high blood pressure, at least in rats.  But they believe it would have the same effect on humans and are looking for ways to utilize hydrogen sulfide formation in the treatment of hypertension. 

Sick Sea Lions Being Brought To Sausalito Center

Nearly a hundred ill California sea lions have been brought into the Marine Mammal Center in the Marin Headlands suffering from a bacterial infection of the kidneys; leptospirosis.  The infection occurs in cycles in sea lion populations, usually every 4-5 years, and this year appears to be one of the cycles.  NOAA, UC of Davis and Penn State University officials are all looking at potential causes of the disease which causes severe dehydration, kidney damage and death. (Photo courtesy Marine Mammal Center)  KRON4 reports-

    

Where Are All The Honey Bees?

Imagine walking into the local grocery store and finding only processed food.  There is no fresh fruit, no vegetables, no nuts, almost no meat or milk.  Are you thinking this might be a market in some poverty-stricken Third World Country? 

Think again.

This grim scenario would happen right here in the U.S., if we had no honeybees.  And honeybees have been disappearing here, at an alarming rate.

Drinking Causes Shrinking (Of The Brain)

You can't win.  Remember all those studies that said drinking moderate or small amounts of wine or alcohol were good for your heart?  Well, it is.  But it's also bad for your brain.  Apparently any amount of alcohol consumption can cause the brain to shrink.  The heavier the consumption, the worse the shrinkage.  In fact researchers who conducted the study at the Boston University School of Public Health, found that drinking alcohol affected women even more adversely than men.

Seems we gals have to chose between having a heart attack or losing our mind. 

Mexican Drug Cartels Fouling Our National Parks

Mexican drug cartels are clearing out vast areas in National Parks and using large amounts of toxic pesticides and fertilizers to grow hundreds of thousands of illegal pot plants.  It's a national disgrace which has been going on since 1998, and recently, has been getting much worse.

Dogs And Cats Make The Grade; Turtles, Hamsters And Lizards Do Not

Pediatricians have put the kabosh on 'non-traditional' pets.  They say owning so-called exotic pets like hedgehogs and iguanas as well as more common pets like turtles, chicks and hamsters can be dangerous, especially to kids under 5.

The American Academy of Pediatrics just released a study that spelled out the dangers.  Salmonella- which causes diarrhea, stomach cramps, fever and nausea- has been found in chicks, hamsters, lizards and turtles.  The researchers believe that 11% of salmonella infection can be traced to these pets. 

Hedgehogs can prick skin with their quills, making the child susceptible to fevers, stomach pain and rash.

The study pointed out the particular danger of younger children and exotics, because the very young tend to put their hands in their mouth after handling the pets. 

Looks like the Fido is man's best friend after all.  (And Fluffy too...!)

Coming To A Mailbox Near You- Anthrax Antiobiotics?

The feds have come up with an interesting idea.  If there was another anthrax attack, your friendly, neighborhood mail carrier may be called upon to deliver the antibiotics necessary to fight infection. 

New Study Suggests AIDS Has Been In Human Population Since 1900

A new study published in Nature Magazine suggests the AIDS virus has been 'circulating' in humans for much longer than previously thought.  Scientists commonly believed that the virus began affecting humans in the 1930s, but genetic analysis estimates the origin sometime around the early 1900s.  The virus didn't become officially named or recognized until 1981. 

Experts believe humans acquired HIV from chimps probably from butchering them.  The virus mutated over time, at first lagging and then growing stronger, which suggests the more rapid transmission that occurred later in the 20th century. 

Country Of Origin Labels Required On Groceries

Good news for those who want to avoid unwanted contaminants like melamine in their food! A new law that requires the country of origin to be listed on most of the food you buy would help you avoid just that.  Even though it was first proposed way back in 2002, food labeling listing country of origin finally took full effect yesterday.  Now you can decide whether or not you want to buy those grapes from Chile, steaks from Canada or frozen vegetables from Vietnam, or maybe just stick with the wonderful locally produced meat, fish and produce we are so lucky to have right here in Marin. 

No More Ciggies For Sale In SF Pharmacies

You'd think a a pharmacy, a place to get meds to cure disease, would be the last place you'd find something for sale that cause disease, like cigarettes.  But San Francisco is the only city in the nation that has banned the sale of cigarettes in places like Walgreens and other pharmacies.   However after the ban became law in July, Walgreens sought an temporary injunction to prevent the ban- which goes into effect today- from taking place.  They claimed that large grocery stores, who also sold pharmacy items, were not subject to the ban.  But a judge, saying there was a 'rational basis' for the ban, refused to allow the injunction.

Marin County Woman Joins Other 100 Year-Old Drivers

Pauline Angleman of Corte Madera is the latest person to join an exclusive club; drivers who are 100 years old!  There are only 212 centenerian drivers in the state and Angleman- who just renewed her license and turns 100 this coming weekend- has had only one fender bender since she started driving back in 1928. 
(Photo courtesy of the Marin IJ)

Sausalito Filmmaker's Documentary On Lyme Disease Featured In Wash DC Congressional Hearing Today

"I went to a specialist and he said, 'There's no medicine for someone like you. You're an attractive girl, and obviously you feel like you're not getting enough attention.'"

Caffeine Intoxication Possible From Energy Drinks

With names like Amp, Jolt, Battery, Kick and even Cocaine there's no mistaking what these products are promoting; increased energy.  But with caffeine- and lots of it- as the main energy-boosting ingredient, some customers are getting more buzz than they bargained for; caffeine intoxication.  Symptoms can include anxiety, insomnia, tremors, stomach upset and hypertension according to a new study out from Johns Hopkins University researchers.

A typical cup of coffee can contain from 80 to 150 milligrams of caffeine.  But energy drinks fall under dietary supplements classification rather than food products, so manufacturers can load them up with caffeine, in some cases several hundred milligrams worth.

Another disturbing trend; many of the users reporting bad reactions from energy drink consumption were quite young.

Grape Juice Can Have The Benefits Of Wine Without The Buzz

Drinking a glass of red wine daily, has been touted for providing healthy heart-related benefits including lowering blood pressure, reduce blood clots and increase the 'good' cholesterol levels.  But what if you don't drink alcohol?  Researchers have found that imbibers of Concord grape juice received a lot of the same beneficial effects that wine-drinkers enjoyed.  Salut!

Could Tainted Milk Products From China Be On Bay Area Grocery Shelves?

Reports of thousands of Chinese children sickened and killed by tainted milk in China have U.S. health officials searching for any of the contaminated products here in the Bay Area.  Fed and state health inspectors have been checking milk, and milk products in Asian grocery stores and found a Chinese confection called White Rabbit in boxes in one San Pablo store.  Melamine has been found in that candy, and those boxes were yanked immediately.  There are a few other products that may be found in the U.S. including-

**Choice Dairy Yoghurt Flavored Ice Confection

**Dutch Lady brand of strawberry flavored milk

**Milk from the Yili Group and the China Mengniu Dairy Company

**Powdered milk from Sanlu, Suncare and Yashili.

Melamine is an industrial plastic powder that can boost protein counts.  Investigators believe that unscrupulous dairy farmers or plant managers added the substance to watered down milk products.  Melamine was also responsible for tainted pet food epidemic last year.   CBS5 has a video report here.

EPA To Fine Novato Pharmaceutical Company For Industrial Waste

The Novato Advance, which just announced their final publication, broke the story of the day yesterday.  BioMarin, based in Novato, has been fined $119,717 and an additional $50,000 by the Environmental Protection Agency, for violating the Clean Water Act on several occasions by dumping highly acidic water into the sewer system which then discharges into the tidal flats of San Pablo Bay.  The extra $50k fine is to help clean up and restore Novato creek.  The EPA inspected BioMarin in May of 2007, and found the company violated standards on 62 separate days from 2004 through 2007.  BioMarin produces enzyme products used to treat diseases and other medical conditions.

He's Just Not That Into You...And Here's Why

Ladies, listen up. If your significant other is ho-hum about getting hitched or doesn't seem to be able to curb his inner Casanova, it could be in his genes, literally.  A study just released examined the gene allele in several hundred people and found that men with multiple copies of the gene tended to have difficulty maintaining monogamous relationships.  The gene they examined can affect levels of vasopressin, which can influence monogomy. 

The Older The Father, The Greater The Risk For Kids' Bipolar Disease

If Dad is over 30, Junior is at increased risk for manic-depression, or bipolar disease.  The Archives of General Psychiatry just published the study which says the risk grows with age, and that children with fathers older than 55 face a 37% increased chance of developing the disease.  The study results also support evidence that older dads increase the risk of other psychological disorders in their progeny, including autism and schizophrenia.  Bipolar disease causes periods of extreme manic activity followed by deep and lasting depressions. 

Car Free Sunday In The City

There were no cars, no fumes and no horns in San Francisco yesterday.  Well at least for a few hours and for a few miles, the San Francisco waterfront was closed to automobiles.  About four-and-a-half miles of street along the waterfront was open only to folks on foot and on bike, and thousands of them made the trek into the City to do just that.  Not everyone liked the idea, but city officials plan one more closure on September 14th.  Here's what it looked like without the cars in this KRON4 report.

Marin County Breast Cancer Research Project Launched

For years, Marin County has had one of the highest rates of breast cancer anywhere in California.  The 'alarming' rates, have prompted Marin County Department of Health and Human Services- along with several health agencies- to conduct a wide and far-reaching breast cancer research project aimed at providing some answers.  In what health officials have labeled the largest and most intensive breast cancer study ever, they've begun collecting saliva samples, mammogram results and answers to a 20 page questionnaire from over 10,000 Marin women.   Researchers expect the first clues in about a year.   

State Legislature Approves Bill Requiring Public Review Before Spraying For Pests

Public hearings and health evaluations would have to take place before officials could order spraying in metropolitan areas to eradicate agricultural pests.  That bill, introduced by Assemblyman (D) Jared Huffman of San Rafael, was just approved in Sacramento.  He sponsored the bill after the huge public outcry after Dept of Agriculture officials announced plans to spray for the light brown apple moth here in Marin County, and the Bay Area.  The bill is being forwarded on to the desk of the Governor for signature.

Herbal Medicines Found To Contain Toxins

Have a little arsenic with your herbals.  Or maybe some lead and mercury?  A large proportion of Ayurvedic herbal medicines, commonly originating in India and sold here in the U.S., have been found to contain these toxins according to a just released study in the Journal of American Medicine Association (JAMA).  The study used the internet to find 25 different websites offering the traditional Ayurvedic herbs, and then tested the herbs. One fifth of the herbs contained arsenic, mercury or lead. Not very healthy.

Spare The Air Day For Bay Area Today

Avoid the strenuous exercises outside and try and drive a little less. That's the word from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District which has declared a "Spare The Air" day today due to unhealthy ozone levels.  It doesn't help that temperatures are zooming up and may even break some records by weeks end.  Earlier this week, officials issued a red flag alert for parts of the North Bay alerting residents about fire dangers.  Bottom line, stay cool and stay inside if possible. 

TB Scare In SF Kaiser Hospital Maternity Ward

A former employee who worked in the maternity ward at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in SF was recently diagnosed with tuberculosis, and may have exposed nearly a thousand patients and other employees to the disease.  Kaiser is working quickly to contact all those people who were exposed.  The worker with TB is no longer with Kaiser.  Although the health officials feel the risk is low, they are encouraging those contacted to get a skin test and if necessary, a chest X-ray.  If infected, it is a strain that can be treated with antibiotics.  TB while fairly rare here in the U.S., is common in other parts of the planet. 

MSG Use Can Make You Fat

A lot of restaurants have banned the use of MSG or monosodium glutamate, an additive that is supposed to make the food taste better, but has been linked to allergic reaction and other health issues.  Now there is even more reason to avoid it; it can make you fat.  Researchers in China studied several hundred men and women where MSG use was rampant. They found that the one third of the group who used the heaviest amounts of MSG were almost three times as likely to be overweight.  Researchers do not yet know why MSG causes people to gain weight, but they advise consumers to be 'cautious' about its use.  So hold the MSG and enjoy your Kung Pao chicken.

Man Dies In Alcatraz Swim

It was nearly impossible to escape from Alcatraz alive in its prison heydey, and it seems the Rock has claimed another life.  A 63 year-old man swimming a leg in the Escape From The Rock Triathlon this past Sunday, collapsed and died from heart failure while just 100 yards away from the finish at the SF shoreline.  Phillip Coulston, who had no history of heart problems, had recently taken up swimming again, after competing in the sport as a teenager and in college.  His son-in-law who was swimming with him, tried to revive him, but was unable to save Coulston. 

Sniffing Out The Skin Cancer

Imagine your dermatologist waving a special odor-detecting scanner over your body which could detect skin cancer.  It's in the realm of possibility, and sooner than later, according to some experts who say they have discovered that skin cancer smells differently than healthy skin.  Scientists are using 'nanotechnology' to create a device that can 'sniff' the air enabling them to pinpoint people with cancer.  Health experts believe other types of cancers also smell differently than normal tissue, and tests are in development to detect those cancers by smell as well. 

Weight Loss Drug Discovery

Remember Viagra?  Originally developed to treat angina, it eventually proved to be a boon in boosting male sexual function.  Now researchers have discovered a side effect of another drug that could prove to be a tremendous weapon in the ongoing battle of the bulge.

How Did Marin County Hospitals Rate In National Death Rate Study?

The first ever nationwide hospital death rate comparison study has just been released by USA Today.  Death rates from heart attacks, heart failure and pneumonia have been a closely guarded secret until this week.

Read on to find out how the three major Marin County hospitals stack up against the national average.

If Your Morning Sickness Is Bad, Then Paint The Nursery Pink

Probably the last thing pregnant women are thinking about during the throes of morning sickness is their baby's gender.  But the old wives tale about morning sickness equaling a girl baby is apparently...true!

Arsenic In Drinking Water? A Study Links It To Diabetes

Remember the play Arsenic and Old Lace?  The nice old ladies would serve a drink laced with the poison to unsuspecting victims who promptly keeled over dead.  It turns out arsenic, which is naturally occurring, isn't good in small doses either.  JAMA (Journal of American Medical Association) has just published a study correlating a link between onset of Diabetes Type II and higher arsenic levels in drinking water.   

The Fountain of Youth- Three Ways To Get It

Most of the skin cremes and facial treatments that promise youthful, unwrinkled skin are just that...promises.  But if you seek the fountain of youth, and don't wish to go the surgical route, you are in luck!  A recently published study says there are three very different ways to smooth the wrinkles. 

College Presidents Want To Allow 18 Year Olds To Drink

Duke, Syracuse, Tufts, Dartmouth, Ohio State and Colgate are among the names on a list of about a hundred U.S. colleges and universities whose presidents are asking lawmakers to consider a change, and lower the legal drinking age of 21.  Yes, you read that correctly.

Full Steam Ahead Into The Blood Sucking Bug Business

The first signs in kids are frequent head scratching.  Then, usually a closer examination reveals what no parent wants to see; lice.  Those tiny little bugs that attach themselves to a strand of hair so they can enjoy a nice warm-blooded meal before laying little eggs, called nits, and starting the whole retched cycle over again.   Parents everywhere, struggled to remove the stubborn little suckers employing an arsenal of pesticide laced shampoos and cremes, usually to no avail.  Enter NitPixies, a hair salon devoted strictly to the removal of head lice.  NitPixies just opened in San Rafael, and business is already brisk.  They eschew  pesticides focusing instead on picking out the bugs and nits by hand. It usually takes several sessions to get rid of the lice completely.  This is one business where being a nit-picker is a good thing!

San Rafael Company Claims Granite Countertop Radiation Scare Is Much Ado About Nothing

Remember that story we brought you a few weeks ago about granite countertops emitting harmful doses of radon?  A company in San Rafael says there really is nothing to worry about.  Berkeley Nucleonics, a firm that stocks meters that can detect radiation, insists that homeowners need not worry about the minimal amounts of radon found in their countertops.  A spokesman says you can find radon in larger quantities in other common sources including airplanes and x-rays.  If you still worry that your kitchen is killing you, you can order a radiation detection device for about $600 bucks from the Berkeley Nucleonics folks.

Popular Henna Tattoos Can Contain A Dye That Can Cause Severe Allergic Reaction

Henna tattoos- popular with teens everywhere including here in Marin county - are a painless, temporary and inexpensive alternative to the permanent variety.  But some health experts are urging caution when getting the popular painted tattoos, because some darker varieties- so called 'black henna'-  contain a chemical that can cause a severe allergic reaction resulting in blisters, pigmentation changes and sometimes permanent scarring.

Eating Peanuts During Pregnancy Linked To Asthma In Children

Eating lots of peanuts, or peanut butter while pregnant may not be a good thing.  Dutch researchers have discovered that pregnant women who ate peanuts daily, raised the risk that their children will develop asthma by 50 percent!  The researchers also found that moderate intake does not increase the risk, and only large amounts of peanuts had any adverse effect.  Looks like pregnant gals would be advised to avoid peanut cravings. 

Sewage Spills Closes Sausalito Beach

Authorities believe at least 6,000 gallons of raw sewage poured into the Sausalito waterfront for several hours before someone thought to report it.  Some people noticed the sewage spilling into the Bay near Swede's Beach around 9:30pm on Saturday evening, but fire and police officials weren't notified until midday on Sunday.  This spill was determined not to have been caused by southern Marin County based Sewage Agency, which was responsible for two massive sewage spills in January.  Those spills dumped 5 million gallons of partially treated sewage into the Bay and killed large numbers of birds. 

Serrano Peppers Another Culprit In Salmonella Outbreak

Another possible link to the gigantic salmonella outbreak surfaced on Wednesday.  The FDA says a batch of serrano peppers were found to contain the specific salmonella strain that was found earlier on jalapeno peppers.  Authorities now believe contaminated irrigation water at a farm in Mexico is to blame, and that several varieties of produce, were responsible for the outbreak that sickened more than 1,300 people since April. They also think tomatoes- originally thought to have been the sole cause- also contributed.  The tomato farmers suffered huge financial losses due to warnings.  The FDA says domestic tomatoes, jalapenos and serrano pepper are safe to eat. 

Trans-Fats Getting The Hook In California Restaurants

New York, Philadelphia and other cities were the first to ban trans-fat from restaurants, but California just became the first state to do so.  Governor Schwarzenegger signed a bill on Friday to begin phasing them out; all use in restaurants must cease by 2010, and they must be gone from retail baked goods by 2011.

The movement to ban trans-fats- led by scientists and health experts- is gaining momentum, and the move to ban by the most populous state, is sure to kick start a national effort.  Trans-fats are created by inserting hydrogen into liquid oil at high temperatures, creating partial hydrogenation which produces a type of fat that can extend shelf life and appearance of packaged foods. Trans-fats are also used extensively at fast-food restaurants.  But trans-fats have been shown to increase the 'bad' cholesterol levels which have been linked to increased incidents of heart disease and heart attacks. 

Some national fast-food chains, McDonalds', KFC and Taco Bell to name a few, have already begun moving away from using trans-fats.  Read more in the NYT article here.

West Nile Watch - LA County Confirms 4 Cases

Four people have been confirmed as having the West Nile Virus; three men and a boy.  Two of the men and a boy are in the hospital and recovering.  The virus was discovered in a third man, who was asymptomatic, who had just donated blood.  According to this SJ Mercury News article, if you add the four California cases to the previous