Dr. Howard Smith Oncall

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/uUsZvYgxNZY   The FDA and Essaar, Inc. are recalling Soho Fresh 70% Rubbing Alcohol.  This product is contaminated with poisonous methanol.  Exposure to this product can trigger nausea and vomiting, headache, blurred vision, blindness, seizures, coma, and permanent nervous system damage.  Do not open the package and use this product.  Return it to the place of purchase for a refund.  Additional questions may be addressed to Essaar at 1-201-647-7606.   https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/essaar-inc-issues-voluntary-nationwide-recall-rubbing-alcohol-contaminated-methanol   #alcohol #essaar #methanol  

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/vZslvVUwfRk   The FDA and Dole Fresh Vegetables, Inc have recalled Dole Sesame Asian Chopped Salad.  This product has undeclared egg.  Anyone with a severe egg allergy ingesting it could suffer a life-threatening allergic reaction.  This product was sold in: AK, CA, ID, KS, MO, OK, OR, TX AND UT.  If you have the product, do not consume it.  Discard it retaining the packaging, and call Dole at 1-800-356-3111 for a refund.   https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/dole-fresh-vegetables-announces-limited-voluntary-recall-doletm-sesame-asian-chopped-salad-kit-due   #salad #dole #egg  

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/VsILcxYUypY   The FDA and Weis Markets announce the recall of 10,869 containers of Weis Quality Cookies and Cream Ice Cream, 502 3 gallon bulk containers of Klein’s Vanilla Dairy Ice Cream, 665 3 gallon bulk contains of Klein’s Cookies and Cream Ice Cream, and 286 3 galloon containers of  Nelson’s Graham Slam Ice Cream.  These products are contaminated with metal pieces from the filling equipment.  This foreign body material may cause a choking risk.  If you have any of these products, don’t consume them but call Weis Customer Service at 1-866-999-9347 to discuss how to obtain a refund.   https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/weis-markets-issues-recall-possible-foreign-matter-contamination-weis-ice-cream-products   #icecream #weis #klein #nelson #foreignbodies  

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/axpIPBdm8mE   The FDA and EVR Foods, Inc. are issuing a recall on Laava Blueberry Plant-Based Yogurt Lot #022121with an expiration date of 2/21/2021.  This particular product batch may have mold contamination.  If you have this yogurt in your fridge, don’t consume it but return it to the place of purchase for a refund. You may direct questions to Laava at 1-833-885-2882.   https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/lavva-voluntarily-recalls-single-lot-blueberry-plant-based-yogurt   #yogurt #blueberry #laava #mold  

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/om5xW8bg7EE   If you love post-apocalyptic films and tv, your psyche may be better prepared for the emotional turmoil of the CoVid pandemic.  Penn State psychologists in collaboration with two Danish experts on the psychology of horror surveyed 310 persons concerning their psychic resilience during CoVid.   Each participant was also polled about preparedness for the pandemic stress and about their preferences for entertainment featuring zombies, horror, the supernatural, alien invasion, crime, and pandemics vs comedy and romance. The results: fans of horror films maintained better psychic resilience; and fans of so called-“prepper” genres including aliens, apocalypses, and zombies were both more resilient and better prepared.  Power up your Netflix and Prime Video.   https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0191886920305882?via%3Dihub   #covid #stress #pandemic #horror #zombies #resilience  

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/I4IFhivphIM   If you rarely exercise your body, you run the risk of itchy, scaly skin as you age.  This the conclusion of a just-published Swedish study that followed nearly 1.2 million men over a 31 year average followup period.   The men were divided into 3 groups according to their levels of cardiovascular fitness.  The data showed that those with the highest level of fitness have a 55% lower risk of developing psoriasis and a 63% lower risk of developing psoriatic arthritis.   Study after study shows the benefits of regular exercise to hone your cardiovascular fitness.  The pandemic makes it more challenging to exercise, but do use your ingenuity to get your body moving.   https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0243348   #exercise #fitness #psoriasis  

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/9ws7humxWQQ   Early in the CoVid pandemic, concerns arose about using ACE inhibitors and angiogensin receptor blockers (ARBs) since the ACE2 receptor is the entry point for the CoVid virus into human cells.  A just published study from the University of Pennsylvania suggests that these drugs are safe and perhaps even helpful.   Penn investigators studied 152 CoVid patients being treated with various blood pressure meds.   Their data showed that discontinuing those drugs had no positive effects on need for ventilation, incidence of organ failure, or death rate.   If you are on anti-hypertensive drugs in the ACE inhibitor and angiotensin receptor blocking classes, don’t stop taking them if you develop CoVid.    https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanres/article/PIIS2213-2600(20)30558-0/fulltext   #covid #aceinhibitor #arb  

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/pa5lAcnIG04   Those taking drugs to prevent transplanted organ rejection or the scourge of autoimmune diseases do as well during hospital treatment for CoVid as non-immunosuppressed patients.  Researchers at Johns Hopkins report this finding after studying 2121 patients.   The immunosuppressed patients compared with non-immunosuppressed controls had similar outcomes including lengths of stay, rates of ventilator use, and mortality rates.  A larger, nationwide study is now underway to assess the effects of various immunosuppressant medications.   This good news for patients with immune system handicaps does not preclude their need to take all precautions to avoid contracting the virus including mask-wearing, distancing, hand-washing, and, when available, CoVid vaccination.   https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/01/210107135651.htm   #immunocompromise #immunosuppression #covid #hospitalization  

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/GOEHV368bss   With the CoVid pandemic raging and shortages of PPE once again occurring, you will want to know how to effectively recycle your N95, KN95, or HEPA masks.  From NY’s Columbia University come do-it-yourself methods that safely and economically eliminate virus while maintaining mask integrity, fit, and filtration parameters.   The investigators found that placing masks in breathable paper bags in a Cuckoo rice cooker with a stable temperature of  70˚C (160˚F) for one hour worked better than immersing masks protected by waterproof ziplock bags in water at 160˚F or in boiling water.      If you have an oven or toaster oven that maintains a stable temperature, use that.   https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.05.20248590v1.full.pdf   #masks #heat #recycling #fit #filtration #covid  

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/Area-r3AMeQ   Will you soon have a chance to get either the Moderna or the Pfizer mRNA vaccine?  If so, here are some nitty-gritty things that you will want to know about these 95% protective vaccines courtesy of the CDC.   Each vaccine consists of a small fragment of RNA specially formulated so that your body won’t produce an immune response to it.  This RNA is packaged in a fatty nanoparticle that permits your white cells to swallow it up and begin producing pure and non-infectious CoVid spike protein.  Your lymphocytes then produce antibodies to that spike protein.  These antibodies prevent infectious CoVid virus  from entering your cells.   The RNA in a fat ball must be stored at subzero temps in freezers and transported in dry ice. An antifreeze, polyethylene glycol (PEG) prevents damaging ice formation.  It’s this antifreeze, similar to that used in cars, that some people have a deadly allergic reaction against.   Each vaccine requires two doses for optimal immunization.  Fo

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/ZFWgbAtZs9A   In two cases, cancers in a mother’s cervix were passed to their newborns during a vaginal delivery.  These reports from Japanese pediatric oncologists appeared in a recent New England Journal of Medicine.   One mother was belatedly diagnosed with metastatic squamous cell-neuroendocrine cervical cancer 3 months following her delivery, and her child developed a neuroendocrine carcinoma just prior to a second birthday.  The second mother was found to have a cervical adenocarcinoma, and her child developed a lung adenocarcinoma at age 6.  Genetic studies demonstrated link between maternal and child cancers.   Pregnant women with known or suspected cancerous or precancerous cervical or vaginal lesions should opt for c-sections.   https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2030391   #cancer #cervical #vaginal #transmission  

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/YF3QFYqfPS4   This is my last set of health reports for 2020.  I’ll be back in January with more Health News You Should Use and Health news Capsules covering drug, food, and product safety recalls from the FDA and the CPSC.  When I return, I’ll be broadcasting from a new studio.  Meanwhile, I do hope that you have happy remaining days of Chanukah, a Merry Christmas, and that we all have a happy and healthy celebration of the New Year 2021.  During this coming year, we should see a control of the pandemic here in the US and around the world.  Before that occurs, stay well by wearing your mask consistently, physically distancing from those not in your bubble, washing your hands, and, as soon as you have the opportunity, take one of the CoVid vaccines.

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/UlxK36EMGLU   The CPSC and Thermo Tents USA Inc. are recalling 3 tents in the Mór series: Crua Tri, Crua Loj, and Crua Cottage.  These tents are not fire-retardant though labelled as such.  About 260 of these tents were sold online via cruaoutdoors.com, Moosejaw.com, CampSaver.com, Walmart.com, Cabella.com, Basspro.com, and amazon.com.  Stop using these tents around any open flames.  Thermo Tents USA says that you can contact them by calling 1-888-480-2550 to request a new label that states they are not fire-retardant.  To me, this is ludicrous.  I’d contact your point of purchase and arrange to send the tent back for a refund.  Then buy a safe, non-flammable tent.  If you get pushback, call the company or your state’s consumer protection office.    https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2021/Thermo-Tents-Recalls-Mor-Series-Tents-Due-to-Fire-Hazard-Tents-are-Mislabeled-as-Fire-Retardant-Recall-Alert   #tent #flammable   

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/m-85zttpkyk   The CPSC and the Homfa company have recalled Homfa HPB-087 and HPB-106 Cabinets.  These furniture pieces are unstable unless anchored to the wall, and they may tip over creating entrapment and injuries for children.  They fail to comply with US safety standards.  If you own one, unload it and keep children away from it.  Remove the cabinet’s drawer slides and email the company at service@myhomfa.com to receive instructions regarding where to send the slides to qualify for a refund.   https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2021/Homfa-Cabinets-Recalled-Due-to-Tip-Over-and-Entrapment-Hazards-Made-by-Shenzhen-Luosi-Ge-Trading-Co-Recall-Alert   #cabinet #tipover #entrapment  

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/dqQ_UC0ZLxU   The CPSC and the Scentsy company are recalling the Scentsy Luminary Jack Warmer and the Scentsy Bless This Home Warmer.  The electrical components within are corroded creating a fire hazard. Apparently a shipping container transporting these products required fumigation due to a cockroach problem, and the chemical used created the damage.  About 7805 of these were sold in the US and about 260 were sold in Canada.  If you have one, stop using it and take a photo of the warmer with its wires cut.  Contact Scentsy by calling 1-877-855-0617 for instructions about where to send your picture to receive a full refund.   https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2021/Scentsy-Recalls-Electrical-Oil-Warmers-Due-to-Fire-Hazard-Recall-Alert   #oilwarmer #fire  

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/4pF7tueTHsM   The CPSC and the Spirit Halloween company have recalled 3 children’s flashlights: ZAG Miraculous flashlight, the Ghostbusters flashlight, and the My Little Pony flashlight.  The batteries in these flashlights may overheat creating burn and fire hazards.  There were 6100 sold in the US and 380 in Canada.  Immediately take these flashlight away from your children, remove the batteries, and dispose of the flashlight.  Contact Spirit Halloween by calling 1-866-586-0155 for a refund.   https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2021/Spirit-Halloween-Recalls-Childrens-Flashlights-Due-to-Fire-and-Burn-Hazards   #flashlight #overheating  

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/Cc_4xw7qvkA   The CPSC and Goal Zero are recalling Yeti 25A Fast Charge Power Supply.  The link between the power supply and the output cord can become loose leading to overheating and a fire hazard.  If you have one of the 4500 of these sold, stop using it and contact Goal Zero at 1-888-794-6250 for a free repair.   https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2021/Goal-Zero-Recalls-Power-Supplies-Due-to-Fire-Hazard   #powersupply #yeti #overheating  

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/7tidOWhcV10   The CPSC and Grillblazer have recalled the Su-Vgun and Grillgun propane torch guns. Propane could leak from these products leading to fire hazards.  Around 10,000 of the products have been sold online.  If you bought one of these, stop using it and contact Grillblazer at 1-888-267-9022 to receive a free repair.   https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2021/GrillBlazer-Recalls-Propane-Torch-Guns-Due-to-Fire-Hazard   #grillblazer #propaneleak  

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/1-7pXum2ARI   The CPSC and Black and Decker have recalled the CRAFTSMAN® 10-inch corded chain saw, model CMECSP610.  This chain saw may unexpectedly start without pressing the power switch when the extension cord adapter is connected upside down. This poses a severe laceration hazard.  It was sold at Lowe’s and other stores as well as online at amazon.com.  If you have one of the 82,000 units sold, stop using it and contact Craftsman at 1-855-237-6848 to receive a free repair kit.   https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2021/Black-and-Decker-Recalls-CRAFTSMAN-10-Inch-Corded-Chain-Saws-Due-to-Laceration-Hazard   #craftsman #chainsaw #powerswitch  

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/ivE2_YyV-ys   The CPSC and LG Sourcing, Inc. are recalling Allen + Roth 62 inch Electric Fireplaces.  These units have wiring connectors that may overheat and lead to a fire hazard.  If you have one of the 48,000 of these sold, stop using it and contact LG Sourcing by calling 1-888-251-1019 to receive a free repair kit and to schedule free in-home repair.   https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2021/L-G-Sourcing-Recalls-to-Repair-Electric-Fireplaces-Due-to-Fire-Hazard-Sold-Exclusively-at-Lowes-Stores   #fireplace #electric #overheating