Entry #7 Fresh Foods and Where to Find Them.

If you read my previous blog post, you are probably a little grossed out by food at this point. However, the food related torture is not over. I recently had the opportunity to watch a short documentary called "Fresh." You can view the trailer by watching the video below. Or you can buy the DVD at their website by clicking below.

                                                               Fresh The Movie Website

The video is thought provoking and it shows viewers two very different farming styles the United States currently employs. The industrialized money making machine and the sustainable farming model that some farmers have embraced. The movie presents several viewpoints and illustrates the successes and struggles of sustainable farming. It also goes a step further because it persuades the audience of the viability of sustainable agriculture. It is profitable, it is maintainable, and it is better for the environment and the natural resources used in farming.

Sustainable agriculture raises a lot of questions and it is an easy subject to conquer. As the graph to the left illustrates, there are a lot of factors to consider.

Personally, this film made me think. A LOT! I never really considered the methods that are being used in agriculture. Most of the techniques that have negative consequences are things that make sense from the surface. For instance, if I need to produce more cows at my farm I need to increase the number of cows I have. I can't increase the amount of space because I haven't made the money from the sale yet. So, my cows will have to be in tight quarters. If the animals are in tight quarters though I will need to keep them on antibiotics to prevent disease. The consequences of these "solutions" are usually overlooked. If the cows were not crowded to begin they likely would not have the issue with disease and sick cows could easily be quarantined from the heard. The large amounts of antibiotics in these animal will soon start to cause the animals normal flora to develop resistances. This means that the normal bacteria of these animals is incredibly deadly. If a human or other animal gets infected they will have a very difficult time finding an antibiotic to stop the infection.

This also leads into the idea of preserving renewable resources. Animals treated with hormones and antibiotics produce waste that will kill and destroy plant life. It essentially has become toxic and difficult to expose of. Normally the feces from these animals would provide nutrients and encourage plant growth.

Finding sustainable solutions will not always be easy but it is possible and it can work.

Entry #6 Bacteria... The only culture some people have.

Every now and again news stories will pop up about vegetable and/or meat products that are infected with a bacteria known as Escherichia coli or E. coli.  2016 had three outbreaks of this bacteria. More information can be found by clicking the link below:

2016 Outbreaks

The questions many people have about E. coli go unanswered. Why is it dangerous? How can we avoid contaminated products? What do symptoms, treatment, and  prevention look like?

Have no fear. The answers to your questions are here.

Why be concerned about E. coli?
       E. coli by itself is actually a common normally occurring bacteria. It is found in most human and animal digestive tracts and on the skin. It is normally harmless. However, there are certain strains that exist that will produce toxins when they are destroyed by the immune system. These toxins are what scientists are concerned about in terms of illness and epidemics. The strain that produces this is known as E. coli 0157:H7, it can also be referred to as a STEC or a shiga toxin producing E. coli.
These shiga toxins can cause children and the elderly to develop Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome which can be deadly. Most healthy adults experience an illness that lasts 5-7 days.

Avoiding contaminated products and prevention
     E.coli bacteria can grow in a lot of places particularly food crops and around farm animals and other food related products. They can also be found in natural sources of water.
     Do not worry though. This bacteria can be easily avoided even in contaminated products. Ensure that non-homogenized/pasteurized dairy and juice products are avoided. Also by practicing good hand hygiene and by ensuring meats and foods are cooked at the appropriate temperature.

Symptoms and treatment.
     Most adults will experience mild fevers accompanied by severe diarrhea and vomiting. Secretions can also be bloody. The course of illness can be mild to severe and it is important to contact your doctor if symptons get worse as it might be a sign that you are developing hemolytic uremic syndrome.
     The CDC presents the following guidance:
Contact your healthcare provider if you have diarrhea that lasts for more than 3 days, or is accompanied by high fever, blood in the stool, or so much vomiting that you cannot keep liquids down and you pass very little urine.



On an interesting side note, this is what E. coli looks like on a MacConkey growth agar. 

Entry #5 To like or not to like?

Subscribe, drop a comment, like this post, are all common phrases in the modern social media world. They represent the social currency of the digital world. One of the main aspects of attaining this social wealth and popularity is through the almighty selfie.

I will admit I take selfies. Step 1 to recovery right, admit you have a problem? I can remember a time where I was upset with my friends who had all gotten together to take a night out on the town filled with clubs and copious amounts of liquor. Sadly as they were posting status updates and garnering likes from our social groups I was cooped up working a night shift by myself in a tiny little lab.

So I did what any self-respecting adult would do. I engaged in a selfie war.  I was Combating their obviously fun time out, with my own equally amusing night surrounded by machines. See at the left:

Today teens and even adults are very concerned about their digital image. People want to look good in public right? I'm not going to wear my Walmart clothes on my blog so to speak.

There is also the struggle to garner likes. Teens want likes immediately and strive to collect so many within certain timeframes.

For example, my cousin, who is 15, has developed her own set of codes to communicate with her friends. Reading her text messages was almost impossible as it consisted of about 98% emoji content and very little words.

Should I be worried if her friend says 'hey, puppy dog, chicken leg, heart, sunshine, smiley face, soccer ball.'


In addition to her bizarre text conversations I also asked her about social media and likes verses comments on her selfies. She seemed to share similar opinions with the guests on the podcast This American Life episode titled Status Update.

Likes were very important and the more you had the more well liked you were considered. She agreed that she really only preferred comments from friends and that close friends really had an obligation to comment. If they did not comment it could be interpreted as the other party being upset with the person posting.

I don't personally have those kind of rules with my friends. Although the night of our little selfie war we determined the winner by the number of likes and by the comments ensuing on our private chat room.

There is definitely a focus on staying relevant and building relationships in the digital space. Whether this is good or bad for society and todays youth I am unsure. I do believe that these interactions help to build confidence and develop social tact and skills. However, I do recognize that the opposite, depression and lowering of self-esteem, have been reported as well.

Regardless, I think that social media and the internet are here to stay and despite opposition and nostalgic dreams of the 'good ole days,' there is a real need to stay current and be informed. By staying informed and educated of the tools these kids use to communicate, society can also become better communicators, working within these systems to reach teens and wider audiences.

Entry #4 Are you my type?

Do you know your blood type? Knowing your blood type is important medical information and knowing what your blood type is can help save your life and others lives if you choose to be a blood donor.

So what exactly is a blood type? Well to put it simply it's all based on genetics and your immune system. If someone is type A their body will make red blood cells that have A type markers on the cell surface known as antigens. Inversely their immune system will make antibodies to the markers they don't have. Type A blood will have antibodies to type B markers (antigens) and vice versa.

Take a look at this video to get a better idea of how exactly antigens and antibodies for your blood type works.

The most important thing to remember though is that just one blood donation can save up to three lives. The reason being is that whole blood can be split up into many different parts. You can separate the red blood cells from the plasma and then the plasma can be separated into platelets and clotting factors.

In addition, The American Red Cross estimates that every 2 seconds in the United States a life saving unit of blood is needed. Despite that high number and the projected needs, less than 10% of the U.S population donates blood each year.

Blood donations save lives and it is possible that you or a loved one might need a life-saving transfusion. Staying informed and knowing how you can make big differences in other peoples lives with a resource that is renewable is essential in ensuring that hospitals and physicians have the resources to care for their patients.

Entry #3 "Funnier than a Placebo" ZDoggMD

There is a very small, almost niche, area for the Dr. type celebrities. The images that come to mind are the staged audience TV shows like Dr. Oz or Dr. Phil. These shows are driven by ratings and producer directed attention grabbers. Somehow, Dr Zubin Damania was able to break through this bubble when he gained YouTube celebrity status for his humorous and educational parodies and lectures/critiques of modern healthcare.

See more about ZDoggMD here.

Under the stage name ZDoggMD, Dr. Damania uses his knowledge of pop culture and combines it with his knowledge of medicine. This makes his videos enjoyable to a broad audience. Although, they are mostly geared towards people in the healthcare industry, most of the messages are universal.

The "where is my pen struggle" is a fairly common and understandable struggle. By combining that struggle with a parody of Liam Neeson from the movie Taken, Zdogg makes the video relatable to a wide audience. Knowing what an audience will like and how they might connect with your message is how successful social media icons maintain their followings.

In addition to his creative use of comedy that is both informational and hilarious, ZDogg also seeks to influence health care policy through the power of satire. He seeks to incorporate social media into the health care system and to redesign policies to make it more about the healthcare team and the patient as an individual. YouTubers that garner mass following and views certainly have an amazing power. The power to influence and inform vast amounts of people. Simply by uploading relevant, entertaining and meaningful content.

To learn more about the Healthcare 3.0 movement click here.

Enjoy another fun video below.