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**LET'S TALK**

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| ##### SUMMER 2007 HEALTHY BODIES ● SOUND MINDS ● A SAFE PLACE TO WORK |
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A *Zap* in Time!

Food-borne illnesses affect between 6 and 80 million people in the
United States, and result in at least 9,000 deaths annually.

The offender?

Looking innocent enough but often brimming with all manner of spores and
bacteria, like E. coli and salmonella, your sponge is often the main
kitchen culprit. Other usual suspects include kitchen dishcloths and pot
scrubbers.

The reason?

These items are a common source of kitchen contamination because they
usually come in contact with cooked and uncooked foods and then remain
damp for long periods.

The solution?

Microwaving sponges and plastic pot scrubbers can effectively kill
several kinds of bacteria that can cause illnesses. In fact, in a
December 2006 study published in the *Journal of Environmental Health,*
researchers from the University of Florida found that just two minutes
in the microwave on full power was sufficient to neutralize more than 99
percent of the pathogens on sponges and pan scrubbers.

Only one pathogen ---bacillus cereus --- needed additional time to be
neutralized. It takes about four minutes in the microwave to eradicate
bacillus cereus. A good rule of thumb is

to zap those sponges about every other day. At the workplace, if the
sponge gets minimal use, make sure you zap it at least once a week or
more often.

Here are some handy tips to remember before you use the microwave to
sanitize sponges:

■ Only microwave sponges and pot scrubbers that DO NOT contain steel or
other metals.

■ Don't microwave dry sponges. Make sure the sponge/scrubber is wet.

■ To avoid burns, don't handle materials right after zapping them.

To avoid food-borne illnesses, get to know the risks. Some of the most
common risks include poor personal hygiene (failure to wash hands after
touching contaminated foods), cross-contamination by using tainted
equipment on several food items, inadequate cooking

(time or temperature) and improper storage or holding temperatures.

Tanning Is More Than Skin Deep

"The healthiest shade for your skin is the color you were born with,"
says Martin A. Weinstock, M.D., Ph.D., chairman of the American Cancer
Society's Skin Cancer Advisory Group. "If you change that color, you'll
only have trouble in the long run."

That "trouble" may be skin cancer, the most common of all cancers.
Numerous studies have shown that ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun
or tanning salons may lead to wrinkles, sun damage and skin cancer.

"Even the actors on *Bay Watch* protected themselves by wearing plenty
of sunscreen and by using self-tanning products. They knew that if they
exposed themselves to ultraviolet radiation, it would damage their skin
and shorten their careers," says Dr. Weinstock.

**Types of skin cancer**

Skin cancers are divided into two types, nonmelanomas and melanomas.

**1. Nonmelanoma:** The most common types of nonmelanoma are basal cell
carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Basal cell carcinoma begins on
areas exposed to the sun and is slow growing. Squamous cell carcinoma
usually appears on the face, ears, neck and

hands and is more likely to invade tissues beneath the skin and spread.

**2. Melanoma:** Also called malignant melanoma, it usually appears on
the trunk or lower legs. Melanoma almost always is curable in its early
stages but is likely to spread to other areas of the body if left
untreated. Risk factors include numerous moles, UV radiation and fair
skin.

**The Best Way to Prevent Skin Cancer**

Dr. Weinstock says Americans should take a cue from the Australians, who
have adopted the slogan "Slip, Slop, Slap" to combat the skin cancer in
their country:

-   Slip on a shirt.

-   Slop on some sunscreen.

-   Slap on a hat.

To learn more: American Cancer Society, 800-ACS-2345, www.cancer.org

Late-Breaking Health News

\>\> Nearly 40 percent of Americans experience fatigue at work, a
problem that carries

billions of dollars in costs from lost productivity, according to a
study in the *Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.*

The study of nearly 29,000 employed adults found 38 percent had
experienced "low levels of energy, poor sleep or a feeling of fatigue"
during the past two weeks.

The study looked at the effects of fatigue on health-related lost
productive time --- not just absenteeism but also "presenteeism," or
days employees were at work but performing

at less than full capacity. Fatigue reduced work performance mainly by
interfering with concentration and increasing the time employees needed
to accomplish tasks.

***Summer 2007** 2*

**\>\> Cold medicine is dangerous for children younger than 2 years of
age.** More than 1,500 toddlers and babies were treated in emergency
rooms over a two-year period, and

three died because of bad reactions to cold or cough medicine, according
to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency warns
parents not to give over-the-counter cold remedies to children under age
2 without consulting a doctor.

The deaths of three infants 6 months or younger in 2005 led to an
investigation that showed the children all had high levels of the
decongestant pseudoephedrine, up to 14 times the amount recommended for
children ages 2 to 12. The ingredients in the

medicine can increase heart rate and blood pressure, in some cases
enough to be dangerous.

**\>\> U.S. tobacco companies increased the level of addictive nicotine
in their cigarettes by 11 percent** from 1998 to 2005, and did so in a
variety of ways according to

a Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) study.

The tobacco companies accomplished

the increase not only by intensifying the concentration of nicotine in
the tobacco but also by

modifying several design features to increase the number of puffs per
cigarette taken by smokers.

Increases in smoke-nicotine yields occurred in each of the four major
manufacturers and across all the major cigarette market categories,
including light and ultralight. In analyzing

major brand-name cigarettes, Harvard researchers found that increases in
smoke nicotine per cigarette averaged 1.6 percent each year over those
seven years. Nicotine is the primary addictive ingredient in cigarettes.

"Our analysis shows that the companies have been subtly increasing the
drug nicotine year by year in their cigarettes, without any warning to
consumers," says Gregory Connolly,

program director of the Tobacco Control Research Program at HSPH.

**For help to quit smoking, contact the FOH smoking-cessation program at
800-457-9808.**

**Vitality-ON-Demand**

**A world of additional health information available via your
computer.**

You may think of this publication as just a newsletter. But would you
believe it's also an access index to one of the largest databases of
family health and personal self-care data around? With our free
Vitality-on-Demand (VOD) service, you can get all of the information

you need any time you want it!

Visit *www.vitality.com* for more articles and to search for topics you
would like to

learn more about.

**It's simple. And it's free.**

***Summer 2007** 3*

**Via the Internet:** Visit our home page at *www.vitality.com* and
press the Vitality-on-Demand button to search by keyword. Or click on
Special Reports to access the articles listed below.

**SPECIAL REPORT**

**119** Identity Theft

**120** How to Quit Smoking

**541** Sensible Weight Loss

**542** Lowering Your Cholesterol

**543** Reducing Your Stress

**544** Walking for Fitness

**545** Workstation Comfort

**546** Fixing an Aching Back

**547** Start An Exercise Program

**548** Controlling Allergies

**549** Lowering Health-Care Costs

**550** Living With Arthritis

**551** Dealing With Headaches

**552** High Blood Pressure

*Children's* Summertime *Safety*

Summer is a great time for kids of all ages to play outside, having fun
as they exercise. But keeping youngsters safe and sound requires
vigilance and good sense. The following guidelines can help keep your
kids safe when swimming in a pool or jumping on a

trampoline.

**Pool Safety**

Small children can drown easily in water they can stand in. No pool ---
not even a foot-deep plastic kiddie pool --- is drown-proof. The
following precautions can help protect children:

■ No child should be left to play in a pool of any size without a
responsible adult in attendance at all times. A child can drown in the
few minutes it takes for an adult to run inside and answer the phone or
door or use the bathroom.

■ If a child can't swim, a life jacket --- a personal flotation device
approved by the U.S. Coast Guard --- should be worn at all times near or
in a swimming pool. Flotation rings, inflatable rafts or plastic foam
"noodles" are not safe substitutes for life jackets. Even when wearing a
life jacket, a child can choke on water, so an adult should be in the
pool

with a nonswimmer at all times.

■ A home pool should be surrounded by a fence with a self-locking gate.

**Trampoline Safety**

Trampoline injuries include broken bones, concussions and other head
injuries, neck and spinal injuries, sprains, cuts and scrapes. If you
allow your children to jump on a trampoline, these precautions may help
prevent injuries:

■ No child younger than 6 should use a full-size trampoline. All
children should be supervised by adults.

■ Shock-absorbing pads should be installed to cover the steel frame,
springs and hooks.

***Summer 2007** 4*

■ The surface under and around the trampoline should be covered with
wood chips, sand or the type of rubber matting found in playgrounds.

■ Only one child at a time should use a trampoline.

**Helpful Web Sites for Parents**

The following Web sites offer information to help parents keep their
children safe, not only during summer but year-round.

-   Kids.gov, the official U.S. government site for children,
    **www.kids.gov/k_safety.htm**

-   My Space Safety, tips from the FBI on Internet safety,
    **www.myspace-safety.org/**

**fbi-parents-guide.aspx**

-   MedlinePlus Child Safety Site, **www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/**

**childsafety.htm**

-   National Highway Traffic Safety Administration,
    **www.nhtsa.dot.gov,** click on

Child Safety Seat Information in the "Quick Links" drop-down menu

-   National Safe Kids Campaign, **www.safekids.org**

Do You Think Your

Lawn Mower Is a Pushover?

**Lawn mowers are a familiar sound** in the summer. Mowing the lawn is
so common that it's easy to forget how dangerous a power lawn mower can
be.

**Take it seriously**

Each year, nearly 80,000 Americans require hospital treatment for
injuries caused by lawn mowers, according to a study conducted by
researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg

School of Public Health. The most common injuries include cuts from the
blade, burns from touching hot parts and wounds from objects shot out of
the mower.

**Before you begin**

Pick up sticks, rocks, toys and trash first.

Check the protective guards on the mower. Make sure they are secure.

Wear safety glasses, long pants and sturdy shoes to protect yourself in
case objects fly out from under the blade.

**After you start the engine**

Don't place your hands or any object near the blade when the engine is
running. Don't allow children in the area, and carefully supervise
teenagers using the mower. Never leave a running mower unattended. Just
as you don't drink alcohol and drive, don't drink

and mow.

Power lawn mowers have sharp blades spinning at 160 miles an hour just
inches away from feet and hands. Everyone needs to respect the dangers
and use common sense.

*.*

***Summer 2007** 5*

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| **The Federal Consortium EAP provides assessment, counseling,         |
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| *Information published in Let's Talk is the opinion of the sourced    |
| authors. Personal decisions regarding health, finance, exercise and   |
| other matters should be made after consultation with the reader's     |
| professional advisers. All models are used for illustrative purposes  |
| only.*                                                                |
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| ### *Copyright © 2007 All editorial rights reserved.*                 |
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***Summer 2007** 6*