“Legionnaires’ disease is a multisystem disease which causes pneumonia due to gram-negative bacteria (Legionella spp.) found in freshwater environments around the world. Humans are infected by inhalation of aerosols containing Legionella. The infection can be fatal and outbreaks from a common environmental source can occur. Cases of Legionnaires’ disease are mainly reported in persons in older age groups, especially in males. Legionellosis is an uncommon form of pneumonia. The disease has no particular clinical features that clearly distinguish it from other types of pneumonia, and laboratory investigations must be carried out to confirm the diagnosis. It normally takes between two to ten days to develop symptoms (typically five to six days) but very rarely some cases may take two to three weeks to develop symptoms.”
European Centre for Disease and Control (https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/legionnaires-disease/facts)
·Patients who have failed outpatient antibiotic therapy
·Patients with severe pneumonia, in particular those requiring intensive care
·Immuno-compromised host with pneumonia
·Patients with pneumonia in the setting of a legionellosis outbreak
·Patients with a travel history [Patients that have traveled away from their home within two weeks before the onset of illness.]
·Patients suspected of healthcare-associated pneumonia
Diagnostic Tests done in checking for illness or infection of the lungs, in general:
Legionnaires’ disease is similar to other types of pneumonia. To help identify the presence of legionella bacteria quickly, your doctor may use a test that checks your urine for legionella antigens — foreign substances that trigger an immune system response. You may also have one or more of the following:
·Blood tests
·Chest X-ray, which doesn’t confirm Legionnaires’ disease but can show the extent of infection in your lungs
·Tests on a sample of your sputum or lung tissue
·A CT scan of your brain or a spinal tap (lumbar puncture) if you have neurological symptoms such as confusion or trouble concentrating.
How to test in particular for Legionnaires’ Disease Only:
·Urinary antigen assay & culture of respiratory secretions on selective media are the preferred diagnostic tests for Legionnaires’ disease
·Sensitivity varies depending on the quality and timing of specimen collection as well as technical skill of the laboratory performing the test.
TREATMENT:
·Legionnaires’ disease is treated with antibiotics. The sooner therapy is started, the less likely the chance of serious complications or death. In many cases, treatment requires hospitalization. Pontiac fever goes away on its own without treatment and causes no lingering problems.
LASTLY about “outbreaks of Legionnaire’s disease” are preventable, but prevention requires meticulous cleaning and disinfection of water systems, pools and spas.
Avoiding smoking is the single most important thing you can do to lower your risk of infection. Smoking increases the chances that you’ll develop Legionnaires’ disease if you’re exposed to legionella bacteria.
“Few people have heard of Pontiac fever, and yet most are aware of Legionnaires’ disease. It is intriguing therefore to discover that both illnesses are triggered by the same bacterium… called legionella. Pontiac fever is far milder and much less serious than Legionnaires’ disease. Indeed it may be possible for someone to contract Pontiac fever and assume they simply have the flu, since both present with very similar symptoms. The main difference is pneumonia. Sufferers of Legionnaires’ disease will probably contract pneumonia and are therefore likely to require hospital treatment in order to make a successful recovery. This is why Legionnaires’ is more serious than Pontiac fever, which doesn’t present with this additional illness. It is good to know that Pontiac fever is not as serious as Legionnaires’ disease. However it is still wise to identify it if at all possible. It may point to an outbreak of Legionnaires’ that could help others get more urgent treatment as a result.”
Legionella Control (https://legionellacontrol.com/legionella/pontiac-fever-legionnaires-disease/)
Legionnaires’ disease is a severe form of pneumonia — lung inflammation usually caused by infection. Legionnaires’ disease is caused by a bacterium known as legionella.
Legionella bacteria are found naturally in freshwater environments, like lakes and streams. The bacteria can become a health concern when they grow and spread in human-made building water systems like
Showerheads and sink faucets
Cooling towers (structures that contain water and a fan as part of centralized air cooling systems for buildings or industrial processes)
Hot tubs
Decorative fountains and water features
Hot water tanks and heaters
Large, complex plumbing systems
Home and car air-conditioning units do not use water to cool the air, so they are not a risk for Legionella growth.
However, Legionella can grow in the windshield wiper fluid tank of a vehicle (such as a car, truck, van, school bus, or taxi), particularly if the tank is filled with water and not genuine windshield cleaner fluid.
You can’t catch Legionnaires’ disease from person-to-person contact. Instead, most people get Legionnaires’ disease from inhaling the bacteria. Older adults, smokers and people with weakened immune systems are particularly susceptible to Legionnaires’ disease.
The legionella bacterium also causes Pontiac fever, a milder illness resembling the flu. Separately or together, the two illnesses are sometimes called legionellosis. Pontiac fever usually clears on its own, but untreated Legionnaires’ disease can be fatal. Although prompt treatment with antibiotics usually cures Legionnaires’ disease, some people continue to experience problems after treatment.
Know this about Legionnaire’s disease, although the disease primarily affects the lungs, it occasionally can cause infections in wounds and in other parts of the body, including the heart.
Legionnaires’ disease usually develops two to 10 days after exposure to legionella bacteria. It frequently begins with the following signs and symptoms:
Headache
Muscle pain
Chills
Fever that may be 104 F (40 C) or higher
By the second or third day, you’ll develop other signs and symptoms that may include:
Cough, which may bring up mucus and sometimes blood
Shortness of breath
Chest pain
Gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea
Confusion or other mental changesA mild form of Legionnaires’ disease — known as Pontiac fever — may produce signs and symptoms including fever, chills, headache and muscle aches. Pontiac fever doesn’t infect your lungs, and symptoms usually clear within two to five days.WHEN TO SEE A DOCTOR:
Who are at risk for Legionnaires’ disease:
Most healthy people exposed to Legionella do not get sick. People at increased risk of getting sick are:
People 50 years or older
Current or former smokers
People with a chronic lung disease (like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or emphysema)
People with weak immune systems or who take drugs that weaken the immune system (like after a transplant operation or chemotherapy)
People with cancer
People with underlying illnesses such as diabetes, kidney failure, or liver failure
See your doctor if you think you’ve been exposed to legionella bacteria. Diagnosing and treating Legionnaires’ disease as soon as possible can help shorten the recovery period and prevent serious complications. For people at high risk, prompt treatment is critical.
“Refrigerate perishable items within two hours of coming out of the oven or refrigerator. After two hours, perishable food enters the “Danger Zone” (between 40 F and 140 F), where bacteria can multiply quickly and cause food to become unsafe. Perishable food should be discarded if left out for longer than two hours, so refrigerate or freeze items to prevent food waste .Use the Monday after Thanksgiving as a reminder that it is the last day you can safely eat leftovers. If you want to keep leftovers longer, freeze them within that four-day period. Frozen food stays safe indefinitely, though the quality may decrease over time (best quality if eaten within six months. Make sure your reheated leftovers reach 165 F as measured with a food thermometer. Reheat sauces, soups and gravies safely by bringing them to a rolling boil. When reheating in the microwave, cover and rotate the food for even heating. Arrange food items evenly in a covered microwave safe glass or ceramic dish and add some liquid, if needed. Because microwaves have cold spots, check the internal temperature of the food in several places with a food thermometer after allowing a resting time.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2021/11/22/leftovers-lets-keep-best-part-thanksgiving-safe)
The NY post 2018 states, “The fascinating new statistic emerged in a new survey of 2,000 Americans around all things concerning Thanksgiving, which also crowned ham (60 percent), chicken (41 percent) and roast beef (37 percent) as the most popular alternatives to turkey.
The new study, conducted by Omaha Steaks, also revealed nearly half (44 percent) of Thanksgiving hosts will be serving a new main dish this year.
Thanksgiving is a delicate occasion that expects near perfection all across the board or else you risk ending up with hungry and unhappy guests.
Unfortunately, according to the study, the average Thanksgiving dinner only goes 64 percent as planned.
So what usually goes wrong? The biggest “Thanksgiving fail” is not having all the food cooked on time — with 41 percent of Americans saying they’ve been left hungry and waiting at dinner.”
Well check out about White Meat vs. Red Meat
White Meat
White meat is best known as meat that is lean, especially in comparison with red meat. The big point about white meat is that its fat content is less in comparison with red meat. Meats traditionally thought of as white (such as veal and even lamb) have been reclassified as red meats. Another advantage to eating white meat over red meat, which is also why health experts recommend it over red meat, is the lower number of calories that it contains. However, the difference in calories between white meat and red meat is not so great that it will absolutely ruin your waistline if you choose to eat some red meat once in a while.
Red Meat
Red meat is the victim of stereotypes that have been exaggerated to the point where it is today somewhat stigmatized as a food that is linked to cancer and higher fat and caloric content. While the cancer issue depends on what studies you look at and the higher caloric content is not that much over white meat, red meat does have benefits that white meat simply lacks. For example, the nutrients zinc, iron, thiamine and riboflavin (in addition to vitamins B12 and B6) appear in much greater abundance in red meat. Moreover, red meat is a great source of muscle-building protein as well as being the best source of the antioxidant called alpha lipoic acid. Still, red meat has been the subject of a lot of studies that connect it to health problems beyond cancer, like cardiovascular disease and even arthritis and hypertension.
Which One to Choose
The bottom line is that no matter which meat you eat, you can guard yourself against health problems if you eat in moderation. While white meat is not tied to as many health problems as red meat is, it does not feature many of the benefits that you get in red meat, such as the vitamins and minerals. So if you want to get a dose of said nutrients, you should eat more red meat, but do so in a way that is only moderate
HERE IS SOME FACTS ABOUT TURKEY
Because most cuts of turkey provide valuable amounts of protein, turkey is often regarded as a high-protein food. Skinned turkey breast will provide the most protein per serving, at 34 grams in 4 ounces. But you will still get 31 grams from 4 ounces of turkey leg and 21 grams from 4 ounces of turkey thigh.
In addition to protein, however, turkey is also rich in other nutrients. All B vitamins are present in turkey meat, including B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, folate, biotin, and choline. (Because the biotin content of turkey meat is sensitive to the turkey’s dietary intake, the amount of this vitamin can vary greatly, with an approximate average of 0.8 micrograms in 4 ounces of turkey breast.) Turkey is a very good source for vitamin B3 and provides about 8.5 milligram in 4 ounces, or over 40% of the Daily Value (DV). It’s also a very good source of vitamin B6, at 0.64 milligrams in 4 ounces (32% DV). By providing 22%DV for choline in 4 ounces, turkey also ranks as a good source of this B vitamin.
In terms of minerals, turkey is richest in selenium and provides over 50% of the DV in a single 4-ounce serving. Zinc, copper, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, and iron are also provided by this food in amounts varying from 5-15% DV.
All cuts of turkey contain omega-3 fats. However, the content of omega-3s in turkey can vary widely, depending on the turkey’s diet. One of the reasons we recommend pasture-raised turkey is the ability of turkeys to enjoy omega-3 containing plants and insects in natural pasture settings. As a general rule, the most favorable ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats is found in skinned turkey breast, where the ratio in non-pasture-raised turkey is approximately 10:1. This same ratio is about 13:1 in non-pasture-raised turkey leg or turkey thigh with skin. While there are only a few studies documenting the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio in pasture-raised turkey, those studies suggest that pasture feeding can lower the ratio to approximately 7:1. (There are some studies on pasture-raised chickens that show similar results.) Within the omega-3 family of fats, it is possible to get 10-60 milligrams of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) from a 4-ounce serving of turkey, depending on the cut and diet consumed by the turkey. DHA is a unique omega-3 fat in terms of its ability to support healthy nerve function.
Protein Richness
When we rank all of our 100+ WHFoods based on their protein richness (how much protein they provide in comparison with their calorie content), turkey ranks first among all of our foods. A 4-ounce serving of skinned baked turkey breast provides about 34 grams of protein and over two-thirds of the Daily Value (DV). With 4 ounces of turkey leg, this number drops just slightly to 31-32 grams of protein. With 4 ounces of turkey thigh, it drops to about 21 grams. In these examples, the protein values are changing from cut-to-cut partly because of the way the turkey moves and uses its muscles, and partly because of the fat content of the various cuts. If the health benefit you are seeking from turkey is focused on protein richness, you’ll probably want to stick with skinned turkey breast as your preferred cut.
Other Health Benefits
Unfortunately, there is not as much research on turkey as there is on chicken, its fellow bird in the poultry category. Several preliminary studies show the protein richness of turkey to be of potential benefit in regulating blood sugar levels as well as insulin metabolism. These findings make sense since adequate protein intake in a balanced way throughout the day can be very helpful in managing blood sugar. In the area of cancer prevention, turkey shows that intake of it is not associated with increased cancer risk in the same way as red meats. However,they simply show that turkey intake does not raise this risk which is still a plus compared to some other foods.
Description
Like chicken, turkey belongs to the bird (Aves) class of animals, and to the family of birds called Phasianidae. While there are many different breeds of turkeys, most of them belong to the same genus and species of bird, namely Meleagris gallopavo. Turkeys are truly native to North and South America – they were not brought to the “New World” by European settlers but were instead discovered to be already present and intimately involved with Native American cultures. Turkeys are relatively large birds that can reach about 30-35 pounds in weight. They can fly short distances at speeds of about 50-55 miles per hour and run at approximately 20-25 miles per hour.
History
At 2.5 million tons of turkey meat per year, the U.S. is by far the world’s largest producer of turkey. (All countries in the European Union combined produce 1.75 million tons.) Smaller amounts of turkey are produced in Africa, Asia, and the Mediterranean. At about 450,000 tons, Brazil is the largest turkey producer in South America.
In the U.S., we consume an average of 16.5 pounds of turkey per person per year. That about is about one-quarter of our chicken consumption.
According to the National Turkey Federation, about 20% of all turkey (just over three pounds per person) is consumed on Thanksgiving Day, Gobble Gobble Day.
How to Select and Store
It’s worth taking special care in the selection of turkey! Several aspects of turkey selection will help you maximize your health benefits from this World’s Healthiest Food. First, we recommend the purchase of fresh turkey. Technically, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines allow use of the word “fresh” only when turkey has never been stored a temperature below 26°F (-3°C). (Otherwise, the term “frozen” or “previously frozen” would be required.) Additives like sodium erythorbate, MSG, and salt are not allowed on fresh turkey, and that’s a major health advantage for you.
“Based on fair evidence, excessive salt intake and deficient dietary consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables are associated with an increased risk of gastric cancer. Dietary intake of vitamin C contained in vegetables, fruits, and other foods of plant origin is associated with a reduced risk of gastric cancer. Diets high in whole-grain cereals, carotenoids, allium compounds, and green tea are also associated with a reduced risk of this cancer. However, it is uncertain if changing one’s diet to include more vegetables, fruits, and whole grains would reduce the risk of gastric cancer.”
National Cancer Society (https://www.cancer.gov/types/stomach/hp/stomach-prevention-pdq)
Measures for Prevention of Stomach (Gastric) Cancer Risk:
Smoking cessation
Based on solid evidence, smoking is associated with an increased risk of stomach cancer. The 2004 Surgeon General’s report identifies cigarette smoking as a cause of stomach cancer, with an average relative risk (RR) in former smokers of 1.2 and in current smokers of 1.6. Compared with persistent smokers, the risk of stomach cancer decreases among former smokers with time since cessation. This pattern of observations makes it reasonable to infer that cigarette smoking prevention or cessation would result in a decreased risk of gastric cancer.
H. pylori infection eradication
Based on solid evidence, H. pylori infection is associated with an increased risk of gastric cancer.
Treat stomach infections. If you have ulcers from an H. pylori infection, get treatment. Antibiotics can kill the bacteria, and other drugs will heal the sores in the lining of your stomach to cut your risk of cancer.
Diet
Eat healthy. Get more fresh fruits and vegetables on your plate every day. They’re high in fiber and in some vitamins that can lower your cancer risk. Avoid very salty, pickled, cured, or smoked foods like hot dogs, processed lunch meats, or smoked cheeses. Keep your weight at a healthy level, too. Being overweight or obese can also raise your risk of the disease.
Based on fair evidence, excessive salt intake and deficient dietary consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables are associated with an increased risk of gastric cancer. Dietary intake of vitamin C contained in vegetables, fruits, and other foods of plant origin is associated with a reduced risk of gastric cancer. Diets high in whole-grain cereals, carotenoids, allium compounds, and green tea are also associated with a reduced risk of this cancer. However, it is uncertain if changing one’s diet to include more vegetables, fruits, and whole grains would reduce the risk of gastric cancer.
TREATMENTS FOR STOMACH CANCER:
Many treatments can fight stomach cancer. The one you and your doctor choose will depend on how long you’ve had the disease or how much it has spread in your body, called the stage of your cancer.
Surgery. Your doctor might remove part of your stomach or other tissues nearby that have cancer cells. Surgery gets rid of the tumor and stops cancer from spreading to other parts of your body. If your disease is in a more advanced stage, your doctor might need to remove all of your stomach=Gastrectomy or in some other cases the Surgeon may only have to remove part of the stomach=Partial Gastrectomy.
Some tumors can keep food from moving in and out of your stomach. In that case, you might have surgery to put in a stent, a device that keeps the pathways open.
Chemotherapy. Drugs kill your cancer cells or keep them from growing. You can take them as pills or through an IV at a clinic. Chemo usually takes several weeks. The drugs can cause side effects, but your doctor can help you find ways to feel better during treatment.
Radiation. High-energy waves or particles can kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Your doctor may use an X-ray or other machine to beam radiation at the spot where your tumor is.
Chemoradiation. Your doctor might use this mix of chemotherapy and radiation to shrink your tumor before surgery.
Targeted drugs. These newer drugs are different because they fight only cancer cells. Other treatments, like chemo and radiation, can kill healthy cells along with diseased ones. As a result, targeted therapies have fewer side effects than these other treatments.
“Stomach cancer is the fifth most common cancer worldwide. It is more common in countries in East Asia, Eastern Europe, and South and Central America than in the United States and other Western countries. There are many known risk factors for stomach cancer (also called gastric cancer), but often it’s not clear exactly how these factors might affect how cells in the stomach become cancer cells. This is the subject of ongoing research.”
American Cancer Society (https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/stomach-cancer/causes-risks-prevention/what-causes.html)
