Penelope Kokkinides

The holidays have come and gone, and what better way to ring in a new year than with sugary sweets and infectious diseases?

According to the CDC, more than 20 cases of Listeria monocytogenes in the United States have been liked to commercially produced, prepackaged caramel apples. At least four, possibly five cases of this epidemic have been fatal.

The CDC has also revealed that older adults, pregnant women, infants and adults with compromised immune systems are more susceptible to this infection and are being advised to steer clear of prepackaged candy and caramel apples.

Try not to stress too much about that binge you had on Halloween, but some additional scary news: Listeria symptoms could begin up to 70 days after taking your first bite of the contaminated apple.

To fight Listeria, the CDC asks that while you enjoy your savory treats, remember the proper way food should be cooked, stored and prepared with limited germ and bacteria interaction.

2015 may be the year to embrace mainstream candy and pick up a chocolate bar, before falling prey to a poisoned apple.

Last week, Time revealed its annual Person of the Year.

I was so pleased when the magazine gave the 2014 award to Ebola aid workers in West Africa. I can’t think of a braver, more selfless group of recipients. In the words of Time’s editor, Nancy Gibbs: “They risked and persisted, sacrificed and saved… The rest of the world can sleep at night because a group of men and women were willing to stand and fight.”

In a special editorial published Wednesday morning, Gibbs rightfully postulates that the actions of local and international volunteers prevented a (much worse) global health catastrophe. It is also important to recognize that these aid workers were pitted against corrupt governments and nearly nonexistent public health infrastructure.

According to the editorial, Time’s decision also reflects the social and geopolitical impact of Ebola. Simply put, the outbreak proved that the world was woefully unprepared for a global health crisis. In America, the virus was emotionally divisive and exposed shortcomings of our own healthcare system.

The Ebola outbreak in West Africa is a momentous event in global history. It is an opportunity to learn, improve and prepare for the future. It is also an opportunity to recognize the dedication of health workers, especially those who will always run toward fires, no matter the cost.

Last month, I wrote a brief post about flu prevention and vaccination. (Of course, I’ll take this opportunity to encourage you again to get a flu shot— it’s not too late, since flu season won’t peak until next month.)

Today, however, I’m writing about something in the broader realm of winter illnesses.

As you may have gathered, I frequently browse online health news as a means of keeping up with the latest developments and happenings in my industry. Every now and then, I’ll find something really neat outside of the lines of traditional news.

Yesterday, I came across a fascinating photo series capturing vintage cold and flu remedy ads. While some of these remedies were safer and more effective than others, all of the posters are vibrant examples of bygone eras in advertising. The series also made me appreciate modern drug regulation— we’ve come a long way from snake oil and whiskey for flu relief.

One of my favorites in the series is titled “Le Thermogene,” which looks like an early version of IcyHot. Here is the link to the entire gallery—enjoy!

Here’s a piece of positive healthcare news: Tuesday, the Department of Health and Human Services reported that American hospitals are becoming significantly safer and cleaner.

According to data, the incidence of hospital-acquired ailments inside fell 17 percent between 2010 and 2013. (The report considers hospital-acquired aliments to include infections, falls and adverse reactions to drugs.) The data equates to 121 hospital-acquired ailments for every 1,000 patients discharged in 2013, down from 145 in 2010.

Overall, the administration estimated that this decline may have resulted in as many as 50,000 fewer hospital deaths over the three-year period.

You can read the full report or this summary in Modern Healthcare.

While the Department of Health and Human Services is unsure of the exact cause of the reduction, it points to new hospital reporting requirements, as well as new ties between Medicare reimbursement and preventable patient complications.

Unfortunately, the data collected between 2010 and 2013 cannot be compared to hospital data collected during previous administrations. However, a 17 percent drop in hospital-acquired ailments over three years is no small feat!

I think this reflects wonderfully on American healthcare providers. It demonstrates both a legitimate concern for patient safety, as well as an interest in adhering to new national regulations and standards.

Today, I found a short but entertaining article that really seems to offer the complete Thanksgiving package.  The article primarily concerns the economics of Thanksgiving — the dollars, gallons of gas and sky miles that support our Turkey day festivities. It’s a fascinating illustration of how momentous a social and financial event Thanksgiving has become.

But the real highlight of the article is the author’s intended use for this information: as a rescue raft for tense family conversation and unexpected twists and turns at the table.

Per the author’s instructions, if you’re in a pinch, say “Hey, did you know that…” and then choose from the article’s handy list of conversation starters.

I’ve included some previews from each topic category below:

• The Road

AAA, the auto club, predicts 46.3 million people will be driving at least 50 miles for the Thanksgiving weekend. That’s the most for the holiday since 2007 and up 4.2 percent from last year.

• The Sky

This is the busiest air-travel time of the year. Airlines for America, the airline trade group, says 24.6 million passengers will fly over the Thanksgiving holiday period.

• The Food

According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, the typical 16-pound turkey will cost $21.65.

• The Shopping

The National Retail Federation predicts a 4.1 percent increase in holiday sales this season.  Since the first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1924, most Americans have regarded the following day as the “official” start of the holiday shopping season.

Happy Holidays, friends, and remember your statistics! You never know when you may need them.

While the next month truly is the most wonderful time of year, it also inevitably brings its share of stresses and concerns. Activities such as decorating, hosting family and preparing meals are challenging but essential to the holiday experience.

With so much to do, it’s inevitable that things will occasionally go wrong. ER visits spike around holidays. And while driving during these busy times is always inherently dangerous, there has also been a drastic jump in decorating injuries over the past four years. Yes, decorating injuries.

While it can be fun to marvel at his poor decisions concerning ladders, lights and staple guns – especially when performed by Chevy Chase in Christmas Vacation – these missteps can lose their humor when they become real-life incidents.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), an average of about 250 serious, decor-related injuries occur per day in December. The most frequently reported injuries are falls and lacerations, often involving ladders. The CPSC also lists candles and dry Christmas trees as major sources of concern for national fire departments and emergency rooms.

It’s definitely worth reading through this helpful list of safe decorating practices put together by the CPSC. No checklist or guide, however, can replace good old common sense. Enjoy the holidays, but please use your head. Hopefully you won’t land on it.

Where did the term “red tape” come from? Why are the Simpsons yellow? Why is green considered a bad omen in NASCAR?

This month, NPR is answering every question you’ve ever had about color, and more.

The special series, called “Color Decoded: Stories that Span the Spectrum,” is both web- and radio-based. I first discovered the series while listening to “Morning Edition” last week. Since then, been I’ve following up online and trying to catch a new topic tidbit whenever I can.

I’m blown away by the scope of NPR’s examination of color. The goal of the series has been to remind readers and listeners just how important and reflective color can be in life, culture and nature. To that extent, I think the program has exceeded expectations. One specific focus in the series is everything blue – its uniqueness in nature, our apparent fascination with the pigment and its conflicting connotations throughout human history.

Here are two articles that take a crack at defining the meaning of “true blue”:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2014/11/12/347736896/how-animals-hacked-the-rainbow-and-got-stumped-on-blue

http://www.npr.org/2014/11/12/363549525/sacred-sad-and-salacious-with-many-meanings-what-is-true-blue

NPR has also created a centralized, interactive color feature here. This is one of the best collections of color facts and “a-ha” realizations you’ll find anywhere on the internet. Check it out!

The old saying goes: “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.”

That attitude proved itself this week in Berkeley, Calif., where voters have finally passed the nation’s first soda tax. According to NPR, more than 30 cities and states across the country have previously attempted to pass such a tax, but have failed due to big spending by the soda industry. Whether Berkeley’s ballot measure is an anomaly or a positive sign of things to come, this small public health initiative deserves some attention.

Berkeley’s soda tax will be levied at a penny per ounce and is estimated to raise over $1 million per year for the city. Proceeds will go to a general fund that will ultimately support a new city council panel for community health initiatives.

According to Yale’s Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity, sodas are now the primary source of added sugar in the American diet. That added sugar is linked to increasing rates of obesity and diabetes in the United States.

Interestingly, public initiatives to originate in Berkley historically achieve broad success. Berkeley was the first city to pass a clean indoor air (i.e., non-smoking) ordinance in 1981. In the mid-70s, the city was the first community to introduce curb cuts, which are now a fundamental sidewalk design principle that benefit disabled citizens and pedestrians alike.

Only time will tell if this measure has the impact of its predecessors.

Internet lists are everywhere— “8 Mistakes You Should Never Make on Linkedin,” “10 Seafood Facts That Will Surprise You” and “10 Disturbing Tales from Scandinavian Folklore.”

If you’re like me, abuse and overabundance has driven you to avoid clicking on anything that remotely resembles a list. What’s unfortunate is that there, in fact, are some internet lists that are actually worth reading. Today, I found one of these rare gems.

Since 2007, the Cleveland Clinic has compiled an annual “Top 10 Medical Innovations List,” which contains new treatments and technologies that are expected to transform patient care and save lives. This year’s list, which was revealed last week, does not disappoint.

Here are a few of next year’s most promising medical innovations, according to the list:

• Mobile Stroke Units— Think of this as videoconferencing for ambulances. Hospital neurologists will be able to read symptoms and instruct paramedics on care before a patient arrives at the hospital. This link between doctors and paramedics could revolutionize treatment for a time-sensitive medical condition. During a stroke, a few minutes can be difference between life and death or brain damage and recovery.
• Painless blood testing— Cheaper and faster blood tests that eliminate the need for needles will be welcomed by doctors, nurses and patients alike. This new technology takes blood from your finger tip and can reportedly perform more than 100 tests on a single drop of blood.
• Dengue fever vaccine— 50 to 100 million people are infected with this mosquito-borne virus each year. A vaccine has been developed and tested by French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi, and is expected to reach market by the end of 2015.

Click here to read the full list of 2015’s most promising medical innovations.