We just launched two new search engine tools – Healia PubMed/Medline Search and Clinical Trials Search.

Healia PubMed/Medline Search is specifically designed to help consumers retrieve abstracts of scientific articles published in biomedical journals in a user-friendly way. It searches the National Library of Medicine’s (NLM) PubMed/Medline dataset, which includes more than 17 million abstracts and citations from approximately 5,000 biomedical journals published in the United States and worldwide since the 1950s.

The Healia Clinical Trials Search retrieves clinical trials information from the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) ClinicalTrials.gov dataset, which includes federally and privately supported studies on a wide range of diseases and conditions. One of the unique capabilities of the Healia Clinical Trials Search is the ability to restrict searches by geography and to map locations of study sites.

Dr. Tom Eng, President and Founder:

At Healia, we are constantly looking for ways to make complex health information much more accessible and relevant to the average consumer

Visit www.healia.com to try out our new search tools.

PubMed Medline Clinical Trials

Giving your produce a shower prior to consuming is one of the best ways to prevent E. coli infection. A lot of people think that a pre-washed bag of lettuce can go straight into the salad bowl! If this is your thinking, we urge you to reconsider.

Yesterday, a package of Dole salad mix tested positive for E. coli.

Other things to consider:

• Wash fruit even if it has a peel or rind - touching the rind with your hands or knife can contaminate the fruit inside.
• Don’t use soap – excess soap residue can cause diarrhea and gastrointestinal distress.
• Don’t use chlorine bleach – it is poisonous.
• Don’t be fooled – food contaminated with E. coli may not look or smell spoiled.

Symptoms take a few hours to up to 10 days to appear, and include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, fever and bloody diarrhea. Potential complications of infection with certain types of E. coli, such as O157:H7, include destruction of red blood cells (hemolytic anemia) and acute kidney failure.

The best thing you can do for your lettuce is to keep it cold until use and shower it with running water!

Visit Healia for more information on E. coli.

Have you noticed an increase in gluten-free products in your grocery store? If you are wondering why, it may be related to an increase in information on celiac disease, an autoimmune disease whereby a person’s intestinal tract cannot tolerate food containing gluten. As a result the body cannot absorb nutrients, increasing the risk of more serious conditions. Gluten is the protein found in grains such as wheat, rye and barley.

One out of 133 people is affected by celiac disease, which is diagnosed by specific blood tests and a bowel biopsy. Symptoms include abdominal cramping, gas, bloating, diarrhea or constipation, and anemia. Treatment consists of cutting all wheat and related grains out of one’s diet.

Yikes! that might seem difficult, and the tricky part isn’t giving up traditional bread. Gluten is found in foods not usually thought of as “grainy” such as: cold cuts, soups, hard candies, soy sauce, many low or non-fat products, even licorice and jelly beans. Because of the “hidden” ingredients, reading food labels becomes an essential part of any trip to the grocery store. Thankfully, due to growing demand, it is getting easier to find gluten-free products at the local grocery store.

For more information, including links to gluten-free recipes, search www.healia.com.

gluten free celiac disease food allergy

Public health officials have issued some practical tips for preventing the mosquito-borne disease West Nile Virus, which invaded the United States several years ago. Generally transmitted to humans through mosquito bites, West Nile Virus often causes alarm when initial cases are reported in communities.

The good news is that West Nile Virus isn't contagious like the cold or the flu. Except for a few very rare exceptions such as breastfeeding, humans don't pass West Nile Virus on to other humans.

• Use mosquito repellent. Look for repellents that contain DEET, Picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus.
• Eliminate mosquito breeding sites. Empty standing water from flower pots, and refresh the water in birdbaths and pets' water containers at least twice a week.
• Cover up. When possible, wear long-sleeve shirts and pants. Use screens on windows and doors. If you're outside with an infant, place mosquito netting around your infant carrier.
• Stay in during the peak periods. Mosquitoes are most likely to bite during dawn, dusk, and early evening in the warmer months.

Want to learn more? Visit Healia Communities and Ask an Expert. You can also connect with others who are talking about West Nile Virus by joining Healia’s Health Community for West Nile Virus .


_{Photo: CDC/ Prof. Frank Hadley Collins, Public Health Image Library}

 
West Nile Virus prevention mosquito bites repellent