prevention and fitness – Page 8 – watercress words by Dr Aletha

The Surgeon General has released a new report about alcohol use– Alcohol consumption is the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the U.S., after tobacco and obesity.

Alcohol use has caused nearly 1 million preventable cancer cases over 10 years in the U.S. While most of these deaths per year occur at levels above current U.S. Dietary Guidelines (2 drinks daily for men, 1 drink daily for women), 17% occur at levels within those recommended limits.

I’ll write more about that in a subsequent post, but here I want to answer the question

Who is the Surgeon General?

Since March 2021, Dr. Vivek H. Murthy has served as the 21st Surgeon General of the United States. As the Nation’s Doctor, the Surgeon General lays the foundation for a healthier country, based on the best scientific information available.

Dr. Murthy, Surgeon General of the United States

A renowned physician, research scientist, entrepreneur, mango aficionado, and author of the bestselling book Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World, Dr. Murthy is a trusted voice in America on public health. He lives in Washington, DC with his wife, Dr. Alice Chen, and their two children.

Read or listen to a sample of the book at this affiliate link.

Social connection is like a garden, nurturing your connections can improve your garden's health! — Humans are wired for social connection, but we’re becoming more isolated over time. Loneliness and social isolation represent significant threats to individual and societal health and well-being. Social connection can lead to healthier, more prosperous and resilient individuals and communities.

Dr. Murthy’s U.S. Public Health Actions

As the Vice Admiral of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, Dr. Murthy commands a uniformed service of over 6,000 dedicated public health officers, serving the most underserved and vulnerable populations here and abroad.

As the 21st Surgeon General, Dr. Murthy addressed several critical public health issues, including health misinformation, the youth mental health crisis, well-being and burnout among health professionals, and social isolation and loneliness. He is a key advisor to President Biden’s COVID-19 pandemic response operation.

While serving as 19th Surgeon General, under President Obama, Dr. Murthy helped lead the national response to the Ebola and Zika viruses, the opioid crisis, and the growing threat of stress and loneliness to Americans’ physical and mental well-being.

Substances in e-cigarette aerosol-flavorings, ultrafine particles, nicotine, cancer-causing chemicals, heavy metals

Dr. Murthy continued the office’s legacy of preventing tobacco-related disease, by releasing a report on e-cigarettes and youth. He issued the first Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health, challenging the nation to expand access to prevention and treatment and recognize addiction as a chronic illness, not a character flaw.

Smoking can cause cancer almost anywhere in your body.
You can quit. for free help
1-800-QUIT-NOW

Dr. Murthy’s International Projects

Before entering government service, Dr. Murthy co-founded VISIONS, a global HIV/AIDS education organization; the Swasthya Project, training women in South India to become community health workers and educators; TrialNetworks, a technology company improving collaboration and efficiency in clinical trials; and Doctors for America, a nonprofit mobilizing physicians and medical students to improve access to affordable care.

Raised in Miami, Dr. Murthy received his BA from Harvard, and his MD and MBA from Yale. His scientific research has focused on vaccine development and clinical trials involving women and minorities.

Dr. Murthy cared for thousands of patients and trained undergraduates, medical students, and medical residents at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and at Harvard Medical School.

He will leave office when the new Surgeon General appointed by President-elect Trump takes office.

Exploring the HEART of Health

This blog’s “Featured Image” is an AI depiction of Dr. Murthy. I welcome your comments about it.

You can also find Dr. Murthy’s books at my online bookstore, on Bookshop.org.

I’d love for you to follow this blog. I share information and inspiration to help you transform challenges into opportunities for learning and growth.

Add your name to the subscribe box to be notified of new posts by email. Click the link to read the post and browse other content. It’s that simple. No spam.

I enjoy seeing who is new to Watercress Words. When you subscribe, I will visit your blog or website. Thanks and see you next time.

Dr. Aletha

Birds, just like people, can get the flu. Another name for bird flu is avian influenza. The viruses that cause bird flu normally only infect birds, including chickens, other poultry, and wild birds such as ducks.

Bird flu can also infect many other animals, including dogs, cats, certain wild and zoo animals, and livestock such as cattle. Although this is rare, these animals can then spread the flu to people.

Here is a previously published report on how the USDA works to keep our milk supply safe.

white chicken — One of the chickens my daughter-in-law raised. We appreciated the eggs she shared with us.

USDA launches national testing of milk from dairy farms to track bird flu outbreak

by Jennifer Shutt, Oklahoma Voice
December 9, 2024

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Friday it will require dairy farms to share samples of unpasteurized milk when requested, to gather more information about the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza.

Public health officials have tracked the spread of bird flu or H5N1 in domestic poultry flocks for years before the virus began showing up in the country’s dairy herds this March, raising concerns.

While the risk to the general public remains low and there is no evidence to suggest bird flu can spread from person to person, nearly 60 people, mostly farmworkers, have contracted the virus this year.

The new milk testing requirements from USDA will apply nationally but will begin in California, Colorado, Michigan, Mississippi, Oregon, and Pennsylvania, the week of Dec. 16.

“Among many outcomes, this will give farmers and farmworkers better confidence in the safety of their animals and ability to protect themselves, and it will put us on a path to quickly controlling and stopping the virus’ spread nationwide,”

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a written statement.

Unpasteurized milk

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has repeatedly tested pasteurized milk on store shelves throughout the country to reaffirm it’s safe to drink. Other dairy products, like cheese and ice cream, have also been found safe.

But the FDA continues to urge people against consuming unpasteurized milk, since it doesn’t go through the heating process that kills off viruses and bacteria.

Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a written statement the new milk “testing strategy is a critical part of our ongoing efforts to protect the health and safety of individuals and communities nationwide.”

“We continue to work closely with USDA and all stakeholders on continued testing for H5N1 in retail milk and dairy samples from across the country to ensure the safety of the commercial pasteurized milk supply,” Becerra said. “We will continue this work with USDA for as long and as far as necessary.”

“Our primary responsibility at HHS is to protect public health and the safety of the food supply,
Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra

The USDA began a voluntary bulk tank testing program for milk this summer in an attempt to make it easier for farmers to move their cattle across state lines without having to test each cow. The department also began a year-long study in August to test for bird flu in dairy cattle moved into meat production, seeking to confirm prior studies that found it safe to eat.

The bird flu outbreak has affected 720 dairy herds throughout 15 states so far this year, though California became the epicenter during the last month, according to data from the USDA.

The Golden State holds nearly all of the 273 herds diagnosed, with just four found in Utah during the last 30 days.

California also holds the bulk of bird flu infections in people, with 32 of the 58 diagnosed cases this year, according to information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Colorado accounts for another 10 human cases and Washington state confirmed 11 people infected with H5N1. Michigan has had two cases this year, while Missouri, Oregon and Texas have each had one positive human case.

USDA order

The USDA federal order announced Friday will require anyone responsible for a dairy farm — such as a bulk milk transporter, bulk milk transfer station, or dairy processing facility — to share unpasteurized or raw milk samples when requested.

Any farm owners whose dairy herds test positive for H5N1 will be required to share epidemiological information that would allow public health officials to perform contact tracing and other types of disease surveillance.

Additionally, private laboratories and state veterinarians must alert USDA to positive samples collected as part of this National Milk Testing Strategy.

Last updated 2:36 p.m., Dec. 6, 2024

My thanks to Oklahoma Voice for permission to republish this story.

Oklahoma Voice is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oklahoma Voice maintains editorial independence.

Contact Editor Janelle Stecklein for questions: info@oklahomavoice.com. Follow Oklahoma Voice on Facebook and X.

This story is republished under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.

Exploring the HEART of Health

I’d love for you to follow this blog. I share information and inspiration to help you transform challenges into opportunities for learning and growth.

Add your name to the subscribe box to be notified of new posts by email. Click the link to read the post and browse other content. It’s that simple. No spam.

I enjoy seeing who is new to Watercress Words. When you subscribe, I will visit your blog or website. Thanks and see you next time.

Category: prevention and fitness

Dr. Vivek H. Murthy-Our “Family” Doctor