Your Health: Jan. 25, 1999

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Bad News on Alfalfa Sprouts

Unhealthy health food? Although growers are trying to eliminate the risk of salmonella poisoning from alfalfa sprouts, scientists report it's not so easy. The bacteria, it turns out, may hide in tiny crevices in the seeds. The most susceptible to getting sick: the very young, the elderly and folks with weak immune systems.

Good News on Calcium

Dosing up on calcium may help your colon. A study out last week says calcium supplements (1,200 mg daily) may reduce the odds of developing new polyps. The polyps, called adenomas, may be a precursor to colon cancer. How does calcium work? Researchers theorize that it binds with compounds that would otherwise irritate the lining of the bowel.

Bad News on Animal Bites

Don't pussyfoot around if you're bitten by a dog or cat. Scientists report that in at least half of all cases, bites carry pasteurella--nasty bacteria that can cause an infection in the blood or joints and, in rare instances, meningitis. If swelling or pain develops, see a doctor promptly.

--By Janice M. Horowitz

Sources: Journal of the American Medical Association (1/13/99; item 1); New England Journal of Medicine (1/14/99; items 2 and 3)