Current Events in January 2015

J & B Sausage Co of Waelder, Texas, is recalling an additional 9,909 pounds of chicken products.

The products may contain peanuts, allergens not declared on the product label.

The recall expansion includes items produced on various dates between August 19, 2014, and December 2, 2014. The following product is subject to recall:

• 12-oz. packages of fully cooked “CAJUN HOLLAR BRAND INC. CREOLE STYLE BOUDIN.”

In late December, the company recalled 45, 904 pounds of Chicken and Beef products that were produced between August 25 and December 15, 2014.

Consumers with questions about the recall may contact Bonnie Hyman at (830) 203-9002.

General Motors is recalling 83,572 model year 2011-2012 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado HD, Silverado LD, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra LD, Sierra HD, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles.

The ignition lock actuator may bind, making turning the key difficult or causing the ignition to get stuck in the "Start" position.

If stuck in the "Start" position, the ignition may suddenly snap back into the "Accessory" position, causing a loss of engine, steering, and braking power, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash. If the vehicle is in a crash, the air bags may not deploy, increasing the risk of occupant injury.

GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the ignition lock housing, as necessary, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule.

Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), or 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 14696 for the original equipment, and 14912 for the service replacement parts.

Southeast Toyota Distributors (SET) is recalling 3,942 model year 2014-2015 Toyota 4Runner, Tacoma, FJ Cruiser, Land Cruiser, RAV4, Scion FRS and XB vehicles.

The vehicles may have accessories installed by SET, such as running boards or other items, that were incorrectly installed. The accessory attaching fasteners were not tightened with the proper torque, possibly causing the accessory to detach from the vehicle. Accessories that detach from a vehicle may result in a vehicle crash and/or personal injury.

SET will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and tighten the affected bolts, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 9, 2015.

Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-954-429-2000. SET's number for this recall is SET-14B.

Millions of people start the new year resolving to improve their health – in particular, lose weight. Most of us go into it with no clue about what we're up against.

First, it's hard to lose weight. To lose even modest amounts of fat you need to consume fewer calories each day than you burn – in some cases 500 fewer.

It also has to be maintained over the long-haul. For some, when success doesn't come early, they give up. This can be particularly true if you have a lot of weight to lose.

You might also have some initial success, only to regain the weight weeks or months later. To guard against this frustration, obesity experts recommend a number of novel approaches to improve obesity therapeutics.

No cookie-cutter diets

They include added emphasis on an individualized approach to weight-loss treatments and maintenance, and the integration of behavioral psychology to identify interventions that work.

“Despite advancements in our understanding of obesity, weight regain after weight loss remains the most substantial problem in obesity treatment – with both the body and the mind conspiring against individual efforts to maintain weight loss,” said Dr. Paul MacLean, co-chair of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) working group who authored the report.

MacLean says differences in our behavioral and genetic makeups lead some to do well with one weight-loss approach while others do not. What works for a friend or coworker may be very different from a weight-loss program that’s most effective and sustainable for you over the long term.

Get your doctor's input

The bottom line? You have to pick a weight-loss program that is right for you. A mass market weight-loss program might work for you, then again it might not. You and your doctor may need to collaborate on a combination of diet and exercise that you can maintain over time. And “over time” is the key qualifier.

“Personalized medicine is not a new idea,it is one that is applied and encouraged across many areas of medicine,” said Chris Ochner, PhD, of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. “Why not apply it to obesity treatment? Weight loss is not a sprint, it’s a marathon.”

Finding a diet and exercise lifestyle you can live with is part of the battle. Perhaps a deeper part is being willing to change the behavior that is causing you to be overweight.

Are you ready to change?

Meg Baker, director of the University of Alabama Birmingham (UAB) Employee Wellness, says while the focus on self-improvement is good, an individual must be ready to make a change in order to actually do so.

“Readiness to change is a big factor,” she said. “You have to want to change your lifestyle to successfully improve your health.”

To help prepare for any lifestyle change, Baker offers these tips:

• Develop small, short-term goals that will fit into your schedule; these should be realistic.
• Consider the benefits and reasons for the change.
• Talk to a family member, friend or co-worker about goals; this accountability will increase the likelihood of your staying committed to a new gym regimen or smoking cessation plan, and they may want to join you.

To improve your chances of success, Baker suggests starting small. Find a form of exercise that you love, make small nutritional changes like packing a lunch or cooking dinner at home, and get digital reinforcements by using tracking systems and apps like those offered by the American Heart Association, and the United States Department of Agriculture.