Thursday, August 18, 2016

8/18 MARIANNE GRAVELY, USDA FOOD SAFETY, THE ‘ADVENTURE GIRL’ STEFANIE MICHAELS, END OF SUMMER AND FALL TRAVEL TIPS, DR. SUMITRA MURALIDHAR, MILLION VETERAN PROGRAM (MVP)

MARIANNE GRAVELY - USDA FOOD SAFETY EXPERT SHARES FACTS, MYTHS & TIPS TO SAFELY PACK YOUR CHILD'S LUNCH

Back to School Food Safety: What You Don't Know About Packed Lunches

Back to school means it's back to packing lunches and after school snacks for students, scouts, athletes, dancers and all the children who carry lunch or snacks to and from home. The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service wants to help parents keep their families safe by debunking food myths and sharing simple tips on how to assemble a food safe lunch, being careful to protect those lunches from the bacteria that cause food poisoning. Since children are among the most vulnerable to food poisoning and may not have proper storage while at school, it makes sense to take extra precautions when preparing the lunch and snacks they take with them.

Food poisoning is not simply an upset stomach; it is a serious public health threat in America. In fact, the CDC estimates that about 1 in 6 Americans (about 48 million people) could suffer from foodborne illness this year. The result is approximately 128,000 hospitalizations and an estimated 3,000 deaths. Within just two hours at room temperature, the microorganisms that are growing on food can multiply to dangerous levels, which can cause foodborne illness. With most students unable to properly refrigerate or store their lunches, it's important to practice safe packing tips and educate your children on safe eating.

To help parents and kids prepare for the back-to-school season, the Food Safe Families campaign offers helpful tips for making school lunches that highlight the four key safe food handling behaviors:Clean. Separate. Cook. Chill.


THE ‘ADVENTURE GIRL’ STEFANIE MICHAELS SHARES TIMELY TIPS & SUGGESTIONS FOR END OF SUMMER AND FALL TRAVEL

Stefanie Shares her ’60 MORE DAYS OF SUMMER’ Deals for Great Adventures for Labor Day & Beyond!

Kids are returning to school and the summer heat will soon be over. For some, that’s a relief…but for Adventure Girl Stefanie Michaels it’s a reminder that it’s time to travel.   On August 18th, the travel expert with more than 1 million Twitter followers is available to share her latest steals and deals for fall travel. Known as the go-to-girl for “living life’s adventures,” Stefanie has carved a unique niche in the world of sharing tips with national publications such as People magazine, Access Hollywood, and the New York Times.

Just in time for Labor Day Weekend and the start of the fall travel season, this amazing expert will explain why fall is the best time of the year to travel. She will also share some great last-minute deals for a family or adults-only fun vacation. Stefanie will have some super suggestions for what to do in Myrtle Beach, her go-to vacation destination for fall!

THE ADVENTURE GIRL SHARES HER TRAVEL CHECKLIST: 
FALL IS FOR FOODIES: Where to find a memorable restaurant experience
ENTERTAINMENT EXTRAS: Travel destinations that include star-studded fun
THE REAL DEAL: The best travel steals and deals are available in fall
OUTDOOR FUN: Why enjoying water sports, zip lines, fishing and nature is better in fall



DR. SUMITRA MURALIDHAR - MILLION VETERAN PROGRAM (MVP) SIGNS UP 500K VETERANS TO STUDY HOW GENES AFFECT HEALTH  

MVP Aims To Be One of the Largest Databases of its Kind in the World

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has reached the halfway mark in collecting DNA samples and health data from 1 million Veterans in the Million Veteran Program (MVP). MVP was launched in 2011 and is now the largest database in the U.S. of health and genomic information. It links genetic, clinical, lifestyle, and military-exposure information to help researchers learn about the role of genes in health and disease. A cornerstone of VA’s efforts to improve Veterans’ health, MVP has also become part of the White House’s Precision Medicine Initiative, which aims to improve health care for all Americans by individualizing treatment. The program also has historical data on various health conditions that are common in Veterans. For example, some 62 percent of MVP enrollees report a current or past diagnosis of high blood pressure, and about a third report tinnitus. Also, nearly a third—32 percent—report a history or current diagnosis of cancer. For that reason, MVP is expected to play a key role in the National Cancer Moonshot initiative, announced by President Obama earlier this year.

Research findings based on MVP may lead to new ways of preventing and treating illnesses in Veterans. Such findings may help answer questions like "Why does a treatment work well for some Veterans but not for others?"; "Why are some Veterans at a greater risk for developing an illness?" and "How can we prevent certain illnesses in the first place?" With the expected enrollment of one million Veterans over the next four years, MVP aims to be one of the largest databases of its kind in the world.

Dr. Sumitra (Suma) Muralidhar, Program Director of the Million Veteran Program from the VA is available for you and your listeners on Thursday, August 18, to discuss MVP and how genes affect health.

ABOUT DR. SUMITRA (SUMA) MURALIDHAR:
Dr. Muralidhar has worked at the VHA Office of Research and Development (ORD) for over sixteen years in various scientific program management roles, including VA’s Genomic Medicine Program.  For the past ten years, she has played a leading role in the development and implementation of the Million Veteran Program, to establish one of the world’s largest databases to study the interplay between genes, lifestyle, military exposure and health. She serves as the Designated Federal Officer for VA’s Genomic Medicine Program Advisory Committee, A FACA panel of national experts advising the VA Secretary on genomic medicine/precision medicine. Currently, she serves as the Program Director for the Million Veteran Program and ORD’s liaison to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy for the Precision Medicine Initiative. In 2005-2006, Dr. Muralidhar served as Health and Science Advisor to the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee.  Prior to joining the VA, she was an Associate Professor at the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Georgetown University.

WWW.RESEARCH.VA.GOV/MVP