New way to see if Lake Michigan is safe for swimming
Beach bummer
High bacteria levels in the water can literally mean no day at the beach.
If you're thinking about fun in the sun on beautiful Lake Michigan, there's a new way to see if it's fit for swimming.
Health departments regularly sample E. coli in the water and close beaches down if the levels are high.
The Lake County Health Department now lists daily updates at lakecountyil.gov/health, under "Swim Ban Information," or at (847) 377-8030.
The Illinois Department of Public Health also lists beach closures and advisories throughout the state, including Wonder Lake and Bangs Lake, at http://app.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/ilbeaches/public/.
McHenry County tests all 34 of its public beaches on 13 lakes every week, and more often if elevated levels are found. Check the results at mcdh.info or (815) 334-4585.
Pain killer warning
An FDA panel last week recommended banning Vicodin and Percocet, two of the most popular prescription pain relievers, and cutting the maximum dose of over-the-counter acetaminophen to 325 mg per pill from 500.
The recommendation is meant to reduce the chances of taking too much acetaminophen, which is in Vicodin and Percocet as well as Tylenol and Excedrin.
While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration decides whether to follow the recommendation, here's how to avoid taking too much, courtesy of the Harvard Women's Health Watch:
• Read labels closely. Acetaminophen is in many medications, and combining drugs easily can lead to an overdose.
• Be very careful to verify children's doses.
• Don't drink. Labels warn against using acetaminophen if you have three or more alcoholic drinks a day.
• Never exceed the recommended maximum daily dose.
Alzheimer's test?
A five-minute test may indicate whether someone has Alzheimer's disease.
Researchers in the online medical journal BMJ (formerly the British Medical Journal) report that the 10-task test detects 93 percent of Alzheimer's patients.
The test is self-administered and consists of simple tasks including short-term memory, associations, connecting dots and word recall.
The Test Your Memory quiz has to be checked out further, but researchers say it could be more accurate than the currently used Mini-Mental State Exam. A sample test is available at bmj.com/cgi/data/bmj.b2030/DC1/1.
Your phone, please
Athletico wants your cell phone.
The physical therapy chain, working with Phones 4 Charity, is collecting used cell phones for recycling in July.
Salvageable phones will be refurbished and sold, with proceeds going to the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago.
Other phones will be broken down to use their precious metals and dispose of toxic materials safely.
The program accepts wireless phones and accessories. Donors should deactivate them first. Call (630) 575-6228 or go to athletico.com.