By Rita R. Robison, Blogging at The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Recently, I received a mailing from Food and Water Watch about the importance of citizen action on food safety issues.

It pointed out that a weak regulatory food system allows corporations to flood the market with unsafe products. Among the problems the consumer advocacy organization reports are:

1. Only 1 percent of imported product, fish, and processed foods is inspected. And, since the federal government refuses to allow country-or-origin labeling for processed foods such as roasted nuts, mixed vegetables, and frozen fish, consumers have no way to protect themselves from potential threats.

2. Despite new research that shows artificial hormones may contribute to a five-time increase in twin pregnancies for American women, the federal government still allows cows to be injected with these controversial drugs. They’re banned in Canada and Europe.

3. Much of the seafood sold in U.S. grocery stores is imported and raised in giant, offshore fish farms. In these facilities, fish are grown in giant nets and cages that are filled with antibiotics, hormones, pesticides, and animal waste.

4. Independent laboratory tests revealed that 10 widely sold U.S. bottled water brands contained mixtures of 38 different pollutants, including bacteria, fertilizer, Tylenol, and industrial chemicals.

5. Instead of forcing meat producers to fix serious sanitation problems at factory farms and slaughterhouses, the federal government allows them to take dangerous shortcuts such as pumping livestock full of antibiotics, dipping carcasses in toxic disinfectants, and irradiating meat.

What can consumers do about these issues?

“Consumers can vote with their dollars to buy food that is better for them and the environment, by looking for organic or local food and trying to buy food directly from producers at farmers markets or through community supported agriculture arrangements,” Patty Lovera, assistant director for Food and Water Watch, told me in an e-mail.

“But we can’t just shop our way out of these problems – we also need to hold our elected officials accountable for changing food policy so we can rebuild healthy local food systems,” said Lovera.

Food and Water Watch offers actions consumers can take on its Web site.

“Right now we are hoping to get lots of folks to sign a petition calling on the federal government to take action to restore fairness to agriculture markets – basically to take some antitrust action to break up giant food monopolies that are making all the decisions about how food is produced and what it costs – at the expense of farmers and consumers,” she said.

See www.foodandwaterwatch.org for details on the organization and its other action projects.

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By Rita R. Robison, Blogging at The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

National pharmacy chain Walgreens has agreed to pay nearly $6 million to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that the company deceptively advertised “Wal-Born” – a line of dietary supplements similar to the Airborne cold-and-flu treatment – using baseless claims that the supplements could prevent colds, fight germs, and boost the immune system.

In addition, a federal court has approved a settlement in a separate case that will require a $565,000 payment by the two officers of Improvita Health Products Inc., the manufacturer of Walgreens’ “Wal-Born” and other supplements. The FTC suit against the corporate defendant, Improvita Health Products, Inc., remains in litigation.

Walgreens sold the supplements under its store name, and touted their similarity to supplements sold by Airborne Health Inc., which settled FTC deceptive advertising charges in 2008. Walgreens advertised its Wal-Born supplements online, in newspaper circulars nationwide, and on packaging. Improvita manufactured store-brand versions of Airborne for various retailers, including Walgreens and Rite Aid, and it marketed its own brand of lozenges and tablets under the name Germ Defense.

The FTC’s agreements with Walgreens and the Improvita officers come after the agency settled similar cases last year alleging that two other pharmacy chains, CVS and Rite Aid, deceptively advertised the same kinds of supplements sold in their stores.

Under the proposed settlement with Walgreens and the approved settlement with the Improvita officers, all the defendants are or would be barred from claiming that their products prevent or treat cold or flu symptoms, or protect against cold and flu viruses by boosting the immune system, unless there is scientific evidence to back up these claims.

The $5.97 million settlement with Walgreens includes $1.2 million that was used to pay consumers as the result of a separate class action suit.

As part of their settlement with the FTC, Improvita officers Thomas B. Klamet and Daniel P. Kohler will pay $325,000 and $240,000, respectively. Klamet and Kohler also must take steps to ensure that their employees comply with the settlement, and they must comply with standard FTC record-keeping and reporting requirements.

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By Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist, Blogging at The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Buying drugs over the Internet is easy. You can conveniently fit it into your schedule easily, and comparing prices is

However, you could have big problems shopping for drug online.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration offers these tips to consider before you buy:

Benefits of buying drugs online

• It’s easier to get products. This is helpful for people who can’t leave their homes or live far from a drug store.

• You can go to many different sites to check out products and prices.

• You can ask a pharmacist questions in private.

Dangers of buying drugs online

Some Web sites:

• May not know the cause of your health problem. They could also give you the wrong medicine for your illness.

• Will sell you prescription drugs even if you don’t have a prescription. This is against the law.

• Don’t protect your private information, such as your credit card number.

Some medicines sold online:

• Are fake.

• Have things in them that are could hurt you.

• Are too strong or too weak.

• Are too old to work.

• Aren’t approved by the FDA.

• Aren’t made using safe standards.

• Aren’t safe to use with other medications or products you use.

• Aren’t labeled.

• Aren’t stored or shipped the right way.

FDA’s role

• The FDA approves all new drugs that are sold to people. The FDA and Federal Trade Commission make sure that what companies say about their products is true and legal. The FDA can take action against any sites that (1) make a false claim or (2) sell prescription drugs without a prescription.

• The FDA works with the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy and Federation of State Medical Boards to make sure companies follow U.S. and state laws.

How to buy drugs safely online

• Check for the VIPPS seal before using a Web site. It’s from the Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Site, a program that makes sure online drug stores are legal and honest.

• Don’t buy from sites that sell (1) prescription drugs to you even if you don’t have prescription or (2) products that aren’t approved by the FDA.

• Use sites that have a pharmacist to answer your questions online. Only buy from sites based in the U.S. It’s against the law to buy prescription drugs from other countries. It could also be unsafe.

• Go to your doctor or clinic before using any medicine for the first time.

• Don’t buy from sites that sell prescription drugs without a prescription.

• Don’t buy drugs that aren’t approved by the FDA.

• Check out Web sites with the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy before buying.

• Report problems with online pharmacies to the FDA.

Following these recommendations from the FDA will help you avoid problems when buying drugs online.

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By Rita R. Robison, Blogging at The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Times are tough for many baby boomer consumers. Layoffs are high among older workers, and it takes them longer to find a job. In addition, due to revenue problems, many state governments are cutting programs that provide assistance to those in need.

On President’s Day, I had the opportunity to attend a rally at the State Capitol in Olympia, Wash., at which a coalition called Rebuilding Our Economic Future asked state lawmakers to increase state revenues. They want lawmakers to raise taxes and close loopholes, so that some of the $2.6 billion in cuts to essential services such as public education and health care can be restored. About 6,000 people attended.

Made up of education, health care, labor, environmental, and good government groups, coalition members carried signs that said “Kids not cuts,” “Protect our future,” “Fund core services,” “Love the earth,” “Health care for all,” “Save Our Safety Net,” “Yes on revenue,” “Stop health care cuts,” and “Fund financial aid.”

A dozen or so members of the Tea Party movement watched the rally from the steps of the Temple of Justice across from the Capitol Building. Their group, smaller in numbers, called for cuts in taxes at another rally earlier in the day.

What happening at the Legislature in your state?

The 10 states with the worst budget problems are Oregon, Vermont, Washington, Connecticut, Arizona, Nevada, Illinois, New York, Alaska, and New Jersey, according to ABC News/Money’s “Budget Nightmare: 10 Most Broke States.”

See “State Budget Shortfalls May Reach $180 Billion This Year” for details on what’s happening in states across the nation in these tough economic times.

Let your lawmakers know your needs during these challenging economic times.

To find out how to contact the Legislature in your state, use this list from the National Conference of State Legislatures.

To contact your governor, see this list of governors from the National Governors Association.

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By Rita R. Robison, Blogging at The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Controlling calories, especially after age 40, is the most important way to lose weight, according to recent research. About 1,600 calories is about right for optimal weight loss.

To rein in the extra calories and watch the weight drop off, Prevention offers these six tips based on recent research:

1. Trim down portion sizes at home.

2. Skip over-sweetened drinks.

3. Eat protein at every meal.

4. Start a meal with soup, but not the high-calorie, creamy-based types.

5. Drink vegetable juice.

6. Make your own snack packs.

See the article “Six Calorie Cutters to Fight Fat” for details on how to carry out these tips and what the research studies said about them.

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