Simmons College

This pamphlet is dedicated to approaches to avoiding common allergens in foods, even when they are ‘hidden'. It includes information on (a) identifying common allergens using food labels, (b) understanding food recalls, and (c) using alternative ingredients in food preparation. 

Hidden Allergens in Processed and Prepared Foods

This pamphlet describes how to grow produce in the city that is safe to eat and enjoy.

Safety Tips for Edible Urban Gardening

Eggs are a low in calories and high in nutrients. One large egg has 70 calories and is good source of protein. They are used in recipes ranging from casseroles and quiche to cookies and cakes. Eggs are safe to eat when produced, handled and cooked properly. Following food safety procedures helps to prevent food-borne diseases, like Salmonella, which has recently been associated with undercooked or raw eggs sourced from unsanitary egg production facilities.

• Egg Safety Brochure

Food labels were developed to help the consumer make informed decisions on food. Aside from nutrition information, labels include ingredient lists, where the food was packaged and other health claims such as "organic" or "fat free". The government provides strict regulations for food label claims. It is important to be aware of the definition of common food label claims to determine if a food works for your diet.

• Food_Labels_Brochure

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Association (WHO) probiotics are "live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host". They are known as ‘good bacteria' and are available in foods and supplements. Potential benefits include protection against disease, help with digestion and absorption of food, aiding the proper development of the immune system.

• Probiotics Brochure

July 8, 2010

Sports Nutrition is related to diet and athletic performance. An athlete's food and fluid intake directly affects his/her performance. Good nutrition can improve body composition, speed, mobility and strength. Most importantly, proper sports nutrition can enhance overall health.

• Sports Nutrition Brochure

December 19, 2009

Mail order food and homemade treats can make wonderful gifts for the holidays and be convenient for a busy household.  Mailed food, however, must be prepared, packaged, received, and stored properly for safe consumption.  For recommendations on mailing food safely, download the brochure
Pears or Peanuts:  Pointers for Mailing Food Safely.

November 18, 2009

All mothers want to do what is best for their baby, and feeding her safely is certainly high on the list.  Yet most mothers never receive guidance from their physician on proper formula preparation and feeding.  To learn more about safe and healthy feeding for infants, download the brochure:  Feeding Baby Formula:  Keeping It Safe.

Also consult the "News" section of the Center for Hygiene and Health to learn about the melamine contamination of infant formula in China (Melamine-Contamination Event, China - September 1, 2008.)

Now that children have settled into their new school year routine, you may want to take a second look at what is going into their lunch box every day - and what they are actually eating.  Find helpful tips and ideas on preparing safe and nutritious lunch bags for school children and their working parents in the brochure Back To School Lunch Box Safety.

Download the brochure Food Safety Tips for College Students.

See the brochure http://www.simmons.edu/hygieneandhealth/Food%20Safety%20%26%20Nutrition%20Month.pdf.

See brochure http://www.simmons.edu/hygieneandhealth/Fresh%20Produce%20Safety.pdf.

Most college students are pressed for time, under a lot of stress, and can find themselves eating on the go. A healthy diet can help you feel better and cope well with stress, putting you on the right track for a successful semester! Download our Back to School Nutrition Tips for some helpful nutrition guidance.

Milk is a great source of calcium and protein, both of which are important to bone health and a balanced diet. There are lots of conflicting opinions and news stories about the pasteurization process, the use of growth hormones, and the proposed "benefits" of raw milk. Does pasteurization harm milk? Is raw milk more nutritious? To better answer these questions and learn more about milk safety download our Milk: Pasteurization & Potential Pathogens brochure.

With the start of summer, we should all be more vigilant about staying hydrated. Dehydration is the loss of body fluids and electrolytes (e.g. salt.) It can occur from sweating, but also bleeding, vomiting, or diarrhea. To learn more about the what, when, where and how to drink, download the brochure: Hydration and Water Safety.

Most holiday gatherings would not be complete without that special food or recipe that only comes around once a year. Even though you may know the instructions for that special dish by heart, it's always important to pay attention to food safety while preparing the recipe. Keep your celebration safe by following the tips in our Holiday Food Safety brochure.

Fishing is a favorite American recreational activity, especially during the lazy summer months. Whether fishing in fresh or salt water, the catch can make a healthy and nutritious meal for the whole family. But is all freshly-caught fish safe to eat? To learn the current recommendations about catching, storing, preparing, and eating fish, download the brochure Fishing:  Should You Eat What You Catch?

Doing the laundry is a chore common in the home and other settings such as dormitories. It is a process that removes dirt and grime, allergens, odors, and viruses & bacteria from linens and clothes. Choosing the right laundry detergent, water type & temperature, as well as drying methods can help make your laundry process truly hygienic and eco-friendly.

Laundry Brochure

See the brochure.

With the current H1N1 (Swine) flu epidemic, proper handwashing technique should be used every time. According to the CDC, some scientists estimate that up to 80% of all infections are transmitted by our hands. Handwashing is the SINGLE most important thing we can do to stay healthy every day. Find out more about what germs we carry on our hands and how to clean them properly on the brochure: Proper Hand Washing.

Starting college, a new semester, or returning to school after a hiatus can effect not only your mental health but your physical health as well.

Practicing good personal hygiene can go a long way to prevent yourself from becoming ill during what can often be a stressful time. Learn what good personal hygiene is all about in our Back to Campus Hygiene Tips brochure.

Back to Campus Hygiene Tips

Swine flu is a new version of the H1N1 strain of influenza type A. Most people do not have immunity to it and may become ill or even die. This brochure will review the current recommendations to clean your home to reduce contamination in the event of an outbreak of H1N1 or seasonal flu. Download the document Cleaning for H1N1 in the Home.

The gym is synonymous with exercise and health. But common community infections, including respiratory, skin and gastrointestinal infections can be contracted in athletic facilities. Good gym hygiene practices and personal cleanliness can help to prevent the spread of germs and reduce the risks infection. Following the simple guidelines described in this brochure can help protect everyone using the gym.

 Gym Hygiene Brochure

Most of us would like to exercise more and resolve to do so with every New Year; but as the year wears on, a strict exercise routine becomes very difficult to maintain.  In the fall of 2008 the government introduced the first fitness guidelines for Americans.  The guidelines are designed to be personalized and make exercise easy to integrate into anyone's daily life. 

To learn more about the fitness guidelines for Americans, exercise safety, and proper gym hygiene, download the brochure:  New Year's Resolutions: Sticking to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans

See the brochure Tips For Winter Nutrition And Exercise Practices.

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If you are visiting the beach or the swimming pool this summer season, play it safe with good personal hygiene to help prevent the spread of recreational water illnesses (RWI). What are RWI, how are they spread, and how can you protect yourself? Learn more about water safety, the bacteria and viruses lurking in shared water spaces and download tips on preventing water related illnesses: Recreational Water Illness.

School is out and summer is here!

Children are headed to camp, are off to the pool and beach to swim, and will explore the great outdoors during their time off. What can you do to protect them from summer's elements? Find effective ways to prevent sunburn, bug bites, poison ivy rashes and other environmental hazards by following the tips in our Summer Safety: Avoiding Bugs and Burns brochure.

If you are visiting the great outdoors this season, hygiene is more than just needing a long hot shower after a few days in the woods. Your health and personal comfort, the health of fellow campers and backpackers and the wellbeing of the wilderness environment itself are all at stake as well. Good hygiene practices can reduce the spread of disease.

Campers, day hikers, and backpackers need to be cautious about bacteria, viruses and other pathogens which can be kept at bay through personal hygiene practices and environmental cleanliness. Getting ill can spoil your camping or backpacking experience, so stay healthy and have fun! Download our helpful guidelines to have a safe and happy time while exploring the great outdoors.

Camping and Backpacking Hygiene and Health Tips Brochure

Cooking outdoors has become a year round practice in America and barbecuing is even more popular during the summer time. But the warm summer temperatures are ideal for bacteria and other pathogens & allow them to multiply and cause foodborne illness. There are three important areas to consider regarding food safety when planning a BBQ or just grilling in the back yard:

Personal hygiene Transportation and storage of food Food Preparation

Grill up some safe and delicious food by following the tips highlighted in our new pamphlet, which you can download here: Food Safety and the BBQ

The ready availability of inexpensive flights has enabled people to travel and explore many areas of the globe; however, this luxury is not without its risks. The risk of becoming sick while traveling abroad often depends on two important factors:

Making adequate pre-departure preparations Taking safety precautions while traveling.

Play it safe by following the tips highlighted in our new pamphlet, which you can download here: Tips for Staying Healthy While Traveling Abroad

Fishing is a favorite American recreational activity, especially during the lazy summer months. Whether fishing in fresh or salt water, the catch can make a healthy and nutritious meal for the whole family. But is all freshly-caught fish safe to eat? To learn the current recommendations about catching, storing, preparing, and eating fish, download the brochure Fishing:  Should You Eat What You Catch?

This pamphlet addresses cold & flu prevention using natural methods like hand-washing, nasal flushing, and humidifiers.

Read more: Preventative Self-Care for Cold & Flu Season

October 20, 2009

October 18-24, 2009 is International Infection Prevention Week.  This is a good time to become familiar with MRSA, a type of Staph bacteria that has been causing severe illness and even death in the community starting 5-10 years ago.  To understand how to protect your home and your family from MRSA, download the brochure Preventing MRSA In The Home And Community.

With the start of the flu season and the additional threat of the H1N1 influenza A virus this year, there is a big push in the public health community to protect the public with flu shots.  Many of us, especially parents of young children, may wonder whether all these immunizations are necessary and safe.  To learn more about how vaccines work and to answer some of the concerns you may have about immunizations, download the brochure:  Immunizations:  Our Health Depends on Them.

Download the brochure Para Previnir la Enfermedad.

Download the brochure Preventing Colds and Flu in the Workplace.

With the current H1N1 (swine) flu outbreak, everyone should be practicing good hygiene in the workplace to minimize transmission of this virus. What can you do to protect yourself from the flu while at work? What can you do to protect your co-workers if you become ill?

Find the answers to these questions and more by downloading the brochure: Preventing Flu in the Workplace.

Have you had your daily dose of the "sunshine vitamin"?

Vitamin D, a hot topic in the news and research, is an important component of bone health, autoimmune disease regulation, and reduced cancer risk. But how much is enough, and how do you get vitamin D through diet and lifestyle habits?

Download Vitamin D: The Sunshine Vitamin to learn more about Vitamin D's attributes, food sources, and how much you should be getting each day.

Cited: References

Noroviruses are the most common cause of gastroenteritis in the industrialized world and it is estimated that they are responsible for some 23 million infections each year in the United States. First recognized in 1972, the virus has undergone several name changes since it was first identified as the cause of an elementary school "stomach flu" outbreak in Norwalk, OH.

Symptoms include severe vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, fever, aching and tiredness. Most people recover without complication but as with other gastrointestinal infections, the young, the elderly and the immunocompromised are at higher risk from complications of dehydration.

Home and community settings, including hospitals, are the common location for norovirus outbreaks although outbreaks in the home are underreported and under recognized. Person-to-person spread, either directly or via contaminated surfaces and contaminated food are the main routes of transmission of norovirus and therefore, prevention is based on effective hygiene practices, including hand hygiene, surface sanitation and food safety.

For more information about preventing norovirus contamination and infection: Norovirus Infection in Home and Community Settings Brochure

October 14-20, 2007 is International Infection Prevention Week and this year the focus is on hand hygiene. Hand washing is a key component in reducing the risk of a number of infections including flu, the common cold, foodborne infections, and skin and eye infections. We've created a useful brochure which makes it easy to understand and implement good hand washing practices in your daily routine. Download our brochure here: Handwashing Tips

You can also view a hand washing demonstration

January often brings the coldest temperatures of the year, snow, and ice.  Venturing outside on foot can become treacherous, even outright dangerous.  Slipping on ice can happen to anyone, lead to falls, and result in injuries.  To prepare for icy outdoor conditions and prevent accidents, download the brochure:
Watch Your Step!  Ice Safety in The Winter.  

Reusable cloth grocery bags have become very popular among shoppers. By reducing the consumption of plastic grocery bags, shoppers believe that they are helping to lessen environmental pollution. Recently, however, a study funded by the Environment and Plastics Industry Council has questioned the safety of cloth grocery bags to our health.

Should we use paper, plastic or cloth grocery bags? Find out more about proper cloth grocery bag use and getting food home safely by downloading the brochure: Paper, Plastic, or Cloth Grocery Bags.

There has been a lot talk in the news lately about the safety of different types of plastics, what does it all mean? To learn more about what plastic is made of, what the numbers on the bottom stand for, and current findings concerning their safety download our Decoding Plastic brochure.

Play it Safe this Holiday Season!

The holidays are approaching and brings parties, family, friends, gift giving and, if you are a child, toys!

You may have recently heard in the news about toy recalls regarding specific types of toys and safety hazards concerning materials used to create and decorate them. It's important to make sure that any toy offered to a child is free from toxins that can cause them harm. All toys have age appropriate levels, too.

Follow the guidelines offered in our brochure to help ensure a safe and happy season for all of the young ones on your list. Toy Safety and Hygiene Brochure

Here is an example of a disaster planning brochure created for college students: EmergencyPlanningAtSimmons.pdf

See the brochure

The thought of an impending disaster striking our homes can be overwhelming and paralyzing. Being prepared can reduce anxiety and help a family manage an emergency. Fire, flood, hurricane, earthquake, blizzard, or terrorist attack, every household should have a plan for the family, the house, and the car. Start your disaster planning by downloading the brochure.

For people living alone or in small spaces (college rooms, efficiencies, apartments), disaster planning can be a possibility.  When storage room is limited, follow the tips in the brochure Plan_B_disaster_brochure.pdf.