Tomatoe Time!

A Medical Riddle

What do contests, computer software and ordering prescription medications have in common? Compliance to the law may not be the answer you were expecting, yet the law greatly influences all three of these things. When signing up for a contest, the participant has to agree to all terms and conditions, and sometimes legally allow their name and city of residence to be published in the case of winning. Additionally, when installing software one is always asked to read all terms before clicking on “I agree”, to signify their legal consent to the mentioned regulations. Legal issues are always taken care of beforehand to avoid lawsuits in the future. Did you know that the law also influences the manner in which you receive your prescription medications? Many would be surprised to know that the increasing numbers of side effects labelled on prescription medications may be only presented to avoid legal issues and not necessarily for the patient’s safety.

When was the last time you opened an OTC medication to find a lengthy leaflet in the box? Usually the leaflet contains information as to dosage, administration, storage, and a list of possible side effects.

A study which examined over 5,000 medications found more than 500,000 side effects listed. At most, some drugs were found to list up to 525 possible side effects. The researchers concluded that the increasing number of listed side effects is a result of fear of litigation. To understand which side effects are more likely to occur than the others, you should ask your health care professional as he or she is more familiar with your medical history and will be able to discern which side effects may be more applicable to you. When buying prescription drugs it is important that you receive proper counsel as to how to use the medication, and the effects and potential side effects of the drug. If your doctor does not disclose any information, prompt him or her to do so by asking questions.

Tomatoes to the Rescue

People sometimes wonder, are tomatoes fruits or are they vegetables? Tomatoes are in fact fruits but who really cares? It doesn’t make it healthier one way or the other. The question we should be asking is how tomatoes compare to other fruits and vegetables in terms of nutritional value.

There are a countless number of tomato products and an infinite number of ways they can be used. People use tomato products without even thinking about it. Tomato products include: pasta sauce, tomato soup, crushed tomatoes, tomato juice, and salsa to name a few. Even when canned, tomatoes maintain their high nutritional value.

Over the years consumption of fruits and vegetables has dropped. People aren’t meeting the number of recommended servings. Tomatoes can change this. Due to tomatoes being available in so many different forms more people are able to incorporate them into their diets. Not to mention, they are fairly affordable.

The ultimate goal is to develop good eating habits that foster healthy living. Tomatoes have numerous health benefits. In addition, tomato products often contain other vegetables in them. It has been said that eating tomato products actually encourages people to try other fruits and vegetables.

Tomatoes are renowned for being an excellent source of lycopene. Lycopene is an antioxidant that is not made naturally in the body. One has to eat certain foods to acquire it. Lycopene prevents and helps fight cancer and other health conditions. Research determines that there is an evident relationship between the consumption of tomatoes and the risk of certain types of diseases such as heart disease and osteoporosis.

Aside from tomatoes, potatoes are also quite abundantly available. In fact they are the most commonly eaten vegetables in the world. Although, potatoes have various benefits of their own, a tomato is the only of the fruits and vegetables group that is not starchy and consumed at such a large scale. Keep eating your tomatoes but also try other fruits and vegetables. You’ll thank yourself one day!