The Laker/Lutz News

U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Mask ruling has no immediate impact in Pasco schools

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Leon County Circuit Judge John Cooper has deemed unconstitutional the state’s order to ban local school districts from imposing mandatory facemasks.

Cooper explained his decision in a two-hour announcement from the bench on Aug. 27.

Cooper ruled that school districts can impose mandatory mask mandates, and if challenged, must be granted due process to demonstrate their mask requirement is reasonable.

Taryn Fenske, communications director for Gov. Ron DeSantis, issued this reaction to the ruling: “It’s not surprising that Judge Cooper would rule against parent’s rights and their ability to make the best educational and medical decisions for their family, but instead rule in favor of elected politicians.

“This ruling was made with incoherent justifications, not based in science and facts – frankly not even remotely focused on the merits of the case presented. We are used to the Leon County Circuit Court not following the law and getting reversed on appeal, which is exactly what happened last year in the school reopening case. We will continue to defend the law and parent’s rights in Florida, and will immediately appeal the ruling to the First District Court of Appeals, where we are confident we will prevail on the merits of the case.”

Locally, Judge Cooper’s ruling will have no immediate impact in the Hillsborough or Pasco public school districts.

Hillsborough already has adopted a temporary facemask mandate in its schools which remains in effect through Sept. 17.

The Hillsborough board took that action, despite the governor’s executive order, and subsequent actions taken by the Florida Board of Education and the Florida Department of Education.

DeSantis has stood firm in his position that parents — not local school boards — have the authority to determine whether a student wears a mask in school.

Hillsborough school board members took emergency action to impose a temporary mandatory mask order, with a medical opt-out provision.

In doing so, they joined a number of school districts that defied that order and faced potential financial sanctions.

Cooper enjoined the state from imposing those penalties.

Shortly after Cooper’s ruling, Pasco County Schools issued this statement: “We are aware that Leon County Circuit Judge John C. Cooper has determined that Governor DeSantis’ order banning mask mandates is unconstitutional. At this time the ruling has no impact on Pasco County Schools’ mask-optional policy.

“The Governor’s order remains in effect until the final order is submitted. At that time, the Governor is expected to appeal the decision.

“To summarize: Today’s ruling has no immediate impact on Pasco County Schools. Masks remain optional for students and staff.”

So far this school year, Pasco County Schools has had a combined total of 2,481 student and staff cases, as of the evening of Aug. 27.

As of the same date, that figure stood at a combined total of 5,500 for students and staff in Hillsborough County Schools.

In other pandemic news, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted full approval on Aug. 23 of the Pfizer vaccine for those age 16 and older. The vaccine has emergency use authorization for those age 12 and older.

Experts have said the FDA’s approval could encourage people with vaccine hesitancy to go ahead and get vaccinated.

The pronouncement also could prompt more employers to require employees to get vaccinated.

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor has announced that city employees have until Sept. 30 to become vaccinated. Those who do not will need to wear an N95 mask and show weekly results from a COVID test.

Pasco County has decided to use a different approach. It is offering $500 in premium pay to every employee who becomes fully vaccinated by Nov. 1.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to recommend that everyone age 12 and older get vaccinated to lessen the chance of becoming infected. While people may become infected, medical experts and scientists have said they are at much lesser risk of hospitalization or death.

Meanwhile, the COVID-19 transmission rate remains high in Florida. Experts attribute that to the infectious delta variant of the disease, which they say is highly contagious.

In the week between Aug. 20 to Aug. 26, Florida recorded 151,749 new COVID-19 cases, with a positivity rate of 16.8%, according to the Florida Department of Health’s website.

Pasco County had 4,433 new cases, with a positivity rate of 21.2%.

Hillsborough County had 11,800 new cases, with a positivity rate of 18.9%.

AdventHealth West Florida Division continues to see an increase in COVID-19 cases at its facilities across West Florida and continues to experience a peak of COVID-19 patients, according to an Aug. 27 news release. To date, more than 600 COVID-positive patients are currently hospitalized in the West Florida Division’s 10 hospitals.

AdventHealth Carrollwood, AdventHealth Dade City, AdventHealth North Pinellas, AdventHealth Sebring, AdventHealth Zephyrhills have paused all non-time sensitive and non-emergent procedures.

The hospital chain also has limited visitors at numerous locations, including these in and near The Laker/Lutz coverage area: Dade City, Wesley Chapel, Zephyrhills, Tampa and Carrollwood. Specifics are available by visiting each hospital’s website.

In other COVID-19 related news, Hillsborough County has issued a news release to inform its water customers that they may notice a temporary change in the taste and odor of their drinking water.

Tampa Bay Water temporarily changed its water treatment process beginning Aug. 26 at its Lithia Hydrogen Sulfide Removal Facility, due to a lack of liquid oxygen deliveries to the facility.

Water provided to Hillsborough County Public Utilities customers will continue to meet all local, state, and federal regulations for drinking water, the news release said.

While consumers may notice a change in taste and odor, the treatment change will not alter the quality of the drinking water, according to the news release.

There is a delivery driver shortage caused by the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic and the need for available supplies to be diverted to local hospitals, the release explained.

“In addition, Tampa Bay Water is adjusting the regional blend of water sources to accommodate the change in available deliveries of liquid oxygen in the taste and odor,” the release said.

COVID Statistics: Week of Aug. 20 to Aug. 26

Florida
New cases: 151,749
Positivity: 16.8%

Pasco County
New cases: 4,433
Positivity rate: 21.2%

Hillsborough County
New cases: 11,800
Positivity rate: 18.9%

School cases
Cumulative cases, 2021-2022 school year*

Pasco County  Schools
2,350 student cases; 491 staff cases

Hillsborough County
4,563 student cases; 947 staff cases

*As of the evening of Aug. 27

Published September 01, 2021

Youth vaping a growing concern in Pasco

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Health officials in Pasco County are concerned about rising numbers of local teens who are using electronic cigarettes, or vaping.

Last year, about 25 percent of Florida high school students reported current use of electronic vaping, according to the Florida Department of Health. That marked a staggering 58 percent increase compared to 2017.

Representatives from the Florida Department of Health of Pasco County discussed youth e-cigarette use at a recent community meeting hosted by the Pasco Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP). (Kevin Weiss)

The figures might be even higher in Pasco County, according to Jenae Haddocks, a health educator with the Florida Department of Health in Pasco County.

“What we’re seeing is Pasco is above average as far as youth initiation in e-cigs and vape use, and above state average for that, so that’s not good,” Haddocks said at a recent community meeting hosted by the Pasco Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP) at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park.

“We’re having a hard time trying to address it,” she added.

Exacerbating the vaping issue, Haddocks said, is a lack of oversight by e-cigarette retailers, along with a lack of regulation on e-cig products and flavors by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Haddocks pointed out e-cigs and related products can be purchased online with minimal or no type of age verification. “Kids can go online and purchase these products. It’s kind of surprising,” she said.

E-cigarette devices heat a liquid that produces an aerosol, or vapor. That liquid usually contains nicotine, flavorings and other chemicals.

Long-term health effects of vaping remain unknown.

However, some of the ingredients in e-cigarette aerosol could be harmful to the lungs in the long-term, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Moreover, the Florida Department of Health reports that the CDC has stated that that a single e-cig liquid pod of the popular e-cigarette brand JUUL contains as much nicotine as a pack of 20 regular cigarettes.

Haddocks suggested e-cigarettes makers are marketing to youth and teenagers with pods that have “candylike or sweet flavoring” – flavors like bubblegum, fruit punch, candy cane, and crème brulee, to name a few.

The speaker noted the labeling of some of these pods even resemble that of candy products such as Sour Patch Kids or Bubblicious Original Bubble Gum. Such labeling makes e-cigs seem less harmful and more appealing for teens to try, Haddocks said.

The Florida Department of Health has seen a staggering increase in the number of teenagers vaping or using electronic cigarettes. (Courtesy of Florida Department of Health)

Currently, the JUUL brand and related sweet vapor flavorings, Haddock noted, “are really, really popular among youth right now.”

She put it like this: “Of course, adults do like those flavorings, but who’s more likely to buy bubble gum or Bubblicious at a gas station — a 12-year-old or a 35-year-old?”

Aside from nicotine and other unknown chemicals, the speaker went on to explain that e-cigarettes and vape products can be manipulated with illicit substances.

Haddocks said some Pasco County teens have been caught with e-cig pods that test positive for alcohol, THC, cannabis and other substances.

Said Haddocks: “They’re smoking things laced with who knows what and they don’t know half the time, so that’s kind of turning into an even bigger issue that we’re seeing.”

She added: “It’s kind of a growth issue that we have right now in Pasco.”

Meanwhile, Haddocks said general tobacco use among children under 18 years old remains “a big issue” in the county.

She pointed out the younger that someone is when first trying tobacco, the more likely that person is to become a lifelong tobacco user, or to abuse tobacco for years to come.

“Ninety percent of adult smokers begin at or before the age of 18. It’s a huge concern,” she said.

To better combat such youth initiation, Haddocks advised the community to educate youth on the dangers of tobacco products and other drugs.

Published May 01, 2019

Cheaper EpiPen efforts

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Congressman Gus Bilirakis has been working to reduce the cost of prescription drugs for several years. He has authored multiple provisions within H.R. 2430, which was signed into law last August.

One of the provisions created an expedited approval process for generic drugs when no competitor exists on the market. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced last week that it approved the first generic drug through this new process.

The second Bilirakis provision reformed the FDA Office of Combination Products, as a result of an exchange with FDA officials. This office manages the approval of Complex drug-device combination products, such as auto-injectors and metered-dose inhalers.

The EpiPen is an example of a combination product.

The company that manufactures the EpiPen – Mylan Pharmaceuticals – raised the cost of the EpiPen by 400 percent, making it unaffordable for many families.

Traditionally, there has not been a generic version of the EpiPen available on the market.

However, with the reforms, the FDA has announced that it has approved the first generic version of the EpiPen, used to treat allergic reactions.

Local entrepreneur creates healthy desserts

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After tiring of drinking the same old protein shakes, James Doyle decided to brainstorm some new ideas.

He figured there was a way to turn his protein powder into a dessert.

So, the 29-year-old Wesley Chapel man began experimenting.

Inspired by how Jell-O works, Doyle developed FREEZINda, a liquid and dry mix product that transforms any whey protein powder into an ice cream-like, frozen dessert.

Wesley Chapel resident James Doyle is the creator of FREEZINda, which turns whey protein powder into an ice cream-like, frozen dessert. (Courtesy of James Doyle)

Throughout a lengthy trial period, Doyle estimates he tested more than 100 different ingredients and about 3,000 pounds of frozen dessert in his kitchen.

Doyle’s friends and family members — even his dog, Buddy — taste-tested recipes.

As he toyed with countless combinations early on, his taste-testers were brutally honest.

“I had my dad try one of the formulas, and he straight up told me, ‘It tastes horrible,’ and I was like, ‘Oh, man! It (froze) right, it had the right qualities, it looked good,’ and then we tasted it and it was like, ‘No!’”

He said it took approximately 19 months “to get the formula down.”

Eventually he found what he considers the ideal combination of mixing agents that bind together to form a texture that mirrors a sweet icy, syrupy sorbet; with ingredients like vegetable glycerin, erythritol (sugar alcohol), guar gum and xanthan gum, and just a gram of sugar per serving.

FREEZINda officially launched last November and is now offered in 21 stores across the United States. It is non-genetically modified, low sugar, fat free, lactose free, gluten free, low glycemic (low net carbs) and vegetarian friendly.

Preparation is easy. Mix any whey protein powder with a cup of water or milk — like a protein shake — then add the FREEZINda liquid and dry mix, and place in the freezer overnight.

Doyle’s favorite concoction? Mixing in just about any type of chocolate mint whey protein powder, specifically the flavor made by Adaptogen Science.

To further customize the high protein ice cream dessert replacement, Doyle recommends adding nuts, fruit, sprinkles and so on.

Doyle noted: “It definitely does satisfy your sweet tooth and your cravings that you would get, so once you eat it, then you’re like, ‘OK, I’m good.’”

And, there’s no question he’s a fan of his own product.

For about eighth months straight, Doyle said he ate about 2 pounds of FREEZINda each day.

“I still eat it,” he said, “but not 2 pounds a day.”

Computer specialist turned entrepreneur
Doyle was born in New York but went to high school in Leesburg, right outside The Villages.

He later settled in Wesley Chapel with his older sister, to attend and graduate from the University of South Florida.

After college, Doyle worked as an IT specialist locally.

He was forced to quit his career as lingering vision issues prevented him from staring at a computer monitor all day long.  “It was pretty tough,” Doyle said, of having to give up IT work.

FREEZINda contains mixing agents that bind to form a texture that mirrors a sweet icy, syrupy sorbet. It includes such ingredients as vegetable glycerin, erythritol (sugar alcohol), guar gum and xanthan gum, and just a gram of sugar per serving.
To prepare, mix any whey protein powder with a cup or water or milk — like a protein shake — then add the FREEZINda liquid and dry mix, and place in the freezer overnight.

Not sure where to turn next, the concept for FREEZINda suddenly popped in his head while he basked in the sauna at the New Tampa LA Fitness one spring day in 2016.

“It’s kind of weird how, like, when doors close, another one opens,” he said.

Once he had the idea, the next step was to figure out how to get it to market.

Doyle leaned on a minor degree in entrepreneurship, as well as advice from several family members who own businesses to help FREEZINda off the ground.

“I kind of figured out my way from there,” he said.

As a sole entrepreneur, Doyle works from his Wesley Chapel home office, where he can facilitate supply chain duties between a commercial kitchen in Oldsmar, and a co-packer and fulfillment center in Texas.

He’s had to learn how to navigate other aspects, including patents and trademarks, and ensuring the product is compliant with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services.

He’s also had to figure out innovative ways to market his product and generate more sales.

“There’s quite a bit to owning your own business,” said Doyle, who works six days a week. “There’s so many different areas, from fulfillment to marketing. There’s so many different areas, it’s unreal.”

FREEZINda is offered in retail nutrition and mom-and-pop stores as far away as Texas and California. It is also sold in Florida.

Locally, it can be found at Total Nutrition USF, 2720 E. Fowler Ave., in Tampa.

It’s also available on Amazon and several other nutrition-focused websites.

Next month, Doyle plans to introduce new packaging and a new FREEZINda formula that’s sugar-free, and substitutes sea salt for baking powder.

He’s searching for a food broker, too, to help promote FREEZINda to additional chain wholesalers, retail stores and independent wholesalers.

“I’m hoping to pick up more traction, with better retail boxes and a little more enhanced formula,” he said.

He also dreams of appearing on the hit Emmy Award winning reality show “Shark Tank.”

He applied in January and made it through a couple rounds of casting interviews before talks dried up.

While Doyle  aims to be successful in business, he also wants to help people to become healthier.

For more information, visit Freezinda.com.

Published August 22, 2018

Is your memory problem a normal part of aging, or a form of dementia?

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Those attending Dr. Andrew E. Budson’s talks at the Plantation Palms Golf Club in Land O’ Lakes last week had two key takeaways.

Dr. Andrew Budson (Courtesy of The Roche Associates)

First, if you’re having problems with your memory, go to a doctor who specializes in memory issues. In some cases, the problem may be the result of something that’s completely reversible, and even when it’s not, the sooner treatment begins, the better, said Budson, co-author of the book “Seven Steps to Managing Your Memory.”

The second takeaway was this: If you’re looking for something that’s very likely to help your memory, exercise is the key.

“People often ask me, ‘Dr. Budson, is there a magic pill out there to help improve my memory?’ My answer is, ‘Yes, there is. It’s called exercise.’”

Budson gave two talks on April 6 as part of a program presented by Keystone Place at Terra Bella, a new retirement community that will be opening in Land O’ Lakes, which will offer independent living, assisted living and memory care accommodations.

To get things rolling, Budson asked the audience during the 12:30 p.m. talk to consider whether these common memory issues were a result of normal aging, or something else:

  • You walk into a room to get something and you forget why.
  • You’re having trouble remembering the name of a friend of yours from church, even though you’ve met her a half-a-dozen times.
  • You’re having trouble remembering some of the details of your life, such as your wedding.
  • When you are driving and not paying attention, you take one or more wrong turns, and you end up somewhere you did not intend to be.
  • You spend too much time looking for your keys, glasses, wallet or purse.
  • Your family said you’ve asked that question before.

One of the key things to watch for is a change in behavior, Budson said.

“If you are someone who every morning as you’re getting ready to leave the house you spend 5, 10 or 15 minutes hunting around for keys, glasses, wallet, purse, and now you’re getting a little bit older and you’re still spending 5, 10, 15 minutes hunting around the house for these things, well, that’s probably normal for you.

“But if you are someone who is always very organized, never spend any time hunting around for these things — and now you’re spending 5, 10, 15, maybe 20 minutes, maybe an hour, maybe you never find that wallet, you have to replace the credit cards or you have to replace the cellphone because you couldn’t find it, you know, that would be concerning,” Budson said.

He gave another example.

“Anyone can forget that they’ve already told their best friend that story and start to tell it again, or cannot remember the answer to a question and ask it again. Sure, that can happen once or twice, no big deal.

“But, for somebody that’s telling the same story, again and again and again … every time you meet this individual they tell it, maybe even twice during the same visit, that sounds like rapid forgetting. Rapid forgetting is never normal,” he said.

To help explain how memory works, the doctor used the analogy of a filing system.

“The file clerk is our frontal lobes. It is our frontal lobes’ file clerk’s job to take the information in from the outside world and to put it inside the file cabinet.

“So, when we want to retrieve a memory, you can picture the frontal lobe file clerk pulling open the file drawer, leafing through the files until he finds the memory that he’s looking for,” he said.

As we get older, our file clerk doesn’t hear quite as well as he used to, so information may need to be repeated a couple of times in order for it to be stored in the file cabinet.

It also can take longer to retrieve a memory, and we may need a hint or cue about what a memory was about, he added.

But, the main thing is, if a memory goes into the cabinet — it can be retrieved.

Using the same filing system analogy, he then focused on the file cabinet itself.

“The file cabinet is another part of the brain. It’s actually our hippocampus. The hippocampus is the part of the brain that stores new memories. It’s located in the temporal lobes.

“The problem with diseases like Alzheimer’s is that it damages the hippocampus, and ultimately, in fact, destroys the hippocampus.

“Imagine if you pull open the drawer of the file cabinet and you look down inside, and you find out there’s a big hole in the bottom of the file drawer.

“You can have the most efficient file clerk in the world, taking information in from the outside world, putting it into the file cabinet. If there’s a big hole there, the memories are going to disappear, never to be retrieved again,” he said.

Diet and exercise can strengthen memory
The doctor also explained the distinction between the terms dementia, Alzheimer’s and mild cognitive impairment.

Dementia is a general term that means that someone’s thinking and memory have declined to the point that it interferes with day-to-day function, he said.

It can be caused by things that are easily treatable and actually completely reversible, but also can be caused by serious diseases, including Alzheimer’s.

Mild cognitive impairment means that a person has a confirmed memory loss, but that the individual’s day-to-day function is normal, Budson said.

Over time, about half of the people with mild cognitive impairment go on to develop Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia, but the other half don’t, he said.

Once a memory problem has been determined, the next step is treatment, Budson said. There are standard medications that have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, he said. Plus, there’s more research underway now than there ever has been during the 110-year history of Alzheimer’s.

Early treatment is crucial, he said.

“They (medications) can turn the clock back by six to 12 months,” he said. “I am much more likely to be able to turn the clock back all of the way to 12 months, all the way to make their memory like it was a year ago, if they come to see me early.”

Research also shows that lifestyle changes can help, he said.

“The Mediterranean diet, and a few variations of it, is really the only diet that study after study after study has been proven to be healthy for the brain and good for the memory,” he said. That diet includes fish, olive oil, avocados, fruits and vegetables, nuts and beans, and whole grains.

Exercise also is good for you, but before increasing your activity, be sure to check with your doctor, he said.

The recommended amount of exercise is at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise five days a week, plus two hours a week of things that help with strength and balance, and flexibility.

Besides reducing the risk for stroke and improving your mood, exercise can help you sleep better — which is critically important for the memory, he said.

“Remember we talked about how the new memories are stored in the hippocampus, in our new memory file cabinet? Well, it turns out there’s another memory file cabinet that is storing the older memories. It is during sleep that the memories go from the short-term, temporary store (file) to the long-term permanent store (file),” he said.

Besides exercise and diet, other ways to strengthen the memory including social engagement and learning new things, Budson said.

There is no evidence, however, that doing brain-training games and crossword puzzles will improve the memory, he said.

“What the studies show is that if you spend time doing crossword puzzles, or Suduko or computerized brain training programs, you get better at crossword puzzles, Suduko and computerized brain training programs. It simply does not translate to overall brain function,” he said.

Know the 10 signs

  • Memory loss that disrupts daily life
  • Challenges in planning or solving problems
  • Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work, or at leisure
  • Confusion with time or place
  • Trouble with understanding visual images or spatial relationships
  • New problems with words in speaking or writing
  • Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps
  • Decreased or poor judgment
  • Withdrawal from work or social activities
  • Changes in mood or personality

For more details on this list and for more information about Alzheimer’s, visit ALZ.org.

Published April 11, 2018