Laser correction surgery could be your ticket to perfect vision.

Click here to check out a video of how the procedure is done, provided by Millennium Laser Eye Centers.
UPDATE: You can download the News Illustrated graphic to learn more.

> Discuss this entry

You say tomato, they say no more salmonella , I say it's about time!

I knew something was up a month or so ago when I ordered a chicken club sandwich at the Cheesecake Factory and they told me they couldn't serve tomatoes. My husband didn't care, he hates them --- so we didn't give it another thought. Then news broke the next day that there's been a salmonella outbreak on tomatoes. Shocking.

So far, the Food and Drug Administration still hasn't figured out where the little germies came from, but there has been several hundred cases that have risen across the country since April. And now, after a recent trip to Chipotle, I found out that now jalapenos are having a little salmonella outbreak of their own. What's next?!!

Is it a weird coincidence that restaurants warn you of food-borne diseases before the FDA does?! All I know is the Cheesecake Factory has relaxed on their no-tomato policy for a couple of weeks. I guess it's only a matter of time (and lunch trips) before I find out about the next food recall.

> Discuss this entry

On Sunday, the Sun-Sentinel will feature a package on Brendan O'Toole, a young man who suffered from severe traumatic brain injury from a horrific car accident in September 2005. Staff reporter Tim Collie and photographer Susan Stocker spent time with Brendan's family to give you this heartfelt story about their hopes and struggles.

Above is the multimedia package with the story that features a powerful video of friends and family; copies of emails Brendan's mother wrote to friends chronicling Brendan's journey for the first few years after the accident; and an interactive graphic explaining the causes of traumatic brain injury.

If you'd like to include your story, feel free to comment at the Sun-Sentinel forum we set up for Brendan's story. Please note that all comments will be approved before they are posted.

If you want more information on traumatic brain injury, visit the Brain Injury Association of Florida or call their family helpline (800-992-3442).

> Discuss this entry

The most important skill you can learn this summer is how to swim.

Ten children have already drown in Broward and Palm Beach counties, younger than 13. With summer here and numbers climbing, now is a perfect time to focus on pool safety.

UPDATE: My News Illustrated page in Sunday's South Florida Sun-Sentinel shows how you can prevent pool tragedies by safe guarding your pool and home. In case you missed it you can download the pdf.

VIDEO SWIM LESSONS
Expert Village has a library of swim lessons that can be viewed for free.

SWIM LESSONS IN SOUTH FLORIDA
The American Red Cross offers Learn-To-Swim classes in most cities. Classes range from $29 to $70 depending on the number of sessions. Select Broward or Palm Beach county to download a PDF file with classes near you.

Have a safe summer.

> Discuss this entry

The FDA has issued warnings on certain tomatoes. Look to this Q & A for all your answers.

The FDA has information for raw produce and fresh-squeezed fruit and vegetable juices.
• Buying tips
• Storage tips
• Preparation
• Safety
• Q & A on fresh produce

At this time Florida tomatoes are not on the contaminated list.

> Discuss this entry

Mosquitoes can be a real pain in South Florida. Look to one of our News Illustrated pages to help keep mosquitoes at bay, and summertime more enjoyable. The graphic includes information on:

• Mosquito repellents
• How to mosquito-proof your home
• Information on a powered bug trap, foggers & sprayers, insect zappers, ultrasound devices and citronella candles
• Tidbits on the mosquito

> Discuss this entry

Since we are at the height of fire season, we thought we would give you another way to keep track of the smoldering state we call home.

The map shows current fires in red and fires from throughout the year in yellow. The USDA Forest Service creates these maps for the entire United States. They also provide maps of fires for various regions and some individual states like Florida.

We also have a Google map with active fires.

> Discuss this entry

CPR has just been simplified.

Watch this video for details on how to perform this easy hands-only CPR.

More information is available at The American Heart Association which has additional videos.

To see a step-by-step graphic also shows the procedure.

> Discuss this entry