The outbreak is thought to be linked to contaminated cucumbers, but there are also concerns about other vegetables.

Consumers in Germany and Spain are being warned to cook all vegetables, and several governments are ordering products to be taken off the shelves while the investigation continues.

The E. coli outbreak has left 10 people dead and hundreds sick, with the majority of the victims in northern Germany.

Professor Rolf Stahl, who works at the main hospital in the northern city of Hamburg, says the death toll is likely to rise.

“We have been caught unaware by an epidemic on a scale which none of us has previously experienced,” he said.

“We now have around 20 patients who are very, very ill. Most of them are in intensive care and everyone here is working around the clock to care for them.”

Infectious diseases experts think the outbreak may be linked to cucumbers from Spain.

The vegetables could have become contaminated with human or animal fecal matter either at their source, during transportation or in Germany.

Scientists suspect tomatoes and lettuce may also be affected, and in northern Germany consumers are being advised to avoid those vegetables.

The warnings have angered some German farmers, who say they will suffer unnecessarily.

Spanish growers are not happy either; Fulgencio Torres, president of the producers’ organisation Hortyfruta, says German authorities should not have named Spain as the possible source before investigations were complete.

“We think they have been hasty because we know there are products that are not only from Spain … We have been told that of the four tests carried out, one of the samples has its origin in Holland,” he said.

Professor Peter Collingnon, an infectious diseases expert at the Australian National University, says the strain of E. coli is particularly aggressive.

“This particular strain seems to be causing what they call the hemolytic uremic syndrome and it seems to be a strain that hasn’t done this before or not very commonly done it before called 0104,” he said.

“Certain strains of E. coli produce a poison or a toxin called a Shiga toxin that causes people to have a bloody diarrhoea because it damages the lining of the large bowel and small bowel.

“In some people it is worse because either the toxin is absorbed into the blood stream or alternatively the red cells are so damaged in around the bowel that they then go and cause clotting in other areas including the kidney.

“In some people, a variation of it can cause clotting in other blood vessels including in blood vessels going to the brain and you can end up with damage to your brain or clots in those blood vessels.”

Professor Collignon says E. coli most commonly affects young children but in this outbreak adult women seem to be worst hit.

“One of the issues may be the food habits of women versus men,” he said.

“Women in some ways eat what we’d call generally healthier foods – fresh vegetables and salads,” he said.

“But perversely, in rare instances, and relatively this is rare, that may increase your risk because you haven’t cooked it before you’ve eaten it.”

There are also concerns that the deadly bacteria will be passed from person to person.

German federal and state ministers are meeting to discuss the outbreak.

Martha remixes classics

The May issue of Martha Stewart Living has freshened up some classics to help you add variety to your menu -and actually enjoy a salad for lunch and with dinner.

Traditionally, an old-fashioned savoury-sweet Waldorf salad is slathered in heavy mayonnaise. Martha Stewart freshens it up with greens and -creatively -roasted grapes, topping it off with a bright lemon vinaigrette.

Spinach salad is a standby for those looking for protein (in the ubiquitous hard-boiled egg) and extra iron. , Martha Stewart spices it up and makes spinach salad seemingly sinful by adding chorizo, creamy fingerling potatoes and a deliciously oozy poached egg, all brightened with sherry vinegar.

NEW WALDORF SALAD

To lighten things up, fresh greens are tossed in and a lemon vinaigrette replaces the mayonnaise dressing.

Active time: 20 Min.

Total Time: 45 Min.

Serves: 4

For the roasted grapes:

1 1/2 lbs. red seedless grapes

1 Tbsp. confectioners’ sugar

1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

For the Dressing:

1 Tbsp. minced shallot

1 Tbsp. white-wine vinegar

1/2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest, plus 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp. ground cumin

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

For the salad:

2 celery stalks, thinly sliced crosswise, plus 1/2 cup leaves

1 head frisée, trimmed

1 Honeycrisp apple, thinly sliced

1/2 cup walnuts, toasted

Roast the grapes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss grapes with sugar and oil. Roast on a rimmed baking sheet until just starting to wrinkle and burst, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool.

Meanwhile, make the dressing: Combine shallot, vinegar, lemon zest and juice, and cumin in a bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Make the salad: Toss grapes (without pan juices) with sliced celery and leaves, frisée, apple and walnuts. Drizzle salad with dressing, and toss to coat.

NEW SPINACH SALAD

Chorizo stands in for the classic bacon. Golden potatoes, rather than mushrooms, provide earthiness. And a poached egg, with its runny richness, one-ups the traditional hard-cooked.

Active time: 20 Min.

Total Time: 20 Min.

Serves: 4

For the poached eggs:

1 Tbsp. white vinegar

4 large eggs

For the salad:

3 Tbsps. extra-virgin olive oil

4 fingerling potatoes (about 12 oz.), blanched and sliced crosswise 1/2 inch thick

5 oz. baby spinach

2 links cooked (not dried) chorizo, sliced crosswise 1/2 inch thick

For the dressing:

2 Tbsps. minced shallot

1 Tbsp. sherry vinegar Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Poach the eggs: Add vinegar to a large saucepan of simmering water. Crack eggs into water, 1 at a time. Poach eggs until whites are set but yolks are still runny, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate using a slotted spoon.

Make the salad: Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a high-sided skillet over medium heat.

Cook potatoes until golden, about 6 minutes per side. Transfer to a large bowl using a slotted spoon, and add spinach.

Add remaining tablespoon oil to skillet. Cook chorizo until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Add to bowl using slotted spoon.

Make the dressing: Remove skillet from heat. Add shallot, and let cook for 30 seconds.

Swirl in vinegar.

Pour dressing over salad, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Divide salad among 4 plates. Top each with an egg

The health benefits of sex extend well beyond the bedroom. Turns out sex is good for you in ways you may never have imagined

When you’re in the mood, it’s a sure bet that the last thing on your mind is boosting your immune system or maintaining a healthy weight. Yet good sex offers those health benefits and more.

That’s a surprise to many people, says Joy Davidson, PhD, a New York psychologist and sex therapist. “Of course, sex is everywhere in the media,” she says. “But the idea that we are vital, sexual creatures is still looked at in some cases with disgust or in other cases a bit of embarrassment. So to really take a look at how our sexuality adds to our life and enhances our life and our health, both physical and psychological, is eye-opening for many people.”

Sex does a body good in a number of ways, according to Davidson and other experts. The benefits aren’t just anecdotal or hearsay — each of these 10 health benefits of sex is backed by scientific scrutiny.

Among the benefits of healthy loving in a relationship:

1. Sex Relieves Stress

A big health benefit of sex is lower blood pressure and overall stress reduction, according to researchers from Scotland who reported their findings in the journal Biological Psychology. They studied 24 women and 22 men who kept records of their sexual activity. Then the researchers subjected them to stressful situations — such as speaking in public and doing verbal arithmetic — and noted their blood pressure response to stress.

Those who had intercourse had better responses to stress than those who engaged in other sexual behaviors or abstained.

Another study published in the same journal found that frequent intercourse was associated with lower diastolic blood pressure in cohabiting participants. Yet other research found a link between partner hugs and lower blood pressure in women.

2. Sex Boosts Immunity

Good sexual health may mean better physical health. Having sex once or twice a week has been linked with higher levels of an antibody called immunoglobulin A or IgA, which can protect you from getting colds and other infections. Scientists at Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., took samples of saliva, which contain IgA, from 112 college students who reported the frequency of sex they had.

Those in the “frequent” group — once or twice a week — had higher levels of IgA than those in the other three groups — who reported being abstinent, having sex less than once a week, or having it very often, three or more times weekly.

3. Sex Burns Calories

Thirty minutes of sex burns 85 calories or more. It may not sound like much, but it adds up: 42 half-hour sessions will burn 3,570 calories, more than enough to lose a pound. Doubling up, you could drop that pound in 21 hour-long sessions.

“Sex is a great mode of exercise,” says Patti Britton, PhD, a Los Angeles sexologist and president of the American Association of Sexuality Educators and Therapists. It takes work, from both a physical and psychological perspective, to do it well, she says.

4. Sex Improves Cardiovascular Health

While some older folks may worry that the efforts expended during sex could cause a stroke, that’s not so, according to researchers from England. In a study published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, scientists found frequency of sex was not associated with stroke in the 914 men they followed for 20 years.

And the heart health benefits of sex don’t end there. The researchers also found that having sex twice or more a week reduced the risk of fatal heart attack by half for the men, compared with those who had sex less than once a month.

5. Sex Boosts Self-Esteem

Boosting self-esteem was one of 237 reasons people have sex, collected by University of Texas researchers and published in the Archives of Sexual Behavior.

That finding makes sense to Gina Ogden, PhD, a sex therapist and marriage and family therapist in Cambridge, Mass., although she finds that those who already have self-esteem say they sometimes have sex to feel even better. “One of the reasons people say they have sex is to feel good about themselves,” she tells WebMD. “Great sex begins with self-esteem, and it raises it. If the sex is loving, connected, and what you want, it raises it.”

6. Sex Improves Intimacy

Having sex and orgasms increases levels of the hormone oxytocin, the so-called love hormone, which helps us bond and build trust. Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh and the University of North Carolina evaluated 59 premenopausal women before and after warm contact with their husbands and partners ending with hugs. They found that the more contact, the higher the oxytocin levels.

“Oxytocin allows us to feel the urge to nurture and to bond,” Britton says.

Higher oxytocin has also been linked with a feeling of generosity. So if you’re feeling suddenly more generous toward your partner than usual, credit the love hormone.

7. Sex Reduces Pain

As the hormone oxytocin surges, endorphins increase, and pain declines. So if your headache, arthritis pain, or PMS symptoms seem to improve after sex, you can thank those higher oxytocin levels.

In a study published in the Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine, 48 volunteers who inhaled oxytocin vapor and then had their fingers pricked lowered their pain threshold by more than half.

8. Sex Reduces Prostate Cancer Risk

Frequent ejaculations, especially in 20-something men, may reduce the risk of prostate cancer later in life, Australian researchers reported in the British Journal of Urology International. When they followed men diagnosed with prostate cancer and those without, they found no association of prostate cancer with the number of sexual partners as the men reached their 30s, 40s, and 50s.

But they found men who had five or more ejaculations weekly while in their 20s reduced their risk of getting prostate cancer later by a third.

Another study, reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that frequent ejaculations, 21 or more a month, were linked to lower prostate cancer risk in older men, as well, compared with less frequent ejaculations of four to seven monthly.

9. Sex Strengthens Pelvic Floor Muscles

For women, doing a few pelvic floor muscle exercises known as Kegels during sex offers a couple of benefits. You will enjoy more pleasure, and you’ll also strengthen the area and help to minimize the risk of incontinence later in life.

To do a basic Kegel exercise, tighten the muscles of your pelvic floor, as if you’re trying to stop the flow of urine. Count to three, then release.

10. Sex Helps You Sleep Better

The oxytocin released during orgasm also promotes sleep, according to research.

And getting enough sleep has been linked with a host of other good things, such as maintaining a healthy weight and blood pressure. Something to think about, especially if you’ve been wondering why your guy can be active one minute and snoring the next.

An increasing number of female hormones in tap supplies means that fellas may begin to experience girlie changes to their bodies.

Chemicals called “foreign oestrogens” get into the water supply through everyday use and come from many sources including shampoos, soaps, hormone replacement tablets and even the Pill.

Past studies have revealed they can have “gender-bending” effects and could pose fertility and prostate cancer risks.

But now experts are starting to link them to a change in male body shapes. Scientists who study the impact of hormones, sports nutritionists and fitness experts have all reported the problem.

Medics have noticed that men, who traditionally carry excess weight round the middle, have increasing amounts of fat on their hips and thighs – like women.

This is partly due to the distribution of female hormones which influence the way the human body carries extra pounds. Ben Lauder-Dykes, a specialist at central London’s No1 Fitness Studio Training, said: “The foreign oestrogens are toxins and will get stored in fat cells.”

US experts also warn the oestrogens could cause problems with metabolism leading to obesity.

Oestrogens can also get into water from plastic bottles and beauty products such as face lotion and nail polish remover.

Surgical procedures, however, can be dangerous and have an “unacceptably high rate of complications,” according to the study, published this week in the Journal of the British Association of Urological Surgeons.

“An increasing number of patients seek urological advice for the so-called ‘short penis’,” the researchers reported.

This is true despite the fact that “penile length is normal in most of these men, who tend to overestimate normal phallic dimension.”

A male member — measured on the dorsal, or upper, side — can be considered normal in length if it is at least four centimetres (1.6 inches) when limp, and 7.5 centimetres (three inches) when rigid, noted several of the studies evaluated.

Some allowances, they added, must be made for a man’s height and his body-mass index (BMI), which measures deviation from optimal levels of body fat.

To determine the efficacy and safety of both surgical and non-surgical techniques for so-called “male enhancement,” Marco Orderda and Paolo Gontero of the University of Turin in Italy canvassed scientific literature.

They found 10 relevant studies. Half reported on surgical techniques, performed on 121 men.

Among the non-invasive methods, tested on 109 subjects, so-called penile extenders that stretch the phallus through traction were shown to be most effective.

One study reported an average increase of 1.8 centimetres (0.7 inches), while another measured an extra 2.3 centimetres (0.9 inches) in a flaccid state, and 1.7 centimetres (0.67 inches) when erect.

But the regimen for achieving these gains was arduous: six hours of daily traction over four months in the first case, and four hours every day over six months in the second.

Another device, known as a “penis pump,” uses a manual or motorised pump to create a vacuum inside a hard cylinder sheath, stretching the phallus.

Six months of treatment, however, “was not found to be effective for penile elongation, although is provided some sort of psychological satisfaction for some men,” the researchers said.

So-called peno-scrotal rings — expandable or rigid bands that fit around the base of the scrotum and penis — “might help to augment penile size and maintain erections in men suffering from anxiety”, they reported, but only two cases were evaluated.

Advertisements claiming that another popular technique — so-called “penile lengthening exercises” — can add centimetres or inches to one’s manhood are unfounded, say Oderda and Gontero.

Even the methods that did show some increase in length did not result in a gain in thickness, they noted.

But nor was their shrinkage.

“It is interesting that no girth decrease was reported with traction therapy, as one would have instinctively thought,” the researchers said.