October 2009

8 Important body signs - pains you should not ignore

No one wants it, yet it's the body's way of getting your attention when something is wrong. There is pain that is tolerable and that you can work through, perhaps the result of moving furniture a day or two before, and then there is body pain that you need to sit up and listen to. A person should know that minor pains that are constant could be a sign of something serious. Millions of people out there don't always stop to listen to what their body is saying and end up suffering adverse consequences later.

Learning the difference, and especially knowing which more common pains you need to be on guard for, will ensure that you will not regret having missed the signs when you develop a more complicated condition later on.

Here are the pains you mustn't ignore:

1. Worst and occasional headache

It may be a sign of brain tumour or brain haemorrhage which require an immediate medical attention. If the headache is accompanied by a cold, it might be a sign for a sinus headache. In either case, it's always better to get it checked out. You're also advised to check your thyroid.

Perhaps most people get headaches at some point in their lives, so this is not a definite sign of brain tumours. You should mention it to your doctors if the headaches are: different from those you ever had before, are accompanied by nausea/vomiting, are made worse by bending over or straining when going to the bathroom.

2. Pain or discomfort in the chest

Pain or discomfort in the chest may be a sign of a heart attack or pneumonia. Many people with chest pain fear a heart attack. However, there are many possible causes of chest pain. Some causes are mildly inconvenient (such as heartburn, reflux, GERD etc), while other causes are serious, even life-threatening. Take note that heart conditions are typically linked to discomfort in the chest, but not pain. The discomfort associated with heart disease could also be in the upper chest, throat, jaw, left shoulder or arm, or abdomen and might be accompanied by nausea.

Too often people delay because they misinterpret it as heartburn or GI distress. Because of the risk of a heart attack, seek emergency professional medical attention immediately for any type of chest pain or chest tightness.

3. Pain between shoulder blades or in lower back

Although pain between the shoulder blades may signal that there is something wrong with the tissues, joints, ligaments or muscles around and within the shoulder region, it is not however always the case. Pain between shoulder blades or in lower back may indicate severe medical problems or conditions in the other organs of the body. It may be a sign of arthritis, heart attack or abdominal problems. Gallbladder disease may also manifest in the form of pain between shoulder blades or under the right shoulder blade. This may oftentimes be accompanied by vomiting. It may also be caused by liver cancer and oesophageal cancer (cancer in the oesophagus) due to an abnormal growth of cells.

4. Severe abdominal pain

Abdominal pain is pain that you feel anywhere between your chest and groin. Abdominal pain causes can range from extremely severe life-threatening conditions (such as acute appendicitis, abdominal aneurysm), to various less serious conditions (such as heartburn, reflux, gastroenteritis etc). Any symptom of abdominal pain needs prompt professional medical advice.

Severe abdominal pain may be a sign of intestinal blockages, stomach ulcers or pancreas and gallbladder problems. Intense attacks in your abdominal part, turning your face very pale, accompanied by vomiting, sweating and nausea could be due to stones in the gallbladder.

5. Repeated back pain

Repeated back pain may be a sign of a spine problem, internal organ problems, or a preliminary sign of slip disc.

6. Calf pain

Calf muscles are located at the back of lower leg. Calf pain is generally self-induced and is caused due to too much of exercise or lack of following proper methodology in exercise, especially related to stretching. However, sudden calf pain can be a sign of arterial insufficiency. This means that the arteries can't supply the calf with enough blood. Sometimes, this means you may have atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, which needs close monitoring and sometimes medication.

One of the lesser known dangers is deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a blood clot that can occur in the leg's deep veins. It can be very serious if the clot breaks away from the calf and travels elsewhere causing pulmonary embolism (a clot in the lungs), which could be fatal. Sometimes there's just swelling without pain. If you have swelling and pain in your calf muscles, see a doctor immediately.

7. Burning sensation in feet/legs

A burning foot may be mild and local and easily treatable or it may indicate a more serious general medical problem that needs further investigation. In some cases, the problem may be so painful that it interferes with a person's sleep.

Burning feet can occur simply because of mechanical overload at the end of a long day, especially in those who are on their feet all day or are overweight. Infections, such as athlete's foot or fungal infection, also can cause burning feet. These problems can be easily remedied. But burning feet can also be a preliminary sign of peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage), perhaps due to diabetes or exposure to toxins. In these cases, burning feet require prompt medical attention.

8. Painful urination

Painful urination (dysuria) describes any pain, discomfort, or burning sensation during urination, usually felt in the urethra (the urinary outlet of bladder) or perineum (the area surrounding genitals). It is most often caused by an infection somewhere in the urinary tract, especially in women. In men, urethritis and prostate conditions are more frequent causes of painful urination. The location of pain or burning during urination is important to distinguish urethral pain from bladder pain or kidney pain.

The pain and the blood in your urine are also symptoms of bladder cancer, the fourth most common cancer in men. There's a 90 percent chance of fixing it if this disease is caught early.

The aches and pains are not the only problems that a person should notice. Experts also advise to never ignore petty things like fatigue or shortness of breath. Every time you encounter an abnormality in your health, talk to your doctor immediately.

source: rediff

Stress hormone linked to male fertility issues Stress hormones and a common chemical in plastics, when combined, may cause fertility problems for male babies while in the womb.

Researchers at Edinburgh University have found that high levels of stress hormones mixed with a common chemical found in plastics severely inhibited male fetal development in rats.

Exposure to excess stress hormones and chemicals while in the womb could affect a man's fertility in later life, researchers in Edinburgh have found.

Scientists looked at the effect of stress hormones combined with a common chemical used in glues, paints and plastics. They found the combination increased the likelihood of reproductive birth defects.

Researchers from Edinburgh University and the Medical Research Council believe the findings could help explain why rates of babies born with these problems are increasing.

Dr Mandy Drake, of the university's Centre for Cardiovascular Science, said: "The study shows it is not simply a case of one factor contributing to abnormalities in male development but a combination of lifestyle and environmental factors, which together have a greater impact."

The study was carried out with the Medical Research Council Human Reproductive Sciences Unit based at Edinburgh University.

SOURCE: news.scotsman

Healthy food is the best way to boost the immune system With the arrival of the cold-and-flu season, it may be tempting to load up on mega doses of vitamins, minerals and herbal supplements as an added precaution.

But as scientists discover more about how the immune system works, they are finding evidence that it is the complex interaction of nutrients in real food that helps the body build its defenses against disease and infection. They even warn that large doses of some supplements such as selenium, zinc, vitamin A, vitamin B6 and vitamin E may even harm and suppress the immune response.

There are nutrients in everyday foods which can help to make your body's defenses stronger.

VITAMIN C: Vitamin C is a powerhouse nutrient in your defense system. Its antioxidant properties enhance cellular regeneration. Smokers need additional vitamin C, due to reduced absorption. Excellent food sources include berries and citrus fruits as well as leafy green vegetables.

VITAMIN E: Another antioxidant that is particularly important in preventing cell membrane damage, vitamin E works best in tandem with selenium. This nutrient is plentiful in nuts and seed oils, whole grain cereals and sweet potatoes.

FATTY ACIDS: Omega-3 fatty acids cannot be produced by the body like some other nutrients. They must be provided by the diet. Aiming for three portions a week is a good building block for health. You can enjoy the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids from oily fish such as sardines, salmon and trout and also from flaxseed.

PROBIOTICS: Live bacteria cultures found in natural yogurt and kefir stimulate the body to generate a chemical that makes it more resistant to infection. This chemical is called gamma interferon. It is an important enhancer for immunity. Probiotics are also crucial when medical antibiotics are being taken, as those can destroy the good bacteria in your body.

SELENIUM: Selenium is used by the body to metabolize vitamin E. It is pulled from the soil into the food. Brazil nuts are the richest natural source of this nutrient. You will also find its benefits in beef, chicken, and some fish.

ZINC: Zinc is crucial for the immune system's cell development. It also helps insure wounds heal properly. It is plentiful in eggs, seafood, pumpkin seeds, liver, and Brazil nuts.

GARLIC: Garlic is not a nutrient. It is food deserving special mention. It has very strong antibiotic and antiviral properties with more than 400 active compounds.

CAROTENOIDS and OTHER PHYTONUTRIENTS: Powerful phytonutrients (plant nutrients) are associated with health benefits. There are over 12,000 known phytonutrients and some yet to be identified. The yellow/orange fruits and vegetables like carrots, red and yellow peppers, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, peaches, nectarines, pineapples, mangoes and oranges are first-rate sources of carotenoids which are converted into vitamin A, a powerful cold and flu fighter.

Many other immunity-boosting phytonutrients are found in other fresh fruits and vegetables. This is why the USDA recommends eating four to six cups of produce a day in a variety of colors – yellow, orange, red, dark green, white, purple and blue.

Cooperative Extension nutrition educators in Vilas County are working with the Commission on Aging, the Public Health Department and Social Services to plan education programs for adults in their communities. According to Terri Miller, the U.W. - Extension Wisconsin Nutrition Education Program Coordinator for Vilas, Florence and Forest counties, adults who participate in these programs will learn to make affordable changes to improve the quality of meals, snacks and beverage choices, as recommended by the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

General information on healthy eating is available in a Dietary Guidelines brochure called
“Finding Your Way to a Healthier You” available online at
www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/document/html/brochure.htm

source: newsofthenorth.net

New fruit drinks promise health benefits Cologne - Drink manufacturers increasingly promise their wares can boost health with just a few swallows. Nowhere is this more common than at the recent Anuga nutritional conference in Cologne, Germany.

For example, a fruity concoction of nettles, ginkgo and ginseng is supposed to ward off stress. Additional magnesium is meant to relax muscles.

A special juice that won the Anuga Innovation Award, taste09, uses the noni fruit, reportedly to build up the immune system, reduce inflammation and protect from cellular ageing. Cranberry and pomegranate extracts promise cell renewal and protection from prostate cancer.

Most manufacturers are responding to improved health awareness among consumers, most of whom want to ward off disease and improve their general health, reported the Cologne Convention Centre, which sponsored Anuga.

According to the GfK market research company, in Germany spending on healthy food increased 33 per cent between 2002 and the first half of 2008. Trend researchers say they see a growing market for functional food, which provides nutrition while providing an extra health boost.

Exotic super fruits like pomegranates, acia, acerola and noni play a special role. They contain large quantities of vitamins and cell-protecting antioxidants, making them the 'ideal' for the 'well-food zone.'

source: monstersandcritics

Grinding Away Stress With Your Teeth? Stressed out at work? Your teeth might be getting the brunt of your worrying. Dentists all over the country are reporting that they're seeing more patients suffering from teeth grinding - and they're attributing it to the recent economic woes.

According to Ashton, teeth grinding (or bruxism) isn't just limited to the teeth, and can affect surrounding areas.

Some of the telltale signs that you might be grinding are:

• Headache
• Oversensitive teeth
• Sore facial muscles
• Jaw pain
• Damage to the inside of the cheek

Dentists are noticing increases from 20 percent to a doubling of bruxism cases, and they suspect the economy's to blame.

Teeth grinding can be caused by stress and anxiety. It often occurs during sleep and can be caused by an abnormal bite or missing or crooked teeth.

According to The New York Times, one dentist reported 20-25 percent increase over a year. Another said teeth-grinding cases have doubled in the past 18 months.

Sometimes people find out they're grinding their teeth because their wife or husband hears it at night, but for others, it can be silent.

According to the American Dental Association, many people are unaware that they grind their teeth because they do it while they sleep.

ADA: Teeth Grinding (Bruxism)

Bruxism often occurs at the early part of the night and can disturb sleep partners. The clenching and grinding may be audible. Others make no sound while bruxing their teeth and do not realize they are doing it until a dentist discovers unusual wear spots on their teeth.

Teeth grinding can do all kinds of damage to your teeth. It can fracture or loosen your teeth and it can wear down the cusps of your teeth down to flat stumps.

Repairing this damage (treatments include bridges, crowns, root canals, dentures and implants) can be very costly. Some patients could also develop TMJ (temporomandibular joint syndrome). In severe cases it can affect your ears and result in hearing loss.

So, what are some ways you can combat the wear-and-tear on your teeth?

MOUTHGUARDS, WASHCLOTH:

• FREE: Relax your jaw muscles at night by holding a warm washcloth against your cheek in front of your earlobe.

• LEAST EXPENSIVE: OTC MOUTH GUARDS ($20) You can buy them at your local drugstore, but dentists say they might not fit your teeth properly and you could grind through them a lot more quickly.

• MODERATELY EXPENSIVE: CUSTOM NIGHT-GUARDS (starts at $350-$1000) You will have to go to the dentist for a custom fitting. Studies have shown that they can break the grinding habit.

• EXPENSIVE: BOTOX ($500 a treatment, every five months or so) Some dentists are starting to use this for extreme cases. It's off-label use and is for extreme cases of teeth-grinding, and it should be done by clinicians who know how to use it.

source: cbsnews

Chronic stress: Relentless worry may increase blood pressure, clog arteries

The body is designed to respond to emergencies by “turning on” the stress response. This can be good, if your body returns to normal afterward. But in today's society, we tend to turn on and stay on.

This is chronic stress, and it can help promote clogging of the arteries with cholesterol. Then, when clogging is advanced, a sudden acute bout of stress can push us over the edge into a heart attack.

Relentless worry, trying to do too much in too little time, etc., can stimulate the body's emergency system — the sympathetic nervous system. Lots of things happen, but two are of major importance.

One is an increase in blood pressure, which increases wear and tear in the arteries. Too high for too long can damage the delicate lining of arteries, opening the door for cholesterol deposits.

The other is that more cholesterol in the bloodstream means more can be deposited, and sympathetic nervous system stimulation causes increased cholesterol production. Since the vast majority of cholesterol in the blood is produced in your liver, this is an important effect.

Here's how it works. When stressed, the body believes it needs more fuel to respond. Fats are mobilized from the abdominal region and dumped into the bloodstream and passed through the liver. Since some of the stored fat is in the form of saturated fat, it can interfere with the liver's feedback system, causing it to overproduce cholesterol. This is just one of many reasons why dietary saturated fat and excess abdominal fat stores are big health risks.

Clogging and spasms

Over time, the arteries become clogged with excess cholesterol. The process is called atherosclerosis. For quite a while, the cholesterol plaques are mushy and the process can be reversed. Eventually, however, calcium invades the plaques, and they harden; thus the term hardening of the arteries.

In the mushy stage, if you experience an acute bout of stress, it could trigger a heart attack. Here's why: When stressed, the blood clots more easily, and formation of a blood clot in a severely clogged area of an artery could shut it down completely. This would deny blood flow and oxygen to everything downstream, killing tissue within hours.

Severe stress also could cause the artery to spasm (constrict violently), causing it to break open and release the contents inside. These contents strongly promote clotting, making the situation much worse.

So chronic stress can set the stage for disaster, and a bout of acute stress can help make the disaster a reality.

Widespread damage

Beyond heart attacks, the incidence and severity of cancer and diabetes have been linked to stress. Stress can affect the immune system, hyping allergic reactions and triggering autoimmune responses.

Stress causes muscles to contract, and chronic contractions can lead to pain in the neck, lower back and elsewhere.

Recent research is looking at the effect of chronic stress on the brain, and many implications are surfacing. Stress could cause some regions of the brain to atrophy (waste away). It's hard to tell if this can be reversed. It may cause decreased short-term memory and reasoning ability.

In addition, stress may cause changes in the DNA, our body's genetic coding system. Damage to DNA could interfere with cell growth, accelerating the aging process.

Chronic stress is a bad thing that takes a huge toll on the quality of human life, especially in the United States. And, adding insult to injury, evidence is mounting that stress helps make us fatter.

Bryant Stamford is professor and chairman of the department of exercise science at Hanover College. To contact him, go to his Web site, professorstamford.com. Or write to “The Body Shop,” The Courier-Journal, P.O. Box 740031, Louisville, KY 40201-7431.

source: courier-journal.com

Yoga 'proven' to improve dowager's hump

Adopting certain yoga techniques can lower the risk of developing dowager's hump, the age-related curve of the upper spine, a new study finds.

Kyphosis (spinal hump) and its resultant bent-over posture often occur in advanced forms of osteoporosis. The condition is more frequently reported among women, particularly older ones.

Increasing the calcium intake and engaging in more weight-bearing exercises are among the most effective ways to prevent osteoporosis in younger women; in elderly, however, simple postural exercises such as shoulder shrug can slow further progression of the Dowager's Hump.

According to the study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, doing yoga for about six months can lower the upper spine curve in elderly with Dowager's Hump by 5 percent.

The exercise was associated with some 6 percent improvement in the spinal curvature among those with more spinal flexibility, indicating that yoga is more effective when the spine is more malleable.

Yoga also alleviated upper back pain, commonly reported in those with Dowager's Hump. The rate of early awakening or insomnia was also lowered in this group.

The exercise was also reported effective in improving the height and reducing the time needed for an elderly person to stand up from a chair.

Scientists concluded that yoga can not only reduce spinal curvature among the elderly, but also improves their quality of life.

source: haber27

Some great healthy aging tips with Ayurveda By Virender Sodhi, MD (Ayurveda), ND
In Ayurvedic tradition, aging is not something to be feared.

Ayurveda embraces the concept of rejuvenation and teaches that healthy practices of rasayana, or rejuvenation therapy, may be integrated into a person’s daily life to optimize health and prevent disease as age increases.

Rasayana is one of the eight clinical specialties of Ayurveda, and herbal formulations occupy an esteemed place in the Ayurvedic pharmacopeia. Rasayana powerful natural herbs act as a general tonic, improving overall well-being, and when used as part of a regular regimen can enhance longevity, strengthen the body’s immune response, and improve mental function.

Rasayana treatment imparts luster, vitality, and renewed virility. Increased age does not have to mean increased disease. Common conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, obesity, and autoimmune disorders, may be averted altogether when a habitual, holistic rasayana regime is incorporated into one’s daily life.

Rasayana herbs are known especially for their adaptogenic qualities. These herbs are extremely versatile and have the power to adapt according to the body’s unique needs. In addition to herbs, detoxification (pancha karma vigyan) and behavior modification (achar rasayana) are often recommended.

Implementing a health routine into daily life can begin with:

• Early rising. Waking up early, preferably before sunrise, allows maximum exposure to sunlight. The sun stimulates the body’s adrenal glands and increases the production of cortisol, bringing us out of deep sleep and increasing overall well-being.

• Healthy diet and exercise. Beginning the day with one to three glasses of warm water encourages peristalsis and assists bowel evacuation. A healthy breakfast is also important, emphasizing appropriate foods to one’s constitution.

Fried, processed, and artificially sweetened foods should be avoided. Moderate exercise is essential to healthy aging, such as walking 30 minutes to 45 minutes of on most days.

• Healthy hygiene. Oral and physical hygiene are important to health and vitality as we age. A daily shower encourages digestive health and enhances heart health. The health of teeth and gums should be maintained by daily brushing and flossing.

• Sexual health. The Hindu religion considers sexual activity to be sacred and is an aspect of the pursuit of pleasure (kama) — one of the legitimate goals of life. In Ayurveda, frequent sexual activity is recommended in winter, with slightly less frequency in other seasons.

• Seasonal health. The body’s needs change according to the seasonal cycle. To avoid the impact of seasonal change on your body as it ages, follow a common sense approach. In Ayurveda, these seasonal adjustments are known as ritu charya.

In summer, dress lightly, eat fruits and vegetables, and consume plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. In winter, dress warmly, being careful to keep your vital organs, such as your heart and lungs, warm.

Consuming nuts and seeds will supply your body with oils and extra energy. In cold weather, lubricate your skin with nourishing oils and creams.

During the spring and fall allergy seasons, avoid mucous-producing foods such as excess sugar, dairy products, rich foods, and fried foods. Fasting with vegetables, fruits, and rice protein may help to stave off allergies.

• Detoxification. As the years pass, toxic substances accumulate in our bodies which can cause systemic disease. Regular detoxifying cleansing, known as pancha karma, is recommended and mimics the body’s own natural cleansing process.

Three phases are involved — a preparatory phase, known as poorva karma; the pancha karma process itself, which includes five methods of cleansing; and a restoration phase, known as pashchtya karma, which restores the body to its natural state using rasayana herbs.

Rasayana herbs
While these practices, followed on a regular basis, are indispensable for maintaining the body’s total health over time, the basis of Ayurvedic rejuvenation therapy remains herbal treatment with rasayana herbs and preparations.

Herbal treatments for healthy aging include:
Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera). Ashwagandha is a shrubby plant which offers tremendous potential as an energizing medicinal herb. Ayurvedic practitioners have used the roots of this plant for centuries with success as a tonic to increase vitality and longevity, as well as to treat health conditions as diverse as tumors and arthritis.

Ashwagandha was tested for its anti-aging properties in a double-blind clinical trial. A group of 101 healthy males, 50 years old to 59 years old, were given the herb at a dosage of 3 grams daily for one year.

The subjects experienced significant improvement in hemoglobin, red blood cell count, hair melanin, and seated stature. Serum cholesterol decreased and nail calcium was preserved, and 70 percent of the research subjects reported improvement in sexual performance.1

Amla (Emblica officinalis). Amla is a rejuvenator. It has antioxidant properties and can counter the toxicity of heavy metals such as nickel, cobalt, arsenic, and mercury. It also provides protective properties after one has been exposed to toxic or carcinogenic chemicals.

It has powerful anti-cancerous properties and has been used in cancer therapy to cut down the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation. According to ancient Ayurvedic texts, one who consumes a rasayana with Amla as the main ingredient is one who will “live for a hundred years without any sign of decrepitude.” Among other things, Amla is one of the richest sources of natural vitamin C available and is well-known as a powerful immune support.2

Sitawari (Asparagus racemosus). This herb has tonic, adaptogenic, alterative (curative), and aphrodisiac activities. It is used to treat debility and chronic diseases like infertility, impotence, menopause, lung abscesses, and chronic fevers, as well as stomach ulcers, hyperacidity, and hormonal imbalance and diarrhea. Decoctions of the herb have a soothing effect on dry and irritated membranes, making it useful in treating bronchitis and other respiratory ailments.

As a rasayana, it is believed to bring all of the body’s fluids into balance.3

Trifal (Terminalia chebula, Terminalia bellerica, and Emblica officinalis). Trifal is another adaptogen. The combined herbs are synergistic and have digestive and eliminative actions. It has anti-parasitic, anti-yeast, anti-bacterial, and antihistaminic properties. It improves the flow of bile, lowers cholesterol, and can be used as adjuvant in chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

Shilajeet-mumiyo (Mineral pitch). Shilajeet is a rich source of naturally occurring minerals. Russian athletes used it as a nonsteroidal body builder and stamina enhancer. Ayurvedic medicine considers it as an aphrodisiac, a tonic for the kidneys and prostate. It helps with benign prostate enhancement and is an immune enhancer.

In Ayurveda, Shilajit is considered a rasayana herb and an adaptogen.4 The substance has been found to contain at least 85 minerals in ionic form, as well as humic acid and fulvic acid. Clinical research has been conducted to determine Shilajit’s pharmacological activity, and the results have confirmed its traditional uses in treating impotence, sterility, mental diseases, and for improving memory and learning.

Pippli (Piper longum). Pippli helps in digestion, and enhances acid and enzyme secretions. It significantly enhances the absorption of nutrients, herbs, and drugs, and has shown anti-allergic, anti-asthmatic, and powerful anti-parasitic actions.

Ancient Ayurvedic texts list Pippli as one of the most powerful rasayana herbs, which means that it is a valuable longevity enhancer. It is also considered a purifying herb, with soothing qualities that help improve the quality of sleep.

Ancient texts and contemporary studies point to the wide-ranging effectiveness of Pippli in respiratory, liver, digestive, metabolic, parasitic, and malignant conditions.5

By eating well, following good daily and seasonal routines, occasionally undergoing a cleansing regime, and following up with the right rejuvenative herbs, longevity may be increased and health can be optimized as you age.

Virender Sodhi, MD (Ayurveda), ND, was one of the first to practice Ayurvedic medicine in the United States. He practices at the Ayurvedic and Naturopathic Medical Clinic in Bellevue, Wash. He can be contacted at www.ayurvedicscience.com. For herbal products, visit www.ayush.com.

Disclaimer: This article is purely informative and should not replace the guidance of your physician. If you suffer from an illness, consult a physician before taking any herbs, vitamins, minerals, or enzymes. Even at the peak of health, it is best to consult a qualified practitioner before taking any dietary supplement.

References
1 Bone K. Clinical Applications of Ayurvedic and Chinese Herbs. Queensland, Australia: Phytotherapy Press, 1996, 137-41.

2 Selected medicinal plants of India. Chemexcil, Mumbai Ministry of Health and Family Welfare 1989

3 Chopra RN, Chopra IC, Handa KL, Kapur LD. Indigenous drugs of India. Calcutta: Academic Publishers; 1994. pp. 496.

4 David Winston and Steven Maimes. Adaptogens: Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief, Healing Arts Press, 2007.

5 Rege NN, Thatte UM, Dhanukar SA. 1999 Adaptogenic properties of six rasayana herbs used in Ayurvedic medicines. Phytotherapy Research 13(4):275

source: chiroeco

Peoples In Mumbai Facing Mental Health Disorder Mumbai: The case of Francis Gomes which, coincidentally, came to light a few days before World Mental Health Week (October 4 to 10), may not be an isolated one, say psychiatrists.

Gomes, who kept his three daughters and wife locked up in their Vasai apartment, may have been suffering from paranoid schizophrenia. Unfortunately, not the family, nor the neighbours or even members the NGO that rescued Gomes' wife and daughters, were aware of this, a psychiatrist said, adding that she was "least surprised" by this sort of ignorance.

According to World Health Organisation (WHO) statistics, nearly one per cent of the global population suffers from some mental illness, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, depression, personality disorder and mania. In Mumbai, psychiatrists estimate it could be between 1.5 and two per cent. And yet, the lack of awareness and neglect is shocking.

Less than one per cent of the total health budget is devoted to mental health, said sources. Mumbai, with its population of 1.4 crore, has only 400-odd beds for the mentally ill in its public hospitals. People with mental disorders have little choice but to go to psychiatrists with private practice, who are expensive. To make matters worse, there is an acute shortage of psychologists, psychiatrists, counsellors and social workers in India.

"It is a vicious circle. There is an acute lack of facilities in the city, which results in a lack of financial support from the government. And this, in turn, perpetuates the lack of awareness about mental health in general," says Yvette Lee, a social worker with the Manav Foundation, a day-care centre for psycho-social rehabilitation.

"It's not difficult to approach anyone for help. But mentally-ill people and their families are not able to readily seek help either," she says, given the stigma attached to this.

Even though mental health disorders are hard to cope with, there are a number of new therapies and medication that can help bring the disorders under control. "In the last 30 years, we have had remarkable improvement in treatment. A number of drugs are now available which control, treat and, to some extent even cure, the disease. There are a number of psycho-social, behavioural and rehabilitative programmes for patients," says Dr YA Matcheswalla, head of the Department of Psychiatry at Messina Hospital.

This hospital in Byculla, for instance, has a special 110-bed ward exclusively for psychiatric patients, along with a special ambulance for them. Support groups like Dilaasa, which tend to over 150 family members of patients of schizophrenia, also share a bit of the burden. Still, this is hardly enough, experts say.

source: DNA

Antidepressants May Be Linked to Birth Problems Moms-to-be taking SSRIs had double the risk of early delivery, study finds

Taking a popular type of antidepressant during pregnancy may increase the risk for preterm birth, the need for treatment in a neonatal intensive care unit and lower overall health for the baby, according to a new study.

Researchers compared birth outcomes among babies born to 329 women who took selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) during pregnancy, 4,902 women who had a history of psychiatric illness but did not take SSRIs during pregnancy and 51,770 women with no history of mental illness.

Compared with women who had no history of mental illness, those who took SSRIs during pregnancy gave birth an average of five days earlier and had double the risk for preterm delivery. Babies of mothers who took SSRIs during pregnancy were significantly more likely than infants in the other two groups to have a five-minute Apgar score of seven or lower (seven is the general indicator of good infant health) or to be admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit. Exposure to SSRIs did not affect birth weight or head circumference.

The researchers also found that SSRI-exposed infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit had symptoms including seizures, jitteriness, infections, respiratory problems and jaundice that may have been caused by withdrawal from SSRIs or adverse effects from them.

The findings appear in the October issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

"The study justifies increased awareness to the possible effects of intrauterine exposure to antidepressants," the researchers concluded. "However, treatment of depression during pregnancy may be warranted, and future studies need to distinguish between individual SSRIs to find the safest medication."

It's estimated that more than 10 percent of pregnant women have depression. The authors noted that SSRIs have been shown to cross the placenta and be present in the umbilical cord blood of infants whose mothers took the drugs during pregnancy.

SOURCE: health.usnews

Trading emotionally? Dutch device warns of stress

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - If emotions are getting the better of you while trading online, The Rationalizer may be just the thing to tell you when it's time to take a break.

The prototype unveiled by Netherlands-based Philips Electronics and ABN AMRO aims at sensing day traders' stress levels so they can "time-out, wind down and re-consider their actions," the companies said on Tuesday.

Users wear a device called the EmoBracelet that senses stress and makes an accompanying lighted bowl, or EmoBowl, change color and flicker from yellow to red as emotions become more intense.

Researchers at Philips, Europe's biggest consumer electronics maker, say home investors often do not act purely rationally.

"Their behavior is influenced by emotions, most notably fear and greed, which can compromise their ability to take an objective, factual stance," they said.

Although not in production, Geert Christiaansen, chief of business development at Philips Design, says the prototype is part of a broader effort by Philips to help people cope with stress and the technology could be used in an array of other products.

source: reuters

Healthy Eating Tips For Mind And Body A healthy diet should include a good variety of nutritious foods. These include breads, pastas, fruits and vegetables. Eating breakfast is also an important part of a healthy diet.

Healthy diets contain a variety of foods

In general, we should all eat:

• A wide variety of nutritious foods

• Plenty of breads and cereals (particularly wholegrain), vegetables, legumes (such as chickpeas) and fruit

• Low salt foods, and use salt sparingly

• Small amounts of foods which contain added sugars.

Physical activity

A good balance between exercise and food intake is important, as this helps to maintain a healthy body weight. About 30 minutes of physical activity, such as walking, is recommended every day.

Keep fat to a minimum

Adult diets should be low in fat, especially saturated fat. Saturated fat, which is the predominant fat in animal products, is more easily deposited as fat tissue than unsaturated fats. Saturated fat can also be converted into cholesterol and cause blood cholesterol levels to rise.

Small amounts of polyunsaturated and mono-unsaturated fats may have some health benefits when they are part of a healthy diet. Polyunsaturated fats are generally thought to lower blood cholesterol levels. Polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fish, are thought to have an anti-clotting effect on blood and may lower blood pressure.

Eat less high kilojoule foods

The total amount of energy-dense (high kilojoule) foods you eat may be as important as the total amount of fat in your diet. To reduce the energy density of your diet, you need to increase the amount of plant foods you eat. This will provide essential nutrients, help to make you feel ‘full’ and also reduce the amount of fat in your diet.

Eat foods rich in calcium and iron

It is important for all Australians to eat foods which contain iron and calcium. In particular:

• Calcium – is important for infants, women and girls.

• Iron – is important for women, girls, vegetarians and athletes.

Drink alcohol in moderation

A healthy diet can include a moderate amount of alcohol (men should drink less than two standard drinks per day and women less than one standard drink per day). Alcohol should not be given to children.

Don’t let children skip breakfast

Children who skip breakfast generally have below average nutrition. Their diets contain less:

• Calcium

• Iron

• Dietary fibre

• Vitamins such as riboflavin and niacin.

Skipping breakfast becomes more common as children get older. Some schools have introduced breakfast programs because they were concerned about children who skip breakfast. Children did better in school once the program was introduced.

Tips for easy breakfasts

Here are some easy-to-prepare, healthy breakfast ideas:

• Fresh fruit with wholegrain breakfast cereal and reduced fat milk. Toast with a thin spread of margarine (polyunsaturated or mono-unsaturated).

• Toast with cheese and tomato. Hot or cold reduced fat milk.

• Rolled oats with sultanas and reduced fat milk. Toast with a thin spread of margarine (polyunsaturated or mono-unsaturated). Orange juice.

• Baked beans on toast. Orange juice.

Where to get help

• Your doctor

• An accredited practising dietitian, contact the Dietitians Association of Australia

• Nutrition Australia www.nutritionaustralia.org

Things to remember

• Calcium and iron are important nutrients in our diets.

• Infants and young children should not be placed on low fat diets.

• Encourage infants and children to choose water as their preferred drink.

• Children will have better nutrition and do better at school if they eat breakfast.

source: euroa-gazette

Yoga: A Tool Against HIV/AIDS

A "yogathon," held in the shadow of the soon-to-be-razed BART headquarters building near Oakland, CA's Chinatown, raised money to help maintain Asian Health Services' HIV/AIDS program.

Asian Health Services (AHS) has been serving the diverse low-income Asian and Asian American population of Alameda County, California, for 35 years, based out of Oakland's Chinatown.

Its doctors, nurses and other medical specialists and staff dispense care in at least 10 languages (English, Cantonese Chinese, Mandarin Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Khmer, Mien, Mongolian, Tagalog, and Lao) plus dialects of some of these languages.

Its work has won national recognition, but that doesn't make it immune from the current economic downturn.

If you buy into the simplistic stereotype that the Asian and Asian American population, whether in Alameda County or all over the United States, is well off and can easily afford private health care, then you know very little about the realities of this population subset.

Yes, there is a portion of the Asian and Asian American community that lives in or on the edge of poverty, and some aren't fluent enough in English or familiar enough with the mainstream system because they are recent immigrants.

One area of AHS's multifaceted medical care that's been particularly hard hit is its prevention and educational outreach program to lower income Asian and Asian Americans who may have HIV and AIDS. This program educates these patients about the disease and gets them tested and treated.

In fact, the modest HIV/AIDS program of Asian Health Services has lost 70 percent of its budget because of sharp cutbacks from Alameda County, which in turn has experienced deep slashes in funding from the State of California. The 70 percent cut translates into a $41,000 reduction in AHS HIV/AIDS program.

That may not sound like a lot of money, but it means a deep reduction in the workload of the one AHS staff member who has been doing a herculean task of reaching out to lower income Alameda County HIV and AIDS patients who are of Asian descent.

"Despite AHS's commitment to this issue, if new funding doesn't come in the next couple of months, we'll have to consider whether we can sustain the position or not," said Linda Okahara, director of community services for AHS.

To begin to close the $41,000 gap, AHS held a yogathon on Saturday, October 3, in Madison Square Park in Chinatown. About 50 people, including me, did as many as 100 poses over a three and one half hour period to help this worthy cause. Ten Asian American yoga instructors donated their time.

The yogathon raised approximately $8,000, and AHS is applying for grants and looking for other funding sources to make sure its HIV/AIDS program continues its essential work.

The yogathon was the brainchild of Patty Hirota-Cohen, who happens to be the sister of Sherry Hirota, the long-time chief executive officer of AHS. Patty teaches yoga at AHS and at Piedmont Yoga Studio in Oakland.

She said, "My sincere hope is that HIV/AIDS is something we can talk about openly in the API (Asian Pacific Islander) community."

Her statement gives a clue about the challenge AHS faces about HIV/AIDS in the Asian and Asian American communities of Alameda County. This challenge is not unique to these communities, but it is acute in the Asian American population because it's largely a taboo subject.

This is especially so for lower income Asian immigrant men -- approximately two thirds of the HIV/AIDS cases at AHS. Many of them are in denial about the possibility of contracting HIV, which can lead to full-blown AIDS, after they've had unprotected sex with other men, according to AHS's Okahara.

AHS has found that many of its HIV patients contract AIDS in a relatively short time period, an indication of testing late. That suggests these patients either don't know the risks or deny the possibility of getting the disease by waiting too long to get tested.

Dr. Sophy Wong of AHS said:

Since API (Asian Pacific Islander) testing is very low, we don't know the true prevalence of HIV/AIDS in our communities (or abroad, for that matter). The fact that in 2008, 83 percent of the API men having sex with men in Alameda County were late testers means they got diagnosed so late that they progressed to AIDS within one year of diagnosis.

That shows us that there are many API folks who don't know their HIV status until it's really late, much later than after the point we would normally start medications. The AHS program is important to inform the API community that HIV screening is important and accessible, and that treatment and management are available to all who test positive so it's not a death sentence anymore.

This is why AHS wants to at least maintain its HIV/AIDS program. The recent yogathon was one strategy to raise much needed funds to restore the program to its previous standard.

If you want to contribute to help AHS maintain its much needed work to combat HIV/AIDS, contact Asian Health Services.

Health care tips Who can negate the importance of a healthy body? If you have health you have all! A healthy life style is the only way to have this greatest blessing and guess what it doesn’t cost a fortune. Here are few of the tips that feel typical but can help you improve the quality of your health and hence life in a magical way

We are what we eat: Making healthy choices affects our health to a great extent. Read the labels and count your calories intake; will you be able to burn these calories should be your guide while you make any food choice. Reduce the fat intake in your diet and avoid unhealthy saturated fat. Include all essential nutrients in your diet and maintain average weight as per your age and height. Remember most of diseases take their origin from obesity.

All the work and no play: Spare some time for some sort of exercise on daily basis. It may be joining some gym or going for morning or evening walk or it may be some game or sport that you enjoying playing. A sport is the best way to dispose negative energies and bate the stress. It refreshes your body and mind and evokes the sportsmanship in you. Also it affects your relationships positively and expands your networks enhancing your social skills.

Early to bed, early to rise: A sound sleep is essential to regain your energy that you lost during course of daily work. Make sure you sleep for at least six to eight hours daily. An important thing in this regard is to sleep as per natural clock. Nothing can compensate for night sleep.

Think Positive: Our body is so well integrated and coordinated that everything we do to our body affects our thoughts and every single thought that comes to our mind has impacts on the body. They say life is not how we take it; it is how we take it. A positive outlook towards life is the key to a healthy body. If you are a happy go merry type of person your body will work in a much better way and if mundane things are capable of upsetting you your brain will order the glands to trigger hormones in a way not good for your health at all. Be happy, smile at life and take things positively; you will be surprised at how it changes things for you!

Honest labor bears a lovely face: It may feel weird but according to a research those who are high achievers in life not only live long but also lead a healthy life. Perhaps it is about self actualization that boosts your self esteem and imparts healthy impacts on your body. Aim high and reach for the goals you set in life; you are more likely to be blessed with the greatest wealth of health.

source: bignews.biz

Meatless days good idea for healthy life Everyone has beef with meat nowadays. One of the hottest trends in food is all about celebrating a lack thereof (a certain something) and puts omnivores in direct opposition with their favorite forbidden protein.

Everyone who’s anyone is going meatless.

But fear not, they’re only asking you to do it one day a week. Say hello, my friends, to Meatless Mondays.

Most trends have historical roots. Voluntary days of meatlessness are no different, although for unrelated, if not equally legitimate, causes.

During their respective presidencies Wilson, Truman and good ole Teddy Roosevelt all called for their own version of the meatless day throughout both World Wars. In those days, though, it was to redirect food supply to troops and to help alleviate worldwide food shortages.

Now, it’s less about people suffering without and more about suffering from too much. Which is why organizations like the Monday Campaigns, in association with John Hopkins’ Bloomberg School of Public Health, are championing the non-profit initiative of spending our Mondays feasting on something other than animal protein.

It’s no secret that America has long been a glutton for punishment, especially when it comes to our insatiable appetite for meat (and the red variety in particular).

In the last 50 years, U.S. meat consumption has more than doubled and is expected to double again by 2050. Studies show it’s killing us as well as the planet.

Those who ate large amounts of red and processed meats (steak, cold cuts, bacon, sausage) have an increased risk of death from cancer and heart disease, according to a decade-long study published in March by the “Archives of Internal Medicine.” Not a terribly shocking revelation by any stretch of the imagination.

But just how great a risk? "Newsweek" analyzed the study and concluded that men who ate just five ounces of meat a day (putting themselves on the high end of consumption) had a 31 percent higher risk of death over a 10-year period than those who ate less than 1 ounce of meat per day (the lowest end of consumption). Women who ate the same amount had a 36 percent higher risk of death in the same time period, compared to those who ate an ounce or less of meat per day.

So that means choosing a salad or another veggie-friendly option (at least once a week) instead of making that daily lunchtime trip to Burger King could help save your life – reducing your risk for obesity and obesity linked illnesses such a heart disease.

Other studies, such as the European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer and Nutrition, also began to correlate instances of prostate and colon cancer with meat consumption. Carcinogens are formed on the surface of meat when cooked at high temperatures and may be harmful when consumed and contribute to cancer.

But eating less meat is not only proving to be healthier for us but also for the planet. It turns out being “green” can be as easy as eating a little less red.

Estimates from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization say 30 percent of Earth’s land is devoted to cattle growing and that meat production makes up nearly one-fifth of global greenhouse emissions.

If we were to reduce meat consumption by 20 percent, it would be as if everyone went from driving a sedan to a hybrid – considerably reducing greenhouse gas emissions, according to geophysicists Gidon Eshel and Pamela A. Martin referenced in a "New York Times" article.

The Meatless Mondays movement continues to gain momentum as celebrities, school districts and even entire cities get on board. In September, Baltimore City Public Schools embraced and instituted a Meatless Monday program, offering healthier vegetarian options once a week. Ghent, Belgium, became the first to declare a municipality wide meat-free day on Thursdays. Even Paul McCartney has thrown his weight behind a Meat Free Monday campaign in the UK.

So skip the burger once a week and save yourself, save the planet and maybe a cow, too.

source: newsrecord.org

Get blood pressure back on track with these easy tips Easier said than done, even if you have an automatic, at-home device. Make your next reading right-on with these rules:

1 Sit quietly for 3 to 5 minutes before you get measured.

2 Make sure the cuff fits. A too-small cuff will overestimate blood pressure, a too-large one underestimates it.

3 Have your BP measured at least twice. The average should go in your chart.

4 Sit comfortably in a chair with a backrest with your feet flat on the floor, legs uncrossed. Your arm should be supported at heart level.

5 Avoid caffeine, cigarettes and alcohol for at least 30 minutes before measuring.

6 Blood pressure is naturally higher in the morning and lower in the evening. Do readings at home at about the same time each day.

If your reading is not between 100 and 120 for the upper number, or 55 and 80 for the bottom number, talk to your doc about strategies to get it in that range.

Contamination of raw nuts unlikely

Q: My local health-food store sells raw nuts and seeds in bulk. I would love to buy these for snacks, but I worry about how safe they are. Is there a way to “sanitize” them?

— BARB, via e-mail

A: We haven't found a good way to do this at home, but you probably don't have to anyway. The most recent evidence in the current peanut-contamination issue suggests that the microbes entered after roasting, not in the raw nuts.

At stores that sell foods in bulk, there is usually minimal handling of nuts or seeds. They're usually kept in clean and closed dispensers outfitted with spouts so consumers don't need to reach into the bins to fill their bags. If that small chance of contamination still seems large to you, buy your nuts from a local source that you trust to have clean growing and handling methods.

Motion is lotion for stiff joints

Q: My physical therapist gave me some exercises to do for my frozen shoulder, but I read on the Internet that it's best not to move my arm and to wear a brace. What do you think?

— Sabrina, Marsing, Idaho

A: We think there's good and bad information on the Web, and the bit about not moving your arm probably falls into the “bad info” category. But for joints, motion is lotion, so most times you'll need to move it or risk even more stiffness. Movements that gently stretch those tissues and move your shoulder through a full range of motion help you continue to be able to brush your hair or drive until your shoulder “thaws” and gets better on its own. Apply heat before you do the exercises prescribed by your physical therapist .

source: chron

Feeling overly tried during the day due to lack of energy? Feeling run-down? Can’t seem to get back the pep you once enjoyed? Well you’re not alone, thousands of people are experiencing symptoms of feeling overly tried during the day due to lack of energy.

For people in their forties and older it’s due to stress, anxiety, depression, not enough sleep, poor eating habits, and the lack of physical exercise.

Chronic fatigue among older people may be the result of thyroid disease, diabetes, hepatitis, and anemia.

For many, lack of energy is due to people overloading their day with a self induced work ethnic causing them to become overly tried. This is often due to skipping lunch, working through breaks and so-on. Work on your organizational and time management skills to lessen your work load.

Good new! Most fatigue sufferers don’t have to head for that rocking chair yet!

Here are some tips that will put pep back in your step:

• Take a good vitamin B complex supplement

• Join the gym and exercise at least four times a week

• Cut back on carbohydrates and eliminate sugar from your diet

• Drink water instead of soda, at least 8 glasses of water a day

• Eat lots of fruits and vegetables

• Lose weight. Even a small amount of extra weight will make

some people feel tired.

• Get plenty of sleep. Most Americans sleep less than 8 hours a night. Just an extra 45 minutes of sleep will bring your energy level up.

• Clutter distracts the mind, making it difficult to concentrate. De-clutter your life and get a boost.

Make it a point to schedule time for exercise, sports, hobbies and vacations. The time you’ll enjoy the most is the quality time you spend with your family doing the fun things you all enjoy.

Source: The catalyst

Cervical cancer most common among females MANZINI- The lack of priority given to women’s health needs particularly those not related to maternity and family planning has been cited as a major setback in the health fraternity.

This was an observation made by the Swaziland Breast Cancer network Director Thobile Dlamini.
She was addressing nurses from hospitals and clinics around Manzini on Friday who had converged at Greater Alpha for an awareness creation workshop on breast and cervical cancer.

Dlamini said in Swaziland, cervical cancer is the most common cancer among females. ‘There was a need to reframe women’s health in terms of human rights and to promote an integrated vision of reproductive health,’ she said.
As October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, Dlamini said they have seen the need to create awareness amongst the health workers as they are the first line of contact with patients. The awareness workshop started in Manzini and will move on to all the other regions.

It was noted that older women rarely attend clinic and it is up to nurses to approach them when they have brought their children to hospital or rather have come to access other services. ‘Nurses should not just sit and expect that the elder women to speak, they must make the initiative to find out if people who come to access their services at the clinic are aware of the cancers,’ emphasised Dlamini.

She encouraged nurses to change their attitudes when dealing with clients if they want to create a nation that knows how to demand a facility that belongs to them. Dlamini said early detection of cancer is very helpful to the patients as there are minimum chances of survival when the disease is detected at its advanced stages. She encouraged all women who have had sexual intercourse to go for screening every two years of their life and HIV positive women should be screened every year because they are at higher risk.

source: times.co

Black Community May Face More Serious Cases of H1N1 Government officials warn that the H1N1 flu virus is spreading rapidly and that the Black community may have a higher rate of existing health conditions that could make the illness a serious threat.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Dr. Anne Schuchat of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention detailed the launch of a vaccine program for the flu and the White House Administration’s outreach efforts within the African-American community in a conference call with reporters Oct.7.

“Oct. 4 officially began the flu season,” Sebelius said, “We do know that H1N1 is different than other flus. Already we’ve had as much flu activity as we had at the height of past flu seasons and 98 percent of current cases are H1N1.”

While Blacks are no more susceptible to H1N1 than the rest of the population, they do have a higher rate of existing health conditions that may make the flu a more serious threat.

“We have an independent advisory committee on immunization that looks at the flu every year and figure out who should get vaccinated first,” said Sebelius. “[Their decision is] mostly based on who is likely to get seriously ill from the flu, so folks with underlining health conditions are definitely a group of priority. And communities of color have higher rates of chronic illness such as asthma, heart disease and diabetes.”

The secretary said authorities expect a long flu season this year, and do not anticipate it dying down anytime soon.

H1N1 is widespread in 27 states, and has reached regional status as an illness, said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s chief health officer for the flu outbreak, Dr. Anne Schuchat.

“We are taking this very seriously…about 36,000 people die each year from the seasonal flu,” she said. “Three areas have been very important to us in planning this immunization effort; safety of the vaccine is a top priority and no short-cuts have been taken, access is another area and that’s why we’ve provided resources to states and cities to be able to offer the vaccine. The last is cost, we don’t want finances to be a barrier for anyone wanting to be vaccinated.”

Schuchat said the flu poses a risk on many college campuses this fall, both at predominately White schools as well as Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

“As a flu expert, I would think this virus is going to be common on many campuses if it isn’t already common,” she said. “There’s nothing about risk of disease that differs, or about behaviors that I think would be greatly different [between the two types of schools]. We really hope that the vaccine will be available to all communities serving our college campuses. We know that younger people across campuses are at higher risk of getting the flu, fortunately they are also at a much lower rate of being hospitalized than middle-aged people.”

source: afro

Deaths from breast cancer 40 percent higher in African-American women A new report from the American Cancer Society finds the breast cancer death rate in the United States continues to drop more than 2 percent per year, a trend that began in 1990, and that over the last 10 years the rate of decline among African American and Hispanic women is similar to the drop among white women.

However, for African-American women, death rates for breast cancer remain 40 percent higher than for white women.

In the United States, the American Cancer Society expects 192,370 women to be diagnosed with breast cancer this year, with 40,170 deaths.

The findings are published in Breast Cancer Facts & Figures 2009-2010. The report, published every two years since 1996, provides detailed analyses of breast cancer trends and presents information on known risk factors for the disease, factors that influence survival, the latest data on prevention, early detection, treatment, and ongoing and future research.

"Breast cancer remains a major fear for women living in the U.S. and a major cause of cancer death, but it's important to note that a woman's chances of dying from breast cancer have now been dropping for more than a decade," said Otis W. Brawley, M.D., chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society. "We've now identified major risk factors for breast cancer, many of which are modifiable. For instance, we've seen a drop in incidence associated with less use of postmenopausal hormones. And while that is gratifying to see, we remain concerned about obesity's potential to offset that drop, and lead to an increase in the incidence of breast cancer in the future."

The reasons for difference in breast cancer survival rates for white women and African American women have been studied extensively. Several studies have documented treatment differences, and others found survival differences decrease when controlling for socio-economic factors, such as lack of insurance coverage. Of all breast cancers diagnosed among African American women, 53 percent are diagnosed at a localized stage, compared to 64 percent among white women.

Other highlights of Breast Cancer Facts & Figures 2009-2010 include:

* Excluding cancers of the skin, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States, accounting for more than 1 in 4 cancers diagnosed.

* Only lung cancer accounts for more cancer deaths in women.

Latest figures

* In January 2006 (the latest year for which figures are available), approximately 2.5 million women living in the U.S. had a history of breast cancer. Most of them were cancer-free, while others still had evidence of cancer and may have been undergoing treatment.

* Between 2002 and 2003, a sharp decline in breast cancer incidence rates occurred in the U. S., particularly among women aged 50 to 69. This decrease is likely a result of the rapid drop in menopausal hormone use that began in 2002. Breast cancer incidence rates have remained relatively stable since 2003.

* While incidence rates have declined for white women, breast cancer incidence rates have remained relatively stable for African American women. The lack of a decline in African Americans may be due to the lack of a significant decrease in mammography screening rates and/or historically lower rates of menopausal hormone use.

* Although overall breast cancer incidence rates are lower in African American than white women, African American women have higher incidence rates of distant stage disease; are more likely to be diagnosed with larger tumors; and are more likely to die from the disease.

* Breast cancer mortality rates have declined steadily since 1990. The drop in mortality has been larger women under 50 (3.2% per year) than among women over 50 (2.0% per year).

* From 1997-2006, female breast cancer death rates declined by 1.9% per year in non-Hispanic whites and Hispanics/Latinas, 1.6% per year in African Americans, and 0.6% per year among Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders. Death rates have remained unchanged among and American Indians/Alaska Natives.

* There is clear evidence that mammography reduces the risk of dying from breast cancer. After increasing for many years, the percentage of women aged 40 years and older who report having had a mammogram has dropped. According to survey data, 51.2 % of women 40 or older have had a mammogram within the past year.

* Modifiable factors associated with an increased risk of breast cancer include postmenopausal obesity, menopausal hormone use, physical inactivity, and alcohol consumption of two or more drinks per day.

"The steady drop in the breast cancer death rate means that this year alone, about 15,000 breast cancer deaths were avoided that would have occurred had rates not begun to drop," said John R. Seffrin, Ph.D., chief executive officer of the American Cancer Society. "Since the early 1990s, that decline adds up to more than 130,000 grandmothers, mothers, and daughters who were alive, perhaps to celebrate another birthday, and even to go on to live a full, rich life."

source: staugustine

Fetal alcohol disorders create lifelong problems It is 1978. Deb Ford is 22 years old, recently divorced and learning how to party.

She and her friends in Kalispell drink all night, six days a week beer, wine, mixed drinks, shots right out of the bottle. They take Sundays off to recover.

When alcohol begins making her sick, Ford takes a pregnancy test. She is 2 1/2 months along.

Her daughter, Michelle Elizabeth Ford, is born March 3, 1979. Five years later, Ford sobers up for good and moves with her daughter to Canada, where they live in a community of Christian missionaries.

Fast forward.

It is 2001. Michelle Ford is 22 years old, socially awkward and working at a taco joint in Kalispell.

She begins dating a man who tells her she is smart and beautiful, words no one else has ever used to describe her.

When he wants to move into the Glacier National Forest and live off the land, she goes along. When he shoots a hiker to death, burns and buries the man's body and drives away in his pickup truck, she goes along.

When he is arrested and charged with murder, Michelle Ford is, too. She is smiling in her mug shot.

After eight years in prison, Michelle Ford believes she is rightly being held responsible for crimes she knowingly committed. But she also believes there is a mitigating factor that helps explain why she did what she did.

Alcohol that her mother drank during the first 10 weeks of pregnancy - those weeks when Deb Ford didn't realize she was pregnant - irreparably damaged Michelle Ford's brain.

She has been diagnosed with alcohol-related neuro-developmental disorder, a condition related to fetal alcohol syndrome.

"If I had been not brain damaged, I don't think I would have committed that crime," Michelle Ford said. "I still did it, and I'm still responsible for it. … I don't want to hide behind my brain damage and say, 'It's all the brain damage's fault.'

"But I had the freedom of a 22-year-old with the brain power of a 5-year-old."

A spectrum of problems

Experts don't know how many Americans have fetal alcohol syndrome or one if its related disorders, but the impact of the conditions on society is enormous.

The United States spends more than $5 billion a year on fetal alcohol syndrome, or FAS, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That figure does not include the cost of caring for people with related disorders.

Prenatal exposure to alcohol can lead to a spectrum of diagnoses. At one end is FAS, with its easily identifiable facial characteristics and developmental disabilities.

But infants diagnosed with what is often called "full-blown FAS" make up only a small portion of the babies born with alcohol-related birth defects.

Most of the time, the defects are invisible and, if they are recognized at all, are mistaken for other problems, such as attention deficit disorder, rebelliousness or bad parenting.

"No one understands these kids," said Deb Watson, whose brain-damaged son served time in prison for helping kidnap and assault a Billings pizza delivery driver. "They fly under the radar because they look so normal."

"It's not quite like a lobotomy," Watson said. "It takes their conscience away. They can't help it. That's the way they were born."

High estimates put the number of American babies born with FAS at about 10,000 a year, with another 30,000 infants less obviously affected by prenatal exposure to alcohol.

In Montana, that amounts to 100 babies born every year with alcohol-related brain damage.

"Of all the substances people abuse, alcohol produces by far the most neurobiological effects on a fetus," said Deborah Henderson, manager of the Infant, Child and Maternal Health section of the state Department of Public Health and Human Services. "And alcohol is Montana's drug of choice."

Those 100 Montana babies represent fewer than 10 percent of the state's annual births, but the rate is still far too high for a condition that is 100 percent preventable, Henderson said.

"It is a lifetime problem that can't be cured," she said. "Many people with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders can learn coping skills and lead happy, productive lives. Others may never be able to live independently."

'I looked normal'

Children born with FAS have a slight advantage over those born with alcohol-related disorders that fall elsewhere on the spectrum.

Because kids with FAS are visibly disabled, they tend to be routed through special-education classes and supported by other resources as children and as adults.

That was the case for Mark McManus' brother, who has FAS but was diagnosed as slightly mentally retarded when the boys were young. McManus, 49, was also exposed to alcohol in the womb, but nobody realized it.

"I looked normal," he said.

McManus, a Billings chaplain, was in his early 40s when he was diagnosed with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, or FASD. The diagnosis explained a lifetime of struggling to understand the world around him and secretly feeling inadequate.

"Most adults who have FASD are in a mental institution, are alcoholics or are in prisons not getting help," McManus said. "They're undiagnosed or misdiagnosed."

Despite looking physically normal, a child with alcohol-related brain damage will act differently than his or her peers beginning in infancy, said Dr. John Johnson, director of medical genetics at Shodair Children's Hospital in Helena.

FASD babies are sensitive to excessive stimuli, don't sleep or eat well and, as they grow into toddlers, dissolve inexplicably into hysterical meltdowns. Still, their disability often goes unrecognized until they reach school age. Even then, it can be overlooked for years.

"They've got some basic knowledge, but they can't apply it," Johnson said. "They have no abstract abilities."

A child who was exposed prenatally to alcohol might be able to memorize the names of colors but won't know which color is which. She probably won't be able to count money or tell time, and she almost certainly will not be able to grasp the idea of consequences.

Deb Watson remembers trying to teach her son, James, what "hot" meant when he was about 2 years old.

No matter how many times she explained that touching a teapot hurt his hand because the teapot was hot, he would reach for it again, she said. His damaged brain couldn't make the cause-and-effect connection.

It is not uncommon for children with alcohol-related brain damage to get into trouble with the law, as James Watson later did.

"They can be easily led by the group you don't want your kids hanging out with," Johnson said. "They're going to start hanging out with the wrong crowd because they fit in there."

"They're always left behind and in trouble, and half the time they don't understand why they're in trouble because they don't understand the law," he said. "They have a hard time understanding right from wrong. They just don't get it."

Advocates disagree about how many people in the criminal justice system were exposed to alcohol in the womb, but the number is undoubtedly high.

FASD was apparently at the root of an arson fire that destroyed Huntley Project's high school last year. Gregory Three Fingers, sentenced recently for his role in the fire, has been diagnosed with FASD.

'Beautiful and brain-damaged'

People with FAS or FASD live in a different world, said Lissie Clark, a 33-year-old Great Falls woman who was one of the first Montanans to be diagnosed with fetal alcohol syndrome.

"I am very susceptible," said Clark, who owns a gourmet dog biscuit business. "I do have that constant struggle of who's right and who's not? Who do I follow?"

"If someone says, 'Let's get a knife and take this person out,' you don't think of the consequences," she said.

"When she's with me, she acts like me," said Lissie's adoptive mother, Johnelle Howanach. "When she's with somebody else, she does what they do. … People with this challenge can be talked into anything."

Their mental limitations and trusting nature mean people whose brains were damaged by prenatal exposure to alcohol need structure, routine, repetition and constant guidance.

For Clark, that guidance has come from Howanach for more than 20 years. Neither woman knows what will happen when Howanach is no longer able to care for Clark.

"My mom is my external brain," Clark said.

Deb Ford has taken on the same role for her daughter, who hopes to be released from the Montana Women's Prison sometime in the next year. Michelle Ford plans to rely on her mother to help her navigate the outside world.

"I can't guarantee I'll never end up around bad people again," Michelle Ford said. "But now that I know about my brain damage, I'm a lot less likely to be conned by somebody who says I'm beautiful and smart."

"Now I know my damage doesn't make me dumb or ugly. I can be beautiful and brain-damaged, too."

source: billingsgazette

Do extra pounds always equal extra risk? Though many people connect poor health with excess weight, the two don't always go together.

Even as most health experts say that fat fuels the onset of diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, some cancers and arthritis -- and with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention linking obesity to 9% of health care costs -- folks behind the Health at Every Size program say that such statistics don't actually take healthy fat people into account.

One of the largest studies to support their claim that weight doesn't determine health is the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, published in August 2008 in the Archives of Internal Medicine. The NHANES study looked at 5,440 adults, assessing weight and metabolic health indicators such as blood pressure, cholesterol, blood lipids, blood glucose, insulin resistance and other diabetic markers. Although those in the normal weight group were healthiest, metabolically speaking (76.5%), nearly one out of four fell into the abnormal range. In the overweight group, more than half (51.3%) were metabolically healthy; as were nearly a third (31.7%) of the obese group.

The researchers' conclusion: Although fat people are more apt to be metabolically unhealthy, plenty of fat people are healthy, and plenty of thin people are unhealthy.

"You can't know just based on a person's size whether that person has good or poor health habits," says Linda Bacon, a professor of nutrition at City College of San Francisco and author of "Health at Every Size: The Surprising Truth About Your Weight" (Ben- Bella 2008). "Some people are heavy and unhealthy, and some are heavy and health- y."

So instead, folks behind the Health at Every Size program, which Bacon and many others are researching and promoting, advocate intuitive eating -- that is, teaching people to tune in to their hunger signals

By doing so, they say, people are more likely to eat when they're hungry, not because it's lunch time, and to stop when they're satisfied not stuffed. These advocates also encourage people of every size to embrace physical activities that feel good and that they enjoy. "The advice applies whether you're 100 pounds or 500 pounds," Bacon says.

Bacon and her colleagues tested the Every Size theories with funding from the National Institutes of Health, and published their findings in the Journal of the American Dietetic Assn. in 2005.

The study tracked 78 obese women between the ages of 30 and 45. Half the group participated in the Every Size program, and half participated in a traditional weight-centered diet. Two years later, researchers found that both groups weighed the same as when they started. (Although the diet group's members had lost weight at the six-month checkpoint, they'd gained it back by the two-year mark.)

However, unlike the diet group, the Every Size group lowered its blood cholesterol and blood pressure and maintained those reductions for the entire course of the study. The dieters did not lower their cholesterol at any point, and did not maintain the lowered blood pressures they achieved in the first six months.

Similarly, levels of depression improved and self-esteem increased for both groups at first. However, only the Every Size group sustained the positive mood and self-esteem scores two years later. The dieters' depression levels fell back to near original levels, and self-esteem scores were worse at follow up.

"Increasing evidence supports the belief that diseases associated with obesity can be reversed or minimized through lifestyle changes, even without weight loss, and people can improve their health while remaining obese," says Bacon, who -- incidentally -- at 5 feet tall and 105 pounds has a low BMI of 20.5. For heavy people who have tried unsuccessfully to lose weight, a health-centered rather than a weight-centered approach may help them get healthy if not thin.

Not all health experts are so quick to give heavy people a hall pass.

"It's dangerous to go down the path that says it's OK to be obese," says Janet Pregler, director of the Iris Cantor UCLA Women's Health Center and a professor of clinical medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. "We know that obesity is a detriment to health."

But even Pregler acknowledges that obesity is very difficult to treat and may never be fully resolved. "Weight-loss interventions are so ineffective," she says. "So I agree that if you're obese and doing what you can to reduce or manage other risk factors, that's an important goal."

source: latimes

Most Amazing Health Diet To Beat Stress

People who follow Mediterranean diet, an eating regimen which is rich in vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains and fish, are less likely to be depressed, says a new report.

The finding has been published in the October issue of Archives of General Psychiatry , one of the JAMA/Archives journals .

To reach the conclusion, Almudena Sánchez-Villegas, B.Pharm., Ph.D., of University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Clinic of the University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain, and colleagues studied 10,094 healthy Spanish participants who completed an initial questionnaire between 1999 and 2005.

Participants reported their dietary intake on a food frequency questionnaire, and the researchers calculated their adherence to the Mediterranean diet based on nine components (high ratio of monounsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids; moderate intake of alcohol and dairy products; low intake of meat; and high intake of legumes, fruit and nuts, cereals, vegetables and fish).

After a median (midpoint) of 4.4 years of follow-up, 480 new cases of depression were identified, including 156 in men and 324 in women. Individuals who followed the Mediterranean diet most closely had a greater than 30 percent reduction in the risk of depression than whose who had the lowest Mediterranean diet scores.

The association did not change when the results were adjusted for other markers of a healthy lifestyle, including marital status and use of seatbelts.

"The specific mechanisms by which a better adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern could help to prevent the occurrence of depression are not well known," the authors write.

Components of the diet may improve blood vessel function, fight inflammation, reduce risk for heart disease and repair oxygen-related cell damage, all of which may decrease the chances of developing depression.

"However, the role of the overall dietary pattern may be more important than the effect of single components. It is plausible that the synergistic combination of a sufficient provision of omega-three fatty acids together with other natural unsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants from olive oil and nuts, flavonoids and other phytochemicals from fruit and other plant foods and large amounts of natural folates and other B vitamins in the overall Mediterranean dietary pattern may exert a fair degree of protection against depression," the authors write.

source: TOI

Yoga and your health: uniting mind, body and spirit

Yoga was first practiced by Hindus in India more than 5,000 years ago.

It is a mind-body exercise that combines spiritual traditions with physical movements. These movements, known as "postures," involve deep stretching and meditation. The word yoga means "union" in the ancient Indian language of Sanskrit.

Various yoga styles have evolved over the centuries. These include hatha, mantra, shiva, siddha and bhakti. Each type of yoga stresses a different aspect of the mind/body relationship.

Hatha yoga is the most well known type of yoga in the U.S. Its postures and breathing exercises focus on concentration, endurance, flexibility and stretching.

Yoga moves are meant to be gentle. Most people of any age can do at least a modified form of yoga. There are both sitting and standing postures, and many can be done in a wheelchair.

Before you begin

When the body is controlled through yoga's careful positions and stretching movements, muscles relax and circulation improves. This in turn can release tension and stress.

There has been promising research on the health benefits of regular yoga practice. Some hospitals even offer "yoga therapy" as a complementary treatment.

You'll need to talk to your doctor before trying yoga if you:

* Are pregnant
* Have heart disease, high blood pressure or a risk of blood clots
* Have osteoporosis or an artificial joint

Also, see your doctor if you have been inactive or have any other medical problems. You may need to avoid certain yoga positions depending on your physical or medical condition as well.

Yoga books, videotapes, CDs and Web sites abound, but it is probably best to start by taking a class. Many health clubs and YMCAs employ yoga instructors, as do some hospitals. A skilled instructor will help you use proper form and avoid injury. A teacher can also tailor the yoga positions to your personal needs or limitations.

Health benefits of yoga

In addition to reducing stress, benefits of yoga may include:

* Increased flexibility and balance. Increased range of motion and steadiness means you're less likely to fall or injure yourself in your daily activities.
* Enhanced well-being for people with cancer or another serious illness. Doing yoga may foster a sense of well-being and improve quality of life.
* Weight loss. Yoga is a sound adjunct to any weight-loss program. It has even been shown to promote gradual weight loss when combined with aerobic exercise, and is great for strength and toning.
* Help in dealing with chronic health problems. The breathing and relaxation methods used in yoga might help if stress is making your medical condition worse.

A few more tips

* Don't expect instant results. While you will probably feel relaxed and peaceful after your first session, it can take weeks of yoga practice before you begin to reap any significant health benefits.
* Avoid competition. Some people in your class will be more flexible than you are or able to hold the postures longer. Don't try to out-posture anyone. Yoga is all about the journey, not the destination.
* Don't push too hard. Some days you'll be more flexible than others. Progress in yoga seldom follows a smooth curve.
* Be alert to pain. If you feel pain while doing yoga postures, it's probably a sign that you are doing it improperly. Stop and ask an instructor for advice.
* Practice what you learn. Carve out at least 15 or 20 minutes daily to practice your yoga postures.

While yoga may help ease symptoms of a host of ailments, there is no evidence that it cures any disease. If you are seeking yoga as therapy, it should be to enhance - not replace - any treatments your doctor prescribes.

source: myOptumHealth

Women more likely to be expelled under 'don't ask' SAN FRANCISCO — Pentagon officials won't speculate why women in uniform are more likely to be discharged from the armed services under "don't ask, don't tell," but critics of the policy say that new figures reflect deep-seated sexism in the armed forces.

Government statistics show that more than 619 men and women were discharged last year because of their sexual orientation. Of those, one-third were women — even though they account for 15 percent of all active-duty and reserve members.

"It's very clear the military comes down harder on women than on men, but the question of whether they come down harder on lesbians than on gay men is harder to answer," said Aaron Belkin, director of the Palm Center, a University of California, Santa Barbara, center specializing in gays and the military. "We don't know whether the statistics reflect lesbian-baiting or just a higher rate of lesbians in the military."

The Palm Center obtained the statistics from the Pentagon and released them Thursday.

Pentagon spokeswoman Cynthia Smith said officials will not look into the matter because even inquiring about it might violate the 1993 policy, which says gay men and lesbians in the military cannot be investigated or punished as long as they keep their sexual orientation to themselves.

"If we did investigate it, we would have to ask questions, and we aren't supposed to ask any questions," Smith said.

On Saturday, President Barack Obama is scheduled to deliver the keynote address at a fundraising dinner for the nation's largest gay rights group.

Activists have begun to step up pressure on Obama to sign an executive order repealing the gay ban in the military. A White House spokesman said the president "is intent on making progress" on the issue.

In the Army, women accounted for 14 percent of personnel and 36 percent of the "don't ask, don't tell" discharges in 2008; in the Navy, it was 14 percent of the personnel and 23 percent of the discharges, and in the Marines, 6 percent and 18 percent.

The disparity was particularly striking in the Air Force, where women represented 20 percent of all personnel but 61 percent of those expelled. That is a significant jump from the previous year and marks the first time women in any branch of the military constituted a majority of those dismissed under "don't ask, don't tell," researchers said.

In 2007, 49 percent of Air Force personnel discharged for being gay were women.

Some women who served in the military said the gap could be a result of "lesbian-baiting" rumors and investigations that arise when women rebuff sexual overtures from male colleagues or do not meet traditional notions of feminine beauty.

"Often times the lesbians under my command were under scrutiny by the same men who were also sexually harassing straight women, so it was this kind of sexist undercurrent of 'You don't belong here,'" said Anuradha Bhagwati, a former Marine who founded the Service Women's Action Network, an advocacy group.

Julianne Sohn, the lone female Marine officer discharged under the policy last year, was a lieutenant who had served a seven-month tour in Iraq as a reservist when she received a telephone call at home from a lieutenant colonel informing her she was under investigation for being a lesbian.

The call was not a surprise. Some of her fellow Marines, who knew about her sexual orientation, had given her a heads-up a few months before.

Sohn had been speaking publicly about her experience as a gay officer as part of an organized effort to spotlight the costs of "don't ask, don't tell." She said she could not respond honestly when colleagues wanted to know why she did not have a boyfriend, and said she asked her brothers to contact her girlfriend if she were killed in Iraq because she did not want to list a woman as her next of kin.

Sohn, 33, who now works as a police officer in Los Angeles, said hearing the investigating officer read her the military's equivalent of a criminal suspect's Miranda warning over the phone was a fresh insult.

"The way I look at is, all I've done is tell my story," said Sohn, who did not fight the inquiry and was honorably discharged. "I wanted to serve, and I did serve."

source: yahoo

Children’s Eye Health - Top 5 Myths and Facts

Many parents grew up with medical adages or advice that have since been proven by scientists to be incorrect or outdated. Here are five common myths about children’s eye health and the medical reality behind them, prepared by the physicians at The Vision Center at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles.

Myth 1. Sitting too close to the TV will damage your child’s eyes.

Fact: “Sitting in front of the TV or a computer screen for four hours may hinder your child’s intellectual development but it will not damage their eyes,” notes Dr. Mark Borchert, division head of The Vision Center at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles.

Nearly half of all kids spend four hours or more per day using computers and electronic devices, according to a recent national survey. Dr. Borchert notes that children can develop blurred vision, headaches and other problems when focusing too long on one object, such as a computer screen. Long video game sessions may have adverse consequences such as reduced social interaction or less time doing homework, however, they will not permanently damage a child’s eyes.

“If a child is sitting too close to the TV or computer screen, it is probably because he needs glasses to see well. Sitting very close to the screen will not cause them to need glasses,” said Dr. Borchert.

To make your child’s computer station more comfortable, make sure the screen is at eye level. Reduce screen glare by using a desk lamp with a dimmer so there isn’t a big contrast between the brightness of the screen and the room. Make sure your child can’t see her own reflection on the screen.

Enforce the 20/20 rule. Have your child take a 20-second break for every 20 minutes of screen time, either by getting up and stretching or by looking out the window.

The concern about TV screens damaging young eyes originated in the 1960s when some early color TV sets were discovered to be emitting high amounts of X-rays. The problem was soon corrected and modern TV monitors, including older tube-type sets and new LCD models, are safe and do not emit any dangerous rays.

Myth 2. Eating lots of carrots will improve a child’s eyesight.

Fact: Carrots do contain Vitamin A, which is a key ingredient in good overall nutrition, however, eating a lot of them will not improve your eyesight. Recent research findings have found that eating foods rich in Lutein, a plant nutrient, may help prevent age-related macular degeneration, one of the most common causes of blindness in older adults. Lutein is a carotenoid, natural pigment, found in dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach, plus various fruits and corn.

“The research is very preliminary, but it does suggest that Lutein can help protect against adults developing macular degeneration. Eating a balanced diet with plenty of green vegetables should be sufficient for most families,” said Dr. Borchert.

Carrots reputation as eyesight enhancers is partially due to the fact that Vitamin A sources are helpful in treating night blindness, also called nyctalopia, which can be caused by Vitamin A deficiency.

Myth 3. Only adults can wear contact lenses safely.

Fact: Children of all ages, even infants, can wear contact lenses safely if the correct procedures are followed. Under the age of 10, an adult will need to insert, remove and clean the lens. Many children over 10 can handle the contact lenses (wearing and cleaning) themselves.

According to Dr. Borchert, ophthalmologists may prescribe contact lenses for infants and very young children to enhance vision development when the eyes have very different prescriptions after cataract surgery, corneal scarring or diseases like Retinopathy of Prematurity.

Dr. Borchert said older children could manage their own contact lens care if they are mature and responsible. “If they make their own bed and shower on their own, they can probably safely handle their contact lens.”

He noted that it is not a good idea for elementary school children to wear contact lenses just for cosmetic reasons. Also, all contact lenses should be obtained through a physician, either an ophthalmologist (M.D.) or a doctor of optometry (O.D.).

Myth 4. Running with scissors is the leading cause of eye injury in children.

Fact. A recent national survey found that approximately 59% of pediatric eye injuries occur during sport and recreational events. The National Eye Institute also states that baseball is the sport responsible for the greatest number of eye injuries in children aged 14 and younger. However, basketball is the leading cause of eye injuries in those aged 15 to 24.

According to Prevent Blindness America, 72 percent of all sports-related eye injuries are to those aged 25 and younger. Yet, only 15 percent of children wear eye protection. Children should be encouraged to wear the appropriate safety eyewear, such as goggles or face masks, for every sport in which they participate.

“We need a cultural change in this country. Children who play contact sports such as basketball and baseball should be wearing eye protection – most do not. Twenty years ago, very few children wore bicycle helmets, now a parent would be considered irresponsible if she sent her child out riding without a helmet. We need the same sense of concern when children play sports,” said Dr. Borchert.

Myth 5. It is impossible to get young children to wear sunglasses.

Fact. “It is very important that young children wear sunglasses and the newer products with strap-on frames are easy for them to wear,” said Dr. Borchert.

The lens of a child allows 70% more UV rays to reach the delicate retina than in an adult. Most parents are aware of the critical need to protect their children’s skin from UV exposure with sun block, yet few insist their children wear sunglasses.

“If it is bright enough outdoors for you to be wearing sunglasses, your child should also be wearing them,” said Dr. Borchert.

New, colorful sunglasses with Velcro straps, designed for infants and toddlers are available in stores and via the Internet. They are comfortable and provide excellent protection from UV rays and foreign objects. Most young children adapt to them easily.

source: healthnewsdigest

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