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Tampa Bay Life -
Health
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(NewsUSA) - Valentine's Day makes February a natural for American Heart Month. How can you make sure your heart will keep going pitter-patter, without going kerplunk? Let us count the ways... Here are our top 10 tips for a healthy ticker: 1. Fill up on fiber. Not only does fiber help lower levels of LDL ("bad") cholesterol, it can aid weight management. Being overweight raises your risk of heart failure by a third, while being obese doubles it. While two-thirds of Americans are too heavy, only half get enough fiber. Top sources include oats, beans, raspberries, blackberries, oranges and green peas. 2. Go bananas. I did when I learned that 99 percent of women and 90 percent of men don't get enough potassium in their diet. Responsible for regulating the fluid balance in our cells, potassium also blunts the effects of excess sodium. Too much sodium and too little potassium is a recipe for high blood pressure. Strike a healthier balance by cutting back on salt and increasing potassium intake with bananas, potatoes, broccoli and kiwi. 3. Say "no" to that extra cup of joe. Four or more cups of daily brew could elevate blood levels of homocysteine, an amino acid associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Drinking more than two cups of coffee a day can harden the arteries and contribute to arteriosclerosis. Switch to tea; its heart-healthy benefits include lower blood pressure and reduced inflammation. 4. "Beet" heart disease. Beets contain the antioxidant betanin, which can help keep LDL cholesterol from clogging your arteries, according to a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Moreover, this root vegetable is a good source of folic acid, which helps to break down that heart-hurtin' homocysteine. Top sources of folic acid include spinach, broccoli, romaine lettuce and papaya. 5. Become a better listener. University of Baltimore researchers found that people with "dominant personalities" had a 47 percent higher risk of heart disease when compared to their more patient, passive peers. So how do you know if you're "dominant"? Another study identified several markers - including the tendency to interrupt! 6. The "L" word your heart truly longs for: lycopene. This heart-healthy phytonutrient -; found in tomatoes, watermelon and pink grapefruit - may lower cholesterol levels and reduce inflammation. Harvard researchers found that eating seven or more servings of tomatoes a week might reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by 30 percent. 7. Choose healthy fats. Monounsaturated fats (think olive oil, avocado, nuts) - when used in place of saturated fats (think butter, bacon, beef) -help lower cholesterol. Another healthy fat - omega-3 - helps reduce inflammation. Omega-3 sources include wild salmon, walnuts and flaxseed. 8. Don't turn breakfast into break-feast. While skipping breakfast actually lowers your metabolism, going overboard is no better. A new study done at the University at Buffalo found that big fatty breakfasts trigger the release of inflammatory chemicals associated with clogged arteries. So skip the stack of flapjacks and opt for a strawberry-banana smoothie. 9. Ode to soy. Twenty-five grams of soy protein per day can help lower cholesterol, according to the American Heart Association. Soy's other heart-healthy nutrients include folic acid and magnesium (which helps maintain normal blood pressure). Soymilk, edamame, tofu and soynuts are just some of the many ways to enjoy soy. 10. Go for a raise. In HDL cholesterol, that is. Higher levels of this "good" cholesterol can be almost as important as low levels of LDL cholesterol at keeping cardiovascular disease at bay. In addition to exercise, quitting smoking and limiting trans fats, a University of Scranton study found that drinking cranberry juice could help boost HDL levels. Jennifer Grossman is the director of the Dole Nutrition Institute. |
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Tampa Bay Life -
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(NewsUSA) - They're itchy and crawly, and you certainly don't want them sharing your kids' pillows at night. Experts say head lice are an equal-opportunity pest. It's a myth that they're caused by poor hygiene; they'll seek out any available human scalp. Since they're spread through close contact with a carrier, head lice are typically found on children who go to school together. Favorite hiding places for lice are bedding, hats, combs, brushes, toys, furniture, towels and car seats. Here are some tips on preventing and treating head lice: * Instruct your kids to avoid sharing hats, combs, brushes and other items that touch the hair with other children. * Do not stack coats, hats - or other articles of clothing that come into contact with hair - in a closet. * The most common symptom of head lice is extreme itching on the scalp. If you think your children have lice, begin by treating their heads with an over-the-counter lice treatment, like CVS/pharmacy Maximum Strength Lice Killing Shampoo. Available at CVS/pharmacy stores nationwide and www.CVS.com, this store brand treatment costs about $5 less than the national brand. * Carefully comb through the hair with a nit comb. Look for a kit that includes tweezers to remove stubborn nits from the scalp, a brush for removing lice and nits caught between the pins of the comb, and a large magnifier for viewing hair as it passes through the pins of the comb to verify nit removal. * Sterilize the home. Be sure to machine wash all bedding and clothing in hot water and dry using the hottest drying cycle for at least 20 minutes. If the item can't be washed, have it dry cleaned or seal it in a plastic bag for two weeks. * Check for lice on siblings and other family members who have been in contact with the carrier. |
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Tampa Bay Life -
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(May 15,2006)New findings from a study supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), National Institutes of Health, show that girls and boys who exhibit high levels of risky behaviors have similar chances of developing symptoms of depression. However, gender differences become apparent with low and moderate levels of risky behaviors with girls being significantly more likely than boys to experience symptoms of depression. The study, which incorporates data from almost 19,000 teens, is published in the May 15, 2006 issue of the Archives of Women's Mental Health. "The burden of illness associated with depression during adolescence is considerable, and psychosocial problems — including substance abuse — are associated with depressive disorders in teens,"says NIDA Director Dr. Nora D. Volkow. "The findings from this study create a more complete picture of commonalities and differences of the risk of depression among boys and girls who engage in risky behaviors, and provide information for healthcare providers to consider as they screen, evaluate, and treat their young patients." Symptoms of depression include loss of appetite, feeling blue, loss of interest in things that used to be of interest, being bothered by things that previously were not bothersome, and not feeling hopeful about the future. Dr. Martha Waller, of the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, and her colleagues provided new findings from teen interviews conducted as part of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health in 1995. The researchers clustered the teens into 16 groups according to their behaviors and correlated these behaviors with symptoms of depression. Groups included abstainers, who refrained from engaging in sexual activity and from using alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs; teens who engaged in low and moderate risk behaviors, such as experimenting with substance abuse or sex; and teens who engaged in high-risk behaviors, such as exchanging sex for drugs or money or abuse of intravenous drugs. "Differences in symptoms of depression between girls and boys were guided by risk behaviors," says Dr. Waller. "Among abstainers, there were no differences between girls and boys in their likelihood of having symptoms of depression." When abstaining girls were compared with risk-taking girls, the researchers observed that any risk activity, no matter how modest in degree, was associated with an increased risk of symptoms of depression. For example, girls who experimented with drugs and girls who experimented with tobacco and alcohol were more than twice as likely to have symptoms of depression as girls who abstained completely. Girls who experimented with sex were almost four times as likely to have such symptoms, while girls who used intravenous drugs were almost 18 times as likely to have symptoms of depression as girls who abstained completely. Among boys, most, but not all risk profiles were associated with a greater likelihood of such symptoms, compared to abstainers. Boys who drank alcohol and boys who were binge drinkers were about two-and-one-half times as likely to experience symptoms of depression, while those who abused intravenous drugs were about six times as likely to have symptoms of depression as boys who abstained completely. For most of the high-risk behaviors profiled there were also no significant gender differences in symptoms of depression. However, for one — exchanging sex for money or drugs — girls were seven times more likely than boys to report such symptoms. Among teens who engaged in low and moderate risk behaviors, girls were significantly more likely than boys to report symptoms of depression. "Although it has not been shown that these behaviors trigger depression, it may be that screening for substance abuse and other behaviors in teens may provide enough information to the health care provider to also warrant screening for depression, particularly for girls," says Dr. Waller. "Both substance abuse and sexual activity may alter a girl's social context, which could induce stress and/or change self-perceptions, both of which could contribute to depression. In addition, there may be differences in how girls and boys physically respond to substance abuse that help explain the gender differences." Because girls who exhibited low and moderate risk behaviors were observed to be at greater risk for depression than boys, the scientists suggest that future research should examine the characteristics of these groups to determine the mechanisms underlying this difference. "There are significant changes in the brain during adolescence and there is growing interest in understanding how substance abuse may change brain structure and chemistry, and in turn, cognition and emotion," says Dr. Volkow. "Future research will investigate more closely the roles of risky behaviors and the influence of gender in the development of adolescent depression." The National Institute on Drug Abuse is a component of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIDA supports most of the world's research on the health aspects of drug abuse and addiction. The Institute carries out a large variety of programs to ensure the rapid dissemination of research information and its implementation in policy and practice. Fact sheets on the health effects of drugs of abuse and information on NIDA research and other activities can be found on the NIDA home page at http://www.drugabuse.gov. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) — The Nation's Medical Research Agency — includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov. |
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Tampa Bay Life -
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(NewsUSA) - "You've got cancer." Just the thought of hearing that phrase evokes fear among most of us. For those receiving the diagnosis, the initial reaction is fear, followed by an intense desire to start treatment right away. But rushing to treatment rather than getting a second or a third opinion means patients often miss out on other treatments that might be newer or better for their cancer and lifestyle. "After learning they have cancer, many patients are afraid to wait even a few days to start treatment for fear that any delay will prevent a cure. But studies have shown that taking a little time to learn about all of the available treatment options can give patients a better opportunity to make a well-informed choice," said Dr. K. Kian Ang, a radiation oncologist at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. A study published in the journal Cancer in 2006 found that half of all breast cancer patients who sought a second opinion from a multidisciplinary tumor board found at their treatment center received a change in their recommended treatment plan. A tumor board is a group of physicians that reviews a patient's records to help the patient choose the best treatment. The board is usually made up of several cancer specialists, including a radiation oncologist, a medical oncologist, a surgeon, a pathologist and a diagnostic radiologist. The study found that the reason for the change in treatment plans was because initial options presented to patients often don't consider new techniques. Plus, during the second opinion, the doctors usually reviewed patients' imaging scans again, often resulting in a change in treatment plan. Ang, who is also chairman of the board of directors for the American Society of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, encourages patients with cancer to speak with several specialists before settling on a course of treatment. To help patients find a specialist, ASTRO has a "Doctor Finder" feature on its Web site, www.rtanswers.org. The site allows patients to search for a radiation oncologist near them, based on the physician's specialty, patient's location and primary languages spoken. Resources are also available on the National Cancer Institute's Web site at www.cancer.gov. |
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