Thursday, December 30, 2010

Keeping New Year's Resolutions

Now that the New Year is almost here, it’s time to think about those resolutions.

You probably didn’t keep all of them from last year, but now its time for new ones, especially ones dealing with your health.

First off, make a resolution to schedule a check up with your doctor, get all the necessary screening tests that are appropriate for your age, and the vaccinations that can keep you healthy. Remember, don’t just go to the doctor when you’re sick. Treat your body like your car and schedule a check up now.

Next, make a resolution to find out what foods can keep you healthy and make sure you have those around the house. Get rid of the ones that aren’t good for you. That bag of chips in the pantry can be too tempting to ignore.

And always remember to give yourself the gift of time - everyday. Just 15 minutes a day to relax and you’ll find yourself more refreshed all year long.

But also remember to stay fit. Set aside 30 minutes at least 3-4 times a week for some type of exercise. It doesn't matter as much what you do, just that you do something consistently.

But the hardest part will come around late February or March as our resolutions start to gather dust. Here’s when you’ll need to recommit to staying physically active and healthy. That’s something a good strong New Year’s resolution plan will help with.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Tips To Avoid Hangovers

It’s almost New Year's Eve. That means plenty of celebrating which can mean a hangover. So, here are some tips to help avoid that.

I think just about everyone has a trick or two to try and avoid a hangover, but most of them don’t work that well.

So, if you wake up New Year's Day with a pounding headache, upset stomach, and swearing you’ll never drink again, here’s why. Alcohol is a diuretic, which means it makes you urinate, drying you out. Plus, the impurities in the alcohol can add to that all too familiar “day after” feeling. But here are some things that can help out.

If you don’t drink, or don’t drink too much, you’re not going to have a hangover. But if you do, you still need to keep yourself hydrated. For every glass of alcohol, switch over and drink a glass of water. Also, you want to eat a large meal before you hit the parties. That will slow down how fast your stomach absorbs the alcohol.

But if you don’t listen to any of this advice and you wake up the next day feeling like you got hit by a Mack truck, remember, Dr. John’s telling you you’re dehydrated. Drink some water or a sports drink. Also, try to force yourself to eat a good meal especially one with fruits and vegetables. That will replace the nutrients you lost during the night. And if you can do it, take a couple of ibuprofen to help out with the headache. Then just get plenty of rest. Remember this is a very temporary condition. It will pass.

Parents New Year's Eve Warning

This Friday is New Year's Eve, but with all the celebrations comes a word of caution, especially if you have a baby in the house.

Unfortunately the day after, New Year's Day, is the biggest day for infant SIDS deaths of the year and it might be something parents are doing on this particular day that causes this.

A new study just released found that on New Year's Day, SIDS, or sudden infant death syndrome, peaks by almost almost a third as many cases compared to every other winter day. And although these researchers can't pinpoint the exact cause, they believe the parents' alcohol consumption New Year's Eve may have something to do with it.

SIDS specialists believe that one factor in the rise in cases on this day is parents that have over celebrated might not be sober enough to notice signs of distress in their baby. As they put it, if a parent is too intoxicated to wake themselves will they wake up if their baby is having problems during the night.

The researchers involved in this particular study, just published in the journal Addiction, say that although they can't directly pinpoint alcohol as the cause of this increase in deaths, that there does seem to be something parents are doing, or possibly something they are not doing, on New Year's Day that causes this rise in SIDS deaths. If your a parent of a young child, they recommend you not drink to the point were you can't respond to their needs overnight, especially on this upcoming New Year's Eve.

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Avoiding Holiday Heartburn

It's holiday part time. But it doesn't have to mean living with heartburn. There are some simple steps that will help avoid it.

Heartburn also goes by the names acid reflux or gerd. Those that have it usually know what triggers their symptoms. And this time of year, both because we eat more food than normal and because we tend to eat things we try to stay away from most of the time, heartburn can be a real problem.

To help out, first off.. and I'm as guilty of violating this rule as anyone... don't overeat. Large amounts of food stretch the stomach and that can mean acid leaking its way up.

Also, avoid overdoing the fatty, greasy foods; they'll only make things worse.

And remember to try and stay caffeine free. While you are at it, skip the red wine. Caffeine or red wine can cause a problem with reflux.

But the best tip is to try to eat as early as possible. That gives your body time to let gravity do its thing and keep food and acid in your stomach. Going to bed soon after eating might just make things worse.

If your symptoms have already started to get bad, taking an over-the-counter reflux medication before the next day's big meal can actually go a long way to keeping it enjoyable.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Holiday Heart Health

This is the holiday season, but it's also the high time for heart attacks.

Doesn’t sound too much in line with the holiday spirit, but this is the time of the year when heart attacks peak. It is a time of fun and family get togethers, but it's also a time of high stress for many of us. That stress is one reason why deaths from heart problems peak this time of the year, with the biggest days for this being Christmas and New Years.

Besides the obvious one of stress, there are a number of other reasons this could be happening. One is that people with symptoms of heart trouble before the holidays tend to put off going to their doctor until after the holidays. They don't want to spoil everyone's special time. But if you’re having heart issues, it’s the one thing you need to do.

Also, during the holiday, many of us tend to take a break from diet and exercise routines. It’s easy to find an excuse not to work out, and with food everywhere it’s hard to stick to healthy eating. And excessive food and alcohol consumption can lead to something called “holiday heart syndrome.”

But by taking care of yourself during this holiday season, especially if you are having any heart symptoms, you can make sure this holiday remains fun and festive for everyone.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Treating Lazy Eye

When it comes to treating a child's lazy eye, you might think about eye patches and eye drops. Now it looks like acupuncture could also do the trick.

Up to 3% of children have what's commonly referred to as a "lazy eye"---one eye that sees differently than the other. If left untreated it can lead to permanent loss of vision. Traditional treatment has been the eye patch, worn for a few hours every day, along with vision strengthening exercises. But not all kids like wearing the patch, so it can turn into one of those family battles you'd rather not wage.

Well, now researchers in China have found that acupuncture can be just as effective. Children receiving 5 treatments a week had the same success as those wearing their eye patch for two hours a day. Although they can't fully explain why acupuncture works, it has been shown to increase blood flow to the eye which might be how it helps fix a lazy eye. But even they are calling for more studies to fully figure this out. But for a parent, acupuncture might be one key to making sure your child's vision is the best it can be.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Nice Guys & Marriage

When it comes to being a nice guy your marriage should get a little more of the credit for getting you that way.

The saying used to be that nice guys finished last, but now it should be that nice guys tend to be married guys.

At least that's the findings of this latest study. Researchers set out to solve the age old dilemma---do nice guys tend to get married more often then their counterparts or is it the marriage that “trains” the guy to be nicer than he would normally be. They found it's actually a little bit of both. Not only are nice guys more likely to be married in the first place but marriage also helps improve a guys behavior, something any wife is likely to confirm.

And the interesting thing is that part of this study was done on identical twins that were raised in the same family so the guys were essentially the same in the way they were made up DNA wise and the way they were brought up. But if one got married and the other didn't the married one ended up having less antisocial behaviors than his brother. A definite vote for the wife improving a spouses niceness. And since other studies have shown married couples live longer and have less depression it seems that marriage is a win-win for both.

Monday, December 13, 2010

Imagine Eating More

Want to eat less this holiday season? It may be that you just need to imagine more.

Some are calling this the “imagination diet,” but it's not what you think. Instead of trying to imagine yourself cutting back on bad food, with this method, you actually imagine yourself gorging out on your favorite items and that helps you not do it.

Scientists at Carnegie Mellon University found out that when participants in their study imagined themselves eating m&m's or cheese cubes they ended up eating less of these items afterwords than others who didn't imagine themselves eating anything at all.

These researchers say that when we imagine ourselves actually eating something, it ends up, in our brains way of thinking, of being just like you ate that favorite food, in this case m&m's or cheese cubes. So, you end up not being as “hungry” for that food item. But, they also found that this only happens when you go all the way and imagine eating the food, not just thinking about the food.

So, it seems that imagining yourself eating something works on your brain the same way as actually eating that same food does, and that means less of an impulse to gorge on something you probably shouldn't gorge on in the first place. So, try that the next time you think about reaching for that extra slice of pie.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Boys Hit Puberty Early

Boys may be hitting puberty earlier than ever, but what does that mean for boys these days.

For the last couple of decades we've know that girls are maturing faster than their mothers and grandmothers. Part of the reason was better nutrition, but others say environmental factors and exposure to more estrogen like substances are behind this.

But now it looks like boys are joining this same trend. Until recently the normal age for boys starting puberty was 13 with the biggest changes happening between 13 and 16. A new study found that boys are now starting to have body changes starting at age 12. The biggest leap takes place, on the average, nowadays from 12 to 15 years old. And for most boys, they are fully mature, body wise by the time they turn 19.

With early puberty, come a few issues that families need to consider. Having the “birds and bees” talk is never comfortable for any parent, but now having it early on is the goal, especially since boys and girls are maturing sooner than ever. Also, the teen years and all associated issues are going to happen at a younger age, so make sure you keep that in mind, especially as your son or daughter starts acting like a teenager but is still only 11 or 12.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Risks Of A Few Extra Pounds

Do you weigh a few pounds more than you should? Turns out even a small extra amount might be too risky.

Most of us seem to lug around an extra pound or two that we want to get rid of. Now it looks like that small amount of extra weight might be worse for your health than we thought.

Doctors have known for quite some time that obesity carries its own health risks, especially when it comes to heart disease, strokes and certain cancers. We weren't sure about being just overweight and not necessarily obese.

But a new study, huge by study standards, looked at the health of around 1 and 1/2 million people and found that being even a little overweight also meant a bigger chance of dying. The women in this study with a Body Mass Index, BMI, between 22 and 25 had the lowest death rate. Compare that to women in the overweight category with a BMI of 25 or more---they were 13 percent more likely to die.

The thinking used to be that having a little extra padding, a few extra pounds here and there, provided a type of reserve the body could use if you got sick. Now researchers involved in this study are saying that's simply not true---and that extra reserve, especially since it happens to be mostly fat is bad for your overall health.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

New Help For Diarrhea

If your child gets diarrhea, there's new help from an old cure.

And what it is probiotics, or good types of bacteria our digestive system needs to function like it's supposed to.

Each of us has about 500 different kinds of bacteria in our stomachs and digestive tract. Some of these cause things like diarrhea, but some of them help us digest our food or keep from getting things like diarrhea.

And now the American Academy of Pediatrics says that these probiotics might help with a couple of different childhood types of diarrhea, namely those they get from a viral illness and those they might get from taking antibiotics. This goes along with what companies that produce products with probiotics--- things like yogurts, milks and some juices-- have been saying for years.

On the other hand, they say there isn't enough evidence about probiotics yet to recommend it for other intestinal issues like constipation, irritable bowel syndrome or Crohn's disease. But at least for diarrhea, something fairly common in children, grabbing a bit of yogurt might help get there stomach under better control.