Thursday, April 28, 2011

Happy/Sad States

Colorado is ranked as one of the happiest states, but does all this happiness also have a downside?

It turns out that misery does indeed love company. But in the case of happy states like Colorado, some might not be finding that company and it could be part of the reason happy states also have higher suicide rates.

Colorado is in the top 10 in this year's "happy states" ranking. That's great news and means that we as a group are doing pretty well on the happiness scale. But Colorado is also ranked 6th in suicide rates. As a matter of fact, four of the top 10 happy states are also in the top 10 for suicide rates.

Perhaps more surprising, of the bottom 10 states for happiness, only one, West Virginia, was also in the top 10 for suicides. States like New York, one of the unhappiest, also had low suicide rates.

Although experts aren't sure why this is happening, some think it could be that when someone is depressed in a place where everyone around them seems happy, it makes it all that much tougher to deal with. On the other hand, if you're feeling sad in a place like New York City, it might feel like you have plenty of people around you sharing the same feeling.

But for those in a happy state like Colorado, the big message here is that you aren't really alone, no matter what it seems like as you look around. If you are feeling depressed, and especially if you are considering harming yourself, talk to someone. And if it's needed, seek professional help.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Prescription Drug Abuse & Drug Drop-Off

More and more Americans are ending up in the ER from overdoses. But what they're overdosing on may surprise you.

It's not the street drugs you might think about, or even household chemicals, but prescription drugs that come from people's medicine cabinets that are getting them into trouble.

According to a recent study, more Americans are landing in the hospital because of overdoses from prescription painkillers, sedatives and even tranquilizers

This study found between 1999 and 2006, hospital admissions due to poisonings by these medications increased 65%. That number is about twice the increase from overdosing on all other drugs or medicinal substances.

And according to the White House prescription drug overdose has now become this country's fastest growing drug issue. It's an even bigger problem than crack was in the 80s and heroin in the 70s. In 2007 alone, about 28 thousand died from drug overdoses and most of these were because of prescription drugs.

You can help fight this problem, and do a little spring cleaning while you're at it, this weekend. On Saturday, from 10 till 2, local public health departments, local law enforcement and the DEA are holding their second annual National Prescription Drug take-back day at various spots in southern Colorado. It's the perfect time to get rid of any medicines, expired or not, in your house that you aren't using. Getting them out of the house can get rid of the temptation they sometimes present and will give you a little more shelf room to boot.

You can go to KRDO.com, under links we mentioned, to find drop off sites near your house.

Monday, April 25, 2011

Birth Control & Blood Clot Risk

There's a new report out that a certain type of birth control puts you at a higher risk of blood clots. But how big of a risk are we really talking about?

Have you ever heard of the birth control Yaz or Yasmin? Those are the ones that two new studies are now showing put women at a higher risk for blood clots. But experts are saying that even though the risk of a blood clot is higher than other types of birth control, it's still very low overall.

These new studies now back up what a lot of doctors have seen in their own practices. Researchers found that women taking so-called "fourth" generation birth control pills, ones like Yaz or Yasmin, that use a new type of progestin hormone, doubled their chances of developing potentially life threatening blood clots.

Other experts are saying that although this increase risk with newer birth control pills is true, the overall risk is still small. With all birth control pills, you always run a risk of getting a serious blood clot. It's just that some of them, like these newer ones, seem to have a higher risk.

OB/GYN experts are saying that this needs to be looked at on an individual basis. For someone already on Yaz or Yasmin, especially if they've been doing well for six months or longer, it might still be the medicine for them. But for newer patients, or those with a higher risk of blood clots already, another type might be best.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Spring Sports Injuries

Spring time also means sports time for many of us. But it can also mean injury time if you're not careful.

No matter what the sport, we always see an upswing in injuries during the spring. Part of the reason is because after a few winter months of only intermittent sports activity or none at all, most of us are anxious to get back at it. The problem is that sometimes we are a bit too anxious and jump in with vigor only to find ourselves with an injury.

The best way to avoid this is to remember a couple of key points. Number one, start off slow and don't go all out the first few weeks. Secondly, and this isn’t always the easiest thing for most of us to remember, but we aren’t 16 anymore. That means we aren’t quite as spry and agile as we were a few years ago, so we’ll need more time to recover, especially after a tough go at it.

Some other tips to help keep you safe include making sure you warm up before exercising. And once you do start exercising you need to keep things consistent. Trying to be a weekend warrior and only playing a couple of days a week can set you up for an injury early on.

You'll also want to make sure you’re prepared for your particular sport. Check the equipment that’s been lying around all winter long to make sure it’s not worn out.

But perhaps the biggest tip is to remember to listen to your body and let pain be your guide. If it hurts to do something, than slow down or switch to a different activity. If you do get hurt, you might need to visit a doctor. But you also need to give yourself time to recover. Remember, you aren’t 16 anymore so won’t bounce back quite as quickly.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Pregnant Moms & Children's Weight

You’ve probably heard the saying that you are what you eat, but now it looks like what you eat could affect your kids as well.

It looks like what a mother-to-be eats while pregnant can have a big impact on their child’s chances of having weight problems later in life.

For years we’ve been focusing on children’s diet and exercise habits to try and fix the ongoing obesity epidemic. And while these are very important to maintaining a healthy weight, especially in kids, scientists are also starting to focus on what happens in the womb during pregnancy.

A new study found that what a mom eats while pregnant can have a very important impact on a child’s weight---even years later. A poor diet during pregnancy causes what are known as epigenetic changes in a child’s DNA. These changes can cause the fetus to lay down more fat cells and this increase in fat cells can have a lifelong effect not only on a child’s weight but on how he or she will respond to exercise. As a matter of fact, scientists involved in this study were able to “pick”---based on the changes a mom’s diet caused---which kids would be overweight 6 and even 9 years later.

So, in addition to taking enough folic acid, not drinking alcohol and quitting smoking while pregnant, now it looks like one of the best ways to help your child stay healthy later in life is to make sure, as a mom-to-be, you are eating a healthy diet yourself.

Monday, April 18, 2011

Kids' Sports Teams Safety

It's getting closer to summer which means it's time to start gearing up for sports teams and sports camps. However, with injuries on the rise, it's more important than ever to make sure your children stay safe.

Getting involved in sports, especially during the slow summer months is a great way for your kids to not only stay healthy, but to also develop healthy workout habits. But a little bit of protection goes a long way towards keeping them safe.

April is National Facial Protection Month. So, it's a good time to remind your children that even in sports you probably won't think much about getting mouth and tooth injuries, you still should use a mouth guard. It turns out about half of the 85,000 baseball injuries that occur every year for kids, happen to the mouth, face and head. Having a mouth guard, along with a helmet could protect them from a large percentage of these injuries.

Also, the American Academy of Pediatrics has other tips for keeping kids safe during sporting events. Besides the usual keeping hydrated, resting when tired and wearing the proper gear, they also recommend two big things. One, if it hurts to do something, then stop doing it, at least until you don't have any more pain. It's better to sit out a little bit now then to have an injury that will plague your kids all their life. Two, reduce the stress. Remind them and remember yourselves that the most important part of sports is simply to have fun. To much pressure on winning can take its toll and will certainly make things less fun for them and for you.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Hookah Pipe Risks

When it comes to smoking, the good news is that cigarette smoking is on the decline, the bad news is that more people are using a hookah pipe, but what they don’t know about them could cause major health problems.

College students in particular are starting to pick up the hookah pipe habit.

If you’re not familiar with a hookah pipe, it’s a type of water pipe used for centuries mostly in the Middle East. It uses a tobacco blend, with flavors added. And since the smoke passes through water before it’s inhaled, some think it isn’t all that bad for you.

WRONG! As I’ve said before, tobacco is tobacco is tobacco, no matter how you smoke it. In the case of a hookah pipe the water does nothing to stop the cancer causing parts of tobacco from getting in your lungs. To make matters even worse, since hookah sessions typically last an hour or so, you are getting up to 100 times more tobacco in your lungs than you would from just one cigarette. But even if you only hang out in a hookah lounge, but don’t smoke, you still can’t escape. Although you might not be smoking, you are inhaling an amazing amount of second hand smoke. And now we know that second hand smoke by itself can cause cancer.

Hopefully this fad will fade quickly as more people, and especially college students, realize what most experts say, that smoking is smoking no matter how you do it.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

BMI vs. BAI

When it comes to staying healthy and maintaining a good weight, you've probably heard of a BMI, but how about a BAI?

BAI is a more accurate way to see if you're holding onto a healthy weight or not, and you'll probably hear a lot more about it in the new future. It's called the BAI - Body Adiposity Index.

For years we've been hearing about the Body Mass Index, or BMI, as a good way to figure out where we sit on the weight spectrum. High BMIs, above 25, meant being overweight or even obese. However, the BMI method has problems. If you're muscular, it gives you one that is too high, if you're old, one that could be too low. So, for many, it isn't all that accurate.

Now, the BAI steps in. It's a much more accurate way to show whether you're in a healthy weight range. The "A" stands for Adiposity, a measurement of your Adipose tissue, otherwise known as your fat tissue. The good part of this newer measurement is that it better estimates your percentage of body fat using your height, weight and waist measurement. Even for those the BMI misses, the muscle bound or elderly, this new index can give a fairly accurate estimate of their body fat.

The goal, body fat wise, is to be between 16% and 26% for women and 12% to 22% for men. The best way to calculate where you fall is to go to www.intmath.com/functions-and-graphs/bmi-bai-comparison.php for the BAI calculator.

Monday, April 11, 2011

Summer Vacation & Your Health

It might seem early, but it's about time to start thinking about what to do for summer vacation.

If your plans include traveling, then listen up!

Experiencing other cultures and bringing back that special souvenir is what traveling is all about. Getting sick on your trip isn’t.

Most important is to figure out what kind of health concerns are in the area you’re going to. One quick way is to go online to the CDC’s “travel health site”. You can find this information under the "links we mentioned" section of KRDO.com.

If vaccinations are required, start them now. Some require more than one shot and some vaccines need to be special ordered, so they take time to get.

Next, figure out what medicines to take with you. Get an ample supply of your prescriptions meds. For traveler’s diarrhea, a common problem, this might need anything from Pepto-Bismol to antibiotics.

And none of us expects anything to go wrong on our trip, but accidents do happen, so taking a first aid kit is “essential.” Depending on where you go, this might only contain band aids and Tylenol, or, if exploring more remote areas, be better supplied, with even IV solutions and your own needles.

But trust me, nothing will have you experience your destinations culture up close and personal like having a toothache and trying to find a local dentist. So, go visit one here before your trip, that way you know all your teeth are in good shape, saving you big headaches, or toothaches, later on.

But the most “important” point to remember is to have fun. It’s your vacation; just prepare a little now to make it a smooth one.

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Migraines & Heart Defects

Do migraines and heart defects go hand-in-hand. Researchers say they might, especially for children.

A lot of children suffer from migraines and it looks like some of these migraines might be caused by a common heart defect---one that someone might have and not even know it.

Right now, it's estimated that 15% of children have migraine headaches. About 1/3 of them have what are called auras with these headaches. Auras are a type of early warning migraine sufferers get letting them know the headache is about to start. It's usually includes visual disturbances, like flashing lights, but can also be weakness or even hallucinations.

Well, researchers just discovered that in the children they examined with aura type migraines, 1/2 of them had a hole in their heart known as a patent foramen ovale or PFO. This PFO heart defect is much more common than you'd think and in fact about 1-out-of-4 of us has it and will never know. It's not usually a problem and people live normal lives with it, but if it is associated with a migraine, researchers feel repairing that hole might help get rid of the migraines as well. Stay tuned for future studies on this.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Fasting & Heart Health

New research is showing that fasting may help keep your heart healthy.

Although researchers don't have all the answers "yet", they have found that small amounts of routine fasting could be healthy for you.

Fasting has been practiced for centuries by various cultures for a variety of different reasons, ranging from religious observations to political protests. Some have also done it for health reasons, thinking that fasting helps clear the body of toxins. Now we are finding out how fasting might be healthy, if done correctly.

Cardiologists from the Intermountain Medical Center just released a study where they looked at what happened when volunteers fasted for 24 hours. And the findings surprised even them.

Since fasting causes hunger and stress on our bodies, our bodies respond by releasing cholesterol so we can use it as fuel. That means that while fasting we burn fat. And with fewer fat cells we can better fight off diabetes and heart disease.

But the researchers caution that it's too early to simply start fasting. They aren't sure how often or for how long you need to fast to get these benefits. Time, and more studies, will tell.

Monday, April 4, 2011

Kids, Frustration & Older Parents

Kids can sometimes be very frustrating but it looks like the older a parent gets the happier they are.

If you're a parent, you've probably wondered at one time or another what it'd be like to not have kids right? Well, it turns out, especially as you get older, not all that good.

Over the last few years parenting has gotten a bit of a bad rap. Research suggested that it caused strained marriages, some depression and lots of stress. But a new study is giving us a clearer picture on parenthood and is showing that for young parents all that might be true. However, once a parent reaches 40 and definitely by the time they are 50, they are a lot happier overall because of they have kids versus those that don't.

And the scientists involved in the research found it didn't have much to do with where someone lived or how much they made. Rather it had to do with having children, which means someone to always connect to, especially later in life.

So, if your pulling your hair out right now over lost homework or spilled juice, take heart---your kids truly are the best thing to ever happen to you.