Thursday, October 27, 2011

Halloween Safety

Halloween is just a few days away and that means plenty of excited kids running around. With all the kids running around with sugar induced excitement, they won't be thinking much about staying safe, so that's where you come in.

Start by making sure their costumes are safe. If it's too long, that could cause tripping. Then look at the label to see if it's made of flame retardant material. Some decorations still use candles. That along with a costume that's not flame retardant can spell trouble.

If your children are wearing a mask, teach them to take it off while walking in between houses so they can see where they go---then they can put it on just before ringing the doorbell.

Also, send them with an adult or responsible older sibling, and have them carry flashlights with fresh batteries so drivers can easily see them.

Of course, kids do all this for one reason---candy! But remind them to not eat any of it before they get home. When they do get to the house, take a look at it to make sure none of it has been tampered with. Throw away anything that looks suspicious.

But most importantly, especially for the kid in all of us, get out there and have fun, but keep it safe.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Kids' Eyesight & Getting Outside

There might be a new way to help keep your children's eyesight sharp. And it means getting them outside.

For a variety of reasons it looks like being outdoors more can mean better eyesight for your kids.

Children and the outdoors tend to go hand in hand. But they don't seem to spend as much time outside playing around as we did when we were growing up. With video games, TV shows and computers it's sometimes tough to get them to play with low tech devices like jumping ropes, bicycles and swing sets.

But getting them outdoors can mean more than just getting them out of your hair for a minute or two. It can also mean them having better eyesight.

Researchers out of England have found that outdoor play could prevent nearsightedness in children. In their study they found out that children with myopia, the medical term for nearsightedness, also spent nearly 4 hours less per week outside than those kids with better eyesight. It didn't seem to matter what they were doing when they were out there, just being out in the sun helped them. And for each additional hour they spent outside, they dropped their chances of having vision problems by another 2 percent.

Scientists think this outdoors eyesight connection could have to do with how UV light interacts with the eye or even the fact that when outside children tend to look more into the distance then up close. Regardless of the reason, this simple step can not only get kids off the computer or video game for a while and improve their eyesight at the same time.

Alzheimer's GPS Device

When a loved one has Alzheimer's, it can be tough to keep track of them. But now a new device is helping out.

A company is putting a GPS tracker in something everyone wears, a shoe. And this hi-tech shoe should help keep track of them even if they wander off.

When a loved one suffers from Alzheimer's, they don't always know where they are or even where they want to go. So oftentimes they wander off. This can create a lot of heart ache and headaches for the family members taking care of them, not to mention be dangerous for the person involved. There are tracking devices already implanted in watches, bracelets and other pieces of jewelry. The problem is that oftentimes if an Alzheimer's patient doesn't recognize the watch as their own once they take it off. But the company making this shoe, and their medical experts, feel that since shoes are changed all the time this won't be as much of an issue.

And being a hi-tech device, there are all sorts of things you can do with it to help out. You can set it so that if an Alzheimer's patient wonders outside a certain area---let's say the yard or neighborhood---the shoe will notify you. And you can then track them down and bring them home, keeping them safe and you relieved.

The cost is expected to be around 300 dollars and the shoes should be released this month by the footwear firm Aetrex Worldwide.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Premature Babies & Autism

In addition to other health risks, premature babies may also be at a much higher risk of developing autism.

I'm not sure anyone knows exactly why, but premature and low-weight babies could have a greater chance of developing autism. But knowing this might help get them treatment early on.

A new study, just appearing in the Journal Pediatrics followed 862 infants born in the 1980s, researchers watched them until they turned 21. They were all born premature and at low weights. 5% of them ended up developing autism. That's a 5 times greater risk than most infants have, since only 1% of infants in the general population end up with this disorder.

So, why is there a bigger risk with preemies and low-birth weight babies? Although no one knows for sure, we do know that premature and low-birth weight babies have other developmental issues. And these other developmental issues can hide their autism until much later in life. But knowing they are at a higher risk of developing autism means we can look more closely for it. And finding it earlier can mean earlier treatment, making it more likely to be successful.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Hair Stylists & Skin Cancer

They say only your hairdresser knows for sure. But what your hairdresser knows may save your life.

Think about it for a second. Who else gets that close of a look at your scalp. Now, in addition to helping you look good, they might also be looking for signs of skin cancer. A new study, just published in the medical journal Archives of Dermatology, has found that many more hair professionals are looking for signs of skin cancer while cutting or coloring your hair. And when they find something suspicious they have been recommending visits to a doctor to get that lesion checked out, saving lives in the process. According to this study, nearly 40% of these hair professionals already look at the scalp and some included the neck and face skin as well. Although they are looking for lesions, not many have been trained in what to look for. But experts feel that getting them trained in the ABC & Ds of skin cancer can help find more cases and probably save more lives.

Those ABC & Ds suspicious for skin cancer mean:
A for asymmetric shape, moles with irregular shapes or patterns.
B for irregular border.
C for growths with multiple colors or uneven spread of the colors.
D for diameter larger than 1/4 inch; about the diameter of a pencil eraser.

So, in the near future, as you get your hair done you might also be getting that all important skin check for your scalp.

New ADHD Recommendations

When it comes to ADHD, new recommendations are out and researchers want it looked for earlier and longer.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has put out new recommendations for diagnosing and treating ADHD. They want it looked into earlier and for treatment to include non-medicine approaches as the first step.

Up until now, experts have concentrated on evaluating kids from 6-12 for Attention Hyperactivity Disorder, ADHD. But since ADHD problems, including behavioral issues and lack of an attention span, can show up earlier, they want evaluations to start at age 4 and for those evaluations to continue until age 18.

Once diagnosed with ADHD, these guidelines also call for behavioral interventions as the first step in treatment for preschool children. This includes getting family members involved in the overall treatment. For older children, elementary school age and adolescents, they still recommend medication, but alongside behavioral treatments.

The important step is that ADHD is treated with a team approach this means involving the child, their parents, doctor, therapist and even teachers. This more robust approach should help them better control their symptoms and when needed medication can add to this treatment plan.

The main change with these guidelines is the earlier and later age of diagnosis and the concentrating on behavioral treatment instead of just medication.

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Working Odd Hours & Your Health

Although 8-5 is still the norm, more of us are working odd hours. But what do those odd hours do to your health?

It seems like shift work, or even just working odd hours can cause your stress hormone to go up and that can take its toll on your health, especially if you are young.

According to a new Dutch study, doing shift work or working odd hours can cause a rise in the levels the stress hormone cortisol in your blood stream. Researchers involved in this study found that long term levels of cortisol were much higher in shift workers than regular day workers. This was even more pronounced in younger workers, those under 40.

This becomes important to your health because the hormone we are talking about, cortisol, can cause a rise in your blood pressure, increase your risk of heart disease and diabetes and contribute to an obesity problem. And if you are having a constant increase in this stress hormone over the years as you work those odd hours, then your health could be taking a hit as well.

So, what can you do? First off recognize that shift work, or working odd hours, might be causing this issue. Then take steps to reduce the impact from this stress hormone. This includes eating a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and veggies, along with foods rich in omega 3 fatty acids. It also means being a regular exerciser, one of the best methods to not only reduce your levels of stress hormones, but also your overall levels of stress as well. And doing what you can to relax both during and outside of work, especially if you work odd hours -- this can go a long way to keeping you healthy in spite of when you clock in for the day.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Migraine Relief Without Medication

When it comes to treating migraines, researchers have found a new method that is pretty much free of any side effects.

It's actually one of two new methods, relaxation and/or exercise, and yes, both are free of the side effects all medicines have.

If you've ever suffered from a migraine, or been around anyone that has, then you know it's much better to stop them from coming on in the first place. There are medicines that can help keep migraines at bay. But all medications, including those for migraines, have side effects, so not everyone can take them long term.

But, researchers out of Sweden found that two separate things worked just as well as the drug TOPAMAX, at keeping migraines at bay. Those were regular aerobic exercise and relaxation therapy. During the trial, scientists found that 1/3 of the women in the study reported medicine side effects including fatigue, depression and vertigo, some bad enough that they stopped taking the drug all together. But none of the women undergoing relaxation therapy or engaged in the exercise program reported any side effects.

The medicines used for migraines are still helpful, but this study shows us that simple, side-effect free, things like exercise and relaxation can be equally helpful. And while they are helping you with your migraines they can also help get you in better shape, both emotionally and physically.

Daily Vitamins - Good or Bad?

If you're taking a daily vitamin you need to listen up because you just might be getting too much of a good thing.

Turns out that most of us who take daily vitamins and supplements are probably taking too much, and in some cases that too much could be affecting your health.

Two new studies looked at how we use vitamins and supplements and how that affects us. One study, looking at over 8,000 men and women found that those taking added supplements also tended to eat better than most people. That means they were less likely to need the added vitamins and supplements they were taking.

And this is important because a second study found that some of these vitamins and minerals might be causing more harm than good. Researchers looked at nearly 40,000 women over the age of 60 starting back in 1986. They followed them for 19 years and found that those taking a vitamin b6, folic acid, iron, magnesium, zinc, copper or a multivitamin also had a higher risk of dying during the study time frame.

Although they can directly blame these vitamins and supplements on the early deaths, they do point out that our diets are for the most part already rich in these vitamins and supplements, so taking more in the form of a pill can give us a bigger dose than our bodies can handle. But some things did seem to help keep us healthy, mainly calcium and vitamin d. But otherwise experts recommend checking with your doctor first to see if you really need to add anything to your normal daily diet to begin with.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Being Embarrassed Is Good

Are you an easily embarrassed person? If so, you may be a better person than you think.

They might seem shy and easily embarrassed to most of us, but it turns out this might actually be a good thing. A new study, just published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology used college students to study how well embarrassed people got along in society.

They had students give a speech about an embarrassing moment. Then they played a game used to measure selflessness. According to the researchers involved in this experiment, those participants who were most embarrassed also showed the most generosity.

According to one the authors of the study, moderate levels of embarrassment are a sign of virtue, more of a good thing than a bad thing. In other words, people that get easily embarrassed tend to also be more trustworthy and generous. They are also more likely to be monogamous.

But, the authors of this study do point out that this doesn't mean those of us that don't get embarrassed are just the opposite. They need more studies to look at that. But for now, they feel that embarrassment is a good thing and not something that anyone should fight.

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Facebook - Do Your Kids Need Help?

Facebook is a great tool to keep in contact with your kids, but it also might be one way to see if they need help.

We love seeing the pictures on sites like Facebook; a great way to get a peek into our kids lives away from home. Those same pictures might help point to a drinking problem, but at the same time give us a way to help get it under control.

College drinking has been an issue for just about as long as colleges have been around. But over the last few decades it seems to have gotten worse, with more college students getting injured and even nearly 2000 getting killed every year because of alcohol.

According to the authors of a new study just published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, one way we might be able to help them is by seeing what types of pictures they post on Facebook type sites. These researchers looked at what students posted on social network sites and how much they admitted drinking on a separate survey. Those students who posted pictures and updates on Facebook about being intoxicated, or things that happened to them because of drinking too much, like long hangovers of accidentally ending up in someone's room overnight, also were considered to be in an at-risk category for problem drinking.

And even though many college students block their parents from seeing these pictures over relatives often aren't blocked and should recognize these issues as well. The goal here, according to these researchers is, if you find troubling photos or posts on Facebook, to simply ask your college student, "are you doing alright." A big first step to stop a big problem.

Choosing Healthier Food Options

When it comes to eating healthy, looks like more of us talk the talk but don't necessarily walk the walk.

By that we mean that what we say and what we do when it comes to picking healthy foods don't always add up.

Right now, around 2/3rds of us are either overweight or obese. To try and help fight this epidemic a lot of restaurants, including fast food joints, have started to offer healthier options. And in some states, because of local laws, some of these restaurants even have started listing calories right next to the food choices.

But according to a recent survey, these steps aren't making as big of an impact on our menu choices as you might think. It turns out that although nearly half of us would like to see restaurants offer healthier items, like baked potatoes or more salads, only 23% of us actually order these types of foods. And we don't seem to be making any better choices when it comes to our kids either. Only 11% of parents ordered apple slices instead of fries in McDonald's Happy Meals recently.

So, to help get you and your family back on the health track, remember your better, healthier options next time your eating out.