Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Age Gap & Academic Success

One big question when it comes to having another child is "when?" Turns out the answer could impact their academic success.

Is it better to have children closer together so they can play, or further apart so the first child can become more independent. It seems like when it comes to the future academic success of your kids, the greater age gap the better. At least that's the conclusion of a study just published in the Journal of Human Resources. Economic researchers looked at more than 12,000 siblings between the ages of 14 and 22. They found that when there was a bigger age gap, the older child was more likely to do better on math and reading tests.

The magic age gap, according to these researchers, appeared to be 2 years. They speculate that part of the reason this is happening is because it's easier for a parent to spend more productive time with the older child when he or she is still in the crucial 1- to 2-year-old language development stage. If the second baby comes along during that time period, the older child might not get the same language exposure.

But if you do have children closer together, don't lose hope. The key here is to make sure you read to your children as much as possible, especially the older one and constantly talk to them.

Lose Weight, Eat Slower

When it comes to losing weight, one key might be in just how fast or slow you eat.

It turns out that slow eating might be one key to keeping slim. But one group of us doesn't do a very good job of that---guys! So, you are probably packing on more unwanted pounds over the holidays.

New research out of the University of Rhode Island discovered a couple of things about our eating habits. First off, probably not a surprise to anyone, men eat significantly faster than women. In their study they saw that men consumed about 80 calories per minute. Women, on the other hand, only ate 52 calories per minute. But they also found that heavier people eat faster than slimmer ones.

The importance behind the eating time difference is that it takes our body time to catch up to itself and tell our minds that we are full. If you're a fast eater, you tend to eat more than your body needs and that packs on the pounds. Slower eaters give their body more time to put out it's "fullness" signal so they won't take in as many calories.

So the secret to keeping weight off this holiday season, and all year long for that matter, is to slow down while eating. That will also give you more time to enjoy your company or surroundings.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Avoiding The Holiday Blues

The holidays are a wonderful time, but not everyone can enjoy them.

They call it the holiday blues because for some people they can get sad and depressed this time of year. But there are ways to avoid it.

Here's the main problem:
It looks like everyone else is enjoying the holiday season, but you just feel lonely and depressed. You might have family or job issues or you can't afford that special gift a loved one wants. These "holiday blues" can be intense and unsettling. But the good news is they are usually very short-lived and they tend to go away after the holiday rush is over and daily routines are resumed.

These "blues" are a normal response to a very stressful time of year. Everyone gets a little frazzled right about now, but those with the "holiday blues" experience more intense symptoms ranging from headaches, to sleep problems and maybe even full blown depression.

Some things can help you avoid this. Keep your expectations of yourself and others realistic. Not everyone's home is going to look like a magazine home and you don't have to buy that expensive gift someone is eyeing. Share your time by volunteering this time of the year, that will help you put things into perspective. Let go of past issues, spend time with people you care about, and try to make new friends. Also, look for activities like caroling, these are usually the ones that remind us of our carefree childhood days. Of course, getting plenty of rest and exercise during this stressful season can also help you feel you're best.

Avoiding Holiday Heartburn

This week is the start of the holiday season, but it can also mean time for your heartburn to return.

It's that dreaded holiday heartburn any of us can get from simply eating way too much of certain foods this time of year.

Just picture what you'll be eating this Thanksgiving and at all the other holiday meals. That plate piled high with great food might taste wonderful, but you also might end up paying the price with heartburn. This happens when acid flows back up your esophagus, or feeding tube, that can cause not only heartburn, but also wheezing, coughing and a sore throat.

If this happens to you around this time of year, it's probably because you are eating large amounts of so-called "trigger" foods, foods that set off your heartburn. But you can help yourself by avoiding, as best you can, the foods that do this. For most of us that means limiting fatty cheeses, peppermint and peppermint flavored drinks and desserts, eggnog, hot chocolate and alcohol. For others it means limiting tomato based products and citrus type drinks. And if this tends to affect you on a regular basis, medicines, some available over the counter, can help as well, but these usually have to be taken on a regular basis.

The goal here is to have you still enjoy all this holiday has to offer, but to slow down just a bit when it comes to the overindulging most of us do.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Hearing Loss

More of us are having troubles with our hearing than you'd probably think.

A first of its kind national analysis found that almost one-our-of-five of us have significant hearing loss. But it's not just happening as we get older, but even kids as young as 12 are having permanent hearing problems. That puts the number of those having hearing impairment at about 48 million. In some cases the problem is so severe that it's tough to make out normal conversation even just sitting down in a restaurant. This number is surprising since prior estimates were around 29 million.

Part of the concern is that a decline in hearing can also mean a higher risk of getting dementia. A lot of times this happens, the hearing loss, to older adults and occurs so gradually that they often don't realize it's happening. And that's why experts are pushing for more regular hearing tests, to catch a problem when it's still early on.

For younger adults and children, hearing loss often occurs because of our plugged-in society. Ear phones and ear buds, with music turned up loud, can take their toll on young hearing.

So the bottom line is for all of us to pay a bit more attention to not only our hearing but also the hearing of those around us. If you're constantly having to repeat yourself, or are frequently getting misunderstood, then maybe suggesting a simple hearing test might be just what the doctor ordered.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Tooth Decay & Heart Disease

One way to fight heart disease could also leave you with healthy teeth.

As strange as this sounds, getting regular dental cleaning could also lower your risk of having a heart attack or stroke.

We've known for years that there is a connection between how healthy your teeth are and your chances of having heart disease. That's because having tooth decay and periodontal disease leads to an increase in inflammation around the mouth. That inflammation can spread to other parts of the body including the heart, causing the risk of having a heart attack to rise.

So, keeping teeth clean is important, but two new studies show just how much needs to be done. In one study, following more than 100,000 Taiwanese for 7 years, those who had their teeth cleaned by a dentist at least twice a year cut their risk of having either a heart attack or stroke.

In a separate Swedish study, researchers found that different types of gum disease lead to different problems. People who fewer teeth and more infections at the base of the teeth they had left, also had a greater risk of a heart attack or congestive heart failure. On the other hand, those with more gum bleeding also had a bigger risk of having a stroke.

So, the bottom line is to take care of your teeth and they will help you take care of your heart.

Getting Your Kids' Cholesterol Checked

It's pretty common to know your cholesterol numbers, but how about your kids?

There is a new recommendation to get cholesterol checked at a younger age than you'd probably think. How about as early as 9?

Although that might be a bit of a surprise for most parents, guidelines just released by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute call for cholesterol screening of children between the ages of 9 and 11. This recommendation is also being endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics. And because cholesterol naturally dips a bit during puberty, but can rise right after, they also recommend children get retested between 17 and 21.

The panel of experts that came up with the recommendations is also suggesting diabetes screening every two years for certain children. In particular, starting at age 9, those that are overweight or have a family history of type 2 diabetes should get tested regularly tested for this disease.

The reason behind these new recommendations are because of the increasing number of children with what used to be adult-only problems, high cholesterol and blood sugars. And since around 10% of the 4th graders already have high cholesterol, if we wait until they are in their 20s it can already start taking its toll on their body.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Importance Of Vitamin D For Spinal Surgery

Before a big spinal surgery you have plenty of things to think about, but you might also need to pay attention to your vitamin D level.

It's because going into surgery, many patients are low in vitamin D and this vitamin is important to get the bone to heal.

We've talked before about how many people are low in vitamin D, especially here in Colorado. And we also have found that vitamin D plays a role in keeping our risk of getting cancer, diabetes and even multiple sclerosis low. But for spinal surgery patients, vitamin D's role in keeping our bones strong and healthy becomes even more important after surgery, when the bone is in its healing phase.

The problem is, according to this newest study, that many spinal surgery patients researchers examined were low in vitamin D before the surgery. These researchers found over half of them had low levels and one quarter were severely deficient. So, for your overall health, and particularly your bone health after surgery, make sure you get enough vitamin D in your diet. That means eating fortified foods, like milk and cereal, or vitamin D rich foods like eggs and saltwater fish, or taking a supplement. For most of us, we want to get 600 to 800 international units every day.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Air Fresheners & Allergies

They might make your house or work space smell great, but they could also be causing you health problems.

We're talking about air fresheners and scented candles. Both are causing a rise in the allergic reactions around the country. And since they tend to be used more often this time of year, they can cause more problems for more people.

We've all seen then and most of us have used scented candles and air fresheners to get that seasonal smell into our homes or offices. The reason they spread a good smell around is because they emit VOC, volatile organic compounds. Those are chemicals from an unseen gas or vapor these products put out that float around in the air. It's those chemicals that can cause an allergic reaction. According to a new study, around 1 in 3 of us have reported adverse reactions to these types of scented problems. Oftentimes these reactions mean sneezing, coughing and runny nose; typical allergy symptoms.

This doesn't mean you need to get rid of these products, it just means you need to be aware that if someone starts having allergic type reactions in your home or office, look to see if these products are in place. If so, then you might want to consider putting them aside, at least while the affected person is around.

Sitting & Cancer

We all know that exercise can help keep you healthy. But did you know that sitting too long can take a heavy toll?

The amount we sit during the day could be increasing our chances of getting cancer.

And to make matters worse, all that sitting around, at home and work, might also wipe out any benefit we get from exercising.

Experts think we sit a little over 15 hours a day. Between driving to and from work, sitting at a desk, then sitting at home either in front of the TV or computer, we spend the good part of our day just sitting.

The government recommends 150 minutes a week of exercise. This can help keep us healthy by keeping our weight, blood pressure and blood sugar levels under control. But even if you do exercise this much, too much sitting around can make it seem like you don't. Being sedentary by sitting the amount most of us do can not only raise your risk of cancer but a recent study found it might also cut years off your life.

So what can you do? The best step is to keep exercising, or start a program if you aren't. Then take a look at how much you sit during the day. And change what you can. Getting a standing desk can help. Taking as many breaks as you can during the day and getting up and walking around can help too. The important part is to realize it's the little things that count. And those little things might just keep you around a bit longer.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Lack Of Sleep & Premature Births

Sleeping while pregnant can sometimes be tough. But now we know it's also important to the child's health.

It turns out that lack of sleep might lead to a premature delivery. Many pregnant women have trouble getting a good night's sleep. Sometimes it's because they are excited and anxious about the new baby and have trouble falling asleep. Other times it's because they need to constantly get up to use the bathroom or suffer from leg cramps. Often times it's just because they simply can't get comfortable and nod off.

According to a new study out of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, pregnant women with sleep problems during their 1st and 3rd trimesters ended up also being more likely to have a premature delivery. Although unsure why this is happening, experts think it might have to do with the stress not sleeping puts on the body and how the pregnancy reacts to that.

But whatever the reason, this study shows the importance of sleep to both the mother to be and the unborn child. Plus it makes it a subject both patient and doctor should bring up during prenatal visits. Hopefully that way a solution can be found that can get mom to be a little more shut eye while waiting for the baby to come.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Live Longer, Be Happy

Want the secret to living longer? Be happy.

It's a little more complicated than just this; but happy people do tend to live longer.

A new study, just released in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, has found a connection between happiness and long life. Researchers found that people reporting feeling the happiest also cut their risk of dying by 35% when they were compared against those who ended up being the least happy. This study looked at nearly 4,000 adults, aged 52-79 and followed them for 5 years. And regardless of their overall health, how educated they were, whether they were married, and how wealthy they were, the happiest were the least likely to die during that 5-year period.

Although experts can't say why they got these results, they do point out that other studies are finding out that positive outlooks can benefit overall health. As a side note giving us a glimpse into how we work as humans, the researchers in this study also found out that overall, most of us tend to be less happy when we wake up and most happy around 7 p.m.

So, as the saying goes, to get healthy, "Don't Worry, Be Happy."

Soft Drinks & Marketing To Kids

Soft drink manufacturers are advertising as much as ever. But it's who they are marketing to that has experts concerned.

It seems like soft drink markers are marketing more and more to kids. So are the makers of other sugar-laden drinks.

A report from Yale University has found that children's exposure to ads touting full calorie sodas doubled over the last few years. This includes ads targeted to teenagers.

This same group also saw 18% more TV ads and nearly 50 % more radio ads for energy drinks last year alone. And since energy drinks also can have as many calories and added sugar as a normal soda, this is worrying experts---especially since children are having an obesity epidemic.

From a parent's perspective, the main thing to do with this news is to simply realize what kids are being exposed to these days. And since they are seeing even more ads for these sugar laden drinks, realize that they will be looking for them more often.

And that can help them pack on unwanted pounds, pounds that will be hard to remove later in life.