Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Altitude & Stomach Issues

Could our high altitude be causing stomach problems for some of us? It can, especially for people traveling out here this summer.

We know that when someone visits us here in Colorado, we have to worry about our high altitude and dry climate. Giving them a couple of days to get used to the altitude and making sure they drink plenty of fluids can help keep them comfortable and safe. But a new, small study is showing that traveling to a higher altitude, like here in Colorado, can also cause flare ups of certain intestinal issues. In particular, researcher found that when someone traveled about 6,500 feet, they ended up having more flare ups of inflammatory bowel disease symptoms. This means those suffering from Crohn's Disease or Colitis need to pay particular attention to how they feel when they get out here to our higher altitudes.

Although researchers aren't sure what causes this and haven't yet looked at what people can do when flare ups do occur, knowing this can happen can prepare visitors. And having your visitors talk with their doctor before heading out here to get medications they can use just in case they do have a flare up, can also go a long way towards helping make sure their vacation doesn't get them sick.

Detergent Pod Warning

They might be convenient, but they're also proving to be a problem for kids.

We're talking about these little detergent packs that have been showing up on store shelves. Doctors across the country are seeing more and more children that have eaten them. And some of these children have ended up getting very sick because of it.

These small detergent packs are very convenient. And they work because they pack a lot of detergent in a little package. But that little package, for some reason, is also attractive to kids, probably because they are so brightly colored. And since these packages are made to dissolve very quickly, once a child puts them in their mouth they end up getting a big load of detergent.

But doctors are also noticing that kids putting these packets in their mouths get more sick than those eating regular detergent and aren't sure why. It might be because they get a bigger load or because it dissolves so quickly. Either way, more children are getting sick and some even hospitalized after putting one in their mouth.

Manufacturers are responding by putting locks on the container lids. In the meantime, and even after the lid locks are in place, treat these detergent packs like any other dangerous product in your house. Keep them in a cabinet out of reach of your children or with childproof locks. That way the little ones in your house won't be tempted by the brightly colored packages.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Summer Safety Tips

This weekend is the unofficial start of summer. As the saying goes, "It's all fun and games until someone gets hurt." So, here are some simple steps that can help make sure summer stays fun.

Remember that with our intense sunshine, sunscreen to prevent burning and fluids to prevent dehydration are important for everyone, even on cloudy days. This is even more important for visitors.

And after a long winter and many school days, bicycles and scooters will be your children's best friends. Head injuries happen easily and can be devastating. So, just make sure they always wear a helmet, even if just in your driveway. Most kids don't like helmets at first, but if the house rule is always, "no helmet, no bicycle," they'll quickly get used to them.

With the warmer temperatures and more sunshine, we will also start venturing outside more to exercise. But after a slow winter, you need to allow your body time to adjust to a new exercise routine. Start slowly, increasing the distance or intensity of your workout over days. Also, spend less time, at first, outdoors to allow your body to adjust to the hotter temperatures. And exercise when it's cooler, in the morning or towards the end of the day. Again, don't forget to keep hydrated.

The goal here is to enjoy Colorado's beautiful summer with your family, but to do so with safety in mind.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Swimming: Don't Get Sick Tips

It's about time to start that summertime ritual, hitting the swimming pool on hot days. But there are a few things to think about before jumping in.

It's about making sure you or your kids don't get sick swimming this year. But right up front, this isn't a "don't swim warning," but more of a "take a few precautions" before getting in the pool story.

Recent reports have shown that more people are getting sick from swimming pool water. This usually means catching gastroenteritis... causing belly pain, vomiting and diarrhea. And one of the main reasons is because many of us don't shower before entering the pool and some of us even swim when we're sick.

But again, don't take this as a reason to miss out on pool fun this summer, but there are some simple steps you can take to stay healthy. Most importantly, if you have diarrhea, don't swim until things get better. Also, whether you are sick or not, shower off with water *and* soap before getting in the pool. According to a survey by the water quality and health council, although 93% of us would never reuse someone else's bath water, only a little more than half of us shower "before" getting in a pool. And pools are basically a big communal bath, so wash off before getting in. And when you're in the pool, to further help yourself out, don't swallow pool water and wash your hands when you get out. Make sure your kids do the same.

That way this summer you can not only have fun in the pool, but also keep healthy while you're at it.

Hepatitis C Test

The government is urging some of us, especially baby boomers, to get a certain blood test.

The Centers For Disease Control And Prevention just put out a recommendation for those of us born between 1945 and 1965. The recommendation is to get a blood test checking for Hepatitis C, and for a few very good reasons. Those born in that age group account for more than 60% of Americans infected with Hepatitis C. And deaths from diseases related to this virus have continued to rise, doubling in the last decade alone. According to the CDC more than 15,000 Americans die each year from illnesses caused by Hepatitis C, mainly liver cancer or cirrhosis.

And since two new drugs have been developed that can treat Hepatitis C more successfully than before, the CDC is hoping to find more baby boomers that don't know they have this oftentimes silent infection.

They think hundred of thousands of new infections occurred yearly during the 70s and 80s. Some got infected by drug use or blood transfusions. Other risk factors include tattoos, sharing razor blades and toothbrushes.

SO, to try and find more of the baby boomer generation with this infection before it becomes deadly, they are recommending those born between 1945 and 1965 get a one-time blood test to make sure they don't have Hepatitis C. And if it turns out they do, then starting treatment now can go a long way towards making sure that virus doesn't cause even more issues.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Button Battery Warning

It might seem harmless, but the common button battery is doing a lot more harm to kids than we thought.

We've issued this warning before, to be careful with button batteries around children. But a new study is showing that more children are getting hurt and ending up in the ER because of these batteries than every before.

Researchers have found that more than 65,000 children have ended up in the ER after swallowing batteries over the last 20 years. And those numbers are rising. Part of the problem is that small button batteries are easy to swallow and for some reason appealing to some kids. To some they even look like candy. And part of the problem is that they are becoming more common. You'd probably be surprised at just how many of these button batteries you have in your house right now.

But the bigger problem is what happens once a child swallows the battery. The battery itself can burn a hold through the esophagus, the feeding tube, stomach lining or intestines. That then becomes a life-threatening condition. And it can happen just a couple of hours after the battery is swallowed.

So, your best bet is to keep them out of the reach of small children. If you suspect they swallowed a button battery, or if you notice excessive drooling, which can be a sign of something stuck in their throat, don't wait. Get them to the ER.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Measles Alert

There is an alert out for a disease you probably haven't heard of in a while, but could start making its way to Colorado.

We're talking about measles, something most of us have never seen, but something that might be traveling to Colorado this summer.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has just issued an alert to doctors around the state to be on the lookout for people with symptoms of measles. The department is especially wanting Urgent Cares, emergency departments and other doctors' clinics to be on the watch for measles since people will be traveling to Europe this summer for the Olympics or to other international locations.

Part of the problem is that measles outbreaks are occurring in England and other parts of the world and more children here in the U.S. are not getting recommended vaccines. When you combine those two by traveling to an area and getting exposed to measles without the protection of a vaccine, that not only means you or your children will get sick, but you could also bring measles back to Colorado.

So, your best bet is to make sure you and your children have their required vaccines, whether you are traveling or not. Especially since it looks like measles will do some traveling of its own this summer.

Sleepwalking

If you hear a bump in the night, it just might be someone sleepwalking.

Turns out, about 1 out of 3 of us sleepwalk. That's what new research is showing, that it might be more common than we thought.

A new study out of the Stanford Sleep Epidemiology Research Center not only found that 30% of us have had a sleepwalking episode sometime in our lives, but that around 4% of us have done it recently. And the sticky part is that people that sleepwalk usually don't even know they did it. It's the others in the house that let them know. And although sleepwalking runs in families, according to these researchers, if you have depression or obsessive compulsive disorder than your chances of sleepwalking go up. On top of that, those taking sleeping pills or antidepressants also had a higher chance of sleepwalking. But part of that could be because of the depression and not necessarily the antidepressant medications.

So, if you do hear that "bump" in the night and notice someone sleepwalking the best thing to do is to slowly and gently guide them back to bed. Keeping them safe, since oftentimes they don't really know what they are doing is important.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Jogging Health

Are you a jogger? If so, great! If not, you might want to start running, at least a little bit.

It really doesn't get any simpler than this... joggers live longer!

At least that's the result from a newly released long-term study. Researchers looked at nearly 20,000 people from 1976 to today. They were 20-79 years old. Researchers found that those who jogged ended up living around 6 years longer than those who didn't. And we aren't talking about running yourself into the ground to get this benefit. Even light joggers lived longer.

This study found that jogging at a slow to average pace for 1-2 1/2 hours per meek was what worked the best. And putting in the time over 2-3 sessions during that week also seemed to be the way to do it. That means that one secret to living longer is a slow to average job for 30 minutes just 3 times a week.

Now this doesn't mean that running faster won't get you in better shape, but we are almost looking at apples and oranges here. Running faster will get you in better racing shape and might help you lose pounds faster, but for living longer, the slower jogging seemed to work the best.

The researchers also didn't look at other types of exercise, like cycling, which can also help you stay healthy. The important point is that exercise is important and although many of us don't think we have time for a good exercise program, this study shows it really doesn't take all that much time. And it might help keep you around a bit longer too!

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Healthy Commute

Do you commute to work? Then listen up, because that drive might be doing more than just aggravating you.

It looks like that commute might be taking its toll on your heart. But there is a way to help you fight back.

Researchers have found that the longer you drive into work, the more likely you are to have problems with your overall health. And more specifically those who commuted the longest, in a recent study, also had the most problems with high blood pressure and even ended up having bigger waistlines.

The reason behind this seems to be exercise. In this study those who had the longest drives to work also ended up being less likely to exercise the days they commuted. They had lower levels of overall fitness, a higher body mass index, bigger waistlines and higher blood pressure than those that didn't drive as far.

Now, you can't fix this by simply getting a job closer to home, but there are some things you can do to help yourself out if do commute to work. Sneaking in little amounts of exercise during the day can go a long way towards reversing the bad effects of a long drive. So, park at the far end of the lot and walk further to get into work, take stairs instead of elevators, stand up as much as you can when you're at work. You get the point. Doing these little things can do more than you think to counter all that sitting during a long commute and help get your health back on track.

Sitting & Diabetes

Do you spend most of your day sitting around? If so, you might be at risk for diabetes.

This particularly applies to women. A new study looking at how much we sit and what that does to us, found out some bad news. Women who spend only four to seven hours a day sitting were more likely to start showing signs of type 2 diabetes. For some reason, we can't quite figure out, the same didn't apply to men.

But that doesn't let guys off the hook. Studies released earlier this year found that for both men and women, sitting more than 8 hours a day also meant you were more likely to die over the next three years than if you didn't sit that much.

Here's what we think is happening. Although you might exercise, which is still good for you and important for your health, if you spend a lot of time sitting during the day then you don't burn those little calories that add up to a lot. Just by standing or walking around you burn little bits of calories here and there and those add up. Plus you exercise you muscles by just standing or walking and that adds up too.

And we are finding that it's these little things, standing and walking about, that add up to great health benefits. So when you can, get up and stretch or better yet walk the halls and get those little snippets of exercise that could save your health.

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Sleep & Weight Loss

We can all use a little more sleep, right? Well it seems getting more sleep might also mean losing a bit more weight.

We can call it the big win-win. Sleep more and drop a few pounds.

But that's exactly what it looks like, at least when it comes to fighting the genes our parents gave us that can be part of the reason it's tough to shed a pound or two. As a country overall, we simply don't get enough sleep. A recent study showed that 40% of us actually get less than 6 hours a night. And not getting enough sleep can take its toll on your body and your health. But other research has hinted that getting too much sleep, more than 9 hours a night, might also be taking its toll, mainly by increasing your risk for heart disease.

But when it comes to weight loss, the story has been a little confusing. Some studies have hinted that sleeping too much can make it tougher to lose weight. This newest study shows the opposite. At least when it comes to how our genes affect how we pack on the pounds.

Researchers at the University of Washington found that those sleeping longer at night, more than 9 hours, also had lower BMIs, especially genetically similar twins. So, they figure that sleeping longer might help overcome those gene's tendencies in some to help them carry around a few unwanted pounds. And as an added benefit, you won't be joining the rest of us yawning all day long.

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Sleep & Your Job

We all want to get a good night's sleep, but many of us don't. It could be because of our jobs, or at least the time of day we work.

The current recommendations are to get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep most nights. Getting less than that can lead to heart and other health problems. But even getting too much sleep, more than 9 hours on average, can increase your chance of heart disease.

Most of us, though, don't have to worry about getting too much sleep. As a matter of fact, a new study, just published by the CDC found that 30% of us get fewer than 6 hours of sleep per night.

They also found that our jobs seem to be part of the reason why. Those working in manufacturing type jobs got less sleep than other workers. Those working night shifts had an even bigger problem putting in the right amount of shut eye. Nearly half of night shift workers had trouble sleeping enough. And depending on where you worked your night shifts, the problem could be even worse. Nearly 70% of warehouse and transportation workers and over half of health care workers didn't get enough sleep on a regular basis. The same was true for those working more than one job or more than 40 hours a week.

So, although you can't do much about the hows and wheres you need to work, realizing you might not be getting enough sleep can hopefully help you get more shut eye in the future.

Playground Equipment Warning

Playgrounds are fun, especially for young children. But there is a new warning out about one piece of equipment, and it's a very common site at playgrounds.

We're talking about the slide. For one set of children, it can cause a leg fracture.

A new study looked into children who had broken their tibia, that's the big bone in the bottom half of the leg. The researcher doing this study found that for those under 3 years of age, 14% of the tibia fractures happened when the child went down a slide sitting in their parent's lap.

When you think about it, it seems to make sense to hold a child this young in your lap for a trip down the slide. They are usually too young to hold themselves up and slide down without getting hurt. So, going down sitting on mom's or dad's lap should help. But what happens is that the young child's foot often gets caught on the side of the slide while they are going down together and it gets twisted. This twisting causes the tibia fracture. Often times the parent doesn't even realize this has happened. They just notice their child is crying and won't put any weight on the fractured leg.

For the most part, these types of fracture just require a few weeks in a cast and heal well. But for the parent, it can leave some lasting guilt feelings. So your best bet, is to wait on the slide until your child is old enough to go it on their own.