Health Tips

12/19/04
STOP SMOKING NOW! It is not too late to quit.  According to research, smokers who quit 
before age 55, will within a couple of years face no more risk of heart disease than 
someone who has never smoked.

11/21/04
Do you sleep enough?  The average adult needs 7 to 8 hours a night. During sleep your body
stores your day's learning into memory and improves your ability to absorb and retain 
everyday skills.  A good night's sleep also re-energizes you for the next day ahead.

11/14/04
Don't panic about the lack of flue vaccines! Use common sense.  Wash your hands frequently 
and cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing.  Avoid people who are ill.  Stay home if
you don't feel well.  Take vitamin C.

9/26/04
Sleep apnea is a disorder that is characterized by brief interruptions of breathing while
sleeping.  A major symptom is snoring and is generally followed by tiredness the next day.
Sleep apnea should be checked out by your doctor, it can lead to heart disease, high blood
pressure, and stroke.

9/12/04
If you have leg cramps or other muscle cramps, taking 100-400mg of magnesium daily may bring
relief.  Extra magnesium can also help relieve chronic lower back pain, fibromyalgia and
chronic fatigue syndrome.

9/5/04
Have a good laugh.  Use humor to neutralize conflict in your relationships. If things get 
tough, use self-deprecating humor to lighten things up. Remember, a sense of humor is
learned, not inherited.

8/29/04
GOOD NEWS COFFEE DRINKERS!  Long term coffee drinking may reduce your risk of Type II 
Diabetes.  Also, an alkaloid in coffee may reduce your risk of cavities.  Two things you do
need to remember: Stay under 6 cups a day and take a calcium supplement.  They have found
that 300 mg of caffeine a day with poor calcium intake, can lead to bone loss.

8/22/04
Did you know that unbelted rear seat passengers become like bullets in collisions? These
"human bullets" nearly double the risk of driver fatality and tripling their own.  So, be a
good passenger and always buckle up.

8/15/04
In a Spanish study, 313 participants who suffered from back pain were asked to sleep on
mattresses of different firmness.  The people who slept on medium firm mattresses were 
twice as likely to report a reduction in pain as those who slept on firm mattresses.

8/8/04
EAT SUNSCREEN!  Red, yellow and orange fruits and vegetables contain carotenoids, which 
reduce sunburn.  Wild salmon (a safe source of fish oils) was found to protect against
sunburn and cancerous DNA changes in a British study.

7/18/04
Modern conveniences like dishwashers, remote controls and escalators save up to 111
calories a day for you.  This means a gain of 10 extra pounds a year.  So, take the stairs
or get up and change the channel.

7/8/04
If breast or ovarian cancer runs in your family, there is a help line just for you: 866-824-7475
This line is staffed by volunteers from the University of Pennsylvania and a nonprofit 
support group called FORCE.  They offer support, as well as have access to help.

6/20/04
Help your kids build stronger bones. Kids need 500mg of calcium/day until age 3, 800mg from 
ages 4 to 8, and 1300mg until ages 18. A cup of milk or yogurt, or an ounce of cheese provides
about 300mg of calcium. Also add just 10 minutes a day of vigorous exercise 3 times per week and
that will help build bone density. Kids today break bones 42% more than kids 30 years ago. Help
your kids strengthen their bones now and you're helping protect them from osteoporosis later in 
life. 

6/6/04
Your cell phone is a road hazard! Driving while talking raises your risk of an accident by 38%.
Cell phone use is responsible for 330,000 crash injuries and 2,600 deaths of each year.

5/30/04
Attention Men: There are things you can eat that will help lower your risk of prostate cancer.
Selenium rich foods such as nuts, cod, tuna, shrimp and turkey are good for you.  Lycopene, an
antioxidant, is also linked to a lower risk of prostate cancer.  To get lycopene eat red 
tomatoes and tomato products, red grapefruit and watermelon, Also, green vegetables like 
broccoli, kale and cabbage contain other helpful phytochemicals that are preventive. Drink 
green tea regularly have the lowest rate of prostate cancer in the world.

5/9/04
Mosquito season in Colorado starts in the Spring and ends min-September. So, now is the time to
think about preventing West Nile Virus.  This disease is transmitted to humans by mosquitos.
Although it is rare to catch this illness, it can be fatal. Most infections are mild and 
symptoms include fever, headache, and sometimes skin rashes.  To get more information about 
West Nile Virus and how to prevent it, look at the website www.fightthebitecolorado.com

5/2/04
May is National High Blood Pressure Education Month!  One in four Americans has high blood
pressure. Make sure you check your regularly.  Every time your heart beats, even slightly
elevated blood pressure may be damaging to the tiny vessels that lead to your hear, brain, 
eyes and kidneys.  The new medical guidelines say that blood pressures less than 120/80 are
healthy for most adults.  Finally, your risk of heart attack and stroke doubles for every 20
points your top (systolic) blood pressure number exceeds 115 and every 10 points your bottom
(diastolic) number exceeds 75.

3/28/04
Are you confused about the safety of beef? The good news is that prions, the brain-destroying
proteins that are found in mad cow and its human form, Jacob-Creutzfeld disease, are not found
in the beef cuts most Americans eat. According to David Ropeik of the Harvard Center for Risk
Analysis, our risk to the U.S. is as close to zero as you can get. BUT, do eat smart. Do not 
eat cow brains or intestines.  These do carry mad cow. Eat boneless "muscle-cuts" which are
prion-free, such as steaks and roasts. The bone marrow, spinal cords and some nerves carry
pions.  If you are concerned, avoid processed beef products and for ground beef, buy a muscle
cut and have it ground.

3/21/04
Here is another reason for postmenopausal women to take a calcium supplement: Because it can
help boost their HDL levels or "good cholesterol." These findings were from a study by
researchers at the University of Aucland.  The trial included 223 women with the average age
of 72. The subjects took either a 1 gram calcium supplement or a placebo.  When the trial 
ended the HDL cholesterol level and HDL to LDL ration in the calcium group was higher than in
the placebo group.  On average the calcium group saw a 7% increase in their HDL levels.  The 
study also found that the calcium did not have any effect on the triglyceride levels.

3/14/04
Did you know that walking can help lower your high blood pressure? According to a Japanese
study of 207 people, the optimal exercise time was 1 hour and 15 minutes a week. That is just
three 25-minute walks per week. The subjects in the study lowered their systolic (top number)
blood pressure by 12 points and their systolic (top number) by 8 points in eight weeks. These 
drops were significant enough to bring the subjects out of the high risk group for heart
disease and possibly off medication.

2/29/04
Are you trying to stop smoking? QUITNET is a great site for online smoking cessation support
groups and educational resources. You can become a member of a community where you can chat and
get support in your common goal of stopping smoking. Features of the site include a quitting
guide and questionnaires to help your identify why you smoke and your level of addiction. Check
this site out and let it help you keep the New Year's resolution.

2/22/04
If you live with a smoker or spend a lot of time around smokers, take 500nm of vitamin C daily.
It counteracts the damaging free radicals in secondhand smoke.

2/1/04
Are you tired and having trouble dropping a little extra weight? According to studies published
in The Journal of the American Medical Association, your increase appetite and "slow metabolism"
may actually be a result of poor quality sleep. Scientists have learned that appetite is closely
linked with the hormone cortisol. The secretion of cortisol is negatively affected by lack of
sleep. So if you are sleep deprived, you may fin that you are more hungry during the day. Blood
sugar levels also elevate when you lack sleep, leading your body to store more fat. So, here
again, is another reason why good quality sleep is necessary to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

1/25/04
Sledding is great fun for kids in winter. But, it can also be dangerous. In the year 2000 more 
than 23,000 children ages 5 to 14 were treated in emergency rooms for injuries related to
sledding accidents. Here are a few guidelines to help this fun activity be safe: 1. Be sure 
kids wear helmets and protective clothing such as a sturdy snowsuit, boots and gloves. 
2. Supervise young sledders at all times. 3. Make sure the hill is clear of immovable objects
and has a flat run so that sleds stop safely. 4. Don't sled on anything but real sleds. No 
skateboards, trays or bags. 5. Never allow kids to stand on sleds to "surf" down the hill.