April 28th, 2009
When musicians suddenly increase the duration and intensity of practice or playing they risk getting the overuse syndrome, a disorder that causes pain, weakness, and loss of function in certain muscles, the Lancet (2:728) reports. Playing string instruments causes this problem to occur in the upper limbs, but, with wind instruments, it is the lips, tongue, throat, and chest that are affected. In severe cases, stiffening and deformity may occur, with arthritis in the joints of the hands, arm, or spine.
To avoid the problem, musicians should not play continuously for long periods. Parents and teachers of children learning to play an instrument should not insist upon unbroken hour-long sessions of practice. Sporting activity and exercises that extend the range of motion of the spine and strengthen the muscles are helpful. Any repertoire that brings on pain or discomfort should be abandoned.
Lastly, supporting devices that take the weight of an instrument off the musicians’ arms can make a considerable difference. If partial resting fails to alleviate the pain and tenderness, the musician should give up playing completely for many months, until all of the symptoms have disappeared altogether. Other activities (e.g: writing or turning taps) that also bring on the symptoms must be abandoned, too. Medical care is necessary.
Only after the symptoms have cleared completely can the musician safely resume playing, starting with one minute twice daily and extending the time very gradually. Since the overuse syndrome can be so disabling and difficult to overcome, music performers need to be alert to the danger of playing for too long.
*182\143\2*
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April 28th, 2009
Symptom: Extra sounds made by the heart that are known not to indicate an abnormality
Home care: No home care is required for an innocent murmur.
Precautions:
- Believe your doctor’s assurance that innocent murmurs are normal.
- Do not make the mistake of over-protecting a child who has an innocent murmur; it is not necessary.
- Try not to be alarmed by the long medical names given to innocent murmurs.
- Most innocent murmurs disappear by the time the child is a teenager.
A heart murmur is an extra sound made by the heart as it pumps. A heart murmur may indicate abnormalities in the heart, or it may simply be a normal sound caused by turbulence as the blood rushes through the heart. The sounds that do not indicate heart disease or abnormalities are called “innocent murmurs,” “insignificant murmurs”, or “functional murmurs.” They are perfectly normal. Some experts believe that almost every healthy child has at least one innocent murmur, and if the child will stay still long enough in a quiet room a doctor will eventually be able to hear it. Other experts put the figure lower, at half of all normal children. As the child grows, the extra sound or sounds usually become increasingly hard to hear. By the time the child is a teenager, the murmur usually disappears, or becomes so quiet it cannot be detected. Only 15 to 20 percent of innocent murmurs continues into adolescence or adulthood.
*99/84/5*
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April 23rd, 2009
Carbohydrates include sugars and starches. They are an important source of energy and are all eventually broken down in your body into the simple sugar, glucose. There are two types of carbohydrate – complex and simple. Complex carbohydrates include grains (such as wheat, rye, oats, rice, barley and maize), beans and pulses (such as lentils, chickpeas and kidney beans), and vegetables. Simple carbohydrates include white and brown sugar, honey, fruit and fruit juice.
To optimize your health, you should eat plenty of unrefined complex carbohydrates. This means choosing brown whole meal bread, brown rice and brown pasta, instead of the refined white versions which have been stripped of essential vitamins, minerals, trace elements and valuable fibre content. (In order to digest these refined foods your body has to use its own vitamins and minerals, thus depleting your stores.)
Simple carbohydrates, in the form of fruit and dried fruit, certainly have a place in a healthy, balanced diet. But it’s important, for your health and fertility, to maintain a steady blood sugar level. For this reason, you should avoid sugar, honey and undiluted fruit juice, which can all produce a sudden rise in blood sugar, followed by a sudden fall.
Soya
Soya is being studied extensively around the world for its effectiveness in lowering cholesterol and preventing cardiovascular disease. It also appears to have an important role to play in balancing male and female sex hormones. Scientists believe that hormonal imbalance and over-exposure to chemicals that have oestrogen-like qualities may be one reason for the rapid increase in breast and prostate cancers over the last couple of decades. Crucially, this hormonal dysfunction and overload are also implicated in the menstrual and reproductive problems that affect fertility.
Soya is classed as a phyto-oestrogen, which means that it contains substances that act like hormones. These phyto-oestrogens fit into oestrogen receptors in the breast and block them, effectively shielding the body from exposure to oestrogen which is believed to be one of the major causes of breast cancer. Studies of Japanese women, who traditionally eat a great deal of soya, suggest that it may protect them from this disease.
Oestrogen is not only implicated in breast cancer but is also believed to play a part in causing other problems like endometriosis, fibroids, and heavy and/or long periods – all of which can affect female fertility.
Some women have problems conceiving because the second half of their menstrual cycle, just after ovulation, is shorter than it should be. This ‘luteal phase defect’, as it is known, means that there is not enough progesterone at the right time to maintain a pregnancy. Scientists have found that if they add soya to a woman’s diet it can lengthen the cycle by 2.5 days.
For all these reasons, it’s well worth adding soya to your diet – perhaps in the form of soya milk and tofu (soya bean curd, often used in Oriental stir-fried dishes). However, you need to ensure that the soya used to manufacture these products is not genetically modified, so buy organic.
So, for optimum health, you should eat plenty of:
• Essential fats (nuts, seeds and oily fish)
• High-fibre foods (fruit, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds)
• Complex carbohydrates (whole grains, beans, pulses and vegetables)
• Non-GM organic soya
*27/73/5*
Categories: Women's Health |
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April 23rd, 2009
Every day, 17 people go to their death after going to work. Each year, more than 6,000 people are killed on the job-92 percent of whom are men. And you thought your home life was stressful?
As you might expect, those at greatest risk for dying on the job are men who work in the great outdoors, where the whims of Mother Nature often become a factor, says Guy A. Toscano, economist in the Office of Safety, Health, and Working Conditions at the Bureau of Labor Statistics in Washington, D.C. Fishermen and loggers have it the worst by far. While the national average for deaths on the job is 5 out of every 100,000 workers, these out-doormen die at rates 20 to 30 times higher- losing more than 100 workers and, in some years, even rates as high as 150, out of every 100,000 on the job. “Truck drivers, farmers, and construction laborers have occupations that have high fatality rates as well as high numbers of job-related fatal injuries as well,” says Toscano.
But as bad as those figures sound, things are actually better than they used to be. Back in 1912, when we knew (and some would say cared) less about job safety, between 18,000 and 21,000 workers a year lost their lives while earning their daily bread. By 1995, with a work force more than triple in size producing 13 times as many goods and services, occupational deaths had decreased by more than two-thirds. “We have become more aware of safety issues in society at large,” explains Michael Buchet, manager of the construction division and the labor division at the National Safety Council in Itasca, Illinois. “In industry, we’ve been encouraging safer workplace practices and are pushing for training, training, and more training.”
That said, after decades of progress, it seems harder to make gains in workplace safety these days, Toscano says. “We’ve clearly hit a plateau in that the number of fatal occupational injuries has held steady at the 6,000 to 6,500 mark for the past five years,” he says. “That doesn’t mean that we can’t make any more progress. But it does mean that safety professionals have to be willing to work harder to recognize risk and promote safety measures.”
*108/36/5*
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April 22nd, 2009
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is, as the name suggests, connected with the bone structure. In general terms it might be described as a degenerative joint disease where the degenerative factor is with the articular cartilage and structure of the bone. The changes in bone structure can in fact include new bone formation. Unfortunately, this new growth may occur in the form of spurs, or appear in areas which should be occupied by cartilage. In simple terms a ‘spur’ might be described as an abnormal projection of bone.
Osteoarthritis would tend to be associated more with elderly people but it is not restricted to this group. It can also set in as a consequence of bone injuries resulting from sporting activities or accidents. It has several possible causes. One is natural wear and tear during the ageing process of the body. This may start at quite an early age but not give trouble until later in life. Another cause is a breakdown of the lubrication of the joint causing excessive wear. In the case of sporting activities it can be the result of repeated impact shock on the joint. With increasing age the bones become suffer and less elastic. They tend, therefore, to give a sharper impact on the joint cartilage. It may be seen from the above that an overweight person might stand a greater risk of developing osteoarthritis simply because of the extra weight on the load-bearing surfaces of the joints.
Gouty-arthritis
Gout or gouty arthritis is a condition in which painful inflammatory attacks, mainly in the feet, knees, or wrists, occur, as a result of the precipitation of crystals of sodium urate. This occurrence, probably resulting from hyperuricaemia (the presence of an excessive amount of uric acid in the blood), is pre-eminently a disorder associated with the male. When present in females it is mainly in the post menopausal groups.
It is believed that heredity can play a part in gouty arthritis. However, it is not necessary to panic if we happen to have a picture of an ancient relative in a wheelchair with a heavily bandaged foot! There is evidence to suggest that gout is associated with over indulgence in food and alcohol. In earlier times over-indulgence was usually associated with affluence too, but like most diseases the causes are not limited to one well-defined feature and people who live in moderation can also suffer attacks. An interesting feature which relates to our topic of the sea and to gout is that involving Polynesian people and diet. A significant increase in the incidence of gout amongst the New Zealand Maoris and other Polynesian people has occurred with the change in their basic diet of seafood and vegetables to our diet of meat, processed breads, sugar, etc.
*2/48/5*
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April 22nd, 2009
THE CCK STORY
One of the best-studied gastrointestinal peptides is cholecystokinin, or CCK. After you eat, the small intestine releases this hormone, which stimulates pancreatic secretion and gallbladder contraction. It also sends satiety signals up to the hypothalamus. Women who have bulimia may have a malfunction in their CCK system. In one study, bulimic women tested before a meal had the same amount of CCK as normal women. Yet after eating they had a significantly smaller increase in CCK than did normal women. They also reported fewer feelings of fullness than the normal women did. Treatment with tricyclic antidepressants not only reduced their bingeing, but also helped their CCK levels return to normal.
This important new research doesn’t necessarily mean that a faulty CCK system causes bulimia. But decreased CCK, and thus the decrease in satiety signals, may reinforce a woman’s urge to keep eating.
Such findings have led to a revolution in the way we think about the digestive system. As one expert put it, rather than being a passive system, the gut now appears to be a “great sensory sheet extending from the mouth to the small intestine.” This sheet is exquisitely sensitive not only to the presence of food, but to its exact chemical composition as well.
THE BIOLOGICAL THERMOSTAT
Think of the thermostat in your home. You set the dial to maintain a constant temperature of, say, seventy-two degrees. When the furnace has put out enough heat, the thermostat switches it off for a while. If someone leaves the front door open and cold air rushes in, the thermostat kicks on again, staying on until the temperature returns to the desired level.
Your body works in a similar way. Earlier, I used the term homeostatic to describe how your body tries to maintain its equilibrium. The biological “homeostat” responds to changes in the environment to keep your metabolism working on an even keel.
Currently, one of the most exciting fields in medicine involves research into the fascinating and complex ways the body responds to such signals. We are beginning to learn that a number of subsystems work together to control eating as well as other types of behavior.
These subsystems operate on the feedback principle: Signal A activates process B, which in turn sends signal Ñ to shut off signal A. These signals are carried by hormones or other chemical messengers that activate nerves or stimulate other responses. Many of these processes are triggered, not just internally, but by physical and social cues from the outside world. Just about anything, from contact with other people to the amount of daylight you receive in a twenty-four-hour period, can affect your body’s function—your homeostasis.
The concept of feedback is important to eating disorders for several reasons. For example, your body tries to keep weight at a constant. If you start weighing too much, your metabolism speeds up to burn off the excess pounds. Conversely, should your weight drop, so will your metabolism, to conserve dwindling energy supplies.
Another series of feedback loops involves your body’s cravings for certain nutrients and its response to the nutritional content of the food you eat. Studies on animals (and simple observation of humans) show that at times we prefer to eat carbohydrates, for example, and at other times we choose protein-rich foods. The menus we choose can have a tremendous impact on our moods and our behavior.
*39/35/5*
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April 22nd, 2009
What do maps, compasses, and bug repellent have to do with weight loss? If you’re Sharon Evans, a 38-year-old accountant from Redwood City, California, the answer would have to be “everything.” Back in 1992, Sharon took up orienteering and finally shed the 20 extra pounds that she had been carrying on her 5-foot-5-inch frame.
Orienteering is a cross-country sport where people find their way through unfamiliar terrain using only a compass and a map. Sharon got involved in it as a way to improve her skills in another sport—backpacking. “I’m what you might call geographically diallenged,” she explains. “I wanted to learn how to use a compass when I blaze trails.”
So when Sharon joined the Bay Area Orienteering Club, weight loss wasn’t even on her mind. But it sure turned out to be a fabulous perk. Instead of spending time munching on junk food in front of the TV, she was out in the fresh air learning navigational skills that called on her mental and physical faculties. Better fitness would contribute to better competition times, so Sharon finally had a reason to stick with a jogging program. Her club’s social network gave her support not only as her orienteering skills grew but as her waistline shrank. “They were all so excited to share their experiences; it was very contagious and inspiring,” she says.
Today, Sharon is a seasoned orienteering veteran. Moreover, she has maintained her fit form and taken on other outdoor challenges. “Through the skills I’ve learned in orienteering, plus the better fitness level I’m at, I feel more confident to do things like backpacking, repelling, climbing, even working on a horse farm,” she says. She’s even training to be a volunteer firefighter.
For Sharon, navigating her way to successful weight loss has been a life-enhancing experience.
WINNING ACTION
Find an activity that suits your personality. Weight loss can happen with no effort at all if you can make fitness a hobby as Sharon did. You don’t have to take up orienteering or rock climbing. Any activity that involves a social network can make getting fit a lot of fun.
*93\89\8*
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April 20th, 2009
Stress phobics must learn to like and respect themselves and to appreciate their talents and potentials. Here are a few guidelines for the stress phobic:
1. Begin by admitting to yourself that you have feelings, that you’re not without emotions.
2. At the start of each day, face yourself in the mirror. Acknowledge your problems and your feelings. Tell yourself what positive steps you’re going to take to handle a problem and how good you feel now that you’ve made the decision to change.
3. Look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself how enthusiastic you feel—that you walk, talk and behave enthusiastically. Keep that spirited feeling with you all day. It will help you generate endorphins and other good biochemicals, and overcome obstacles.
4. Believe and act as if you are someone with worthwhile opinions and attitudes. You are. You are someone who deserves to be heard. Seek and you’ll find the method that will enable you to be heard.
5. Learn to speak up when you feel put upon. Gently but firmly pursue your goal. Your friends will have more respect for you when you assert yourself. Gather up the facts necessary to present your side of a discussion and state them in plain language. You’ll feel better when you express yourself; it’s a healing feeling.
6. Look for the opportunities that are present in your life to make beneficial changes. You aren’t fated to have poor health or to live in poverty. You are destined for optimal health and prosperity, and you must tell yourself so, believe it’s so and act upon that belief.
7. Learn to ferret out the causes of dissatisfaction in your life. Face them. Take the steps necessary to correct them, or learn to accept what you cannot change. In any case, get going with your life.
8. Learn to like yourself. The steps that follow will help you develop a sense of self-respect and worth.
9. If you’re not sure of your purpose in life, don’t worry. It will come to you eventually. In the meantime, get on with your life; life is to be lived.
*141\80\8*
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April 20th, 2009
Muscles love to work; they were born to contract and relax and keep you moving. It’s only with overuse or underuse that they have trouble. Put a trained athlete in bed for a week or so, and that person will lose up to 25 percent of his or her muscle strength. That’s quite a lot.
Whether you’re 30 or 70, you want your muscles to be well exercised and toned. Without good muscle tone we feel tired and weak and have difficulty at work, home and play. I use a dynamometer to measure the muscle strength in the hands of my patients. I find that people who can squeeze only 30 or 40 pounds of pressure can double or triple that figure after a simple exercise program. I’m not suggesting that you need to develop a bodybuilder’s physique. Muscles do not need to be bulky, but they should be toned. Depending on the exercise, you can tone and stengthen various muscles in your body to give yourself a feeling of health and put a spring in your step.
*98\80\8*
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April 20th, 2009
As you go through your market, selecting Super Foods and other healthy foods, you’ll find yourself bypassing the majority of items on the shelves. These are the processed foods and junk foods, the enemies of our “doctor within.”
If you carefully read the labels, you’ll find that many packaged, canned and frozen items have very little real food left in them, and even less real food value. Many of their nutrients have been heated, frozen, processed or leached out. What you get is the food “shell,” along with large dollops of added fat, salt, sugar and chemicals. Occasionally, you also receive just enough spray-on vitamins to satisfy government regulations.
Nature fills her foods with nutrients. Man fills his foods with fat, sugar, salt, fillers, modifiers, texturizers, flavorers, preservatives and coloring agents. I am awed by the creativity of food chemists, but I am appalled by their lack of concern for our health.
Compare a real potato, for example, to a typical brand of artificially flavored mashed potatoes. A potato contains potato. Artificially flavored mashed potatoes contain potato flakes, monoglycerides, natural and artificial flavors, sodium bisulfite, calcium stearoyllactylate, BHA and BHT, sodium acid pyrophosphate and citric acid. Now, I’m not saying that everything in artificial potatoes is harmful. But why take a chance when the alternative is a tasty, 100 percent safe and nutritious potato? It comes back to the general rule: Did Nature make the food or did man? Nature makes potatoes. Man makes artificial potatoes.
Fast foods are also a health problem, for the same reason that processed foods are. The people who make fast foods and processed foods load their products with fat, sugar, refined carbohydrates, salt and chemical additives.
*56\80\8*
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