Better Health

Today is World Cancer Day. The World Health Organization (WHO) promotes this day to bring about greater global awareness about cancer. Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, and WHO projects cancer deaths to continue rising, with an estimated 12 million deaths in 2030. This year’s theme is “Cancer can be prevented too.” This report states that 40 percent of cancers are preventable.

Take a look at these common causes of cancer. Do you engage in any of these behaviors?

Has your life been impacted by cancer? Are you a cancer survivor or do you know someone who is? We’d like to hear your stories.

Also, if you’ve lost a loved one to cancer, please honor them on this day. Sharing how your life has been impacted by cancer with others may inspire those needing to make crucial lifestyle chances that will lower their cancer risk.

Continue reading Has cancer impacted your life? »

By Carolyn O’Neil, for the AJC

Once upon a time, it was a special occasion to dine at a restaurant with your parents. Everyone could splurge. I always got the cheesecake.

Now, eating out with the kids is part of everyday life, and that means restaurant food choices have a greater effect on health and nutrition.

Registered dietitian Janice Bissex is a mother of two girls and writes a family nutrition blog 
(www.mealmakeover
moms.com) with dietitian Liz Weiss, who has two boys.

“If eating out is a frequent occurrence, some ground rules should be set,” Bissex said. She recommends limiting soft drink consumption and encouraging water, low-fat milk or juice as more healthful beverage options.

If french fries are a family favorite, “I’d suggest just one order at the table to share with everyone.”

When dining out, opt for a healthy appetizers that’s fun for the kids, like hummus with carrot and celery sticks for dipping. Photo by Kent D. Johnson, kdjohnson@ajc.com.

Kids menus …

Continue reading HEALTHY EATING: Teach children to eat for health »

Q: How can I tell whether my apartment is infested with bedbugs?

How can you tell if an army of these nasty creatures have invaded your home? Photo by Brant Sanderlin, bsanderlin@ajc.com.

A: Bedbugs (Cimex lectularius) were once rare in the United States but are now making a dramatic resurgence. These pests are very hard to eradicate, but researchers at Rutgers have come up with an easy and inexpensive way to detect them. Put 2.5 pounds of dry ice in a 1/3 gallon jug, such as a Coleman cooler with a flip-up spout. The spout should be left slightly open, so the carbon dioxide can leak out. Place the cooler in a plastic pet-food dish and tape a piece of paper to the outside of the dish as a gangplank for the bedbugs to climb. To make the plastic even more slippery, dust the dish with talcum powder. Within 12 hours, the carbon dioxide will lure bedbugs to the trap, and you will see them in the bottom of the plastic dish if you have any.

Joe Graedon is a pharmacologist, and …

Continue reading PEOPLE’S PHARMACY: Is my apartment infested with bedbugs? »

Q: Have you had any experience using arnica gel on bruises and sprains? A friend recommended it, and I think it works as well as Aspercreme on my sore muscles. — R.F., Atlanta

A: Arnica gel is an herbal preparation rubbed into the skin for the treatment of sprains, strains and bruises. The mechanism of
action of arnica is through compounds in the arnica plant’s roots that cause blood vessel dilation of the tiny capillaries just under he skin.

The increase in blood flow theoretically promotes quicker healing and resolution of bruises.

Although anecdotal experience is sizable, clinical evidence of its efficacy is thin.

When used topically in a gel preparation, arnica was found (in a small study) to have the same effect as the use of topical ibuprofen cream in treating the symptoms of osteoarthritis of the hands.

Another small study (19 patients) published in the August 2002 issue of Dermatologic Surgery found that the application of topical arnica had no better effect …

Continue reading ASK DR. H: Arnica gel safe for soreness »

Q: I’ve had a cold and have been coughing and stuffed up for days. I have read that using nasal sprays can be addictive. Cough medicines are not helping much either. I would prefer some natural approaches that don’t cause rebound congestion. What can you suggest?

A: The usual ingredient in cough syrup, dextromethorphan, is no better than placebo for kids and only modestly effective for adults (Journal of Family Practice, October 2009).

Natural alternatives that may provide some relief include tea made of thyme or ginger.

Elderberry and Chinese herbs such as andrographis or astragalus also might be helpful.

Joe Graedon is a pharmacologist, and Teresa Graedon is an expert in medical anthropology and nutrition. In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. 
E-mail them via their 
Web site: www.peoples
pharmacy.com. They can be reached at peoplespharmacy
@gmail.com.

Become a fan of AJC Health Care on Facebook and follow ajchealthcare on Twitter for …

Continue reading PEOPLE’S PHARMACY: Natural remedies for stubborn cough? »

Q: Why is it that I’m so allergic to cats but not to dogs? — J.W., Birmingham

People tend to be more allergic to cats because of their dander. AP Photo/ 24/7 Media, Suzanne Mapes

A: The answer, in a word, is dander. The trigger for pet allergies is not their hair. In fact, cats that are short-haired traditionally give off more allergen. Protein in the skin of pets triggers allergies in susceptible people. It flakes off their dry skin, gets in their fur as dandruff and spreads when the pet grooms itself with its tongue.

Veterinary research has shown us that twice as many folks have cat allergies as dog allergies. It may be that the protein in a cat’s skin is more allergy provoking than a dog’s or simply that cats give off a greater quantity of dander.

Because dander collects in carpeting, the fabric of furniture and in bedding, it’s better for those who suffer from pet allergies to have hardwood or tile floors and leather furniture. If you have carpeting, steam cleaning it …

Continue reading ASK DR. H: Dander root of pet allergy »

By Carolyn O’Neil, for the AJC

Ever been out to dinner with a dietitian? I must confess, sometimes it
 can be a lesson in best practices for becoming a high maintenance customer — reminiscent of the deli scene in the 1980s hit movie “When Harry Met Sally…” when the character Sally was very particular about her order for pie à la mode: “I’d like the pie heated, and I don’t want the ice cream on top. I want it on the side. And I’d like strawberry instead of vanilla, if you have it. If not, then no ice cream, just whipped cream, but only if it’s real. If it’s out of a can, then nothing.”

You’ve got to admit that Sally knew what she wanted and was very specific about the details.

I’m a registered dietitian and attempt to eat as healthfully as possible and share guidance on the topic in this column.

But while dining out during the American Dietetic Association’s annual conference in Denver, I was overwhelmed with the enthusiasm of my nutrition-minded colleagues as they …

Continue reading HEALTHY EATING: Dining tips from dietitians »

Q: I am a preschool teacher and have to wash my hands dozens of times a day in the attempt to avoid colds and flu. I am suffering the worst case of dry winter skin I can remember, with deep, painful cracks around my fingernails. I’ve tried everything under the sun. My hands are still a mess. Help!

Hopefully your skin isn’t quite this dry, but winter can really wreck havoc on the flesh. Joey Ivansco/AJC Special

A: Cold, dry air and frequent hand-washing are guaranteed to cause dry-skin misery. Readers tell us that using lip balm on the cracks is sometimes helpful. Another approach for cracked fingertips is instant glue. A safer solution might be liquid bandage, such as New-Skin or the Band-Aid brand. Wearing cotton or disposable vinyl gloves over a greasy moisturizer overnight can also help heal dry, cracked skin.

Joe Graedon is a pharmacologist, and Teresa Graedon is an expert in medical anthropology and nutrition. In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters …

Continue reading PEOPLE’S PHARMACY: Remedies for dry hands? »

By Carolyn O’Neil, for the AJC

Talk about spicing things up! Move over, trans fats; salt is under fire as the next nutrition no-no on its way out from restaurant menus and processed foods.

Sodium levels in foods have been on the nutrition watch list for years because too much sodium in the diet is associated with high blood pressure, which can increase the risk for heart attack and stroke.

But now health officials in New York are asking restaurants and makers of packaged foods to shake the salt habit and cut levels of sodium by 25 percent over the next five years. The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s plan is called the National Salt Reduction Initiative, and it involves other cities and states including North Carolina and Tennessee in the Southeast, but not Georgia as of yet.

Who should care about consuming too much salt? Just about everyone, according to a public health alert on sodium intake from health watchers at the Centers for Disease Control …

Continue reading HEALTHY EATING: Cut down on salt in diet »

Q: Do you think there’s any benefit to my 9-year-old granddaughter playing video games? — P.L., Atlanta

Can playing video games offer health benefits? AP Photo/Paul Sakuma

A: Believe it or not, psychologists have found that carefully chosen non-violent games do have some surprising brain-enhancing benefits.

Researchers at the University of Minnesota looked at existing research on video games and found that avid video game players are fast and accurate information processors, not only during game play, but in real-life situations as well. For example, regular video gamers got faster not only on their game of choice, but on a variety of unrelated lab tests of reaction time. Additionally, the researchers found that contrary to the popular belief that fast decisions lead to more mistakes, avid gamers do not lose accuracy (in the game or in lab tests) as they get faster. They also found that playing video games enhances performance on mental rotational skills, visual and …

Continue reading ASK DR. H: Players can benefit from video games »