Health Update

Weekly Health Update Week of: Monday, December 13th, 2010 Courtesy of: Malcolm Conway, D.C. (570) 287-7070 "I'm an old man and I've had many troubles, most of which never happened." ~ Mark Twain

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Mental Attitude: TV Makes You Fear Sickness. Watching TV and its heavy dose of medical content in news and drama  can lead to more concern about personal health and reduce a person's  satisfaction with life. Millions watch medical shows such as Grey's Anatomy and House. Evidence has shown the mass media is powerful in disseminating  health knowledge and changing health attitudes and behaviors through such programming. This may lead people to think they are more likely to suffer from the maladies presented on TV. Previous research showed TV viewing  can cause people to be less satisfied with their lives because it makes  them more materialistic and causes them to overestimate other people's  possessions compared to their own. Mass Communication and Society, September 2010 Health Alert: BPA Levels In Food. The amount of Bisphenol A (BPA) in fresh and canned food as well as food wrapped in plastic packaging, were almost 1,000 times higher than the "tolerable daily intake" levels set by the EPA. BPA is associated with cardiovascular disease and diabetes in exposed workers, and food is a major exposure source. We know of no studies reporting BPA in US fresh food, canned food, and food in plastic packaging in peer reviewed journals. American Chemical Society, Nov 2010 Diet: Beet On The Brain. Drinking beet juice can increase blood flow to the brain in older adults,  which could help decrease the risk of dementia. High concentrations  of nitrates are found in beets, as well as in celery, cabbage and other leafy green vegetables, like spinach and some lettuce. When you eat high-nitrate foods, good bacteria in the mouth turn nitrate into nitrite.  Nitrites help open blood vessels, increasing blood flow and oxygen. Nitric Oxide: Biology and Chemistry, November 2010 Exercise: Energy Drinks When Exercising? The US is the world's largest consumer of energy beverages by volume,  and consumption is primarily among the ages 11-35. The most common  ingredient is caffeine, which ranges from 50-500mg per 16-ounce serving. "One energy beverage during exercise is safe for most healthy individuals. Excess consumption and consumption with other caffeine-containing  beverages or alcohol may lead to adverse effects and possibly death, " reports John Higgins, MD, author University of Texas Medical School  in Houston. Mayo Clinic, November 2010 Chiropractic: Pain And Itching. Researchers found the nerve cells that are active when we experience  heat pain are also associated with itching. Extreme itching is a common  complication following operations and burns. Eczema and other skin  disorders can also lead to itchiness. Greater knowledge of the underlying  factors paves the way for developing new forms of treatment for itching,  for example, activating pain fibers to reduce itching. Neuron, Nov 2010 Wellness/Prevention: How Much Sleep For Kids? Newborn baby, up to 18 hours; 1-12 months of age, 14-18 hours;  1-3 years of age, 12-15 hours; 3-5 years of age, 11-13 hours; 5-12 years of age, 9-11 hours; teenagers, 9-10 hours. Annals of Internal Medicine October, 2010