friday july 13 - Southbridge Evening News

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2 • THE EXPRESS • Friday, July 13, 2012 HEALTH Healthy Eating On The Go (NAPS) Today’s families are more on the go than ever, spending many hours each week in the car, making it seem hard to make time for your family to eat healthy, nutritious foods. Increased time spent in the car has led many families to eat on the go. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 48 percent of the money spent on food in this country pays for meals eaten away from the home. During hectic days, families need energy to keep them going, but they often end up choosing more convenient foods that are high in fat, added sugar and calories. This year, you can introduce your family to the idea of GO, SLOW and WHOA foods to help them eat healthier. GO foods are low in fat, sugar and calories and are “nutrient dense” (rich in vitamins and other nutrients). Try to avoid SLOW and WHOA foods that are higher in fat, added sugar and calories and that, often, offer fewer nutrients. Whether you’re off to a Saturday away game or driving your children to their weekly activities, use these tips for healthier eating: • Pack GO foods ahead of time. If you have a busy day with your family planned—including time in the car—pack healthy snacks in a small cooler or tote bag before you leave. Consider water, fresh fruit or veggies, low-fat cheese sticks, whole-grain crackers or a lowsugar cereal portioned into baggies. • Make healthy choices at fast-food restaurants. Sometimes, when you are traveling by car, fast food is the only option. Try making healthier choices such as sandwiches without cheese, salads with low-fat or fat-free dressing, replacing French fries with sliced fruit, and swapping fried meats for grilled options. • Read the labels. Stopping at convenience stores for a snack can easily lead to unhealthy choices. Looking at the nutrition label can help you and your children make the best choice. Pick snacks or beverages that are low in calories and added sugar—some stores stock fat-free or low-fat yogurt, fruit or individually portioned trail mix. Try to re–member that some prepackaged foods may look like a single serving but actually contain multiple servings. For more information on maintaining a healthy diet, visit the We Can! (Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity & Nutrition)® website at www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/wecan/eat-right/choosingfoods.htm. Developed by the National Institutes of Health, We Can! provides parents, caregivers and communities with free tips, tools and guidance to help children maintain a healthy weight. Introduce your family to the idea of GO, SLOW and WHOA foods to help them eat healthier. Colic: Why It’s No Crying Matter (NAPS) 25,000 Unique Visitors Every Week! TheHeartOfMassachusetts.com While colic can be unbearable for the entire household, there are ways you can treat your baby’s discomfort. Usually presenting itself within the first month of life, colic is characterized by excessive and prolonged bouts of screaming and crying, often lasting until 4 to 6 months of age. The condition affects as many as one in five infants and poses a unique dilemma for parents and doctors.There’s no universally recognized cause for the condition, so the challenge in treating colic lies in identifying the source of the problem. It is widely accepted that colic is a digestive problem in which something is irritating the intestinal system but the exact cause of the intestinal problems can vary. Two common causes are cow’s milk protein intolerance and a recently recognized condition called transient lactase deficiency (TLD), which is an intolerance to milk sugar. A cow’s milk protein allergy can easily be diagnosed by removing all dairy from a baby’s diet, or from the mother’s diet if she is breastfeeding. If this does not put the colic symptoms at bay, a likely cause is TLD. Transient lactase deficiency occurs in babies who are born with insufficient levels of the digestive enzyme lactase in their intestines. This enzyme is needed to digest the milk sugar, or lactose, in breast milk or formula. The undigested lactose sugars create gas, bloating and irritation in the intestines, leading to colicky symptoms. The symptoms caused by TLD are analogous to those presented in older children and adults with lactose intolerance; their lack of lactase enzyme leads to gas, pain and bloating when they drink milk. Fortunately, TLD is a temporary condition that resolves itself when the baby starts producing lactase in sufficient amounts. Before that, TLD can be treated by adding lactase enzyme drops, such as Colief, to breast milk or formula at every feeding. This reduces the lactose load in milk, making it easier for babies to digest. Lactase enzyme drops are completely natural, and can help facilitate continued breastfeeding or prevent the switch to an expensive, hypoallergenic formula. What’s more, with lactase en?zymes, babies aren’t deprived of the natural and healthy milk sugar that contributes to brain development. Because colic is such an intricate and mystifying condition, nationally recognized pediatrician Dr. Bob Sears has engaged in an educational campaign aiming to spread awareness of the various causes and available treatments. Parents can get information and advice through Facebook (www.Facebook.com/ColiefInfant Drops), Twitter (www.Twitter.com/ Colief) or by tweeting with the hashtag #TummyTuesday. Additional information on colic and transient lactase deficiency is at www.RelieveColic.com. Newly available to the U.S., Colief can be found at select drugstores and retailers, including Walmart and Walgreens. Teething Tips (NAPS) For many babies, teething can be a painful experience. Finding safe and effective ways to ease a baby’s discomfort can challenge new parents, but there are many natural solutions that can help. Teething usually begins when a baby’s primary teeth come through the gums, somewhere between the ages of 3 and 12 months old. By age 3, most children have all 20 of their first teeth. Lauren Feder, M.D., is a nationally recognized physician and author who specializes in primary care medicine, pediatrics and homeopathy. She says, “All babies experience teething differently. Some experience a lot of discomfort while others may show no symptoms. And while a baby might experience one episode of teething with pain, a subsequent tooth may cause little to no pain.” The telltale signs of teething include irritability, drooling, chin rash, biting and gnawing, diarrhea, lowgrade fever, and wakefulness at night about three to five days before a tooth breaks through the gum. Because a baby cannot communicate his or her needs, parents may want to try a variety of solutions to relieve the discomfort of these symptoms, starting with the most gentle and natural. “Cold washcloths, teething rings and massage can help soothe swollen, irritated gums,” notes Dr. Feder. “Hard frozen foods and vegetables can present a choking hazard, however, so it’s best to provide safe objects to chew on.” While many parents have used over-the-counter numbing benzocaine-based gels and liquids to ease teething pain, the FDA has advised that they can lead to a rare but serious condition called methemoglobinemia. Symptoms of methemoglobinemia may be difficult for parents to interpret because they can be attributed to other illnesses. Concerned parents should ask their doctor before using benzocaine teething gels on a child, particularly under the age of 2. A consumer update from the FDA on this topic can be found at www.fda.gov. “Natural medicines such as homeopathic teething tablets and gels can provide effective relief from mouth and gum pain,” says Dr. Feder. “They are formulated to temporarily relieve the symptoms of simple restlessness and wakeful irritability and to help reduce redness and inflammation of gums,” she adds. Hyland’s all-natural Baby Teething Tablets melt instantly upon contact and have been trusted by parents for over 85 years to ease teething discomfort without numbing a baby’s gums. (These statements are based upon traditional homeopathic practice. They have not been reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration.) For more natural medicine suggestions and valuable offers, visit www.hylandsbaby.com. Hyland’s products are available nationally in natural food stores, groceries, supercenters and pharmacies such as Walgreens. Charge Up Your Teens With Healthy Meals (NAPS) Dr. Sears There’s good news for parents. Even with busy schedules and the stress that can accompany school and activities, it can be easier than you think for you to help your teens make healthy food choices. In fact, healthy eating may help teens charge up and stay alert. Plus, eating well may help them stay healthy and fit over the years. It’s a habit that can start early in life and continue on—and it may also lower the risk for type 2 diabetes, asthma, heart disease and some forms of cancer. To help, here are some tips from the Weight-control Information Network (WIN). GIVE TEENS THE RIGHT FUEL • Make half of the plate fruits and vegetables. • Encourage them to eat more foods like bananas and beans for potassium, and yogurt for calcium. These nutrients help to build strong bones. • Suggest water or fat-free/ low-fat milk instead of sugarsweetened drinks. Teething babies can get relief from safe, natural products. Eating well may help you and your teen stay healthy and fit. It may also lower the risk for type 2 diabetes, asthma, heart disease and some forms of cancer. START STRONG AND PLAN AHEAD • Teens should start their day with a healthy breakfast. • Pack a healthy lunch. This might be a turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread and an apple. • Tell teens to take it easy on pizza, sweets and sodas. These have lots of sugar, salt and fat. A FREE TIP SHEET These tips and more are in the tip sheet “Charge Up! Healthy Meals and Snacks for TEENS.” Contact WIN for a copy to put on your refrigerator, in your teen’s locker or in a helpful place. WIN is a national information service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health. For more information, call WIN at (877) 946-4627 or visit www.win.niddk.nih.gov. Also, you can read WIN’s free publication “Charge Up! Healthy Meals and Snacks for TEENS” at www.win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/PDFs/ChargeUp_tip.pdf . In addition, you or your teen can “like” WIN at www.facebook.com/win.niddk.nih.gov.
Friday, July 13, 2012 • THE EXPRESS • 3 HEALTH Natural Biomedicine Offers Effective Pain Relief (NAPS) Understanding what pain is and that there are safer ways of treating pain than using oral pain pills can be a painless first step in finding safe, effective relief. When you experience pain, your body sends signals to your brain demanding attention. Pain pills block the transmission of the signals, but the source of the pain remains and your pain returns. Also, pain pills can be toxic and many cause serious side effects. Fortunately, there is a safer way to relieve pain. Patented natural biomedicine Topricin Pain Relief and Healing Cream provides a better solution. When you apply the cream to the affected area, specialized cells stimulate the removal of toxins and excess fluids, restoring oxygen-rich blood so your body can heal the source of your pain. The natural biomedicine is effective to relieve arthritis pain and even difficult-to-treat pain such as occurs with fibromyalgia and neuropathy, both diabetic and chemoinduced. Topricin’s 11 biomedicines are safe for diabetics, seniors, children, and pregnant women and won’t interfere with any other medication you may be taking. The company offers a Foot Therapy Cream and a junior version for children’s aches and pains. For more information, visit www.buytopricin.com or call 1-800-941-2985. Study Highlights Factors Behind Fit Communities Across The Country According to a recent study, easy access to hiking and running trails is one factor that contributes to a healthy habitat. (NAPS) Healthy communities don’t just happen—they’re made. That’s a key message of a new Healthiest Habitats study released recently by Sperling’s BestPlaces. The study, which ranked the healthiest cities in the United States, revealed a number of factors these communities had in common— from the resources available to residents’ behaviors. They included: • Easy access to gyms and health clubs; • Hiking and running trails that are readily accessible; • A significant percentage of the population getting daily exercise and following a healthy diet. SOME SURPRISES The study revealed a number of results that many may find surprising. Carcentric Los Angeles, for example, has the highest concentration of hiking and running trails in and around a city. However, it was Minneapolis that had the highest score when it came to the percentage of residents getting regular exercise. “Be it participating in outdoor activities, belonging to health clubs or the presence of fitness retailers providing resources and equipment, cities across the country are helping their residents stay active and in shape,” said Bert Sperling, president of Sperling’s BestPlaces. Access to Fitness Gear San Diego, which ranked No. 4 in the study, has the most retail fitness stores per capita—a fact that comes as no surprise to Gary Barfield, executive vice president of the Russell Athletic apparel brand. “As a brand that is focused on providing highquality, affordable athletic wear, we are certainly aware of the importance and benefits of living a healthy lifestyle, as well as the wide range of activities consumers participate in to achieve their personal fitness goals.” To help, the brand recently developed the Dri-Power 360 line, its latest advancement in serious performance wear. The styles in this line, which features both a men’s and wo?m?en’s collection, feature a special cotton blend with moisture-wicking technology that helps keep people cool and dry. More information about the line is available at www.russell athletic.com. An Old Idea May Bring New Help To Migraine Sufferers (NAPS) If you or someone you care about is among the one in 10 Americans who suffer with mi?graine headaches, recent research may provide some relief. THE CONDITION A migraine, the National Institutes of Health reports, is a common type of headache that may occur with symptoms such as nausea, vomiting or sensitivity to light. In many people, a throbbing pain is felt on only one side of the head. Some people who get mi–graines have warning symptoms, called an aura, before the actual headache begins. THE CAUSE It’s caused by abnormal brain activity but the exact chain of events remains unclear. Most medical experts believe the attack begins in the brain and involves nerve pathways and chemicals. The changes affect blood flow in the brain and surrounding tissues. Alcohol, stress and anxiety, Many people with migraines find relief from the accompanying nausea by chewing ginger gum. certain odors, certain foods, loud noises, bright lights and smoking may trigger a migraine, among other things. THE TREATMENTS There is no specific cure for migraine headaches but if you try to avoid triggers and treat the symptoms right away, you can reduce their frequency and effect. To manage your migraine, over-the-counter pain medications such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen or aspirin can be helpful if the pain is mild. If these treatments don’t work, ask your doctor about prescription medicines. Medications that can treat the other symptoms include sedatives and something to relieve the accompanying nausea. Some 80 to 90 percent of migraine sufferers develop nausea with it. Unfortunately, there are side effects associated with many anti-nausea medications such as drowsiness, disorientation and dry mouth. Some people, however, have long known that ginger can be a drug-free option for nausea relief. Now it’s even available in a convenient gum from Sea-Band so you can take it with you anywhere. Each piece contains 25mg of ginger oil—equivalent to 8g of fresh gingerroot. It’s available at CVS, Rite Aid and Walgreens. Learn More To learn more, go to www.seaband.com and “like” the company at www.facebook.com/seaband. A natural biomedicine offers safer, effective pain relief with no side effects. Life After Vision Loss (NAPS) There is new hope for people whose vision has been compromised by macular degeneration, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. Many patients with these diseases have heard that nothing more can be done for them, but pioneering changes in recent months may offer them new options. Special types of highly sophisticated glasses prescribed by low vision physicians are quickly emer–g–ing as the answer to vision loss due to macular degeneration or other conditions that lead to limited vision. For example, member doctors in the International Academy of Low Vision Specialists (IALVS) use telescopic, microscopic and prismatic glasses to help those with vision deficiencies to perform daily activities such as reading, writing, playing cards, watching TV and even driving. NEW LENS TECHNOLOGY Recently developed E-Scoop lenses from Holland now enable doctors to help patients with one of the chief complaints associated with macular degeneration— cloudy vision. “Macular degeneration not only causes central blind spots but reduces clarity,” says Dr. Richard Shuldiner, low vision optometrist and IALVS founder. “Most of my patients ask me for clearer vision.” Glasses that use the new E- Scoop technology bridge the gap between standard eyeglasses and spectacle headborne telescopes. Whether your difficulty is night driving, bright light, sunlight or simply seeing clearly into the distance, the E-Scoop lens placed over a standard eyeglass prescription can help. The lens has four distinct properties that make vision clearer and sharper, with reduced glare: • The yellow tint improves contrast. • The prism moves the image away from the damaged macular area. • The thickness of the lens, combined with its special “base” curve, makes objects appear slightly larger. • The anti-reflection coating allows more light through the lens. FOR MORE INFORMATION For more information, call 888-778-2030 or visit www.IALVS.com. Help With Head Lice (NAPS) There’s good news for parents who have concerns about head lice. First, you’re not alone. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the U.S., an estimated 6 to 12 million infestations occur each year among children 3 to 11 years of age. Head lice are tiny, wingless, parasitic insects that live on human hair and feed on small amounts of blood drawn from the scalp. They are spread by direct contact with the head or hair of someone already infested. People cannot catch head lice from pets. If you suspect that a family member is infected, there is no need to panic. The first step is to check all members of the family for both lice and eggs. Infestation may cause itching, a tickling sensation, irritability and small sores, but it’s important to consider other causes before assuming that head lice are to blame. Detecting head lice is easy. A close examination of the hair and scalp will reveal white or grayish crawling forms, about the size of a sesame seed, with six legs (lice) and yellowish white eggs (nits) attached to hair shafts close to the scalp. Should lice and eggs be found, the next step is to gather up all combs, brushes, linens and clothes and wash them in hot water (greater than 130°F). The CDC suggests that if head lice fall off the scalp and cannot feed, they survive less than one or two days. However, some experts recommend sealing items that cannot be washed or dry-cleaned (such as stuffed animals and hair accessories) in plastic bags for two weeks until the lice and eggs die. When it comes to treating your family, you don’t have to resort to harsh chemical solutions: Safe, effective and natural remedies are available. Scientific studies have found that Quit Nits New lens technology helps correct a basic problem experienced by those with macular degeneration. When it comes to protecting your family from lice, safe, effective and natural remedies are available. Advance Lice Treatment can kill head lice and eggs without exposing children and pregnant or nursing mothers to toxic chemicals. Quit Nits products, including an Everyday Preventative Spray, are safe to use as frequently as required. (These statements are based upon traditional homeopathic practice. They have not been reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration.) For valuable offers, more information about homeopathic Quit Nits and facts on head lice, visit www.QuitNits.us. You can find these products at supercenters, pharmacies, grocery and natural food stores.
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