Winter 2012, Body, Mind & Spirit - Roper St. Francis Healthcare

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the buzznews / views / events / etc.Sure-Fire<strong>Winter</strong> Safety TipsCooler climates bring more than just cozy sweaters and comfort food. Accordingto the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most residential fires occurduring the winter months. Cooking and home heating are the leading causes,and risks increase when space heaters or other supplemental heating is used. Homeheating alone is responsible for an estimated 54,500 U.S. fires per year and $286 million inproperty loss.Keep your family safe this season by following a few simple tips:• Cook Smart. Keep flammable items away from your cooking area, includingdishtowels and any loose clothing you are wearing. Keep pot handles turned in to avoidknocking them off the stove.• <strong>Mind</strong> Your Heat Source. Keep space heaters at least three feet awayfrom flammable items like curtains or furniture. Never leave fireplace fires unattended;extinguish them completely before leaving the house or going to bed.• Sound Your Alarm. Make sure you have functioning smoke alarms in everyfloor of your home and near or in all bedrooms. Test every alarm once a month.• Be Prepared. Rehearse an escape plan with your family twice a year. Thisshould include at least two ways to get out of every room and a designated meetingspot outside.Home heating isto blame for anestimated 190deaths and625 injuriesevery year.house calls 5
the buzzTale of the TextDo you LOL? Not so fast, say researchers atTexas A&M University. They sent 42 driversbetween the ages of 16 and 54 to test drivean 11-mile track at 30 mph, once while sending andreceiving text messages and once while focusingcompletely on the road. The drivers were asked to stopat a yellow flashing light and their reaction times wererecorded. The results showed that a non-texting driverresponded to the light in one to two seconds, while thetexters’ response time was double that. Researchersalso noted that the texting drivers were 11 times morelikely to miss the light altogether, and were less likelyto stay in their lane and maintain a constant speed. TheU.S. Transportation Department indicates distracteddriving contributes to20 percent of all fatalcrashes, and that cell phones are the leading causeof these distractions. Texting while driving has beenbanned in 34 states and the Districtof Columbia, and South Carolina is currentlyconsidering following suit.{Baby FatScientists from the University of Melbourne andUmea University in Sweden say obese moms-tobeput their children at a higher risk of developingasthma than pregnant women with a normal body massindex (BMI). The study found that children born to obesemothers—or those with a BMI of 35 or more—had a 61percent increased risk of developing asthma by the timethey turned eight years old. Those children born to mothersconsidered overweight (BMI of 25 to 35) had an 18 percentincreased chance. Maternal obesity heightens a child’s riskof obesity, which influences the immune system and howthe body reacts to allergens, which can lead to asthma.{Shape upArecent study fromthe University ofGlasgow suggeststhat men develop type 2diabetes with less bodyfat than women, puttingthem at higher risk for thedisease. Researchers studiedtens of thousands of diabetic adultsand found that the average body massindex at diagnosis was 31.83 for men and 33.69for women. Experts believe the cause of thisdisparity may be found in the different ways menand women carry fat: males, for example, tend tohave more fat in their liver and abdominal regions,which have stronger links to disease, while women havemore “safe” fat (in the hip, buttocks, and thigh region).Researchers expect to use this and other data to helpimprove prevention efforts for type 2 diabetes.Humor for Good HealthIs laughter really the best medicine? Researchers at the Universityof New South Wales think so, citing a recent study on the benefitsof humor therapy for dementia patients (such as those sufferingfrom Alzheimer’s disease). Results suggest that the use of music,mime, and humorous props performed by a “clown doctor” (similarto techniques used in children’s hospitals) may be as effective aspsychiatric drugs for those struggling with symptoms like agitationor confusion. In fact, researchers saw a 20 percent drop in thesebehaviors over the three months of testing, a decrease that lasted for14 weeks after the humor therapy ceased. The goal of this type oftreatment is to decrease agitated behavior (experienced by 70 to 80percent of dementia patients) by keeping them physically and mentallyengaged. A key benefit of humor therapy, say researchers, is achievingpositive behavioral results without unpleasant drug side effects.6 house calls
Page 1 and 2: Brought to you by Roper St. Francis
Page 4: president’s letter®EditorArt Dir
Page 9: TIPS10the buzzFor Good Financial He
Page 12 and 13: house calls 11
Page 14 and 15: Heart AcheFeelings of loss or fear
Page 16 and 17: Osteoporosis...for Men?Your risk ma
Page 18 and 19: try this workoutYogaStay fit this w
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Page 22 and 23: “Palliative care doctors are ther
Page 24 and 25: “by and large, most patients just
Page 26: Jessica Grahamphotograph BY leann c
Page 29 and 30: llen Carroll knows his way around t
Page 32 and 33: By jessiCA earlHeadsup!Could you te
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Page 44 and 45: new horizonsby Jessica EarlEasy on

Winter 2012, Body, Mind & Spirit - Roper St. Francis Healthcare

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