*** News You Can Use! -- 6 June 1996 ***
Mental stress may be a greater threat to heart disease patients than physical exertion. A study reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association indicates that mental stress tests can predict future heart attacks better than the standard physical tests using a treadmill. People with narrowed heart arteries were subjected to mental stress testing, such as public speaking, or doing complex math under time constraints. Then their heart blood flow was measured. Those who responded abnormally were nearly three times more likely than patients with normal responses to have heart attacks, require bypass surgery or die over the next five years. (Associated Press, 4 June 1996, USA Today, 5 June)
The most frequently prescribed medication in America last year was an estrogen replacement drug for menopausal women. The replenishment of estrogen has been shown to protect arteries, heart, bones, teeth, and the brain. In last week's News You Can Use! we told you that a nationwide study is underway to clarify estrogen's ability to delay or halt Alzheimer's disease. Instead of treating the gradual decrease of hormones as a natural process, new studies are aggressively trying to replace those hormones, and measure the effects on health. Sex researcher Theresa L. Crenshaw says, "Menopause is not a natural condition; it is an endocrine disorder and should be treated medically with the same seriousness we treat other endocrine disorders, such as diabetes or thyroid disease." (Knight-Ridder)
In last week's News You Can Use! we told you about a computer program that combats repetitive stress that causes carpal tunnel syndrome. Bonnie Appleton came down with carpal tunnel -- from home gardening. Appleton, an associate professor of horticulture at Virginia Tech University, realized that her green thumb was subjecting her hands to the same sorts of repetitive motion injuries that afflict computer users. She offers these tips: vary motions or activites and take frequent rests, use ergonomically designed tools that conform to your hand, don't push with your thumb lengthwise on the handle, and always stop at the first sign of pain. (Associated Press)
Stuck at your desk for hours during the day? Men's Health magazine offers this suggestion to help you from collapsing of fatigue at the end of the day: Get into the habit of standing up to take phone calls. This simple act stretches tight muscles and allows you to breathe more deeply, which forces more oxygen into your brain.
Leslirae Rotor, of Ottawa's Allergy and Environmental Health Association, told a conference of parents and physicians that schools can be a dangerous place for children with environmental sensitivities. Moldy sandboxes, dusty chalkboards, and various chemicals can make learning an enormous struggle for some kids. And teachers aren't recognizing the problem. Rotor charges that schools will deliberately put children in environments that they know will cause learning, health and behavior problems. (Broadcast News, 2 June 1996)
In his book, Timeless Healing, the Power and Biology of Belief,_ Dr. Herbert Benson demonstrates that faith is a healing power. For 30 years, Benson has studied the so-called "placebo" effect, which he calls "remembered wellness." That is, a person with a headache who invokes the memory of what it feels like not to have a headache can trigger a physical change that in turn eases or removes the pain. Another example: Stress hormones cause coronary arteries to constrict in heart disease patients. Meditation can create a state of relaxation, curbing the flow of stress hormones. In turn, arteries relax, blood flow to the heart improves, and chest pain is relieved. Benson says research shows visits to the doctor dropped 34% in people taught simple self-healing techniques. (USA Today, 5 June 1996)
Despite claims by the chemical industry and farm groups that they're cutting back on pesticides, their use actually hit a record high in 1995. The figures were released by the Natural Resources Defense Council and the U.S. Public Interest Research Group. The government data hadn't been published yet, but the Environmental Protection Agency confirmed the accuracy of the numbers, and said they're also concerned about the quantity of pesticides used in the United States. (Associated Press, 28 May 1996)
New York State tick expert Robert Means says the best weapon against the tick-borne Lyme disease is prevention. He offers these tips, especially for people venturing into the woods: Use tick repellants, wear light-colored clothes, expose as little skin as possible, and stay in the middle of paths. Check closely for ticks on your skin when you get out of the woods. If you find one, remove it with tweezers as close to the skin as possible, carefully pulling upward with a slow, steady motion. Do *not* kill a tick while it's on your skin. If you notice a large, lingering rash or flu-like symptoms, see your doctor right away. (Associated Press, 28 May 1996)
STB's News You Can Use! edited and written by --
Tom Connolly, for Infant Moose Web Page Creations.
Past newsletters: 9 May 1996 | 16 May 1996 | 25 May 1996 | 31 May 1996
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