Health Tidbits

For a healthy person, it is hard to imagine the discomfort of the sick.

Real Asthma Relief

People with asthma may breathe easier with a daily regimen of the antioxidant vitamins C and E.

Asthmatics who took 500 mg of vitamin C and 400 International Units (IU) of vitamin E daily had an 18% increase in their "peak flow"?the amount of air exhaled by the lungs.

Theory: Antioxidants neutralize the body's free radicals. Asthmatics have been found to have higher-than-normal levels of these compounds as well as inflammation of the lungs caused by oxidative stress.

Carol Trenga, Ph.D., who completed the study as part of her doctoral research at the department of environmental health, University of Washington, Seattle. Her findings were presented at a recent joint conference of the American Lung Association and the American Thoracic Society.

Source: Carol Trenga. (1997, October 1). Real Asthma Relief. Bottom Line/Personal, p. 15.

Cook Food to a Safe Internal Temperature

"It's clear now that E. coli O157:H7 can survive the gentle heating we give our rare hamburgers. The USDA advises cooks at home to heat ground beef until it's no longer pink and reaches a temperature of 160 deg. F. The standard for commercial food services, where equipment is more reliable, is 155 deg. F."

FOOD: How Safe? How Altered?, Jennifer Ackerman, Pg. 2, National Geographic, May 2002

More Information

• USDA Urges Consumers To Use Food Thermometer When Cooking Ground Beef Patties, http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OA/news/1998/colorpr.htm.
• Proper Handling and Cooking Prevents Foodborne Illness, http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OA/news/2002/PublicAlert041902.htm.

Turn on the light...turn off the sadness!

As winter darkens the skies many people experience the blues. The easiest prevention or cure is to keep your home well-lit. Four hours of intense light is enough to make most people feel better.

Seasonal Affective Disorder

Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is a common form of depression that is experienced during a particular time of year. Most often, people with SAD experience depressive episode during the Fall and Winter months. Though the exact reasons are not known, some theories suggest that SAD may be caused by the reduction of daylight hours which may disrupt our biological body clocks, which in turn may disturb circadian rhythms within our body.

Symptoms of SAD are similar to depression and include disturbed sleep patterns, difficulty waking up, apathy, sadness and decreased physical activity.

Natural alternatives and prescription medications can provide short term relief of some symptoms, but some sort of cognitive therapy is also recommended.

Source: Different Types of Depression, Jake Van Der Borne, 15 Sep 2003, http://www.anxiety-and-depression-solutions.com/articles/depressiontypes.htm

Our hands are alive with the sound of germs

The following chart illustrates the amount of germs found on the hands of four individuals at a given time.

Counts are per sq. cm.

Arthur Webster PTY. LTD., Microbiologist Laboratory, NATA Reg. Serial No. 46925, April 17, 1984.

Source: Henry the Hand's Helpful Links, http://www.henrythehand.com/webp/HealthfulLinks.htm

More Information

• Cold and Flu Prevention is as Simple as Washing Your Hands

Breakfast Cereal Nutrition Bulletin

Chex and balances. Your favorite breakfast cereal may be fortified with a veritable alphabet of vitamins, but that doesn't mean you're getting all of the nutrients listed on the side of the box. Up to 40 percent of the vitamins in the cereal quickly dissolve into the milk, say Richard Wood, Ph.D., of the Tufts Human Nutrition Research Center. So be sure to drink up afterward!

Men's Health Special Issue, 1998, page 6

Eat Smart With Red Peppers

Red peppers have 9 times as much vitamin A, and twice the vitamin C, as their green cousins!

Men's Health Special Issue, 1998, page 6

Test Your Multivitamin

Multivitamins are terrific supplements. Unfortunately, many of the ones on the market are worthless. The reason: They don't break down in time to be absorbed properly, says Cheryl Hastsough, R.D., a nutritionist from the PGA National Resort and Spa in Palm Beach. If a vitamin doesn't dissolve quickly, it bypasses the first part of the small intestine, where most nutrients are absorbed.

To see how well a vitamin is absorbed, drop it in a glass of vinegar. "If it doesn't break down in 30 minutes, try another brand," she says.

Men's Health Special Issue, 1998, page 7

Look Years Younger?and Inches Taller!

A hunched-over posture makes you look old years before your time, and will give you weak back muscles to boot! To walk tall, keep your rear tucked in, pull in your chin, firm up your stomach muscles and keep your knees unlocked.

Also, remember to take deep breaths, advises Ben Doublas, Ph.D., of the University of Mississippi. Inhale and exhale all the air you can, repeating several times. "If you do this every day and don't smoke, by age 70, you'll have the lungs of a 45-year-old," he says. An added bonus: You'll also have lots more energy!

Men's Health Special Issue, 1998, page 7