People’s Pharmacy: Be careful when mixing medicines. 2D
HealthToday
T H U R S D A Y , A P R I L 12, 2007
SECTION D
WWW.TUSCALOOSANEWS.COM
CHILDREN
FITNESS
Helping girls survive puberty
Workout for perfect pecs
Word of mouth can be a powerful thing when a girl is going through puberty. After all, everyone is looking for answers. But opening the lines of communications to ask questions and find answers is often awkward. Not only do girls not know how to approach adults, but mothers also have a tough time broaching the subject with their daughters. In 1994, a Tuscaloosa obstetrician/gynecologist figured out a way to get past the awkwardness of initiating those conversations. Dr. Michael Poist launched a dinner program called Can We Talk? By all accounts it was a hit. It offered a safe environment for mothers and young daughters to talk about changes during puberty. Then Poist died unexpectedly in 2003, and the program became dormant. After a two-year hiatus, the Tuscaloosa Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy revived Can We Talk? “We got involved last year because we were having a lot of requests to do something like what Dr. Poist used to do,” said Jennifer Clark, executive director of the
Ever tried an incline chest press without a bench? Improvising with a stability ball is a bit challenging for your balance, but
“It’s more a discussion about the decision about whether to date at this point.” Jennifer Clark, executive director of the Tuscaloosa Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy
campaign. “Parents were looking for a replacement, and they were asking us.” Instead of replacing the program, Clark said she teamed up with DCH Health System to revive Poist’s former program. Can We Talk? is a girls-only program. No men, not even fathers, are allowed. Girls who don’t have a legal female guardian can attend with an older female relative like an aunt or grandmother. An OB/GYN leads the discussion, and Clark said the goal is to create a format where every question from the basics about menstruation to when girls should start shaving their legs can be asked. Dating, even if it’s the playground boyfriend/girlfriend relationships, is a common topic. “It’s more a discussion about the decision about whether to date at this point,” Clark said. Can We Talk? will be 6-8:30 p.m. April 30 at the Four Points Hotel. Dr. Myron Chwe, an obstetrician and gynecologist with Obstetrics and Gynecology of West Alabama P.C., will lead the discussion. Dinner is included and there is no charge. Space is limited to 75 mother/daughter duos. With registration having been opened a week, 20 spots have already been filled. There is usually a waiting list. For more information or to register, call the Tuscaloosa Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy at 205-3660207. — Sarah Bruyn Jones, staff writer
TIP DON’T FORGET TO STRETCH
When walking for exercise, it’s important to begin and finish with stretching to prevent injury. Even feet need stretching. Here are stretches recommended by the American Podiatry Medical Association: ■ Ankle circles: While sitting or lying down, lift your right leg from the hip so that your thigh is about one inch off the ground or chair. Keeping your knee straight, rotate your ankle in a slow, circular motion. Make 10 circles clockwise and 10 counterclockwise. Repeat with your left leg. ■ Achilles stretch: Lean into a wall with one foot closer to the wall than the other, bracing yourself with your arms. Bend your front knee, keeping the back leg straight and your foot flat on the ground. Hold for 20 seconds. Repeat on the other side.
practice makes perfect pecs. With a 10- to 20-pound dumbbell in each hand, support your back on the ball so that your torso is at about a 45-degree angle to the floor. Your feet should be shoulder-width apart and firmly on the floor with your knees higher than your hips. Keep your abs and your glutes tight. Your palms should be forward and
ELIXIR
OFLIFE Water helps the body with everything from removing toxins to lubricating joints
your arms extended toward the ceiling. Bend your elbows to slowly and deliberately lower the dumbbells to the point where your upper arms are just about in line with your chest. Exhale to push the weights back up to the starting position. Try three sets of 15 repetitions. — McClatchy-Tribune News Service
Water and the body Regulates body temperature, keeps your body cool. (Water absorbs heat and releases it through perspiration) Keeps tissues moist, including the mouth, eyes and nose. Combines with viscous molecules to form mucus that lubricates the digestive and genitourinary tracts
Symptoms of dehydration Mild/excessive thirst Fatigue Dry mouth Headache
Little/no urination Muscle weakness Dizziness Lightheadedness
Daily recommended intake Protects organs and tissues
NUTRITION
Reduces the burden on the kidneys and liver by flushing out waste products
By Sarah Bruyn Jones Staff Writer
W
ater is second only to oxygen as essential to life and has been dubbed the “elixir of life” by poets, philosophers and scientists alike. The truth is, however, that most people get enough water. Our bodies make sure of that. “Most people who walk around here, who live in air condition, who don’t sweat a lot are probably perfectly hydrated,” said Phillip Bishop, a physiologist and professor of kinesiology at the University of Alabama. “The exceptions are people working in hot environments, indoors or outdoors.” Those people — police officerswearing body armor, welders wearing welding clothing, steel plant workers — are more apt to become dehydrated. SEE WATER | 3D
Group Infants 0-6 mo. Infants 7-12 mo. Children 1-3 years Children 4-8 years Males 9-13 years Males 14-18 years Male adult Females 9-13 years Females 14-18 years Female adult Female pregnant Female breast feeding
Liters 0.7 0.8 1.3 1.7 2.4 3.3 3.7 2.1 2.3 2.7 3.0 3.8
Water intake from foods Assists in dissolving minerals and other nutrients that are dispersed throughout the body
Helps prevent constipation
Transports nutrients and oxygen to cells. This facilitates cellular metabolism and proper cellular chemical functioning
“God put together a body that is pretty much self-regulating. Go back 100 years when people didn’t know that you need eight glasses of water a day. Those people didn’t die of dehydration.” Phillip Bishop, a physiologist and professor of kinesiology at the University of Alabama
When the supply is low Dehydration occurs when a person fails to take in more water than the body uses Mild dehydration, losing just 1 percent to 2 percent of your body weight, can cause tiredness Losing 10 percent of your body’s water weight is associated with nausea, weakness, delirium and hyperthermia Water losses exceeding 20 percent of the body weight are life-threatening
Lubricates joints
NA BRATI NTHONY STAFF GRAPHIC | A
Sources: Mayo Clinic, Food and Nutrition Board and International Life Sciences Institute-North American Branch.
Food
Beverages tea, coffee, diet sodas, fruit juices Alcoholic beverages beer and wine spirits liqueurs Soups french onion vegetable beef minestrone tomato chicken noodle chunky soups milk-based soups Fruits and vegetables most fruits banana potato corn Dairy cottage cheese, yogurt pudding, milk shake ice cream cheese Grains cooked cereals rice, pasta bread, bagels ready-to-eat cereal Meat, fish and eggs fish and seafood eggs beef, lamb, veal pork, turkey, chicken Jerky, bacon Others weight loss drinks chips, pretzels, candies dried fruit seeds and nuts
% water 90-100 90-100 85-90 90-95 60-70 30 90-95 90-95 90-95 90-95 80-90 80-90 80-90 80-85 70-75 70-75 70-75 75-80 70-75 50-60 40-50 85-90 65-80 30-45 2-5 70-80 65-80 45-65 45-65 15-30 70-80 1-10 1-10 1-5
STUDIES
PREVENTION
Smoke linked to bone loss
Get an artery checkup
WEST PALM BEACH, FLA. | A study published in the April issue of the Journal of Periodontology found subjects with periodontal disease who were exposed to secondhand smoke were more likely to develop bone loss, the No. 1 cause of tooth loss. Researchers studied rats that were induced with periodontal disease. One group was not exposed to cigarette smoke while the other two were exposed to either 30 days of smoke inhalation produced by nonlight cigarettes (cigarettes containing higher tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide levels) or light cigarettes (cigarettes containing lower tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide levels). Results showed that bone loss was greater in the subjects exposed to
Wondering what your arteries look like? Jim Robertson will have a Digital Pulse Wave Analyzer at his store in Northport on Friday and Saturday to help people take a peek. The analyzer provides information on arterial wall stiffness and determines the biological age of arteries in less than three minutes, Robertson said. The machine is a non-invasive device, using a finger probe to obser ve the changes in pressure, blood flow and velocity. John and Catherine Edwards, who have developed a line of products in Texas to address artery problems, will be at Robertson’s Health Food Center, 734 McFarland Blvd., Northport, all day Friday and Saturday to administer the analyzer tests by appointment. Cost is $20. Call 205-333-0966 to make an appointment.
STAFF FILE PHOTO | MICHAEL E. PALMER
secondhand smoke, regardless of whether it was smoke from light or non-light cigarettes, than those who were exposed to no smoke at all. Cigarette smoking may be the major preventable risk factor for periodontal disease. To assess your oral health, take the AAP’s online test to assess your gum disease risk.
A referral to a periodontist in your area and free brochure samples including Periodontal Diseases: What You Need to Know and Tobacco and Periodontal Diseases: Targeting Tobacco Use are available by calling 800-FLOSS-EM (800-3567736) or visiting the AAP’s Web site at www.perio.org. — Cox News Service