Meredith Cummings: Diabetics strive to find balance. 2D
HealthToday
T H U R S D A Y , M A Y 3, 2007
SECTION D
WWW.TUSCALOOSANEWS.COM
TREATMENT
WOMEN
Allergies? Get your medicine Many people welcome spring’s balmy weather after being cooped up inside all winter. But if you have hay fever, spring is the beginning of allergy season, and outside can be the worst place to be. Hay fever, officially called “seasonal allergic rhinitis,” is an immune reaction to substances in the outside air. The symptoms — sneezing, runny nose, itchy eyes, stuffy sinuses and tickling throats — can make you miserable. The best way to avoid allergic
rhinitis is to identify the allergen and stay away from it. But that’s often easier said than done. Several medications are available for treating hay fever. Many are newer, safer versions of older drugs. If you can, start taking the medication before the hay fever season starts. This will lower your chances of developing complications such as sinus infections and blocked ears. Choose an allergy medication based on your specific symptoms. Medical treatments include: ■ Anthistamines: These medications block the action of histamine, a major cause of allergy symptoms. Antihistamines are often recommended first because many are available over-the-counter. ■ Decongestants: If your nose
has been stuffed up for a few days, you may need a decongestant. Available in oral and nasal-spray forms, decongestant drugs work on the nervous system to narrow blood vessels, helping to dry up secretions and clear congestion. ■ Nasal corticosteroids: Antiinflammatory nasal sprays are the most effective medical treatment for allergic rhinitis. They help turn off the immune reaction in the nasal passages and provide sustained relief. ■ Mast cell stabilizers: These drugs reduce swelling and secretions by interfering with the release of certain chemicals from mast cells. They’re very safe but not as effective as nasal corticosteroids. — Harvard Medical School
STAFF FILE ILLUSTRATION | ANTHONY BRATINA
CHILDREN
Weights OK at young age
It was once believed that pumping iron could hurt the growth plates in young children’s bones. But the American College of Sports Medicine, the National Strength and Conditioning Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics have given it the green light. The latter states that “strength training programs for preadolescents and adolescents can be safe and effective if proper resistance training techniques and safety precautions are followed.” But, AAP warns, children should “avoid competitive weight lifting, power lifting, body building and maximal lifts until they reach physical and skeletal maturity.” Despite the proven safety, weight training for children remains controversial. Some experts think machines and free weights are for adults only. Kids’ fitness is a growing trend, and children younger than 18 represent the second-fastest growing demographic of health club membership, according to the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association. The trade group estimates that one-third of health clubs in the country offer children’s programs, some of which include weight training. “Under supervision, it’s probably the safest activity a child can do, at least according to the results of the injury data,” says Wayne Westcott, Ph.D., senior fitness/research director at the South Shore YMCA in Quincy, Mass. Westcott, who served on the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports during the Reagan administration and has studied the effects of strength training on kids for more than 20 years, says it can improve strength, strengthen bones, raise metabolism to burn more calories and boost self-confidence, especially among obese children, who don’t do well in competitive sports. — N.Y. Times News Service
Bone maintenance Preventing fractures in old bones should start early in life By Sarah Bruyn Jones Staff Writer
■ Girls age 9 to 12 should visit:www.cdc. gov/powerfulbones/ ■ Parents should visit:www.cdc.gov/ powerfulbones/ parents/index.html
NUTRITION
10 million Americans older than 50 who have osteoporosis
Americans who are at risk of osteoporosis
xperts call osteoporosis the “silent thief.” That’s because it slowly deteriorates bone Sacroiliac Sacrum density, without symptoms. joint An estimated half of all women older than 50 have it. But it isn’t just older women who should be concerned. Increasingly, the medical commuIliam nity is focusing on preventing this thief from robbing the elderly by tarAnterior geting the young. superior “It’s a pediatric disease with geriiliac spine atric consequences,” said Lori Sacral Turner, a University of Alabama proPromontory fessor specializing in osteoporosis research. “People are waitPubis ing too late to do anything to prevent this.” The consequences are severe. Osteoporosis is Obturator a contributing factor in foramen as many as 1.5 million Femur fractures each year, head Acetabulum including about: ■ 300,000 hip fractures Femur ■ 700,000 vertebral (spine) fractures ■ 250,000 wrist fractures Fractures Normal ■ 300,000 fractures at other bone sites Fractures often lead to pain, Cortical suffering, dependency and somebone times death. And hip fractures prove to be the most deadly. One out of every five women over 50 who has a hip fracture dies within a year, and another 20 percent end up in nursing homes. Trabecular “This is a growing problem. As bone baby boomers continue to age, the number of hip fractures in the U.S. could double or triple by 2020,” said SEE BONES | 6D
EARLY PREVENTION
Heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases kill more women than the next five causes of death combined, according to the American Heart Association, yet women are often more informed about, and concerned about, breast cancer striking. Even with the educational push by the AHA, the organization cites the staggering fact that more than 90 percent of primary care doctors don't know that heart disease kills more women each year than men. The AHA advises women to know their blood pressure and cholesterol numbers, to quit smoking, to control their weight to avoid obesity, to become physically active, and to share information with other women. — Cox Newspapers
34 million
AGING
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Women at risk of heart disease
FILE | NYTRMG
Watch foods for hidden sugar
Symphysis pubis Ischium
Osteoporotic bone Thin cortical bone
Fewer and thinner trabeculae STAFF GRAPHIC | ANTHONY BRATINA
FIVE STEPS TO BONE HEALTH, OSTEOPOROSIS PREVENTION ■ Get daily recommended amounts of calcium and vitamin D ■ Engage in regular weight-bearing exercise: yard work, walking, lifting weights, dancing, aerobics are a few examples ■ Avoid smoking and excessive alcohol ■ Talk to your health-care provider about bone health ■ When appropriate, have a bone density test and take medication
Source: National Osteoporosis Foundation
Could sugar be contributing to numbers you don’t want to see when you step on your scale? It’s a bitter pill, but just as you must trim impulse purchases to meet the household financial budget, it’s important to be more vigilant about excess calories creeping into your diet. The fact is table sugar — spooned into coffee and added to everything from dressings to spaghetti sauce — only contains 16 calories a teaspoon. But one extra teaspoon added to your diet every day translates into more than a pound and half gained in a year. Happily, the diet math goes the other way, too. If you cut a teaspoon of sugar each day for a year, you could lose 1.7 pounds and stem the tide of gradually gaining weight as you age. You can retrain your taste buds to gradually get used to less sugar in foods; you don’t have to go cold turkey. For instance, instead of ordering the fully sweetened iced tea at a restaurant, try unsweetened tea with a splash of the sweet tea mixed in. At the coffee shop, if you don’t like artificial sweeteners, make a point of cutting back on the sugar you dump into that grande or venti. Steamed nonfat or low-fat milk may help smooth out your coffee experience so you don’t have to use as much sugar, and you get the bonus of calcium from the milk. Where it gets tricky is when you’re dining out and you don’t know how much sugar or other sweet stuff has been added to a chef’s recipes. Choosing fresh fruit can certainly sidestep the sugar in rich desserts, but it’s not so easy with the savory side of the menu. Keep in mind that adding a pinch of sugar to certain sauces and dishes to create a balance of sweet, salty, bitter and sour flavors is part of great cooking. — Cox Newspapers
FILE | NYTRMG
TIP GET PHYSICALLY ACTIVE Few things are as good for you as consistent physical activity. While it can be hard to find the time, your goal should be at least 30 minutes of activity every day. More is even better, especially if weight loss is your goal, but any consistent amount is better than none. Source: www.evergreenhealthcare.org
LIFESTYLES
Hair care tips for long locks If you have long hair, here are some tips for maintaining and protecting it, from products to styling tools: ■ In the ends: The longer your hair, the longer the ends have been around. Even with frequent trims, they’re subjected to environmental and styling damage. Always use a leave-in conditioner on the tips and, at least once a week, a hair-repair mask to restore moisture. FILE | NYTRMG
■ Brush or comb? Wet hair is very susceptible to breaking, so a widetoothed comb is good to use, but you still have to be careful. Start at the bottom and work your way up toward the roots. ■ Hot hair: If you love that sleek, shiny look, apply a conditioning mist before blow drying and/or flat-ironing. Best bet for a flat iron: Sedu Ionic Ceramic Tourmaline straightener (about $125 at www.amazon.com. Best bet for a finishing spray: Kerastase Vernis NutriSculpt Ultra-Shine Top Coat (about $30), available at salons; go to www.kerastaseusa.com for listings in this area. ■ Layer it on: Having long hair layered can give the illusion of fullness and
it’s flattering around the face. Don’t cut the front layers too short, though, or you’ll miss being able to pull your hair back in a bun or ponytail. ■ Bangs for your buck: Bangs can add emphasis to your face, even an uplifting effect. They can be side-swept or short and pronounced. ■ Applying for extensions: If you opt for extensions, there’s still maintenance involved: Never go to bed with your hair wet; dry and style as usual, and hold the extensions with one hand and brush, starting at the bottom and working your way up to the top. — McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.