People’s Pharmacy: Can home remedies top prescription drugs? 2D
HealthToday
T H U R S D A Y , J U L Y 5, 2007
SECTION D
WWW.TUSCALOOSANEWS.COM
SAFETY
STUDIES & RESEARCH
Mowing can be risky for kids
STAFF FILE PHOTO | PORFIRIO SOLORZANO
DID YOU KNOW?
A few more facts about feet ■ Heavy load: Each foot has 26 bones, 32 joints, and a network of more than 100 tendons, ligaments and muscles. Every step places 1.5 times your body weight of pressure on your foot, yet another reason to maintain a healthy weight. ■ Agony of de feet: The American Podiatric Medical Association’s 2007 foot ailments survey shows that about 45 percent of Americans suffer from foot pain, and 54 percent of people with a foot ailment said the pain prevents them from performing routine activities. ■ Something stinks: American adults suffer most from heel pain, nail problems and sweaty feet and foot odor, the survey reveals. ■ Sorry, Manolo: About 27 percent of Americans admit to wearing footwear that hurts their feet either daily (8 percent) or weekly (19 percent). However, the incidence of wearing painful shoes decreased with age. ■ Miles to go: The average American adult walks 8,000 to 10,000 steps each day and thousands of miles in a lifetime. So why wear painful shoes? — McClatchy Newspapers
TIP
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Mowing the lawn can be dangerous for children, even with parents present. That reminder for parents who may think of letting their children help with lawn mowing this summer comes from a group of concerned physicians, along with their tips on safety precautions. More than 220,000 people, including about 16,500 children under age 19, were treated in doctors’ offices, clinics and emergency rooms for lawn mower-related injuries in 2006, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety
Commission reports. Doctors from specialties often called on to repair injuries from mowers got together to compile the following advice for parents, and for children, too, on lawn-mower safety. In addition to Kolen’s ASRM, advice came from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Here are the group’s suggested safety measures: ■ Children should be at least 12 years old before they operate any lawn mower, and at least 16 years old for a ride-on mower. ■ Children should never be passengers on ride-on mowers. ■ Always wear sturdy shoes while
mowing, not sandals. ■ Young children should be at a safe distance from the area you are mowing. ■ Before mowing, pick up stones, toys and debris from the lawn to prevent injuries from flying objects. ■ Always wear eye and hearing protection. ■ Use a mower with a control that stops it from moving forward if the handle is released. ■ Never pull backward or mow in reverse unless absolutely necessary, and carefully look for others behind you when you do. ■ Start and refuel mowers outdoors, not in a garage. Refuel with the motor turned off and cool. — The Associated Press
TECH/PRODUCTS
Screening
sunscreen By Sarah Bruyn Jones Staff Writer
A
ll sunscreens are not equal. Sure, we know that a sunscreen with an SPF rating of 8 differs from one with SPF 50 — dermatologists have touted the increased skin protection of sunscreens with SPF 15 and higher for years. But what about two sunscreens with the same SPF? Are they equal? According to research released last week, the answer is a resounding no. Dermatologists have been proclaiming that fact for some time. Now, a study conducted by a Washington-based nonprofit has found that many sunscreens aren’t safe or effective. Sunscreens are different, and it’s hard for consumers to distinguish those differences. There is even discrepancy among the top sellers. An analysis of 785 sunscreen products with an SPF rating of 15 or higher found that 84 percent offer inadequate protection from the sun’s harmful rays or contain ingredients with safety concerns. The research organization Environmental Working Group conducted the analysis and produced a new database listing products with the best combination of safety and effectiveness. The database can be accessed at www.ewg.org/ sunscreen. Some sunscreen chemicals break down when exposed to sunlight and must be formulated with stabilizing chemicals. Others penetrate the skin and present significant health concerns, according to the study. “The SPF rating on the product is helpful, but it is only part of what a consumer needs to know,” Jane Houlihan, Vice President for Research at EWG, said in a statement. “Our rating system includes SEE SUNSCREEN | 3D
Waiting more than two hours for emergency department care dramatically reduces patient satisfaction, according to a national sur vey released last Wednesday by Press Ganey, a leading patient satisfaction survey firm from South Bend, Ind. The national average wait time was 240 minutes. Patients were most pleased with care they got between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m., the survey said. Hospitals that apprise patients of delays also help curb dissatisfaction, according to the report, “2007 Emergency Department Pulse Report: Patient Perspectives on American Health Care.” It surveyed waiting times for 1.5 million patients treated at more than 1,500 emergency departments in 2006. — McClatchy-Tribune Information Services
FITNESS
EFFECTIVE SUNSCREENS According to the study, the following sunscreens are highly effective and have a low health hazard. ■ Badger SPF 30 (2007) ■ Peter Thomas Roth Titanium Dioxide Sunblock (SPF 30) (2006) ■ Lavera Sun Screen Neutral SPF 40 (2007) ■ UV Natural UV Natural Baby SPF 30+ (2007) ■ Vanicream Sunscreen Sport (formerly Sunscreen SPF 35) (SPF 35) (2006) ■ UV Natural Sport SPF 30+ (2006) ■ California Baby SPF 30+ Sunblock Stick No Fragrance (2007) ■ California Baby SPF 30+ Sunblock Stick Everyday/Year-Round (2007) ■ Keys Soap Solar RX Sunblock (SPF 30) (old formulation) (2005) ■ KINeSYS KIDS Sunscreen Spray with Parsol 1789 (SPF 30+) (2006) ■ California Baby SPF 30+ Sunscreen Lotion Everyday/Year-Round (2007) ■ California Baby SPF 30+ Sunscreen Lotion Natural Bug Blend (2007) ■ California Baby SPF 30+ Sunscreen Lotion No Fragrance (2007) ■ Dr. Brandt Body Barrier Gel (SPF 30) (2006) ■ Mustela Moderate Sun Protection Stick (SPF 20) (2006)
GETTING MORE IRON
Your body needs iron to make hemoglobin, a substance in red blood cells that enables them to carry oxygen to the body’s tissues. Too few healthy red blood cells causes a condition called anemia, and lack of dietary iron is a prime cause. Eating plenty of iron-containing foods is particularly important for people who have higher iron requirements, such as children and menstruating or pregnant women. Here’s a list from the Mayo Clinic of foods that are high in iron: ■ red meat, seafood, poultry and eggs ■ iron-fortified cereals, breads and pastas ■ beans and peas, dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach ■ raisins, nuts and seeds You can enhance your body’s absorption of iron by drinking citrus juice with vitamin C when eating an iron-containing food.
Patients don’t want to wait
STAFF PHOTO | ROBERT SUTTON
Rhythmic exercise can help balance
Exercises that make you feel like dancing? That’s what Gyrotonic and gyrokinesis do. It’s no wonder. Juliu Horvath, a professional dancer with the Romanian State Opera and Houston Ballet, before he ruptured his Achilles tendon, developed these exercise programs that stretch and strengthen muscles with circular and fluid movements like those performed by dancers. Kathy Anderson, who used to teach dance camps for high school and college drill and dance corps, fell in love with the exercises the first time she tried them. “Juliu Horvath said, ‘I hate to exercise, but I love to move my body,’ and isn’t that what it’s about?” says Anderson, the owner of My Pilates Studio. Gyrotonic is a program that combines exercises with specially designed pieces of equipment. The exercises combine elements of yoga, tai chi, dance, swimming and gymnastics. It’s a program that is done by one person under the supervision of a trainer. Gyrokinesis are exercises that require no special equipment and are typically done in a group setting. The rhythmic and undulating movements combined with breathing, stretch the spine and work the joints to increase range of motion, improve coordination and balance and stretch the body. Anderson noted that when people weight train or play sports such as golf, soccer and basketball, they tend to perform repetitive movements with large muscle groups. “They don’t work both sides of the body, and they become unbalanced, develop bad habits,” Anderson says. It’s one reason why golfers develop a slice or hook in their swing, soccer players are prone to hamstring injuries and dancers develop Achilles heel problems. Repetitive two-dimensional movement is also the reason that people who work regularly with computers develop neck pain, pedicurists who spend much of their time bent over have back pain and for a host of other job-related ills.
For more information, visit the Web site www.gyrotonic.com. STAFF GRAPHIC | ANTHONY BRATINA
— Cox Newspapers