Worrying Too Much

Many people spend far too much of their time worrying.  We worry about our families, our money, our futures.  We even worry about how much we worry.  The health effects of all this worry can be devastating.  The stress of worry can increase our blood pressure, the risk of heart disease, even cancer.  According to the Trust for America's Health, we could be hurting our health by worrying about our health.  Now here are their statistics, statistics that are being looked at looked at very seriously by the American Medical Association.  Thirty-seven percent of people worry about cancer as their top health concern, 14% heart disease, 13% obesity, and 11% chemical terrorism.  Worry is appropriate in small doses.  It can help us anticipate problems down the line.  But let's face it, you don't want to overdo it. 

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Common Medical Myths Proven False

The British Medical Journal has rounded up many of the commonly held beliefs that many doctors think are true. Despite the fact that these myths have either been proven false or they lack supporting evidence, they looked at them closely. The myths include: We use only 10% of our brains, eating turkey makes you sleepy, reading in dim light will damage your eyesight, that we need to drink eight glasses of water each day, shaving causes hair to grow back faster, darker and coarser, and hair and fingernails continue to grow after we die. All of them false! It’s pretty interesting that these myths are out there and we fall for them. The researchers who combined the literature, and they looked at all sorts of things for proof of the myths, found their doctor colleagues also found it hard to believe many of these myths are not true.

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Health Benefits of Green Tea

Water is the number one consumed fluid in the world.  But you already knew that.  What do you think the second most popular drink in the world is?  The answer might surprise you.  It's tea.  One of the reasons so many people drink tea may be due to the health benefits.  Tea, in particular, green tea, has many health advantages.  Chemicals called the polyphenols found in green tea are potent antioxidants.  They're helpful in fighting heart disease and inflammatory problems.  Green tea has been touted as a cancer fighter, but studies do not support this claim.  Overall, green tea might not be cure-all and it probably gets a great deal more press than it deserves as a treatment for all sorts of problems, but it is a healthy choice when you're thinking about a relaxing drink.  Clearly, we know this much.  Tea does have a calming effect. 

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Minimizing Narcotic Abuse

In the past, we've talked about ibuprofen abuse, but narcotic abuse is a far more severe problem because of the addictive tendencies.  Ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and other products like that certainly can be overused, but when you talk about a narcotic, there is an additional fact that you're not just doing it for pain, you're doing it for the feeling from the narcotic.  It's important that abuse of narcotics is minimized.  The way you do this, of course, is only taking what your doctor prescribes and seriously questioning how much you use. 

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Dealing with Peer Pressure

Peer pressure is a problem that we can't ignore because children go into their world and they suffer from those issues with peers.  The thing about peer pressure that we need to discuss and evaluate is that sometimes when we have issues of peer pressure, we don't necessarily look at the whole picture.  We only look at how it affects your child.  You have to look at that dynamic; the relationship with children and your own children.

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Causes of Back Pain

Back pain may be one of the most common health concerns around the world. It’s ranked number two, and it can be caused by a wide variety of problems. It can be from stress; it can be from over exercise; it could be from the fact that you are basically in a situation where you’re not taking the necessary medications you should to control it. All of those things come together. If you have back problems, get yourself evaluated…a functional evaluation…to find out what may in fact be leading to the difficulty, and then you can deal with it and take it from there.

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Causes of Throat Pain

Throat pain is a problem if you’re someone who is using your voice on a regular basis, especially as you go through allergy season. Throat pain isn’t always a strep infection, it isn’t always pharyngitis. It can be a result of postnasal drip from the sinuses being congested. You get that fluid going in the back of your throat, and that actually can lead to discomfort and pain. There are many things that throat pain can be attributed to. Try to look into the throat and understand the cause.

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Detecting Breast Cancer Early

Breast cancer affects as many as one out of eight women and it can be detected early. The best way to detect breast cancer early is through regular breast self-examinations, examinations by your doctor, and also through the mammogram. These three tools are valuable. One of the things you want to do is look if breast cancer is in your family. If there’s a family history, clearly it’s something we need to worry about. You want to pay close attention and know the risk factors.

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Edema (Swelling) Can Cause Pain

Edema is another word for a type of swelling.  With edema, you actually have an increase of pressure and that pressure can cause pain.  For instance, if you have edema in the sinus cavities, that edema can actually push against the wall of the skull indirectly through the sinus cavities.  If it does, you'll actually feel pressure in that area.  Many times doctors are able to tell with their patients where the pressure is just by palpating, or pushing, that area and trying to find out where it occurs. 

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Pressure and Stress Can Influence Allergies

Can pressure lead to allergic symptoms? It’s a very interesting concept. If you’re under pressure at work, and feel that there’s a great deal of stress on you, it, actually, can cause your immune system to work extra hard. There’s a theory out there that people under pressure actually begin to have more and more problems with their allergies. It’s a concept that’s very interesting, but experts do find it somewhat true that when people are under pressure, they have that difficulty and it’s a difficulty that’s often tough to control.

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High Heels and Foot Problems

Certainly they make a woman’s legs look good and they’re very popular, but high heels can make a wide variety of situations more difficult. First of all, there’s the obvious situation that you could turn your ankle and cause that sort of difficulty. In addition, many high heels have of narrow box to the shoe, so the toes are crushed. When the toes are crushed in that position, it can actually lead to nerve damage and a neuroma. The final thing is it can add to bunions and the problems associated with it. Be careful about the shoes you wear.

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Getting Help for Depression

Depression is a problem that affects many people. In fact, one out of eight people will suffer from serious depression at some point in their life. The thing about depression that’s important is that it can’t be ignored. It’s something that needs be treated. There are medications available, as well as therapy. One of the most important things to do in situations of depression is to recognize the problem and not be afraid to talk about it. Many people don’t take the time; they’re embarrassed. They think they have a psychiatric issue. But you can’t fall into that trap. You need help.

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Women Are Better At Detecting Body Odor Than Men

This is a really interesting study.  It comes from the Monell Chemical Senses Center and it's in the Flavour and Fragrance journal.  Women may be better at detecting body odor.  A study looked at the ability of fragrances to block body odor and it finds that only two of 32 scents effectively blocked underarm odor when women were doing the smelling.  In contrast, 19 scents effectively reduced the strength of underarm odor for men.  In addition, male underarm odors appear to be tougher to block with fragrances than female underarm odors.  We love studies like this because it looks at the differences we have as men and women, but it also takes a look at the fact that we're all the same as people.  Many of us face issues with body odor, we face issues with hygiene, and it is clear that looking at these things can make a big difference. 

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New Research on Dreams

Dreams have served as a source of confusion and wonder since people started dreaming.  Scientists have studied them, most famously Dr. Sigmund Freud, and there are thousands of theories out there.  Now, new research is providing insight into how most people interpret dreams.  According to a Carnegie Mellon researcher, people believe that hidden truths present themselves in dreams.  This view is consistent across cultural lines and around the globe.  According to the latest report, 149 university students in the United States, India, and South Korea made exactly that point.  According to the findings, dreams also affect how people act when they are awake.  A survey of Boston commuters found that when they dreamed of a plane crash the night before a scheduled air trip, they would be more likely to change their travel plans.  Another key point is people attribute the meaning of dreams when it corresponds to preexisting issues.  

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How Much Is Too Much TV?

How much is too much TV for your child? Well, if you think your child is watching too much TV, then it probably is too much. That’s one good way to tell. Secondly, are you using the television as a babysitter? Is the TV something which is on all the time, even when nothing else is going on? It’s kind of a background noise. What is on the television? Is it adult programming? Is it Dr. Phil? Is it news? Or are we talking about child appropriate shows? These are things you need to be aware of. You can’t trust the networks like you once did. They put virtually anything on the air.

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Alcohol Education for Younger Children

There is a report from the University of Pittsburgh which suggested that students should be exposed to knowledge of the dangers of alcohol as early as fourth grade. There are several reasons for this. First, kids watch TV and ads marketing alcohol. Those ads are more prominent than ever. Then there is the information from a review of state and national surveys which found that among typical fourth-graders, 10% had already had more than a sip of alcohol and 7% had a drink in the past year. The percent of children who have used alcohol increases with age and doubles between 4th and 6th grades.

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There’s No Magic Pill for Weight Loss

Despite the fact that millions have been spent looking for one, and many an unethical marketer has promoted it, there is no magic pill for weight loss.  Many women are searching for this answer, but the bottom line is a harsh one.  Overweight people can achieve greater weight loss success with a combination of a low-calorie diet, increased physical activity, and behavioral changes.  The best case scenario is to allow people to learn about the foods to eat, how to choose them at restaurants and the store, as well as providing support for exercise.

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