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Each month we feature one full
article from the current issue of the WELLNESS LETTER, plus our
Ask the Experts column, in addition to brief summaries of the
other articles, listed below.
Should You Be a Locavore?
One of the hot issues in food shopping these days is locally grown food. According to the strict definition, a “locavore” is one who eats only food grown within a radius of 100 miles. That’s the so-called 100-mile diet: make sure that everything you eat is grown within that distance from your home. Proponents of this plan say that locally grown produce is not only tastier but also more nutritious. You will be supporting your local farmers, your local economy, and your community. By saving the cost of long-distance transport, you will save fossil fuel and reduce the carbon footprint of the food you eat—that is, the amount of greenhouse gases put in the air by producing, harvesting, processing, and transporting the food. How true is all this? The answers are not always clear. Full
Story
Chew This Over
More than half of Americans chew gum—about 300 sticks or nearly two pounds worth a year, on average. Most chew just for pleasure or out of habit; others to freshen breath, stop a cigarette or food craving, or to relax. Does gum provide any real benefits? You may be surprised to know that gum has actually been subjected to a fair amount of study—though, not surprisingly, much of it has been funded by the gum industry.
Noise: When It’s All in Your Head
Tinnitus is phantom noise nobody else hears—ringing, clanging, whistling, or whatever form it takes. For some people it never goes away; for others it is temporary or intermittent. Some, by a great effort, learn to ignore or tolerate the noise, but for others it may result in depression and an inability to work, sleep, or function. If you are among the 12 million people seeking medical advice for tinnitus annually, you will probably be referred to an ear, nose, and throat specialist (an otolaryngologist) and an audiologist, who will test your hearing. Sometimes the ringing can be silenced by treating an underlying condition—for example, by curing an ear infection, removing ear wax, or switching medications. Most people, though, simply have to find some way to live with it—to make the sounds less noticeable. Here are ways to manage tinnitus.
Pomegranates: How Wonderful?
If you want an example of successful entrepreneurship in the health marketplace, look no further than POM Wonderful. This company sells pomegranate juice and related products, including bottled POM tea with pomegranate extracts, plus a line of supplements called POMx. Ads for POM products claim across-the-board health benefits, and strongly imply that they can prevent or treat heart disease, prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction, Alzheimer’s disease, and other ills. The antioxidant properties of pomegranate juice—only POM, not other brands—are flaunted. POM points out that the 25 million dollars worth of scientific research has been done exclusively with POM Wonderful juice. This is hardly surprising, since the company funded the research.
Sensitive to the Sun
If you get a red, itchy rash after being in the sun—especially in the spring or early summer each year—chances are you have sun (or photo) sensitivity. This reaction, sometimes called “sun poisoning” or “sun allergy,” is different from a sunburn. In most cases the rash occurs several hours after sun exposure and can last for a few days; more rarely, hives appear within minutes of sun exposure and subside more quickly. Sun sensitivity can be uncomfortable and unsightly, and it can limit outdoor activities and spoil vacations.
Do You Need Breathing Lessons?
No one has to teach you to breathe—like your heartbeat, breathing is an automatic process. Yet various websites promote an array of hand-held devices that supposedly train you to breathe better in order to improve exercise performance and reduce exercise-related fatigue. They have such names as Expand-A-Lung, the Sports Breather, and PowerLung. Other “respiratory muscle trainers,” as they are called, are pitched for people with various ailments and for older people in general. They sell for about $30 to $100. Basically, the devices are meant to train the muscles involved in breathing using the principles of basic resistance training. That is, you inhale (and sometimes exhale) through the mouthpiece to work against resistance. Can you really breathe your way to a faster swim, a better tennis game, an easier bike ride?
It’s Your Nickel
Nickel is everywhere—in the earth, as well as in food, water, coins, pots and pans, jewelry, zippers, and scores of other products. For most people this is not a problem, but in others exposure to nickel produces an itchy rash. When nickel is next to the skin it can dissolve in perspiration, and nickel ions can penetrate the skin, producing a reaction in susceptible people. Body piercing (including tattooing and acupuncture) can provoke nickel allergy. Perhaps as many as 11% of women and 2% of men are susceptible—women more so because they are more likely to have their ears pierced. Jewelry and body-piercing tools jewelry often contain nickel. So do scissors, knitting needles, and other household items. Cell phones may contain nickel, too, and there have been reports of allergic reactions in hot weather, when perspiration can dissolve the nickel.
ASK
THE EXPERTS
Our readers ask: Is it okay to eat the gray layer under the skin in salmon? Can soaking in water with Epsom salt relieve muscle soreness or arthritis? How do the health benefits of raisins compare to grapes? Is the new drug that enhances eyelashes safe to use? Does sleeping with my radio on all night interfere with getting a good night’s sleep? Is it okay to eat dry oats straight from the box? Full
Story
WELL & INFORMED
Tips, Short Takes, and Other News You Can Use
Can the recession make you sick? . . . ladder safety.
WELLNESS TIPS
• If you’re a man between 65 and 75 who has ever smoked, you should have an ultrasound test for an abdominal aortic aneurysm. This type of aneurysm is a weakening and ballooning of the abdominal portion of the aorta, the major artery from the heart. Smokers and former smokers are at highest risk, and most men in that age group have smoked at some point.
• To increase the accuracy of a Pap test, don’t have the test during your menstrual period. During the prior 48 hours, do not have sexual intercourse; do not use tampons, birth control foam, jellies, or other vaginal creams or vaginal medication; and do not douche.
• If you get your teeth bleached, the laser or other light source often used may not be necessary—and may even be harmful, according to a study in a journal from the Royal Society of Chemistry. Researchers found that using the lamp did not increase the degree of tooth whitening compared to the bleach alone. Moreover, the light from the lamps (which emit ultraviolet radiation) can reflect and scatter to other parts of the mouth and face—and to the eyes, if eye protection is not used or is inadequate.
• To stop a nosebleed, sit up to allow gravity to lower pressure in the veins; tilt your head forward a bit to keep blood from running into your throat; and pinch the fleshy part of your nose between the bridge and nostril for 5 to 10 minutes, breathing through your mouth. Applying ice probably won’t help, since it’s the pressure, not the temperature, that stops the bleeding.
• If you’re in a car for long hours in the sun, wear long sleeves or use a sunscreen on your exposed side, especially if you burn easily. Clear glass screens out nearly all ultraviolet-B radiation, the kind most responsible for sunburn and tanning. But only windshields (not the side and back windows) are treated to block most ultraviolet-A radiation, the kind that causes skin aging and possibly melanoma.
• If you’re older and want to improve your sense of balance and reduce the risk of falls, ankle exercises can help. In a recent study from Portugal, people over 70 did a series of simple ankle exercises that involved flexing and extending their feet, using elastic bands for resistance three times a week. This resulted in stronger muscles in the feet and ankles and improved balance and mobility.
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