Short Takes
Usable news + tips   

Bonnie Schiedel

Toys, not noise

Whew, another reason not to buy annoying, screechy playthings for the kids: extra-loud toys may do damage to children’s hearing. Why? Children’s hearing is especially sensitive since youngsters are still developing. Plus, kids will often hold loud toys close to the face or ears, even though they’re designed to be used at arm’s length. “If you have to raise your voice to be heard over the toy, it’s too loud,” says Chantal Lalonde, a manager with the Canadian Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists in Ottawa.

Life in the pressure cooker

Conventional wisdom says that your demanding job could be making you sick. And a Quebec study confirms that white-collar workers—especially men—with stressful jobs and little on-the-job support are at increased risk for higher blood pressure. Fortunately, people with high-pressure jobs who also have good social support are less vulnerable. “Social support can come from both supervisors and colleagues,” notes study co-author Dr. Chantal Guimont of Laval University’s family medicine department in Quebec City. “Examples include encouragement, positive feedback and ensuring that workers are not isolated.”

Move of the month

Snow + shovelling = sore muscles Head off injury to the shoulders and upper body with the thread- the-needle stretch before and after you clear the walks, advises Jessica Ritchie, a certified fitness trainer in Edmonton. Kneel on all fours. Keeping your right arm straight and the palm facing the ceiling, move it behind your left arm, reaching sideways across your chest. Bend your left arm and move your upper body closer to the floor. Stretch your right arm along the floor. Turn your head toward your outstretched arm and put your right ear on the floor. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds. Repeat exercise on the other side.

It's Not Easy Feeling Green

Are the high hormone levels of  pregnancy making you a queasy mom-to-be? Try these doctor-recommended tips to quell morning sickness (or nausea at any time of day):

• Sniff lemons or ginger.
• Eat a few salty potato chips.
• Don’t drink beverages with a meal or right before or after a meal.

Be sure to talk to your physician if your symptoms are severe.

Get the Red Out

Rosacea—chronic redness on the cheeks, nose, chin or forehead, sometimes combined with pimples —responds well to a new skin-care regimen, according to the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. Azelaic acid, 15% gel, used in combination with a cleanser and moisturizer containing polyhydroxy acid (PHA), proved effective for decreasing facial redness. Other treatment options include topical creams with metronidazole, oral antibiotics and, in some cases, isotretinoin. Laser therapy or intense pulsed-light therapy can help broken blood vessels that do not respond to topical or oral therapy, says Dr. Rob Miller, a Halifax dermatologist.

Putting Pain on Mute

Ever tried to talk to a kid engrossed in his favourite TV show? As every parent knows, television can be a huge distraction—and it’s one that’s powerful enough to interfere with the brain’s perception of pain, according to Italian researchers at the University of Siena. In their study of 69 kids age seven to 12, the ones who watched a cartoon while having blood drawn reported much lower pain scores than those who underwent the same procedure with only their moms for comfort

Heterosexual HIV

Before 1996, women made up about 10% of Canadians testing positive for HIV. In 2005, that proportion had grown to about 25%, says the Public Health Agency of Canada. Surprised? Don’t be. A recent study in the Journal of Urban Health tracked 278 HIV-positive men over eight years. More than a third of them reported having unprotected sex with women who were HIV-negative or whose HIV status was not known.

Sex test

How much do you know about sexually transmitted infections

Answer true or false.

1. Chlamydia bacteria can infect the throat via oral sex.
2. From 1997 to 2004, the Canadian syphilis rate rose by 500%.
3. A person with hepatitis B usually shows symptoms because he or she is very sick.
4. There is a vaccine for human papilloma virus (HPV), the virus that can cause genital warts.
5. The transmission of genital herpes can be completely prevented by condom use.

Answers

1. True
   More common infection sites are the urethra, cervix and rectum. Eyes can also be infected.
   
   
2. False
   The syphilis rate actually rose by more than 900% in that period.
   
   
3. False
   Most people with this liver virus have no symptoms and may never know they have it.
   
   
4. True
   Health Canada recently approved a vaccine against four strains of HPV for young females between the ages of nine and 26 (most infection occurs at first sexual contact).
   
   
5. False
   Condoms reduce risk, but genital herpes can still be transmitted if the infected areas and secretions are not completely covered by a latex condom.

Busting Nutrition Myths

Susie Langley, RD, a Toronto registered dietitian and Canadian Health’s nutrition adviser, sets the record straight on two of the comments she hears most often.

The Myth

“Carbs are fattening!”

GRAIN OF TRUTH

The carbohydrates found in chips, cookies and doughnuts are usually high in calories and low in nutrients.

THE REAL DEAL

Generally speaking, about half of your daily calories should come from healthy carbs such as those in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, milk and yogurt.

The Myth

“You shouldn’t eat foods containing sodium!”

GRAIN OF TRUTH

If you have high blood pressure, you do need to watch your sodium intake.

THE REAL DEAL

A small amount of sodium—2,300 milligrams (about one teaspoon)—is fine for most people without high blood pressure. Athletes and other physically active people may need more salt in their daily diets to replace the sodium lost through sweating.

The fine art of sneezing

Forget the old etiquette of covering your mouth and nose with your hands when you sneeze or cough. Though that cuts down on germs entering the air, it also leaves them on your hands, from which they easily spread to doorknobs, railings, bank machines and other people. Even coughing into a tissue can contaminate the hands. For better infection control, some authorities—Toronto Public Health for one—are recommending you sneeze into your sleeve. The target areas are the clothed shoulder, elbow or forearm, where instead of thriving in the warm, moist milieu of human flesh, viruses and bacteria desiccate and die in dry, lifeless fabric. Check out the best techniques for sleeve-sneezing and cuff-coughing in the hilarious how-to video playing at www.coughsafe.com. 

—Diana Swift

Try a new perspective

Finding it hard to make a decision about your own medical treatment? Take a step back and pretend you’re advising a friend—it may help you see the bigger picture. A new study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine found that participants who were given an imaginary medical scenario were more likely to choose an active treatment approach when they were pretending to make a decision for someone other than themselves.

Did you know?

infirm sperm + miscarriage

A woman’s risk of miscarrying a child appears to increase with the age of her baby’s father, regardless of her own age and other risk factors such as smoking, according to a study of nearly 14,000 Jerusalem women. Couples in which the man was age 40 or older had a 60% greater risk of miscarriage than couples in which the man was in his mid to late 20s.

You ask, we answer

I understand that after age 85, one in three Canadians will be affected by Alzheimer’s disease. Is there anything I can do now—I’m 42—to reduce my risk of developing dementia?

Several, says neuroscientist Dr. Jack Diamond, scientific director of the Alzheimer Society of Canada. And many are the same common-sense measures that ward off other degenerative diseases. These include avoiding obesity, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Also helpful is a Mediterranean-style diet rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, healthy oils, antioxidant vitamins such as C and E and the anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids found in cold-water fish. An interactive social life—playing cards, going to the theatre in groups—and engaging in intellectual activities such as reading, chess and crossword puzzles are also good for preserving cognitive function. “You must use it or lose it,” Diamond says. Get regular aerobic exercise such as jogging, brisk walking and even climbing stairs. Also important is protecting your head from concussion: wear a helmet when cycling or playing sports. Although the effects of smoking and excess alcohol are still under study, it’s best to avoid these, too. For more information, call 1 800 616 8816 or go to www.alzheimer.ca.

My high-school age daughter is upset about having allergies. Is there any upside to being allergic that I can tell her about?

Maybe, according to allergist Dr. Susan Waserman, an associate professor of medicine at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont. “Research suggests that allergic people may be less likely to develop cancer—perhaps because of their more active immune systems.” During allergic responses, the immune system produces cytokines, hormone-like proteins that increase the activity of certain white blood cells called natural killer (NK) cells. NKs can also detect abnormalities in tissue that indicate the presence of infections or cancerous changes. When NKs pick up on these, they signal the suspect cells to commit suicide. “So, theoretically at least, the higher production of NK-boosting cytokines in allergic people could potentially make them more resistant to infection or cancer,” Waserman says. “But this remains to be proven.”

Since reaching menopause at 51, I have lost all interest in having sexual relations with my husband, which is placing a huge strain on a good marriage. Are there any safe aids I can take to boost my desire?

Although testosterone therapy and drugs such as antidepressants are under investigation for this problem, there are currently no approved medications that women can take to increase sexual desire. “Lack of desire is a common concern, however, and it can be assessed and managed,” notes Dr. Rosemary Basson, director of sexual medicine at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. To solve this problem, both partners will need to be evaluated. Current assessment and treatment are designed to address multiple aspects of the issue, including the couple’s relationship and psychological, sexual and medical concerns. “Unfortunately,” Basson says, “there are no quick solutions.”

—Diana Swift