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>>Welcome to McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital's community newsletter. Twice a month, we bring timely health news and information for you and your family. Visit McCullough-Hyde's website today.
Nix stress to preserve heart healthWhether it’s due to a bad day at the office, a frustrating afternoon in traffic or a hectic schedule, chances are you've felt the physical effects of stress. Your heart rate quickens, you breathe faster and your blood pressure rises. If you only experience these effects once in a while, it’s probably not a problem. But many people feel this type of stress regularly, even daily. If you’re one of them, take note: Chronic stress can take a toll on your health and may even damage your heart. The American Heart Association says that while it's still unclear exactly how much of a role stress plays in heart disease, frequent increases in blood pressure and heart rate may damage artery walls. Fortunately, you can take steps to reduce stress and its effects:
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Healthy diet may boost kids’ IQFish isn’t the only food that’s good for your brain. A new study says that other healthy selections, if eaten regularly, might boost kids’ intelligence. And the flip side may also be true: If kids eat nothing but processed food and junk, they might actually lose IQ points. Published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, the report data are from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, which collected information reported by parents in food-frequency questionnaires on almost 4,000 children. Surveys were given when children were ages 3, 4, 7 and 8.5. The “processed” diet pattern included foods high in fat and sugar. The “health-conscious” diet pattern included foods such as salad, rice, pasta, fish and fruit. Researchers then compared diet patterns to IQ scores assigned using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children given to study children at 8.5 years. Those who ate high-processed-foods diets at age 3 scored slightly lower on IQ tests at age 8.5 than those who ate health-conscious diets at age 3. While the difference in IQ scores between the groups was small, that difference might be just another reason for parents to encourage their picky eaters to down a few more vegetables. |
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New “real-world” cardiovascular guidelines for womenExercise 150 minutes a week. Eat heart-healthy food. Health advice is easy to dole out, but for many women, it’s more easily said than done. The American Heart Association (AHA) is hoping to change that with its new 2011 cardiovascular disease prevention guidelines, which offer practical, “real-world” advice. They take into account, for instance, the fact that “real” patients may be older or sicker than patients in the research settings in which past guidelines were developed. Some women may also live in poverty or suffer depression, which can affect their ability to make lifestyle changes. The guidelines also recognize that women from different ethnic backgrounds have different heart risks. For example, African-American women are more likely to suffer from high blood pressure.
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More high-risk women benefit from breast MRIWomen who have had chest radiation for conditions such as Hodgkin’s disease (an immune system cancer) have an increased risk of breast cancer. Research shows that these women have a 13 percent to 20 percent chance of developing breast cancer by ages 40 to 45. But there may be a way to reduce their risks from this disease. In a study published in Radiology, researchers say adding screening MRIs to annual mammograms may increase the chance of catching cancer at an early stage. The study involved a review of 247 screening breast MRI exams of 91 women with a history of chest radiation therapy, performed between 1999 and 2008. Ten cancers were found during the study. Three were found only using mammography, four were found only on MRI and three were found using both MRI and mammography. Based on these findings, study authors concluded that women in this high-risk category have a better chance of having cancers detected if they use both tools. |
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McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital
110 N. POPLAR ST. / OXFORD, OH 45056 / 513-523-2111 / www.mhmh.org
Community Health is designed to provide general health news and wellness information. This information is not designed to, nor should it, be used as a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult your physician before undertaking any form of medical treatment or nutrition or exercise program.
