Too Much TV
Makes For Fat Kids

ALISON ASHTON SPECIALTO THE JEWISH NEWS

arents distressed
by kids who spend
too much time in
front of the tube
need to look for
new ways to pry
them off the
couch. An article
in a recent issue of

You never thought you'd be the one to get it.

But there it is, staring you in the face.

And for the first time in your life, you feel alone.

And helpless.

Archives of Pedi-
atrics and Adolescent Medicine

Call us.

We'll do more than give you the facts about cancer.

We'll help you face them, with information on research trials,

second opinions, treatment options and support groups.

Feeling helpless is no help at all.

Call the Cancer AnswerLine today.

Cancer AnswerLine

1-800-865-1125

Call 9 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday.

Comprehensive Cancer Center

AMMEN.M.E.E.
=Ma ■ •••11•11.------
1•11 ■ 11. MN!.

University of Michigan
Health System

Offering expertis e...

in facial cosmetic and reconstructive surgery performed by
board certified surgeons who are sensitive to your aesthetic
concerns.
To receive information on all aspects of facial cosmetic
surgery or to schedule a consultation at our private office suite
located at 1900 Haggerty Road, Suite 103, in Livonia, please
call 1-800-493-3223.

Members of the American Academy
of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
Certified, American Board
of Otolaryngology

Mill Floor

COVERINGS

Mon., Thurs., Fri. 9-9
Tues., Wed. 9-6
Sat. 9-5
(810) 738-6554

2380 Orchard T Ake Road

just E. of Loading Dock Plaza, Sylvan I .lce

Center for Facial Cosmetic Surgery

ig&

University of Michigan
Health System

STAIR—GLIDE STAIRWAY LIFTS
THE CAREFREE WAY TO
CLIMB STAIRS

When you're disabled, or just not able to move
around as freely as you once could, stairs can
be a real problem. But there is a simple answer.
STAIR-GLIDP powered stairway lift. Easily installed
to fit curved or straight stairs. They give you back
the ability to move around your own home. Folds
bock-gets in nobody's way.
CALL OR STOP BY FOR A FREE DEMONSTRATION

LARRY ARONOFF

STAIR-GLIDE"

ACTON RENTAL & SALES (313) 891-6500 (810) 540-5550

notes that children who spend
more than five hours a day
watching television are signifi-
cantly more likely to be obese
than those who watch little or
no TV.
"Numerous studies indi-
cate that the preva-
lence of obesity
among children
and adolescents
in the United
States has sub-
stantially in-
creased during
the past years,"
says Dr. Steven
L. Gortmaker
of the Harvard
School of Public
Health. "Obesity is the
most common nutritional disor-
der in this age group."
It seems that too much TV is
at least partially to blame. Re-
searchers studied 746 children
ages 10 to 15 and found that
those who watched TV more
than five hours a day were 5.3
times more likely to be obese
than those who watch less than
two hours a day.
The connection between tele-
vision viewing and obesity was
so strong that the researchers
urge parents to follow the Amer-
ican Academy of Pediatrics' rec-
ommendation of limiting kids'
television time to less than two
hours a day.
Parents can help by focusing
children's attention on more vig-
orous activities (from simply
playing outside with friends to
supervised team sports) and lim-
iting their access to sedentary
pursuits, including TV and play-
ing games on the family com-
puter.
According to the Academy of
General Dentistry, your mother
was wrong: Chocolate isn't bad
for your teeth. At least it's not as
harmful as once believed:
"Just because chocolate con-
tains sugar doesn't mean it is
cariogenic, or cavity-causing,"
says Charles Perle, D.M.D.,

F.A.G.D.
"Chocolate tends to be less car-
iogenic than previously believed
because it has a low resting pH,"
level. That means the acid level
in one's mouth is low."
Lunch meats and aged
cheeses, such as Gouda, moz-
zarella and cheddar, also are
easy on the teeth because they
neutralize acid in the mouth. So
are high-fiber snacks like apples,
which produce saliva to wash c (
away sugar.
Foods that stick to the teeth,
such as dried fruit, or con-
tain a
lot

of sugar, like apple juice,
are more likely to do harm.
Planning to undergo surgery?
Be sure to let your doctor know
if you take any nutritional sup-
plements.
"Patients should talk to their
surgeons about the use of any
nutritional supplements or un-
usual dietary habits before in-
vasive surgery," says Dr. Judith±\
J. Petty, in a recent issue of Plas-

tic and Reconstructive Surgery.

"Some supplements interfere
with the healing process, while
others have been shown to im-
prove healing."
Supplements like garlic, vita-
min E and fish oil may be good
for general health, but they also
can cause excessive bleeding and
other problems for surgical pa-
tients. Fish oil inhibits normal
blood clotting, for example, and
garlic and vitamin E inhibit
platelet function.
But vitamin A can help coun-
teract the depression of a pa-
tient's immune system that—/
follows surgery. It's considered
especially helpful for patients
being treated with steroids.
However, pregnant women or
women planning to becoming
pregnant within a year should
avoid vitamin A.
A derivative of the pineapple
plant, bromelain decreases
swelling of the muscles and
helps reduce bruising (a common