•
Health & Nutrition
by Judith Sheldon
y
Accordin to Dr. ebecca S.
Gruchana, in tructor of Internal
edicin t th Univ ity 0 Te
outh e tern Medical Center at
Dall, 0 m common aI-
r i f din m h of the Sunbelt
t thi tim 0 ye can be eed .
mountain d, a p
t tree.
The mountain
lIy c , t a mem rofthe
juniper family, can ca the
ympto of aller ic rhiniti, Y
Dr. Gruc Ila, which include "runny
n , tery ey , scratchy throat,
f ti ue, and general di omfort."
The problem be in in late
ovember when m le mountain
cedars begin to rel airborne pol­
len. If the pollen continu to be
released when the tree i brought in-
. de, it can affect anyone who is al­
lergic to it. (Fem le mountain cedars
do not pollinate.)
'Other pollin ting junipers that can
ca allergic re ctions for those
who are nsitive to the pollens are
eastern red cedar, red-berry juniper,
and one-seed juniper.
Fortunately, the mo t popular
Chri tmas trees - Scotch pines and
Douglas firs - do not pollinate in
the winter. However, there could till
be a problem wit" any live tree,
brought in from the outside because
of the possibility th t it harbors mold
spores. Molds are microscopic
parasitic plants without leaves,
stems, or roots, most of which
reproduce by releasing spores into
the air to settle on plant or animal
matter and produce new mold
clusters. Like pollen, mold spores
c n also produce allergic reactions.
A fungicide might help.
What about rtificial trees? If
you'll pardon the pun, they might be
all right, but even here you may not
be out of the woods yet. The problem
with artificial trees is that they�re
often not covered properly when
stored so that when reassembled,
they're likely to shed a lot d . And
dust contains dust mit .. _'.
millions of people are
sitivF·
WINTER BLAHS: In a little over
a week - December 21 to be precise
- we will reach the shortest day of
the year in the northern hemisphere.
After that, the days will begin to
lengthen, and many people who are
amicted with severe c f SAD
....:.. seasonal affective disorder -
will find their moods lifting with in­
creasing daylight. But until the.days
lengthen significantly, those with
SAD will exhibit symptoms such IS
depression, lethargy, oversleeping,
and a carbohydrate craving often
satisfied by eating cookies and rich
pastrie , resulting in inevitable
weight gain. .'
In recent years, scienti ts have
found ways to mitigate the effects of
light depriv tion. (However, the an­
cients also did their part. It's no coin­
cidence that most cultures have some
form of festival to brighten this
darker time of the year: the lighted
Christmas tree, which was borrowed
from the pagans; ditto the Yule log
which the pre-Christian Scan­
dinavians burned to encourage the
sun to return; the Jewish Hanukkah,
or Festival of the lights; and a Hindu
light festival, just to cite a few ex­
amples.) Today, SAD can be treated
both by technology and change of
. lifestyle. In the most severe cases,
special light boxes are prescribed by
doctors or mental health profes­
sionals. Patients sit in front of the
boxes for a few hours each day.
There's also a computer controlled
device which switches on a light in
the early morning, duplicating a
spring or early summer dawn.
To adjust without expensive tech­
nology: (I) Spend more time out­
doors; (2) t40ve your desk closer to
a window; (3) Brighten your home
and your work environment with
plants, open curtains and sh des, and
turn on more lights. (Don't use tan­
ning lights!!I); (4) Vacation in a
'sunny spot. (However, this is usually
only a temporary relief measure.
Symptoms can recur when you come
back.); (S) Satisfy carbohydrate
cravings by eating pasta without
heavy sauces; dd more beans and
vegetables to your diet, eat more
bread and crackers instead of fat­
laden, high calorie sweets, and (6)
Avoid alcohol; it deepens depres-
ion.
g inst xu I
pred to lie in teaching children to
di tingui h between 0 d nd bad
touchin nd to feel comfortable
talkin to th i r paren bout th ir
bodi , counselors y.
"Thi whole thing thrive in
ecrecy," ay Jo Mazza, clinical
upervi or wi th the Oregon
Children' Services Divi ion. "Kid
n d to trusting en ough to p k
honestly about exand th irbodie ."
Th typical exual predator i not
om drooling tranger in th alley.
More 0 ten, it's omeone th .child
Howtoreduc
No matter how much you paid for
health care in the last year, you
probably think it' too much.
And you're not alone.
Fact is, our nation's doctors -
among others - believe th cos t of
care in America is too high.
Two factors that contribute to high
co ts are professional liability in-
urance and defensive medicine - a
term used to de cribe tests and proce­
dures performed only to 'protect
phy icians in the event of a lawsuit.
According to some estimates, the
outrageous cost of doctor's liability
insurance, plus the costs of extra
tests and procedures performed only
to avoid liability claims, adds an
extra 15 percent to the average
physician' bill. By some estimates,
defensive medical procedures co t
Americans between $15 and 20 bil­
lion, yet they are no benefit to
patients.
And, in essence, a system
designed to protect the few who are
injured as a result of malpractice is
hurting us all.
malpractice to pursue claims, without
making the rest of us pay the price.
ut x I
m
di 8/ bill
This idea is part of a proposal for
reform called Health Acces
America, d velop d by th American
Medical 0 iation (AMA) with
� tien 'n ed in mind.
Health Ace America would
put an end to def nsive medicine.
Along with trategie for r due­
ing medical co t • Heal th Acce
America include plan to widen a -
c to care, and broaden employ rs
ponsored health insuranc .
To find out mor bout th the
Health Acce s America propo al, For
your copy, write to Dr. Jim Todd,
Dept. 6003, American Medical As-
ociation, 515, N. State Street,
Chicago, IL 60610.
TEN REASONS NOT TO SMOKE
, ,
lOver a quarter of all American
women �n'i6 '. n\�t 0(0 h I
for a variety of reason -to be like
their peers, to imitate a certain role
model, or to create a particular
im . Once a person tarts mok­
ing, 'she often becomes hooked,
putting her at risk for a number of
serious health and hygiene prob­
lems. Here are ten important
reasons not to moke:
1) Lung cancer i 24 times more
likely to develop in people who
moke. Lun cancer is the number
one cancer killer of women. Other
cancers, including those affecting
the mouth, esophagus, pancreas,
and bladder are also linked to
smoking.
2) The risk of heart disease is
Increased for moker. Smokin
causes about 170,CXX> premature
heart attacks in this country every
year.
� 3) People who rnoke often ex­
perience hortn of breath. Thi
problem may be the symptom of a
chronic, life-threatening lung
. disease.
4) Cigarette moke po risks to
the unborn baby. 'Miscarriage,
tillbirth, premature birth, and low
birth weight are all lin Iced to mater­
nal smoking.
5) Smoking promotes osteo­
porosis (bone 10 ) among
po tmenopau al women and
ignificantly increases the ri k of
heart disease amon oral contracep­
tive users over age 3S.
6) Smoker con tantly h ve b d
breath and moke tain on their
hand and teeth. The odor of tal
ci arette moke c' n to cldtb ,
,and hom.
7) Despite the glamorou im
. of I mo ers dtp int• idver-
ti ments, mokina i not viewed by
mo t American a glamorous
habit. Many people will not date,
live with, or it near a person who
mokes.
8) If you rnoke, you may en­
courage your children and other
who look to you as a role model to
moke.
9) Cigarette smoking is a costly
habit. A one pack a day smoker
spends over $BOO a year on cigarettes.
10) Smoking is now prohibited in
many place. You may fiOd yourself
pendin your breaks and lunch
hour in a tuffy loun e or out on the
loading dock.
Although quitting may well be
one of the toughest thin you've
ever done, in the end, the benefits
will be enormou . You not only will
look, mell, and feel better, ut
your risk of disease gradually Will
return to that of a non moker. If
you don't moke now, don't tart!
;..o1lrell1leCl.
wttII
booldet to: TIle
of ObIltetJtdII ..
and Gynecololl t, Relource
Center, 409 12th treet, W,
W Inaton, OC lOOl4 .
-FOOT P
OBLEMS?
• Diatletic Foot Care
• Ingrown Nails
• Corns & Callouses
• Warts; Fungus NaJls
• Athlete's Foot
• Skin Growth
• Foot and Ankle Injuries • Arthritic FeAt
• Heel & Arch Pain • Bunions
• Sports Medicine • Hammertoes
• Foot Infections • Bone Spurs
• Foot ('Sores") Ulcers· • Flat Feet
• Pr�scrlptlon Arch Supports • Poor Cirulation
DR. N.A. IGBOKWE
PODIATRIST - FOOT AND ANKLE SPECIALIST
9885 GRAND RIVER
DETROIT, MI 48204
491-3100
8282 WOODWARD AVENUE
DETROIT, I 48204
874-3440
WE CARE
15885 WOODW RD
HIGHLAND PARK,' I
885-2800 - 887-4002
OFFICES LOCATED INSIDE THE PARK MEotCAL CENTERS
Medicaid - Blue Cross - Medicare - Most Insurance Plans Accepted
WEEKENDS • EVENINGS. EMERGENCIES. HOUSE CALLS
,
It!!
con-
Get
every
- Don't nd forward without
bending your . Bend hi
- Carry object clo e to our
body.
tron
- Cloose the right mattress -
71JJ roil ma , an air bed or a
flo tion water bed .
-Relax.
-Faceyourwor and • ivot-
ing your feet first nbl.,.ilftIut you
trunk.
Take care of your back so it can
support you.
(3 3) 533-6500
DR. RONALD A. WHITE,P.C.
Dent try For Adu & Children
770 . c · chols
(2Blocks East of Soutbr�1d Freeway)
Detroit, Michigan
Hours By Appointment
Canadian Pharmacl. , D Vi
xt
For
•
•
en Y9u utter
• maddent ,'e i"�'."n.,,,,_.
hacking cough you "want im­
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more than an ordinary cough
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You need Buckley's Mix­
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That's why pharmaclst,
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Once you taste it, you will
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Stock up now ... so you're
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Horizon Marketing
1 Anderson Ave., Dept.
MA92
Moonachie, NJ 07074
.,
'.
-:
"
-:
.
'Tens of
thou and of people
wiLL need blo_od duri1lg
tfie fioliday .
Still wonderi1lg
wfiat to give?