 |
|
Keeping Up to Date
Health in the News
Olive Oil and Gallstone RiskIt’s well-known that a Mediterranean-style diet rich in olive oil and other unsaturated fats is good for your heart. In fact, the FDA now allows olive oil-containing products to carry that message on their label. The latest good news, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, is that unsaturated fats can help prevent gallstones as well. Researchers found that men who consumed the most unsaturated fats reduced their risk for gallstones by nearly 20 percent. The results are still out on women.
Don’t Let Asthma Sideline Your ChildChildren and teenagers with asthma can participate in sports when they learn how to manage their condition. By working closely with a health care team specially educated in asthma care, they can lead full and active lives. “Teaching families how to recognize triggers and prevent or stop an attack gives them confidence and control,” says Robert Miller, M.D., pediatric lung specialist at Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network. The Starbright Foundation has produced a CD titled “Quest for the Code” that teaches children ages 7 to 15 how to manage their asthma. It features 3-D graphics and the voices of 11 celebrities. For referral to a pediatric lung specialist or a free copy of the CD, call 610-402-CARE.
Antibiotics and Ear PainIf your child has an ear infection, don’t be surprised if your doctor holds off on antibiotics. The American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends that otherwise healthy children over age 2 take pain relievers like ibuprofen or acetaminophen, but no antibiotics for 48 to 72 hours. “Most ear infections clear up on their own in two to three days,” says pediatrician Scott Rice, M.D., of Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network. If that doesn’t happen, your child will need a course of bacteria-fighting antibiotics. And the doctor may still prescribe them right away for children under age 2 and those with severe symptoms or other illnesses.
To Help You Save on Drug CostsIf prescription drugs are straining your budget, a new resource from Consumer Reports might help. The magazine has launched a free web site, www.CRBestBuyDrugs.org, that compares a variety of drugs on price and effectiveness. When it’s scientifically appropriate, the site chooses a “best buy drug” in each category. Current categories are cholesterol-lowering drugs; heartburn and acid reflux drugs; and anti-inflammatories for arthritis pain. Eventually there will be 20 drug categories on the site.
This page last updated 2/12/08 04:08 PM
|
March April 2005
Eating Healthy
Staying Fit
Caring for Mind and Body
Just for Women
Just for Men
Raising a Family
Heart of Healthy You
Protecting Your Health
Coping with Illness
Aging Well
Keeping Up to Date
Weight Control
|
|
Olive Oil and Gallstone Risk
