Article Archive

When Drugs and Exercise Collide

Know the Physical Interactions of Pharmaceuticals

You probably know that problems can occur when you combine different drugs or use certain drugs in conjunction with certain foods. Yet, are you aware that a wide variety of commonly used drugs — including prescription, over-the-counter and herbal products — can affect your response to exercise, potentially increasing your risk of injury? Discover how to stay sage using these tips from Carol Krucoff, coauthor of Healing Moves: How to Cure, Relieve and Prevent Common Ailments with Exercise.

Muscular Flexibility

Five Simple Stretches

Mention flexibility and most people envision twisting themselves into a pretzel. But as we age, maintaining flexibility is less about being a contortionist and more about the ability to perform everyday activities. This is why regular stretching is especially important to stay limber and prevent atrophy as our bodies mature.

Aroma-oxidant

News Note

Breathing in aromas rich in antioxidants — the agents in fruits and vegetables, as well as vitamins C and E — may be an option for good health, according to Kwang-Guen Lee, a researcher at the University of California at Davis. Lee distilled and extracted 30 chemicals to produce aromas from 10 plants, including soybeans, kidney beans, eucalyptus leaves and several types of spices, including basil, thyme, rosemary and cinnamon. Lee then tested the extracts for antioxidant levels and found them to be similar to those in vitamin E.

Massage Crumbles Headache

News Note

New research verifies what massage therapists have always known: massage eases chronic tension headaches (American Journal of Public Health, October 2002). The small study measured baseline values of 14 non-migraine, tension headache sufferers for four weeks, documenting frequency, duration and intensity of the headaches. Subjects then received two 30-minute massage sessions each week for four weeks, emphasizing the neck and shoulder area. After just one week of therapy, subjects reported significant reductions in headache frequency, which continued throughout the study.

Aussie Antibacterial

News Note

Australian scientists have discovered a natural remedy — a combination of eucalyptus and tea tree oil — for the clean-up of 90 percent of hospital-acquired staph infections (known as staph infections), and has proven effective for the treatment of musculoskeletal infections where antibiotics have failed. In fact, of the 25 cases that were treated (some wounds involving exposed bone, a joint and soft-tissue) 22 were treated with the new antibacterial alone. Most surprising was the product’s tuberculocidal activity.

Massage Machine Mishap

News Note

A shiatsu massage machine in which clients place their head between two heavy rotating balls has caused arterial problems in two cases, according to Reuters Health. Both incidents seem to have occurred once the machine’s twisting action placed pressure upon the neck, dissecting the carotid artery (and/or damaging surrounding tissue) and, thus, reducing the flow of blood to the head. Along with a headache, the nerve damage caused by the machine left both clients with a droopy eyelid — now permanent. Worse, the machine could have triggered a stroke.

Orega-yes!

News Note

It is commonly known that antioxidants reduce the activity of cell-damaging free radicals, which can result in oxidative damage and cause many of the maladies of aging. Therefore, there is much to be celebrated about a recent analysis conducted by the Agricultural Research Service, a division of the United States Department of Agriculture. The service found that many fresh culinary herbs contain powerful antioxidants, some with more punch than medicinal herbs, fruits or vegetables.

Easing the Symptoms of Menopause

News Note

Self-regulating the body’s hormones may be the key to easing the less-than-desirable symptoms often associated with menopause, suggests BottomLine Health. To maintain balance of estrogen and progesterone levels, it is important for women at the onset of perimenopause (and thereafter) to get sufficient fiber. This aids the liver and gallbladder in taking some of the hormonal by-products out of circulation and recycling others. It is also recommended that women at this stage take glucomannan, to also remove hormonal by-products, and vitamin B12, which is crucial for liver function.

Food Awareness as You Age

News Note

With age comes loss of immune systems functioning and helpful bacteria-killing stomach acids. Therefore, as you near 60, it’s a good time to take stock of what fine, or not so fine, cuisine you consume, says Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter. Foods recommended as off limits for this crowd include deli meats, patés and soft cheeses (such as feta and brie) because they may contain a bacteria called Listeria monocytogenes, which, when not killed through cooking can cause flu-like symptoms and meningitis.

Secondhand Smoke & Children

News Note

According to researchers from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, secondhand smoke may be extremely damaging to children, even in minute amounts. Already known to cause respiratory and behavior problems in kids, smoking has now been linked to lowering a child’s intelligence — affecting reading, math and reasoning skills. In fact, one parent smoking as little as one pack a day may reduce a child’s IQ by as many as two points. Tobacco exposure was determined by measuring levels of cotinine, a marker of tobacco exposure, in the blood of more than 4,000 children ages 6 to 16.

Pages