Health Awareness

Could Internet Addiction Disrupt Brain's Connections?

A small Chinese study suggests that the brains of teenagers who are seemingly addicted to the Internet have abnormal "white matter," the biological insulation that surrounds the wiring between neurons.

It's not clear if this difference could cause Internet addiction or actually be caused by it. And the research doesn't point to a treatment or cure for Internet addiction, a controversial diagnosis that the mental health community hasn't universally accepted. [Read more]
 

Source: HealthDay

8 Foods That Lower Blood Pressure

Plant-based diets and diets high in fruits and vegetables are strongly associated with lower blood pressure -- so much so that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) officially recommends adopting healthy eating practices as one of the primary actions to take to prevent or lower high blood pressure and hypertension.

DASH, which stands for "Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension," is the eating plan recommended by the NIH. It features foods that are low in saturated fat, total fat, and cholesterol, with a particular focus on fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy. The eight foods on this list are DASH-approved. Not only are they packed with nutrients that support overall health, but they also help lower blood pressure. Here's how: [Read more]
 

Coffee May Reduce Your Risk of Skin Cancer

If you're sipping on your usual morning cup of coffee, here's an added perk to that java jolt: skin-cancer prevention!

According to a new study that was recently presented at the American Academy of Cancer Research meeting in Boston, drinking caffeinated coffee may help prevent basal cell carcinoma (BCC), the most common type of skin cancer.

Get More Benefits from Your Coffee

The research, which looked at the effects of coffee drinking on skin cancer risk in more than 110,000 people who participated in the Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, found that women who drank more than three cups of coffee per day had a 20 percent lower risk of developing BCC than women who drank less than one cup a month. Men who drank more than three cups of coffee had a 9 percent reduction in risk of this type of skin cancer, according to WebMD.

5 Foods That Can Trigger a Stroke

Few things feel more terrifying and random than a stroke, which can strike without warning. And fear of stroke -- when a blood vessel in or leading to the brain bursts or is blocked by a blood clot, starving brain cells of oxygen and nutrients -- is well founded. After all, stroke is the number-three killer in the U.S., affecting more than 700,000 people each year. Here are five foods that cause the damage that leads to stroke. [Read more]

Source: Caring.com

Kids who live with smokers have more ear infections

Kids whose parents smoke are more likely to get ear infections and have hearing problems, according to a new review paper.

When moms lit up, kids were also almost twice as likely to need surgery for recurrent ear infections or similar problems, researchers reported.[Read more]

Source: NEW YORK (Reuters Health)

Children's health

Children's nutrition: 10 tips for picky eaters

No. 1: Respect your child's appetite — or lack of one
No. 2: Stick to the routine
No. 3: Be patient with new foods
No. 4: Make it fun
No. 5: Recruit your child's help
No. 6: Set a good example
No. 7: Be creative
No. 8: Minimize distractions
No. 9: Don't offer dessert as a reward
No. 10: Don't be a short-order cook

Source: Mayo Clinic 

Simple Safety Steps Can Make Back to School a Breeze

The ACEP suggests this safety checklist:

Organize your child's medical history records and emergency medical contact information and provide a copy of these details to school officials and daycare providers. Tell them to take this information to the emergency department if your child is sick or injured.[Read more]

Source: msn - health

Too Much TV May Take Years Off Your Life

Spending your days in front of the television may contribute to a shortened lifespan, a new study suggests.

Researchers in Australia found that people who averaged six hours a day of TV lived, on average, nearly five years less than people who watched no TV.

For every hour of television watched after age 25, lifespan fell by 22 minutes, according to the research led by Dr. J. Lennert Veerman of the University of Queensland. [Read more]

Source: HealthDay

Planning Ahead Can Reduce Back-to-School Stress

MAKING THE FIRST DAY EASIER 

• Remind your child that she is not the only student who is a bit uneasy about the first day of school. Teachers know that students are anxious and will make an extra effort to make sure everyone feels as comfortable as possible. 
  
•  Point out the positive aspects of starting school: It will be fun. She'll see old friends and meet new ones. Refresh her positive memories about previous years, when she may have returned home after the first day with high spirits because she had a good time.
• Find another child in the neighborhood with whom your youngster can walk to school or ride with on the bus. [Read more]

Source: American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)

The basics of a healthy diet
 

LONDON: Good health is the foundation of beauty, and a healthy diet is the foundation of good health. By watching our diet to ensure it includes certain foods, we can make sure that the foundation is as sound as possible, as well as preventing certain illnesses and slowing ageing.

Many studies indicate that the Mediterranean diet – and some of its key foods in particular – can serve as a solid basis from which to plan your diet.[Read more]

Source: The Express Tribune

Xbox addict

The family of a budding computer programmer have launched a campaign to raise awareness about the health risks of playing online computer games after their son died following a marathon session on his Xbox. [Read more]

Source: Yahoo Games

Researchers warn against 'Facebook depression'

• Teens are especially vulnerable to constant reminders of others' apparent happiness.

"[Your friends] hang out with other people and they didn't call you," said the 14-year-old, who goes to St. John the Baptist Catholic School in Savage. "Then you see the pictures." [Read more]

Source: Star Tribune

Olive oil lovers show lower stroke risk

In a study that followed older French adults for five years, researchers found that those who regularly used olive oil were 41 per cent less likely to have a stroke than those who never used the oil.[Read more]

Source: The Express Tribune