January 2010

An investigative report recently aired on Good Morning America that revealed a dirty little secret. According to the report, representatives bought blouses, pants and underwear from a variety of popular retailers. Then they brought them to Dr. Philip Tierno, director of microbiology and immunology at New York University for testing. The results: some garments tested positive for respiratory secretions, vaginal organisms--including yeast and fecal germs. According to Dr. Tierno, "Some garments were grossly contaminated with many organisms … indicating that either many people tried it or ... someone tried it on with heavy contamination.” He likened it to “touching somebody's arm pit or groin.” While the chance that you would get sick is somewhat slight, Dr. Tierno says that it could happen. Before you wear those new clothes you should wash them. Or run them through one cycle in a hot dryer. Dr. Tierno also suggests wearing clothes underneath while trying on new clothes and washing your hands after shopping. Personally, I find the information in this report really disturbing – maybe that’s because I never dreamed I would live to see the day when I would be grossed out by new clothes.

Your breath can be gross too. So what do you do when you are out with friends or at work and you want to know if you have bad breath? Try licking the back of your hand using as much surface area of the tongue as possible. It is kind of a weird thing to do so you will want to make sure no one is looking. Then wait 30 seconds and sniff. If the scent is sulfurous – it is time to brush or pop an Altoid.

January is National Puzzle Month! Several studies have found that people who participate in leisure time activities such as jigsaw puzzles have a better quality of life, longer life expectancy and decreased incidence of brain illnesses like dementia, memory loss and most notably, Alzheimer's disease. Make the time to be good to you by giving yourself an intellectual workout – make a jigsaw puzzle.

Good Health!

Terry

“Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.”
~Robert Brault

December 2009

I was shocked when I read the new guidelines issued by the U. S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) regarding self breast exams and mammograms. First of all I wanted to know -- What is the U. S. Preventative Services Task Force? According to their website they are “an independent panel of experts in primary care and prevention that systematically reviews the evidence of effectiveness and develops recommendations for preventive services." Currently the task force is composed of 16 health care experts, none of whom are oncologists. The task force recommended that women no longer perform a monthly self breast exam and only those women considered at “high risk” for breast cancer should have yearly mammograms before age 50. According to vice chair of the task force Dr. Diana Petitti, “We aren't against screening women in their 40s, we just don't think it should be routine." I find it very unsettling that risk models predict that by age 40 -- 1 out of 68 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer.

The dust from this explosive USPSTF press release had not settled when the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists announced they were changing their recommendation on frequency of PAP testing. Without a doubt we all fear the speculum. But, since the introduction of the Pap test, deaths caused by cervical cancer have been significantly reduced in populations where women are screened regularly. One thing is for sure -- if you are diagnosed with any type of cancer sooner rather than later your survival rate increases. You have more options for treatment and in most cases you can take advantage of less painful and less aggressive therapies. It has never been more important for a woman to consult with her doctor on the best way to safeguard her health.

Good Health Gift Ideas 2009:
• Peace Lilies – B.C. Wolverton, author of “How to Grow Fresh Air” says that live plants are nature’s purifier. They eliminate the need for chemical based air fresheners and they add life to your home.
• A New Bed Pillow -- The average bed pillow contains microscopic bugs that eat dead skin cells and up to 47 different types of fungi. For optional health replace bed pillows every two or three years.
• Reebok EastTone Shoes – These new shoes have Balance Pod Technology to give you a better workout just by walking. Reebok marketing says it all – “Better legs and a better butt in every step.”

And finally, why not give a subscription to Good Health! Subscribing to my Good Health blog is FREE and will remind you and all the special women in your life to make the time to be good you.

Happy Holidays and Good Health!

Terry
“I like to spread Christmas cheer, by singing loud for all to hear.”
~Buddy The Elf

November 2009

Vitamin D has become a hot topic in traditional and alternative medicine because there seems to be a direct correlation between vitamin D levels and many health concerns – osteoporosis, cancer, depression, immune function and even autism. In the early part of the 20th century, some moms gave their kids a daily dose of cod liver oil to prevent rickets – softening of the bones caused in part by a vitamin D deficiency. Today most of the milk we buy is fortified with vitamin D. That may be enough to prevent rickets but it falls well short of the 1000 to 2000 IU daily dose of vitamin D recommended by the National Academy of Sciences for optimal health. Because our bodies produce vitamin D in response to sunlight, those of us who live above the 37th parallel are far more likely to become vitamin D deficient than our neighbors to the south. Individuals with limited sun exposure should consider taking a vitamin D supplement. It is very difficult to get the recommended daily amount of vitamin D in a typical healthy diet because only fatty fish and fish oils naturally contain significant amounts of vitamin D. The bottom line: Research on the super power of vitamin D is very compelling. So compelling I now offer everyone in my family a daily 1000 IU vitamin D supplement in pill form. I guess I could have gone the cod liver oil route but, I have been told that cod liver oil is an acquired taste.

Do your earlobes make you look old? Do they hang low? Do they wobble to and fro? Age, heavy earrings and heredity may have left you with disproportionally large or creased earlobes that have lost their tone. So what’s a girl to do? You can’t exercise your earlobes. But, for about $1000 a plastic surgeon will harvest fat from your belly and inject it in your earlobes. Finally a great use for belly fat!

November is National Pomegranate Month. Make the time to be good to you by having a glass - or two - of pomegranate juice daily. Clinical studies have shown that the antioxidants in pomegranates can reduce your blood pressure and your risk of clogged arteries.

Happy Thanksgiving & Good Health!

Terry

“Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving.”
~W.T. Purkiser