July 2012

A while back I told you about the health hazards of carrying a heavy purse. Now I want to warn you that you may be carrying a toxic purse.  It turns out that some of those trendy brightly colored wallets & purses you see in the stores and in all the style magazines may contain high levels of lead.  I know what you are thinking – that I’m probably talking about cheap faux leather, Chinese knock offs.  Actually some of the high priced Tori Burch and Ralph Lauren “must-have” accessories of the season sold in Bloomingdales, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom tested positive for lead levels ranging from 3 times to nearly 200 higher than agreed upon lead levels.  Of course there are also plenty of lead-filled bags at the other end of the spectrum too.  According to a recent compliance testing project, 15% of all the bags tested had high lead levels.  That’s a huge problem since lead exposure has been linked to all kinds of health problems including decreased fertility and impaired mental development and is for obvious reasons a real threat to young women and mothers of small children.  So how do you protect yourself?  Avoid brightly colored purses and accessories.  Yellow is a big culprit but you need to wary of red, orange and green faux leather products as well.  Protect yourself by buying accessories made from natural materials and wash your hands after touching any purse or accessory you suspect may contain lead. 

A British woman by the name of Hazel Jones recently appeared on TV to discuss a rare condition called uterus didlphys.  Uterus didlphys is a condition in which a woman has two vaginas and two uteruses.  Ms. Jones found out she had uterus didlphys only after her boyfriend suggested that there was something “different” about her. It’s estimated that one in one million women has uterus didlphys. As if having one uterus and vagina isn’t enough just imagine having two along with their accompanying monthly cycles.  Ms. Jones isn’t embarrassed by her condition.  In fact she has been quoted as saying that “If women want to have a look I’m quite happy to show them.”  And while you might think she would try and profit from her unique physical anatomy she had the good sense to decline a $1 million dollar offer from the porn industry.

It’s cherry season and produce shelves around the country are bursting with ripe, red cherries. The cherry is a nutritional powerhouse because it’s a great source of antioxidants, vitamin A, fiber and lots of other great stuff.  At only 87 calories in a one-cup serving they are a really smart sweet treat. Make time to be good to you and enjoy some cherries today.

Good Health!

Terry

“Always be nice to your children because they are the ones who will choose your rest home.”

~Phyllis Diller

June 2012

If you have ever been diagnosed with breast cancer or know someone who has been diagnosed with breast cancer the news that T-DM1 seems to delay the worsening of the disease in women with aggressive HER-2 positive metastatic breast cancer is hopeful news. T-DM1(super Herceptin) is a powerful poison that targets tumors cells without the side effects of traditional treatments. Of course it's complicated -- basically the T-DM1 binds to HER2-positive breast cancer cells and blocks their growth.  T-DM1 is currently in clinical trials. But there is strong evidence that patients who are treated with T-DM1 have an increased survival rate. That’s big news for the 20% of breast cancer patients who have been told that they have HER-2 positive breast cancer. Could it be that we are getting closer to finding a cure for breast cancer? I really, really, really hope so.

The headlines read: Eat Your Way Slim and A Flat Belly at Any Age. I am pretty convinced that no matter what I do I am never going to look like Health magazine June 2012 cover girl and Olympic swimmer Dara Torres. Airbrushed? I can’t say for sure but she doesn’t appear to have an imperfection on her. It’s not just unfair it’s annoying. When you read the article you learn that Dara employees a team to keep her fit – naturopathic doctor, a cook, a nutritionist and a pair of therapists that stretch her for two hours post workout. Good for Dara. She looks fabulous and fit at 45 years old. But what kind of chance do the rest of us have? Those of us who are trying to stay fit by working with the me, myself and I team.



Don’t let your smartphone do all the work. Make time to be good to you and memorize three phone numbers and dial them yourself. It is a great way to flex your memory muscles.

 Good Health!

Terry

“The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries or the way she combs her hair.” 
~Audrey Hepburn

May 2012

Every year 425,000 women have a stroke. Symptoms of a stroke include sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding, sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes, sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination and sudden severe headache with no known cause.  In women the first signs of stroke may have a few unique symptoms such as face and limb pain, sudden hiccups, sudden nausea, sudden general weakness, sudden chest pain, sudden shortness of breath and sudden palpitations.  Being able to recognize the warning signs of a stroke and receiving prompt medical attention may reduce the long term disabling effects of a stroke.  Every minute counts.  If you think that someone you know may be having a stroke the National Stoke Association wants you to act FAST.

F -- Face: Ask the person to smile.  Does the face droop?

A -- Arm: Ask the person to raise both arms.  Does one arm drift downward?

S -- Speech: Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase.  Is speech slurred or strange?

T -- Time: If you observe any of these signs, call 9-1-1 immediately.

Risk factors for stoke include a family history, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, diabetes, being overweight and not exercising.  Women are at higher risk while on birth control pills, pregnant, using Hormone Replacement Therapy, post-menopausal with a waist measurement larger that 35.2 inches and triglyceride levels higher than 128 milligrams or if they are a migraine headache sufferer.

It sounds like fewer women are saying “Sorry, not tonight. I have a headache.” Women around the world say they are experiencing a better, more fulfilling sex life after reading Fifty Shades of Grey.  You would think that Dr. Adam Ostrzenski’s recent claim that he found the elusive G-spot would be the hottest topic in women’s sexuality but it’s not.  It’s actually what some are calling “mommy porn” – a steamy trilogy written by E L James.  This wildly popular bestselling trilogy will never be considered a literary masterpiece.  But it's definitely page-turner. Personally I found it hard to believe that some of the action would be pleasurable for women or even physically possible. But it has been reported that reading can be raise our spirits and help us escape from the stress of everyday life.  It also helps us empathize with others and it keeps the brain in good working order.  We would all probably agree that losing yourself in a book is more fun than watching a presidential debate or the MN Twins lose another game.

Make the time to be good to you and read. Whether you are reading Fifty Shades of Grey or Gone With the Wind the overall health benefit is the same.

Happy Mother’s Day and Good Health!

Terry

“If evolution really works, how come mothers only have two hands?” ~Milton Berle