Did you know?
As many as 195,000 people a year die in U.S. Hospitals due to medical errors.

Steps to take
Take an active role in every decision about your health care. If needed, have a family member or friend oversee your care.

Did you know?
More than 90% of colon cancers occur in persons over age 50.
Steps to take
Discuss screening for colorectal cancer with your doctor if you are age 50 and older (earlier if you have a family history of colorectal cancer).

A five-year study from the University of Chicago recently found that middle-aged adults who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to develop high blood pressure.

578 adults with an average age of 40 had their blood pressure and sleep monitored for the duration of the study.  Researchers found that for every hour of sleep missed, there was a 37% increase in the chance of developing high blood pressure.

The University of Chicago Sleep Lab also recently released results of study where they disrupted the sleep of healthy male college students for 14 nights.  By the end of the study, the young men tested with blood chemistry equivalent to 70-year-old men with elevated heart disease and high blood pressure risks.  Wow!

Read the full post on Sleep and Blood Pressure.

Did You Know?
According to the National Center for Health Statistics, we lose a year of life for every 10 pounds we are overweight.
Steps to Take
Maintain a moderate weight by exercising, reducing your caloric intake and modifying the way you eat.

My 10 year old was pretty amped when he brought home this week’s spelling words from the topic of nutrition. His familiarity with carbohydrates, proteins, and vitamins was something developed from a very young age because of his dad’s constant mantra of “NUTRITION.” His little head has been filled with my ideas of eating correctly practically from birth.

As he studied his words, our discussion was interesting:

Heath, the six year old decided to get creative and asked,
“Hey Dad, what would it be like if Hunter’s word were about “candy”?
“Hey Hunter, spell, Skittles, Twizzlers, Reece’s Peanut Butter Cups and Sour Patch Kids!”

Read the full post on Candy for Breakfast.

Did You Know?
A recent study documents that people using car phones are 30 percent more likely to overlook potential hazards, thus increasing the risk of an accident.
Steps to Take
The best policy is to pull over to the side of the road or park when using your car phone.

Did You Know?
Water, often taken for granted, is an important addition to a successful diet, as it serves as an appetite suppressant.
Steps to Take
It is recommended that adults drink six to eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day.

A new mental health study from Columbia University strengthened the argument that a lack of sleep can cause depression in teens, as opposed to simply being a symptom of depression.

Teens who were allowed to go to bed past midnight were 24% more likely to be depressed than teens whose parents set a bedtime at or before 10 p.m., according to the findings presented in the journal Sleep. Earlier bedtimes may be protective because they increase the likelihood of getting enough sleep. This is the first study to show that sleep deprivation may cause depression in adolescents. “Adequate quality sleep can be a preventive measure against depression and a treatment for depression,” according to James Ganwisch, the study’s lead author.

Read the full post on Sleep and Depression in Teens.

Did You Know?
Not all desserts have to be high in fat and calories.
Steps to Take
If you join the 40% of all restaurant eaters who now order fruit, you’ll be in good company. Try to avoid the second and third most popular desserts: Ice cream and pie, respectively.

Secrets of the nutritional and physical game

They may not have won as many medals as the United States in this year’s winter Olympics, but the general population of all Canadians, especially the woman, are less likely to have arthritis. It seems, according to the researchers, that Canadian females are VERY physically active whereas most American females…not so much.

Did you say “Hockey” … let’s not go there!

Knee pain?
10 million adults a year end up wearing down the cartilage which results in pain, swelling, stiffness and limited movement.

Read the full post on Bone Up on Joints.