Get Better Sunglasses

The Food and Drug Administration is now recommending that sunglasses you buy should have UVA and UVB rating of 100 percent “to get the most protection” from the harmful rays of the sun. They also recommend that consumers try to find “a wrap around style” that covers the eye socket completely.  Children also need these sunglasses and parents should check the label. Remember – most sunglasses do not test for, and do not offer this protection.

Sunglasses with UVA/UVB protection recommended by the FDA

Sun damage to the eyes can cause cataracts, skin cancer to the eyelids, and more seriously macular degeneration- a leading cause of blindness.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends that people have their eyes checked at age 40 and that children have their eyes checked when they first attend school. People who have a family history of any kind of eye disease should come in early.

Sunglasses that have UVA and UVB ratings of 100 per cent can be found for as little as $10 on up.  For me- this means tossing out a few sunglasses and buying some new ones—damn.

Cell Phones and Brain Cancer—No Link in Kids

More kids are texting than calling

In the latest series of papers regarding cell phones and brain tumors, a study out of Europe examined 1,000 children and concluded that kids who used cellphones were no more likely to develop brain tumors than any other kids.  The report, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.  The incidence of brain cancer among children has not increased in the last 20 years – while cell phone use has dramatically increased since the 1980’s.  Still, this caused controversy as Devra Davis, former advisor to US Department of Health and Human Services called the study “an astonishing, disturbing and unwarranted conclusion.”

I don’t know about all of you, but it seems fewer kids talk and more text.

Anorexia nervosa associated with highest mortality, and suicide rates among eating disorders

In the July issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry, a group of studies were examined and found that people with an eating disorder have an increased risk of death, but those who suffer from anorexia nervosa have a higher risk of death and suicide. There was a high level from those who have bulimia nervosa.  Of the people who died in the study, one in five died from suicide.

This is a very sad statistic, and pointing out that those individuals who have anorexia need to be in treatment for their disorder, and not feel isolated.

Strokes Related to Pregnancy on the Rise

There has been a disturbing increase in pregnancy-related stroke incidence.  The Center for Disease Control and Prevention found that between 1994 to 1995 and 2006 to 2007 the stroke-related hospitalization for pregnant women rose 47% – and if they included the three months after giving birth the incidence rose to 83%.

The two factors attributed are the increasing obesity with its co-morbidities of high blood pressure and heart disease.  Pregnant women who start out unhealthy and have diabetes or high blood pressure almost double their risk of stroke.

Yet another reason to start to eat healthy, eat smaller portions, and for obese women to consider a LAP-BAND for weight loss.