Community Magazine December 2012

To • • Health POTTY TRAINING PITFALLS Urinary problems in children are not caused by incorrect toilet-training methods, according to a new study published in the journal Clinical Pediatrics. Urinary health, such as frequency of accidents, does not depend on whether parents push to toilet train too early or follow their child’s lead; neither method was found to be more or less effective than the other. Researchers stress that parents should begin training between 27 and 32 months, and avoid creating a negative atmosphere. Some training tips include making a small potty available in the bathroom, and avoid asking whether the child has to use the bathroom, as they will usually say “no.” SMOKINGBANS REALLY HELP Workplace smoking bans have led to a 15 percent drop in hospitalizations for heart attacks, 16 percent decrease in strokes hospitalizations, and 24 percent reduction in breathing-related hospitalizations. Regulations that made restaurants and bars smoke-free saw even larger reductions. Researchers at the Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education at the University of California reviewed 43 previous studies worldwide, and published their findings in the journal Circulation. A separate study published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine found a 33 percent decline in heart attacks after smoke-free laws were enacted. LIVINGNEAR A BARMAKES PEOPLE THIRSTY Living near a bar can cause some people to drink more alcohol, according to research from Finland. The study, published in the journal Addiction, followed thousands of adults for seven years, and found that those who moved close to bars tended to increase their drinking. Moving half a mile closer to a bar led to a 17 percent increased risk of becoming a heavy drinker (drinking over 10 ounces of alcohol a week for men, 7 ounces for women). Although this may not necessarily be a causal link, as heavy drinkers may choose to move closer to bars, the study found that the rates of drinking increase even in cases where bars moved closer to people. TEAMYTHS AND FACTS Studies on the benefits of tea drinking have shown reduced rates of Alzheimer’s and diabetes, and higher rates of good oral health, and have also debunked many myths about tea. A study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that adding milk to tea has no impact upon the antioxidants in tea and thus has no effect on its heart health benefits. Mint tea has been found to potentially aggravate reflux and heartburn, and so is not a good choice for people with stomach issues. A better option under such circumstances in ginger tea made with fresh ginger in boiling water. Lemon and lime juice can help preserve the flavanoids in tea, and added honey can make people work more efficiently. Tea has a six-month shelf life, after which it loses its antioxidants, according to a study in the Journal of Food Science. Tea should be stored in a sealed container in a dark, cool place. DANGERS OF HIGHBLOOD PRESSURE Young adults in their 20s and 30s whose blood pressure is even slightly higher than average are at risk of suffering brain damage later in life. The study, published in the Lancet, measured blood pressure and took brain scans of research subjects. They found that any increase in blood pressure was linked to indicators of brain aging, so that a 40-year-old with hypertension had the brain integrity of a person seven years older, and a 40-year-old with prehypertension had a brain that looked three years older. These findings suggest that even slightly high blood pressure can cause damage and requires treatment. NEWPROVEN TREATMENT FOR LICE Coating dry hair in a topical formulation of ivermectin, previously used as a treatment for roundworm, destroyed lice infestations in nearly 74 percent of children tested. They only needed to use the lotion once for 10 minutes to achieve the same effectiveness as other treatments that are used twice. The medication was recently approved by the FDA, and it has been found to kill lice and cause the larvae to die after hatching. The treatment does not require parents to “nitpick” for eggs left behind, and thus reduces the physical discomfort, embarrassment and days off from school. The study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine, and the lotion is sold as Sklice. Lice have recently become resistant to the traditional treatments of permethrin and pyrethrins, and the previously second-best treatment, lindane, is not safe for small children. 78 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE