Health news, tips and features: Healia Health Blog
May 2009
Obese Women Should Limit Gestational Weight Gain, Institute of Medicine Says
Health News posted 6 months ago by The Healia Team
Obese women should limit weight gain to between 11 and 20 pounds during gestation, according to an updated set of pregnancy weight gain guidelines released Thursday by the Institute of Medicine. Previously, the Institute did not recommend a specific gestational weight gain range for obese women, but the section was added in response to increasing obesity rates and high weight gain trends in pregnant women. This is the first time the Institute has issued new pregnancy weight gain guidelines in nearly 20 years. The Institute of Medicine also reevaluated the weight gain recommendations for overweight, normal weight, and underweight women, though the alterations in these weight groups were minute. The Institute now suggests overweight women gain between 15 and 25 pounds, normal weight women gain 25 to 35 pounds, and underweight women gain 28 to 40 pounds during gestation.
These guidelines are based on multiple factors affecting the health of the mother and embryo. Most central to the Institute’s recommendations is the body mass index (BMI) of the expectant mother, a measurement based on acceptable weight to height ratios. Women with a BMI of 30 or greater are considered obese, while a BMI of 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight. Normal weight women have BMIs between 18.5 and 24.9 and a BMI below 18.5 falls in the underweight range.
To measure your BMI, visit the National Institute of Health’s body mass index calculator.
Test your pregnancy knowledge on the Healia Pregnancy Quiz and challenge yourself on the Weight Management Quiz. After taking the quizzes, visit the Healia Pregnancy Health Guide for more pregnancy information and check out the Healia Obesity and Overweight Health Guide to learn more about weight gain.
Photo: Crystal_1979, Flickr, Creative Commons
Urinary Relief Treatment Linked to Cataract Surgery Complications in Older Men
Health News posted 6 months ago by The Healia Team
Older men who use drugs to treat urinary retention may be at higher risk for complications following cataract surgery, according to a new study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association. The researchers reported that men who use tamsulosin hydrochloride are more than twice as likely to develop serious complications following cataract surgery than those who do not take the medication.Tamsulosin hydrochloride treats urinary problems caused by an enlarged prostate by relaxing prostate and bladder smooth muscle tissue, allowing urine to be more easily expelled. But the study found that the medication also relaxes the smooth muscle in the eye’s iris. This can lead to iris detachment and swelling of the eye, causing complications during surgery.
Patients who had taken tamsulosin hydrochloride within two weeks of the date of cataract surgery were at the highest risk for complications. Patients who had taken the drug in the past, but not within 14 days of the operation, were significantly less likely to experience adverse events following surgery.
Nearly three quarters of men have enlarged prostates that effect urination by the time they are 70 years old. Tamsulosin hydrochloride is a commonly prescribed treatment for the condition. However, many older males also develop cataracts for which surgical intervention is recommended. To avoid complications during surgery, the researchers recommend patients tell their doctors about any urinary medications they are currently using.
To talk to other patients with enlarged prostates, contribute to the Healia Prostate Diseases Online Health Community and Support Group. Visit the Healia Cataracts Online Health Community and Support Group to share your cataract story.
Photo: Piddy77, Flickr, Creative Commons
Ten Tips for Beautiful, Healthy Feet This Summer
Health Tips posted 6 months ago by The Healia Team
Going barefoot is one of summer’s joys, but it also puts your feet at risk for infection, irritation, and cosmetic damage. Exercise caution whenever you head off for the beach, the pool, or even the backyard this season. These ten tips will help you protect your feet from harm in the following months:1) Always apply 40 SPF or higher sunscreen to your feet before going outdoors. Your feet can get sunburned, just like the rest of your body. Severe burns can cause blistering and peeling, which can eventually lead to infection.
2) After a day spend around the water, be sure to dry your feet thoroughly, especially between your toes. Dark moist areas are breeding grounds for fungus and bacteria.
3) Trim toenails straight across the toe to help diminish your risk for ingrown toenails. Even if long nails look nice when perfectly polished, short nails are far less of a risk.
4) Choose socks made from synthetic fibers instead of cotton. Synthetic materials wick moisture away from the foot, while cotton and wool absorb dampness. Dry socks can help prevent blisters and foot infections.
5) If you wear close-toed shoes during the summer, be sure that they fit well, breathe, and expand easily. Choose shoes with wider toe boxes and leather or synthetic outers that wick away moisture and move with your feet.
6) Wear hard-soled shoes or sandals when on the beach, pool deck, or while in the backyard. Shards of glass and other sharp objects can be difficult to spot in sand, on cement, or in grass.
7) Wear water shoes or flip flops while showering in locker rooms and public restrooms. Locker room floors are notorious for harboring fungi that cause ringworm and athletes foot, and viruses that cause warts.
8) Exercise caution when wading in the ocean. Shells, crabs, jellyfish, stingrays, and other bottom-dwelling marine life can cause damage to unprotected feet. Water shoes can offer extra protection.
9) Keep an eye on your feet. Contact a podiatrist if your skin’s texture or color abnormally changes, or if you notice any variances in your in nail texture, color, or thickness. These symptoms can be signs of infection.
10) If you suspect you have injured your foot or contracted an infection, seek attention from a medical specialist. If a treatment plan is prescribed, follow the doctor’s orders and finish the medication or exercise therapy. Uncompleted medication regimens and physical therapy courses can stifle recovery.
Want to dish out your own summer foot safety advice? Visit the Healia Foot Injuries and Disorders Online Health Community and Support Group.
Heartburn Medications Increase Likelihood of Heart Attack in Patients Taking Anticlotting Drugs
Health News posted 6 months ago by The Healia Team
A recent study conducted by the Indiana University School of Medicine and Medco Health Solutions Inc. suggests that taking heartburn medications while using anticlotting drugs called clopidogrel can increase patients’ likelihood of heart attack by 50 percent. The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Intervention recommends patients taking anticlotting drugs discontinue the use of heartburn medications called proton-pump inhibitors. Patients who have experienced a heart attack or stroke, or who have a heart stent to treat blocked arteries often take anticlotting drugs. Doctors commonly prescribe the proton-pump inhibitors when patients experience side effects like acid reflux and stomach bleeding while taking clopidogrel. No risk has been identified in taking heartburn medications alone.
The society suggests patients use alternative treatments for bothersome gastro-intestinal side effects. Effective medications include over-the-counter antacids and prescription heartburn medications.
Challenge your heart disease knowledge using the Healia Heart Diseases Quiz. If you need more information on heart diseases and treatments, check out the Healia Heart Disease Health Guide. Share your personal experiences with heart disease medications at the Healia Heart Diseases Online Health Community and Support Group.
Photo: Publik15, Flickr, Creative Commons
Family meals improve adolescents’ eating habits and attitudes
Health News posted 7 months ago by The Healia Team
It’s not always easy to find time to eat together, but a study published in the May issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health found that frequent family meals improve the eating habits and attitudes of middle school-aged children. Students who dined with their families six or seven times a week consumed fewer soft drinks, ate breakfast more often, ate more healthfully, and exhibited less concern about undue weight gain.
Researchers at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada surveyed more than 3,000 Canadian sixth, seventh, and eighth graders during the 2004-2005 school year. The students completed the web-based Food Behaviour Questionnaire, which included questions about dining frequency, 24-hour food intake, and family meals.
The results showed that family meals became less common as children grew older, and families in rural areas were more likely to eat together than families in urban locales. Children who frequently dined with their families had significantly higher-quality diets than children who rarely ate with their parents and siblings. Diet quality declined when meals were purchased outside of the home or when meals were skipped.
The study also showed that most of the students surveyed had suboptimal diets. The researchers encourage dining as a family to promote healthful eating habits.
Share your healthy family dining tips on the Healia Diet and Nutrition Community and Support Group. Try testing your nutrition knowledge by taking the Healia Diet and Nutrition Quiz. Need more information on healthy eating? Visit the Diet and Nutrition Health Guide.
Photo: S Baker, Flickr, Creative Commons
Advertisement
Health Topic Tags
Recent Posts
Monthly Archive
- November 2009 (6)
- October 2009 (9)
- September 2009 (8)
- August 2009 (8)
- July 2009 (4)
Categories
RSS
About | Privacy Policy | Business Solutions | Advertise | Contact | Add Healia to your site
©2009. Healia / Meredith Corporation
Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. All content on this Web site, including medical opinion and any other health-related information, is for informational purposes only and should not be used for a specific diagnosis or individual treatment plan for any situation. Use of this site and the information contained herein does not create a doctor-patient relationship. Always seek the direct advice of your doctor in connection with any questions or issues you may have regarding your own health or the health of others.