A Tanning Booth Misadventure

When I was in college, a tanning studio with tanning booths opened in a popular student shopping area a short walk from my apartment. A friend of mine worked there, and she was able to give coupons for free tanning sessions to many of her friends. Curious, I decided to give it a try.

I was young, and while I don't like to say I was stupid, let's just say I had not yet studied medicine. At that time, society in general was also not as well-informed about the aging and cancer-promoting effects of ultraviolet (UV) rays. So off I went to the tanning studio with coupon in hand, envisioning that some free artificial tanning would give me what many people today still perceive as a "healthy" glow.

Knowing that I have very sensitive skin, I told the technician to give me a very minimal exposure to the UV rays. Maybe the equipment was poorly calibrated, or maybe the tech didn't believe me when I said I burn easily. Anyhow, I was left with prickly pink-red, slightly burned skin that didn't look - or feel - healthy at all. Thankfully, I didn't go back.

Many people today still believe that tanning booths and beds are safe alternatives to acquiring a tan "naturally" outdoors, reasoning that tanning indoors does not damage the skin. Particularly now, with spring break approaching, those heading for warmer climes may believe that indoor tanning can help jump start their tan or even protect them from sunburn while on vacation.

But indoor tanning may actually be even more dangerous than being in the sun. Natural sunlight contains a mixture of both short-wave UV-B and longer wave UV-A rays. Both types of UV rays can lead to premature ageing of the skin, and both increase a person's risk of developing skin cancer, including malignant melanoma. The difference is that UV-B rays cause more rapid tanning and burning while UV-A rays do not cause burning until exposure levels are very high.

Indoor tanning booths and beds most commonly use ultraviolet bulbs that emit predominantly UV-A rays, claiming that they offer a tan without exposure to the "burning" type of UV rays. Although UV-A rays do cause slower burning than UV-B rays, they penetrate more deeply into the skin and can even adversely affect the cells involved in the body's immune response. UV-A rays also raise an individual's risk of developing malignant melanoma and other cancers of the skin.

In short, there's absolutely no scientific evidence that the use of tanning beds and booths is any less damaging or harmful than exposure to outdoor sunlight. Of course, trying to avoid damaging UV rays with a good sunscreen is the best way to have healthy-appearing skin. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends routine sunscreen use for everyone, even for those with darker skin tones who are less sensitive to the effects of UV radiation.

Related topics: Indoor Tanning is Bad, Docs Say, WebMD Video: Tips to Getting Glamorous

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Help for Hay Fever

Right now, it's pollen season where we live. The outdoor furniture and kids' playground are covered by a dusty yellow coat that's back again the next day even after a thorough washing. And it seems like everyone is sneezing or coughing.

"Hay fever", medically known as seasonal allergic rhinitis, affects over 20% of the people living in the U.S. Most common in early spring, the symptoms of hay fever develop as a reaction to allergens (allergy-causing substances) in the air. While lots of different substances can be allergens, pollen is the biggest culprit in early spring.

Pollen consists of the minuscule, male cells of flowering plants. Pollen from garden flowers usually doesn't cause allergies, since this type of pollen is large and waxy and most often carried by insects. It's the small, light, dry pollens produced by tress, grasses, and weeds that disseminate with the wind and lead to allergic symptoms.

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI) Web site (http://www.aaaai.org/) has some useful tips for reducing symptoms in those who suffer from seasonal allergies. While some of them are obvious common-sense measures, they still bear repeating:

• Washing sheets weekly in hot water
• Always bathing and washing hair before bedtime (pollen can collect on skin and hair throughout the day)
• Not hanging clothes outside to dry where they can trap pollens
• Wearing a filter mask when mowing or working outdoors
• Avoiding peak times for pollen exposure (hot, dry, windy days, usually between 10 am and 4 pm)
• Keeping windows and car windows closed
• Performing a thorough spring cleaning of your home, including replacing heating and A/C filters and cleaning ducts and vents

The AAAAI also recommends taking any allergy medications at least 30 minutes before going outdoors. If you're plagued by severe symptoms, you can visit the AAAAI Web site for a referral to an allergist in your area. The site also has updated information about pollen counts in specific geographic areas.

Related Topics: What's Behind Most Allergies?, Video: Allergy Triggers & Treatments

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How Much Should You "Push" Your Kids in Sports?

I've enjoyed the discussions we have gotten going lately on this blog, so I want to throw out another topic for an exchange of opinions. How much should kids, let's say young kids -- at the elementary level or even below -- be pushed to excel in a sport?

I'm going to share two stories and ask for your reactions. Bear in mind that these are not my children I'm talking about, just personal observations.

• The setting is a practice swim meet at a swim club for elementary and middle-school children. One enthusiastic dad constantly shouted encouragements to his son, who was swimming in the 7-8 year-olds division. When the boy, an excellent swimmer, took second place to another child in one event, the dad met him on the pool deck and began to coach him on what went wrong and how to "do better next time." During a subsequent race in which the boy took part, I thought it got ugly. Dad began yelling loudly that one of the other swimmers (another boy of seven) should be disqualified because of improper technique.



• Another time I was attending a soccer game, and the team was made up of six-and-unders. When the final whistle blew, everybody celebrated, since there had been no real effort to keep score, and everyone had been enjoying the game. One team member had to leave the celebration early, though, for a quick change in the car into a baseball uniform. This child was scheduled to play a baseball game in less than half an hour.

What I am trying to understand more fully is whether the kids truly like or want this level of commitment to sports. I know young kids who are very driven and dedicated to a particular sport at an early age, but is this based upon their own interest or upon what they've been told to do, either directly or indirectly? Whose needs are being met? How much "pushing" to excel in sports is appropriate? Does it depend on the individual child?

Here are some facts to think about. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 10,000 people receive treatment in the nation's emergency departments daily for injuries that occur while playing sports and or participating in recreational activities. An estimated 1.5 million ER visits occur yearly for injuries sustained while playing basketball, baseball, softball, football, or soccer. Children under 15 account for about 40% of all sports injury-related emergency department visits. Many experts feel that children are at increased risk for sports injuries due to immature or undeveloped coordination, skills, and/or perception.

I understand the argument that society forces children to take on more and more at earlier ages. I've also been told by other parents (my kids are not yet at this age) that those who want to play on high school teams need playing experience on middle school teams in order to even make the high school team. Extending the analysis, one could assume that a child isn't going to make the middle school team without a good grounding in the sport during the elementary grades, and so on...

I'd love to hear your opinions on this one.

Related Topics: Will You Still Love Me If I Don't Win?, Kids Fitness Finder: The Right Sports for Your Child

Technorati Tags: youthsports, sportsinjuries, parenting

Stress Management Tips for At-Home Parents

I do a lot of work from my home office, and I usually wind up in time to spend after-school time with the kids. So I can identify with many of the concerns of stay-at-home parents, who are often viewed by the working world as having a life of leisure. But anyone who's been there knows this is far from the truth. From my own experiences and from discussions with at-home moms and dads, I've put together a list of tips to help control the very real stresses involved in at-home parenting.

1. Recognize that you have a full-time job, and be dressed and ready for your day early in the morning. Getting yourself put together and organized first thing sets a positive, organized tone for the whole day.

2. Become an expert in multi-tasking. Integrate the kids wherever possible in your chores and errands. Things may take a bit longer, but kids can find the tasks on your to-do list fascinating.

3. Practice good time management. Structure your day and plan for active times, regular meals, down times, and work times. Many parents find it helps to devote one portion of the day - for example, mornings or late afternoons - exclusively to kids' needs and entertainment. That way, you won't feel guilty when you have to do your "grown up things" at another time while they play alone.

4. Don't allow people to pressure you into unwanted activities or time commitments because you're "only" at home with the kids. It's OK to say you have a full schedule; those with children of their own will understand.

5. Organization is key to stress control. Keep a calendar for your daily schedules, plans, outings, and errands. You can use this to jot down notes and ideas and keep yourself organized. If it helps, keep a special notebook just for lists.

6. Allow yourself some adult company every day. This need not be formal socializing; a conversation with the other parents at library story hour or the toddler music class can be a refreshing break.

7. Save time later in the day by preparing a snack tray in the mornings, filled with healthy snacks like dried fruit, cut-up veggies, and whole-grain breads. Fill up juice and water bottles for the fridge. You´ll thank yourself later when chaos sets in. Plus, you're less likely to give in to the kids' (or your own) junk-food cravings.

8. Be sure to work some physical activity into every day, preferably outdoors. You - and your kids - will profit from the elevated mood and enhanced fitness levels.

9. If you allow TV or videos, make these special events for those times when you desperately need time to unwind or concentrate on an important task.

10. Co-op with other stay-at-home parents for babysitting, shopping trips, or cooking meals a few times per week.

11. If you need to do housework, set up a cleaning schedule and adhere to it. Breaking down the task makes it more palatable and less likely to be postponed. For example, break down the house into zones and tackle one room or zone per day.

12. Finally, recognize that at-home parenting is a very real, demanding, and rewarding job complete with stresses like any other. Like all jobs, this one has better and worse days, things you love, and things you'd rather not deal with. As with any job, you'll need some time off, so plan ways to meet your own needs for privacy or personal time. Know you're in good company, and be proud of your career as a parent.

Related Topics: Distant Dads? Not Us, Many Say, Meditation Balances The Body's Systems

Technorati Tags: SAHM, stress, family management, time management

When There's No Time for Dinner

I'm the chief provider, or at least planner, of dinner at my house. Not because of any preconceived gender roles, but because I am lucky enough to be able to finish work in time to pick up my kids from preschool and school, rendering my afternoons "free."

Now any parent with "free" afternoons will know that after homework, hunting down items for the next day's school project or show-and-tell, driving to swimming or soccer or whatever, and maybe (hopefully) some time just to play and read with the kids, dinner is often an afterthought. The lines at the fast food places in our suburb starting about 6 p.m. confirm that I'm not the only one with this problem.

I do try, really, to get nutritious food for our family on the table, but home-cooked meals just aren't always possible, especially if someone has a sport or other activity that may run late. It's tempting just to swing through the drive-thru and be done with it. Fortunately, my kids will jump at the other alternative: having breakfast for dinner. Yes, I will admit to allowing the kids to eat cereal for dinner, when the other alternative is picking up a fat- and sodium-laden meal on the run.

Giving the kids cereal for dinner seems lazy, and many people probably think it ranks right up there with letting them play in the street on the scale of good parenting skills, but here's my justification for doing so. We eat cereals without sugar, and my daughter's favorite cereal is Cheerios. Looking at the box, a serving of this cereal provides 3 grams of dietary fiber and only 2 grams of fat (if eaten with skim milk). In addition, you're getting 50% of the day's recommended folic acid, 45% of the iron, and 25% of multiple nutrients including thiamin, riboflavin, vitamins B6 and B12, and niacin. Not a bad deal, when compared with the nutritional content of a fast food meal.

Of course, we don't eat breakfast cereal for dinner every day. Nor would I recommend it in place of a balanced, nutritious dinner you prepared at home. But if there's really no time and you know you're headed for the drive-thru, having a second breakfast might be a reasonable choice once in a while.

Related Links: 10 Ways Teens Benefit From Family Dinners, Takeout Taking Over U.S. Households,

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Don't Fall Victim to Health Quacks

Everyone has heard of health "quacks". Doctors define quacks as those who sell unproven (and sometimes even harmful) remedies for anything and everything, ranging from cancer cures to miracle weight-loss aids. People with chronic diseases for which there is no definitive cure (such as HIV, multiple sclerosis, or arthritis) and the elderly are often the primary targets of health quacks, but anyone can be duped by claims that promise a "cure-all" or guarantee miraculous results.

You can protect yourself and your family from unscrupulous health product promoters by using your own common sense. Basically, if an offer sounds too good to be true, it's likely not legitimate. Think about it - if there is indeed a cure for cancer or a magic diet pill out there, it's going to make worldwide news, and doctors are going to know about it. Promoters of legitimate products or cures are also not going to pressure you to make snap judgments, to claim that the product is in limited supply, or discourage you from asking your personal physician about the product's effectiveness.

You should also be wary of "secret" formulas and testimonials from "patients" that have not been documented in the medical literature. (For more information on how to spot a quack, see these tips for recognizing suspicious products and services from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and the National Institutes of Health.)

It's saddening to see how promoters of bogus health care products pocket millions of dollars every year from the chronically ill, who may feel helpless and desperate to try anything that offers a promise of relief. But individuals can make a difference in stopping health quacks by educating elderly or ill family members about the dangers of dubious claims and reporting instances of products you believe may be falsely advertised.

To report a health product that you believe is being advertised falsely, contact:

• The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) by phone, toll-free, at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TDD (for the hearing impaired): 1-866-653-4261; by mail to Consumer Response Center, Federal Trade Commission, Washington, DC 20580; or online at www.ftc.gov. Click on "File a Complaint Online."
• Your state Attorney General's office, state department of health, or local consumer protection agency. These offices are listed in the blue pages of your telephone book.
  
  

Related Topics: Conventional v. Alternative Medicine (Commentary), FDA: Halt Unapproved Steroid Drugs

Dana Reeve's Death

I woke up today to the sad news of the passing of Dana Reeve. I have long admired her grace, compassion, and determination during the many years she dealt with the illness of her husband, the late actor Christopher Reeve, and her dedication to continuing his work after his death as an advocate for research into therapies for paralysis. Less than a year after Christopher Reeve died, his wife Dana announced that she had developed lung cancer.

Mrs. Reeve was not a typical victim of lung cancer; both her relative youth and the fact that she was a lifelong non-smoker are factors that make this tragic occurrence even more shocking. It also struck me in a personal way, since I lost my own father (who had been smoke-free for over 25 years) to lung cancer several years ago. Since he had not smoked since he was a young man, most experts would agree that his risk of developing the cancer was roughly the same as that of a non-smoker.

Lung cancers can occur in non-smokers due to exposures to passive smoke, asbestos, radon gas, and other carcinogens (cancer-causing agents) in polluted air. An individual's genetic makeup can also play a role in determining their susceptibility to lung cancer and other cancers. Still, knowing that there is a scientific explanation for a young, non-smoking woman's development of lung cancer does nothing to diminish the pain and loss that her family and friends must suffer.

My thoughts and sympathy go out to Dana and Christopher Reeve's son Will and the entire family. I had never met Mrs. Reeve, but I believe she must have been a very special person to know.

Related Topics: 50 Years of Milestones in the Fight Against Cancer, Defying the Odds With Lung Cancer

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Be Prepared for a Poisoning Emergency

Quick action is critical and can save a life if you suspect someone is a victim of poisoning. All families with small children need to know beforehand what to do in the event of a poisoning emergency, and about half of these emergencies do involve small children. Other kinds of poisoning emergencies arise due to medication errors, suicide attempts, chemical spills, misuse of household products, or workplace exposures to toxic substances.

In the event of any poisoning or suspected poisoning, there's a number you should call immediately. The American Association of Poison Control Centers has established a nationwide poison hotline at 1-800-222-1222. This number is staffed 24 hours a day, and calling this number will allow you to be directly connected to the local poison control center nearest you. Each poison control center is staffed by experts who will tell you what to do in your particular situation. I would strongly urge everyone to post this number near the telephone with other emergency contact numbers in your home.

If you do have to call the poison hotline, be sure to describe as accurately as you can the condition of the victim, and explain what substances or medications you believe may have caused the poisoning. Many poisoning problems can be handled over the phone. If you need an ambulance, the poison control center will call one for you, advise the treatment crew, and alert the emergency room. Even if you're not sure whether a poisoning has occurred, you should go ahead and call the number.

Another important note: If a victim is unconscious, having seizures, or having difficulty breathing, call emergency services (911) first.

In certain instances of poisoning, you can practice basic first aid and then call the poison hotline. These include:

• Poisonous substances spilled on the skin or in the eye - If poisonous substances have been spilled on the skin or splashed in the eye, the affected area can be rinsed under cold running water for 15 minutes. Never try to force the eye open to do this. You should also remove any clothing where poison has spilled. You should still call the poison hotline at 1-800-222-1222 as soon as possible.
• If a poison has been inhaled, get the victim to fresh air or provide fresh air by opening doors or windows, then call the poison hotline.
  

Related Topics: Emergencies: Help Yourself, Kids Vulnerable to Medical Mishaps

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The Most Common Eating Disorder

I didn't want to let the week go by without mentioning that this week (Feb 28 - March 4, 2006) is National Eating Disorders Awareness Week. And on the topic of awareness, here's a question to test your own awareness of eating disorders: What is the most common eating disorder?

Did you answer that it's anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa? Both of these are very serious conditions that do affect millions of people, but the most common eating disorder is actually binge eating disorder, which affects an estimated 1-5% of the population. Binge eating disorder has also been termed "compulsive overeating," and it's far beyond having a vigorous appetite or enjoying extravagant meals. True "binge eating" involves the out-of-control consumption of unusually large amounts of food even when the person does not feel hunger or take pleasure in the food. Other characteristics of binge eating include eating rapidly, eating alone, attempting to hide or "cover up" the eating episodes, and feelings of intense guilt and shame after an eating episode.

Unlike the eating disorder known as bulimia nervosa, the binge eating episodes in binge eating disorder are not followed by so-called "purging" behaviors such as induced vomiting, fasting, strenuous exercise, or laxative and diuretic abuse. Both children and adults can develop binge eating disorder.

The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) has put together a Web site whose mission is "dedicated to expanding public understanding and prevention of eating disorders and promoting access to quality treatment for those affected along with support for their families through education, advocacy and research." I spent some time clicking through their resources, and there's a lot of valuable information at their site. In particular, I found topics that are not usually addressed in summary articles about eating disorders, such as a discussion of the implications of eating disorders in people of color and other diverse groups, information on eating disorders and body image in men, and guides for educators in dealing with those suffering from eating disorders, to name just a few.

My favorite parts of the NEDA site are the resources to help us teach kids to have a healthy body image and to feel good about their own bodies. There's also information on prevention of eating disorders. I'd recommend a visit to this site for any parents concerned about their children's self-perceptions or body image issues.

Related Topics: Eating Disorders Support Group, Brain Chemical May Be Key in Eating Disorders

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