Mnet :: Health & Medicine

"You work out to stay in tip-top shape, not to pick up a nasty skin infection. However, especially in winter when cold winds rage outside, even the heartiest of us depend on gyms or health clubs to get our weekly dose of exercise. And, as everyone knows, health clubs -- where hundreds of people may be using the same equipment, showers and saunas -- can harbor germs. But this year, the bar has been raised in terms of scary germs you can contact at the gym; this year there's talk of a sometimes deadly staph infection called Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, or MRSA for short." News Contact: Melissa Chefec, mchefec@optonline.net Phone: +1-203-968-6625 (1/17/08)

2. HEALTH: CHILDHOOD OBESITY: LIQUID CALORIES EXPAND TODDLERS' WAISTLINES. BRIDGET SWINNEY, MS, R.D., author of "Baby Bites: Everything You Need to Know About Feeding Babies and Toddlers in One Handy Book":

"Too much of a good thing -- like milk and juice, as well as the not-so-healthy sweetened drinks like soda and fruit drinks -- can all lead a child to consume too many calories. Drinks are so easy to gulp down because they don't have the satiety factor that whole foods do. A toddler can easily slurp a cup of soda but would have a hard time eating 1.5 cups of apple slices -- the equivalent in calories. While milk and juice are both nutritious, they still need to be portion-controlled -- 2-3 cups per day of milk and 4-6 ounces of juice is all a child needs. After that, water is key." Swinney counsels parents of overweight toddlers. News Contact: Kate Bandos, kate@ksbpromotions.com Phone: +1-800-304-3269 Web site: http://www.healthyfoodzone.com (1/17/08)

3. HEALTH: CHRONIC MYELOID LEUKEMIA. SHASHI PAWAR Ph.D., DABMG, a leading genetics expert with ACUPATH LABORATORIES in Plainview, N.Y.:

"By studying and evaluating the chromosomal abnormality that causes chronic myeloid leukemia, researchers have developed a superior method for detecting and quantifying the disease in its scantest quantities. This ultra-sensitive test, called RQ-PCR, is good news for CML patients, as it allows for the earliest possible diagnosis, the fastest detection of residual disease after treatment and the most accurate method for monitoring patients in remission. The outlook for patients with chronic myeloid leukemia has improved vastly over the past several years, thanks to both the development of more effective treatments and the discovery of more comprehensive testing methods like RQ-PCR. Improvements in the sensitivity of this test allow us to identify abnormalities in the very initial stage of the disease, which can mean a better prognosis for patients." News Contact: Melissa Chefec, mchefec@optonline.net Phone: +1-203-968-6625 (1/17/08)

4. HEALTH: PMS AND CHOCOLATE. DR. STEVEN CHEN, medical director, VALENS MEDICAL, Irvine, Calif.:

"A review of studies that examined energy intake in relation to the menstrual cycle found that over 70 percent demonstrated an increase in food intake during the premenstrual period. The premenstrual phase is known to increase fat storage, which may promote a desire for fat-rich foods. However, amongst the three macronutrients (fat, carbohydrate, protein), no consistent relationship exists between a specific macronutrient and the menstrual cycle." Chen can also discuss the connection between chocolate and PMS, as shown in new studies and surveys, and can comment on such surveys and provide more detailed information. Chen is one of only 300 doctors in the U.S. dubbed a Physician Nutrition Specialists, making him among the nation's top authorities on weight and nutrition. News Contact: Heather Brown, hbrown@brownpublicrelations.com Phone: +1-949-310-8662 (1/17/08)

5. HEALTH: WAXING POETIC ON EARWAX REMOVAL METHODS. MICHAEL ELLIS, M.D., a practicing, board-certified otolaryngologist and a clinical professor of otolaryngology at the LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY MEDICAL SCHOOL:

"With different earwax removal techniques like ear candling garnering media attention, it's difficult to determine what's safe and effective and what's not. Treatments like using hydrogen peroxide and ear candling kits may do more harm than good when it comes to your ear health because of their potential to lead to ear infections and burns. Cotton swabs should only be used to clean the outer part of the ear, if necessary. Rinses are often best for preventing earwax buildup when used a few times per week." Ellis can explain the safety and health concerns that accompany various earwax removal techniques, and can provide tips for maintaining optimum ear health, the dos and don'ts of regular ear cleaning, as well as the negative effects associated with earwax impactions -- a problem suffered by 2-6 percent of the general population in the United States. News Contact: Christina Occhipinti, cocchipinti@robinleedyassociates.com Phone: +1-914-241-0086, ext. 14 (1/17/08)

6. HEALTH: TREAT YOUR COLD NATURALLY DURING COLD SEASON'S PEAK. SUZY COHEN, R.Ph., noted pharmacist and author of "The 24-Hour Pharmacist" (HarperCollins, 2007):

"Cold season is peaking, it's just a matter of time before you get a runny nose, cough and sore throat, if you haven't already. If you're suffering from the common cold, a visit to your doctor for antibiotics won't do you any good. With more than 200 cold viruses lurking around at all times, antibiotics won't be any help in trying to fight them off once they enter your body. Antibiotics are only useful in treating bacterial infections; so, viral infections, like the common cold, must make their way through the body before the person affected starts to feel better. There are different things you can do to treat a cold quickly and naturally, such as get plenty of sleep, take zinc and eat well, among others." Cohen is available to speak about tips to treat your cold naturally, how to boost your immunity to help prevent a cold and the importance of zinc in the body, as well as other cold-related topics. News Contact: Christina Occhipinti, cocchipinti@robinleedyassociates.com Phone: +1-914-241-0086, ext. 14 (1/17/08)

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