Hoarder treatment
Do you have a friend or relative whose life is filled with clutter or is overrun with animals? He or she could be a compulsive hoarder, a symptom in as many as 20 percent of those with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Common hoarders are elderly, unmarried, socially isolated women, according to the March issue of the Harvard Women’s Health Watch.
Hoarding results from disordered thinking and emotional difficulties, say psychologists at Smith College and Boston University. Hoarders are indecisive and are afraid of making mistakes, so they believe they won’t make the wrong decision if they simply never throw anything out.
Although there are no specific anti-hoarding medications, drugs used to treat OCD may help. These include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or tricyclic antidepressants. For more information, check these resources:
– Obsessive Compulsive Foundation Inc. Compulsive Hoarding Web site, ocfoundation.org/1005/index.html; 203-401-2070.
– “Overcoming Compulsive Hoarding,” by Fugen Neziroglu, PhD, Jerome Bubrick, PhD, and Jose A. Yaryura-Tobias, MD (New Harbinger, $14.95).
– The Hoarding of Animals Research Consortium, tufts. edu/vet/cfa/hoarding.
Golf hazards
Golf injuries are par for the course among duffers who don’t prepare adequately. Up to one-third of the 25 million golfers in the U.S. injure their back, spine, shoulders, elbows or wrists while playing, says physical therapist Frank Rabadam of New Hampshire in the March 15 issue of Bottom Line Personal. Rabadam is certified by Back to Golf, a PGA- and LPGA-approved fitness and golf biomechanics program. He suggests the following:
– Warm up properly, with two to five minutes of aerobic activity such as jogging in place or fast walking. Then stretch gently for 5 to 10 minutes with torso twists, neck turns and lying leg-lifts. (Yogaforgolfers.com offers good stretches and exercises.)
– Use your legs when lifting your golf bag and kneel (don’t bend) to retrieve your golf ball.
– Limit your backswing to about the 1 o’clock position.
– Lift weights to improve your strength and endurance.
– Switch to graphite clubs, which have more “give.”
Gargling away colds
If Mom told you to gargle when your throat hurt, she was on to something. A Japanese study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine has shown that gargling with plain tap water helped people to cut by 50 percent their rate of infection by Staphylococcus aureus, Haemophilus influenzae and Pseudomanus aeruginosa.
On the down side, participants’ symptoms were self-reported, so the researchers had to take their word for their lack of illness, says a report in the March issue of HealthNews. Nonetheless, anything this simple that may help keep colds away is worth a try.
Fiber benefits
Foods filled with fiber are a definite plus for those suffering from constipation and/or hemorrhoids. A quick alphabetical guide to the fiber content of various foods can be found at the Web site wehealny.org/healthinfo/dietaryfiber/fibercontentchart.html. Aim for at least 20 grams a day, recommends a report in the March issue of Health magazine. And don’t forget to drink six to eight glasses of water daily.
