Garden pains
If you dig gardening but hate the aches and pains that come from turning the soil, you may turn to ergonomic gardening tools. But they may offer no help, according to research reported in the April issue of the Harvard Health Letter.
A study at the Medical University of Ohio at showed that ergonomic trowels in particular didn’t live up to their billing. When comparing usage of regular and ergonomic trowels, researchers found “no statistically significant difference between the two trowels in their effect on wrist movements or in ratings of ease and comfort and overall preferences.” In fact, the ergonomic trowel may lead to muscle strain and nerve pain.
When looking for a garden tool that won’t tax your wrists, elbows or shoulders, research chair Julie Jepsen Thomas suggests finding one with these features:
– A handle that is 1 1/4 to 2 inches in diameter.
– A handle long enough to allow room for all your fingers.
– A lightweight tool that is still sturdy enough to do the work.
Aspartame caution
Diet drinks sweetened with aspartame (NutraSweet) could be hazardous to your health, report Italian researchers. In their study, rats were given aspartame in amounts similar to what people get when drinking six to seven cans of aspartame-sweetened beverages, an amount many people consume daily. The rats developed leukemia and lymphomas, and brain tumors may be linked as well, shows a report in the April issue of Environmental Nutrition.
Methanol, which forms when the body metabolizes aspartame, is being blamed for the increase in cancers. Although numerous other studies have found aspartame to be safe, consumers can switch to drinks sweetened with safer sugar substitutes such as sucralose (Splenda) or a sucralose blend.
Diet drinks sweetened with aspartame only include Diet Coke, Diet Pepsi, Diet Caffeine-Free Pepsi, Diet Dr. Pepper and most flavors of Diet Snapple. Those sweetened only with sucralose include Diet RC Cola, Diet 7-Up and some flavors of Diet Snapple Iced Tea.
More smoking danger
Do you need new ammunition to motivate your teen to toss the cigarettes? Show them the May issue of Seventeen magazine where, on Page 66, they’ll learn that cigarettes wreak havoc on more than just their lungs. The headline shrieks: “Smoking makes you fat.” That’s right. As smoking damages the lungs, smokers get out of breath quickly, so they exercise less and gain more weight.
Here are three more reasons:
– Smoking worsens acne by increasing stress hormones. This kicks up oil production, clogging pores and producing pimples.
– Smokers have four times the rate of depression as those who don’t smoke.
– Smokers’ brains don’t do well when they crave nicotine but can’t have it (such as while the students are in class) so their grades suffer.
A health barometer
Open wide for a reliable gauge of your health, found in your tongue, your saliva and your gums. If your tongue is pale, you may have iron-deficiency anemia, which can dampen your immune system and sap your energy. Add more iron to your diet through leafy greens, meat, seafood and beans, advises an article in the April issue of Women’s Health.
Thick, stringy saliva is caused by a dry mouth, the result of some allergy, cold and pain medications. This lack of moisture can cause tooth decay and gum disease. Easy solutions include drinking lots of water and chewing sugarless gum.
Similarly, bright red, puffy gums are not a good sign. You may have a bacterial infection or even diabetes. Fight gum disease by getting your teeth cleaned twice a year and brushing with Colgate Total, an FDA-approved toothpaste that contains an antimicrobial ingredient that battles bacteria.
