Danger in being male
Men seem to be hard-wired toward danger, even to the detriment of their life and health. A feature in the June issue of Redbook lists 12 male habits and traits that could point to trouble. Here are some of them:
– He refuses to wear a life jacket, bike helmet or safety goggles. This risk-taking attitude could be dangerous, warns Charles Mock, director of the Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center at the University of Washington in Seattle. “Unintentional injuries” are the leading cause of death for men through age 44.
– He doesn’t read labels. Poisoning is the second most common cause of unintentional fatal injury to men 25-54. Although half are from illegal narcotics, the rest are from drug overdoses because they didn’t follow directions, says Len Paulozzi, medical epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Injury Center in Atlanta.
– He loves climbing atop ladders, roofs and other high places to fix things. Falls are the third most common reason for fatal injuries among men 35-54.
Caesarean risks
Childbirth is increasingly going the way of the Caesarean, accounting for 29 percent of all births nationally in 2004. But is that a good thing? A report in the June issue of Elle magazine says the increase in C-sections is worrisome in that many women don’t really understand the potential risks involved.
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, women are three to seven times more likely to die from a C-section than from vaginal delivery. In real numbers, that’s still small–36 versus 9 deaths per 100,000 women. However, C-sections are major surgery and carry the risk of infection, blood clots, organ damage, hemorrhage and reactions to anesthesia. Research in Scotland also suggests that women who have Caesareans are 60 percent more likely to have a stillbirth in the next pregnancy.
Gut-level depression
If you’re having psychological problems such as stress, it could be that your stomach’s depressed, says an article in the June issue of the Johns Hopkins Medical Letter. At one time, doctors thought that mental distress led to digestive disorders, but now they have found that it could be just the opposite.
The “brain” in the belly–the enteric nervous system (ENS)–consists of a large network of neurons in the gastrointestinal tract that communicate with the brain and spinal cord. It continually communicates with the brain, warning about toxins in the stomach, for example, so both “brains” can respond.
Because the ENS and the brain use the same chemicals and hormones, drugs such as antidepressants that are designed to affect the brain also can improve some digestive diseases. As researchers learn more about the ENS, they hope to develop better treatments for digestive diseases such as irritable-bowel syndrome.
Smart menu choices
Eating healthily may be harder than you think when ordering a restaurant meal. A feature in the June issue of Glamour compares three selections each of Chinese, Mexican and Italian entrees and tells which are the worst and best choices:
– Chinese–Worst: General Tso’s chicken, with 1,458 calories and 53 grams of fat. Best: Szechuan shrimp, with 1,017 calories and 22 grams of fat.
– Mexican–Worst: beef taco salad with the works, 1,450 calories and 102 grams of fat. Best: two spicy chicken soft tacos and a side of Mexican rice, 520 calories and 20 grams of fat.
– Italian–Worst: fettucine Alfredo, 1,500 calories and 97 grams of fat. Best: two slices of veggie pizza, 400 calories and 12 grams of fat.
