Confessing to your doc
Do you tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth about your health issues when visiting the doctor? Many people don’t. But what you don’t say could be deadly, warns Robert Klitzman in the Oct. 1 issue of Bottom Line Personal.
Klitzman, associate professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City, says it is human nature to lie because you are too embarrassed to talk about a sexual problem, or perhaps because you’ve been skipping some prescribed medications or simply because you don’t want to appear stupid or get a lecture.
No matter the reason, if you fail to mention “small” health problems, they could lead to more serious ones. For example, a persistent ache that goes unmentioned could build to an intense pain that eventually is diagnosed as cancer or a heart problem. If you don’t communicate the problem early, you compromise your chances of getting the best treatment possible.
To get past your inhibitions, Klitzman suggests the following:
Discuss the underlying fear up front, saying something like, “Doctor, I have something I want to mention, but it’s awkward.” The doctor will help to reassure you so you can speak freely.
You could send an e-mail before your appointment or give the doctor a note in the exam room, stating the problem, if you don’t want to say it out loud. Or ask a spouse or family member to speak to the doctor for you.
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Wash away dust mites
Washing your clothes on the hot-water cycle (about 140 degrees Fahrenheit) kills 100 percent of dust mites lurking within, and it banishes the ragweed pollens responsible for those runny noses and itchy eyes, notes a report in the October issue of Redbook magazine.
A study presented at the American Thoracic Society’s international conference said that washing clothes on the warm setting (86 to 104 degrees), in contrast, eliminates just 6.5 percent of mites.
But if you’re worried about the high heat shrinking your clothes and eating up delicate fabrics, do this: Wash the clothing on the warm cycle, then rinse twice with cold water for at least three minutes for each rinse, says study author Jung-Won Park. Though it won’t kill the mites, it will eliminate the body fragments and waste they leave behind. It also washes away allergens such as pollen, dust and pet dander.
For more information on fighting allergies, go to the Web site of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America at aafa.org.
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Raking can be a workout
Don’t look at raking leaves as a pain in the grass. Consider it a full-body workout, says Kelli Calabrese, author of “Feminine, Firm & Fit” in the October issue of Cooking Light, and mind your technique while doing so.
Before you begin, walk down the street for three to five minutes, and do some simple stretches. Then rake using short, compact motions, with knees loose, not locked. Keep one leg in front of the other for a solid stance, Calabrese says.
Periodically stop to bag leaves so you don’t stress your back and to lessen the fatigue on certain muscles. This also will give you a more balanced workout.
Voila! The yard is clean and you’re fit as a fiddle.
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Aiding the rescuers
Help others in need worldwide by donating to Doctors Without Borders (doctorswith outborders.org), which gets 89 percent of its operating funds from the public.
This independent international medical humanitarian organization delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics and natural and manmade disasters in more than 70 countries. Volunteers also help treat people grappling with infectious diseases and serious psychological needs.
