healthbriefs


Listen Up Y


oung people who listen to personal music players for several hours a day at high volume could be putting their hearing at risk, warns a study published online in the British Medical Journal. Researchers found that devices such as MP3 players can generate levels of sound directed at the ear in excess of 120 decibels, similar in intensity to a jet engine, especially when used with earphones inserted into the ear canal.


Use of music devices


has grown faster than health experts’ ability to assess potential health consequences such as long-term hearing loss, as well as their interference with concentration and performance, especially when driving. Such findings point out that today’s ubiquitous acceptance of technology in our lives must be accompanied by vigorous efforts to understand its impacts on our health and well-being, especially among youth.


Microwave Popcorn Toxicity Study P


opcorn is one of the add- ons that rarely fails to make


watching a movie more fun, but the modern way of preparing this popular snack may harbor an unhappy secret. Research by the U.S. government now reports that microwave popcorn may contain chemicals that can cause health problems.


At issue is that commercial popcorn companies often coat their microwave popcorn bags with a chemical called perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) which has been found to cause both cancer and lung disease in laboratory animals. Making matters worse, the butter substitute that generally accompanies microwavable popcorn contains a chemical called diacetyl, a common food-flavoring agent that, ac- cording to health scientists, is responsible for bronchiolitis obliterans, a serious, debilitating lung disease. For an easy and fun healthy alternative, nutritionists suggest that we pop our own popcorn. All that’s needed is a large, high pot, about four tablespoons of peanut or canola oil and a small handful of organic popcorn kernels. When the kernels start popping, shake the pot to let the steam escape and to let the unpopped kernels fall to the bottom. As soon as the popping slows down, remove the pot from the stove, pour the popcorn into a bowl, season with a small amount of real butter or olive oil and natural salt or brewer’s yeast to taste, et voilà, happy eating.


Source: AssociatedContent.com


Just Say No to TV for Tots


8


Natural Awakenings Ad B/W 1/4 pg. 3.5” X 4.5”


520-792-2272 Tucson


Families who want kids to grow up thinner and smarter do well to keep them away from the televi- sion as toddlers. In a new study published in Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, Dr. Linda S. Pagani, a professor at the Université de Montréal and researcher at the Sainte-Jus- tine University Hospital Research Center, concluded: “We found every additional hour of TV exposure among toddlers corresponded to a future decrease in classroom engagement and success at math, increased victimization by classmates, a more sedentary lifestyle, higher consumption of junk food and ultimately, a higher body mass index.”


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