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LEAD POISONING STILL A PROBLEM -- Despite efforts to remove lead from many products, such as gasoline and paint, some children still are at risk for lead poisoning. A study from researchers at the University of Michigan Health System found children at greatest risk for lead poisoning, and those identified through screening as having elevated blood lead levels, are least likely to get the critical follow-up testing needed to prevent problems. The study showed the likelihood for follow-up testing was lower for Hispanic or non-white children, children living in urban areas, and children with a high risk for lead exposure. The results are published in the "Journal of the American Medical Association."

IN CPR, CHEST COMPRESSION IS KEY -- Cardiopulmonary resuscitation instructions given over the phone by emergency dispatchers should focus on continuous chest compressions. That is more important than the traditional ABCs - "airway, breathing, circulation," says Dr. Paul Pepe, chairman of emergency medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Pepe, along with international colleagues from the Council of Standards for the National Academies of Emergency Dispatch, made the recommendation for resuscitation. The recommendations were based on studies showing the "compression-only" approach improved survival, scientists say.

STRONG BREAKFAST HEALTH COMBO -- For a powerful, arterial health-boosting combo, pair-up orange juice and oatmeal at breakfast. Phenolic compounds in oats work synergistically with vitamin C to inhibit a key step in the formation of arterial plaques, research has revealed. Stir vitamin C-rich fruits such as strawberries, cantaloupe, or papaya into your homemade oatmeal, or serve it with a side of orange juice, to help keep your arteries clear. In addition to strawberries, cantaloupe, papaya, and oranges, other good sources of vitamin C include red and green bell peppers, grapefruit, and mangoes. Vitamin C boosts your immune system and keeps arteries young by inhibiting the formation of plaques. Phenolic compounds in oats are antioxidants that prevent blood cells from sticking to arterial walls. When oats and vitamin C-rich produce are served together, the vitamin C and phenolics work together to inhibit LDL oxidation, thus slowing a step that initiates the build-up of arterial plaques. Other ways to help keep your arteries clear are to exercise regularly and eat a proper diet that includes healthy monounsaturated fats and plenty of fruits, vegetables, and soluble fiber.

STOMACH KEY TO EASING BACK PAIN -- Many people who experience back pain are under the mistaken impression that they need to "strengthen" their backs to ease the painful condition. In reality, they would get much better results by strengthening their stomach muscles. The stomach, like the back, plays a very important part in keeping us upright. However, we have less opportunity in our ordinary daily activities to perform movements that affect the stomach muscles. On the other hand, in walking, standing, bending, and even sitting, we are constantly using our back. Consequently, the back muscles get stronger than the stomach. When the imbalance becomes exaggerated, back pain is sure to occur. There are many easy ways to strengthen the stomach: 1. Sitting in a chair with armrests, bring your feet off the floor, straightening your legs, and hold your legs out as straight as you can for 10 seconds. Do this several times throughout the day. 2. Lying down flat on your back, bend your knees and keep your feet flat on the floor. Cross your arms in front of your chest and bring the upper half of your body up off the floor, in a partial sit-up, holding for two seconds. Do 10 reps, several times a day. 3. Same position as in #2, arms flat by your sides. Try to push your lower back down into the floor. You will automatically flex the lower part of your pelvis upward, thereby tightening your stomach. If you keep your stomach strong, you will automatically eliminate most back problems.

MOST NOT MONITORED FOR DRUG SIDE EFFECTS -- About half of patients taking chronic medications received the recommended laboratory tests to monitor drug side effects, a New Mexico study finds. Published in the "Journal of General Internal Medicine," the study examined almost 100,000 patients taking medications for chronic illnesses over a period of three years. Nearly half did not receive one or more recommended tests, though the findings varied based on the type of drug, according to researcher Floyd Frost. The Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute team says although lapses in drug safety monitoring in the outpatient setting are common, further research is needed to determine to what extent this failure results in actual medical problems.

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WELLNESS QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

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Q & A #1:
How much water should I drink during hot weather?

Through perspiration, a person can lose about two quarts of water an hour. That is a significant amount of fluid. To replace that loss, you need to drink about a glass of water every 10 to 20 minutes. Studies have shown that drinking to satisfy thirst only replenishes two-thirds of the amount of water a person should drink when working or playing in the summer sun. So thirst is not a good indicator that you need to drink water. By the time you feel thirsty, you are already well on your way to dehydration. A better indicator of hydration is urine output. If you urinate your normal amount and frequency, the body is well-hydrated, provided you do not have kidney disease. If you urinate small amounts of dark-colored urine, you need to drink more water until the urine is consistently pale-colored. Other signs of water depletion include dry lips and tongue, dry-looking skin that has lost its elasticity, increased heart rate and breathing, dizziness and confusion. Signs of salt depletion as well include lethargy, headache, cramps and pallor. In general, plain water is better than other fluids. Drinks containing caffeine or alcohol, which are natural diuretics, cause more fluid loss by increasing the amount of water lost in the urine. Sweat contains far more water than electrolytes, which many sports drinks contain. But if you lose a lot of sweat for hours then you will need to replace the electrolytes as well. Remember, the primary issue is hydration, so start drinking before you feel thirsty.

Q & A #2:
I am having trouble remembering things, but tests have ruled out Alzheimer's and dementia. What should I do?

Most of the time, memory difficulties are due to stress, anxiety and having our circuits "overloaded." Problems remembering names and events from long ago (long-term memory loss) are more indicative of this overload phenomenon. Short-term memory loss is characteristic of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. Here are some tips for maintaining a healthy memory throughout your life:

• Lifelong learning. Keep an active mental life with reading, puzzles, volunteer activities and other interests - "use it or lose it."

• Exercise. Regular physical activity increases blood supply to the brain and has been shown to increase test scores in many cognitive areas.

• Daily activities. Participate in social activities and follow a daily schedule, especially after retirement.

• Stress reduction. Stress is a major cause of poor concentration. Take up some form of daily stress reduction for 20 minutes once or twice a day.

• Sleep. Try to get at least 8 hours of sleep every night. If you cannot, consider a 20-minute nap from 1pm to 2pm, which equals about an hour of nighttime sleep.

• Emotional stability. We know from the Alzheimer's study of nuns by David Snowdon, PhD, (author of "Aging with Grace") that depression contributes to significant memory loss. Emotions like fear, anger, loneliness, and confusion also lead to memory changes, while love, happiness, gratitude, contentment and altruism help sustain long-term and short-term cognitive vitality.

• Nutrition. Dementia is an inflammatory process, so eat anti-inflammatory foods rich in ginger and curry, for instance. Eat a balanced diet with lots of antioxidants (5 to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables a day) and rich in folic acid and the B vitamins to protect against stroke.

Steroids, whether man-made or natural, are powerful compounds with tremendous potential for both benefit and harm. All the side effects you mentioned are possible and have been seen in children who use inhaled steroids. However, there are some important factors to consider, and many reasons to be reassured, about the proper use of inhaled corticosteroids in children with asthma.

Two large published studies showed normal growth in children with asthma who are taking inhaled corticosteroids, with proper use. The first studied 1,041 children ages 5 to 12 in the United States who received either an inhaled steroid (311 children), an inhaled non-steroid asthma drug (312 children) or a placebo (418 children) for 4 to 6 years. They were evaluated very frequently for side effects and asthma symptoms. While there was a brief period of slower growth in the children receiving the steroid, children in all three groups grew at the same rate over the entire study period. The other study, in Denmark, compared 142 young adults with asthma who received inhaled corticosteroids for three to 13 years (average 9.2 years) with 51 of their non-asthmatic siblings and 18 young adults with asthma who had not received inhaled steroids. All had completed their growth. There was no difference in height among the groups. The U.S. study monitored bone density in addition to growth, and the children taking inhaled corticosteroids showed no evidence of osteoporosis.

Recently, there have been reports that suppression of natural steroid production, which occurs frequently in children and adults taking oral corticosteroids, is happening more frequently than previously thought with the use of inhaled corticosteroids. Close review of these reports actually has been somewhat reassuring in that this problem has been occurring only in individuals on very high doses and, in several cases, in children who received both inhaled and oral corticosteroids. Still, children on higher-than-average doses should be watched closely for this problem.

The risk for potential side effects is directly related both to dosage and failure to take steps to reduce unwanted absorption of the medicine through the gastrointestinal tract by swallowing rather than inhaling. It is important to keep the dose at the lowest level that controls symptoms, use a spacing or holding chamber device, and rinse the mouth or brush the teeth immediately after taking inhaled corticosteroids. Keep in mind that inhaled corticosteroids are the most effective treatment for asthma currently available. With proper use, they not only restore a child's ability to play, attend school and be active, but also prevent serious illness and even death from asthma. So, even if these medicines did impact growth, the alternative would be unacceptable. As a recent medical journal editorial stated, "No one ever died from being short."

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THE HERBAL CORNER

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European Goldenrod is a perennial often found along roadsides and in open fields with single woody stems that grow to heights of 3 to 7 feet. Its yellow flowers, which generally appear in August and September, are only about 1-inch wide but come in profuse clusters. Leaves alternate between toothed and smooth edges. Because goldenrod has an unusual ability to crossbreed with other plants, there are at least 130 recognizable species of goldenrod in the United States alone. This herb is native to Europe and has spread to Asia, the Azores, and both North and South America.

Contrary to popular belief, goldenrod does not cause hay fever. Its pollen grains, which are meant to be carried by insects, are much heavier than those of ragweed and other plants with airborne pollens that may be associated with allergies or hay fever. The above ground parts of the plants are dried and used for medicinal purposes.

Historically, Goldenrod, also called European Goldenrod, has been used topically for wound healing; in fact, the name Solidago means "to make whole." Today, goldenrod is primarily used as an aquaretic agent, meaning that it promotes the loss of water from the body (as compared to a diuretic, which promotes the loss of both water and electrolytes such as salt). It is used frequently in Europe to treat urinary tract inflammation and to prevent or treat kidney stones. In addition to wound healing, goldenrod has traditionally been used externally to relieve inflammation of the mouth and throat. It may also ease the pain and inflammation of arthritis.

The ability of goldenrod to flush water from the body, combined with its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, makes it useful for a wide range of conditions including:

• Inflammation of the bladder or urinary tract
• Kidney stones
• Influenza
• Upper respiratory congestion
• Arthritis
• Periodontal disease
• Some gastrointestinal disorders

Goldenrod may be taken in a variety of forms, including tea, tincture, or fluid extract. Goldenrod is generally considered safe and has no known negative side effects. However, you should not use this herb if you have impaired heart or kidney function. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you should consult with your physician before taking any medication, including herbs. There are no scientific reports to date about the use of Goldenrod in children.

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HEALTHY RECIPE-OF-THE-MONTH