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HOW MUCH SLEEP? -- Sleep needs vary, but here are the general guidelines: infants need 16 to 18 hours; children need between 8 and 9 hours; teens about 10 hours; and adults from 7 to 8 hours.

ANTIOXIDANTS LIFT OLDER ADULTS -- Older individuals have a higher incidence of infectious diseases, particularly respiratory diseases. This is a result of the age-related decline in immune function. Vitamin E has been shown to improve some aspects of immune function in studies. Researches also concluded that combined supplementation, including zinc, selenium, vitamin C, vitamin E, and carotenoids could be the best way to prevent accelerated aging and reduce the risk of several common age-related diseases!

MARIJUANA AND HEART ATTACKS -- In the first hour after smoking marijuana, the risk of having a heart attack can increase nearly five-fold, a new study indicates. According to Murray Mittleman, M.D., of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, marijuana smoke is about twice as dangerous as sex, an anger tantrum, or bout of anxiety when it comes to heart attack risk for sedentary people. Dr. Mittleman and colleagues reached their conclusions based on data from a multicenter study of 3,882 people who survived heart attacks. Of those, 124 reported using marijuana regularly. Thirty-seven said they used the drug within 24 hours of their heart attack, and nine smoked marijuana within an hour of their heart attack. The researchers found that the relative risk of heart attack increased 4.8 times within the first hour, but dropped to 1.7 times during the second hour. "As baby boomers enter the age at which coronary disease is the most important cause of death and the leading cause of morbidity, we may see an increase in marijuana-associated heart attacks," says Dr. Mittleman. "In the debate about medicinal use, marijuana may be contraindicated for people with existing coronary disease." Dr. Mittleman presented his results at the 40th Annual Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention, sponsored by the American Heart Association.

FYI -- One out of three Americans who have high blood pressure do not know they have it. High blood pressure usually has no symptoms.

FIBER AND HEART DISEASE -- A 10 year study of over 68,000 women found that a higher fiber intake, especially from cereal sources, can significantly reduce a woman’s risk of coronary heart disease. Women who ate the most cereal fiber had a 34% lower risk of heart disease compared with those who ate little cereal ­ even when intakes of vitamin E, folate, vitamin B6, magnesium, vegetables, and fruits were the same.

HIP REPLACEMENTS -- A new study suggests what doctors have suspected for a long time ­ the bone cement that is used to hold hip replacements in place, degrades in the body over time. Furthermore, the degradation of bone cement may interact with, or contribute to, the wearing down of the plastic component in hip replacements. About 10% of people who have hip replacements that are 10 years old, and 20% who have hip replacements that are 20 years old, need to have them redone. About half of the 130,000 hip replacements that are performed annually in the United States are implanted with cement. Cement is needed when patients have osteoporosis.

MAINTAINING YOUR MEMORY -- The single most important aid to maintaining your memory is paying attention. Most of us just do not really listen. Stop and think about it, when was the last time you felt the person you were talking to was really listening to what you had to say? People who concentrate and are observant have better memories. When was the last time you laid down your car keys and then could not find them when you needed them? Had you been concentrating on what you were doing when you laid them down, you probably would remember where they were when you needed them later. It may sound amusing at first, but affirming out loud, or at least mentally, "I am placing my keys in this drawer and I will remember where I put them," may improve the situation. In other words INTEND to remember. The power of your INTENDING can be huge and fulfilling in your life. Try it; you will be amazed.

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FEATURED ARTICLE

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In any given year, 4.5 children (per 100,000 population) between 1 month and 23 months will get meningococcal MENINGITIS. The older you get, the more capable your body is of fighting off the infection. Bacterial meningitis is fairly uncommon, but can be extremely serious. It is fatal in 1 in 10 cases and 1 in 7 survivors is left with severe handicap, such as deafness or brain injury. Approximately 3,000 cases of meningococcal disease occur each year in the United States, and 10% to 13% of patients die despite receiving antibiotics early in the illness. The bacteria which cause both meningococcal and pneumococcal meningitis are very common and live naturally in the back of the nose and throat, or the upper respiratory tract. People of any age can carry these germs for days, weeks or months without becoming ill. In fact, being a carrier helps boost natural immunity to the disease. At any one time, around 10% to 25% of the population are carriers. Only rarely do the bacteria overcome the body's defenses and cause meningitis. Recent studies show that college students, especially freshmen living in dormitories, are at increased risk for meningococcal meningitis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now recommends that college students and parents become educated about meningococcal disease and that they strongly consider vaccination.

What is Meningitis?

According to the CDC, Meningitis (Meningococcal Disease) is an infection of the fluid of a person's spinal cord and the fluid that surrounds the brain. People sometimes refer to it as spinal meningitis. Meningitis is usually caused by a viral or bacterial infection. Knowing whether meningitis is caused by a virus or bacterium is important because the severity of illness and the treatment differ. Viral meningitis is generally less severe and resolves without specific treatment, while bacterial meningitis can be quite severe and may result in brain damage, hearing loss, learning disability, or even death. For bacterial meningitis, it is also important to know which type of bacteria is causing the meningitis because antibiotics can prevent some types from spreading and infecting other people. Before the 1990s, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) was the leading cause of bacterial meningitis, but new vaccines being given to all children as part of their routine immunizations have reduced the occurrence of invasive disease due to H. influenzae. Today, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitidis are the leading causes of bacterial meningitis.

Some forms are bacterial meningitis are contagious. The bacteria are spread through the exchange of respiratory and throat secretions (i.e., coughing, kissing). Fortunately, none of the bacteria that cause meningitis are as contagious as things like the common cold or the flu, and they are not spread by casual contact or by simply breathing the air where a person with meningitis has been.

However, sometimes the bacteria that cause meningitis have spread to other people who have had close or prolonged contact with a patient with meningitis caused by Neisseria meningitidis (also called meningococcal meningitis) or Hib. People in the same household or day-care center, or anyone with direct contact with a patient's oral secretions (such as a boyfriend or girlfriend) would be considered at increased risk of acquiring the infection. People who qualify as close contacts of a person with meningitis caused by N. meningitidis should receive antibiotics to prevent them from getting the disease. Antibiotics for contacts of a person with Hib meningitis disease are no longer recommended if all contacts 4 years of age or younger are fully vaccinated against Hib disease.

Signs and Symptoms

High fever, headache, and stiff neck are common symptoms of meningitis in anyone over the age of 2 years. These symptoms can develop over several hours, or they may take 1 to 2 days. Other symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, discomfort looking into bright lights, confusion, and sleepiness. In newborns and small infants, the classic symptoms of fever, headache, and neck stiffness may be absent or difficult to detect, and the infant may only appear slow or inactive, or be irritable, have vomiting, or be feeding poorly. As the disease progresses, patients of any age may have seizures.

Diagnosis and Treatment

Early diagnosis and treatment are very important. If symptoms occur, the patient should see a doctor immediately. The diagnosis is usually made by growing bacteria from a sample of spinal fluid. The spinal fluid is obtained by performing a spinal tap, in which a needle is inserted into an area in the lower back where fluid in the spinal canal is readily accessible. Identification of the type of bacteria responsible is important for selection of correct antibiotics.

Bacterial meningitis can be treated with a number of effective antibiotics. It is important, however, that treatment be started early in the course of the disease. Appropriate antibiotic treatment of most common types of bacterial meningitis should reduce the risk of dying from meningitis to below 15%, although the risk is higher among the elderly.

There are vaccines against Hib and against some strains of N. meningitidis and many types of Streptococcus pneumoniae. The vaccines against Hib are very safe and highly effective.

There is also a vaccine that protects against four strains of N. meningitidis, but it is not routinely used in the United States and is not effective in children under 18 months of age. The vaccine against N. meningitidis is sometimes used to control outbreaks of some types of meningococcal meningitis in the United States. Meningitis cases should be reported to state or local health departments to assure follow-up of close contacts and recognize outbreaks. Although large epidemics of meningococcal meningitis do not occur in the United States, some countries experience large, periodic epidemics. Overseas travelers should check to see if meningococcal vaccine is recommended for their destination. Travelers should receive the vaccine at least 1 week before departure, if possible. Information on areas for which meningococcal vaccine is recommended can be obtained by calling the CDC at 404-332-4565.

A vaccine to prevent meningitis due to S. pneumoniae (also called pneumococcal meningitis) can also prevent other forms of infection due to S. pneumoniae. The pneumococcal vaccine is not effective in children under 2 years of age but is recommended for all persons over 65 years of age and younger persons with certain chronic medical problems.

Resources

Meningitis Foundation of America
MedLinePlus
Meningitis Research Foundation
Yahoo! Health Links

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THE HERBAL CORNER

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VALERIAN root has been used for more that 1000 years for its calming qualities, and recent research has confirmed its efficacy and safety as a mild tranquilizer and sleep aid. For sufferers of insomnia, VALERIAN has been found to hasten the onset of sleep, improve sleep quality, and reduce nighttime awakenings. Unlike barbiturates or benzodiazepines, prescribed amounts of VALERIAN leave no morning grogginess and do not interfere with the vivid dreaming sleep known as REM sleep.

Why is VALERIAN sometimes referred to as "nature's Valium" but Valium is never called "chemists' VALERIAN"? VALERIAN was definitely here first, and it may just outlast Valium. The genus Valeriana includes more than two hundred species of plants growing in temperate areas of both the northern and southern hemispheres. Though many of these species have similar properties, the species that is most often used by Western herbalists is native to Europe and was transported to the New World by early settlers. A hardy and adaptable plant, it now grows in much of the northern United States and southern Canada. The medicinal parts are the rhizome and roots. VALERIAN is a top-ranking herb worldwide as an insomnia remedy. While it may not be threatening to overtake Valium anytime soon in the United States, it has many qualities that make it a better remedy for anxiety and sleeplessness.

Hippocrates and other early Greek physicians apparently used VALERIAN for a variety of ailments. Some of these ancient uses (particularly as a remedy to soothe digestive ailments) have survived into modern times, while others (as treatments for urinary tract disorders and epilepsy) have not. VALERIAN was not well recognized as a sedative and muscle relaxant until relatively recently. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, VALERIAN was indispensable as a treatment for various types of nervous conditions, not only insomnia but also anxiety, nervous headache, exhaustion, and hysteria. Doctors often recommended it to women who suffered from emotionally induced exhaustion of the nervous system.

VALERIAN is now the most prominent herbal remedy for insomnia as well as nervous conditions related to anxiety, tension, and stress. It works well as a nerve tonic for people who suffer from nervous exhaustion, panic attacks, and emotional disturbances. It serves as a pain-relieving agent for conditions such as tension-related headache, nerve pain, and menstrual cramps. VALERIAN can soothe the digestive system and relieve some types of indigestion, constipation, irritable bowel, and stomach cramps, especially those that may be due to excess nervous tension. VALERIAN may also help to prevent or treat: high blood pressure, cough (often in combination with other herbs such as licorice), altitude sickness, and addiction to antidepressants

VALERIAN is available in tablets, capsules and caplets, liquid extracts, timed-release capsules, and bulk teas. It is sometimes combined with other relaxing herbs such as Kava and Chamomile. VALERIAN is a common ingredient in formulas for depression, anxiety, insomnia, and dysmenorrhea. Studies indicate that VALERIAN has low toxicity and it is certainly much safer than prescription sedatives. It should not be combined with other central nervous system depressants including alcohol and barbiturates. VALERIAN should be used with caution before doing tasks that require full alertness, such as driving. While VALERIAN is not addictive, headache and restlessness may occur from taking it regularly for an extended period of time. For unknown reasons, a small minority of people may find VALERIAN stimulating instead of calming. A few people experience stomach complaints from taking VALERIAN. VALERIAN should not be given to children under the age of 12.

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HEALTHY RECIPE-OF-THE-MONTH