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EXERCISE BOOSTS TEEN BRAINPOWER -- Exercise, proven to stimulate brain activity of seniors, also benefits brain activity of teenagers, U.S. and Dutch researchers showed. Researchers from the University of Illinois and Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam teamed to study the relationship of fitness, the brain and recognition. They reviewed data on people in their mid-teens to early 70s, the Champaign, Illinois, New-Gazette said. Previous studies indicate regular exercise improves brain structure and function of senior citizens, including increasing the gray and white matter and improving performance on cognitive tests. Based on the Dutch data, some of the benefits seen in senior citizens also can be seen in young people, said Charles Hillman, University of Illinois kinesiology and community health professor. Younger people, ages 15 to 39 years, were faster but did not show a significant improvement in accuracy. Improvement was noted, however, in another study in which when participants were forced to change tasks while taking tests. Hillman said the studies indicate a link may exist between physical fitness and the health of the brain across the life span. Exercising may have a protective effect against the decline in a person's cognitive ability during the aging process, he said.

AVOCADO LOVE -- Including avocados in your diet is one of the most beneficial things you can do for yourself. Not only do these fruits provide you with 20 different vitamins and minerals but they act as nutrient boosters by enabling the body to absorb more fat-soluble nutrients, such as beta and alpha carotene. By eating just one fifth of a medium sized avocado you take in nearly 20 beneficial nutrients to you daily diet. Avocados are known to be one of the best fitness foods to eat before you go to the gym for your daily workout.

ELECTRICITY USED TO KILL CANCER -- Focused electric pulses can puncture holes into cancer cells, killing those cells without using extremes of heat or cold that can damage other tissues. In laboratory experiments, a one-minute test utilizing irreversible electroporation destroyed 92 percent of tumors in mice, said Rafael Davalos, assistant professor of biomedical engineering at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. "The key to this is that it is relatively simple to perform in places such as community hospitals or in resource-limited setting," Davalos told United Press International. "We have already completed laboratory experiments in the test tube and in animals," he said. "We expect to begin human trials with this process within a year." In the treatment, small, needle-like electrodes are positioned around the tumors and electric micropulses are fired. The electric charges open holes in the cell membranes, some of which do not close and cannot be repaired by the cell. These holes are fatal to the cell.

BREAKFAST STILL AN IMPORTANT MEAL -- Skipping your morning meal is probably no more likely to help you achieve your ideal weight than eating a fatty breakfast is. In a recent study, both breakfast skippers and people who ate fried eggs and meat for breakfast had less healthy "Body Mass Indexes" compared to people who ate hot or cold cereals for breakfast. Choose whole-grain cereals; researchers speculate that the fiber in them may help people feel full longer and eat less later.

MORE POSITIVE STROKES -- Having high HDL levels not only helps ward off cardiovascular disease, but new research shows it also may help keep your stroke risk low. Older men with the lowest levels of HDL, the good form of cholesterol, were 3 times more likely to experience a stroke compared to men with the highest levels of HDL, a recent study determined. HDL cholesterol helps remove other fats from the blood, keeping arteries and blood vessels clear. You can raise your HDL levels by exercising regularly and including healthy fats in your diet.

APPLE FACTS -- Apples are a marvelous anti-aging food. They stabilize blood sugar, lower blood pressure, control the appetite, and keep the cardiovascular system healthy. Researchers have found that those who eat more apples tend to have a lower incidence of colds and upper respiratory ailments. Be sure to eat the skin - it contains pectin fiber, a soluble type of fiber, which is a well known anti- cholesterol agent. Eating an apple a day will keep you younger in many ways.

OLIVE OIL AND INTESTINAL HEALTH -- We all know eating a high-fiber diet is the best way to keep the colon free from disease. Fiber sweeps the intestines clean and keeps the body from being constipated. Constipation ages us quickly. Many experts say that cancer and other diseases begin in the colon. But did you know that adding a little olive oil to your eating plan may also help your colon? Researchers believe that olive oil may have the ability to help lower your risk of colon cancer. Studies say it may be the high concentration of squalene, an element of olive oil, that gives olive oil its cancer-fighting powers. Keep your colon healthy by adding a tablespoon of olive oil to your salad every day!

ALL CHOCOLATE IS NOT EQUAL -- Lately you may have been reading about the high antioxidant content of chocolate. Once considered akin to the devil, chocolate has now become the new "health food!" But here are a couple of things to be aware of: The amount of chocolate needed to produce health benefits is 3.5 ounces - about 600 calories worth. For most women that is about 1/3 of the daily total calories, and for men, about 1/4. So, think in terms of moderation. Eating a bit here and there of the darker varieties of chocolate will not interfere with other components of a healthy diet.

OBESITY ALSO A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE -- Much of the attention on obesity in the United States has centered on the health effects, but Dr. David Baron says it is also a mental health issue. "Many children, teens, and adults who suffer with weight problems have emotional issues," says Baron, chair of the department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia. "They do not feel good about themselves or their condition." Baron says poor diet, a lack of exercise, stress, busy lifestyles, and physical and emotional exhaustion often sabotage even the best intentions to lose weight.

PROLONGED ASPIRIN CAN DAMAGE TEETH -- People who chew aspirin over a prolonged period could severely damage their teeth, says a study by the University of Maryland Dental School, Baltimore, MD, USA. "Aspirin can cause severe damage to both the hard and soft tissues of the mouth," the researchers said. "Dentists should counsel and educate patients and other health care practitioners about the dangers to both hard and soft oral tissues from chewing aspirin." The study, in the "Journal of the American Dental Association," detailed two cases of people who had damaged tooth enamel from chewing several aspirin tablets daily.

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WELLNESS QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

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Q & A #1:
What is glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a group of diseases that can damage the eye's optic nerve and result in vision loss and blindness. However, with early treatment, you can often protect your eyes against serious vision loss.

Q & A #2:
What is the optic nerve?

The optic nerve is a bundle of more than 1 million nerve fibers. It connects the retina to the brain. The retina is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. A healthy optic nerve is necessary for good vision.

Q & A #3:
How does open-angle glaucoma damage the optic nerve?

In the front of the eye is a space called the anterior chamber. A clear fluid flows continuously in and out of the chamber and nourishes nearby tissues. The fluid leaves the chamber at the open angle where the cornea and iris meet. When the fluid reaches the angle, it flows through a spongy meshwork, like a drain, and leaves the eye. Sometimes, when the fluid reaches the angle, it passes too slowly through the meshwork drain. As the fluid builds up, the pressure inside the eye rises to a level that may damage the optic nerve. When the optic nerve is damaged from increased pressure, open-angle glaucoma - and vision loss - may result. That is why controlling pressure inside the eye is important.

Q & A #4:
Does increased eye pressure mean that I have glaucoma?

Not necessarily. Increased eye pressure means you are at risk for glaucoma, but does not mean you have the disease. A person has glaucoma only if the optic nerve is damaged. If you have increased eye pressure but no damage to the optic nerve, you do not have glaucoma. However, you are at risk. Follow the advice of your eye care professional.

Q & A #5:
Can I develop glaucoma if I have increased eye pressure?

Not necessarily. Not every person with increased eye pressure will develop glaucoma. Some people can tolerate higher eye pressure better than others. Also, a certain level of eye pressure may be high for one person but normal for another. Whether you develop glaucoma depends on the level of pressure your optic nerve can tolerate without being damaged. This level is different for each person. That is why a comprehensive dilated eye exam is very important. It can help your eye care professional determine what level of eye pressure is normal for you.

Q & A #6:
Can I develop glaucoma without an increase in my eye pressure?

Yes. Glaucoma can develop without increased eye pressure. This form of glaucoma is called low-tension or normal-tension glaucoma. It is not as common as open-angle glaucoma.

Q & A #7:
Who is at risk for open-angle glaucoma?

Anyone can develop glaucoma. Some people are at higher risk than others. They include: African Americans over age 40. Everyone over age 60, especially Mexican Americans. People with a family history of glaucoma. A comprehensive dilated eye exam can reveal more risk factors, such as high eye pressure, thinness of the cornea, and abnormal optic nerve anatomy. In some people with certain combinations of these high-risk factors, medicines in the form of eyedrops reduce the risk of developing glaucoma by about half.

Q & A #8:
What are the symptoms of glaucoma?

At first, open-angle glaucoma has no symptoms. It causes no pain. Vision stays normal. As glaucoma remains untreated, people may miss objects to the side and out of the corner of their eye. Without treatment, people with glaucoma will slowly lose their peripheral (side) vision. They seem to be looking through a tunnel. Over time, straight-ahead vision may decrease until no vision remains.

Q & A #9:
How is glaucoma detected?

Glaucoma is detected through a comprehensive eye exam that includes: 1. Visual acuity test. This eye chart test measures how well you see at various distances. 2. Visual field test. This test measures your side (peripheral) vision. It helps your eye care professional tell if you have lost side vision, a sign of glaucoma. 3. Dilated eye exam. Drops are placed in your eyes to widen, or dilate, the pupils. Your eye care professional uses a special magnifying lens to examine your retina and optic nerve for signs of damage and other eye problems. After the exam, your close-up vision may remain blurred for several hours. 4. Tonometry. An instrument (right) measures the pressure inside the eye. Numbing drops may be applied to your eye for this test. 5. Pachymetry. A numbing drop is applied to your eye. Your eye care professional uses an ultrasonic wave instrument to measure the thickness of your cornea.

Q & A #10:
Can glaucoma be cured?

No. There is no cure for glaucoma. Vision lost from the disease cannot be restored. Immediate treatment for early stage, open-angle glaucoma can delay progression of the disease.

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