LIFELINES.

Tomatoes and Your Heart

Lycopene, a member of the carotenoid family, may help lower your risk of heart disease. A study of more than 1,000 men in Europe showed that those who consumed the most lycopene in their diets had half the number of heart attacks of those who consumed the least. Already shown to help lower the risk of prostate disease, lycopene is most available in cooked tomato products, and is also present in watermelon and red grapefruit.

(American Journal of Epidemiology)

Aaaaachooooooo

You feel it coming--that tickle in your nose that says "I'm going to sneeze!" You sneeze when mucous membranes in your nose become irritated. But what it it's inconvenient to sneeze? Well, you could:

* Pinch your urge. Pinch the end of your nose when you feel a sneeze coming on. This may help stop it from happening.

* Stay in the dark. Exposure to bright light, especially sunlight, can trigger sneezing in some people. Wearing sunglasses could help.

* Clear your nose. Occasionally blowing your nose can remove irritants. Rinsing your nostrils with a saline solution can also help.

* Seek medical treatment if you're sneezing a lot--it might be allergies. A physician can suggest an appropriate prescription nasal spray or antihistamine.

(Health and Fitness News Service)

No Aid to Sleep

Are you taking the herbal supplement valerian as a self-treatment for sleeping problem? You can probably save your money. According to a nonprofit organization of health-care professionals and scientists, there's no evidence that valerian helps people sleep better. While apparently safe if taken in low doses for brief periods, overdoses of the herb can cause blurred vision, changes in heartbeat, headaches, and nausea.

(U.S. Pharmacopeia)

Hollywood's Magic?

While smoking rates in real life have declined, movies are depicting smoking at a rapidly increasing rate. University of California at San Francisco researchers report that tobacco appeared in films about once every 10 to 15 minutes during the 1970s and 1980s, but now someone lights up once every five minutes on average. Researchers add that the female teenage character in the film Titanic smoked vigorously, even though in 1912 very few young women ever smoked.

(UC Berkeley Wellness Letter)

Hefty Children

Overweight children are more likely to have continued weight gain in adulthood and be at risk for serious cardiovascular disease problems than their lighter peers. But for children at least 5 years old, a diet in which at least 55 percent of calories comes from carbohydrates reduces the likelihood that body fat accumulation will occur. Cereals, vegetables, legumes, and fruits are particularly good food choices.

(The Lancet)

Women and Heart Attacks

When suffering from heart attack symptoms, women often endure symptoms longer than men, delay seeking treatment at an emergency room, and receive less aggressive treatment once there than men. It is critical for women to pay attention to chest pain and seek care as soon as possible.

(American College of Cardiology)

Diabetes on the Rise

Diabetes is at the highest level ever recorded in the United States, with almost new cases diagnosed each year. An estimated 15.7 million Americans have diabetes, nearly 6 percent of the population. Diabetes is caused by a deficiency of insulin, a hormone secreted by the pancreas. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lasts risk factors as older age, ethnicity, a family of diabetes, obesity, and physical inactivity. And people over age 45 should be tested for diabetes every three years,

(American Heart Association)

Cuts and Scrapes

The five body parts kids cut the most:

Hand     14.5%
Elbow     3.6%
Arm       3.8%
Knee      47.6%
Leg       19.1%