MATURE MARKET HEADLINES updated 3/30/2000
Maid In America Helps Battle Spring Allergies
36 million Americans suffer from seasonal allergies and allergy-related asthma problems, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. And if one of those 36 million people is you, then help is on the way. "The Maids", an international residential cleaning company based in in Omaha, Nebraska, offers helpful tips for getting rid of all those nasty sources of allergies lurking in your home.
"Surprisingly, many allergy problems stem from inside, rather than outside of the home", says Margee Virant, vice president of research development at The Maids. "Common household problems stem from things such as dust, mold, mildew, animal dander and bacteria." If spring allergies are a problem for you and your family, The Maids suggest you follow these spring-cleaning tips to reduce the number of allergens in your home.
- Clean your A/C and change the filter according to the manufacturer's directions.
Mold thrives in cooling systems and pollen gets trapped in the filters.
- To prevent mildew from forming in your refrigerator and shower, wipe the inside with vinegar.
The acid effectively kills mildew fungus.
- Throw away piles of newspaper, as they can attract cockroaches.
Cockroach debris is also a strong allergen.
- Dust mites, pollen and animal dander cling to furniture cushions.
Vacuum weekly or cover cloth furniture with slipcovers so they can be cleaned regularly.
- Vacuum and dry-clean draperies.
If possible, purchase machine washable draperies so they can be washed frequently.
- In addition to placing doormats outside your doors, add them inside your entryways.
This helps reduce the amount of dirt and debris that enters your home.
- If you have pets, no problem.
Washing walls and doors with a slightly dampened cloth works wonders in removing bothersome dander.
Need more anti-allergy, home-help? The Maids offer a toll-free consumer hotline at: 1-800-THE-MAID.
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AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com
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Complementary Medicine Paid Few Compliments
Patients who use complementary and alternative medicines within two weeks of surgery may experience adverse side effects, says the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) in a recent study. The study categorizes complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) according to their potential to cause “adverse effects” with drugs used during surgery. The study, which underscores the relationship between conventional and unconventional medicines, profiles patient use of CAM.
“Most patients who take alternative medicines never tell their providers about it. This can compromise a patient’s safety if these medicines aggravate a health condition or interact poorly with the drugs used during
surgery. As advocates of patient safety, the AANA advises patients to disclose information about CAM use prior to surgery,” says Carol Norred, a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA).
Garlic and cranberry represented the most common herbal substances consumed followed by echinacea, gingko and ginseng respectively. The vitamins most frequently taken included vitamin C, multivitamins and vitamin E. The survey also indicates that 220 patients took 31 types of dietary supplements including
calcium, fish oil, magnesium or zinc.
More popular with women than men, the study found that some alternative medicines can increase bleeding and prolong coagulation during surgery. Alternative medicines that may prolong coagulation include alfalfa,
chamomile, some Chinese herbs, garlic, ginko, kava, licorice, vitamin E and fish oil.
Black cohosh, used to treat menopause, menstrual cramps and osteoporosis, can lower a patient’s blood pressure. St. John’s wort, used to control depression, can raise blood pressure as well as cause confusion, agitation and drowsiness in surgical patients.
The study also links some herbs to heart irregularities and others to electrolyte imbalance. Ephedra, an herb used to treat coughing, asthma and weight loss, can trigger arrhythmia and high blood pressure while licorice,
used to control coughing and soothe sore throats, can raise the risk of hypokalemia, a potassium deficiency that can cause arrhythmia. Herbal diuretics, which increase urine output, can also deplete potassium levels and cause electrolyte imbalance.
Sedative herbs, like kava, can cause severe drowsiness when combined with the hypnotic drugs used during surgery. Norred, researcher and Ph.D. student at the UCHSC Department of Anesthesiology and School of Nursing, believes that more scientific research is needed to safely integrate CAM into the management of surgical patients.
The American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, founded in 1931 and located in Park Ridge, Ilinois, is a professional organization for more than 27,000 Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs). Advanced practice nurses, CRNAs administer approximately 65 percent of the 26 million anesthetics
delivered in the United States each year.
See related articles in the AgeVenture archives.
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Some Herbal Remedies Horrible
AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com
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Docs Wait to Weigh-in on New Weight Loss Diet
A resurgence in interest in the high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet has prompted two doctors at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas to zero in on the fad diet to see if it increases the risk of kidney stones and loss of bone. Drs. Shalini Reddy and Chia-Ying Wang, both assistant professors of internal medicine, hope to complete the first phase of a two-phase study later this year.
They decided to examine the high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet after meeting with Dr. Charles Pak, director of the Center for Mineral Metabolism and Clinical Research at UT Southwestern and assistant dean for clinical investigation. Pak had learned that some patients who had been on the regime were being diagnosed with kidney stones. People may lose weight, "but it's not a healthy way to live," Reddy said of the protein-heavy diet.
The study will provide information on the subjects' level of acidosis, which is caused by the enhanced production of ketone bodies. Ketone bodies are found in the blood and urine because of excess oxidation of fatty acids by the liver, something that can happen in starvation, in pregnancy or in diabetes. One factor that increases the kidney-stone risk in the low-carbohydrate diet is the acidic content of animal flesh and the lack of alkaline foods in the diet, Reddy said.
In the first phase of the study subjects will be asked to eat a regular diet for two weeks followed by two weeks of a highly restrictive diet that has less than 20 grams of carbohydrates. Participants then will eat a less-restrictive diet for the final four weeks. During the last five days of each of these stages, subjects will stay overnight in the General Clinical Research Center (GCRC) in Parkland Memorial Hospital so that testing can be done.
If the doctors' suspicions about ketosis are confirmed in the first phase, Reddy and Wang will begin a second phase. That phase will look at countermeasures to the increased risk of kidney stones. "There's always a trade-off," Wang said. "The trade-off here is brittle bones and the formation of kidney stones."
Dr. Charles Pak said the much-needed study will take an objective look at the potential dangers of a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet. Pak also hopes to discover "a countermeasure that would allow a person to take the diet and derive the benefit of losing weight without harmful side effects." Results of Phase I of the study are expected to be available by early 2001.
See related articles in the AgeVenture archives.
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AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com
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Eldercare Future Counts on New Census Category
Jeanette C. Takamura, Assistant Secretary for Aging in the Department of Health and Human Services has announced Administration on Aging (AoA) participation in a government-wide outreach effort encouraging Americans, in particular older persons and their caregivers, to complete and return their Census forms, and to participate as temporary workers or volunteers in Census 2000.
For Census 2000 most people will see the short form, covering just seven subjects, which takes about ten minutes to fill out, and the information is strictly confidential,” she added. One in six people will get the long form, which covers more than thirty subjects, including a new category added for grandparents as caregivers.
“The importance of the Census can’t be overestimated,” said Dr. Takamura. “Federal and state funds supporting programs and services that benefit older persons, such as home delivered meals, housing assistance, employment services and several other activities, are distributed based on Census figures,” she added. “In addition Census figures help in identifying individuals in remote areas in the event of a disaster.”
Minority individuals have shown an increased reluctance to participate in the Census. “It is especially important that we be concerted in our efforts to increase participation rates among racial minority groups, mobilizing
local Hispanic, Asian, Native American, African American, and other ethnically diverse older community leaders to help get the message out to be counted,” the Assistant Secretary stressed. “We need the support of bilingual people, and people familiar with diverse ethnic communities to volunteer and help insure an accurate count of all people.”
AoA has asked its national aging network of 57 State Units on Aging, 655 Area Agencies on Aging, and 225 tribal organizations are mounting education and information campaigns to get the word out to seniors regarding the importance of Census 2000.
See related articles in the AgeVenture archives.
New Trend in African-American Eldercare
Family Trends Foster Eldercare Challenges
Eldercare Trend Grey, Global and Growing
Eldercare Trend: "Nearer My God To Thee"
AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com
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Caring Gets Daring for Stressed-out Caregivers
Caring for an ill or disabled family member at home takes its toll on the caregiver’s emotional health, and
on his or her physical health to a lesser extent, according to a study announced by the Center for the Advancement of Health.
In the study of nearly 3,000 women between the ages of 50 and 65, Eliza K. Pavalko, PhD, and Shari
Woodbury, MA, of Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana found that women providing care were
more likely to suffer from emotional distress as well as physical limitations.
"These findings provide new information about the health effects of caregiving and have broader
implications for understanding how women’s involvement in multiple roles affects their health and well
being," said Pavalko. "At least half of American women will care for a disabled family member during
their lifetime."
Emotional distress appears to increase with the more years spent caregiving, the researchers found. New
caregivers reported only slightly higher levels of distress than noncaregivers, and long-term caregivers
reported the highest levels. Measures of emotional distress included how often study participants felt
happy or sad, had restless sleep, or had crying spells. "Our findings suggest a process of continuing accumulation of emotional health problems over the caregiving career," said Pavalko.
Contrary to their expectations, the researchers did not find a similar accumulation of physical limitations
over the caregiving career. Instead, the moderate increases in physical limitations seen among caregivers
in the early stages actually leveled off with longer periods of care. Measures of physical limitations
included difficulty standing, stooping, lifting objects, sitting, walking, and using stairs.
More government policies and programs are needed to address the effects of disability on the health of
the person providing care, according to the researchers. This research was supported by the National Institute on Aging, the National Institute of Mental Health, and the Center for Aging Research at Indiana University.
See related articles in the AgeVenture archives.
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Family Trends Foster Eldercare Challenges
Eldercare Trend Grey, Global and Growing
Eldercare Trend: "Nearer My God To Thee"
AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com
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