Health News: Learn CPR, Save a Life
1 in 5
The number of adults who are trained in CPR. Most cardiac arrests happen at home, and it’s there that someone is least likely to survive such an event. You could be the one to save a parent or spouse. To find a class, check out cpr.heart.org —University of Pennsylvania
$2,500
The average amount saved by heart-disease patients on medical costs yearly when they began exercising. Walking was among the suggested types of moderate exercise—five days a week for 30 minutes. Up for a more rigorous routine? Try swimming for 25 minutes three days weekly. —American Heart Association
Texting for Wellness
Your phone might be a key to staying healthy. Among 700 people with heart disease, half received four encouraging weekly texts reminding them to exercise, stick with a diet or smoking cessation plan, etc. At the end of six months, those who’d gotten the messages had lowered their cholesterol and blood pressure more than the participants who had not received the texts. And they did better at weight loss, exercising more and quitting smoking. —JAMA
Say ‘OOOOM’
Transcendental meditation can lower systolic blood pressure by nearly 5 points. (The systolic reading is the top number.) The reason that’s a big deal: Research shows that lowering it by just 3 points may reduce the risk of dying from heart disease by 5 percent. —American Journal of Hypertension
Ouch!
Folks with heart issues should ask their docs which pills to pop when they’re in pain. Fifty-eight percent of adults ignore their health conditions when choosing over-thecounter pain meds. And some of those drugs, such as ibuprofen, may worsen preexisting heart issues. —U.S. Pain Foundation
Did You Know?
The only bone that’s fully grown at birth is in the ear. It’s called the stapes bone, and it’s also the smallest bone in the body. —National Institutes of Health
2.7 Million
The number of people in the U.S. ages 40 and older affected by glaucoma. —American Academy of Ophthalmology
*“Unfortunately, there is not much one can do to help prevent glaucoma, but recent research suggests that a diet rich in dietary nitrates––found naturally in dark green vegetables like spinach, kale and broccoli–– may help blunt the impact of the disease.” ––Jacob Chung, M.D., Tenafly Eye Associates, Tenafly
20
The number of teeth we’re born with. Those teeth begin to emerge in babies at around six months. —American Dental Association
*“It’s best to bring your child to a pediatric dentist when the first tooth erupts. This is usually around 6 months to 1 year of age. It’s then that children can begin forming cavities and babybottle tooth decay.” ––Juliana Yun, D.D.S., Ramsey Periodontics, Ramsey
