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Bailey Mosier Recaps News Stories Making Headlines In Women's Health For The Week Of May 20, 2011
Hi, I’m Bailey Mosier and this is your EmpowHER.com Week in Health.
In this week’s edition we take a look at Skin Cancer Awareness Month and what you can do to protect yourself from the sun. Also, a recent study looks at why grandparents and their grandchildren share such special bonds across generations. And lastly, a four-year intervention program in Michigan helped middle-schoolers develop and maintain health-conscious habits for the long-term.
May is National Skin Cancer Awareness Month. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the U.S. according to the Centers for Disease Control. Everyone is at risk for damage from the sun, but there are ways you can better protect yourself.
• Be weary of sun exposure during midday hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. This is when UV rays are the strongest.
• Wear a hat with a wide brim to shade the face, head, ears, and neck and wear protective clothing
• Put on sunscreen with and SPF of 15 or higher
• And avoid tanning beds and sunlamps. These UV rays are just as dangerous as the UV rays from the sun.
Next Friday has been designated "Don't Fry Day" by the National Council for Skin Cancer Prevention. So spread the word and remind everyone to protect their skin while enjoying the outdoors.
An article published in Current Directions in Psychological Science explored the reason grandparents were motivated to invest in their grandchildren, by either monetary or caregiver means.
The evidence suggested that the presence of some grandparents can substantially increase the chances of a child surviving during the high-risk period of infancy and childhood.
Researchers say that we know this is occurring but what we don’t know is how, exactly, grandparents affect a child’s development. Authors say that all evolutionary research on the topic in the past has been conducted in isolation of other disciplines. This researcg aims to aggregate the information to determine the significance grandparents have on a child’s life, which could be something as simple as a subconscious comfort of knowing that a child always has someone there if they need them.
Researchers from the University of Michigan conducted a four-year health awareness program where middle school students were offered healthier cafeteria food, more physical education and lessons about health choices.
The researchers studied 593 students and collected data for four consecutive years on body mass index, cholesterol levels, blood pressure, heart rate and student self-evaluations of diet, exercise and other behaviors.
After four years, the middle school children improved their cholesterol levels and resting heart rates. It was considered so successful that the program is now being expanded to 20 middle schools in Michigan.
Researchers hope that such changes may have sustained benefits in terms of reducing incidences of diabetes and cardiovascular disease as the students age. If the program sees continued success, it may be coming soon to a middle school near you.
That wraps up your EmpowHER Week In Health. Join me here, at EmpowHER.com every Friday as we recap the latest in women’s health.
Add a Comment1 Comments
That's really thinking out of the box. Tanhks!
June 2, 2011 - 10:48pmThis Comment