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26.3
PERCENT OF ADULTS 18-49 YEARS OLD WHO RECEIVED AN INFLUENZA VACCINATION DURING THE PAST 12 MONTHS
SOURCE: CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION’S NATIONAL HEALTH INTERVIEW SURVEY 2012
[ DID YOU KNOW?]
The foods a person eats can increase his or her risk of developing various types of cancer. Sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate are widely used as preservatives, antimicrobial agents, colorings and flavorings in cured meats and many other products. Nitrates and nitrites are com- monly found in hot dogs and lunch meats. Once they are consumed, nitrates turn into nitrites in the digestive system, and it is believed that nitrites react with certain bodily chemicals and turn into cancer-causing carcinogens known as nitrosamines. Green, leafy vegetables and root vegetables contain naturally occurring nitrites as well. However, it is be- lieved that nitrites in vegetables do not have the same effect on the body as artificially added ones, so the benefits of eating vegetables outweigh these risks. But avoiding nitrites does not mean people have to give up their favorite foods. Many types of bacon, hot dogs, bologna and other foods now come in nitrite-free varieties, which is possible by using salt, vinegar and sugar, rather than sodium nitrite, to cure the meat.
Bell’s palsy: This is a disorder of the nerve that controls movement of the muscles in the face. This nerve is called the facial, or seventh, cranial nerve. Damage to this nerve causes weakness or paralysis of certain facial muscles.
SOURCE: UNITED STATES NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE
[ THE LATEST ]
Baptist, Arkansas Urology offer new procedure for enlarged prostate
LITTLE ROCK — More than 500 million men in the world have a condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia, which causes the prostate to enlarge. Nearly half of the men in the U.S. with BPH have symptoms so severe that the condition disrupts their lives and requires treatment.
Baptist Health and the team of physicians at Arkansas Urology now offer a new minimally in- vasive procedure to help those with the uncom- fortable symptoms of BPH. The procedure, called UroLift, has a minimal downtime, typically doesn’t require a catheter or overnight stay and preserves sexual function.
“Most patients will find that they have rapid relief from their BPH symptoms,” said Dr. Edwin Diaz, a physician with Arkansas Urology. “In fact, patients can see a difference in as little as two
weeks post procedure.”
BPH is a noncancerous (benign) growth of the
prostate that occurs as men age for reasons that are not fully understood. The enlarged prostate presses on and blocks the urethra, causing both- ersome urinary symptoms such as a weak or slow urine stream; a sense that the bladder cannot be completely emptied; difficulty or a delay in starting urination; an urgent feeling of needing to urinate; and a urine stream that stops and starts.
The UroLift is just one of the latest innovations in medical technology and surgical techniques provid- ed by Baptist Health and Arkansas Urology to help Arkansans with a variety of urological conditions.
For more information about UroLift, contact Baptist Health at 888-227-8478 or Arkansas Urol- ogy at 501-219-8900 or arkansasurology.com.
Heart attack signs differ for women
The symptoms women feel when suffering a heart attack are often different than those exhibited by men. Dr. Jeanette Yuen, a cardiologist at New York’s White Plains Hospital, said women’s heart-attack symptoms can be so mild that women may mistakenly believe they are suffering from a more innocuous medical issue, such as acid reflux or even the flu. But symptoms such as nausea, cold sweats and radiating pain in the stomach are recognized by the American Heart Association as possible indicators of a heart attack in women, and these signs should not be written off as signs of a cold or stomach ailment, as women are at risk for heart disease and heart attack, despite the misconception that such ailments are exclusive to men. Women at risk for heart disease and heart attack include those with a family history of heart disease; smokers; diabetics; those with high cholesterol and/or high blood pressure; and women who are postmenopausal, physically inactive or overweight. Women, particularly those over 50, who begin to feel physical discomfort in their chest or any of the aforementioned symptoms should consult a
physician immediately.
— Courtesy of Metro Creative Services
— Courtesy of Metro Creative Services
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