Page 4 - Healthbeat June 2016

health bits
Kids in the Natural State
are on the move
Children in Arkansas are logging more minutes of physical activity than their peers in any other state in the nation, according to a report released by GoNoodle, an interactive website that gets kids moving.
As part of its investments to make children and communities healthier, Arkansas Children’s Hospital supports GoNoodle’s physical-activity breaks statewide to ensure that daily opportunities for activity are available to every elementary-school classroom in the state.
The Kids Movement Index ranks top U.S. cities and states by minutes of physical activity recorded using GoNoodle during the 2015-2016 school year. Arkansas students
logged 68 million minutes of activity through the platform, both in the classroom and at home. That
was enough activity to rank the state tops based on total population of elementary-school-age students between the ages of 5 and 12.
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[ TERMS ]
Celiac disease: This is an immune disease in which people can’t eat gluten without causing damage to the digestive system. If someone with celiac disease eats foods with gluten, the immune system responds by damaging the small intestine. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. Gluten is found mainly in foods but may also be in other products, such as medicines, vitamins and supplements, lip balm and even the glue on stamps and envelopes.
SOURCE: THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE
440,000
THE NUMBER OF PREMATURE DEATHS EACH YEAR CAUSED BY CIGARETTE SMOKING AND EXPOSURE TO TOBACCO SMOKE
SOURCE: THE NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE
Stay calm and get the scoop on panic disorder
4
SUNDAY, JUNE 26, 2016 // HEALTHBEAT // ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE
[ DID YOU KNOW?]
Protein-heavy diets became wildly popular in recent years, but many nutrition experts have advised men and women on high-protein diets to avoid overdoing it when it comes to loading up on protein and reducing intake of carbohydrates. People on high-protein/low-carbohydrate diets may see their metabolisms change into a state of ketosis, which happens when the body goes from burning carbohydrates for fuel to burning its own fat. Burning fat is a goal for many people when they adopt high-protein/low-carbohydrate diets. When fat is broken down, tiny bits of carbon, known as ketones, are released into the bloodstream as energy sources. This process produces weight loss by suppressing appetite and increasing the loss of water weight that stems from the increased elimination of fluids through urine that occurs during ketosis. However, a high-protein/low-carbohydrate diet is not without its disadvantages. According to WebMD, the body produces ammonia as it breaks down protein. The long-term risks of high levels of ammonia in the body are unknown. In addition, men and women on high-protein diets excrete more calcium in their urine than people on more typical diets, and excessive calcium loss may lead to osteoporosis as men and women age. Finally, men and women who avoid carbohydrates may not be eating sufficient amounts of fruits and vegetables, which are great sources of vitamins, fiber and antioxidants.
— COURTESY OF METRO CREATIVE
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, panic disorder is a type of anxiety disorder charac- terized by recurrent, unex-
pected panic attacks.
Panic attacks occur
suddenly and are
periods of intense
fear that may
include palpita-
tions, pounding
heartbeat and/or
accelerated heart
rate. People in the
midst of a panic at-
tack may also experience
shortness of breath or feel as though they are choking or being smothered. Feelings of impending
doom may also occur during a panic attack. Anxiety disorders, including panic disorders, may be caused by
the interaction of certain ge- netic and environmental factors. These factors include behavioral inhibition in child- hood, exposure to stressful life events in childhood and adulthood, anxiety disorders in close bi- ological relatives and a parental history of mental disorders. Anxiety disorders are generally treated with psychotherapy or medication,
or a combination of both.
— COURTESY OF METRO CREATIVE