Health Blog

A healthy body and a sound mind

How Safe Is Tylenol?

tylenol_gelcapsI do not know if I have ever mentioned this before, but I do have a propensity for taking pills easily. That is, whenever I feel that something is wrong with me physically, I do not hesitate much when it comes to taking pills that will solve my problem. In fact, I have my proven medication for most any kind of minor health problem. Maalox for a bum stomach. Tylenol for a headache – or most any kind of ache, actually.

Recently, though, I have been hearing a lot of rumors about Tylenol being dangerous for you. Mass e-mails about the FDA saying that acetaminophen (the active ingredient of Tylenol) can damage your liver beyond repair have been flooding my Inbox(es) – yes, all of my e-mail accounts have been bombarded. Friends and colleagues, who know of my affinity for this pill, have not been slow to inform me either.

Naturally, I had to do research of my own in order to get to the bottom of this issue once and for all. Thank goodness for Paula Kue, MD, who wrote an article about this exact thing in Yahoo. She said the magic words:

Well, STOP! Please, stop your worrying.

Acetaminophen is a truly safe medication for reducing fevers and treating pain. Unless you have a known liver disease like hepatitis, or are on medications that are themselves toxic to the liver or that already contain acetaminophen, the current dosing guidelines for Tylenol are very safe.

YAY! That’s all I can say. I don’t have hepatitis and as far as I know, I am not taking any medication that is toxic to the liver. So there!

Originally posted on February 16, 2011 @ 8:19 am

Is Organic Food Really Better For Your Health?

organic_productionYou’ve heard it, read it, and seen it – organic is the way to go. Not only do you do your part in helping out the environment, you also eat healthier and do yourself a favor. But is this really true? Does organic food really make you healthier?

According to the Food Standards Agency of Britain, eating organic food does NOT provide additional health benefits. As shocking as it may seem, the FSA strongly stands by its statement. Early this month, the agency made the announcement that the nutritional differences between organic and conventional food are insignificant – practically amounting to zero. The study was conducted by Dr. Alan Dangour and his team at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM).

Naturally, this announcement sparked a debate all across the country. Organic food advocates got all riled up and the researchers have even received hate mail because of their work. In spite of all this, the British government says that the study is valid and scientific.

What does this mean for us? I suppose it simply is a matter of taking in the information and making our decisions based on it. Personally, I like the idea of organic food. Being practical, however, I realize that I do not have to spend tons of extra money on organic produce if I can get the same nutrients from conventionally produced food for a much lower price. After all, we should also look after our financial health as much as we take care of our physical well being.

Originally posted on August 21, 2009 @ 5:06 pm

Bad Santa?

santas-NSHave you ever seen that movie with Billy Bob Thornton? He works as a mall Santa Claus and set up robberies. THAT was a really bad Santa. The bad Santa I am going to talk about in this post is of a different sort though.

Recently, an article about how Santa Claus is a negative model for children around the world spread like wildfire. Titled “Santa Claus: A Public Health Pariah?,” the article was published in the leading health journal of the UK. It was written by Nathan Grills, an Australian epidemiologist. Here are some points raised in the article, courtesy of Newsweek:

“Epidemiologically there is a correlation between countries that venerate Santa Claus and those that have high levels of childhood obesity.” The researcher warns that the British tradition of leaving brandy along with the cookies means that Santa would be drunk-driving his sleigh. Santa’s behind-the-reindeer malfeasance also includes “speeding, disregard for road rules, and extreme sports such as roof surfing and chimney jumping. Despite the risks of high speed air travel Santa is never depicted wearing a seatbelt or a helmet.”

It doesn’t take a genius to predict how people would react to this sort of article. From the four corners of the world, Grills has been grilled (no pun intended). People have made him the butt of all sorts of jokes.

The question that concerns me is this: based on Grills’ article, is Santa really a bad model (at least health-wise)? I’ll leave you with this: the article was a JOKE, alright? So get off your high horses, folks, and laugh it off. In the meantime, make sure you don’t get his girth over the Christmas holidays!

Originally posted on December 20, 2009 @ 5:44 pm

Bad Times Equals Good Health

home-cooking-365-703552They say that without hard times, we cannot become better people. If you think about it, there are a lot of sayings from way back that run along a similar vein. No pain, no gain. You have to go through the fire to reap the benefits. You have to be polished and sanded to become a shiny gem. The list could go on and on.

But what about the economic crisis that we have been experiencing all over the world? Could it bring about something good as well? According to researchers, life expectancy increased during the time of the Great Depression – by 1.9 years to be exact. On the other hand, a 5 percent rise in the GDP lowered life expectancy by one or two months. Other studies have yielded similar results, not only in the United States but also in other countries.

So why is this the case? One possible reason is that people tend to drink and smoke less during a recession. More so, people also tend to eat out less and cook at home more. Another possible reason is that people tend to bond together and help out each other more in times of need. This level of social cohesion and support may actually help promote better overall health, hence the increase in life expectancy.

It does make sense, and you probably have had similar experiences in the past several years. Bottom line? Take control of what you can – your lifestyle and health habits – and make the best of the situation!

Originally posted on September 30, 2009 @ 11:13 am