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Health & Wellness Healthbeat Most babies born this century will live to 100 LONDON (AP) - Most babies born in rich coun tries this century will eventually make it to their 100th birthday, new research says. Danish experts say that since the 20th century, people in developed countries are living about three decades longer than in the past. Surprisingly, the trend shows little sign of slowing down. In an article published Friday in the medical jour b: M nal lancet the rp?pj<ri-h??rv write that the process of aging may be "modifiable." James Vaupel of the Max Planck Institute in Germany and colleagues in Denmark examined studies published globally in 2004-2005 on numerous issues related to aging. They found life expectancy is increasing steadilv in mn?) rniintri^s even beyond the limits of what scientists first thought possible. In Japan, for instance, which has the world's longest life expectan cy, more than half of the country's 80-year-old women are expected to live to 90. "Improvements in health care are leading to ever slowing rates of aging, challenging the idea that there is a fixed ceiling to human longevity," said David Gems, an aging expert at University College London. Gems was not connected to the research, and is study ing drugs that can lengthen the life span of mice, which may one day have applications for people. While illnesses affecting the elderly like heart dis ease, cancer and diabetes are rising, advances in med ical treatment are also making it possible for them to remain active for longer. The obesity epidemic, how ever, may complicate matters. Extra weight makes people more susceptible to diseases and may increase their risk of dying. ACR accredits Davie hospital Davie County Hospital has been awarded a three year term of accreditation in mammography as a result of a recent survey by the American College of Radiology (ACR). The ACR, headquartered in Reston, Va., awards accreditation to facilities for the achievement of high practice standards after a peer-review evaluation of the practice. Evaluations are conducted by board-cer tified physicians and medical physicists who are experts in the field. They assess the qualifications of the personnel and the adequacy of facility equipment. The surveyors report their findings to the ACR's Committee on Accreditation, which subsequently provides the practice with a comprehensive report. The ACR is a national organization serving more than 32,000 diagnostic and interventional radiolo gists, radiation oncologists and nuclear medicine and medical physicists with programs focusing on the practice of medical imaging and radiation oncology and the delivery of comprehensive health care servic es. An Affiliate of North Carolina Baptist Hospital, Davie County Hospital has served the needs of people from Davie and nearby counties for more than a half century. Wake, Guilford counties lead in deer crashes Motor vehicles crashes involving deer rose to an all-time high in North Carolina in 2008, even as the total number of motor-vehicle crashes and total vehi cle miles driven dropped from the previous year. A new study from the University of North caronna at cnapei ? Hill found that crash- ? es reported to police involving deer last year on roadways in the state increased to i 19,693, up from 19,277 in 2007. In that same period, - OffD \f'0?ING / total reported crashes fell from 224,307 in 2007 to 2 14358 in 2008. Vehicle miles traveled also dropped, by 2 percent. Of the total reported automobile crashes in North Carolina in 2008, deer were cited as a factor in 9.2 percent, up from 8.6 percent in 2007. Wake County topped the list, with 1084 deer-related crashes. Other counties with high numbers of deer crashes in 2008 include Guilford, Rockingham, Duplin, Pitt and Mecklenburg. While a crash involving a deer can happen at any time, drivers should be particularly careful both in the early morning hours and the early evening hours, Harkey said. Almost 80 percent of deer-related crash es in 2008 occurred between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. Fewer schools selling candy, soda ATLANTA (AP) - A new government report finds that fewer U.S. high schools and middle schools are selling candy and salty snacks to students. The Centers for Disease -Control and Prevention said its report was based on a survey of public schools in 34 states, comparing results from 2006 to 2008. The study did not report the total number of schools that have changed. Instead, it looked at the proportion of schools in each state. The CDC found that the median proportion of high chools and middle schools that sell sugary or salty snacks dropped from 54 percent to 36 percent. The share of schools that sell soda and artificial fruit drinks dropped from 62 perccnt to 37 percent The report marked a continued effort by health officials o combat childhood obesity. Xjc?os? Jwrox?i?jrie? k's Clinic The HlflvH fhstiou flEstftucH CtnTtn - on fllinowTY Health?' g Wake Forest University Baptist I C A I CENTER In recent years, mpre and more products are being sold in our supermarkets that are "lactose free" or soy-based (instead of dairy based) for those persons who are lactose intolerant. But what exactly is lactose and what does it mean not to tolerate it? Lactose is a sugar in milk and milk products (dairy);ywhen someone is lactose intolerant, it means that their body cannot digest lactose. It is caused by a deficiency (short age) of an enzyme called lactase, which breaks lactose down into simpler sugars that are easier to digest. Experts say that, although chil dren may have a lactase deficien cy at a young age, most people do not experience symptoms of lac tose intolerance until adolescence or adulthood. There is also some research that suggests a genetic link, meaning that people whose parents are lactose intolerant may be at increased risk for the condi tion, but more research is needed to prove this theory. It has also been shown that, while lactose intolerance is a common condi tion, African Americans as well as other minority groups are at high er risk for it compared to whites. What are the symptoms of lactose intolerance? A person who is lactose intol erant may experience the follow ing symptoms after he or she con sumes dairy products: - Abdominal pain - Bloating -Gas . Diarrhea - Nausea The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) states that these symptoms can range from mild to severe, depending on the amount of dairy products a person consumes and how much intolerance to the products the per son has. Generally, these symp toms appear within 30 minutes to 2 hours after consuming dairy products. How is lactose intolerance treated? Since the symptoms of lactose intolerance are very similar to 9ther digestive disorders, it is important to talk to your doctor to ensure you receive the correct diagnosis. It is difficult to diag nose the condition based just on See Lactose on AJ1 Life-Changing Science Feature Photo Service Mohamad and Ahmed Ibrahim, formerly conjoined Egyptian twins, look on while Joel Higgins, of Biomet, explains the development of the skull implant used to reconstruct the top of the twins' heads. Engineers from Biomet designed and devel oped the implant. The 8-year old twins recently travelled to Warsaw, Ind., to met the engineers for the first time. Dedicated nurse earns national honor SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE By providing outstanding care to older adults, Natny Long, K.iN.,or Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, has been awarded the 2009 Excellence in Gerontological Nursing Award. "I truly enjoy humbled 'to think I urn hpino rprnani7pH v.... C" nationally for providing excel lence in geriatric care," Long said. "1 just love working with the older adults because they are so appreciative of anything you do, and I admire them for what they have given to make America what it is today. They deserve the highest standard of care possible." The annual award is presented by the National Gerontological Nursing Association (N(jNA). Long .will trayel to the NGN A convention Oct. 8-11 in St. I " J -A. Long luuin iu auciiu 11 ic awdiu> luncheon. The award was pctnhlichpH to rppn0ni7p VJIUI/II.HIVU IV ? vvvf^llicv excellence in individuals who pro vide care to older adults and is intended to honor an advanced practice registered nurse, regis tered nurse, licensed practical nurse or a certified nursing assis tant who has been an inspirational role model and mentor to other health care workers. Long was nominated by her co-workers Franklin Watkins, M.D., Terrie Michaels, R.N., and Carolyn Fulton, R.N. Long's experience in the nurs ing field is varied. Most currently, she has been the unit manager for the Acute Care of Elderly (ACE) unit for the last nine years. Prior to that she was a manager for the renal and cardiothoracic popula tion^, and managed the palliative care unit. Study finds exercise can protect nursing mothers' bones v. Women needed for follow-up research SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE Nursing mothers can reduce their bone density loss through exercise, a find ing that one day could help protect mothers from osteo porosis later in life, accord ing to researchers at The University of North Carolina . at Greensboro. A team led by Cheryl -Love lady, Ph.D., and Laurie Wideman , Ph D . . found that lactating women wtm exer cised during a 16-week span lost 4.8 percent of bone den sity in their lower spines, while women who didn't exercise lost 7 percent. The results of the study are pub lished in the October issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, the jour nal of the American College of Sports Medicine. "To see such a dramatic difference in such a short time was surprising," said Lovelady. a professor of nutrition. "We are repeating the study with more women and measuring their bone density a year after they give birth." Mothers normally lose bone density during lacta tion, when they are transfer ring about 200 milligrams of calcium per day from their own stores to breast milk. They typically regain that density when breastfeeding ends. Lovelady and Wideman want to know whether moth ers who reduce density loss through exercise still gain as much density after weaning their babies as women who don't exercise. Funded by the N.C. Agricultural Research Service, the study tracked 20 women - 10 who exercised and 10 who did not - during the period from four to 20 weeks after delivery. The researchers attributed the reduced density loss to the resistance training, which targeted the lower back dur ing 20-25 minute sessions in the women's homes with exercise balls, elastic bands and hand weights. The follow-up Study is recruiting overweight women who plan to breastfeed their babies for at least six months. Those interested in taking part are asked to call 336-256-1090. AMA honors local companies for focusing on employee-health CHRONICLE STAFF REPORT Eight Triad area companies have achieved national "Start! Fit Friendly" recognition from the American Heart Association for promoting physical activity and health in the workplace. qO^ Nationally, the association recognized more than .*4 "v> 1 ,200 companies in 2009 - an all-time high. More xO ?? I 9 H than 2 million employees participated in the-pro- /Js grams. Start! Fit-Friendly Companies reach Gold ^ m*. level status by implementing various activities .? I and programs to encourage physical activity, CT ' nutrition and culture enhancements such as on- * ' site walking routes, healthy food choices in ? cafeterias and vending machines, annual >? ? Ik , glgf.. employee health risk assessments and online V tracking tools. Gold level Start! Fit-Friendly Company recognitions have been awarded locally ...vv to Cook Medical, Princess House. Salemtowne Retirement Community, Forsyth Medical Center, United Healthcare, V.f Corporation and Elon University. ~ Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center received Platinum recognition ? the highest tier. The company earned the honor because it takes its fit programs a step further by measur ing the outcomes of their wellness efforts. O "We are honored to be recognized by the American Heart Association for our efforts to help our employees live healthier lives," said Dr. John McConnell. CEO of Wake Forest University Baptist ?Medical Center. "We know that employee health and wellness programs work. This is an important focus v. for us at Wake Forest Baptist and one way that we can help reduce the national epidemic of obesity |||k ^ and rising health care costs." B|k -^\ The American Heart Association also R| released a policy statement in its T' 'b O "Circulation: Journal of the American Heart ? X~ Association" that shows worksite wellness I ^ programs are proven to prevent the major i Q mcxiifiable risk factors for cardiovascular rag|V Q disease. These include smoking, being overweight, obesity, high blood pressure. Hpf ^ high cholesterol and diabetes. -A The association said that companies w ? SM can save up to $15 for every $1 spent on , r health and wellness within 1 2 to 1 8 months of implementing a worksite wellness program. Each . employee who works to lower their risk status saves their company an estimated $53 per year: these savings remain each year that employee maintains the low-risk level.
Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
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