A new study shows that overuse of CT scans and widespread variations in radiation doses may lead to new cancer deaths. “When healthy people are exposed to the radiation, the imaging may create more problems than it solves,” the Los Angeles Times reports. See Dec. 15, 2009, “Overuse of CT scans will lead to new cancer deaths, a study shows”

Researchers say loneliness isn’t just a personal problem – mass loneliness is a threat to public health, the Los Angeles Times reports. Research published in the latest issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology asked these questions about loneliness: “Who feels it? And how are lonely people connected to the rest of us?” The authors found “like a virus, loneliness is contagious.” Read the article on LATimes.com.

SOURCE: New York Times
Normal flu seasons have accustomed Americans to an “old people first” ethic, The New York Times reports. But swine flu has reversed that. It’s pregnant women and children first, and in the rush for the lifeboats, elbows are beginning to fly. See Read the full story

If you have 4 hours free over the next 4 months, you can be a part of one of the first studies based at the new North Carolina Research Campus! The UNC-Chapel Hill Nutrition Research Institute in Kannapolis is looking for toddlers to participate in a research study of memory and “good” fats. It will require 4 visits in a 4-month period of time. Nutritional supplements are provided and Read the full story

Davidson College officials said Monday that an unnamed person on campus is being treated for tuberculosis and others who came in contact with the person are being tested for the disease.

In an announcement on its website, the college said the Mecklenburg County Health Department confirmed that the person has an active case of the infectious lung disease. Read the full story

SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Mooresville Town Square, Williamson Road, Mooresville – Health and Wellness Fair sponsored by Lake Norman Regional Medical Center. More than 25 vendors will have educational information and free health screenings, including cholesterol, blood glucose, blood pressure and body fat. Also, a walking program will kick off at 11 a.m. Rain date for the fair is June 13. Details: 704-660-4859.

SOURCE: Neil’s Compounding Pharmacy. Neil’s is a DavidsonNews.net advertiser.

Compounding provides a way for physicians and compounding pharmacists to customize prescriptions for their patients.

For example, compounding can be used to deliver children’s medication in the form of a skin cream or lollipop, or provide medications no longer commercially available or not available in the required dosage. For those patients who have a hard time swallowing a capsule, a compounding pharmacist can make a liquid suspension instead, or combine multiple medications into a single convenient dosage for hospice patients.

Compounding provides solutions not easily met by commercial products.
Compounding pharmacists also have helped patients who are experiencing chronic pain. For example, some arthritic patients cannot take certain medications due to gastrointestinal side effects. Working with their physician’s prescription, a compounding pharmacist can provide them with a topical preparation with the anti-inflammatory or analgesic their doctor has prescribed for them. Read the full story

ADVERTISEMENT – Snap Fitness is a DavidsonNews.net advertiser.

Shop wisely for a gym membership

Snap Fitness press release

Given the tough economy, you’re probably are looking for ways to trim unnecessary expenses and save money wherever possible. The real challenge is finding ways to cut costs without cutting quality of life.

Take your health, for example. A recent survey by Money magazine shows that about half of all consumers are unwilling to part with their gym membership despite the uncertain economy. But even if fitness is a staple in your life, there are ways to save or get more value without compromising the quality of the workout experience.

Here are some tips from Amie Cennamo, owner of Snap Fitness 24-7 in Davidson:

Ask about freeze and cancellation policies

“Some gyms advertise a great enrollment offer but don’t tell you about the long-term contract that goes with it,” said Cennamo. “Ask the salesperson if you can pay month-to-month, if you are able to freeze your membership and how much notice you need to give in order to cancel your membership. Otherwise, you might find yourself paying a lot more money over a long period of time.” Snap Fitness offers the option of paying as you go, allows you to freeze up to three months per calendar year and requires 30 days’ cancellation notice.

How will the club will help you reach your fitness goals?

“Anyone can open a gym, buy some equipment and sell you a membership, but that doesn’t mean you’re getting your money’s worth or able to achieve noticeable improvement in your health,” said Cennamo. “At our club, we offer new members a free $100 Fitness Assessment with a personal trainer to test your strength, endurance and flexibility, and give you a sense of the types of workouts you should do to improve. We also include a free session to show how to use the equipment and put you on a workout plan. It’s just another way we give our members more for their money.”

Ask about free services that may come with membership
Cennamo recommends looking for add-ons that “coach” you towards better results. Snap Fitness, for example, offers members a host of online tools for little to no cost, including meal planning, workout tracking and health and wellness coaching.

“We know times are tough but that doesn’t mean you should have to sacrifice your health,” said Cennamo. “Avoid paying for amenities you don’t need. Make a list of what’s really important for you in a health club and let that list be your guide. Look for the club that can give you everything you need and nothing you don’t.”

Right now for a limited time, Snap Fitness is offering a special 50% discount on its enrollment fee ($49.50 value): for more information about Snap Fitness or to arrange a tour, call 704-895-7474 or visit www.snapfitness.com/davidsonnc.

Spring into health: Your first step toward health awareness

Davidson College press release

Davidson College students in the Pre-Medical Health Professionals (PMHP) group invite members of the community to a Health Fair on Sunday, April 26.

The event will run from 3-6 p.m. at the Ada Jenkins Community Center, located at 212 Gamble Street. It will feature eight stations geared toward educating participants about a healthy lifestyle. Stations include instructions on proper hand washing, healthy eating habits, how to avoid spreading germs, and the benefits of exercise. There will also be information about alternative medicine, holistic practices and stress-relief.

Entertainment will be provided by Davidson College’s a cappella group, The Generals, and by the college’s Shades of Brown step team. There will also be a moon bounce for children.

Davidson’s PMHP group is dedicated to raising health awareness within the community. For more information call Janell Dyitt at 484-354-0664.

Do you have trouble sleeping, or do you wake up feeling tired? You may find answers at the monthly meetings of Metrolina AWAKE, a health awareness group for people affected by sleep apnea.
The next meeting is Monday, May 18, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Presbyterian Hospital Huntersville Physician’s Plaza, 10030 Gilead Road in Huntersville.

Shawn Stacy of Resmed Corp. will talk about “What’s new with positive pressure therapy?” They’ll also have a Q&A session on sleep apnea with Dr. W. Charles Sherrill and nurse practitioner Brenda Landau.

The meeting is free and open to the public. Please RSVP to Brenda Landau, 704-316-2050 or bklandau@novanthealth.org.

Do you have trouble sleeping, or do you wake up feeling tired? You may find answers at the monthly meetings of Metrolina AWAKE, a health awareness group for people affected by sleep apnea.

The next meeting is Monday, May 18, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Presbyterian Hospital Huntersville Physician’s Plaza, 10030 Gilead Road in Huntersville.

Shawn Stacy of Resmed Corp. will talk about “What’s new with positive pressure therapy?” They’ll also have a Q&A session on sleep apnea with Dr. W. Charles Sherrill and nurse practitioner Brenda Landau.

The meeting is free and open to the public. Please RSVP to Brenda Landau, 704-316-2050 or bklandau@novanthealth.org.