ADVANTAGES OF EXERCISE

     In a study in the journal Cephalgia researchers divided 91 people with migraines on medication or relaxation training.  Exercise was as effective of reducing the frequency of migraines as medication was for groups that either used an indoor cycle three times a week for 40 minutes, practiced relaxation techniques or took the anti-migration drug topiramate (topamax and generic).  Check with your pharmacist.  After three months, the groups had comparable reductions in migraine frequency.

BLOOD PRESSURE AND STROKES

    You might be at increased risk of having a stroke even if your blood pressure is only slightly above normal, according to a review of 12 studies involving 518,000 adults in the October 4, 2011 issue of Neurology.  Those with hypertension – a systolic (top) reading between 120 and 139 and a diastolic (bottom)) number between 80 and 89 – were 55 percent more likely to have a stroke over a median of 10 years than those with normal blood pressure.

HPV IN THE NEWS

    Two recent studies suggest that the dangers of the sexually transmitted human (HPV) might extend beyond cervical cancer, its best-known risk.  In one study, researchers found a sharp increase in cases of throat cancer between 1984 and 1994 in both men and women due to HPV. An analysis of risks from data, 2,450 women found a correlation, albeit preliminary, between HPV and cardiovascular disease.

PROTECTING YOUNG VISITORS ON SUPERBOWL SUNDAY   

      

    Large TV’s, furniture and appliances can be serious hazards if they are not anchored to prevent being tipped over, especially for young children who might be tempted to use shelves for climbing.  More than 43,000 of them go to emergency rooms each year for injuries due to falling household items, nearly half of them are age 8 and under.  Anti-tip brackets and straps that secure furniture to walls can help by placing TVs on low sturdy bases.