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Kids Don't Get Enough Playtime with Parents

Are you the parent of a preschooler? Do you struggle to prioritize work, play, discipline, chores, bedtime, meals, tantrums, and more? Does outdoor play time often get left off the list? Findings of a Seattle-based research team suggest that you’re not alone: Only half of preschool age children in the United States spend at least an hour playing outside with a parent every day.

Health News Reviews

Weight Training May Slow Cognitive Decline

Weight lifting and other forms of resistance training may help older women with early signs of cognitive decline, such as memory loss, slow that decline and perhaps stave off dementia. These results are based on a small proof-of-concept study reported April 26, 2012 in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine.

The study was conducted by a research team led by Teresa Liu-Ambrose of the Centre for Hip Health and Mobility at Vancouver Coastal Health Other investigators were from the University of British Columbia.

Insomnia Worsens Tinnitus

Insomnia can worsen the effect of tinnitus on physical and emotional health, according to results of a small retrospective study by a group of investigators at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan. The study points to the importance of assessing and treating sleep problems in the millions of people worldwide who are living with tinnitus.

Trouble Sleeping Linked with Memory Problems

People who have trouble sleeping may be at higher risk of developing memory problems and developing Alzheimer’s disease later in life.

In a small study of cognitively normal people, frequent nighttime waking or lying awake at night was linked to development of the brain plaques associated with Alzheimer’s disease, according to lead author, Yo-El Ju, M.D., MD, Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurology at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.

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Air Pollution in Ancient Times

Air pollution has been a problem since ancient times. When anthropologists analyzed the remains of the Tyrolean Iceman ("Otzi") -- who lived 5,300 years ago -- in September of 1991, they found dust and carbon particles in his lung tissue.

While most of the dust and carbon in "Otzi's" lungs probably came from fires used for cooking and warmth, modern-day humans have to deal with far more sources of particulate matter, including cigarette smoke, vehicles exhaust, and factory emissions.

A devastating air pollution event occured December 5 to 9, 1952, when the infamous "London Fog" crept over England. Epidemiologists recorded 4,000 deaths more than normal during those four days. Most deaths were due to heart and lung disease.

Excessive exposure to particulate matter (often abbreviated "PM) has been linked to many health problems, especially chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a cluster of lung diseases marked by inflammation and progressive loss of lung capacity.

Source: Ling, S.H. and Van Eeeden, S.F. (2009, June 09). Particulate matter air pollution exposure: Role in the development and exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. International Journal of COPD. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2699820/pdf/copd-4-233.pdf

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