This is Pigeon, posing for this picture.| Feb 13, 2008 |  |
| fact or fiction | |
| Exposure to lead? It's a hot water problem | |
| THE CLAIM: Never drink hot water from the tap. THE FACTS: The claim has the ring of a myth. But environmental scientists say it is real. The reason is that hot water dissolves contaminants more quickly than cold water, and many pipes in homes contain lead that can dissolve and pass into water. And lead can damage the brain and nervous system, especially in young children. Lead is rarely found in source water, but can enter it through corroded plumbing. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says that older homes in the United States are more likely to have lead pipes and fixtures, but that even newer plumbing advertised as 'lead-free' can still contain as much as 8 per cent lead. A study published in The Journal of Environmental Health in 2002 found that tap water represented 14 to 20 per cent of total lead exposure. Scientists emphasise that the risk is small. But to minimise it, the EPA says cold tap water should always be used for preparing baby formula, cooking and drinking. It also warns that boiling water does not remove lead but can actually increase its concentration. For more information, go to www.epa.gov/lead. THE BOTTOM LINE : Hot water from the tap should never be used for cooking or drinking. - THE NEW YORK TIMES | |
| Feb 13, 2008 | | |
When milk is not good for you | ||
| Dairy products don't go down well with many Singaporeans. GeraldineLing tells you why | ||
| The answer: Milk. This condition, known as lactose intolerance, occurs because the body does not have the necessary lactase enzyme needed to digest lactose, a sugar found in milk. As a result, the undigested lactose passes through the digestive system, causing nausea, abdominal cramps, bloating, gas and diarrhoea. Most people have read about lactose intolerance and may even suspect they have the condition. But many confuse it with an allergy. Lactose intolerance is not a food allergy as it does not involve the immune system. In primary lactose intolerance, lactase levels are high at birth and in early childhood. However, the irreversible, genetically-programmed loss of lactase typically starts between two and six years of age. In some cases, the loss of lactase manifests itself only after adulthood. 'I didn't have problems with milk until I hit 35,'said Madam Lee Hai Choo, 63. 'I used to drink a lot of milk when I was younger, but now I can't. 'Sometimes just drinking a cup of coffee with milk will give me diarrhoea,' said the part-time saleswoman. Sometimes, secondary lactose intolerance occurs when an injury to the small intestine causes it to produce less lactase. It typically lasts a few weeks and is reversible. In certain cases, babies are born lactose intolerant because of a congenital defect. Dr Ivy Yap, consultant physician and gastroenterologist at Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre, estimates that about 90 per cent of Chinese Singaporeans are affected by primary lactose intolerance. Data concerning lactase deficiency rates in Malays is unknown, but those in Indians 'would not be so high' because they have 'similar genes as Caucasians' who generally have low rates of lactose intolerance, surmised Dr Yap, who conducted a study investigating lactase deficiency in Chinese Singaporeans. Typically, symptoms of lactose intolerance disappear when foods high in dietary lactose, like milk and ice cream, are removed from the diet. These foods may be re-introduced 'gradually and as tolerated' by drinking smaller amounts of milk, buying low-lactose milk and using non-dairy creamers, like soya or rice milk, advised MrsMagdalin Cheong, chief dietitian at Changi General Hospital. 'Drinking or eating milk-containing foods at meal times with other foods will slow down the digestive process and therefore reduce the chance of experiencing lactose intolerance.' However, consuming less milk and milk products may put one at risk for calcium deficiency in the long term, if there is also a low intake of other dietary sources of calcium, warned Mrs Cheong. For those who must have their milk, there are supplements out in the market that can help to manage lactose intolerance. Lactase enzymes, available in tablet or liquid form, contain the enzyme needed to digest lactose, thereby reducing the amount that the body has to break down on its own. However, these supplements have to be taken over the long term if lactase deficiency is permanent and may not be advisable, said Dr Yap. In addition to the cost of the supplements, 'we also don't know if there are any side effects,' continued Dr Yap. Another suppplement used for lactose intolerance is probiotics, the 'friendly bacteria' that helps in strengthening the gut. Probiotics, often seen as 'healthy foods', are available in capsule form and can help to reduce the symptoms of lactose intolerance. 'If it does no harm, it is acceptable. But as to whether it will help alleviate the condition really depends on the individual,' said Mrs Cheong. | ||
| Feb 13, 2008 This newspaper report is about the influence of parents on their children. If the parents drink a lot of alcohol or wine, their children will most likely follow their habits of drinking. |
| Parents' drinking influences teenagers |
NEW YORK - WHEN it comes to alcohol, many teenagers may take a cue from their parents, new research suggests. In a study of more than 4,700 teenagers, researchers found that parents' drinking habits appeared to influence their children in both direct and indirect ways. In the first case, teenagers seemed to simply follow the example of a parent who drank excessively, the study found. In the second case, many teens seemed to view parents' drinking as a sign of lax parenting, and this, in turn, affected their likelihood of drinking. Past studies have found that parents can be a strong influence on their children's odds of drinking. The current findings shed light on how this plays out, according to the researchers, led by Dr Shawn J. Latendresse, of Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. 'I think that this is an important finding for parents in that it raises an awareness of their multifaceted influence on the drinking behaviours of their adolescents,' Dr Latendresse said. Knowing how they influence their kids, he noted, may encourage parents to seek help for their own drinking problems, or in improving their parenting skills. Dr Latendresse and his colleagues report the findings in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research. The study included 4,731 Finnish teenagers and their parents; all were part of an ongoing health study of twins born between 1983 and 1987. Parents were asked about their past and present drinking habits, as well as any alcohol problems. Their children were asked about any drinking at the ages of 14 and 17, and about their views of their home life. That included whether they thought their parents were 'warm and caring', 'indifferent' or 'unjust'. They also described their parents' tendency to monitor or punish them. Overall, the researchers found, parents' drinking levels correlated with those of their teenagers. But it was more than a matter of the teenagers simply copying their parents. Instead, the link was partially explained by the teens' perceptions of their parents as monitors and disciplinarians. Parents who drank heavily tended to be lax in monitoring their children's comings and goings, but tended to punish them more often. Those tendencies seemed to influence their teenagers' odds of drinking and getting drunk, particularly at the age of 14, the researchers found. The findings, according to Dr Latendresse, suggest that parents who monitor their children may lower their odds of drinking. On the other hand, he added, excessive discipline might have the unintended effect of pushing teenagers to drink. -- REUTERS |
