Sassafras Station Blog

Pregnancy related deaths have increased over the last decade.  The state with the highest number of childbirth deaths is California.  Out of 100,000 women, there were 16.9 maternal deaths.  The national average is 13.4 maternal deaths.  That number is nearly double what it was 10 years ago. 

The two most common reasons for the deaths were blot clots and hemorrhaging.  For more information click on the link below. 

Eleven days after her son Benjamin’s birth by C-section, Linda Coale awoke in the middle of the night in pain, one leg badly swollen. Just as her doctor returned her phone call asking what to do, she dropped dead from a blood clot.

Hoped-for drop in childbirth deaths not happening – Yahoo! News

Many wives blame their husbands poor hearing on selective hearing (only hearing what they choose to hear) but a new study has shown that poor hearing maybe the cause of common over the counter medication.  Pain relievers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen taken just twice a week is enough to increase your risk of hearing loss.  Click on the link below for the full article.

Plenty of women suspect their husbands of selective hearing loss, but it could be your spouse’s failure to respond to your overtures to help with the dishes might be more legitimate than it appears.

Over-the-Counter Pain Relievers Linked to Hearing Loss – AOL Health

Even though red wine has been associated with a lowered risk of heart disease and diabetes, diet book authors ban the drink because of a belief that it can stop your body from burning fat.  A new study is aiming to change their thinking.  A study that was published on March 8th shows that women wine drinkers who were at a healthy weight to begin with, gained  less than non drinking women over time.  For more information on this study click on the link below.

Women Who Drink Moderately Less Likely to Gain Weight – AOL Health

Over the last few years we’ve seen articles about a nursing home that has a cat that alerts nurses when a resident is going to die.   The article below is another example of how animals, especially cats, have some 6th sense that enables them to detect when something’s going wrong in our bodies.   In this article an amazing stray cat saves a women’s life.  Click on the link for the full story.

When a stray cat strutted into her life last summer, Judy Danchura of Canada could not have imagined how the orange and white tomcat she nicknamed Sumo would end up saving her life. Whether it was by accident or by design, we’ll leave up to you to decide. But without question, Sumo’s actions alerted Danchura to a tumor growing in her breast, enabling her to get an early diagnosis of cancer and begin treatment, reports CBC News.

Stray Cat’s Actions Alert Woman to Breast Cancer – Paw Nation

We are constantly seeing food recalls over the last few years.  It can make us scared to buy packaged food for fear of what disease we may pick up.

On top of the fear that food borne illnesses can cause in the wake of multiple recalls, it is extremely expensive to treat all the people that get food poisoning.  A new study estimates that food illnesses costs over $150 billion (that is Billion with a B) in medical bills, lost productivity, and lost wages.   If that isn’t enough to get you thinking about what kind of food you are putting into your body and where it came from, I don’t know what will.

Here is an excerpt from the article and a link to the article that was published in the Los Angeles Times.

A new consumer research report released Wednesday has found that the health-related costs of food-borne illnesses total $152 billion a year, including the costs of medical bills, lost wages and lost productivity. That total is more than four times that of earlier estimates calculated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Cost of food-borne illnesses is deemed much higher than earlier estimates – Los Angeles Times

If you have ever dieted or know somebody who has, there is a good chance you are familiar with diets that just don’t work.  The reality is that no single diet or exercise program is best for one person.  New research is showing that there is a logical explanation.

According to the article in the Wall Street Journal, there is a genetic pre-disposition for success in certain types of diets.  For example, in a test of women who showed a genetic tendency to lose weight with a low carb diet, they lost a lot more weight than those who didn’t have the same predisposition.

Check out the excerpt and see how impressive the difference is (it is more than double).  If you want to read the whole article (and you probably do), click the link below the excerpt to be taken to the article on WSJ.com

In a study involving 133 overweight women, those with a genetic predisposition to benefit from a low-carbohydrate diet lost 2 1/2 times as much weight as those on the same diet without the predisposition. Similarly, women with a genetic makeup that favored a low-fat diet lost substantially more weight than women who curbed fat calories without low-fat genes. The women were followed for a year.

Genetics Test Helps Predict Weight-Loss Success, Study Says – WSJ.com

For a long time, modern medicine has focused on killing germs and bacteria.  However, there are good bacteria and bad bacteria in our bodies and we need to consider both when we look at overall health.

In this new research, it is shown that bad bacteria can lead to inflammation (this is starting to be recognized as a big problem related to health and weight).  It appears that this certain bacteria may cause you to eat more.

Check out the quote from the article then click the link at the bottom to read the whole article.

"Previous research has suggested that bacteria can influence how well energy is absorbed from food, but these findings demonstrate that intestinal bacteria can actually influence appetite," Gewirtz said.

"The obesity epidemic is driven by people eating too much, but why are people eating more?"

Could germs be making you fat? | Reuters

One more reason to take a nap!  Research done at the University of California shows that taking a nap can refresh your mind and make you smarter.  The more time you spend awake the more sluggish your brain becomes.  Taking a quick nap can rejuvenate your mind, help your remember more and improve your ability to learn new things. 

Read the full article below to learn about the study and what it can mean for you.

An hour’s nap can dramatically boost and restore brain power, not only refreshing the mind, but making a person smarter, U.S. researchers found.

Napping can make you smarter – UPI.com

Dental health is important for people of all ages.  The American Dental Association recommends taking your child to get their first dental check at age one, or as soon as their first tooth comes in.

The article below gives several great ideas on how to start a good dental hygiene habit.  It’s important to have a healthy mouth and to teach your kids how to take care of their teeth.  The information in the article covers children at a very young age through adults.

Your child’s dental health needs change as they grow. Keep their smiles bright with these tooth tips.

Dental Health Care for Children: Tots, Tweens, and Teens

The cold and flu season is beginning to wind down but that doesn’t mean it’s ok to relax and not continue to protect yourself.  You can get the flu any time of the year.  Some people are more likely to get the flu than others.  The article below tells you how to avoid getting the flu but also what to do if you think you have it.  It covers topics about the vaccine, when to go to the emergency room and who is at a high risk of getting sick. To read the full article click below.

Getting infected with the H1N1 virus that causes swine flu is a real possibility since the virus is continuing to spread and there’s still not enough vaccine to go around. Being informed, though, can help you reduce your risk. Here’s what you need to know to protect yourself and your family.

7 Swine Flu Facts You Need to Know Now – On Women (usnews.com)