K NUTRITION QUIZ Leave it to Men’s Health magazine to conflate sex and nutrition. But what the heck, let’s do a quickie quiz on foods that purportedly enhance the sexual experience. 1. According to the journal Human Reproduction, men who are low on what nutrient may have 20 percent more un-
healthy sperm than those with higher levels of that nutrient? a) riboflavin b) folate c) pyridoxine 2. Which food will not help bulk up your flagging folate levels? a) avocado b) spinach
c) grapes 3. According to Men’s Health, the ancient Aztecs referred to avocados as what? a) “Sex Salad” b) “Testicle Trees” c) “Virility Vines” 4. Zinc is said to be a “libido enhancer” by increasing what?
a) a man’s eyesight b) a man’s testosterone levels c) a man’s mood 5. An amino acid called L-Arginine serves as a natural Viagra for men in the bedroom, according to Marrena Lindberg, author of “The Orgasmic Diet.” It apparently increases nitric oxide to help relax blood vessels and allow more blood flow to, well, you know. Which
HEALTH timesleader.com
THE TIMES LEADER
Preventing chronic diseases could result in lower costs, doctor says
Autism walk and fair slated The 2011 Autism Walk and Community Awareness Fair will be held at 10 a.m. April 16 at the Forty Fort Recreation Complex, off of Wyoming Avenue, Forty Fort. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. The family-friendly walk is sponsored by the Luzerne County Autism Coalition and John Heinz Rehab. All proceeds from the walk will be granted to local providers to support the development and expansion of services for individuals of Luzerne County who are affected by autism. Commemorative T-shirts will be provided to registered walkers and there will be awards, prizes, giveaways, raffles and activities for children. For more information, contact Tara Koretz at 760-3952 or by email at tkoretz@newstory.com Session geared for diabetics A free diabetic education session sponsored by Allied Services Home Health will take place from 10 a.m. to noon April 6 at John Heinz Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, 150 Mundy St., in Wilkes-Barre Township. Participants can sign-in at the Patient Dining Room. For more information, call 830-2070
ANSWERS: 1: b; 2: c; 3: b; 4: b; 5: c. — From Times Leader wire service
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TUESDAY, MARCH 29, 2011
ASK DR. H MITCHELL HECHT
Brush with death is topic WVIA-TV, Channel 44, will present a live “Call the Doctor” program at 7 tonight on “Neardeath Experiences.” The program will discuss risk factors and helpful changes that can be made to the work and home environments to prevent or lessen the effects of the syndrome. Nationally recognized experts from the leading organizations in near-death research and a guest who experienced the syndrome firsthand will be available to answer questions. A near-death experience refers to a range of personal experiences associated with impending death, encompassing multiple sensations including detachment from the body, feelings of levitation, and the presence of a light to name a few. Viewers may call in questions during the show at 1-800-3269842 or submit questions online at http://www.wvia.org/liveshow-comments. Pancreatic cancer mixer The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre affiliate of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network will host a Meet and Greet at 9:30 a.m. April 9 at the Clarion Hotel, Meadow Avenue, Scranton. The event will highlight the services offered by the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network as well as events planned, including 2011 Cheers to A Cure, numerous awareness and outreach events and the proposed 2012 Purple Stride Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. For more information or to register, contact Taryn Jones at tjones@pancanvolunteer.org or 498-9488.
of the following foods is not high in L-Arginine? a) walnuts b) seafood c) strawberries
Spleen plays important roles in human body
AIMEE DILGER/THE TIMES LEADER
Dr. Bernie Healey with a copy of his newest book, ‘Transforming Public Health Practice, Leadership and Management Essentials,’ and two others he has written.
Health care epidemic By EILEEN GODIN
A
healthy society with chronic disease cut to a minimum, resulting in lower health care costs, is the thought behind Dr. Bernie Healey’s third book titled “Transforming Public Health Practice, Leadership and Management Essentials.” Healey, a professor of health care administration at King’s College, WilkesBarre, said the inspiration for writing this book was drawn from his 25 years as an epidemiologist with the Pennsylvania Department of Health in Wilkes-Barre. An
Times Leader Correspondent
epidemiologist studies health and illness factors within a population. The book focuses on improving leadership and communication from state and federal leaders of the Pennsylvania Department of Health to the public. He said important health information is not being effectively relayed to the general public where it can make a difference. The nation’s health care system is designed to treat chronic diseases once they manifest instead of preventing them, Healey said. This is a costly way to think.
“We spend $2.8 trillion on health care; 80 percent of this is spent on chronic diseases,” Healey said. “If you could eliminate the chronic diseases today, everyone in this country could have free health care.” He said a recent newspaper article stated there is a growing epidemic of type 2 diabetes among children “like we have never seen before.” This is related to children playing video games all day, eating See HEALEY, Page 3C
“We spend $2.8 trillion on health care; 80 percent of this is spent on chronic diseases. If you could eliminate the chronic diseases today, everyone in this country could have free health care.” Dr. Bernie Healey Who addresses the value of preventing chronic diseases and creating education programs in his third book titled “Transforming Public Health Practice, Leadership and Management Essentials”
Overgrowth of yeast causes host of issues By JESSICA YADEGARAN Contra Costa Times
Brad Crooker’s thirties were stressful. His hectic scheduleasanactorandwaiter was reflected in his poor diet — lots of muffins, cookies, and other refined, onthe-go foods. In addition to intestinal discomfort, Crooker often found himself nauseous and fatigued. His symptoms were slowing him down. “I was forgetful. Sometimes I almost felt drunk,” re-
calls Crooker, now 56 and living in Danville, Calif. “I couldn’t function.” A chiropractor Crooker was seeing for his back told him candida was likely the culprit. Candida is a yeast microorganism that lives in the body’s intestinal tract with other bacteria,suchashealthfulprobiotics. According to experts, the problem arises when an overgrowth of candida causes an infection, and a multitude of See YEAST, Page 8C
Q: How important is the spleen if it can be removed without much consequence? — P.W., Huntsville, Ala. A: We can live without the spleen, but it does play a number of important roles. The spleen, an organ in the left upper part of your abdomen, is a filter for blood. It removes old, worn-out red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. It also produces white blood cells which, in turn, produce antibodies that can kill certain bacteria like Streptococcal pneumonia, Neisseria meningitidis and H.influenza. It contains specialized white blood cells called “phagocytes” that ingest bacteria, fungi, and viruses. In the past, removal of the spleen was a knee-jerk response to abdominal trauma, it’s now only done when there’s a large amount of bleeding due to spleen trauma and the person is unstable. Certain blood-forms of cancer, like chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) or hairy cell lymphoma can result in huge spleens that are very uncomfortable. Surgical removal of the spleen can relieve suffering in these folks, even if it has no direct bearing on the disease course itself. The greatest complication after splenectomy is infection by bacteria that gain a survival advantage in the absence of a spleen. Q: My 8 year-old grandson stutters. What causes it? Does it ever just “go away”? — M.W., Poughkeepsie, N.Y. A: Your grandson is in good company with some very talented people who stutter(ed): King George VI (described in the Oscar-nominated movie “The King’s Speech”); his Prime Minister Winston Churchill; Sir Isaac Newton; Mister Rogers; John Stossel; James Earl Jones; Mel Tillis; Charles Darwin; Marilyn Monroe; and Lewis Carroll. While not every stutterer is curable, 75 percent of children who stutter eventually outgrow it. The reason why there is no universal cure for stuttering is that there is no single cause. Stuttering is the result of genetic, developmental, neurological, psychological or environmental factors. It tends to run in families, but is not the direct fault of parents or the child. Four out of five persons affected are males. The Department of Health and Human Services reports that 1 out of every 30 children stutter. Beginning speech therapy before the age of 12 is very important in the effort to cure a young child’s stutter. That’s because after age 12, formal speech patterns are established. There are a number of treatment strategies including formal speech therapy; speech techniques like exhaling a breath to relax tense vocal cords prior to speaking; word substitution for words that won’t cause one to stutter; relaxation strategies; and deliberate slowing down of speech. The National Stuttering Association (www.nsastutter.org) and the Stuttering Foundation of America (www.stuttersfa.org) are two excellent resources to get more information. Dr. Mitchell Hecht is a physician specializing in internal medicine. Send questions to him at: “Ask Dr. H,” P.O. Box 767787, Atlanta, GA 30076. Personal replies are not possible.
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Foods that enhance the male sexual experience