Abstracts of Magazine Articles, 2006

Bronchitis: Acute or Chronic

Taking Care, December 2006
You think you're finally over a cold, but then the nagging cough starts. You might have bronchitis, an inflammation or infection of the main air passages to the lungs. This article tells how to recognize symptoms of both acute and chronic bronchitis. It also offers tips for preventing or minimizing the disease.

Tired of Fatigue

Arthritis Self-Management, November/December 2006
When it comes to arthritis symptoms, pain may get more attention, but fatigue can be just as disabling. Fatigue drains your energy, saps your concentration, and makes it more difficult to cope with being ill. This article discusses possible causes of and solutions for arthritis-related fatigue. It also includes a three-step plan for making the best use of the energy you have.

Take Control of Acute Back Pain

Taking Care, September 2006
Nearly everyone experiences lower back pain at some point. In fact, the problem is so common you might think it's unavoidable. Think again. You may not be able to prevent all back pain, but you can take steps to keep your back strong and reduce your risk of injury. This article tells how. And if you ever are sidelined by back pain, this article explains how proper self-care can help you get back in the game sooner.

When You've Got Multiple Health Concerns

Arthritis Self-Management, July/August  2006
Arthritis alone is difficult enough. But when you combine arthritis with another chronic medical condition, you've got double the trouble. If you find yourself in this position, you aren't the only one. Having multiple health concerns is the rule rather than the exception for arthritis sufferers. This article offers tips on coping with the common combo of arthritis plus heart disease or diabetes.

Face Your Fears: Phobias Are Common, but Treatable

Taking Care, July 2006
Lions and tigers and bears—and that's just for starters. Millions of Americans suffer from a specific phobia or social phobia. Specific phobias involve an intense fear of an object or situation that's out of proportion to any actual threat. Common examples include fear of spiders, dogs, water, heights, and enclosed places. Social phobia involves intense anxiety in social situations and fear of being judged harshly by others. This cover story about phobias surveys symptoms and treatments. It appears in the magazine of a large, national health management company.

A Berry Good Habit

GreenWise, June 2006
You've heard that cranberries can help stave off urinary tract infections—but is it really true? Yes, based on the latest research. Cranberries contain proanthocyanidins, compounds that bind to harmful bacteria in urine. As a result, these bacteria can't stick to cells on the inner walls of the urinary tract, rendering the bacteria incapable of multiplying and causing problems. This article tells how to get your daily dose of cranberries in juice, sauce, dried berries, or supplements.
[full article]

A Real Tearjerker: Look Into Dry Eye Treatments

Costco Pharmacy Guide to Healthy Living, Summer  2006
Sometimes, watching a tearjerker movie just isn't enough. A recent study found that 13% of middle-aged and older adults develop dry eye, a condition in which the eyes either produce too few tears or make tears that don't have the proper chemical composition. Prescription treatments may help. In addition, this article lists self-help measures that may bring tears to your eyes, such as using a humidifier, avoiding cigarette smoke, and wearing wraparound glasses in windy weather.

Beyond the Headlines: Interpreting Arthritis News

Arthritis Self-Management, May/June  2006
You're eager to know the latest medical news, and thanks to 24-hour news channels and the Internet, it's easier than ever to stay connected. But this instant access to information has its downside: There's less time for medical reporters to sift through newly published studies, filter out the best from the rest, and do enough background research to put the results in context. As a result, more of the burden falls on you to be a savvy news consumer. This four-page article offers guidelines on how much faith to put in that study you've just read or heard about.

How to Ask for Help—and Get It

Diabetes Self-Management, May/June  2006
Everyone can use a helping hand now and then, and people with diabetes are no exception. The disease itself ensures that there will be ample opportunity to request help, whether it's asking your spouse to leave the doughnuts at work, your exercise partner to help you stay motivated, or your friend to remind you to take your medicine when you're out together. This cover story in a magazine for people with diabetes tells how to send up an SOS that won't be ignored. It also offers suggestions on being there to help your helpers when you're ready to reciprocate.

My 65-year-old father just hasn't been the same since my mom died...

Taking Care, May 2006
Grief is a normal reaction to the death of a spouse, and for some people, it may take a year or more to recover from such a profound loss. But at times, the grief deepens into depression that needs professional attention. This article in a national custom magazine offers pointers on helping a loved one cope with grief as well as guideposts for telling when clinical depression may have set in.

Shhhh! Quiet, Please

GreenWise, April 2006
You spend Saturday mowing the lawn, clearing the sidewalk with a leaf blower, and trimming some low-hanging tree branches with a chain saw. By the end of the day, your yard might be neat and tidy, but your nerves are frayed from all that noise. Over time, the cumulative effects of unwanted noise can take a toll on your mind and body. Excessive noise has been linked to stress, fatigue, high blood pressure, sleep problems, upset stomach, reduced concentration, decreased performance, and hearing loss. This article tells how to turn down the volume.
[full article]

Time for a Change

Arthritis Self-Management, March/April  2006
People with a chronic illness, such as arthritis, are often faced with the need to change their health habits. Changing for a day or two is easy, but changing for life is a whole different matter. This article shows people how to apply Prochaska's Transtheoretical Model of Change to their own lives. It offers practical tips on moving through the stages of precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance. A sidebar explains how to gauge your current stage.

Fit to a Tea

GreenWise, February 2006
What could be more soothing than a simple cup of tea? The benefits of tea drinking may not end there, however. A growing body of research suggests that natural compounds in tea, called polyphenols, might reduce the risk of certain cancers. This article sums up the scientific evidence from lab and animal studies.
[full article]

Aromatherapy: Scents and Sensibility

Arthritis Self-Management, January/February 2006
Within the brain, information about smells is processed by the limbic system, an area that also plays a key role in memory and emotion. It's little wonder, then, that certain smells have the power to evoke pleasure and relaxation. Such positive feelings, in turn, may help reduce stress and enhance coping with pain and illness. This cover story discusses the use of aromatherapy to help manage arthritis symptoms. It won't cure the disease, but it just might make life with arthritis a bit more pleasant.

Balancing Act: How to Juggle Life at Home and Work

Digest, Winter 2006
Do you feel guilty at work because you aren't spending enough time with your family, and guilty at home because you've got unfinished work to do? You're not alone. A recent survey found that more than half of American employees felt overwhelmed by such pressures at some point in the past month. This article offers practical tips on achieving a better balanced life at home and work. It appears in a custom health magazine distributed by several large health plans around the country.
[full article]

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