BT Calgary Blogs

In Health News today, another warning about delaying child bearing.  The Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada says waiting until over the age of 32 to have kids increases the risk of infertility, pregnancy complications and adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Babies don’t learn how to talk just from listening to you. New research suggests they’re likely reading your lips! Scientists out of Florida Atlantic University say at around 6 months of age babies shift from that intense eye gaze of early infancy to studying mouths when people talk.

And, are you having trouble losing weight? Try changing your dishes. Research published in the in the journal Appetite says people who ate off of red plates ate 40 percent less food.

Half of all women will have one at some point in their lives…. a urinary tract infection also known as a bladder infection.

These infections are very common … in fact, they’re the second most common infection in the body and one of the most common reasons women will go to their family doctor.

A UTI occurs when bacteria travel from the urethra, the short tube that takes urine from the bladder out, up to the bladder. This infection causes some nasty symptoms including a frequent need to pee as well as burning and pain when peeing. The urine may also be cloudy, have blood in it and smell foul.

The most common way a UTI is diagnosed is by going to a family doctor, peeing in a cup, where a urinalysis will determine if there are white blood cells present.  This can usually be done right in the doctor’s office. Antibiotics are most often prescribed and the infection will likely go away.

However, some women will experience recurrent infections…. up to 3 or 4 a year. I spoke with Urogynecologist Dr. Magali Robert about UTIs. She says these women need to have a family doctor so these infections can be tracked. It’s also important to make sure the symptoms aren’t some other kind of issue. Docs should also check for anatomical problems, or whether a woman is able to empty her bladder properly. Docs also need to determine if the patient is clearing the infection each time or whether they’re merely suppressing symptoms and it’s the same infection causing problems.

And for some women, it may not be a question of antibiotics. Dr. Robert says patients approaching menopause are predisposed to UTIs because their estrogen levels are dropping leaving the tissues of the urethra dry and more susceptible to infection. These women may benefit from estrogen therapy.

Young women may benefit from taking cranberries… either supplements or juice. If they find they’re getting UTIs directly related to sex, they may be prescribed antibiotics to take right around the time they’re having sex.

All women will benefit from staying well hydrated says Dr. Robert. She says water helps to flush out the urethra making it harder for bacteria to set up shop.

I do want to point out that men do get urinary tract infections as well… just not as often… only in about 10 percent of cases.

I could write so much more… but if you are getting UTIs make sure you talk openly to your doctor about what will work for you. It may also help to investigate some naturopathic options to help prevent getting another infection.

It’s the first ever World Prematurity Day. This is a push to help us understand how important it is to prevent pre-term births. Alberta in fact, has the highest rate of premature births in the country – about 9 in every 100 births.

A normal pregnancy is 40 weeks long, any baby born 37 weeks and on is considered full term. Premature babies are those born between 22 weeks and 37 weeks. Seventy percent of premature births happen between 34 and 37 weeks. The earlier a baby is born, of course, the more problems they’ll face. Even in the 34 to 37 week range babies will likely face respiratory problems, central nervous system problems and learning disabilities later in life. Those infants born even earlier are looking at damage to the brain, eyes, gut and lungs. It’s a multi-system impact.

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Does it ever feel like your preschooler is just not listening to you? Or do you feel like they never do what you ask? Well, perhaps we could be communicating with them more effectively. I say “we ” of course because I’m the mother of a 2 and three year old! And getting them to do what you want can certainly be a challenge!

So, lucky for me, I have a job where I can just call up a Registered Speech Language Pathologist for some advice. I interviewed Lisa Lindland. She has some great tips!

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Lots of interesting tidbits in the news this week!

We’ve heard in the past that medications to control high blood pressure in pregnant women might lead to birth defects in the baby. However new research suggests it may be the high blood pressure itself that’s the problem.

Researchers in California examined data on almost half a million women from 1995 to 2008  and found compared to women without high blood pressure, those with the condition were more likely to have babies with congenital heart, brain, or spinal cord defects, regardless of whether they were taking blood pressure medications, or no meds at all.

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CALGARY LONG-WEEKEND WEATHER

TODAY: 9, Showers – with late-day clearing (afternoon/evening)
TONIGHT: 1, Partly Cloudy
SATURDAY: 11, Sunny
SUNDAY: 13, Sunny
MONDAY: 12, Partly Cloudy
>We’ll “ring” the moisture out of our system late today….Clearing, with mild-temperatures straight through your long weekend.
-Meteorologist Andrew Schultz (( twitter: @AndrewSchultzWX ))

Yes, men and women are different. Physiologically, those differences mean we should eat different foods to maintain our optimal health.

And thus, the top 5 foods women should eat on a regular basis.

Nuts

- egs. almonds, walnuts, peanuts, brazil nuts

- prevent heart disease, increase folate

Nuts are full of good fats which help reduce cholesterol. Remember when it comes to nuts though, they are packed full of calories. So, you only need a small amount to get the health benefits.

Whole Grains

- egs. whole grain bread, barley, quinoa, brown rice

- prevent gastrointestinal problems, high in fibre

Whole grains also help you to feel fuller longer which helps to maintain a healthy weight.

Fruits and Vegetables

- egs. cranberries, spinach, oranges

- prevent UTIs, heart disease, cancer

Fruits and veggies are also full of Vitamin C which is great for overall health and boosting the immune system. They also increase your folate levels which are important for proper development of babies in pregnant women.

Calcium-rich Foods

- egs. milk, yogurt, tofu

- prevent osteoporosis

Calcium keeps bones strong.

Iron-rich Foods

- egs. beans, beef, dried apricots

- maintain proper iron levels in premenopausal women

Women need 12-15 milligrams a day, compared to men who need just 10-12.

It’s also very important for women to drink a lot of water. Water is important for all metabolic processes in the body. It’s also great for your skin and helps with digestion.

I ran this list by Registered Dietitian Andrea Holwegner.

http://www.healthstandnutrition.com/

She agrees with the list but suggests it is missing food for the soul. She says eating chocolate or having a glass of wine, in moderation of course, is good for your mental health.

Sounds good to me!

CALGARY WEATHER
TODAY: 19, Partly Cloudy
TONIGHT: 6, Partly Cloudy
WEDNESDAY: 16, Partly Cloudy
>Seasonal Averages:  High 16 / Low 2 – Basically back to average by Wednesday, with temperatures on the rise just in time for the weekend !!
-Meteorologist Andrew Schultz (( twitter: AndrewSchultzWX ))

With summer comes the annual gaming drought. Developers typically hold off until the holiday season before releasing their big titles to ensure they don’t miss the Christmas sales blitz. But as summer draws to an end, we’re starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. The games are slowly starting to arrive.

Eidos Montreal, a fledgling studio, has just released its first project to the gaming world. Deus Ex: Human Revolution is a prequel in the fan favourite Deus Ex series. The franchise has a devote following; after all the series brought about many firsts. Deus Ex was one of the first titles to mix the first person shooter genre with RPG elements, allow players to explore multiple paths and introduce the idea of choice equals consequence.

Fans are ravenous for a look at what has happened to their beloved franchise since the last installment hit stores some eight years ago. Eidos Montreal certainly has some high expectations to meet. So does it deliver with Deus Ex: Human Revolution? Oh boy does it ever!

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Every pregnant woman’s worst fear is that she will deliver her unborn baby too early. This is called pre-term labour, when a woman starts having contractions long before her baby is fully developed and ready for the outside world.

Babies should remain in the uterus until at least 37 weeks of gestation. Term is defined as anywhere from 37 to 42 weeks.

AIHS Researcher Donna Slater is looking into the cells that might cause the uterus to either contract or relax. She wants to figure out exactly how they work or what science types like to call the “mechanism of action.” If Slater can figure this out, then there’s a possibility a drug could help stop those early contractions, or by contrast, cause contractions when a baby needs to come out.

And getting a first-hand look at how this research is conducted is a Grade 11 Medicine Hat student, Marya Aman. She is one of 22 grade 11 students from across the province who are participating in the 6 week Heritage Youth Research Summer program. Aman says she always wanted to be a doctor, but now she might consider going into medical research. She now understands how research can have a direct impact on patient’s lives.

For more information about Donna Slater’s research into pre-term labour visit:

www.ucalgary.ca/smrg/faculty/donna-slater