That's Fit

Summer may be right around the corner, but the camping season for some is already well underway. Time to take the tent out of the depths of the garage, dust off the sleeping bag, and head out into the great outdoors for an escape from everything and everyone.

Except for the several million species of animals and insects that will be joining you on your trip, that is.

I don't really have much advice for how to protect against a bear attack, but I can suggest that you wear long pants to help prevent against ticks. You should also be aware of what a tick looks like in case you find some creepy crawly thing on your skin. Deer ticks, which can carry the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, are of particular concern for campers and hikers. These tear-shaped suckers are extremely small; that is, until they've taken up residence on your body and have fed on your blood for quite some time -- at which point they can grow to be almost the size of a dime.

For a comprehensive look at the different types of ticks, as well as some tips on how to best steer clear of them, visit the Tick Encounter Resource Center website by clicking here.

We have all heard that pets can help teach kids patience, responsibility, and empathy, but according to a recent study, having a dog in the home during childhood, especially during the first year of infancy, seriously decreased a child's likelihood of developing sensitivities to allergens like pollen. Our own Maggie first broke this story a few days ago but it's worth repeating for those thinking about investing in a canine commitment -- and for those who like photos of cute kids and cute dogs. See gallery that follows.

So the science behind this theory is that dogs bring germs inside on their coats and in their mouths, thus exposing kids to them and boosting the child's immune system. Older generations were often exposed to more dirt and germs as children (you know, because kids used to actually play outside instead of sitting indoors playing video games), and therefore developed a greater resistance to many allergens than kids today.

This study in particular has taken blood samples from 3,000 six-year-olds and will test the samples for hints that the child might become allergic to things like pet hair, dust mites, and pollen. The children will be retested at age 10, but the lead researcher has already stated with confidence that, "Our results show clearly that the presence of a dog in the home during infancy is associated with a significantly low level of sensitization to pollens and allergens."

This month, the American Diabetes Association invites anyone willing to make a few phone calls between today and May 2 to call on Congress to do more to fight diabetes.

Calls will be made to congressional Representatives and Senators during the ADA's 2008 Call to Congress Call-In. Also, hundreds of diabetes advocates will be on Capitol Hill visiting with their Members of Congress and asking them to increase funding for diabetes research and prevention.

Talking points and the call-in flyer (for printing and distributing) can be found online.

Source: American Diabetes Association

Muscle cramps have been a problem for runners for, well, pretty much forever. Unfortunately, even though it's such a common issue, experts have yet to agree on a cause.

Some believe that sweating and dehydration are to blame, while others believe cramping is caused by running hard or for long-distances, or that insufficient stretching and training are at fault.

Regardless of what causes them, I think we can all agree that they are a seriously unpleasant side effect of running, and we'd like to prevent them from happening, especially on race days. Click through the gallery for some tips from Active on how to prevent and treat muscle cramps.

As it turns out, it isn't worth a pound of cure, according to the Washington Post.

I was more than a little disheartened to read the cover story in the Health section of yesterday's paper. Apparently, as the story points out with examples, an ounce of prevention is worth a whole lot less than a pound of cure despite political campaign banter claiming otherwise. Not even close, in fact. The scales are actually tipped the other way. It's cheaper to let people get sick. Smoking cessation, colonoscopies for guys in their 60s and childhood vaccinations are among exceptions.

The article mentions at the very end a point that I think is bigger than dollars and cents. Paying for good health is an investment. And a good one. I wonder how any attempt to calculate the cost of prevention and measure it up against cure can be absolutely accurate. The examples in the Post are convincing. Giving a bunch of people cholesterol-reducing drugs in an effort to prevent heart disease that will develop in only a fraction of them clearly requires a heap o' dough for prescriptions. But if life is all about how much things cost and that leads to deciding whether our health -- and by extension our very lives -- are worth the expense, what's the point anyway? Have we really reached a point at which money is more valuable than life?

Wow. I think our society needs a colonoscopy. On second thought, we can save the money. I think we can skip ahead to diagnosing cancer. The good news: I believe this type can be cured. What do you think? What's the cure? Am I wrong? Do you disagree with the diagnosis?

There's a cold season. And a flu season. But these pesky sicknesses linger year-round really, which means we must consistently fight them off and work at staying healthy. Here's how.

1. Wash your hands often, like at least five times a day.

2. Wash your hands twice when you wash them -- if you're serious about fending off colds, anyway.

3. Use your knuckle to rub your eyes. The eye is the perfect entry point for germs and knuckles are less likely to be contaminated with viruses than fingertips.

4. Run your toothbrush through the microwave on high for 10 seconds to sterilize it. And replace it every month when you change the page on your calendar and after you've had a cold.

5. Leave the windows in your house open a crack in winter. Fresh air does wonders for chasing out germs.

6. Lower the heat in your house five degrees. Lowering the temperature and using a room humidifier helps maintain a healthier level of humidity in the winter.

7. Scrub under your fingernails every night. They're a great hiding place for germs.

8. Sneeze and cough into your arm or a tissue. Coughing and sneezing into a hand puts germs right where you can spread them to objects and other people. Switch to the crook of your elbow instead.

For an extra helping of sickness-fighting strategies, take a look at this Reader's Digest article.

The good news? Curcumin, an ingredient in the curry spice turmeric, may help prevent heart failure. The bad news? So far, it's only been tested on lab rats. Nevertheless, researchers from National Hospital Organization in Kyoto and the University of Toronto's cardiology division hope that this is a step forward in helping to prevent heart disease in human.

Two separate studies were conducted using rats that been engineered (that is, they were either given special drugs or had surgery) to put them at risk of heart failure. The curcumin was then administered to the rats, I guess once they were deemed good and unhealthy.

The rats that were given curcumin exhibited greater resistance to heart failure and inflammation than the rats that were not given anything (apart from medically induced heart problems, that is -- which I'm sure they're grateful for).

The results of the study, which were published in the February edition of The Journal of Clinical Investigation, showed no sign of side effects from curcumin.

Whether or not curcumin could be used by humans to prevent heart failure remains uncertain at this point. But, in the meantime, you can always use it to zest up some of your healthy dinners!!

I know I need to keep my bones strong because my grandmother, when she was alive, had osteoporosis. The more she aged, the more rounded her frail little back became. And like many seniors do, she eventually broke a hip and struggled to recover from this bone-crushing experience.

Ideally, I would have built strong bones nearly a decade ago -- it's most important before the age of 30 and can be the best defense against developing osteoporosis, a disease in which bones become fragile and are more likely to fracture, or break. Typically occurring in the hip, spine, and wrist, osteoporosis can be prevented. Good thing, because there is currently no cure or treatment for the disease.

Straight from the National Osteoporosis Foundation, here's how you can baby your bones.

• Get your daily recommended amounts of calcium and vitamin D.
  
• Engage in regular weight-bearing exercise.
• Avoid smoking and excessive alcohol.
• Talk to your healthcare provider about bone health.
• When appropriate, have a bone density test and take medication.

Prevention magazine offers kudos to NBC's Biggest Losers in this online article. Spotlighting three female contestants -- Kae Whang, Hollie Self, and Isabeau Miller -- the editors gathered up eight strategies these gals use as they strive to maintain their weight loss for the long run.

• Weighing in at spot number one: Believe you can do it. Nothing is impossible.
  
  

• Number two: Don't forget to eat. Skipping meals can lead to out-of-control hunger and overeating.
  
  

• Three: Do cardio you enjoy every day. Try for 60 to 90 minutes per day, sweat, and mix up your routine.
  
  

• Four: Weight-train at least twice a week. It will boost your metabolism and offer a mental lift too.
  
  

• Five: Take advantage of early momentum. Early results, like rapid weight loss, are common. When things taper off, stay tough.
  
  

• Six: Expect -- and push through -- plateaus. Be patient, stick to your plan, and the scale will move in your favor.
  
  

• Seven: Build a support team. Find a partner, a program, a health club that motivates you.
  
  

• And eight: Face emotional eating head-on. Write down everything you eat, ask yourself, "Is it worth it?," put your health first, and let your success inspire you.
  

Ok, it's New Year's Eve -- the one night where the whole world parties in unison, and chances are, you're going to be enjoying a few with friends and family, and as long as you do so safely, go for it! But nobody likes a bad hangover, so here are some things to keep in mind:

• EAT! It's not often that we tell you to eat more, but when you're drinking it's a must -- trust me, I've been there. If you drink on an empty stomach, you will feel 100 times worse tomorrow than you will if you ate a big meal.
  
• Alternate. Water is key to preventing a hangover so for every alcoholic beverage you have, have a glass of water.
  
• Stick to what you know. Mixing is killer, and so is pounding back shots. Stick to a drink you know doesn't make you ill -- clear liquids often do the trick. For me, beer is killer (especially from a keg) but white wine rarely gives me a hangover.
  
• Take Supplements. According to this eDiets article, taking vitamins B and C and Primrose oil before going to bed will help.
  
• Avoid taking Tylenol and Aspirin. But to take another painkiller to quell the throbbing headache.
  

Yet another advantage to drinking green tea can be added to the list. In addition to benefiting skin conditions, cardiovascular health, and a slew of other things, researchers are claiming there's a connection to prostate cancer.

Having five cups or more daily could possibly cut the risk of advanced prostate cancer in half. While that seems like a lot of tea, people in Asia routinely consume such large quantities. It's also worth noting that men over there get this cancer a lot less frequently. Researchers say this study is not a guaranteed fix or anything, but back it by claiming they "are just presenting our results. But the study does point to the hope that green tea reduces the risk."

More clinical trials are needed to confirm this preventive ability. Either way, green tea gets one more plus on the list!

For over 30 years, the medical community has prescribed vitamin D to patients with kidney disease in order to help maintain strong bones. But a new meta-analysis of many different studies concludes that this practice doesn't really help in achieving the goal it's supposed to.

The whole reason why this is prescribed was because diseased kidneys can't remove excess phosphorous from the body. Blood calcium drops due to the fact that phosphorous keeps building up. As a result, calcium is removed from the bones, hence the reason they become so weakened. This is how vitamin D became so prevalent, but the fact of the matter is that they really don't know if it helps their condition at all.

Risk of death, bone problems and other issues did not consistently change over time, even when they took the supplement compounds. In an editorial with the analysis, one associate professor of medicine out of Canada states this is evidence enough to challenge "many of our common practices." He continues by conceding that more research still needs to be done. Even so, the researchers say patients should continue following prescriptions, and more importantly pay attention to preventive measures.

If you're a savvy That's Fit reader, then you already know that a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins is important for your long-term health. But did you know that same healthy diet can protect you in the short term from things like cold and flu? That's because your immune system, which protects you from infection and other illnesses, needs that nutrition to run at its peak.

Prevention has a great article on how to eat right for your immune system. It's not about stocking up on one particular food, it's about properly fueling your body so your internal systems can do their job. Take a look at the gallery below to find out what steps you can take to build a stronger defense against colds and germs.

Today is the day, three years ago, that I was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was the day before Thanksgiving, just like it is now, and instead of giving thanks for all that was good in my life, I began questioning my life. I wondered why cancer was descending upon me. I was young, seemingly healthy, and ready to tackle the world. Cancer didn't fit into my life plans. Nor did it make a bit of sense. That was then.

This is now. And cancer does make sense. It took a while for the mystery to unfold but at this moment in time, it's all very clear. Cancer was a wake-up call, a reminder to take stock of my life. Because of cancer, I know who my true friends are -- Bev and Fitz, you are two of them -- and I know how to better prioritize the competing forces in my world. Family comes first; all else follows. Cancer taught me to stress less and relax more. It motivated me to reach out to those in need and in an odd turn of events, it showed me that I may not have been all that healthy after all. There was so much more I could do in the name of prevention and so because of cancer, I am eating better, exercising more, enjoying a trimmed-down figure, and truly fueling my body in the best possible way. Now, cancer makes sense.

Today, I am thankful for my health. And while I'm an optimist who believes I will be well for a long, long time, I do know cancer comes back. I also know the future is uncertain and other health issues may be looming on the horizon for me. That is why I focus mostly on the day and do the best I can with each set of 24 hours that are given to me.

Today, I am healthy. And that makes me happy.