That's Fit

It isn't brand-new news that obesity can worsen asthma symptoms. Previous research has indicated that obesity can cause more severe symptoms for people with asthma. New research expands on that fact and shows that people who are obese and have asthma are more than five times as likely to be hospitalized for their symptoms.

Sometimes I wonder why we need a funded study to tell us these things. I'm not a scientist, I'm not a doctor, and I'm not a researcher, but it seems relatively obvious to me that obesity could potentially exacerbate asthma symptoms.

If you have asthma, maintaining a healthy weight is an important step you can take to protect your health. For tips on weight loss, check out AOL Health.

After reading this story about a girl could become paralyzed because of Lyme Disease, I started to feel a little bit of panic coming on. After all, I live in one of the most stunning places in the world and spend a fair bit of time outdoors, camping and biking and hiking and such. I've never really been aware of Lyme disease, and started to wonder if I should be more worried about it.

Luckily, our friends over at Fitsugar recently explored this topic. Turns out there's not any need to panic ... well, sort of.

Millions of women suffer from chronic headaches, with 90 percent of them experiencing migraines. As if that isn't difficult enough to deal with, a study showed that women with chronic headache were four times likelier to report symptoms of major depression than were those with episodic headache.

The women who reported the symptoms of major depression were three times more likely to have symptoms related to the headache, like low energy, trouble sleeping, nausea and other pains and problems. These painful physical symptoms could cause or provoke major depression, and depression can heighten pain perception.

While the cause of the link between headache and depression isn't entirely known, it is certain that one is related to the other, making the research and treatment of both all the more important.

Endometriosis is a condition that was discussed a lot in my house when I hit puberty and started experiencing menstrual cramping that brought me to my knees. My mother was diagnosed with it (and told she needed a hysterectomy) when she gave birth to me -- that was, of course, after more than 25 years of truly unbearable cramping during menstruation and 10 years of trying to conceive with no luck. She had seen doctors about the pain and was basically told it was in her head.

So, when I came across this post at Divine Caroline on the "Devastating Effects of Endometriosis," I took a moment to read it over, and boy am I glad I did. It turns out that endometriosis can cause a lot more than just miserable cramping.

Endometriosis "occurs when fragments of the womb lining are found in other parts of the body where they may swell, bleed, and lead to fusing and scarring." Fragments are generally found in the abdomen, but can be found in the ovaries, fallopian tubes, bladder, and bowel -- even as far away as the lungs. And, it can cause infertility -- between 30 and 40 percent of women with endometriosis are unable to conceive.

All of my friends in the so-called "allergy capital of the country", Gainesville, Florida have allergies. I mean ALL of them. Growing up on the beach in South Florida, I didn't know a sole who spoke of the evils of allergies. Now, everyone on my speed dial is speaking with a raspy voice and choking up a lung.

Winter can be especially rough. If you're dealing with the aggravations of allergies or worse, the brutal side-effects that come with asthma...Women's Health magazine has a pretty great resource for you. The Women's Health Allergies and Asthma Clinic offers the full scoop on breathing easy through this winter.

We've all seen them: co-workers who refuse to call it a day and show up anyway, even when they're coughing or sneezing the entire time. What makes them not call in a sick day? It's called "presenteeism," but researchers are finding out this costs the company more money than if they would just not go to work at all.

Other fellow employees would probably want to reduce the chance of getting sick too, so it's really in your best interest to stay home if you're exhibiting nasty symptoms. Here's a list of five reasons to call in sick if you feel the urge coming on.

For starters, watch the color of your phlegm if you have coughing and a runny nose. If it looks dark yellow, green or brown, then stay home. It could be an infection so consult a doctor. Chills accompanied by aching joins should be enough to deter anyone from spreading the funk, as this is another set of symptoms worth following up on. The classic fever is another thing to take seriously considering that it ccould easily spread to co-workers. These are just a few examples, so head on over to the full article for a rundown.

Veteran moms may already know this, but it never hurts to have hard research back non-traditional treatments. Kids with cold and flu ailments may have a drug-free option to alleviate those nasty symptoms. In fact, I've heard of this method being used before quite effectively.

Apparently saline may be more effective for children than using things from the medicine cabinet. Mothers simply need to squirt processed salt water up their kids' nose to do the trick! Czech researchers carried out the study by watching over 400 sick youngsters aged 6 to 10. All took the usual medication, but others got an additional saline treatment straight to the nose.

Using it at least 3 times a day, researches observed drastic improvements by the second visit to the doctor. Eight weeks into it, sore throats, coughs, and congestion all improved. I wonder if this would work for adults too as a replacement for those nasal sprays that can't be used for more than 72 hours. Any moms out there already implementing this treatment with their kids?

Many of us have a fear of something; maybe it's the fear of heights. Or how about the infamous arachnophobia -- that's not uncommon either. But have you ever heard of deipnophobia? It's the fear of dinner conversations during a social scene (I wonder if Thanksgiving at the in-laws would count).

Here's an astonishingly long list of unusual phobias you may have never heard of -- or perhaps you actually know someone who exhibits these symptoms! For example, if you know a person who breaks out in cold sweats as soon as they go inside, perhaps they'll make a quick escape because they have domatophobia. That's the irrational fear of houses, or being trapped in one. Have you ever eaten peanut butter and had it stick to the roof of your mouth? That's a fear all in itself called arachibutyrophobia.

Another one that may be slightly more common than the others on the list is paraskavedekatriaphobia -- the fear of Friday the 13th. If you couldn't pronounce that the first time, you're not alone. Some of these descriptions may sound crazy or made up. Like philemaphobia, for example, which is the irrational fear of kissing. But you can bet there's a phobia for just about everything. Check out the list for even more fears.

We've heard about zinc potentially helping a cold, but have you ever tried booze to stave off that icky feeling? That would be an interesting excuse for having a hotty toddy in the office! The idea here is that putting a little alcohol in your system would hopefully kill the germs responsible for a cold and get rid of the symptoms. But is there any truth to it?

Science tells us that drinking can dehydrate the body, even a little bit. Seeing as how you need fluids to fight a cold, this inebriation could actually increase the symptoms. So even if you feel a bit relieved after downing that Irish coffee, it's not killing the cold.

However, two big studies support the conclusion that a bit of alcohol could definitely help prevent a cold from taking root in the first place. Apparently a person's resistance to getting a cold is increased with moderate drinking. Carnegie Mellon found this out in 1993, but in 2002 researchers in Spain conducted an even larger study and found the same results. Having at least 8 glasses of red wine per week reduced the likelihood of getting a cold by upwards of 60 percent. They "suspect" it has something to do with antioxidants. But hey, that's just one more benefit to drinking wine!

If you're a female with the potential risk factors for a heart attack, are you following a gender-specific plan for prevention, or are you following generic suggestions to reduce your risk?

Recent research states that there is no need to have different recommendation lists for heart attack symptoms in men and women, although nothing about specific differences in treatment were mentioned.

Still, women are less likely than men to report chest pain or discomfort during a heart attack for some reason. Heart attack symptoms include the below -- and if you witness these, take care and get immediate attention.

• Chest discomfort that may feel like pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain. The discomfort may last for more than a few minutes or come and go
• Discomfort in other areas of the upper body including one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach
• Shortness of breath, which may or may not accompany chest discomfort
• Other symptoms such as breaking out in a cold sweat and experiencing nausea or lightheadedness

Have fitness questions? Fitz has your answer. Our ThatsFit.com fitness expert -- and now your own virtual personal trainer -- will help you get fit, increase your overall health and do it in a fun way. Drop your questions here in the Comments section below and we'll choose two per week to publish on That's Fit! Learn more about Fitz here.

Q. Hi Fitz, Why is that we feel like puking or vomiting during intense workouts? Is it a bad indication or health threat? I saw on the Biggest Loser that there were those who puked. However, I felt it just recently on my 20 minute incline treadmill workout and it gave me the creeps. Did I do something wrong? Am I supposed to have myself checked with a doctor? Thanks, Kassy

A. Hi Kassy. Thanks for the great question. There are a bunch of possible causes for your nausea, and most are not worthy of worry. Vigorous exercise takes it's toll on all the different parts of our body; not just our legs, arms and abs. It effects our respiratory, cardiovascular, nervous, and digestive systems (amongst others) as well. Most of the effects of challenging exercise are great, some of the effects though are temporarily not-so-great. I found a study by Dr. R. Rafoth, M.D., The Athlete and the G.I. Tract which describes the causes of exercise induced nausea and other G.I. symptoms which I summarize below.

Some of the factors that can lead to exercise induced nausea are:

1. Presence of symptoms in a non exercising period, such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

2. Age. More symptoms occur in younger athletes.

3. Gender: Women are more likely to experience exercised induced nausea, completely unrelated to ones menstrual cycle.

4. Diet: There is an increased incidence of upper abdominal symptoms in athletes who consumed:

• too big a meal too close to exercise
• fats
• hyper-tonic drinks, glucose syrups, honey/maple syrups
• foods high in dietary fiber
• high protein diets

If your mom was one to push the orange juice when you were sniffling and sneezing, she may have had good reason.

A review of more than 30 studies shows that taking one 1,000-mg vitamin C supplement per day may help shorten the duration and severity of cold symptoms, especially when you're under stress. You don't need to take a supplement 365 days a year, though, because vitamin C doesn't prevent colds from coming on. It just might help once that cold arrives, though.

There's a lot of speculation about the merits of vitamin C. Some believe in it; some think it's pretty useless. Whatever your view, the current recommended dose of this vitamin is 60 mg daily. One eight-ounce glass of orange juice contains 97 mg.

Frequent stomachaches affect many people, but how do you know when a stomachache is just a stomachache? Could it be something worse? It might just be heartburn, but one of the most common sources of a stomachache is an ulcer. Everyday Health reminds us to look out for these symptoms when a stomachache hits:

• Sharp, sudden or persistent pain
• Bloody, black or unusual vomiting
• Bloody, black or unusual stools.
  
• Weight loss
• Poor appetite
• Bloating
  
• Belching
• Nausea

If you have any of these symptoms, see your doctor immediately. These could be signs of an ulcer -- or something worse. Don't take your chances.

People who get annual exams tend to worry less about their health. A review of 21 studies reveals this interesting tidbit, along with another nugget that's worth mentioning: People who have regular physicals are more likely to get screening tests, such as cholesterol checks, Pap smears, and mammograms.

If you're not getting regular check-ups, it may be because current treatment guidelines don't recommend them for people without symptoms of illness. Many doctors don't agree, though. Either do I. There are just too many conditions that progress without symptoms. Once they appear, it may be too late. Now I'm not promising that an annual visit with your doc will reveal every possible problem that may be lurking in your body. But it will keep you in the health loop, allow you to ask your medical-inspired questions, and prompt the professionals to screen you as appropriate.

My unsolicited advice on this topic: Schedule your own annual exam, get your screenings, and put your worries to rest.

Bulimia nervosa, like anorexia nervosa, is an eating disorder that centers around control. One of the most common eating disorders, bulimia is characterized by consuming large amounts of food and then ridding the stomach of its contents by way of vomiting, over-exercising, or use of laxatives.

Eating to excess (called the "binge") is comforting to bulimics. But eating too much causes them to feel out of control. They also feel guilt, shame, and a fear of weight gain which causes them to "purge." This "binge and purge" cycle is extremely dangerous and can lead to serious and long-term health problems, like tooth decay, gum disease, loss of tooth enamel, osteoporosis, kidney damage, heart problems, and even death.

Because bulimia is harder to recognize than anorexia -- the symptoms are more subtle and bulimics are not always thin -- awareness is critical. Please consider these symptoms and physical effects of bulimia.