Help! My Ex Cheated. I'm Over Him, But Not My Anger.

So, can you ever get past it? SELF's resident mental health expert, Dr. Catherine Birndorf, M.D., is here to help with all your life and relationship problems.

In my view, people tend to get too fixated on the affair. It sucks -- but it's never the whole story. I'd venture a guess that something else in your relationship had already gone wrong, but you unconsciously ignored the signs.

I don't mean "This was your fault," just that there was a problem before the cheating. Take some time to really think that out and you'll find it easier to drop the anger--in part because you'll realize you aren't missing out on anything worthwhile. And consider the anger itself: Some people unknowingly hold on to that pissed-off feeling because there's something satisfying about saying, "Ugh! He was such an asshole!" But that can backfire, because if you remain too consumed with the old, you won't be able to invest in the new. After all, the best revenge is moving on and finding Mr. Next.

RELATED LINKS:

View the original article here

Statins Plus Certain Antibiotics May Set Off Toxic Reaction: Study

Harmful effects in older patients include muscle, kidney damage, researchers say

By Steven Reinberg

HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, June 17 (HealthDay News) -- Doctors should avoid ordering certain antibiotics for older patients who take cholesterol-lowering statin drugs, such as Lipitor, Canadian researchers say.

Statins, which are taken by many millions of people, don't mix well with the antibiotics clarithromycin or erythromycin, according to a study, published in the June 18 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

These two commonly used antibiotics inhibit the metabolism of statins and increase statin concentration in the blood, which can cause muscle or kidney damage, and even death, the researchers said.

"These drugs do interact and cause difficulties for patients," said lead researcher Dr. Amit Garg, a professor in the department of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario.

These adverse reactions are rare, Garg added. "Most people will be fine," he said. "But at a population level, hundreds of preventable hospitalizations are occurring."

For someone taking a statin, the study suggests that substituting a different antibiotic -- azithromycin -- is safer because it doesn't interfere with the metabolism of statins.

Another strategy is to stop the statin until the antibiotic course is finished, Garg said.

The study of more than 144,000 statin users over the age of 65 compared those prescribed clarithromycin or erythromycin with those taking azithromycin.

In terms of absolute risk, the odds of kidney damage increased 26 percent among people who took clarithromycin or erythromycin and statins compared with patients who took azithromycin with statins.

Also, hospitalizations for muscle damage (a condition called rhabdomyolysis) and deaths were slightly higher -- 0.02 percent and 0.25 percent, respectively -- in the clarithromycin or erythromycin groups compared to the azithromycin group, the study authors found.

Dr. Gregg Fonarow, a spokesman for the American Heart Association, said patients should not stop taking statins, which are known to prevent heart disease. Instead, doctors should prescribe another antibiotic, he suggested.

"It is well documented that certain medications that inhibit the liver enzyme cytochrome P450 isoenzyme 3A4 can increase the drug level of statin medications," said Fonarow, a professor of cardiology at the University of California, Los Angeles. "Nevertheless, large-scale randomized clinical trials and clinical effectiveness studies have demonstrated [that] the benefits of statin therapy in reducing fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular events outweigh the potential risks."

The study data included more than 73,000 patients prescribed clarithromycin, about 3,200 prescribed erythromycin and more than 68,000 people who took azithromycin. Almost three-quarters of the statin users were taking atorvastatin (Lipitor). The other commonly used statins were simvastatin (Zocor) and lovastatin (Altoprev, Mevacor).

Clarithromycin and erythromycin are often prescribed for respiratory illness such as pneumonia. Previously, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned that statins don't interact well with these and certain other drugs used to treat HIV and hepatitis.

The study authors noted that younger patients are less likely than older adults to experience serious side effects from drug interactions.

View the original article here

Even in Young Adults, Binge Drinking May Harm Circulation

By Serena Gordon
HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, April 23 (HealthDay News) -- When college-aged adults binge drink it may hinder the function of their blood vessels, a small new study finds, possibly setting the stage for later heart disease.

"Consequences of binge drinking may extend beyond just a bad hangover, and may actually interfere with the current and future cardiovascular health of young adults," said Shane Phillips, senior study author and an associate professor and associate head of the department of physical therapy at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Results of the study were published online April 23 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

More than half of college-student drinkers engage in regular binge-drinking episodes, according to study background information. A binge-drinking episode is generally defined as consuming more than four to five alcoholic drinks in a two-hour period.

Studies on middle-aged and older people have linked binge drinking to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, such as stroke, sudden cardiac death and heart attack. Other studies have found that binge drinking can lead to hardening of the arteries, which may be what contributes to the increased risk of cardiovascular disease, according to the report.

To see the effects of binge drinking on the blood vessels and circulatory system in young people, the researchers recruited 36 urban college students between the ages of 18 and 25. About half the group participated in binge drinking, and the rest were abstainers -- they didn't drink alcohol at all. None of the study volunteers smoked cigarettes.

The researchers found that the binge drinkers showed signs of changes that could affect their cardiovascular health.

"Repeated episodes of binge drinking in young, healthy adults was associated with changes in the function of the circulation that impacts blood flow. Specifically, there was evidence that two main cells types -- endothelium and smooth muscle -- that work to control blood flow in the circulation were not functioning normally," Phillips said.

"These vascular changes may be a precursor for the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis [hardening of the arteries] and increased vulnerability to cardiovascular disease," he added.

While the study found an association between binge drinking in young adults and possible increased risk of future heart disease, it did not establish a cause-and-effect relationship.

The author of an accompanying journal editorial explained the study findings further.

"The researchers saw a signal for vasoconstriction [when blood vessels constrict] in the binge drinkers even after they stopped binge drinking, and were measured three to four days after binge drinking," said Dr. Robert Vogel, a clinical professor of medicine at the University of Colorado, Denver.

"Alcohol is a very complex drug. Your blood pressure goes down while you have alcohol in your system, but your blood pressure goes up the day after drinking. We don't understand exactly why that is, but alcohol is often forgotten when doctors are assessing for [high blood pressure]," Vogel said.

Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, a preventive cardiologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, said, "Binge drinking is a true public health problem on college campuses. Even in these young people, binge drinking was associated with changes to the lining of the arteries associated with heart disease," she noted.

"Perhaps when discussing binge drinking on college campuses, providing this information on the ramifications of this unhealthy behavior on arterial health can help in managing this destructive behavioral choice," she suggested.

For his part, Dr. Scott Krakower, an addiction specialist at North Shore-LIJ Health System in Mineola, N.Y., said he wasn't surprised that there's a potential link between college-age binge drinking and cardiovascular disease. The challenge is getting students to do something about it.

"Most college students do not realize the psychological and medical implications binge drinking can have, and often believe that they are invincible," Krakower said.

Copyright © 2013 HealthDay. All rights reserved. SOURCES: Shane Phillips, P.T., Ph.D., associate professor, and associate head, department of physical therapy, University of Illinois at Chicago; Robert Vogel, M.D., clinical professor of medicine, University of Colorado, Denver; Scott Krakower, D.O., addiction specialist, North Shore-LIJ Health System, Mineola, N.Y.; Suzanne Steinbaum, M.D., preventive cardiologist, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York City; April 23, 2013, Journal of the American College of Cardiology, online

View the original article here

Anorexic, meal plan.

Hi, I'm a 14 yr old girl going through anorexia nervosa, I was put in a mental hospital but my parents got me out when I reached 45.5kgs because it was making me depressed and I saw some messed up stuff in there, I've been out for about a month and I've dropped down to 40.2kgs. I don't want to gain weight but I want to eat the right amount of food, can anyone tell me if this is enough!?

Breakfast: 3tbsp flaxmeal (90cal), honey and cinnamon drink (10cal), small apple (55cal) or overnight oats(90cal) cinnamon and honey drink, small apple or berries (55cal) or 2-3 breakfast muffins (5 egg whites, spinach, broccoli100cal) cinnamon and honey drink, 1/3 cup mixed berries(20cal)

Snack: 150cal snack, normally 6oz chobani greek yogurt w/ either fruit, chia seeds or flaxmeal.

Lunch: 30 cal mixed veges, 100 cals turkey.

Snack, the same. 150cals

Dinner: 5 egg whites and veges 130cals

Snack: chobani greek yogurt and toppings (150cal)

And throughout the day I'll have 1-2 tsp raw cocoa powder into a hot cocoa with just water, 5-10 cals)

I know this isn't enough but I'm scared of gaining weight and I want to just eat healthy whole foods and gain weight healthfully and very slowly.

Any recommendations?

Edited Jun 19 2013 13:15 by coach_k
Reason: This is clearly a recovery post, not weight gain. Please read the stickied "Before posting in the WG forum" thread. Moved to Health and Support on a 1-time good deal.

View the original article here

Many Parents Give Kids Cold Medicines When They Shouldn't, Survey Finds

TUESDAY, April 23 (HealthDay News) -- More than 40 percent of American parents give over-the-counter cough and cold medicines to kids under age 4 even though they're too young for such products, a new survey finds.

In young children, these medicines can cause allergic reactions, increased or uneven heart rate, slow and shallow breathing, confusion or hallucinations, drowsiness or sleeplessness, convulsions, nausea and constipation.

Since 2008, labels on cough and cold medicines have warned that they should not be given to children under age 4. The use of cough and cold medicines in children in that age group did not differ by parent gender, race/ethnicity or household income, according to the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health.

The survey included 498 parents of children aged 3 and under.

Children can get five to 10 colds a year, so parents often turn to over-the-counter cough and cold medicines to relieve their child's symptoms. But that can be dangerous, the study authors stressed.

"Products like these may work for adults, and parents think it could help their children as well. But what's good for adults is not always good for children," survey director Dr. Matthew Davis said in a university news release.

Davis said parents can be confused by the fact that many of "these products are labeled prominently as 'children's' medications. The details are often on the back of the box, in small print. That's where parents and caregivers can find instructions that they should not be used in children under 4 years old."

Parents need to read cough and cold medication labels carefully and should always call their child's doctor if they have questions about over-the-counter medicines, Davis urged.

-- Robert Preidt
Copyright © 2013 HealthDay. All rights reserved. SOURCE: University of Michigan, news release, April 22, 2013

View the original article here

Polluted Air Linked to Autism Risk

Pregnant women who live with smog at higher risk, but experts caution the finding is not definitive

By Denise Mann

HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, June 18 (HealthDay News) -- Pregnant women who live in smog-filled areas may be twice as likely to have children with autism, a new study suggests.

"The study does not prove that pollution increases risk for autism. It found an association," cautioned lead author Andrea Roberts, a research associate at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston. "It adds to the weight of the evidence that there may be something in air pollution that increases risk for autism."

Researchers compared exposure to air pollution among 325 women who had a child with autism and 22,000 women who did not. The women were participants in the Nurses' Health Study II. Pollutants measured included diesel particulate matter, lead, manganese, mercury, methylene chloride, and a combined measure of metal exposure.

Twenty percent to 60 percent of the women lived in areas considered highly polluted. And the study showed that: those women who lived in the 20 percent of locations that had the highest levels of diesel particulates or mercury in the air were twice as likely to have a child with autism, compared to those who lived in the 20 percent of areas with the lowest levels of these pollutants.

In addition, those who lived in the 20 percent of locations with the highest levels of lead, manganese, methylene chloride, and combined metal exposure were about 50 percent more likely to have a child with autism than those who lived in the 20 percent of areas with the lowest concentrations.

The findings held even after the researchers took into account other factors known to affect autism risk, such as income, education and smoking during pregnancy. Overall, the association was stronger for boys than it was for girls, but the number of girls included in the new study was too low to draw any firm conclusions.

The findings, which were published June 18 online in Environmental Health Perspectives, do add to a growing body of research that suggests the air women breathe while pregnant is one of many factors linked to autism risk. Previous studies have shown that pregnant women who live in polluted areas or close to freeways are more likely to have a child with autism, but the studies were done regionally. The new data is nationwide.

Exactly how, or even if, air pollution affects the developing brain is murky. "By definition, pollution is stuff that is not good for us," Roberts said.

Still, the overall increase in autism risk that may be attributed to pollution is low. "Let's say a woman's risk for having a child with autism is one in 100, women who live in the most polluted cities have a risk that is about one in 50, which means that 49 children would not have autism," Roberts said.

View the original article here

Carey Mulligan and Marcus Mumford out and about in New York

Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.

View the original article here