Mistaken Health Beliefs Die Hard
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Posted On :
Oct-09-2010
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Article Word Count :
750
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Sometimes new scientific findings are slow to displace well-established but erroneous beliefs. Health care is a particularly fertile area for misconceptions to take root and prosper. Which of the following outdated ideas do you think are true?
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Sometimes new scientific findings are slow to displace well-established but erroneous beliefs. Health care is a particularly fertile area for misconceptions to take root and prosper. Which of the following outdated ideas do you think are true?
Excessive Sugar Ingestion Causes Diabetes
If this is your understanding of the cause of diabetes, you have plenty of company. However, there is no direct link between sugar consumption and the development of diabetes. Diabetes results from a resistance of the body's tissues and organs to the effects of insulin, or from an absolute decrease in insulin production. Since the body requires insulin in order to use sugar, the blood sugar level rises.
A related misconception is that diabetics cannot eat sugar. The American Diabetes Association says that limited amounts of sugar are acceptable in a balanced diabetic diet.
We Need Less Sleep as We Age
Our need for sleep does not decline as we age. Our ability to get a good night's sleep often does. This sleep impairment is more likely the result of health disturbances than aging itself. Medications, physical illnesses and psychiatric disorders can all disrupt sleep. So can certain sleep-related disorders such as periodic limb movements in sleep (PLMS), which affects over a third of people over 65.
It Is Normal for Older People to Have a Higher Blood Pressure than Younger People
Yes, high blood pressure becomes much more common as the years pass, but it is still harmful. Regardless of age, experts advise that sustained readings above 140/90 should be treated.
Another erroneous belief about blood pressure is that only the diastolic blood pressure (the lower number) matters. However, the truth is that among older people it is systolic hypertension (elevation of the upper number) that causes most harm to the arteries and heart.
Recovery from Illness is Hastened by Bed Rest
It sounds logical that resting in bed should help one recover from an illness more quickly. Logical maybe, but untrue. A published review of scientific studies comparing bed rest to early mobilization found that bed rest does not help, and may in fact be harmful.
Lying in bed can make you vulnerable to pneumonia, blood clots and deconditioning. It can also lead to dizziness and unsteadiness when you do get up, thereby increasing the risk of falls. Better advice is to remain as active as you feel able-- just take it easy.
Most Respiratory Infections Benefit from Antibiotic Treatment
The common cold, influenza, acute bronchitis and sore throat are almost always caused by viruses. Commonly prescribed antibiotics suppress bacterial growth but don't affect viruses. Despite this fact, innumerable studies have demonstrated gross over-treatment of viral respiratory infections with antibiotics.
Overuse of antibiotics contributes to treatment-resistant bacteria, one of the most pressing public health problems in developed countries. As a result, once-treatable illnesses are increasingly becoming serious threats. The now well-known problem of Multiple Antibiotic Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (“MARSA”) is an example. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 50 million unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions are written each year, mostly for viral respiratory illnesses.
Cancer Risk is Mainly Determined by Family History
According to a nationwide poll by the Discovery Channel and the American Cancer Society, 71% of Americans believe that cancer risk has more to do with family history than age. Actually, the opposite is true.
The incidence of most common cancers, including prostate, colorectal, breast and lung cancer, increases with advancing age. Your genetic make-up certainly has some influence, but you should not become complacent just because there has been no cancer in the family.
Women Don’t Have to Worry About Heart Disease
Many people think of heart disease as something that mainly affects men, and that women should be more worried about disorders like cancer, arthritis or osteoporosis. In fact, more women than men die of heart disease each year. Heart disease causes more deaths in women than the next seven causes combined.
What is true is that heart disease tends to develop later in life in women than in men, but it is just as deadly. In women as in men, it is important to maintain a normal body weight, control blood pressure and cholesterol levels, get regular exercise and avoid smoking.
For more information on caring for an older adult, including great information regarding home care assistance in Virginia, visit readyhands.com/.
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Article Source :
http://www.articleseen.com/Article_Mistaken Health Beliefs Die Hard_36960.aspx
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Author Resource :
For more information on caring for an older adult, including great information regarding home care assistance in Virginia, visit http://www.readyhands.com/.
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Keywords :
senior care Virginia, home care agencies Virginia, elderly care Virginia, home care assistance in Virginia, senior care servi,
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