Fill out this form to email this article to a friend
Pulse
Healthline
By wire services
Published March 15, 2005
MEN AND WOMEN suffering from eating disorders share similar psychological traits, but some issues are more common among men. Warning signs include:
-- Excessively following low-carbohydrate diets.
-- Participating in sports that demand thinness.
-- Using steroids.
-- Skipping meals.
-- Purging after meals.
-- Overweight in childhood.
-- Sexual abuse histories.
-- Emotionally troubled parents.
-- Anxiety and depression.
-- Low self-esteem.
-- Spending on cosmetic surgery.
-- Worrying too much about achieving the perfect "V" shape and measurements - the Adonis complex.
-- Reverse anorexia - a term coined to describe some bodybuilders' overwhelming drive for lean muscle mass. This obsessional behavior resembles anorexia nervosa except that the drive for larger muscles replaces the drive for thinness.
* * *
ANYONE WHO USES contact lenses knows all about the visual freedom they provide. But wearing lenses doesn't come without some maintenance responsibilities. Proper cleaning and hygiene practices can greatly reduce the chance of a contact lens-related eye problem. Tips:
-- Wash and rinse your hands with mild soap and dry with a lint-free towel before handling your contacts.
-- Never use tap water, saliva or homemade solutions to clean contact lenses. Always use quality lens-care products according to an eye doctor's directions, and don't attempt to reuse solutions. For daily-wear soft and rigid gas-permeable lenses, try to use an additional protein-removing enzyme cleaner periodically.
-- Clean the contact lenses by rubbing each lens in the palm of your hand for a few seconds. Then, soak the lenses in a disinfecting and cleaning solution according to product instructions.
-- Clean the contact lens case daily with sterile rinsing solution and let it air-dry. A case should be replaced about every three months.
* * *
FIBER IS THAT part of plant foods that we cannot digest. Because there are so many different kinds of fiber, scientists have attempted to classify them according to the ways they react in our bodies. Here are two simple ones to remember:
-- Soluble fiber is "soluble" - it dissolves in water.
-- Insoluble fibers (such as cellulose) do not dissolve in water. They tend to form "bulk" as they travel through our bodies.
Soluble fibers tend to carry extra cholesterol out of the body and may help control blood glucose levels. Good sources of soluble fiber include beans, legumes and oats. Insoluble fibers help exercise our digestive tracts and prevent constipation. Foods such as whole grain breads and cereals provide insoluble fibers that keep us "regular." The best way to get all the benefit of dietary fiber is to eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans and whole grains every day. (Meat, poultry, milk and other animal foods contain zero fiber.)
* * *
HAVING TEETH doesn't mean a child is ready to eat any kind of food. Foods that are small, hard, slippery or sticky can cause choking. Common ingredients that may cause choking in very young children are celery, peanut butter and raisins. Make sure your child sits down while eating or drinking and encourage taking one's time and chewing food well.
[Last modified March 14, 2005, 16:42:03]
Share your thoughts on this story
|
News
Fifty years ago, they were screwed-up kids sent to the Florida School for Boys to be straightened out. But now they are screwed-up men, scarred by the whippings they endured. Read the story and see a video and portrait gallery.
Print
Email story
Comment
Email editor
