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Healthline

By STAFF AND TIMES WIRES
Published June 21, 2005

THE CLEARWATER THRESHERS, Bright House Networks and Spike TV team up for a free men's basic health screening from 5:35 to 7:35 p.m. on Friday when the Threshers meet the Fort Myers Miracles. The national health awareness campaign "Check Up or Check Out" takes place at Bright House Networks Field, 601 Old Coachman Road in Clearwater. In addition to the health screenings, Bright House Networks and Spike TV will give away T-shirts to the first 200 fans who are screened that day. For information, call (727) 467-4457 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

WATER PARKS OFFER a range of activities for kids, from slides to wave pools and squirting fountains. But, as with a day at the beach or a swimming pool, a variety of safety factors come into play. Certainly, adult supervision ranks high on the list. Here are some of the other safety considerations from the American Red Cross and the Nemours Foundation:

-- A child should know how to swim. Crowded water parks become chaotic with so many kids splashing and moving around at the same time. Some parks provide free life jackets for kids who may not have strong swimming skills.

-- Parents should make sure lifeguards are present before allowing children to enter a slide or wave pool.

-- Read all posted signs and take time to go over the park rules with children. If a question comes up about using a particular park feature, ask a lifeguard or park worker to find an answer. Always check out the age, height and water depth regulations before allowing a child to dive in. Also see if any medical restrictions apply.

-- Water park surfaces are often slippery. Always instruct children to walk, not run, between rides.

-- When using a water slide, a child should assume the correct position: face up, feet first. A child also should wait for the preceding rider to pass the slide safety point before heading down.

DOCTORS AT WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY are testing ginseng, a root long used in traditional Asian medicine, to see if it can head off diabetes in overweight adults. An estimated 18.2-million Americans have diabetes and 41-million more are considered prediabetic, with higher than normal blood sugar, according to the American Diabetic Association. Studies of animals suggest that ginseng may fight insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes. Although animal studies look promising, clinical trials using ginseng have failed to improve insulin sensitivity in patients who already have diabetes, said Dr. Chun-Su Yuan, director of the Tang Center for Herbal Medicine Research at the University of Chicago and editor in chief of the American Journal of Chinese Medicine. Yuan said it remains to be seen whether the plant or its compounds can stop diabetes before it develops. Ginseng is not for everyone, and people who are prone to high blood pressure or heart palpitations should probably avoid taking ginseng, as the root can make the conditions worse.

[Last modified June 20, 2005, 19:43:03]