Celebrate Summer
A time of plenitude, a time of
love, a time of fulfilment, a time of joy, a time of peace and relaxation.
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the Perfect Gift, Consult a magic wish list-
summer time
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Relieve
Summer Strains and Pains: New Topical Pain Reliever Soothes Sore Muscles
(ARA)
- Whether it’s gardening, yard work, summer sports or simply taking advantage
of the nice weather to walk or bike, most people are more active during
the summer than during the rest of the year. That means aches and pains
as we plunge full speed ahead into summer activities.
“I’ve been
seeing a lot of patients I haven’t seen for a while,” says Dr. George Petruska,
a doctor of chiropractic in Red Hill, Pa. “It’s just human nature to get
out and do more than we know we should do,” he says. While some injuries
can be serious, others are just annoying. “Symptoms can last up to four
to eight weeks,” says Dr. Petruska.
Cold therapy
is recommended for muscle inflammation, but keeping an ice pack on a sore
elbow during daily activities is not always practical. Most topical pain
relief formulas often have a medicinal smell and produce extreme sensations
of cold, which many consumers do not like.
Dr. Petruska’s
patients have experienced relief with a new topical pain reliever called
Medic Ice. “With this product, my patients get relief for four hours or
more,” he says.
Medic Ice is
available in multiple sizes, including a new, unique hands free applicator.
Since hands stay clean and dry, you can carry it in your golf or tennis
bag and use it as needed. Many of Dr. Petruska’s patients simply apply
Medic Ice before physical activity so muscles are relaxed and less prone
to injury.
“Medic Ice
was developed with input from athletes, arthritis sufferers, chiropractors,
physical therapists and acupuncturists,” says Devon Katzev, president of
Straight Arrow Products Inc., the company that manufactures Medic Ice.
“Their input has allowed us to formulate a proprietary blend of healing
ingredients, natural herbals, essential oils and key minerals combined
in a hydro-gel based formula.” Medic Ice targets pain receptors and soothes
aching muscles. The gentle, calming formula has a pleasant menthol and
lavender scent, glides on easily and is quickly absorbed. “You get a soothing
sense of relief, instead of a jolt of cold,” says Katzev.
“Straight Arrow
Products is a family-owned company that started out in 1970,” noted Katzev.
“My father invented Mineral Ice, and I have always been interested in developing
the next generation of topical pain relief. I have drawn on my family’s
experience to do that with Medic Ice.”
Whether you’re
a “weekend warrior” or an over-zealous gardener, Medic Ice can help soothe
tired, sore muscles and provide relief from summer’s aches and pains.
For more information,
visit www.medicice.com; you can purchase
Medic Ice through your local professional practitioners’ office.
Courtesy of
ARA Content
Sunglasses
. . . More Important to the Health of Your Eyes Than You May Think
(ARA)
- Summer often is characterized as sunglasses season. And while a lot of
people consider sunglasses a fashion accessory, the real benefit of donning
your shades is protection from the sun’s harmful rays. Over-exposure to
ultraviolet (UV) light should be of particular concern to the aging population
because it is one of the primary risk factors for a disease called age-related
macular degeneration (AMD) -- the second leading cause of blindness in
the world.
The macula
is responsible for our ability to see with enough detail to read, drive,
watch television, perceive colors and perform other activities that require
focused, straight-ahead vision. AMD causes damage to this area of the eye.
Approximately
10 to 20 percent of patients with AMD have the “wet” type, which can lead
rapidly to severe and permanent loss of central vision. Wet AMD is the
number one cause of untreatable blindness in people over age 60. Wet AMD
results from the rapid growth of abnormal blood vessels, resulting in lesions
in the eye that can lead to visual impairment and blindness.
The symptoms
of wet AMD often occur suddenly and grow worse in a short period of time.
The classic early warning sign reported by patients with wet AMD is a visual
distortion in which straight lines appear to be crooked or wavy. As the
disease progresses, details are seen less clearly or not at all, and central
vision is increasingly distorted and/or blurred. Eventually, a small blind
spot can develop in the center of vision and grow in size until central
vision is permanently lost.
While there
is not yet a cure for wet AMD, there are a few approved therapies available
to treat the disease, and more treatments under investigation. One of the
investigational therapies is made by Alcon, Inc., the world's leading eye
care company. Alcon has been conducting retinal research for more than
15 years and is seen as a trusted partner by eye care professionals. Their
new candidate treatment for wet AMD, Retaane 15 mg (anecortave acetate
for depot suspension), belongs to a new class of compounds called angiostatic
cortisenes. Unlike other treatments for wet AMD, angiostatic cortisenes
treat the disease by stopping lesion growth regardless of the cause; this
activity helps prevent further damage to the retina and preserve vision.
In addition,
Retaane does not use an injection or laser surgery to treat the disease
-- these methods increase the risk of damage to the retina, which can lead
to blindness. It is administered onto the outer surface of the back of
the eye using a specially designed, curved instrument and requires less
frequent administration (once every six months) compared to some other
investigational treatments, which are administered as often as nine to
12 times a year. Once approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration,
Retaane will be available to consumers mid-2005.
“When approved,
I believe treatment with Retaane for people with wet AMD could be a breakthrough
for the disease,” said Jason S. Slakter, M.D., of the Manhattan Eye, Ear
and Throat Hospital in New York. “The drug has the potential to provide
safe and effective long-term therapy for people with this disease. Also,
because it works differently than other approved or investigational drugs
currently in development for wet AMD, its profile may be superior for long-term
treatment."
The U.S. population
age 65 and older is expected to increase from 34 million to 70 million
by the year 2030. As the population ages and the nation’s largest generation
-- the Baby Boomers -- enter their later years, many experts fear that
macular degeneration will reach epidemic proportions because the primary
risk factor for macular degeneration is advancing age. As many as one-third
of people over age 75, and 47 percent of people age 85 and older, likely
will develop the disease.
If you experience
any AMD symptoms -- slightly blurred central vision, not seeing details
clearly, or straight lines that appear to be crooked or wavy -- see your
eye care professional. The National Eye Institute has recommended that
all people age 55 or older have an annual dilated eye exam to test for
warning signs of macular degeneration. This test can be performed by your
eye care professional.
What can you
do, starting this summer, to avoid this devastating disease? For one, wear
your sunglasses. Exposing your eyes to UV light for extended periods of
time can increase your risk of developing AMD. Secondly, quit smoking.
Smokers are at greater risk for AMD, and also may experience more rapid
progression of the disease than nonsmokers. Thirdly, eat your vegetables.
You have heard it before, but here is another good reason -- there is evidence
that antioxidant vitamins C and E, beta-carotene and zinc may be important
nutrients for preventing and/or lessening the severity of AMD. Lastly,
and most importantly, see your eye care professional regularly. Now more
than ever, you need to take an active role when it comes to your health
care. Make your eye health a priority.
For more information,
please contact the Retaane News Bureau at (312) 856-8888.
Courtesy of
ARA Content
Ideas
for Keeping Your Kids Busy this Summer
(ARA)
– Summer vacation . . . remember how those words used to be music to your
ears? Now that you’re a parent you’re more likely to experience panic rather
than joy when the subject comes up. Like a lot of people, you’re probably
asking yourself: “How am I going to keep my kids entertained all summer?”
There are lots
of ways you can lure your kids away from the TV and keep them happily occupied
during their vacation. Whether you are spending time at the beach, the
pool or just in your backyard, here are a few ideas for preventing the
summer doldrums:
* Water games.
“Water volleyball is an event that will keep people of all ages engaged
and active,” says Norm Mears, CEO of Rave Sports, a family recreational
equipment company. “This kind of game is very flexible, will work on land
or water and can be adapted to fit younger kids or teenagers and adults,”
adds Mears. The Rave inflatable volleyball court can be adjusted to different
heights and widths to accommodate players of varying ages and larger or
smaller groups. It is easily portable -- no bigger than a sleeping bag.
* Get out the
hula hoops. Have your kids discovered the fun of hula hooping? Make it
interesting by decorating their hoops with streamers. Cut brightly colored
fabric ribbon into two-foot lengths; tightly tie individual strands to
the hoop, spaced about 5 inches apart. When your child spins the hoop the
streamers will fly.
If they get
tired of just spinning on their own, here’s a game to try. For this relay
race, you'll need 2 teams with the same number of players and a hula hoop
for each team. Create a course, such as a straight line to a tree or trash
can and back, or create a slalom-type trail around a series of obstacles.
The first player from each team rolls the hoop (using his hand or a stick)
through the entire course and then and passes the hoop to the next player.
The first team with all members through the course wins.
* Sidewalk
games. Here’s one you can play anywhere and kids love it: Jump the Trap.
Tie somebody's shoe to the end of a rope about 5 to 8 feet long. One player
holds the shoeless end of the rope and spins around -- not too fast --
so that the rope sweeps in a circle. The weight keeps the rope fairly near
the ground. The players must jump over the rope as it passes them (this
is easiest if kids spread themselves around the circle so they're not all
in one clump). If the shoe hits a player's foot or leg, he's out. The last
person still jumping gets to turn the rope during the next round. You don’t
have to make it an elimination game -- just have everyone take turns jumping
and spinning. To make it more challenging, have the center turner spin
the rope progressively faster so that it rises higher.
* A new twist
on a classic game. Your kids have probably played twister, but have they
tried it while floating on water? The Aqua Jump from Rave Sports is a floating
trampoline that provides a soft surface for all kinds of activities on
the water including games. “These platforms can be used for everything
from sunbathing and relaxing to jumping,” says Mears. Michele Krolczyk,
a mother of three boys, bought an Aqua Jump six years ago and says the
platform combines the best of all worlds. “It doesn’t have any sharp corners,
it’s very comfortable to lie on and it’s good for just relaxing and playing
board games or for having jumping contests.” Krolczyk says it’s been a
great way to keep her kids entertained at the lake: “We’ve had it for six
summers and they have not lost interest in it,” she adds.
So enjoy all
that extra time with your kids this summer. The games will keep them entertained
and the best part is -- you’ll all be spending time together.
For more information
about RAVE family water sports equipment, visit www.ravesports.com or call
(800) 659-0790.
Courtesy of
ARA Content
