Health Matters The Rundown On Recent Findings by Kelley Sullivan

iron women Could you suffer from iron deficiency and not even know it? Dr. Cathy Carlson-Rink outlines some warning signs and advises women to take note of the following symptoms to determine if they need more iron in their diets: a marked lack of energy, paleness, dark circles under the eyes, decreased ability to exercise, craving ice, starch, clay or dirt, a sore tongue or dull headaches and restless legs. Additionally, vegetarians are at increased risk of iron deficiency, as are frequent dieters and those who consume meals low in green vegetables. For more information, visit www.florahealth.com.

colorful consumption A recent study conducted by Brian Wansink of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Barbara Kahn of the University of Pennsylvania found that people may choose food based on more than taste. According to the study, when children and adults were given a a variety of colorful foods, they tended to consume more. Though a sensory-based propensity to eating could be viewed as something negative, especially considering the U.S. is among the world’s most overweight countries, the president of Produce for Better Health Foundation, Dr. Elizabeth Pivonka, sees it differently. She hopes these findings will help parents persuade children to eat more fruits and vegetables. The foundation also offers some helpful tips to add more healthy foods to a child’s diet. First, keep a bowl of fresh fruit on hand, because if it is as readily accessible as other processed foods, a child may choose it instead. Secondly, take kids grocery shopping and suggest they pick out a fruit or vegetable they would like to try. Keeping a chart on the refrigerator where children can track their intake of foods is also a fun way to get healthy. For more information and tips, call (302) 235-2329 or visit www.5aday.org.

vitamin D and cancer prevention Vitamin D may aid in the prevention of colorectal and other types of cancers, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. In a study population of approximately 3,100 veterans, those who ate as much vitamin D as the amount found in daily servings of milk and fish proved 40 percent less likely to develop polyps than those who received little or no vitamin D. On a side note, the American Cancer Society urges men to get colorectal screenings every 10 years beginning at age 50. For more information, visit www.sunarc.org.

alzheimer’s prevention Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative brain disorder that causes impairments in memory, thinking and behavior severe enough to interfere with everyday life. The illness gradually robs a person of their cognitive and functional abilities, ultimately leading to death. According to Elaine Braslow, administrator for the Alzheimer’s Disease Program at the Texas Department of Health, “there is now hope and a sense of urgency for early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s.” Some common symptoms of Alzheimer’s are: difficulty in performing familiar tasks, language problems, difficulties with abstract thinking, abrupt changes in mood or behavior, personality changes, increased apathy, a habit of misplacing personal items and increased memory loss. For more information, call (800) 242-3399 or visit www.tdh.state.tx.us/alzheimers/alz.htm.