Healthy Women Today. A Newsletter from the National Women's Health Information Center (www.4woman.gov, 1-800-994-9662). The Office on Women's Health, U S Department of Health and Human Services

July 2001 edition

FROM THE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

Office on Women’s Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Summer is here! In this issue of Healthy Women Today, we've highlighted important information on postpartum depression, eye health and summer safety. For your summer entertaining, we've also included healthy recipes that are great for summer entertaining.

NWHIC reminds you to stay safe and healthy during these sunny summer months. Protect yourself by wearing sunscreen, drinking lots of water, and thinking of safety first - especially during the Fourth of July festivities. Eye care and summer safety goes far beyond the 4th, however. As our article reminds us, we should be sure to use sunglasses with UV protection.

In addition, be vigilant about water safety. A new study by NIH's National Institute of Child Health and Human Development suggests that infants are most likely to drown in bathtubs, toddlers in swimming pools, and older children in other freshwater sites such as rivers and lakes. Don't take your eyes off the kids for even a second....and don't swim alone.

The best part of summer is that it gets us outdoors....a little more physical activity can go a long way towards a healthier life. Enjoy!

Take care,

Carol Krause

JULY FEATURED HEALTH ARTICLE

In honor of Eye Safety Awareness Week (June 28 – July 5) and Helen Keller Deaf-Blind Awareness Week (June 25 – July 1), here is some important information about preserving your eye health:

Living With Healthy Eyes

When we have the ability to see clearly, we often take our eye health for granted. However, more than 14 million Americans with visual impairments do not. Visual impairment is one of the 10 most frequent causes of disability in America. For older adults, visual problems have a negative impact on their quality of life, equal to that of life-threatening conditions like heart disease and cancer. Prevention, early detection, and proper treatment for injury or disease to your eyes throughout your life are important. Taking special care of your sight will help you enjoy a personal independence and quality life as you blossom into older age.

Vision Loss
Different conditions, diseases, or changes that happen in the eye as you age can cause vision loss. The major conditions that cause vision loss include:

  1. Glaucoma is an eye disease in which the normal fluid pressure inside the eyes slowly rises, leading to vision loss, or even blindness. Some people at higher risk of developing glaucoma are blacks over the age of 40; everyone over the age of 60; and people with a family history of glaucoma.

  2. Diabetic Retinopathy is a complex disease that people with diabetes may develop as a complication of their disease. Retinopathy damages the blood vessels in the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. This tissue translates light into electrical impulses that the brain interprets as vision. Unfortunately, there are no early symptoms, and many people do not have problems with their vision until the disease has progressed into an advanced stage. This is why it is very important for people with diabetes to have their eyes checked regularly.

  3. Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is a disease that affects your central vision (fine, sharp, straight-ahead vision) and is a common cause of vision loss in people over the age of 60. People rarely go blind from this disease, but sometimes have problems reading, driving, or doing other daily activities that require fine, central vision. The risk for AMD increases as you age, to a 30% chance in those over age 75. Other risk factors include being female; smoking, having a family history of AMD; and high cholesterol. AMD does not cause pain, but you may start having slightly blurred vision and need more light for reading and other tasks. You also may find it hard to recognize faces until you are very close to them.

  4. Refractive Errors are a group of vision disorders that affect about 120 million people in the U.S. All of these disorders affect the cornea (the eye’s outermost lens) and are the most common of all vision problems. Refractive errors occur when then curve of the cornea is irregularly shaped (too steep or too flat). This irregular shape causes the image you see to be blurry. Refractive errors can be corrected with eyeglasses, contact lenses, or surgery to correct vision loss from near-sightedness (faraway objects appear blurry), farsightedness (close-up objects appear blurry), and astigmatism (both distant and near objects are blurry).

  5. Cataract. A cataract is a clouding of the eye’s crystalline lens that blurs normal vision. As we age, some of the protein that makes up the lens may clump together and start to cloud a small area of the lens. Over time, this cataract may grow larger, making it more difficult to see. Cataracts affect many people, but people with diabetes are twice as likely to develop a cataract as someone who does not have the disease. Cataracts can affect people in their 40s and 50s, but these are usually small and do not affect vision. It is after age 60 that most cataracts steal vision.

Signs of Eye Problems
Having regular eye exams will help you preserve your sight. Eye care professionals can detect many problems through an exam and help you choose the best treatment for your condition. Also, visit your eye care provider if you have any signs of eye problems, including:

When you go in for your exam, it is helpful to know your family history of eye problems. Tell your eye care provider about medications you are taking and about any other health conditions. For information about a free or low-cost eye exam for people over age 65, contact the National Eye Care Project (1-800-222-EYES).

Protect Your Eyes From the Sun
Exposure to bright sunlight can increase the risk of developing cataracts and macular degeneration, both leading causes of vision loss among older adults. The more exposure to bright light, the greater the chance of developing these eye conditions. The American Academy of Ophthalmology gives the following tips on how to make sure your eyes are protected from the sun:

Tips to Keep Your Eyes Healthy

Resources for additional information:

National Eye Institute (NEI)
Internet: www.nei.nih.gov

National Institute on Aging Information Center
Internet: http://www.nih.gov/nia/
Phone: 1-800-222-2225
TTY: 1-800-222-4225

American Academy of Ophthalmology
Internet: www.eyenet.org
Phone: (415) 561-8500

Special Announcement

NWHIC RELEASES UPDATED INFORMATION ON POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION


"WOMEN AND POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION"
"Approximately 10% of pregnancies result in postpartum depression. This condition occurs in many new mothers in the days immediately following childbirth. It is characterized by sudden mood swings, which range from euphoria to intense sadness. Symptoms may include crying for no apparent reason; impatience; irritability; restlessness; anxiety; feelings of loneliness, sadness, and low self-esteem; increased sensitivity; and heightened feelings of vulnerability. The "baby blues" may last only a few hours or as long as one to two weeks after delivery. The condition may disappear as quickly and as suddenly as it appeared, without medical treatment." To view "Women and Postpartum Depression" in its entirety, please go to http://www.4woman.gov/Pregnancy/postpartum.htm#4.

For more information on Postpartum Depression (PPD), please call NWHIC at (800) 994-9662 or visit our website at www.4woman.gov.

COOKING HEALTHY IS EASY – START EATING RIGHT TODAY

Eat Lite! Try these great tasting recipes for the hot summer months! This month, NWHIC is featuring recipes from the National Health, Lung, and Blood Institute - http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/

JULY’S NATIONAL HEALTH OBSERVANCES:

IMPORTANT NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Guest Editors Featured this month are:


English Guest Editor: "Ultraviolet Rays and Your Eyes", by Erinn Morgan from AllAboutVision.com


"Simply because they live longer than men, women are more likely to suffer from cataracts, which are caused in part by aging of the eye. Fortunately, some risk factors for cataracts are controllable, and exposure of the eyes to UV light is one of them. Wearing sunglasses is an easy way to reduce your risk of cataracts and helps to prevent other types of sun-related problems as well. Children, too, should wear them, a fact that many of our readers are surprised to learn; research suggests that sun damage is cumulative over a person's lifetime…." To read the entire article, please go to: http://www.4woman.gov/editor/Jul01/index.htm  

Spanish Guest Editor: "Una visión clara de la degeración macular, from Baptisthealth.net, a service of Baptists Health Systems of South Florida.


"La Degeneración Macular, frequentamente resulta del envejecimiento, es la causa más común de la perdida de la vista en personas de 65 años de edad o mayores. Afortunadamente, hay investigaciones para proveer nuevas terápias para tratar varios tipos de Degeneración Macular.

Este artículo aparecio en "Resource", una revista trimestral enviada a los residentes de la Florida del Sur por el Sistema de Salud Bautista de Florida del Sur. El Sistema de Salud Bautista es una de las organizaciones más grandes sin un fin lucrativo en la región, e incluye el Hospital Bautisto de Miami, el Hospital Bautisto para Niños, Holmstead Hospital, y El Hospital Mariner. Entre los casi 1, 800 médicos y empleados, hay Oftamólogos lisenciados quienes tratan la Degeneración Macular y otros problemas de la visión. Para leer el artículo completo en Español, vaya al: http://www.4woman.gov/editor/Jul01/s-index.htm

For more "What’s New" and Announcement go to: www.4woman.gov/new.htm

OWH NEWS, INITIATIVES & CAMPAIGNS


Regional Young Women’s Health Summits

This month the Regional Young Women’s Health Summits for the Eastern (7/11 – 7/13) and Central (7/26-7/28) United States will convene. The Regional Young Women’s Health Summit for the Western United States will be held on August 15-17 with the theme of Developing YOUR Edge – Empowering Young Women for the 21st Century. 

PICK YOUR PATH TO HEALTH

The Pick Your Path to Health Campaign (www.4woman.gov/PYPTH/) helps women take simple and time-sensitive steps to improve their health, and provides tools for local communities to promote practical, culturally relevant steps to wellness.

JULY Pick Your Path To Health Theme: Drug Abuse: Use and You Lose

JULY Pick Your Path To Health Personal Action Steps:

You can also join the PYPTH listserve for regular updates and community action steps. Visit our home page for details: www.4woman.gov

THIS MONTH’S SPECIAL PUBLICATIONS FOR YOUR HEALTH 

GUEST EDITOR PROGRAM

Become one of our featured GUEST EDITORS! For more details about this free publicity opportunity go to: www.4woman.gov/editor/proginfo.htm.

WHO IS USING NWHIC’s SERVICES?

Last month, the NWHIC web site had 185,565 visitors and received 3,296,280 hits.

The most popular NWHIC web pages in June were:

Health Topics

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