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Hello and welcome to this edition of fact or fiction. I'm your host Pam Howard and your
expert today is Dr. Micheal Jennings, founder of personal family physicians. Welcome Dr.
Jennings. Thank you Pam, and thanks to all of you for joining us, we will help you sort
through some of the confusing and conflicting health information that found in the media.
As always we welcome your questions and comments, please send us an email. Lets get started
with todays first topic. Our average daily consumption of salt is increasing and its
causing serious health consiquences, what is the connection between salt and disease?
How much is too much? Your right, we are suffering serious effects of excessive salt in our diet.
And its causing us billions in extra health care expenses. In fact, a two thousand ten
study published in the New England General of Medicine predicted that we say ten to twenty
four billion dollars every year if we are reduce your salt intake by about one quarter
teaspoon per day its only about one pinch per meal. What the study imphasize is that
too much salt can damage your health which leads to so very expensive medical bills.Here's
the connection. Excess salt is a major contribute to your highblood pressure. Hypertension increases
the risk of dying from a stroke or heart attack more than high-colesterol, obesity, smoking
or any other risk factor. Salt damages the kidneys, heart, artery and other organs. High
salt diets increase calcium losses and the yern which may affects your bone density.
Table salt is sodium chloride, its the sodium in salt causes problems. Most experts recommend
less than fifteen hundred milligrams of sodium per day. American women consume about three
thousand milligrams of sodium daily, and men over four thousand. Nutrition facts lables
show the amount of sodium and milligrams per serving and per package. But fruits, vegetables,
grains and other natural foods may not have a nutritional lables attached. Well thats
not a problem because there is relatively little sodium in food, that is until its been
tampered with. Folate three-fourth of the sodium we consume has been added by food manufacturers
or restaurants. Even if you never salt your foods, chances are, you already getting far
more sodium that is healthy for you. Its not practical for most people to cook everything
from scratch. So, what can we do. Start by cutting out the obviously salty food especially
snack foods. Read the nutrition facts lable on food packaging. Know what your buying and
eating. At restaurants, ask the chef to cook your order without salt. There are several
websites that list the sodium content of common foods including restaurant chain foods. Know
before you order. If you get food from a restaurant our of a package, just assume it has too much
sodium until proved and otherwise, you'll be right most of the time. That really a shocking
news. It's well worthy effort to reduce our daily salt intake. Now it's time for our viewer
question of the week. This viewer Windsey Free, thrirty minute massage from our sponsor
of this sigment, Lisa D. Rossi at Hands of Change Massage. Here is our question, I know
Im supposed to wash my hands for sanitary reasons but whats the best way to wash hands?
Hand washing is one of the most important ways to prevent infection and food burn illnesses
according to multiple studies reviewed by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
or CDC. Used running water to scrub your hands together with soap for atleast twenty seconds.
These removes loose skin cells along with germs. Rinse your hands by rubbing under running
water then dry with a towel. This rection removes additional germs and the towel abbsorbs
more bug containing water. Use a neo brush, germs love to hide on a finger nails. Its
very difficult to remove bacteria and viruses that live under long nails. Don't use anti
bacterial hand soap or dishwashing detergent. The chemicals in anti bacterial soaps donnot
remove more germs than ordinary soap and rutine hand washing and use of those products does
not result in fur infections. In fact, the FDA may banned Triclosan, a common anti bacterial
added to soaps because it may contribute to antibiotic resistance and theres evidence
that may affect hormone regulation in the body. Water temperature isnt the critical
factor, it should be comftable but doesnt have to be boiled and hot. Whats most important
is the amount of time and the degree of friction created how scrubbing away those germs. Thanks
for that answer. Our winner will be notified by email, please send us your questions for
future editions. We thank Lisa Rossi for sponsoring this sigment. Lets take a fact or fiction
test. Everyone hates those ugly veins that pop-out on the legs. I've heard that crossing
your legs when you sit causes varicose veins. Tell us, is that a fact or its that fiction?
Varicose veins are those violated tortuous medium to large size veins most commonly found
in the legs. Approximately, twenty five percent of adults have varicose veins and most adults
gets some spider veins, those dark purple clusters a smaller veins just underneath the
skin. Normally, thousands sides of veins keep blood flowing back toward the heart preventing
reverse flow due to gravity. When the valves dont function properly, blood can pull on
the veins increasing pressure in the vein which causes it to dilate. Primary varicose
veins occur because of congenitally defective valves. Pro long standing and increase pressure
in the abdomen, may cause secondary varicose veins or make the condition worse. Common
symptoms of varicose veins include heavy aching pain in the legs. Visibly enlarged veins,
mild ankle swelling, and brown discoloration or ulcers of the skin. Every man is usually
conservative. Avoid excessive standing. Walking is good for ciculation but standing still
increases pressure in the veins. Elevate your legs when setting or resting. Wear elastic
support hose to counter act the internal vein pressure. You may need surgery or non surgical
treatment for leg discomfort not relief by conservative meassures, skin ulcers or source
that heal poorly or to improve the appearance of the legs. So to answer the question, no
merely crossing your legs doesnt cause varicose veins. But, anything that impedes the return
flow of blood to the heart may make varicose veins worse. If your unsure wether you have
varicose veins or how to treat them, ask your family doctor. That's all the time we have
for this edition of fact or fiction. We really appreciate hearing from our viewers, email
your questions and comments to us and tell us what you like to hear about. join us again
next time for another fun and informative look at current health issues. You can view
previous editions of a show on our website. Thanks for watching. See you next week on
fact or fiction.