Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, February 16, 1993 TAG: 9302160237
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Knight-ridder/tribune
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
BRIEFS
Why moody youths?Memo to moody adolescents: If you think everything has been going wrong lately, you may be onto something. Researchers have found new evidence that one reason that life is so unhappy for many adolescents is that they face a bumper crop of distressing events. What's more, adolescents seem to be thrown more by a pileup of bad events than younger kids are, and even positive events may contribute to an adolescent's emotional turmoil, according to a report in January's issue of the journal Developmental Psychology.
No gain from pain
Women, you don't have to feel guilty about taking something to ease the pain of childbirth. Pain is not necessary to safe and successful delivery, says Mark Norris, co-director of obstetric anesthesia at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. Although a mother who was anesthetized 10 or 15 years ago may not have been able to participate in the birthing process, anesthetic options available today enable women to do so, Norris says.
Growth of thinness
School textbooks are subconsciously teaching your daughters that thin is in. That's the implication of a study by a Skidmore College psychologist, Robert Oswalt, who evaluated third-grade books published from 1900 to 1990. He found that in illustrations, girls had become thinner while boys' proportions had remained the same, Allure magazine reports. Editors must recognize that they have fallen for the thin-is-everything stereotype, Oswalt says.
Chew on this
Cardamom, an aromatic seed often used in cooking curries, stews and pastries, has been found to have significant cavity-fighting potential, according to a report by the Academy of General Dentistry. Cardamom seeds can be ground up and sprinkled on such foods as carrots, pumpkin, squash and sweet potatoes.
Now hear this
Meniere's disease, one of the most common causes of dizziness originating in the inner ear, is usually characterized by vertigo, or dizziness and tinnitus (ringing in the ears). Repeated attacks of dizziness result from increased pressure of inner-ear fluids and may vary in duration from 15 minutes to several hours.
Symptoms of Meniere's disease may begin with little or no warning or may be preceded by ringing or a full feeling in the ear. Other symptoms may include violent spinning, falling, nausea and vomiting. Gradual hearing loss may occur after frequent episodes.
For more information, a free pamphlet is available from the American Academy of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery. Send a self-addressed, stamped business-size envelope to Meniere's Disease, AAO-HNS, 1 Prince St., Alexandria, Va. 22314.