Tuesday, March 25, 2003

Internet Helps Kids Keep in Touch with Parents Overseas

Internet Helps Kids Keep in Touch with Parents Overseas
KPTM-Fox 42
Content Edited by Pamela Appea for KPTM-FOX 42’s Website.
March 25, 2003

Sending letters and packages to our troops overseas used to be the only way [to] stay in touch.

And it could often take weeks to reach to the other side.

But now, thanks for the Internet, military families can write and send messages almost instantaneously.

For military children, this helps with the waiting and praying of a parent’s safe return. Having a parent in the military is the norm here at St. Matthew’s.

Third-grader Jaimie Malone has both her father and her stepfather based overseas. And Jaimie’s mother is on active duty.

“We’re trying to keep up, but we can’t. That’s why my grandma is coming to help us,” said Jaimie Malone, a military kid.

Seventh grader Amy Holdcroft is also in a similar situation. Her sister has been on a Navy ship for 2 months now. “We sent her a care package and she didn’t get it until three weeks later,” Amy said.

Keeping in touch isn’t each, but military kids deal with this almost every day, even though it still is hard, sometimes.

“We never get used to us,” said Susan Simmons, another student at St. Matthews.

Amy’s family used e-mail almost every day so they write her sister.

“At dinner time we talk about what she wrote. She writes different letters for each of us, and we always talk about how we miss her,” Amy says.

Amy and Jaimie, and many, many other military kids will continue to wait and pray for their family member’s safe return.

But until then, Jaimie Malone sends this message: “Be safe and we love you guys.”

Content from TV Broadcast originally posted on KPTM’s Website www.kptm.com on March 25, 2003

Can Stress Make You Sick?

Can Stress Make You Sick?
KPTM-Fox 42
Content Edited by Pamela Appea for KPTM-FOX 42’s Website.

Being stressed out is no fun, as most will agree.

But stress can also be unhealthy.

Growing scientific evidence shows too much negative stress in our lives can actually lead to a cold—or event the flu.

And with more than 50 % of American adults saying they’re highly stressed out most all the time. That’s a lot of tissues.

Whether managing her own company, rushing her daughter to piano lessons or whipping up a family meal at home, Donna Abood faces mountains of stress.

“It’s amazing, it really is, how many balls you juggle,” Abood said. “It’s a juggling act doctors say has taken a toll on Diana Abood’s health, at one point even triggering pneumonia. “The doctor took that real seriously and says, you know Donna, you’re just going too fast, too far. And you’ve broken your immune system down,” said Abood.

Mounting scientific evidence now points to a real connection between stress and catching colds, flus and other infections.

“People under high levels of stress are generally over twice as likely to get sick when they’re exposed to a cold virus,” said Dr. Sheldon Cohen, of Carnegie Mellon University.

Dr. Cohen has pioneered research into stress and sickness, and has found chronic stress can be especially devastating to your immune system.

One key trigger is troubled relationships.

People with enduring problems with their friends or with their family were more likely to develop a cold, reported Dr. Cohen.

But the biggest cold producer is workplace stress. Studies show it can actually make you five times more likely to get sick.

Why is that?

People that have high levels of job stress have lower levels of certain antibodies that are associated with effectively fighting off colds and the flu and other types of infections, said Dr. John Schaubroeck of Drexel University.

Dr. Schaubroeck led a recent survey of over 200 working men and women.

He found stress caused by things like low confidence and lack of control can knock you out. So what do you do if you’re all stressed out from dealing with your job, fighting with traffic or family concerns? Well, experts say one of the best things you can possible do to make yourself feel better is to have a simple attitude adjustment.

Sometimes it’s just about really refocusing and saying again, look at the big picture here. Is this worth my time and energy?

“We spend too much time dwelling on the past, things that we can’t change. Too much time worrying about the future, things that haven’t happened yet, and not enough time focusing on the here and now,” said Sarah Moeller Swan, an education consultant for Best Care.

Strategies by which he we can counteract the harmful effects of stress strategies like relaxation response perfected by renowed researchers at the Mind & Body Medical Institute.

“When one sits quietly, focuses on their breathing, repeats a word, a sound, a prayer, a phrase. These steps are quite useful in dealing with stress,” said Dr. Herbert Benson of the Mind & Body Medical Institute.

John Goddard sought relief for his stress, which he says got so bad, it landed him in the hospital.

“I was under stress all the time. So I was sick all the time,” said John Goddard of the constant stress that he faced.

Goddard said practicing the relaxation response helped turn things around.

“Through these wonderful techniques that that I’ve learned, I’ve stopped being sick.”

In Donna Abood’s case, she says taking vitamins every day and working out three times a week has helped keep her colds at bay.

“That little bit makes a world of difference in my life and how I feel today,” said Abood.

Research has also been done on the affects of stress on more serious illnesses.

The results have shown a connection to things like depression, high blood pressure, heart problems. And, ongoing stress could even possibly lead to some types of cancers.

Content from TV Broadcast originally posted on KPTM’s Website www.kptm.com on March 25, 2003

Wednesday, March 19, 2003

Gulf War Vet Talks about Life Near Iraq

Gulf War Vet Talks about Life Near Iraq
Website Content edited by Pamela Appea for KPTM-Fox 42’s Website
Originally posted March 19, 2003

Twelve years ago, this week, a Nebraska soldier arrived home from serving on the front lines in Iraq. Felipe Sanchez talked to KPTM about what he saw then and what many of our soldiers can expect to see now.

“When they show the soldiers training, in the wind storms, I feel that I know what they’re going through as far as missing home and missing their loves ones,” said Felipe Sanchez, a Gulf War Veteran.

“I can imagine how it was when I went through. Those tense hours of waiting, then hearing we’re finally going on,” Felipe Sanchez recalls.

Felipe was near Baghdad at the height of Operation Desert Storm. He lived in tents and traveled by tanks. Every morning, he would wake up to the sound of U.S. helicopters flying training missions overhead.

Felipe said he never once had to fire on the enemy. Surprisingly, Felipe says Iraqi soldiers were usually eager to surrender. The fact was, that most of these soldiers were no older than 16.

“It was so sad to see them coming out of the woodwork. Skinny kids with no shoes on even. You never think that’s what we’re going after.”

But perhaps Felipe remembers finding leaflets in Iraq. U.S. planes today drop similar propaganda urging Iraqi soldiers to surrender. “They would drop them on Iraq. They said, ‘soldiers,’ we’re going to be in your area. We want you to surrender, think of your family. We’re not here to battle, we’re here to surrender.”

Felipe also encountered many civilians, who were not overtly unfriendly to U.S. soldiers.

“They were really nice to us. It surprised us. We thought they’d be hateful, but there also many tense moments as a soldier,” Felipe remembers.

On more than one occasion, Felipe wrote his last will and testament, after receiving so-called “suicide orders.’

“We were given, I think, a total of four orders that we’d be dropping in on Iraqi positions on the Iraqi Republican Army. And they had heavy artillery at the time. We were told one in four of us would probably survive if we went in. But, lucky for us, orders were changed, Felipe said.

Felipe survived eight months in and around Iraq. On the day he learned the war was over, he inscribed “road to Baghdad” in the hard Iraqi sand.

Felipe envisions a similar ending for soldiers this time around, “I have so much confidence in the guys, in their equipment. It’s so much better than what we had, and we went through fairly quickly and easily.”

Felipe also had some interesting personal advice for military families who are looking to send care packages to soldiers near and around Iraq.

Felipe said what we and other soldiers wanted and appreciated weren’t the boxes of chocolates—which mostly arrived melted. Instead, he says to send more practical items like baby wipes, surgical masks and Q-Tips to help keep off the desert dust.

Fighting Mold, Allergies in Your Home-Content Edited by Pamela Appea for KPTM-Fox 42

Fighting Mold, Allergies in Your Home
Content Edited by Pamela Appea for KPTM-Fox 42
Originally posted March 19, 2003

With spring right around the corner, allergy sufferers are bracing for a tolerable season.

But now, there could be another culprit right under your nose—mold in your home.

Even if your house looks clean, as long as your home comes in contact with moisture, it’s a candidate for mold.

And sometimes, those levels could be high enough to trigger allergies and even asthma attacks.

“I know that when I’m around it, it really bothers me and I try to stay away from it,” said Rhonda Dryden, an allergy sufferer.

That ‘it’ – is mold.

According to a study out of the University of Arizona, mold can be found in places you never really think of—like front doors and window sills.

In a number of tested homes, refrigerator seals were problematic. But how much is too much?

“Usually when it becomes a health concern is when it’s widespread, greater than 100 square feet of mold growth. I mean, significant mold growth where you walk in and where the normal person could walk in and say, wow there’s a problem here,” said Bob Arritt, an industrial hygiene director.

When specialists inspect homes for mold, this air test takes an actual sample from the room. The spores collect on the dish and then in about a week, you know exactly what you’re dealing with.

“Mold is opportunistic. I mean there are certain types of mold that can basically live anywhere,” Arrit emphasized.

Arrit adds, “The longer you ignore the problem, the better chance you’ll have a mold issue.

Mold has become such a liability that some insurance companies have stated they’ll only cover it if you ask for it. Experts say it is normal to have mold issues in your home. But instead of taking the news personally, much more rides on the structural integrity of your home.

Countdown to War

Countdown to War
Content Edited by Pamela Appea for KPTM-Fox 42
Originally posted March 19, 2003

The nation is on the brink of war with Iraq, and the Bush administration is getting ready for the final showdown with Saddam.

White House spokesperson Ari Fleischer says Saddam still has the chance to leave Iraq, even though he has rejected the President’s ultimatum to pack his bags.

Fleischer said the coalition of the willing will move into Iraq regardless of Saddam’s decision, but he cautions the “Butch of Baghdad” to think carefully about his choices.

“Saddam Hussein has led Iraq to many mistakes in the past, principally by developing weapons of mass destruction. Saddam Hussein, if he doesn’t leave the country, will make his final mistake. The President continues to hope he will.”

As military action comes even closer, there’s a lot of talk about the possible scenarios that may unfold once coalition forces move into Iraq. Reports that some Iraqi generals are planning to lay down arms and surrender for Saddam.

But the White House cautions it may not be that easy, and Saddam has the ability to wreak havoc.

If the United States uses military force, the President is, of course, very comfortable and confident that we will be successful in achieving our objectives. He made no prediction about the length of time. I’ve seen many people say that this could be relatively quick. We make no such assumptions. But the President is confident in the outcome,” Fleischer, White House spokesman said.

Meanwhile, the news from Iraq is that Saddam Hussein has refused to accept President Bush’s ultimatum.

A statement from Baghdad says Iraq is ready to confront a U.S.-led attack. Images from Iraq on Tuesday show organized government demonstrations, showing support for Saddam.

“We came here to say to Bush, ‘all Iraqi people want peace and are against war,” one Iraqi citizen said. Gun-toting civilians, captured in images shown on both U.S. and Iraqi television stations, imply defiance of every Iraqi household, should U.S. troops arrive there.

Saddam Hussein appears firmly in control. Meeting top politicians early on Tuesday, the Iraqi leader was seen in military uniform for the first time in two years. He denounced President Bush’s ultimatum as debased and flawed.

His elder son Uday in a statement on [Saddam Hussein’s own] television station, said it was President Bush who’d have to leave office. These defiant words were also echoed by Iraq’s foreign minister, who called Bush an “idiot” and said that Iraq had done all it can [could] to avoid war.

“The solution is for those two despots in Washington and London to leave office. Once they leave office they can often … open the window of diplomacy all over the world, solve all disputes away from the cowboy policy,” said Naji Sabri, Iraq’s foreign minister.

President to Hussein: Leave Iraq or Face War, KPTM-Fox 42

President to Hussein: Leave Iraq or Face War
KPTM-Fox 42
Content Edited by Pamela Appea for KPTM-FOX 42’s Website.

Saddam Hussein has 48 hours to get out – or the U.S. will invade Iraq.

The warning came Monday evening in a speech to the nation by President Bush.

Bush warned if Saddam and his sons don’t leave, the U.S. and allies will wage war. He wouldn’t say when that would happen, mentioning only that it would be “at a time of our choosing.”

Bush says America does not stand alone in the efforts to disarm Saddam Hussein. He says there’s a “broad coalition” ready to enforce the “demands” of the world.

The President says the U.N. Security Council has not lived up to its responsibilities in disarming the Iraqi leader. So he says, America “will rise to ours.”

Bush says no one can believe that Iraq has disarmed. He believes the country will never rid itself of weapons of mass destruction, as long as Saddam Hussein is in power.

Read the transcripts from Bush’s Address to the Nation.

KPTM-Fox 42
Content Edited by Pamela Appea for KPTM-FOX 42’s Website.
Originally posted March 19, 2003

Monday, March 17, 2003

Shaving Face-Content Edited by Pamela Appea for KPTM-Fox 42

Shaving Face
Content Edited by Pamela Appea for KPTM-Fox 42
Originally posted March 17, 2003

From face lifts to face creams, it seems people will do just about anything to look younger. But what if there was a way to literally shave the years off your look?

“My skin looks pretty darn good for a 56-year-old woman and it did not look this good at 30,” said Jeanne Donnelly, a cosmetic patient.

Jeanne Donnelly is party of a growing group of women who can’t seem to get enough of a skincare procedure that’s technically called dermaplaning.

Supporters tout the procedure as the secret to soft skin on your face or anywhere else. And they claim the procedure can remove deep acne scars, brown spots, and signs of aging.

“It will make the fine lines appear better, softer,” said Donna Messenger, an aesthetician. Donna Messenger is considered by many to be the demi-god of dermaplaning. She’s trained hundreds of doctors and people are lining up nationwide.

“I see approximately twenty to 25 patients a day in my clinic and I stay busy. I could stay busy every day,” said Donna Messenger, an aesthetician.

Here’s how it works: Donna uses a scalpel to scrape off layers of skin. She said that basically tricks the body into thinking it needs to heal itself. The body knows I’ve taken off a protective coating of the skin, the body will immediately produce healthier, plump cells,” said Messenger.

But despite scores of devoted fans, not everyone is convinced. “If they do it the way dermaplaning is typically described, it’s not in my mind, a good procedure to do,” said Dr. Joel Schlessinger, a dermatologist.

Schlessinger said dermaplaning can cause facial scarring. And besides, there are other, safer treatments out there that he says are just as effective. “The field is almost limitless right now of what we can do with non-invasive techniques, so why go to an invasive technique that potentially, frankly, puts a scalpel at your face where one slip and you’re gone,” said Schlessinger.

But Donna Messenger, aesthetician, said, “It’s the lesser of all the evils.”

Messenger said there’s no pain involved and no real recovery time like with other procedures. “You’re not going to leave with redness or irritation after dermaplaning.”

And Jeanne Donnelly said she’s sold on shaving and will never go without it again. “It’s done so much for me and it’s just made me feel better about myself,” said Donnelly.

In case you’re wondering, Dermaplane treatments cost about $200 per visit.

Saturday, March 01, 2003

Does your Man have the Blahs?

Does your Man have the Blahs?
What you should know about irritable male syndrome
Content edited by Pamela Appea for KPTM-Fox 42’s Website
Posted March 2003

Are you suffering from irritability, depression, and bloating caused by hormones? Think we’re describing PMS? Nope.

These symptoms also describe a condition that may affect millions of men.

A few years ago, Michael and Connie Hillegrass hit a snag in their marriage. Something was different about Michael, like a switch had been turned off.

“There was no lust, no desire,” said Michael Hillegrass.

Scott Simmons also noticed changes when he hit the middle age years.

“[I was] tired, lethargic. I didn’t have a zest for work anymore and I started gaining weight,” recalled Simmons.

Both men went for professional help. The diagnosis? IMS or Irritable Male Syndrome.

Dr. Christopher Steidle, a urologist, treated Scott.

“IMS is incredibly common, up to 30 percent of men. This is a male version of PMS or premenstrual syndrome,” Steidle said.

When a man’s testosterone level dips, it can result in depression, weight gain, or loss of energy and a diminished sex drive in men as young as 30. Many of the symptoms are indistinguishable from old age, and for years many have thought the problem was just grumpy old man syndrome. Now we know the grumpy old man probably has IMS.

When the affection disappears, depression appears. It can be confusing for the woman behind the man.

Connie Hillegrass blamed herself. “Is he interested in someone else? What’s going on? There’s got to be a reason,” Hillegrass remembered.

The impact of IMS on family is incredible. However, while the effect on men is clear, the cause is not. Some experts believe that IMS could be caused by diet. Other experts argue that the role of diet in triggering this syndrome is minimal.

But Dr. Larrian Gillespie disagrees. Gillespie, a veteran urologist, believes two things trigger IMS.

“Under the circumstances of stress and then particular dietary changes, men exhibit these symptoms of male syndrome, much like women do with PMS,” said Gillespie.

She believes men can fight back by eating right. Gillespie’s book, “The Gladiator Diet,” looks at what “he-men of olde” used to eat before battle.

“People can’t get a chariot through a drive-in, so there wasn’t fast food,” quipped Gillespie.

“Fats and carbs block the body’s ability to use testosterone,” Gillespie added.

Proteins and unprocessed fats can help. “Consuming a diet of around 300-350 calories about five times a day will keep testosterone and insulin levels smooth,” Gillespie said.

Physicians like Dr. Stiedle can diagnose IMS by asking a few questions. Still, the condition carries a stigma with most men.

“I think men should come out of their shells. It’s nothing to be embarrassed about.” Steidle said.

Scott Simmmons found dramatic improvements thanks to hormone therapy.

“My belly went away!” Simmons added, “I’m more interested in just getting out and doing things.”

And it wasn’t just Scott who noticed positive results after he received the hormone therapy treatment.

“It’s like, wow, yes, this is a different guy, ya know? A whole different personality,” said Hillegass.

Patients say there’s no reason for anyone to go through life unhappy. Men should know there is help. Another reason not to ignore the problem? Irritable male syndrome is also linked with osteoporosis and weakened or fragile bones.