Noteworthy - Newsview - health notes - Brief Article

USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), Dec, 2001

Counseling has proved its value following the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. In the aftermath, survivors, rescue workers, grieving families, and even people not directly affected by the tragedies have sought out counselors to help them deal with their traumas. indicates Portia Hunt, a counseling psychologist at Temple University, Philadelphia, Pa.

Job stress is a fact of life, whether you work in the corporate world or on a fast-moving assembly line. "Moderate stress in many cases increases productivity and can be pleasant for some people," notes John Herman, associate professor of psychiatry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. "But higher levels of stress can interfere with your ability to perform your job, is rarely pleasurable, and can lead to emotional and physical problems." These may include decreased job satisfaction, abrasiveness, making constant excuses, erratic and/or unpredictable behavior, moodiness, decreased communication, being late to work, and an increase in sick time.

Caffeine before exercising can be dangerous. According to a study by Mitch Whaley, professor of physical education, Ball State University, Muncie, Ind., a pre-workout cup of coffee or cola can boost systolic blood pressure an average of seven points and sometimes more. Add on a reasonable walking pace, and it will jump another 12-18 points. For those with hypertension, this can exacerbate the problem.

Teens from minority populations who are overweight and have a family history of heart disease are among those most at risk for developing hypertension, reports the National Dairy Council. In a study of Hispanic and African-American youth aged 14-16, those with diets lacking in calcium, potassium, magnesium, and other nutrients (including beta carotene, vitamin E, and the B vitamins) had higher blood pressure than those whose diets are adequate in these nutrients.

Executives spend an average of 108 minutes a day reading and sending e-mail messages, according to a survey by Accountemps, an international temporary staffing service for accounting, finance, and bookkeeping professionals. "The speed and simplicity of electronic messaging make it a preferred method of communication in many business situations," observes Accountemps chairman Max Messmer. Ironically, though, "the very tools designed to save time might actually be adding to the number of hours we spend working."

Falling stock prices shouldn't mean rising stress, maintains Jay Segal, professor of health studies, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pa. "There are people--and I'm not talking about stockbrokers or people who make a living on Wall Street--who have good days and bad days based on the market.... People who turn on the cable news services in the morning and get stock updates throughout the day. It's just too much." He suggests that most individuals should meet once a year with a financial planner and devote their daily energy to other things. "People should be worried about the things they have some control over, like their relationships with their family and their job, instead of what's happening on Wall Street."

Shopping at the mall on an empty stomach may lead consumers to purchase more than they originally intended, warns John Fitzgerald, a personal finance professor at Ball State University, Muncie, Ind. Hunger pangs often cause people to speed up the shopping process in order to get to the food court. so they spend less time making rational decisions as to whether they actually need or want an item.