Simple strategies can help ease motion sickness for most people

Written by Fred Cicetti Tuesday, 13 December 2011 16:42

Q My wife can ride in the car and read a book. It makes me jealous because I’d be sick to my stomach if I did that. How can she do that without feeling queasy?

ALittle is known about individual susceptibility to motion sickness. Your wife caught a biological break. You didn’t. Many people suffer nausea when traveling by boat, car or airplane. It also happens on rides in amusement parks and playgrounds. The symptoms of motion sickness are caused by conflicting messages arriving at the central nervous system.

Different parts of your body let your brain know where you are and what you’re doing.

The inner ears let you know if you’re turning, or moving forward-backward, side-to-side and up-and-down. The eyes also monitor the...

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Will acupuncture help ease arthritis pain?

Written by Fred Cicetti Tuesday, 08 November 2011 16:04

Q I have arthritis in my knee. I’m thinking about trying acupuncture, but my friends think I’m nuts. What do you think?

ASeveral recent studies show osteoarthritis symptoms can be relieved with acupuncture. One Scandinavian study reported that 25 percent of patients canceled their plans for knee surgery after acupuncture.

About 15 million Americans have tried this needle therapy. The World Health Organization recommends it for more than 40 conditions as diverse as asthma and nausea from chemotherapy. The Food and Drug Administration regulates acupuncture needles.

So, no, I don’t think you’re nuts.

By the third century B.C., the Chinese had documented a medical system that is based on qi (pronounced “chee”), a concept of...

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Nine senior workers to be honored

Written by Don Ratzlaff Tuesday, 11 October 2011 14:47

Avis Bergman Senior Citizens of Marion County Inc. will honor nine older members of the workforce during the organization’s 51st annual meeting Oct. 20 at the Marion Senior Center.

To be nominated, honorees had to be at least 70 years old, live and work in Marion County and be employed in the workplace for at least 16 to 20 hours per week. Nominations came from employers, coworkers and clients.

Lila Unruh, president of he SCMI board of directors, said she hopes the organization’s initiative will affirm the contributions seniors continue to make in Marion County.

“To be at the age some of these people are, I think it’s wonderful they can still be working,” Unruh said. “Some do it because they need the money, and others because...

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‘Five Minutes’ with kids can make a big difference

Written by Joyce Kyle Tuesday, 11 October 2011 14:46

Parenting is a demanding job in today’s busy world of families. My husband and I used to spend time each evening with both of our boys individually at bedtime. It became a time of bonding, but also of instilling values we held deeply.

Years ago, in my work with children, I came across “The Five Minutes” in “Healing the Hurt Child” by Denis M. Dono­van and Deborah McIntyre. The purpose is to improve child/adolescent parent communication and to help the child or adolescent feel genuinely understood.

The rules are:

(1) The time together is to be private and uninterrupted (one-on-one).

(2) The “Five Minutes” is not to compete with any other activity. The parent is to gently remind the child/adolescent that, “This is our...

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