Your health
Movies to go
You've heard of pocket books. Now, a series of portable "pocket films" about Alzheimer's disease is available for download on your iPod, cell phone, PDA or PC.
"A Quick Look At Alzheimer's" is narrated by David Hyde Pierce, Emmy Award-winning actor and advocate for Alzheimer's research. The films are animated, just two to three minutes long and explain the disease in layman's terms.
"These pocket films will increase awareness and understanding of Alzheimer's, its impact and the importance of research," said Sibyl Jacobson, president of MetLife Foundation, which provided the grant.
You can download the films from aboutalz.org or agingresearch.org, or find them on Google Video and YouTube.
November is Alzheimer's Awareness Month. An estimated 5.2 million Americans are living with the disease, and that number could grow to 16 million by 2050.
Grab your BFF
There might be a more fun way to jump start your exercise regimen, but we can't think of one. FemmeFITall, a Naperville-based organizer of fitness getaways for women, is holding its second annual "Ladies' Fitness Cruise" Feb. 26 to March 2.
Fitness instructors from Edward Hospital's Health and Fitness Centers in Naperville and Woodridge will lead classes in yoga, Pilates, kickboxing, strength training, cardio-boxing and Hip Hop. That's in addition to all the usual fun stuff on a cruise, from relaxing on the pool deck to snorkeling to shopping in Nassau's straw market.
The five-day, four-night Bahamas cruise on Carnival's Fascination leaves from Jacksonville, Fla. Rates start at $929 based on double occupancy and include airfare.
For details, visit FemmeFITall.com.
Screening parents
Next time you take your child for a checkup, don't be surprised if the doctor asks you about your drinking habits. A new study found that parents are "surprisingly receptive" to being screened for alcohol problems by their child's pediatrician.
What's more, parents who need help would look to their child's doctor for a referral, researchers found.
The results should reassure pediatricians concerned about how parents might react to questions about their alcohol use, said Dr. Celeste Wilson, lead author of the study published in the journal Pediatrics.
The likelihood of getting a positive screen from a parent at a pediatrician's visit is one in nine, or 11 percent, the study found.
Over-the-top ads
The best anti-smoking ads should either scare or disgust viewers - but not both. Researchers at the University of Missouri found TV public service announcements with very disturbing images - such as a cancer-riddled tongue - can backfire.
"When fear or disgust are combined in a single television ad, the ad might become too noxious for the viewer," said study author Glenn Leshner. The result? People don't pay as much attention to or remember the important health message.