Issue Date: April 2, 2006
Keep kitty safe outdoors
Kitties love sun worshiping and chasing butterflies. But allowing them to roam the neighborhood can be dangerous. Vehicles can kill cats, as can larger animals and infectious diseases picked up from other cats.
Still, there are safe ways to allow indoor cats outside. You can construct a cat fence that prevents them from climbing out of the yard, or buy one at catfencein.com. Midnightpass.com offers a variety of pet enclosures. But even with containment systems, be sure an adult supervises any cat who is in the yard.
Social cats enjoy getting out to see and smell the world, as well as joining their owners on errands. And just like dogs, they can be leash- and harness-trained. (Cat leashes and harnesses are available at many pet stores.) Start by leaving the harness near the food dish so the cat associates it with being fed, and practice indoors before going outside. But don't expect Kitty to get very far. To go longer distances, try a Kittywalk pet stroller, available at midnightpass.com.
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3 tips to get cash, fast
These strategies will help meet a true emergency need, but watch the caveats.
Home Equity loans. Consider tapping your home's equity with a loan or line of credit. To find lenders with the best rates and fees, go to HSH.com. Caveat: Don't take this loan lightly or use it for frivolous purchases. If you borrow too much and home prices in your area fall, then you can end up owing money when you sell. Above all, beware shady lenders who offer big-buck loans but charge monthly payments way beyond your budget.
401(k). Depending on your employer, you may be able to borrow 50% of your 401(k) -- up to a cap of $50,000 -- if you are buying a house for the first time, paying medical or funeral bills, or covering tuition. You usually get five years to repay using automatic deductions from your paycheck. Caveat: If you quit or are fired, you likely will have to pay off the loan within 60 days.
IRA. You can withdraw money if you pay yourself back within 60 days -- the amount of time the government allows for IRA rollover. Caveat: Only do this if you are 100% sure you can pay up; otherwise, you'll face a 10% penalty and a steep tax bill.
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The latest on strong bones
Bones weaken and fractures soar with age. Today, about 10 million Americans have osteoporosis (brittle bones), and another 34 million have osteopenia (low bone mass).
Potassium-packed cantaloupe can help bones.
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Here's the latest research on how to keep bones strong:
Don't count on calcium alone. New research finds vitamin D as important. In fact, a daily 700 IU to 800 IU of D cuts hip fracture risk 26%, say Harvard investigators. Most women should take 500mg to 800mg calcium and 600 IU vitamin D each day.
Beware animal fat. Eating high amounts of saturated fat in meat and dairy can weaken bones, finds a new Penn State study. In men under age 50, those who ate the most saturated fat had 4% less bone mineral density than men who ate the least.
Eat fruits, vegetables. One reason: They're packed with potassium, which slows excretion of calcium. In animals, dried plums (prunes) even reversed bone loss.
Cut salt. In women with a typical American diet, cutting back to 2,000mg sodium a day reduced their calcium and bone loss, says a University of Tennessee study.
Get B vitamins. Low B12 levels in the blood signal lower bone mineral density in men's hips and women's spines, says recent Tufts University research. In Japanese research, high daily doses of B12 (1,500mcg) and folic acid (5mg) cut hip fractures 80% in stroke patients.
Limit colas and candy. Higher consumption of these is linked to greater bone loss.
Sources for this article
Vitamin D and bones
Steingrimsdottir L, JAMA. 2005 294:2336-41.
Bischoff-Ferrari HA, JAMA. 2005 May 11;293(18):2257-64.
Saturated fat and bones
Corwin RL, J Nutr. 2006 Jan;136(1):159-65.
Fruits and vegetables and bones
Macdonald HM, Am J Clin Nutr. 2005 Apr;81(4):923-33.
Deyhim F, Menopause. 2005 Nov-Dec; 12(6): 755-62. Ê
Salt and bones
Carbone LD, J Bone Miner Metab. 2005;23(6):506-13.
B vitamins and bones
Tucker KL, J Bone Miner Res. 2005 Jan;20(1):152-8.
Sato Y, JAMA. 2005 Mar 2;293(9):1082-8.
Colas, candy and bones
Tucker, KL. Curr Pharm Des. 2003;9(32):2687-704.
Contact Contributing Editor Jean Carper at stopagingnow.com.
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Asthma and athletes
Spring is here, and that can mean asthma symptoms go into high gear. In fact, up to 13% of Americans experience symptoms of exercise-induced asthma.
But it's no reason to skip exercise. A review of Olympic results revealed that athletes with asthma fared as well as athletes without asthma when it came to winning medals.
"With proper use of medication and knowing personal triggers, athletes can easily control asthma and continue their workouts," says Michael G. Miller, associate professor and program director of graduate athletic training education at Western Michigan University.
Symptoms include wheezing, chest tightness and pain, coughing and prolonged shortness of breath. If you have any of these symptoms, see your doctor for a diagnosis and to create an asthma management plan.
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