New information released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics links preterm births and infant mortality rates in the United States. The U.S. ranked 30th out of 31 countries in overall infant mortality rates, showing 6.9 of every 1,000 live births resulted in death, a statistic that is complemented by the fact that 1/8 of the births in the U.S. were preterm, a high rate compared to numbers from European countries.
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Men and women have different health needs, and each gender finds itself with special health risks and needs. Women, in particular, are required to pay particular attention to certain health conditions because of body composition, such as reproductive organs. And for reasons left to scientists, women are also more susceptible to certain diseases, thereby requiring them to pay more attention to their health and prevention practices.
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So far, as many as 5.7 million Americans have been infected with the H1N1 flu virus, which is widespread in 48 states—an unprecedented level for the early weeks of flu season. Yet the H1N1 vaccine supply continues to lag far behind what officials had estimated would be available, leaving public health departments, clinics, and doctor’s offices across the country scrambling for ways to vaccinate those at highest risk for complications. Officials initially announced that 120 million doses would be available by October 1. That number was later amended to 40 million, but as of Friday, only 26.6 million doses had been shipped. Even President Barack Obama has expressed frustration with the delays and Senators Joseph I. Lieberman and Susan Collins sent a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius demanding details about the lag in production.
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Every day, people in parks, community centers, YMCAs, gyms, churches, and living rooms across the country are performing tai chi, a centuries-old Chinese martial art—not because of their interest in martial training, but for its purported physical and mental health benefits. Tai chi’s slow, repetitive movements provide a low-impact method for strengthening the body’s muscular, skeletal, and organ systems while the emphasis on breathing and inner stillness relieves stress and anxiety. And as an added bonus, it burns more calories than surfing and nearly as many as downhill skiing. Studies have shown tai chi may help lower cholesterol, improve cardiovascular and respiratory function, reduce the symptoms of Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), reduce the severity of diabetes, and improve people’s overall health. And recently, researchers found that regular tai chi exercise can also help reduce pain and improve knee function among seniors with osteoarthritis.
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