Health: Bottoms Up?

A sports beverage fairly shouts health and vigor, but according to a new report, these drinks can hurt teeth even more than sodas do. Damage to enamel from sports drinks was up to 11 times greater than that caused by colas. The culprit isn't sugar but the whole acidic mix. To limit damage, don't sip; chug it! --By David Bjerklie

DOCTOR'S ORDERS

> GROW YOUR OWN GARDEN REMEDY

Aloe has been a staple in home medicine cabinets for skin health since Cleopatra's time. According to a report in the journal General Dentistry, there is growing evidence that the plant's sap can also treat many mouth maladies, from cold sores to painful gums after a tooth is pulled.

> DOES LIGHTS OUT = HEART ATTACK?

Bedtime can be lethal for folks with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), according to a study of 112 people who died from cardiac causes. The deadliest hours for those with OSA are from midnight to 6 a.m.; for most people, the risk of cardiac-related death is highest after waking, from 6 a.m. to noon.

DO PARENTS PUSH FOR THE RIGHT TREATMENT?

What does it mean when a kid has a tummy ache that won't go away? Many parents will, commendably, push to find a medical diagnosis. But the real solution may lie somewhere else. In a small study, children whose parents went from specialist to specialist but balked at considering that emotional issues might be the culprit had a 3-in-10 recovery rate. Of families that accepted a referral to child-psychological services, 11 of 13 saw improvements.

1,700

Number of alcohol-related fatalities among college students ages 18 to 24, up from 1,500 in 1998; more than 500,000 suffered injuries

GLOBAL KID RISKS

Nearly 11 million children under age 5 die annually, more than a third of them from neonatal problems like preterm birth. The other top causes:

37% Neonatal

19% Pneumonia

17% Diarrhea

8% Malaria

4% Measles

3% HIV/AIDS

3% Injuries

10% Other