How health-savvy are you?

I got this right out of The Parade section of the Sunday Chicago Tribune.

Some of it I found fascinating, some redundant and some informative - things I really did not know!

Part One - True or False...

Drinking milk will make a cold worse.

False.  Dairy products will not result in more phlegm.  In the “better them than us” department, researchers in Australia asked adults with cold to drink milk, then measured their mucus output.  The up-shot?  There’s no correlation between dairy intake and more of the yucky stuff

Honey can help burns heal.

True.  A study of over 900 people with mild to moderate burns found that honey helped wounds heal faster than some antibiotic creams.  According to another study, though, honey didn’t work better on cuts or lacerations.  And steer clear of other kitchen burn remedies, like applying butter.  The CDC warns that doing so can increase chance of infection.

Gargling with salt water will help a sore throat.

True.  Though it isn’t a cure, “a saltwater gargle – ¼ to ½ teaspoons of salt dissolved in an 8-ounce glass of warm water – can temporarily relieve a sore or scratchy throat,” according to the Mayo Clinic.  Doctors believe the salt works by reducing swelling and inflammation.

Women have more “senior moments” than men.

False.   Anew Mayo Clinic study of more than 2000 men and women over 70 found that men were almost 50% more likely to suffer from mild cognitive impairment, including memory lapses.  So, ladies, if he forgets your anniversary, don’t blame him – blame science.

...BUT men are less likely to go to the doctor than women.

False.  When if comes to at least one medical situation, men are more proactive than women.  Cardiac rehabilitation can gently reduce the risk of death after a heart attack, but according to a new study by the Calgary, Wellness Institute of Calgary, women are less likely to seek treatment - and when they do, it's usually at a more serious stage in the disease.  Researchers surmise that the demands of family and work, as well as a lack of energy, may play a role.

Multiple choice tomorrow!