Don't Get Too Stressed Watching the Super Bowl
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Published: Saturday, February 06 2010.
 Are you ready for this? Experts say that getting too riled up can wreak havoc. In fact, some say it can kill you. While on the face of it, this news seems a bit crazy, the research is rather convincing. We know high stress plays a role in elevated levels of all things bad for you. Add to this all the eating of wings, chips and other artery thickening products, not to mention the beer and other libations. If you are already at risk (especially if you don't know it), the formula can be disastrous as you scream, jump and otherwise feel large amounts of anger about the emerging results on Super Bowl Sunday.
"Spectator risk," Dr. Stephen Siegel, a cardiologist at New York University Langone Medical Center, calls it. The study took place at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles.
The big advice from those who published this study that looked not only at Super Bowl results in the 1980s, but at 2006 World Soccer cup results (and if you think we get excited about our sports here in the U.S., you don't know from excitement and emotion that the rest of the world experiences about soccer) is to relax and enjoy the game. "Don't spend your life savings on betting on it!" The incidences of heart attacks, and fatal ones at that, increased in the hours and days immediately following those events.
As for the science of it all, researchers say that the body releases large amounts of catecholamines (also called epinephrine and norepinephrine) into the bloodsteam at times of stress. "These chemicals can trigger atherosclerotic plaques to rupture, resulting in an acute heart attack or can trigger life-threatening arrhythmias resulting in sudden cardiac death," he said. "Individuals with preexisting heart conditions and those with risk factors for heart disease are at increased risk for such events," says Dr. Gregg Fonarow, a professor of cardiology at the University of California, Los Angeles.
So, as you gather round the TV this Sunday, do some deep breathing first and remember that it is just a game, at least for most of us. Peyton Manning and Drew Brees have a bit more skin in the game, so they can be forgiven for having high levels of stress at kickoff time (4:25 MT).
Tell us about how invested you get in Super Bowl. Are you feeling palpitations? Or are you among the millions who don't care one bit.
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New Tool for Caregivers
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Published: Monday, February 15 2010.
If you are one of the over 50 million Americans who provides care for a loved one, you will want to check out a new online tool. It is still in beta stage, so you can also be one of the early testers of this tool. The founders are inviting ...more
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PEAK Parent Center Launches 24th Annual Conference on Inclusive Education
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Published: Tuesday, February 09 2010.
PEAK Parent Center opens its 24th annual conference on Thursday, February 11, 2010 at Hyatt Regency Denver Tech Center. The conference runs through Saturday, February 13, 2010. Walk-in registrations take place Thursday morning starting at 8:00 a.m. and Friday at 7:00 a.m.
The conference agenda addresses best practices and ...more
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Super Bowl 2010 Ads Please and Annoy
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Published: Monday, February 08 2010.
Over 106 million people watched Super Bowl on Sunday, February 7, 2010. More than the final episode of M.A.S.H. It was a record breaker! And today, millions more are voting for their favorite commercials. Betty White in the Snickers ad is topping the chart. What a bonus when Abe Vigoda ...more
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Don't Get Too Stressed Watching the Super Bowl
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Published: Saturday, February 06 2010.
Are you ready for this? Experts say that getting too riled up can wreak havoc. In fact, some say it can kill you. While on the face of it, this news seems a bit crazy, the research is rather convincing. We know high stress plays a role in elevated levels ...more
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Thoughts About My Retail Experience...Now Past
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Published: Thursday, February 04 2010.
Having spent the last five years as a retailer, I find myself still following trends and predictions, even though I closed my store. In my case, the economy won this round. Who knows what will come, but for the moment, I am looking for expanded ways to make a living. ...more
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Looking for Inspiration
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Published: Wednesday, February 03 2010.
While there is generally no dearth of inspirational stories around us, there are occasional days that seem low on brilliance. Last night was such a night for me, so I flipped on the Turner Classic Movie channel, hoping to catch a great Oscar winning movie as the channel does its ...more
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ADA Set to Celebrate 20 Years as Law
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Published: Tuesday, February 02 2010.
In the summer of 1990, the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) became law of the land. Changes on that large a scale do not happen without the efforts of many. One of the trailblazers, Justin Dart, is widely recognized as the "father of the ADA." Born in 1930, Dart contracted ...more
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Why not health insurance reform?
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Published: Monday, February 01 2010.
I'm with the side that asks "why not." President Obama asked the Congress to reconsider and take another look before abandoning the efforts. The list is long with the needs, gaps and costs of reform. Why do we need this, shout the opposition. But, isn't the real question, why not? ...more
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More on Feet
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Published: Wednesday, January 27 2010.
You might recall that we mused earlier about research that found that walking in high heels creates less stress than running in so-called "running shoes." Think what you will, but today there was more news about yet another study finding that running barefoot might be best, or at least more ...more
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