Issue link: http://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/439403
2 I N S P I R I N G H E A LT H Tab le o f Contents 2 CAFFEINE: A GROWING CONCERN 3 SHUN THE 'SHAKE, EMBRACE THE BUMP LEARNING FROM DAYS GONE BY 4 LOOKING PAST THE NUMBERS 6 VEINS UNDER PRESSURE 7 CALENDAR OF EVENTS 1 1 ARE YOU LIVING ON THE WEB? 12 CARE WHERE YOU NEED IT HIBERNATION HARMS THE JOINTS 13 HELPING HANDS FOR LITTLE EARS FOCUS ON FAMILY TIES 14 I DID IT MYWAY 15 WALK THE LINE 16 INSPIRATIONS AT THE END OF THE DAY 4 11 14 Concerned about your teen's caffeine consumption? Your family physician can advise your teen on the risks and help him or her decide on safe limits. If you do not have a physician, visit sacredhearteauclaire.org/clinics to find a Family Care Clinic near you or visit stjoeschipfalls.com/ our_physicians. RESEARCH HAS SHOWN that caffeine increases blood pressure and lowers heart rate in both children and adults, but little is known about caffeine's long-term effects as children grow and mature. A recent study at the University of Buffalo suggests that before puberty, caffeine affects boys and girls the same way, but after puberty gender differences begin to appear. In the study, researchers found that caffeine decreased heart rates in teen boys faster than in girls. Caffeine also boosted teen boys' blood pressure to slightly higher levels than girls', suggesting that boys are more sensitive to the effects of caffeine. Caffeine's effects on heart rate and blood pressure also changed throughout girls' menstrual cycles. The study supports the American Academy of Pediatrics' recommendation that adolescents avoid caffeine until more is known about its effects on their developing bodies, especially their hearts and nervous systems. Concern Caffeine Powder's Potential Harm The death of an Ohio high school student in May 2014 has raised concerns about the use of pure caffeine powder. The potent stimulant, which is increasingly popular among young athletes to enhance workouts and aid in weight loss, can easily lead to accidental caffeine overdose. Poison control officials are asking the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to restrict powdered caffeine, and some are calling for a ban. While the FDA considers regulatory action, it is warning consumers to discontinue use of the product. A GROWING CAFFEINE: THREE OUT OF FOUR AMERICAN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS CONSUME CAFFEINE DAILY— INCREASINGLY IN THE FORM OF CAFFEINATED ENERGY DRINKS—AND THIS CONSUMPTION AFFECTS GROWING BODIES.