Shiny Lip Gloss Warning & Prenatal Diabetes Trend
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7:00am Segment Info:
A troubling trend is putting mothers and their newborn babies at risk.
The number of pregnant women with pre-existing diabetes has more than doubled in seven years and the number of diabetic teenagers giving birth has increased fivefold.
Being pregnant and having diabetes increases the risk of miscarriage and stillbirth especially if women don't have their blood sugar under control. Their babies also have a higher chance of being born with birth defects.
Can they explain this trend?
MORE AFTER THE JUMP...
The numbers are about the same as in the general population. What we're seeing is a trend that's very closely tied to the obesity epidemic because obesity and diabetes go hand in hand. The problem is these are high risk pregnancies, and that means more complications.
In other news, there's a warning for women who wear lip gloss.
Women love it because it gives lips a quick shiny glow, but according to a dermatologist from Baylor University Medical Center, shiny lip balms and lip gloss may actually increase your risk of skin cancer. That's because the shiny gloss actually attracts the sun and increases light penetration through the lip surface. You may not realize it, but your lips are extremely susceptible to chronic sun damage and are more prone to develop cancer than your skin.
What should you do if you still want to use lip gloss?
The best thing you can do is apply a layer of SPF 30 sun protection under any shiny lip balms and glosses. This way you'll protect your lips. It's a good idea to reapply throughout the day, but you know everyone should be using some kind of lip protection even men. A recent study found less than 25% of people use some kind of SPF sunblock for their lips.
8:00am Ask The Doctor Segment Info:
1. Jessica from Astoria, Queens asks: When my nails reach a certain length, they split on either side. Is there something I can eat to stop this from happening?
Jessica, your nails are splitting because they're either weak or brittle. Eating more calcium or protein won't work and soaking them in gelatin is a waste of time. To fix this you'll need to moisturize your nails regularly. There are actually special creams you can find in the drugstore that work. You can also use clear polish or a nail hardener. Also, stay away from anything that dries the nails like nail polish remover.
2. Michael from NY, NY: Do you lose the benefits of drinking Green Tea, when you add skim milk to it?
Michael there are studies that show adding milk to tea destroys the health benefits, which may explain why Asian populations seem to benefit from tea more than the English... Who add milk to their tea, but the same study found that skim milk had less of an effect. Fortunately, most people drink green tea straight up without milk, if you want to get the most health benefit that's probably the best way to drink it.
3. Michael from Manhattan asks: I walked into a table yesterday... got a big bruise on my thigh. What's the quickest way to make it go away?
Michael, bruises are formed when the tiny blood vessels in the skin rupture causing blood to leak and get trapped. The best way to treat your leg bruise is to rest ice it for the first couple of days, and try to keep your leg elevated. After two days you can use moist heat and some gentle massage. Don't rub it if it hurts though. Arnica and witch hazel can also help. In the end it will take about 2 to 4 weeks for the bruise to go away. You can expect it to change color as the blood breaks down in your body.
