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Exercise May
Affect
Fertility
E
xperts have determined
that strenuous exercise
may have an adverse effect
on women's menstrual
cycles. Most often affected
are ballet dancers,
swimmers, joggers and
women on rigorous
calisthenics programs.
Sometimes women who
have exercised heavily since
before their teens have
never menstruated, a
condition known as primary
amenorrhea. In other cases,
women have ceased
menstruating or do so
irregularly, which is called
secondary amenorrhea.
Studies show various causes
for these menstrual
abnormalities.
One cause may be a
deficiency in the hormone
estrogen, which triggers the
start of the menstrual cycle.
About one third of the
body's supply of estrogen is
made in fat tissue. Since
women who exercise heavily
TheUnseen
Costsof
Smoking
T
he average smoker in
the United States (there
are about 54 million in all)
smokes more than 11 ,000
tend to be slim and store
less fat , they may have an
insufficient supply of this
hormone.
Another cause could be
the stress resulting from
trying to maintain a rigorous
exercise schedule along with
a hectic work schedule, or
the anxiety caused by any
major life change.
Many times, simply
reducing the intensity of the
exercise regimen, regaining
sorne weight or reducing
stress levels, will help the
body begin lo recover.
But doctors warn that
women should not
automati cally assume
menstrual irregularity is due
lo exercise. Menstrual
difficulties may also be
caused by glandular
problems and premature
menopause. •
STD:The
Alarm
Spreads
O
ne in tour Americans
between the ages of 15
and 55 will acquire a
cigarettes a year at a cost
of $300 to $600. But that's
not where the buck stops.
More than $16,000 mill ion
are spent each year for
related health-care costs.
Productivity lost to smoking–
related illness and premature
death amounts lo $37,000
million yearly. Combined,
these figures indicate an
average cost of more than
$200 each year for every
man, woman and child.
The economic burden on
each nonsmoker for
providing medica! care for
smoking-induced illness is
more than $100, paid
primarily through laxes and
health insurance premiums.
The largest cost is in
human lives: Smoking kills
about 500,000 people each
year in the United States. •
Alcoholics
Should
Abstain
R
ecen! research has
emphasized just how
long and hard the road to
recovery is for the alcoholic.
Less !han 2 percent of
1,065 alcoholics studied
were controlled. " social"
drinkers five to seven years
after receiving treatment ,
say scientists al Washington
University in St. Louis, Mo.
While sorne previous
research seemed to indicate
that alcoholics could be
taught to become moderate
drinkers, the Washington
University study " suggests
that there is little cause for
optimism about the
likelihood of an evolution of
sexually transmissible
disease (STO) sometime in
his or her lifetime. One
specialist predicts that by
the year 2000, one in three
American women will
become infertile because of
damage to her reproductive
organs from STO. The
American statistics point up
a problem reaching rampan!
proportions worldwide.
More than 25 diseases
are known to be spread
through sexual contact.
Many of these are growing
increasingly resistan! to
antibiotics.
One study concluded that
80 percent of prostitutes in
the African nation of Zaire
now have the dreaded
HTLV-3 virus, which is widely
believed to cause AIOS
(Acquired lmmune Deficiency
Syndrome).
New evidence strongly
indicates that AIOS
originated from animals.
Striking similarities between
the HTLV-3 virus and
lentiviruses in animals were
discovered last year by
researchers at the U.S.
National Cancer lnstitute and
long-term, stable, moderate
drinking among treated
alcoholics."
Of alcoholics treated at
tour separate facilities
between 1973 and 1975,
the researchers found that
79 percent were still drinking
heavily, 15 percent never
drank alcohol, 4.6 percent
alternated between
moderate drinking and
abstinence and only 1.6
percent were moderate or
controlled drinkers.
In the long run, alcoholics
trying to quit without
professional treatment may
do better than !hose who
seek treatment at sorne
point, say the researchers.
The results of the study
clearly suggest , in addition.
that the " vas! majority" of
alcoholics receiving
treatment should aim for
total abstinence. •
the Johns Hopkins University
Medica! School.
In Fiji the World Health
Organization found that hall
the cases of infertility were
related lo blocked tubes in
sexual organs, most of
which are the result of STO,
especially syphilis.
" People are becoming
disillusioned with free sex
and terrified of getting [a
disease] and having it
forever." says one
psychologist.
Our free report Sexual/y
Transmissible Diseases–
Even You Could Become
tnfected! offers a wealth of
information on STOs and
how they could affect you.
Request a copy today. •
The
PLAIN TRUTH