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HOW TO: Avoid 'holiday heart syndrome'

Last updated Tuesday, December 21, 2010 - 2:40am

By ALISON JOHNSON

Dangerous heart conditions strike more frequently during the holiday season, including a high number of fatal heart attacks on Christmas and New Year's Day.

"There is nothing worse than going out to tell a family their loved one is dead on a holiday," says Dr. Gary Kavit, chairman of emergency and trauma services at Riverside Regional Medical Center in Newport News, Va.

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HOW TO: Behave after a sleepless night

Va.), Alison Johnson

Last updated Tuesday, November 30, 2010 - 3:43am

After a night of tossing and turning, the next day is exhausting -- and seemingly endless. Sleep specialists say you can feel a bit better, and improve your odds of a good sleep the next night, with these steps:

* Don't hit the caffeine hard. In fact, cut off all caffeine after 2 p.m. "Caffeine may increase irritability, make falling asleep at night difficult or cause frequent waking during the night," says Dr. Martha Boulos, a neurologist at the Sleep Disorders Center at Sentara CarePlex Hospital in Hampton, Va. "Then you can fall into a bad cycle and mess up your whole week of sleep."

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HOW TO: Best avoid those childhood allergies

Va.), Alison Johnson

Last updated Tuesday, November 16, 2010 - 2:42am

Many cases of food allergies and eczema -- a skin condition marked by itchy rashes -- are unavoidable. But dermatologists say these steps may help reduce your child's risks:

Consider your pregnancy diet. Babies whose mothers eat peanuts are more likely to test positive for peanut allergies, and the same may be true for eggs and egg allergies, according to a recently published article in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. However, previous studies have had conflicting results. Talk to your doctor.

Breast-feed your baby.

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