Brain Injury

Causes & Prevention

Brain Cells Die When Boxers KO'd

We in America pay a lot of attention to head injuries and the prevention there of. Motorcyclists, bicyclists, and many others now have to wear helmets to prevent brain injury or death.

So why in the world would anyone put themselves in harms way, and why would a civilized society not only allow it, but glorify in the gladiator-like sport of boxing.

For centuries we have all been amused by boxers who have ultimately become punch drunk (anyone remember the parodies by Jacki Gleason or Red Skeleton with the punch drunk ex-boxer?).

Preventing Head Injury

Here are some ways to reduce the chance of head injury:

  • Always wear a seat belt in a motor vehicle. Small children should be secured in child safety seats or booster seats. Depending on their size, older children may be adequately restrained with seat belts.

Leading Causes of Traumatic Brain Injury and Who is at Greatest Risk

There can be many causes of TBI, but the leading ones are:

  • Falls (28%)
  • Motor vehicle-traffic crashes (20%)
  • Struck by/against (19%), and
  • Assaults (11%)

What Does It Mean When Medical Experts Say "Race" Is A Risk Factor For Certain Diseases?

Editor's Note:

"Race" is sometimes mentioned as a risk factor in the development of certain cancers and a number of other diseases. When you read this in a discussion about an illness, note that the explanation seldom refers to anything biological. Instead, it usually refers to behavior, such as eating habits. The kinds of behavior usually mentioned as risk factors are culturally determined. They are not genetic or biological.

And you thought it couldn't get any worse - umbilical cord blood reveals newborn's body burden of pollutants

Recent studies show that it is not just cigarettes, drugs, or alcohol consumed by a pregnant woman that will affect her newborn's body.

As reported by the Environmental Working Group:
Found in the umbilical cord blood collected by the Red Cross after the cord was cut were "... pesticides, consumer product ingredients, and wastes from burning coal, gasoline, and garbage." " ... perfluorochemicals used as stain and oil repellants in fast food packaging, clothes and textiles — including the Teflon chemical PFOA, recently characterized as a likely human carcinogen by the EPA's Science Advisory Board — dozens of widely used brominated flame retardants and their toxic by-products; and numerous pesticides."

Tracing physical problems back to your shopping basket

This Greenpeace article explains the meaning of persistent and bioaccumulative chemicals in our environment, how they enter our bodies, and the effect they may have on our lives.

Knowing that these chemicals have the potential to cause irreversible effects such as cancer or genetic damage should be enought to raise our concern. Knowing that we may pass health problems on to our newborns should make us change some of our ideas about our environment.