By Linda Marino
Colon and rectal cancer rank as the second leading cause of
death from cancer in the United States. About 56,600 people will
die of them this year.
+ The details: If you're 50 or older, you should undergo regular
rectal and colon cancer screening.
DON'T FORGET TO FLOSS
+ How long it takes: A minute or two
+ Lifesaving potential: Yes, flossing can save your life too.
Recent research at the University of Buffalo School of Dental
Medicine has helped link gum disease to an increased risk of heart
disease, the leading cause of death in the United States.
+ The details: If you have gum disease (and about three out of
four Americans over 35 do), oral bacteria may enter your
bloodstream through small ulcers that develop in the gum tissue,
says robert J. Grenco, chairman of the university's department of
oral biology. This may increase your risk for a heart attack by
contributing to narrowing blood vessels and to blood clots.
One of the best ways to guard against gum disease -- or to stop
it in its tracks -- is to floss at least once a day, according to
the American Academy of General Dentistry in Chicago.
TAKE A MULTIVITAMIN
+ How long it takes: Just a few seconds
+ Lifesaving potential: Multivitamins help prevent many health
problems, from heart disease to cancer. A 15-year study of almost
90,000 women showed that those who took a multivitamin daily had 75
percent less chance of developing colon cancer than those who
didn't pop one (Annals of Internal Medicine, Oct. 1, 1998).
+ The details: Look for a brand -- even a generic -- that has USP
(United States Pharmacopeia) on the label. Makers of these vitamins
can be prosecuted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration if the
products don't contain the amounts promised on the label or fail to
dissolve properly.
Look for a multi with about 100 percent of the Daily Value for
most nutrients, and take it with a meal so that your body can
absorb most of the nutrients.
BUCKLE UP
+ How long it takes: About five seconds
+ Lifesaving potential: Buckling up a seat belt has spared
100,998 lives from 1975 to 1997, reports the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration in Washington, D.C.
POP AN ASPIRIN
+ How long it takes: Five to 10 seconds.
+ Lifesaving potential: If you've already had a heart attack,
stroke, or angina, a daily aspirin reduces your chances of
suffering or dying from a subsequent attack by 15 to 30 percent,
according to Dr. Charles Hennekens, former chief of the division of
preventive medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.
In addition, taking aspirin within 24 hours of a heart attack
can reduce the chance of death by 23 percent.
+ The details: ``Most people with cardiovascular disease should
consider adding 50 to 100 milligrams of aspirin to their treatment
regime,'' Hennekens says. During a heart attack, however, you'll
need a full-strength 325-milligram aspirin.
There's certainly enough evidence to recommend taking aspirin to
prevent heart problems, says Hennekens, but only on an individual
basis when prescribed by a health care provider.
CHANGE YOUR SMOKE ALARM BATTERIES
+ How long it takes: 30 seconds
+ Lifesaving potential: The death rate from fires in homes with
at least one smoke alarm is 40 to 50 percent lower than in homes
without a working detector.
+ The details: Chances are you own a smoke alarm -- 93 percent of
U.S. homes have at least one. According to the National Fire
Protection Association, a whopping 20 percent of these alarms don't
work, usually because of dead, disconnected or missing batteries.
If you're the type of person that doesn't get around to changing
your clock for three months after the time change, you're probably
better off replacing your smoke detectors with ones that contain a
battery designed to last for about a decade, such as the Nighthawk
Long Life Smoke & Fire Alarm ($20) or the First Alert 10-Year
Lithium Power Smoke Detector ($27).
WASH YOUR HANDS
+ How long it takes: 20 seconds
+ Lifesaving potential: Infectious diseases are the third
leading cause of death in the United States, and the CDC calls hand
washing ``the most important means of preventing the spread of
infection.''
+ The details: Remove rings and bracelets. Using soap (any kind)
and warm, running water, thoroughly wash all surfaces of your
hands, including the wrists, palms, backs, fingers and under the
fingernails for a total of at least 20 seconds. Completely dry your
hands with a clean or disposable towel.
Follow this routine before you prepare or eat food; treat a cut
or wound; tend to someone who is sick; or insert or remove contact
lenses. Also wash after you go to the bathroom or handle uncooked
foods.
