ABC 4: Health News

World Blood Donor Day

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 07:33:10 -0600

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 Utah) - The Red Cross is preparing for World Blood Donor Day, and trying to get as many donors out as possible.

All day Friday they have special events planned, including special bandages to help promote people who have donated.

Julia Wulf, the CEO of the Lewis and Clark Blood Services Region stopped by to talk to us about why we should donate.

To find a donation center near you, just head over to http://www.redcrossblood.org/lewisclark

Abatement efforts increase for West Nile in Utah

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 09:02:19 -0600

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (ABC 4 Utah) - West Nile Virus has made it to Utah. The Utah Department of Health says the virus is alive and well after mosquitoes in Washington County tested positive. ABC 4 Utah talked to experts on the virus to find out how they are stepping up efforts to protect you.

Sammie Dickson from the Salt Lake Mosquito Abatement District says Mosquitoes are out in large numbers and efforts to prevent West Nile Virus has increased. Dickson says "There are two types of mosquitoes that will transmit West Nile Virus and were working hard to control those.”

Dickson tells ABC 4 Utah since West Nile Virus hit the U.S. in 1999 they have been doing large scale efforts since 2003. He says they start early in the year opposed to waiting for the mosquito population from building up.

One way the Salt Lake City mosquito abatement district is stepping up their efforts is by setting up traps. Abatement teams then catch the little guys and send them to state lab for testing. Another way, abatement bicycle teams, every month these teams go out and treat every catch basin in every neighborhood throughout the city.

As for prevention Jodee Baker from the Utah Department of Health says being cautious is key. She says, “It's always a good idea to make sure people take the proper precautions to protect themselves from getting mosquito bites. For example, wearing mosquito repellent with deet from dusk to dawn is a good idea. If they can do those things then they should be able to enjoy outdoor activities,"

Baker says humans have tested positive for several years and even though no humans have tested positive this year it's only a matter of time.
She also says while anybody can be infected if bitten children under the age of two, the elderly, or women who are pregnant could become seriously ill.

The Department of Health also said some additional measures you can take to prevent West Nile is to get rid of any stagnant water you may have outside your home and to also keep in mind that hundreds of these mosquitoes can hatch inside the size of a small Pepsi lid.

Road Respect team trying to make Utah roads safer

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 07:41:22 -0600

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 Utah) - UDOT and Bike Utah are trying to get the word out, and make our roads not only safer for bikers, but also for drivers.

Keri Gibson from the Utah Highway Safety Office stopped by the ABC 4 Utah studio to give us some pointers on staying safe.

For more information: http://roadrespect.utah.gov/

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation raises funds with Harley run in Ogden

Sun, 09 Jun 2013 21:07:23 -0600

OGDEN, Utah (ABC 4 Utah) – More than 250 riders took part in the second annual Ride to Bear Arms benefiting the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

The ride takes the riders from Ogden to the Cache Valley shooting range where experts, and novices alike, get to fire off a couple rounds. Harleys and handguns sound like tough guy business, but these guys and gals are also in it for something more meaningful.

Executive Director of Utah’s JDRF told ABC 4 Utah, "What I really love about the Harley guys is they really come together and love to support charities that involve children."

This cause hits close to home for organizer and Golden Spike Harley Davidson owner Brent Allenbach. "I have a niece that's been diagnosed and a very close friend who's daughter has juvenile diabetes,” explained Allenbach.

It’s a disease requires constant attention, and it's on the rise, but with the right care and attitude this young sufferer says it's manageable.

Nicholas Muscaro said, “It's not much from normal life other than we're constantly taking shots, testing blood sugars and counting carbs."

Still, one Harley enthusiast ABC 4 Utah spoke with wants to see diabetes eradicated so that no other children have to go through what she does as an adult.

Kelly Boyer said, "There's a lot of kids out there who are not healthy, they don't have their health and they have to shoot insulin three to four times a day, and it's just sad. I’ve got diabetes now and I just couldn't imagine having it as a child."

If you would like more information about the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation log on to: http://jdrf.org/

Donations needed for Utah quintuplets

Fri, 31 May 2013 10:36:50 -0600

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) - Fifty fingers and fifty toes. The University of Utah’s first ever quintuplets are doing well.

Guillermina and Fernando Garcia gave birth to three girls and two boys at the University of Utah over the weekend. The babies weighing between two and three pounds each are expected to stay at the hospital for another six weeks, but when momma and babies come home they're going to have some help.

Aunika Kidd with the Utah Doula Association said, "We've done multis, but five is a first for Utah.”

A doula is a nonmedical person who assists a mother before, during and after childbirth.

"Post partum doulas are wonderful. They help mother the mother,” explained doula Kristy Huber.

They help with everything from emotional support to making sure the mother is eating well.

Kidd explained, "Once the babies start coming home we will be in the home for the first month 6-8 hours a day."

These doulas are donating their time and they're asking the community to step up as well.

"I think it takes a village to raise children and we're really hoping the community will come through and support this family,” said Huber.

The Garcia's already have one toddler at home, but they're far from being prepared to take home five more.

Kidd told ABC 4 Utah, "They don't have five car seats to bring the babies home in; they don't have cribs to put these babies in."

The Utah Doula Association is asking for any and all donations from gently used clothing to food for the family. The group will accept new and gently used items for all ages and stages of life.

Monetary donations are currently being accepted at all America First Credit Union locations under the name “Utah Quints” or “Utah Doula Association.” You may also go to the Utah Doula Association website at www.utahdoulas.org

For donations of real good there is a drop off location at Security Storage Pro 500 South 500 West just off the I-15.

All donations will go to the Garcia family. For more information on other ways to help you can contact Aunika Kidd at 801-560-7364.

Learning swim survival skills can save your child's life

Fri, 31 May 2013 10:13:57 -0600

HOLLADAY, Utah (ABC 4 News) - She's been at it since she was just 10 months old. Now at the age of two, Chloe has the skills she needs to save her own life.

Chloe’s mother Lacey Jones said, "If she were to fall in, she knows how to flip to her back and float and she can swim to the edge."

Jumping off the diving board is not Chloe’s favorite part of her swim lesson, but it's crucial - simulating what it might be like if she were to accidentally fall into the pool.

Liz Walker with Swim Kids told ABC 4 Utah, "You never know how quickly they're going to get away from you."

Drowning is a silent killer. It's the leading cause of death for infants and young children.

"Having a backyard pool can be more dangerous than having a gun in your house if you don't know how to swim,” said Walker. "You don't hear it happen. Once they're underneath, they're not breathing and they can't scream for you."

The survival swimming techniques they teach at Swim Kids not only allows them to cry for help, but most importantly stay alive.

Walker said, "Teach them to be face down, rotate on their backs to get a break. As they get older they can start flipping back to swim or backstroke to the side."

It's a lesson that's invaluable for Lacey Jones and her children. She says it gives her some peace of mind.

"I am totally comfortable with her around water now,” said Jones.

For more information on Swim Kids log on to: http://swimkids.biz/

Food Allergy Awareness Week

Wed, 15 May 2013 07:43:23 -0600

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 Utah) - This week is Food Allergy Awarness Week, so the folks from the Utah Food Allergy Network stopped by with some special guests to give us some tips for dealing with food allergies.

Michelle Fogg, the president and founder of the Utah Food Allergy Network, brought in the Duncan family to talk about their experiences with a near disaster related to food allergies.

For details on how to handle a food allergy, visit http://utahfoodallergy.org/ or http://www.ashottolive.org

In utero surgery, one year later: The Killpacks story

Tue, 14 May 2013 21:55:00 -0600

It’s been one year since the Killpack family battled their insurance company to get a very rare surgery for their unborn daughter. Millie Killpack was pregnant with her fourth child when she learned the little girl would be born with Spina Bifida. This would be their second child with the spinal disorder, so they decided to try a procedure that would fuse the baby’s back while she was still in the womb. ABC 4 Utah’s Kim Fischer checked in with the family to see how they’re doing now.

A typical day for Maggie and Matt Killpack includes hospital visits, homemade meals, and horse therapy. While the couple said it's a lot of work, the work is worth it.

"Miracles have happened in our lives and it's not something tangible just the way that our family has changed from what we've been through," Matt said.

Matt and Millie are the parents of 4 kids, ages 8, 6, 4 and 9 months. The two youngest Davey and Maggie, both have Spina Bifida. Davey has been doing horse therapy for several months to help with his balance and confidence.

"It makes him feel cool, you know he's a big kid up there riding that horse and he has a lot of power, that's a neat thing for him," matt said.

But Davey still has struggles, especially during spring and summer months when he wants to be outside playing. But his limited mobility doesn't stop him from trying.

"He crawls down the street, to the neighbor’s house and it makes me cringe and he has holes in his jeans but you just got to let him do it," Millie said.

We met the Killpacks a year ago when Millie was pregnant with Maggie.

"I look back at a year ago and it seems like a dream. I can't believe we went through with that was really hard and I think, whoa that was tough and now, it's ok, we're good," Millie said.

When the couple learned their daughter would have the same disability as their son, they looked into a surgery that would sew up her spine while still in the womb, but getting the insurance to pay was a struggle.

"We weren't expecting the media or any kind of news coverage this was just something that our little family was going through. But it was because of the news that we were able to get the surgery," Millie said.

The question Millie gets most now is, “did the surgery work?”

Millie said she simply has no answer. "We will never know, it will take years to kind of know what Maggie’s abilities are, but she can feel her toes, she has feelings all the way down to her toes which is really amazing for a Spina Bifida kids and we're grateful for that."

The family does see those small differences physically, but the surgery wasn't a cure-all.

"She still has Spina Bifida. The fetal surgery doesn't change everything, so she has health problems and struggles and concerns and we just work through those as they come along," Millie said.

Millie said the fetal surgery may not be right for every family, but they felt it was right for them. Since they made the decision, they've never looked back.

"We had the surgery and we don't think to ourselves was it worth it, is she better because of it? We just did it and moved forward," Millie said.

That resolve is one of the most inspiring things about this family. To some, Spina Bifida is seen as a crippling disability, but this family chooses to find the joy it brings.

“i think that it's brought our family closer together, and I think Maggie in a lot of ways, in every way just completes our family," matt said.

The only thing more impressive than the Killpack's resolve is their love for each other.

We also asked the Killpacks about their insurance situation right now. They said it’s “a very fluid thing.” They said the surgery is still pending a year later, but they’re just happy they were able to get the surgery for their daughter.

Angelina Jolie undergoes double mastectomy

Tue, 14 May 2013 14:40:24 -0600

Salt Lake City, UT (ABC4 News) - Actress Angelina Jolie announced in a New York Times op-ed article on Tuesday that she underwent a preventive double mastectomy after learning she carries a mutation of the BRCA1 gene, which sharply increases her risk of developing breast cancer and ovarian cancer.

Brett Parkinson, MD, director of the Breast Care Program at Intermountain Medical Center in Murray, is one of the top breast cancer experts in the nation.

He appeared on ABC4 News to talk about Jolie’s decision and the BRCA1 gene and test.

The Perfect Problem

Mon, 13 May 2013 21:59:25 -0600

SALT LAKE CITY - "The Perfect Problem" is a special report series taking an in-depth look at how perfectionism impacts depression among Utah women. Utah has one of the highest rates of depression in the country. The Perfect Problem is a collection of stories from Utah women about the pressure they face trying to be the perfect wife, the perfect mother and the perfect woman.

Angeli VanLaanen talks about her fight with Lyme Disease

Fri, 10 May 2013 08:05:02 -0600

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 Utah) - Curtis Ray sat down with professional free skier Angeli VanLaanen to talk about her struggle with Lyme Disease and being featured in the documentary LymeLight.

You can watch the full 30 minute documentary online at:http://www.vimeo.com/neuproductions/lymelight

For more on Lyme Disease, and what Angeli is doing to help, visit: http://lymelightfoundation.org

Today is Melanoma Monday

Mon, 06 May 2013 07:51:40 -0600

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) - Skin cancer continues to be a big problem here in Utah, that's why May has been dubbed National Skin Cancer Awareness Month.

Today in particular is Melanoma Monday, and focuses specifically on raising the awareness and detection of Melanoma.

Dr. Chad Tingey from the Ogden Clinic stopped by Good Morning Utah to talk about what you should look for.

24th Annual Walk M.S. 2013

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 07:48:50 -0600

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 Utah) - This Saturday, the 24th annual Walk M.S. event will take place at the Gateway Mall.

The event helps raise money for the fight against Multiple Sclerosis.

Registration at The Gateway Mall begins at 8:00 am, with the walk beginning at 10:00.

For more details, or to preregister, visit www.walkMSutah.org

Sexual assault help is growing for victims

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 23:27:00 -0600

SALT LAKE CITY, (ABC 4 News) – More work is being done to help victims of sexual assault as Utah ranks as one of the highest in the country in reported rape cases.

The Clothesline Project is a national addressing the issue of violence against women. The victims express their emotions by decorating a T-shirt.

Several of those shirts were created by University of Utah students and on display at Salt Lake City Hall in light of Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

Victims at the U, both men and women, seek help from Violence Against Women Coordinator Angie Makomenaw.

“Our first instinct is to say, ‘What did I do wrong?’ when you did nothing wrong and it’s the perpetrator that should be responsible,” Makomenaw said.

After a decade of trying to pass a dating violence protection bill, it finally passed in the 2013 Utah Legislature. It allows victims of domestic violence to file a protective order even if they’re not married or don’t live with the abuser.

Makomenaw said she knew of a handful of students who would have benefited from the law if it has been made available to them sooner.

But the victims are not just students or women. Utah veterans are fighting a different war at home.

Breeze Hannaford is the Military Sexual Trauma Program Coordinator for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Salt Lake City.

She said one in 100 men and one in four women report military sexual trauma, but the number is about equal because there are more men in the military.

“As hard as it is for women I think it's even harder for men to come forward and share that this has happened to them,” Hannaford said.

Hannaford, a licensed clinical social worker, said there is currently about 1,000 Utah veterans seeking care for sexual abuse. Many times the abuse happened about 15 to 30 years prior, but veterans chose not to speak up for decades.

Law enforcement agencies, victim’s advocates and therapists and making progress are working together to make progress in the way they respond to sexual assault crimes.

According to a worker at Utah’s state crime lab, the agency is working to streamline the processing of DNA samples to get results faster and help victims.

Makomenaw said great strides are being made, but it is still an uphill battle.

“We live in a rape culture,” she said. “We live in a culture that doesn't talk about sex. We’re not allowed to talk about it in schools. I work with university students and they even don’t understand what the concept is of what is consent.”

If you or someone you know if a victim of rape or sexual assault, click here for resources through the Utah Department of Health.

Movie screening celebrates activist released from prison

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 21:13:00 -0600

SALT LAKE CITY, (ABC 4 News ) - The release of a climate activist from prison brought dozens of supporters to view a movie screening about his life on Monday.

"Bidder 70" is a documentary about Tim DeChristopher's protest in 2008. DeChristopher disrupted an oil and gas lease auction with no intent to ever drill on the land or pay $1.7 million for it.

DeChristopher was convicted of making phony bids and sentenced in 2011. He recently finished serving two years in various prisons and a halfway house.

"Bidder 70" was screened at Tower Theater to celebrate DeChristopher's release from prison and it coincided with Earth Day. For more information about the movie, click here.

Intermountain Medical Center launches fasting study

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 15:49:03 -0600

MURRAY, UT (ABC4 News) - Many Utahns already fast regularly for religious reasons, and now researchers from the Intermountain Heart Institute at Intermountain Medical Center are launching a study to determine whether once-per-week water-only fasting improves metabolic health.

The question researchers are trying to answer: Can weekly fasting reduce a person's risk of diabetes and coronary heart disease?

Researchers are now seeking participants for the study, people who have pre-diabetes, or those with diabetes who control the disease by diet alone.

New research suggests that routine periodic water-only fasting could reduce the risk of diabetes and coronary heart disease by reducing metabolic problems. Researchers want to build on that understanding. "Based on previous studies, our working hypothesis is that the potential benefit that we'll see from fasting is that it may renew the metabolism, or re-sensitize the body to insulin," said Benjamin Horne, PhD, director of cardiovascular and genetic epidemiology at the Intermountain Heart Institute at Intermountain Medical Center.

Participants in the five-week long study will engage in a 24-hour water-only fast, consuming nothing more than water and appropriate medications, six times over a five-week period. They will fast once at the beginning of the study and then a fast once per week at the end of each of the remaining five weeks.

Researchers will measure and record changes in their weight, blood pressure, and biomarkers of metabolic, cardiovascular, and general health over the course of the study to see how fasting affects the different variables.

"We expect people that are likely to being diagnosed with diabetes would benefit most by this study," said Dr. Horne. "We're looking for people who are willing to try fasting to see if it is something that will benefit their health and the health of others like them, that are on the verge of having diabetes."

People eligible to participate must also meet the following conditions:
-Are between 30 and 69 years old.
-Have at least three of the following metabolic challenges: moderate to high blood sugar, high blood pressure, obesity, high triglycerides, and low "good" HDL cholesterol.
-Don't suffer from coronary disease, heart attack, stroke, clots, or heart failure.
-Aren't taking medications to control diabetes.
-Aren't pregnant.

To participate or get more details about the study, please call the Intermountain Heart Institute at Intermountain Medical Center in at 801-507-4769.

Mediterranean Diet prevents cardiovascular events in those at high risk

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 17:38:27 -0600

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) - A new study in the New England Journal of medicine shows after five years of research the Mediterranean diet was so effective at reducing rates of heart attack, heart disease, and stroke researchers stopped the study early.

The Mediterranean diet includes eating lots of olive oil, fruits and vegetables, fish, and nuts.

Doctors say those following the Mediterranean diet cut their risk for serious disease 30 percent more than those following just a low fat diet.

For more information log on to: http://oldwayspt.org/

National Kick Butts Day

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 07:39:05 -0600

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) - Today is national “Kick Butts Day”. It’s a day when kids across the country come together and pledge not to smoke.

We all know smoking is bad for our health, but here in Utah it is still a problem with our youth.

One group, The Utah Pride Center right here in Salt Lake, is holding a rally against smoking this weekend.

We talked with Gabe Glissmeyer from the Pride Center about their event.

If you want to attend their event or any of the others, here are some dates, times, and contact numbers:

Students from Tooele County “Most Don’t” Prevention and Advocacy Coalition will hold signs in front of City Hall with messages telling the harmful effects of tobacco. Time: 4 PM.
Location: 90 North Main Street, Tooele.
Contact: Amy Bate (435) 830-6517.
Location: 765 W 1st Avenue, Richfield.
Contact: Lisa Taylor (435) 896-5101.
The Governing Youth Council from Wasatch High School in Heber City will do a threefold event to show their support for Kick Butts Day, including: “cups in a fence,” “They put WHAT in a cigarette,?!” and a “flash mob” after school. Time: 8 AM.
Location: 930 South 500 East, Heber City.
Contact: Trudy Brereton (435) 671-9032.
On March 22, Utah Pride Center will be holding a superhero-themed costume party in Salt Lake City as a fun way for youth to stand up and fight against Big Tobacco. Time: 6 PM.
Location: Utah Pride Center, 355 North 300 West, Salt Lake City.
Contact: Gabe Glissmeyer (801) 793-0410.
On March 23, the Salt Lake Valley Health Department will sponsor a “Kick Ash 5K Fun Run.” Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams will be present to show his support. Time: 9 AM.
Location: Wheeler Farm, 6351 South 900 East, Salt Lake City.
Contact: Kimberly Ennor (970) 201-2760.

Utah teens getting high on syrup-based drink

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 22:14:00 -0600

SALT LAKE CITY, (ABC 4 News) – A sweet drink popular among young adults is sending Utah teens to the hospital, as the drink can cause dangerous effects on the body.

“Robo-tripping” is known as a drink made from cough syrup and popular soda and candy.

Cough syrup contains an ingredient that can be harmful when taken in large amounts.

The drink causes a temporary euphoria, but it can also cause hallucinations, paranoia or trouble walking and talking.

Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Michael Desjardins with Journey Healing Centers in Salt Lake City said he has treated about seven to eight people who have overdosed on the drink since the start of 2013.

“You never hear about it, but this is happening everyday all across the State of Utah and across the country,” Desjardins said.

The drink also goes by the names “Purple drank,” “Lean,” and “Sizzurp.”

Taylorsville mother Tamra Nageli had never heard of it. She said it makes her nervous to know her 14-year-old Perrin son could be exposed to it.

“I know he’s got the common sense not to do that,” she said. “I hope he uses it.”

Perrin doesn’t understand why it is popular. He has heard of other teens drinking cough syrup, but said none of his friends have tried it.

Desjardins said “Robo-tripping” can have permanent psychotic effects.

“It really causes a lot of damage to the body,” he added.

If you think your teen might be abusing cough syrup, lock the medicine in a cabinet. The warning signs include an usual smell on your child, empty or missing cough and cold medicine bottles, and an unexplainable disappearance of money from the house.

Click here to seek help from Journey Healing Centers, a drug rehab center and alcohol addiction treatment in Utah.

New guidelines designed to keep athletes safe from concussions

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 16:56:11 -0600

CLEVELAND CLINIC (ABC 4 News) - It's estimated that more than a million athletes experience a concussion each year in the United States. So, the American Academy of Neurology is releasing a new set of guidelines to evaluate players, which include pulling any player showing signs of a concussion.

Dr. Rick Figler treats concussion at Cleveland Clinic Sports Health. "Sustaining another hit within the period of recovery can be detrimental and the period of recovery can be immediately after the first hit or until the symptoms completely resolved. But we know if the brain is allowed to heal appropriately at that time we think there is a better chance of it recovering faster and possibly better,” explained Dr. Figler.

The updated guidelines list football, rugby, hockey, and soccer as the sports with the greatest risk for concussion. They recommend immediately removing any athlete with suspected concussion from a game or practice and not allowing them to return until they're assessed by a licensed health care professional trained in concussion.

Dr. Figler said, "We think that protecting that younger brain is probably more important for the long-term."

The first 10 days after a concussion appear to be the period of greatest risk for being diagnosed with a concussion and high school or younger athletes should be managed more conservatively. Dr. Figler says parents and coaches need to work together and understand the guidelines are in place with their child's best interest in mind.

"There are a very small percentage of these children who will be going into the major leagues or the NFL or the NBA,” said Dr. Figler. “Be protective of their future, which is primarily going to be their brain function, right?”

The complete list of guidelines can be found in the journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

New device gives hope to those will limited mobility

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 15:45:12 -0600

TAYLORSVILLE, UT (ABC 4 News) - People who suffer strokes or multiple sclerosis often lose the ability to move. The nerves and muscles are still there, but the impulses from the brain don't get through.

One of the several symptoms of Brenda Collard's MS is "drop toe" in her left foot.

Brenda explained, "When you can't lift you're toe, You can't walk. You throw your hip out. You have back ache and hip pain and leg pain. You're just crooked." Because of the drop toe, Brenda could move only with a cane or by leaning on someone.

She'd lived with the condition for years, but then came across an ad in a magazine for the Bioness Company. She called the company. "I talked to one of their people," Brenda said,
"And she started to laugh. And she said do you want to know anything about it? And I said does it help me walk? I want one!"

The Bioness L-300 senses her gait, even the changes in terrain and sends electrical impulses at just the right moment to contract the muscles in her foot and pull up her toes.

Something, so seemingly simple as that, has restored Brenda's ability to walk. "So now when I walk I don't drag my toe, my Bioness lifts my toe up so I have a normal stride."

It has given Brenda her life back. "When you can't play with your grandkids or you can't play with your husband -- you can't take care of yourself. You can't take care of your home. What do you have? Now I have learned to enjoy everyday, it makes it so you can get up in the morning and know that you can do it!"

There are more than 2.5-million people in the United States that suffer from toe drop that may be helped by the Bioness device.

The Shake Weight - Does it Work?

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 10:00:36 -0600

The Shake Weight has been made fun on Saturday Night Live and South Park, but we wanted to see if it really worked.

Study finds increase in younger women being diagnosed with advanced stage breast cancer

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 19:27:47 -0600

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) – A new study shows an increase in younger women being diagnosed with advanced stage breast cancer.

A new study in Journal of the American Medical Association found the number of women between the ages of 25 and 39, being diagnosed with advanced staged breast, has increased from 1.5 per 100,000 in 1976 to 2.9 per 100,000 in 2009.

Dr. Brett Parkinson said it’s a trend that’s also presenting itself here in Utah. "What we're seeing at intermountain is more younger women diagnosed with breast cancer,” said Dr. Parkinson. “We are also seeing that many of those women are also being diagnosed at a later stage."

So why the increase? Dr. Parkinson thinks it may be because women are no longer doing self breast exams.

"What I think what's happened is that there has been a wide spread ignorance of breast health,” said Dr. Parkinson. “So women might not be doing self breast exams so by the time they show up here in the breast center they're more advanced then they used to be."

To decrease the risk, Dr. Parkinson says, it's important for all young women to pay close attention to their family's health history and check themselves regularly.

"The trend is scary and the message we need to get out to women is do not ignore any lumps."

For more information on breast cancer screening log on to: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/screening/breast/Patient/page1

New study shows gastric bypass can put diabetes in remission

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 19:12:49 -0600

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) - A new study finds gastric bypass surgery may not only help obese people lose weight it also helps them beat diabetes.

The study out of the Cleveland Clinic broke down the participants in three groups; one group did it the old fashioned way with diet and exercise, a second group with gastric bypass and a third group had a part of their stomach removed. The study found the group that actually went through the gastric bypass saw a reduction in diabetes.

Diabetes is developed after the pancreas stops working and no longer provides the body with insulin. The new study shows bariatric surgery can actually restore the function of the pancreas and put diabetes in remission.

Dr. Sangeeta Kashyap from the Cleveland Clinic explained, "Many of these people were hanging by a thread. Their pancreas was hanging by a thread and at the end of the two years the ability of the pancreas to produce insulin increased five-fold."

Dr. Ted Adams, Program and Research Director at the Live Well Center in Salt Lake City recently studied the on-going health benefits of gastric bypass. More than 1,100 severely obese patients were followed for six years. His study also showed cholesterol levels, high blood pressure and type ii diabetes decreased or were resolved in those who had the surgery.

Dr. Adams said, "With gastric bypass, almost irrespective of the weight loss, it appears to have an impact upon the pancreas that we don't quite understand the reason for that."

As with any surgery there are risks. So if you're considering gastric bypass you should first consult your doctor.

New Boxing Club hits Salt Lake and is geared towards everyone

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 18:43:38 -0600

COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS, Utah (ABC 4 News) - A one of a kind gym has hit the Salt Lake valley and it's making a wave in the fitness world. Title Boxing Club in Cottonwood Heights is offering people a chance to train with some of the best.

It's a workout unlike any other; one hour straight hitting the bags and moving your feet. This boxing gym isn't just for the boys. The Title Boxing Club is geared towards those who aren't necessarily fighters but are looking to box like one.

First-time fighter Arianna Long said, "I got to actually feel what it feels like to punch with boxing gloves and the intensity that comes with fighting with boxing gloves.">

Long is learning from some of the best. Maryquenn Vellinga is one of the United State's top female boxers. She's making a run at the 2016 Olympics and she's one of Title Boxing Club's trainers.

Vellinga said, "This is my first job in a non-competitive gym and I’m excited to take it to the general public."

Maryquenn started competing about three years ago, but has always been active. She says boxing has taken her fitness to a whole new level.

"The good thing about this kind of workout is you can be at any fitness level and still take it to your maximum potential,” explained Vellinga.

That's what professional UFC fighter Damarques Johnson also wants to teach the new clients. While you may recognize him from Ultimate Fighter, he says you don't have to be a supreme athlete to learn how to be a fighter.

Johnson said, "Everything I do you can do, the camera man, a mom at home, you all are capable of doing it and you're all capable of getting the same kind of results."

For more information log on to: http://titleboxingutah.com/