Don’t Panic, Help for Anxiety Disorders Is Here
Feeling anxious or fearful? Wondering if you might need help? The New York-based Freedom From Fear--together with other national mental health advocacy groups--will host National Anxiety Disorders Screening Day on Wednesday at about 1,180 sites nationwide, including more than 70 sites in California.
More than 50,000 people are expected to participate in the free and confidential program, which includes the viewing of a 15-minute video that explains the five most common anxiety disorders: general anxiety, panic disorder, social phobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Each attendee will also fill out a questionnaire and have a free individual review with a mental health professional. Free educational materials will be available. For more information and the name of the center nearest you, call (800) 442-2020.
Most Men Have No Reason to Worry
Researchers at UC San Francisco have determined that the average erect penis is 5.1 inches long.
And based on those findings, few men need the surgical technique to lengthen their penises, says Dr. E. Douglas Whitehead, a New York City urologist and director of the Assn. for Male Sexual Dysfunction.
The results were presented at a recent meeting of the American Urological Assn. The group has criticized penile-augmentation surgery. The study, which measured the length and circumference of 60 penises, was performed by Dr. Hunter Wessells and Dr. Jack McAninch.
Whitehead says 90% of men who undergo penile-enlargement surgery are of normal proportions without the procedures and seek them purely for self-esteem or cosmetic reasons.
A Workout Fit for a SEAL--or a Couch Potato
Mark De Lisle didn’t plan on writing a manual about fitness. He was just tired of answering so many questions about how best to attain a sleek physique.
De Lisle, a four-year veteran of the Navy SEALs, was stationed off the coast of Somalia last year when he decided to write “The Cutting Edge Total Body Workout.” The 73-page, photo-filled guide, co-written by shipmate R.J. Wolf, reveals the training secrets of the SEALs.
“I was on a ship with 900 people, but only 18 of us were SEALs, and whenever anyone sees a SEAL they assume you know about fitness,” De Lisle says. “I had a lot of people asking what would be a good exercise routine, so I figured I might as well write it down.”
The self-published guide covers a variety of weights-free exercises that tone specific muscle groups, such as “dive bomber pushups” and “commando pullups.” De Lisle, who wrote the manual with the Navy’s blessings, says the program is designed for everyone, from Olympic athletes to couch potatoes.
“It’s great for people who don’t want to spend a lot of money on home gyms,” De Lisle says. “You can fit it in your briefcase.”
* To order, call (619) 224-1515. Price: $19.95, plus $2.05 shipping and handling.
Briefly . . .
Lip-reading and coping skills are taught on Wednesdays at the House Ear Institute, 2100 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles. People with hearing loss and their spouses are encouraged to attend. Call Felice Kolda at (310) 395-1689 . . . The nation’s first permanent exhibit on AIDS is at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. Displays include Toss-A-Virus, which shows how the virus attaches to a cell, and a six-foot-tall Virus Wheel that illustrates five major viruses and the tissues they affect . . . The NatusPatch is a handy medicated adhesive patch for pain. You place it directly over ouchies--sprains, bruises and muscle aches--for relief. Call (800) 471-PATCH . . . Encino-Tarzana Regional Medical Center, 18321 Clark St., Tarzana, hosts free cancer support groups midweek. Call (800) 77-WOMEN to register . . . Santa Monica Hospital’s “Body and Sole” health festival includes a 5K walk ($5 donation in lieu of entry fee) that starts at 9 a.m. on May 13 at Santa Monica Place, 4th Street and Broadway. Call (800) 922-0000 to register . . . UCLA is participating in a nationwide study on women and midlife transition, sponsored by the National Institute on Aging. Japanese and white women, 40-55 years old, who want to volunteer should call (310) 794-8584 . . . From sunrise to sunset on May 11, St. Jude Medical Center, 101 E. Valencia Mesa Drive, Fullerton, will raise funds with a Treadmill Relay. The goal is 800,000 steps ($1 for every step). Call (714) 992-3033 to sign up . . . Men typically turn to a hobby or alcohol to escape a rotten mood while women turn to food, says Robert E. Thayer, psychologist at Cal State Long Beach. “Just a 10-minute brisk walk will give you one hour of increased energy and reduced tension,” Thayer says in New Choices for Retirement Living magazine . . . Fabric softeners dilute the flame retardant in children’s clothing, according to the Soap and Detergent Assn.
* This health roundup, compiled by Candace A. Wedlan from wire service reports, appears in Life & Style on Tuesdays.
