PERSONAL GROWTH

Travel Bag

Tracers can set off alarms

Diagnostic procedures such as CT and other scans involve the use of a radioactive tracer. Hospitals aren't required to mention that the tracer can trigger airport security sensors for up to two months after the test even if the amount of radiation is low.

To avoid airport delays and searches, researchers at Abt Associates in Cambridge, Mass., recommend asking for a note after any test involving radioactive or nuclear material. It should give the date of the test and the phone number of the specific department that did it.

Returning from Canada or Mexico

The doctor's note is important if you want to avoid hassles at U.S. border checkpoints when returning by car from Canada or Mexico. Nuclear isotopes and radioactive material from medical procedures will set off alarms. The radiation monitors installed at checkpoints are designed to foil terrorists who might be smuggling nukes or dirty bombs.

If you set off an alarm, you will be detained while officers search you and your car for the source of the radiation. Travelers who have had medical procedures are the main reason radiation alarms go off, according to the Homeland Security Department.

Lap kids at risk on the flight

The airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration don't require babies under age 2 to travel in child safety seats. Cost is the main reason. The FAA says if parents have to pay for the child's seat, they might choose to drive instead, which is statistically more dangerous.

Aircraft are designed to withstand tremendous g-forces, but humans are not. A 25-pound baby could be impossible for a parent to hold in an emergency, since g-forces could make the child up to four times heavier. Or the baby could be crushed by the parent's weight.

To ensure that a baby or small child will be safe while flying, strap the child into a safety seat. Buy a seat for each child, including the baby.

Darker days make you feel logy? What you can do to fight SAD

The condition has been called "cabin fever" and the "winter blues."

More specifically, it's seasonal affective disorder (SAD). To some degree, it affects millions of North Americans, especially those in northern climes.

New research at Loyola University's Stritch School of Medicine indicates that it is a physical disorder first. Reduced exposure to light could cause a biochemical imbalance in the brain.

The Loyola researchers think SAD may be a genetic leftover, the human equivalent to hibernation.

Those with mild to moderate cases begin to notice the symptoms in the fall. Here are some things they can do to get a more upbeat outlook:

• Get outside for 30 minutes a day. Go out at mid-day when you can.
  
  
  
• Doctors at emedicinehealth.com recommend taking a multivitamin that includes magnesium, B complex and minerals. They suggest avoiding caffeine and practicing stress management.
  
  
  
• Walking and aerobic exercise can improve mood and strength.

People with more serious cases of SAD say the deep winter is hard to handle. They sleep more but still feel tired. They may gain weight and feel irritable or depressed.

There are established treatments for SAD. In light therapy, patients sit under a special lamp called a light box or wear a visor outfitted with a bulb for a prescribed period of time each day.

Dawn light stimulators are easy to use. These light machines create a sunrise-like atmosphere in the morning.

Some doctors prescribe antidepressants for the condition.

Seasonal mood changes should be taken seriously and discussed with a doctor. If not treated, they can become more serious in years to come.

Get real, get better: Do one thing at a time

There's only one reason multitasking is not a four-letter word: It has 12 letters. In spite of that, it's a word that has developed a bad reputation.

Not long ago, workers were proud that they could talk on the phone and read email at the same time. But people they were talking to knew they weren't paying full attention, and relationships were tarnished.

In his book, The Myth of Multitasking: How 'Doing it All' Gets Nothing Done, author Dave Crenshaw says technology has evolved, but the brain has not. It still does one thing at a time, rapidly switching back and forth. Each switch makes it less effective at both tasks.

When people work on two things at once, they often have to retrace their steps in order to correct mistakes. No time saved there.

Edward Hallowell, MD and attention deficit specialist says it's like playing tennis with two balls. Your game is not as good as it would be with one ball.

Talking on a cellphone while driving is one of the worst multitasks. Studies show it takes longer to get where you're going. It's dangerous, and in unfamiliar territory, you could take a wrong turn and get lost. It's hard enough to drive and check the GPS at the same time.

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