Dr. Steve Info: Wednesday

Do you have a question for Dr. Steve, CLICK HERE

7:00am Segment Info:
We don't really think about staying hydrated. For most of us when we get thirsty, we drink. Now a new study finds that older people are more likely to become dehydrated because their brains underestimate how much water the body needs to remain healthy. Researchers from Australia say that a part of the brain that regulates thirst switches off in older people before their body has been adequately hydrated. The study was small, it involved only 12 men aged 65 to 74, and 10 men aged 21 to 30. Both groups were given something salty to make them thirsty. Brain scans showed both groups had the same level of thirst but the older group drank less than half as much water before the thirst signal in the brain was switched off.

So what does this mean for older people?

It means they have to think about keeping hydrated. They can't necessarily trust the sensation of thirst. Adults should drink about eight glasses of water per day to prevent dehydration and physically active adults may need more. If you have normal functioning kidneys and liver, a good measure of hydration is the color of your urine. It should be a light yellow color, if it's clear, you're probably too well hydrated, if it's dark, you may need more.

In other news, the city is launching a new campaign to help get New Yorkers healthy.

That's right. You know that you can't get healthy without eating your fruits and veggies, right? Well now the city is planning to approve 15 hundred extra permits for street vendors who agree to sell fruits and vegetables in some of the city's poorest neighborhoods. There's no shortage of these guys in wealthy neighborhoods like the Upper East Side, but you can't find them in some of the poorer neighborhoods. The mayor says the plan could save 100 lives a year just by getting people to eat better because low income neighborhoods are plagued by obesity and diabetes.

What do local supermarkets have to say?

A lobbyist for the small supermarkets says they would love to sell more fruits and vegetables but their customers don't want them. So it will be interesting to see if these vendors do well. This is really part of a larger problem. What these communities need is education. Of course putting the vegetable carts is a step in the right direction, but people need to have a better understanding of nutrition.

8:00am Ask The Doctor Segment Info:
1. Why is it, when I eat breakfast I am hungry all day? However, when I don't eat breakfast I am not hungry throughout the day.
Ulani from Manhattan

Ulani, it depends on what you're eating for breakfast. If you're going with something that's high carb and low in protein like a danish or maybe some cereal, you're likely to be hungry the rest of the day. If you don't eat anything your body will eventually take what it needs from lean body mass so you won't feel hungry, but you want to avoid that at all costs. Instead, why not have a healthy breakfast that's high in protein, whole grain carbs and some good healthy fats. I eat eggs with one yolk. And whole wheat toast, and follow it up with some zero percent fat Greek yogurt. It keeps me going all morning.

2. At what age do women go through menopause?
Rebecca from the Bronx

Rebecca, most women go through menopause around age 51 on average - some sooner, some later. Technically, you don't actually "hit" menopause until it's been one year since your final menstrual period. Leading up to menopause you may notice changes in your menstrual pattern in your 40's. That's called the perimenopausal period. It comes from hormone fluctuations. You may also notice hot flashes, sleep problems and mood swings as well, but you haven’t gone through menopause unless you've not had a period for a year.

3. Why do peoples’ noses run more in the wintertime?
Rich from NY

Rich, besides just helping us smell, the noses job is to warm and humidify the air we breathe. When it's really cold outside your nose kicks into high gear to warm and humidify the air. Blood vessels dilate and glands secrete extra mucus resulting in a runny nose. To make matters worse, then the cold air hits the warmer air in your nose water particles condense and mix with mucus and run out your nose. A severe form of this is called vasomotor rhinitis. I suggest you carry a tissue in your pocket.

4. What cause migraines and what is the best medicine to prevent it?
Victoria from the Bronx

Victoria, believe it or not there's still a lot we don't know about migraines. Researchers believe the problem comes from a combination of things, a change in the trigeminal nerve pathway in the nervous system and imbalances of the brain chemical serotonin. The end result is dilating blood vessels that become inflamed. There are many different treatments for migraines and strategies to keep them at bay, too many to mention here. If you suffer from migraines i suggest you see a neurologist or migraine specialist.