Dr. Steve: Wednesday

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7:00am Segment Info:
Want your kid to be a star pitcher one day? Well you better start now, in the winter, if you want to save his pitching arm. A new study finds that a simple game of catch in the months before baseball season can help prevent rotator cuff injuries, which are becoming more common among young pitchers. They say pitchers should play catch, not pitch off the mound, for a few minutes every day beginning in December, and gradually increase throwing as it gets closer to the start of spring training.

What's the rotator cuff and how do you know if you have an injury there?

The rotator cuff is group of four muscles and their tendons that connect the shoulder blade to the upper arm. If it's injured you can have weakens and or pain in the shoulder as well as difficulty raising your arm over your head. Throwing a lot of pitches and throwing curve balls can increase the risk of injury. By the way, the researchers also suggested young pitchers start a weight-training program where these young athletes do multiple repetitions with three- to five-pound weights. The goal is not to bulk up, but to gain strength and flexibility. Pitchers will also benefit from strengthening their upper body and legs. That adds speed to their fastball and reduces stress on their arm.

In other news, there's a report on anorexia.

Two studies on how anorexia affects the brain after women have stopped starving themselves.

Researchers say they have trouble enjoying their food or experiencing other pleasures. In the first report, with the help of brain scans they found that anorexics didn't respond as strongly to sugar water as healthy women did, and in the second, the same was true when they played a betting game. Scientists say the women tend to be worried about consequences of things rather than the here and now.

Speaking of the here and now, every parent has had their kid complain they have a tummy ache. How can you know if it's for real or not?

It can be difficult to figure out sometimes even for a doctor partly because so many kids complain of a bellyache and have nothing wrong with them.

A new study finds one in five children will develop chronic abdominal pain during adolescence. It's more common in girls than in boys, 33 percent compared to about 13 percent. The researchers say girls that are compulsive, high strung and perfectionists are more likely to have the condition. They also tend to suffer from frequent headaches.

8:00am Ask The Doctor Segment Info:

1. I've heard about diets that separate the good carbs from the bad carbs. Can you explain the difference between a good and bad carb?
Donna from Flushing Queens

Donna carbohydrates are basically sugars, starches and fibers. They're great for energy and the good carbs are those that contain fiber, protein and even some good fats in them. For example, fruits & vegetables, whole grains & beans you may notice they all have one thing in common, they're all in their natural state in their whole form. Bad carbs are those that are processed, like sugar, white bread and pasta - foods that have had the fiber and other nutrients stripped away.

2. I'm considering getting a tattoo, but I've heard all sorts of stories about not being able to donate blood if I do. Is it true?
Jason from NYC, NY

Jason, this is straight from the American Red Cross. The big concern here is about hepatitis. You can donate blood if your tattoo was applied by a state-regulated entity that uses sterile needles and ink that is not reused. Only a few states currently regulate tattoo facilities, so in general most donors with tattoos must wait 12 months after tattoo application before donating blood. Keep in mind after you give blood it will be screened before it's given to anyone.

3. How long should I wait after lunch to work out?
Eita from NYC, NY

Eita, anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours - it depends on how much you eat, you don't want your digestive system to compete with your muscles for blood. What you eat is important as well. When you exercise, you'll feel better if you eat something that's high in simple carbs and low in fat. Before an intense workout you want to avoid carbs that are high in fiber because they can give you gas or cause cramping.

4. Is there any effective hair loss treatments on the markets?
Mike from Ridgewood, NJ

Mike, let me just say that there are products available like Minoxidil and Propecia that can slow hair loss and even stimulate new hair growth, but the key here is that it can only slow the process down. There's no cure for baldness and the bottom line is that while these products may slow things down a bit. They're not going to make it go away. Hair transplants have come a long way these days where doctors transplant individual follicles at a time, so you don't get that doll hair effect.