618-L>ncastw Farming, Saturday, February 6, 1988
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I.
Shopping Mania
Shopping has become an almost
universal activity in America-- a
necessary pursuit in a modem soci
ety. It is also a form of entertain
ment, a generally harmless pas
time, except for those people who
let it get out of hand. In this age of
easy credit, most of us know some
one who shops and spends com
pulsively. Personal bankruptcy
increased 462% between 1950 and
1973, and according to a recent
article in the New York Times
Magazine, one in 12 Americans is
overwhelmed by debt.
The compulsive shopper, unlike
the person who makes occasional
impulse purchases, is driven to
consume and cannot control the
urge to buy even when his habit
disrupts his life. Because the phe
nomenon is so widespread, scien
tific researchers have begun to
investigate compulsive shopping.
Researchers at the University of
Southern California recently stud
ied 133 people (ranging in age
from 18 to 89) and found that about
one-third of them regularly exper
ienced what they called in irresisti
ble compulsion to buy. Other preli
minary work with compulsive
shoppers conducted at the Univer
sity of Minnesota indicated that
compulsive shopping is often a
reaction to stress or depression. In
one survey over 40% of those who
defined themselves as compulsive
shoppers said they were most like
ly to buy something when “feeling
bad” about themselves. About the
same number of people also admit
ted that their closets were filled
with unopened items.
According to the study done at
the University of Southern Califor
nia, compulsive shopping is not
confined to women. Anyone can
succumb. In some cases shopping
can become an addiction like gam
bling. One warning sign is con
tinued spending in the face of
financial difficulties and mounting
debt The compulsive shopper can
take some constructive actions on
his own. Keeping a diary of purch
ases may help, and so may putting
a distance between impulse and
action. For example, keeping cre
dit cards in a safe deposit box
might break a pattern for some
people. Trying to analyze the
motives for compulsive shopping
may also help. If unhappiness is
the cause, there are more effective
remedies than shopping. A support
group may help. Check your phone
book for a local chapter of Debtors
Annonymous (modeled after
Alcoholics Anonymous). The
National Foundation for Consum
er Credit (301-589-5600) can sug
gest credit counseling services.
The Bugs
Bunny Diet
“Are carrots really good for
your eyes?” asks the straight man
in the old joke. Answer: “Did you
ever see a rabbit wearing glasses?
Carrots are definitely good for
your eyes, since they are the
world’s richest source of beta car
otene, which the body converts to
vitamin A, a crucial nutrient for the
health of the retina. Besides that,
beta carotene, an antioxidant, is
- v also believed to be a pfotector
Heard?
By Doris Thomas
Lancaster Extension
Home Economist
against cancer. And carrots may
also help lower blood cholesterol.
Carrots are a smart way to get
your beta carotene and vitamin A.
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Fully formed vitamin A occurs
only in animal products such as
liver, butter, whole milk, cheese,
and egg yolk, where it comes
packed with a fair amount of satur
ated fat and cholesterol. Some peo
ple respond to this news by turning
to vitamin supplements, but these
may be dangerous. Megadoses of
preformed vitamin A are toxic.
Even doses as low as seven times
the Recommended Dietary Allow
ance can produce adverse reac
tions in some people- fatigue,
insomnia, and weight loss. But
beta carotene is essentially nontox
ic. Even in huge doses, all it can do
is give your skin a yellowish tinge.
The body regulates the conversion
of beta carotene to vitamin A so
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there is never too much of it. For
that reason, several large vitamin
manufacturers are planning to
replace vitamin A with beta car
otene in their supplements.
But you are still better off with
carrots than pills. Just one three
ounce carrot has enough beta car
otene to supply your body with
five times the vitamin A it needs
daily. A carrot also contains one to
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two grams of dietary fiber.
are among the sweetest tasting
vegetables, yet that three-ounce
carrot has only calories.
A wo: jf v i about the
r ibits-and-glas l ue: vitamin
A will not cure or
farsightedness and can improve
vision only if >, on problems
result from a vitam * A deficiency,
which is a rare c. dition in this
country.
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