Health Flash!

Seeing red. If you’re worried about wrist pain at the computer, you may be focused on the wrong concern. Sitting in front of a screen generates three times more eye problems than carpal tunnel syndrome cases. Staring at a monitor can irritate your peepers and affect your sight. Tear your eyes from your screen every two hours to let them rest.

Gaining on breast cancer. Squeezing back into your prom dress may be a worthy goal after all: Women reported weighing 21 to 30 pounds more at menopause than at Age 18 are 40 percent more likely to get breast cancer than those who gained 5 pounds or less, according to a study by the American Cancer Society in Atlanta. Fat tissue ups estrogen levels, which may speed cancer-cell growth. Keep your weight in check now to reduce your long-term risk of the disease.

Nurses tell all. Did you know that a coated pain reliever takes longer to work? Or that an inability to pinpoint exactly where it hurts is a sign you may be suffering a tension headache? Read What Nurses Know.. and Doctors Don’t have Time to Tell You (Perigee), by Patricial Carroll, R.N., for more tips from medical insiders.

Fresh-air food. Smoke levels in the no-cigarette areas of restaurants are still about half of those in the smoking sections. Distance from puffers won’t eliminate your exposure to carcinogenic secondhand smoke, researchers say. Instead of waiting for a table in the nonsmoking section, pick an eatery where lighting up is prohibited.

Action mom. Head to the gym if you’re preparing to have a baby. Women who regularly work out before pregnancy may halve their risk for gestational diabetes. The condition can cause lifetime hypertension and diabetes, so try to prevent it by getting in a least 30 minutes of exercise a day.

Power outage. Ordinary toothbrushes work just, as well as the motorized kind. Nearly 60 percent of dentists use manual brushes on their pearly whites. When used correctly, the old-fashioned cleaners are as effective as electric ones. Hold yours at a 45-degree angle to your gums and scrub gently for about two minutes.