Lifestyle and Health

Call me a realist rather than an eternal optimist.  When I tell my patients to do certain things or make certain lifestyle changes, I try to look inward and see if I could do it myself.  Rather than make a blanket statement with unrealistic expectations, I try to work with my patients to find a plan that's acceptable for both sides.  Let's use dieting as an example.  If someone is 20 pounds overweight, it's obvious that there is a need to lose lots of weight, but most people find it easier to lose 3 to 5 pounds over several months than 20 all at once.  And, it's important that the weight goes away and doesn't come back.  If you look at the big picture, weight-loss is a lifetime process and a person who makes real lifestyle changes is the ultimate winner.  When you approach your own health challenges, be realistic and don't set the bar too high.  We all like success and little victories can be as good as major ones. 

Would You Want To Know If Your 11 Year Old Will Get Cancer At Age 44?

There have been many tremendous breakthroughs in the field of genetic research. As a result of greater understanding of the genetic code we understand the origin of many illnesses and conditions some of which can be life-threatening. But a new report in the Journal Pediatrics takes a look and a very interesting study which is based on the information we have learned from genetic research. Do the majority of parents who have young children want to know what conditions their children may develop when they are older. In other words would you as a parent wants to know if your young child was someday going to suffer from a certain form of cancer or genetic disease. According to the new study a majority of parents would want their children to be tested and know the results. The American Academy of pediatrics advises against this type of testing. This is an interesting study that at one time would have been a hypothetical discussion. But it is becoming more realistic everyday.

It Is A Battle Over The Medical Chart These Days

There is a battle going on in medicine these days and as patients it is very important that you know what is happening. I don’t know if you saw the Seinfeld episode where Elaine wants to see what is on her doctor’s chart. It is actually very entertaining to watch the comedy surrounding what Elaine sees as her doctor’s ability to write anything he wants seemingly without her control. Fortunately, patients have access to their charts and have control. But the battle I am talking about has to do with hospital charts. Each day doctors, nurse and anyone involved with an in patient’s care writes notes as a way to communicate information to other healthcare providers –information that is crucial for your healthcare. But, long after discharge the government and other payers for care look at the notes and determine what they will pay for your hospitalization. The battle is that the notes are potentially being used to generate payments. We need to return to a  time when the charts were used to help people get better ..not justify fees.

Herpes Lasts Forever

There is a concerning new study dealing with the herpes virus. According to a report in the Journal of the American Medical Association people with genital herpes can be contagious even when they don't have symptoms. We have known for many years that herpes is spread through sexual contact when people have source or what is called prodromal period in the days before the soars appear. Worldwide more than 530 million people at the herpes virus and according to this report people who harbor the virus can be shedding it as much as 10% of the time. This means they could infect sexual partners. Although  use of condoms can reduce the spread of genital herpes, it does not provide 100% percent protection.

Are your Kids Making You Fat???

Are you having a struggle with weight loss? Is it difficult to keep those extra pounds from attaching to your hips? Well now you have someone to blame. According to a study from University of Minnesota mothers of young children were heavier and ate more calories, fatty foods and sugary drinks than women without children. In addition both parents were less active than those of the same age without children. The study was not a small one. There were over 1500 adults with children younger than five. According to the report which is in today's journal pediatrics the mothers in this study with young children had a diet so poor that they would have to walk more than 3 miles a day to not gain a pound. The authors of this study suggest that parents with young children trying to take them outside and spend time exercising with them. Some ideas are going for walks with children in a stroller or playing games that increased levels of activity for both the child and parents. The hope is to reverse bad habits not only for mom and dad but for children as well

Longer Hours: Greater Risk of Heart Disease

Let's face it we live in a society where people are working overtime in many cases just to make ends meet. But according to a report in the Annals of Internal Medicine there could be a stiff price to pay for this. Adults who work 11 hours or longer each day at a 67% higher risk of developing heart disease when compared to people who only work 7 to 8 hours per day. When you examine the study is quite clear that there is a price to pay for working extended hours. People working longer hours tend to exercise less and the work environment increase the amount of stress in a person's life. Both of these factors have been associated with an increased risk of heart disease. The study was conducted at the University of London.

Sleep and Obesity

We know that sleep is very important. But according to a new report when you combine a lack of sleep with stress it can lead to big problems especially when it comes to weight. The study in the International Journal of Obesity found that if you slept 6 to 8 hours a day and were under stress you lost less weight than if you slept the same amount and weren't under stress. This is particularly important because it could affect the way we treat obesity in the future. Obviously we look at things like diet and exercise but it is clear that we have to start looking at lifestyle. We need to include things like the stress a person feels that they are facing each day. Whether the stress is real or perceived the same when it comes to the person. In addition we need to be concerned about proper time and again to getting sleep as well as the issues that may prevent people from getting the sleep they need. This could include their environment, their mood and the foods they eat