Stretch to Avoid Neck Pain

Neck pain is far more common now even than than it used to be. Part of the problem is people spend so much time in front of computers. They use the computers for all sorts of things and the typing and bending at the neck can cause pain. Computers are very helpful as tools and one of the things you can do to avoid the neck pain is to make sure you take the time to stretch, to move around, and to try to do what you can to keep the area actually free. If you can do that and actually stretch out, you’re going to make a big difference and have less pain.

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Anorexia Is Rooted in Body-Image Issues

Anorexia is a serious health problem; one which has a strong psychological component.  I think  one of the things that we really need to talk about is the fact that when someone has weight loss that is of a type that makes you think of anorexia, you have to think of what their body self-image is, how they feel about themselves, because correcting that sometimes is the best way to correct the weight issues.  Believe me, it is not easy, but it's important to try.  

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Depressed Adults Are Likely to Also Be Smokers

Depression and Smokers  More than 40% of U.S. adults who have depression are also smokers, meaning people need help with both if they want to quit.  According to a U.S. Government survey published, it says that more than half of middle-aged men with depression were also smokers, while half of women under 40 who were depressed also smoked.  About 7% of U.S. adults had depression in the years 2005 through 2008.  Globally, tobacco kills about 5 million people a year and according to the World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it's a big deal.  On average, smokers die 13 to 14 years earlier than non-smokers.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says cigarette smoking is responsible for about one in five deaths annually, or about 440,000 deaths per year.  

Chemotherapy and New Developments

One of the biggest problems we have with chemotherapy to treat cancer is the fact that there can be devastating side-effects.  The simplest way I can explain chemo is the drugs can be given to kill the cancer cells, but in doing so, the drugs actually harm the healthy cells.  In other words, we are sending invaders into the body to kill cancer cells, but there are casualties everywhere else.  Now, a new report in the journal Nature Biotechnology suggests there could be some new developments.  It all has to do with tumor-targeted antibodies.  They're highly efficient at recognizing cancer cells while ignoring normal cells.  This feature has been exploited for targeted drug therapy.  There are drugs like this out there being used right now, but the next generation, that's the next generation to be tested, they are much more effective and there is a lot more optimism.

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. 

Breast Feeding and Development: A Connection??

Could being breast-fed as a baby have a long-term impact on behavior as an adult? According to a new report in the Archives of Disease in Childhood it just might. The new report finds that babies who are breast-fed for at least four months are less likely to have behavioral problems as five year olds. We know that breast-feeding has other advantages including help with fighting infections because of antibodies transferred in mother's milk and with bonding between mother and child. Obviously this is excellent news for breast-feeding mothers. However I'm always concerned about studies like this. Many women have difficulty breast-feeding and it is important they don't feel guilty if they can't. Today we have infant formula that closely matches breastmilk. Mothers who spend quality time feeding their baby with the bottle certainly can bond with the child as well. Nevertheless this is a very interesting study and one that no doubt will be followed up with further studies in time

New Information about PTSD

Posttraumatic stress disorder or PTSD is a major complication for soldiers fighting wars. There are obvious reasons for this. Stress, the concern over life or death, and fear of the unknown often contribute. But when soldiers witness death and destruction directly they can have long-term effects. But what soldiers are at greater risk to develop PTSD. Are there certain characteristics? Are there certain ways to find out? According to a new study in the archives of Gen. Psychiatry, military service members who screened positive for signs of PTSD before they were deployed were five times more likely to develop the condition. There were other risk factors. Those who took psychiatric drugs before deployment were to two and a half more times more likely. Experts say that early intervention is necessary for people at risk