Foot Pain and Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis is a big word for an inflammation on the bottom of the foot. We all have this lining that runs from the front of our foot to the back, and this lining can actually get very tight and terse. When that gets tight, pain actually can radiate through that. That pain, that plantar fasciitis, usually reveals itself on the first step of the day when you get out of bed. It can be made a lot better by wearing more comfortable shoes. Shoes that provide more support and that are actually better for the feet.

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Eating More Chocolate Is Associated with Higher Depression Scores

Chocolate and Depression  Eating more chocolate is associated with higher depression scores.  Researchers assessed the mood of 931 participants who were not taking antidepressants using a standard depression scale.  They then correlated the results from those with a food survey.  Those who scored very highly, reflecting probable major depression, reported consuming more than twice as much chocolate as those who were negative for depression.  The findings were similar between women and men.  The researchers speculate that depression may stimulate cravings for chocolate as a form of self-medication.  Animal studies suggest that chocolate may have positive mood benefits, however, they cannot rule out the possibility that chocolate actually contributes to the depressed mood, or that both cravings and depressed mood are caused by a third, underlying factor.  The report is in the Archives of Internal Medicine. 

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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.