Notes: HealthNews RoundUp - 3rd Week of September, 2019

 

Have Time-Outs Passed Their Time

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/X36J-0nZ-rk

 

The common child discipline, the good old time out, is safe and effective.  University of Michigan pediatric psychologists report this conclusion after studying a large group of children in Early Had State Research study at 3 points in their early development: around 3, 4 and 10 years of age.

 

Despite the statements found on 30% of parental advice websites, time outs are recommended by the Academy of Pediatrics and not associated with anxiety, depression, aggressive behavior, or loss of self-control.  

 

Time outs are part of my 4 commandments of good parenting that I’ll review in another report.

 

Rachel M. Knight, Jeremy Albright, Lindsay Deling, Dawn Dore-Stites, Amy K. Drayton. Longitudinal Relationship Between Time-Out and Child Emotional and Behavioral Functioning. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 2019; 1 DOI: 10.1097/DBP.0000000000000725

 

#Timeouts #parenting #discipline

Timeouts, parenting, discipline

 

 

Four Commandments Of Good Parenting

Vidcast:  ttps://youtu.be/YZQ4NNpfZ1Y

 

After my years as a camp counselor, raising 4 kids, and caring for children and their parents as a pediatric otolaryngologist for 40 years, here are my go-to principles for effective parenting.

 

ONE. Consistency.  Establish reasonable boundaries that create security.  Offer praise and rewards for remaining within them.  Use a carrot versus a stick.  Announce consequences for violations.  Say what you’ll do and do what you say.

 

TWO: Responsibility.  Allow progressive decision-making within limited choice boundaries even for infants and toddlers.  Child refuses food.  You say, “Do you want apples or peaches?” Have a balky, uncooperative teen?  “Do you want garbage or yard duty?”

 

THREE: Distraction.   When the inevitable poor behaviors and disagreements arise, distract using redirection to a different activity or location and…..

 

FOUR: Humor.  Laughter and smiles are powerful parenting tools.  Don’t be afraid to clown around and show love in a offbeat ways.

 

#parenting #consistency #responsibility #distraction #humor

parenting, consistency, responsibility, distraction, humor

 

 

Active Thinking Requires More Sleep

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/UUTcZc0Izxs

 

The harder you think, the more sleep you require.  Neuroscientists at University College London report this finding after studying sleeping patterns in zebrafish.  These marine animals are a good model since, like humans, require a daily sleep session to rejuvenate their brains.

 

Experimental animals were driven to continuous brain activity by drugs such as caffeine or by forced, non-stop, swimming.  When an opportunity for them to rest occurred, they demonstrated a greater need for sleep.

 

Now that school and work are back in full swing, we all must be certain to permit our brains sufficient time for a recharge.  That necessary rejuvenation only comes from restful, deep, and uninterrupted sleep.

 

Sabine Reichert, Oriol Pavón Arocas, Jason Rihel. The Neuropeptide Galanin Is Required for Homeostatic Rebound Sleep following Increased Neuronal Activity. Neuron, 2019; DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2019.08.010

 

#Thought #sleep

Thought, sleep

 

 

Peanut Allergies Return Unless Therapy Continues

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/OSjfU5mXNbI

 

Studies prove that oral exposure to peanut protein can tame deadly peanut allergies.   The FDA just approved a drug therapy program, Palforzia, to do just that.  

 

A Stanford University study now shows that peanut reactivity will return unless therapeutic peanut exposures continue.   The researchers studied 120 peanut-allergic participants. 

 

After nearly 3.5 months of ever increasing peanut protein, all were successfully desensitized and could safely consume the equivalent of 200 peanuts.  Stopping the 200 peanut treatments completely or continuing with daily exposures of only 15 peanuts a day failed to maintain peanut non-reactivity.

 

This result suggests that any desensitization program, including Palforzia, will require continuation of therapy for an extended period.  It would be dangerous to stop. 

 

R Sharon Chinthrajah, MD ,Natasha Purington, MS, Sandra Andorf, PhD, etal.  Sustained outcomes in oral immunotherapy for peanut allergy (POISED study): a large, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2 study.  The Lancet.  Published:September 12, 2019DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(19)31793-3

 

#Peanutallergy #oralimmmunotherapy

Peanutallergy, oralimmmunotherapy

 

 

Hunger Cripples Decision-making

Vidcast:  ttps://youtu.be/0PQgrkKSGSw

 

You’ll make poor choices and turn in awful intellectual performances on an empty stomach.  Psychologists at Scotland’s University of Dundee put 50 participants to the test either 2 hours after eating or following a 10 hour fast.

 

Test results revealed that hunger triggers impatience, impulsivity, and a need for immediate gratification .  The well-fed were willing to wait over a month for a substantial reward while the hungry could only manage 3 days.

 

If you want and need consistent mental performance, start with a good breakfast and eat regularly.  The researchers add, of course, that you shouldn’t food shop when you’re hungry.

 

Jordan Skrynka, Benjamin T. Vincent. Hunger increases delay discounting of food and non-food rewards. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 2019; DOI: 10.3758/s13423-019-01655-0

 

 

#Hunger #impulsivity #impatience

Hunger, impulsivity, impatience

 

 

A Vegan Sabbatical Can Boost Your Health 

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/4V_LSBkMV5s

 

Four months on a plant-based, low fat diet can cleanse your gut and leave you with a healthier microbiome that helps you control your weight, improve your body composition, and avoid diabetes.  The Physician Committee for Responsible Medicine demonstrated this result after studying 147 subject half of whom followed the vegan program.

 

Those foregoing meat and fish showed significantly reduced body weights, a significantly lower fat mass, an increase in their insulin sensitivity, and a healthier gastrointestinal bacterial composition.  The investigators conclude that the fiber from the plant-based diet is the magic sauce that refines the gut microbiome.

 

If you’re looking for a healthy way to lose some weight and improve your metabolism, take a break and become a vegan for 12 weeks.

 

Diabetologia. "Short-term study suggests vegan diet can boost gut microbes related to body weight, body composition and blood sugar control." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 16 September 2019. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/09/190916185819.htm.

 

#Vegan #microbiome #weightloss #diabetes

Vegan, microbiome, weightloss, diabetes

 

 

Introverts Are Happier As Fake Extroverts

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/eFtj42jop5Q

 

If you’re quiet and withdrawn by nature, you’ll be happier if you push yourself to be outgoing.  UC-Riverside psychologists studied 123 subjects classifying them as introverts or extroverts.

 

Investigators coached each participant to act, for one week, as quiet, reserved introverts or as talkative, outgoing, “life of the party” extroverts.

 

The participants reported greater feelings of well-being during their week spent as extroverts.   Those who were naturally quiet and had to work the hardest to be talkative and spontaneous showed no ill effects as the result of the charade.

 

We are all actors of sorts, and this study shows that it is healthy to get outside yourself.  Humans are naturally social animals, and the qualities associated with extroversion facilitate that tendency.

 

Seth Margolis, Sonja Lyubomirsky. Experimental manipulation of extraverted and introverted behavior and its effects on well-being.. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 2019; DOI: 10.1037/xge0000668

 

 

#Extroversion #introversion #acting

Extroversion, introversion, acting

 

 

How To Be An Extrovert

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/BV1PEQG6hzk

 

WikiHow’s 3 step program to become extroverted.  It is excellent, and I will paraphrase it.

 

ONE: Have the mindset. TWO: Do the work. THREE: Engage with others.

 

Have the mindset: 

• Value Extroversion: make friends easily, comfortable in crowds, keep a party going.

• Envision yourself as a good extrovert: not phony or hurtful.

• Select a spot on the extrovert spectrum.

• Look forward to feeling better about yourself.

• Know transition is difficult.

 

Do the work: 

• Observe.

• Perform.

• Start small.

• Be around people.

• Know yourself

• Walk on the wild side.

 

Practice:

• Find the right group.

• Play your strengths

• Talk

• Assert yourself

• Interrupt politely

• Attract attention

• Make people laugh

• Keep the party going.

 

 

https://www.wikihow.com/Be-an-Extrovert

 

#Extroversion #introversion #acting

Extroversion, introversion, acting

 

 

Heart Infections Soaring

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/-81VImw-zEo

 

The prevalence of heart infections, bacterial infestations of the valves and cardiac linings known as endocarditis, have nearly doubled in drug abusers.  Cardiologists at the Cleveland Clinic studied nearly 1 million hospitalized patients with this disorder to understand the causes.

 

The drug users who developed bacterial endocarditis were predominately young, white men with incomes among the lowest 25%.  They had higher rates of concurrent hepatitis C, alcohol abuse, and HIV infection compared with non-drug abusing cardiac patients.  They were more likely to require heart surgery and had longer hospital stays and higher health care expenses.

 

Bacterial heart infections occur when germs enter the bloodstream, usually from reused and contaminated drug paraphernalia.  If you must use drugs, hopefully to withdraw from them, consume them by mouth.  If not, enlist help from clinicians to obtain sterile equipment.

 

Amer N. Kadri, Bryan Wilner, Adrian V. Hernandez, Georges Nakhoul, Johnny Chahine, Brian Griffin, Gosta Pettersson, Richard Grimm, Jose Navia, Steven Gordon, Samir R. Kapadia, Serge C. Harb. Geographic Trends, Patient Characteristics, and Outcomes of Infective Endocarditis Associated With Drug Abuse in the United States From 2002 to 2016. Journal of the American Heart Association, 2019; 8 (19) DOI: 10.1161/JAHA.119.012969

 

#Endocarditis #drugabuse

Endocarditis, drugabuse

 

 

Fewer Surgery Recommendations At Day’s End

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/bTWGLdnm90w

 

If you prefer more conservative medical therapy but must visit a surgeon for a consultation, pick an appointment at the end of day or just before lunch.  You’ll be half as likely to hear a recommendation for surgery.

 

A Swedish study of some 848 orthopedic appointments confirms that, when doctors are relatively fatigued, they avoid difficult or risky decisions.  Patients visited the orthopods during a total of 133 office sessions including morning, afternoon, or all-day.  The surgeons recommended operations more than 40% of the time earlier in the sessions but only 22% of the time at the end of any given session.

 

In general, if you can, see clinicians at the beginning of any given office session.  Their minds will be fresh and they will most likely be on time.

 

Emil Persson, Kinga Barrafrem, Andreas Meunier, Gustav Tinghög. The effect of decision fatigue on surgeons' clinical decision making. Health Economics, 2019; DOI: 10.1002/hec.3933

 

#Surgery #officevisits #conservativetherapy

Surgery, officevisits, conservativetherapy

 

 

Caesarean Section Warps Babies’ Gut Bacteria

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/GIM0xl8Rs10

 

Babies delivered by C-section rather than by a normal vaginal route develop a gastrointestinal bacterial population contaminated by bad bugs found around the hospital.  Their gut bacteria include antibiotic-resistant ones rather than the more benign species found in their mothers.

 

British researchers studied 600 healthy babies to identify their gut bacteria using DNA fingerprinting techniques.  The C-section babies had more than 800 potentially-dangerous bacteria, of the type that cause life-threatening, blood-borne infections in hospitalized patients.

 

These observations mandate that C-sections be avoided except for life-threatening situations.  Elective c-sections for convenience are foolish and unnecessarily risky.

 

Yan Shao et al. Stunted gut microbiota and increased pathogen colonisation associated with caesarean birth. Nature #2019 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-1560-1

 

#Caesariansection #microbiome #antibioticresistantbacteria

Caesariansection, microbiome, antibioticresistantbacteria

 

 

That’s “Health News You Should Use.”  Until we next speak, keep a smile on your face, your brain active, and your body in motion....these are THE best medicines.