With all the emphasis placed on watching what you eat during the holidays, Vanderbilt Center for Human Nutrition urges Americans to look beyond the holidays and at the greater problem. Americans are chronically overeating and under-exercising year-round, Vanderbilt obesity expert, Roger Cone, PhD says.
A common belief is that people put on five pounds over the holiday season. This belief has been studied by scientists and found to be a myth, says Cone. In reality, weight gain from the Thanksgiving to New Year’s period is closer to three-quarters of a pound to one pound.
But don’t get too excited, Cone says. People typically do not become obese because of sudden, drastic weight gain, but rather by slowly gaining weight and keeping it on.
“If we do become obese it is because there is a minor difference in what we are consuming and what we are burning,” Cone said. “So the trick is to try to match your energy expenditure with your energy intake…”
Obesity, Cone points out, is a serious problem in the United States. Obesity leads to 36% higher health care costs and a 77% increase in medication costs. Vanderbilt aims to make sure the holidays don’t distract from the real problem at hand – the obesity epidemic we face as a nation.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
News Article: Acupuncture Scientifically Proven to Change Perception and Processing of Pain in the Brain
A recent study has shown, through the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (or fMRI), that acupuncture actually does change the brain’s perception and processing of pain. Until now, the effectiveness of acupuncture in changing perception and processing of pain was questionable, said lead researcher, Nina Theysohn, M.D.
The study found that during acupuncture, the activation of brain areas involved in pain perception and processing was significantly reduced. Eighteen healthy volunteers were used in the study. Using fMRI, researchers were able to directly observe the areas of the brain that are activated during pain perceptions and monitor the changes that occurred during acupuncture.
Acupuncture was found not only to effect pain signals, but also areas of the brain that governed expectations of pain. And both signals and expectations of pain were significantly reduced in the patients studied.
These findings offer official scientific support to the notion that acupuncture “can help relieve pain,” said Theysohn.
The study found that during acupuncture, the activation of brain areas involved in pain perception and processing was significantly reduced. Eighteen healthy volunteers were used in the study. Using fMRI, researchers were able to directly observe the areas of the brain that are activated during pain perceptions and monitor the changes that occurred during acupuncture.
Acupuncture was found not only to effect pain signals, but also areas of the brain that governed expectations of pain. And both signals and expectations of pain were significantly reduced in the patients studied.
These findings offer official scientific support to the notion that acupuncture “can help relieve pain,” said Theysohn.
News Article: IQ & Memory
Many links between IQ and memory have been found throughout the years, but what aspects of memory are the best predictors of IQ? Who has the higher IQ – the person who recalls six of 10 items but only in vague detail or the person who recalls only four items, but in clear detail?
A study by the University of Oregon answered this question: the number of items stored in memory has the greatest correlation with fluid intelligence, or IQ. While “resolution,” or clarity of detail, has no relationship with IQ.
Previous studies have established the strong relationship between IQ and the number of items stored in short term memory before. However the University of Oregon aimed to take a more comprehensive look at which specific aspects of memory capacity related to IQ. In the study, 79 undergraduate students were put through a series of experiments measuring the number of items they could maintain, the resolution of those memories maintained, and their IQ scores.
"The number of things people can remember is robustly correlated with fluid intelligence - the larger number remembered, the higher the IQ,” said Edward Awh, a psychology professor and member of the Oregon Visual Working Memory & Attention Lab. “Resolution in memory is not predictive of IQ at all.”
Although resolution does not factor into IQ score, researchers emphasize that this does not mean that resolution is unimportant.
A study by the University of Oregon answered this question: the number of items stored in memory has the greatest correlation with fluid intelligence, or IQ. While “resolution,” or clarity of detail, has no relationship with IQ.
Previous studies have established the strong relationship between IQ and the number of items stored in short term memory before. However the University of Oregon aimed to take a more comprehensive look at which specific aspects of memory capacity related to IQ. In the study, 79 undergraduate students were put through a series of experiments measuring the number of items they could maintain, the resolution of those memories maintained, and their IQ scores.
"The number of things people can remember is robustly correlated with fluid intelligence - the larger number remembered, the higher the IQ,” said Edward Awh, a psychology professor and member of the Oregon Visual Working Memory & Attention Lab. “Resolution in memory is not predictive of IQ at all.”
Although resolution does not factor into IQ score, researchers emphasize that this does not mean that resolution is unimportant.
News Article: Dental Care is Essential to Overall Pet Health
By age three, 80% of dogs and 70% of cats have already developed periodontal disease, according to veterinarian, Jennifer Akers. She and other veterinarians urge pet owners to realize that prevention is always better and oftentimes cheaper than treatment.
Dental diseases can be very painful, but also very dangerous for pets. Such diseases carry with them the possibility for severe complications, such as worsening pre-existing heart and kidney conditions. And preventive measures are the key to identifying and stopping dental disease.
Animals will not always act as though they are in pain for dental disease to exist however; it often develops slowly, giving animals time to adjust. Some signs of dental issues are bad breath, gum bleeding, changes in eating behavior, or pawing and rubbing at the face. There are a number of ways owners can prevent dental problems or stop them before they get serious.
Veterinarians suggest owners see to it that their pets get oral exams along with their annual check-ups each year. Owners are advised against giving their dogs bones or other hard toys because they are common causes of tooth breakage.
Most importantly, owners are strongly encouraged to brush their pets’ teeth every day with pet toothpaste, not human toothpaste. Human toothpaste can be toxic to animals, says Akers. Owners should start this dental care when their pets are puppies or kittens; because they are more easily trainable at this age, it is the best time for them to become accustomed to daily tooth-brushing. Tooth-brushing is especially important for small breeds of dogs because such breeds are more prone to periodontal disease.
“Dental care can help pets live a long, happy, pain-free life; but no dental care can often lead to very detrimental consequences that can be very painful for our pets and very detrimental for their long term survival,” Akers advises.
Dental diseases can be very painful, but also very dangerous for pets. Such diseases carry with them the possibility for severe complications, such as worsening pre-existing heart and kidney conditions. And preventive measures are the key to identifying and stopping dental disease.
Animals will not always act as though they are in pain for dental disease to exist however; it often develops slowly, giving animals time to adjust. Some signs of dental issues are bad breath, gum bleeding, changes in eating behavior, or pawing and rubbing at the face. There are a number of ways owners can prevent dental problems or stop them before they get serious.
Veterinarians suggest owners see to it that their pets get oral exams along with their annual check-ups each year. Owners are advised against giving their dogs bones or other hard toys because they are common causes of tooth breakage.
Most importantly, owners are strongly encouraged to brush their pets’ teeth every day with pet toothpaste, not human toothpaste. Human toothpaste can be toxic to animals, says Akers. Owners should start this dental care when their pets are puppies or kittens; because they are more easily trainable at this age, it is the best time for them to become accustomed to daily tooth-brushing. Tooth-brushing is especially important for small breeds of dogs because such breeds are more prone to periodontal disease.
“Dental care can help pets live a long, happy, pain-free life; but no dental care can often lead to very detrimental consequences that can be very painful for our pets and very detrimental for their long term survival,” Akers advises.
News Article: Stem Cells from Fat Tissue May Help in Heart Attack Recovery
Recent research has found that delivering fat cells from the waist into the heart could offer promising results for heart attack patients. A pilot study showed increased heart function in post-heart attack patients who had fat cells extracted from their waistlines and transported to their hearts.
This study included 14 patients in the Netherlands and Spain who had all suffered from severe heart attacks. Ten of the 14 patients were given stem cells from waist fat while the other four were given placebo treatments. Six months later, patients who had received the stem cells were found to have lower amounts of heart damage than those who did not - only 15% damage in the stem cell group as compared to 25% damage in the placebo group.
“The pilot study shows for the first time that stem cells from a patient’s fat tissue may be similarly beneficial (as stem cells extracted from bone marrow), indicating a potential new and more convenient source of stem cells,” Professor Jeremy Pearson of the British Heart Foundation said.
Researchers realize a much larger sample size is needed in order to gather statistically significant data. And so they are planning a more detailed study which will contain 300 heart attack patients throughout 35 European clinics.
This study included 14 patients in the Netherlands and Spain who had all suffered from severe heart attacks. Ten of the 14 patients were given stem cells from waist fat while the other four were given placebo treatments. Six months later, patients who had received the stem cells were found to have lower amounts of heart damage than those who did not - only 15% damage in the stem cell group as compared to 25% damage in the placebo group.
“The pilot study shows for the first time that stem cells from a patient’s fat tissue may be similarly beneficial (as stem cells extracted from bone marrow), indicating a potential new and more convenient source of stem cells,” Professor Jeremy Pearson of the British Heart Foundation said.
Researchers realize a much larger sample size is needed in order to gather statistically significant data. And so they are planning a more detailed study which will contain 300 heart attack patients throughout 35 European clinics.
*Green Page Article: Deck the Halls
The following is an article I wrote for the "Green Page" of NJL's website and it also appeared in the weekly newsletter. Borst Landscape and Design is a potential advertiser for NJL and that is why they are featured in the article. I was in contact with the Public Relations woman from Borst Landscape & Design and I created the following questions for her to answer and base the article around.
When it comes to holiday decorating, it never hurts to get a little professional advice. Experts at Borst Landscape and Design, a nationally recognized, award-winning landscaping company, offer NJL readers tips on both indoor and outdoor holiday decorating. From greenery to holiday lighting, these tips will help you make the best of holiday decorations.
Which types of indoor & outdoor greenery are best for decorating homes for the holidays?
For outdoors, we typically use garland, mostly from heavy balsam, cedar or pine. We add greens such as holly, juniper, noble fir, berries, and eucalyptus. When it comes to outdoor arrangements, we enhance the above greenery with grevillea, birch branches, and magnolia.
For indoor use, we use pine, balsam, spruce, magnolia, and noble fir. These cuttings dry out more slowly than other greenery and can last several weeks if you keep them cool.
Which types of outdoor plants are best for surviving the winter months?
Choose evergreens for container plantings such as boxwood, Alberta spruce, Colorado blue spruce, and globosa spruce.
Which kinds of greenery stand up and stay up the easiest?
Balsam, juniper, noble fir, baby eucalyptus, and magnolia are definitely best for this.
What are the major safety tips you have to offer for installing holiday lighting?
Always use proper tools (such as stable ladders) and electrical fixtures made for the outdoors. To enhance safety, secure all extension cords with electrical tape and use timers that are suitable for the outdoors.
What tips do you have on caring for decorations like wreaths, mistletoe and holly?
Outdoor greenery can be sprayed with a fixative, widely available at craft stores, or an anti-dessicant spray. For indoors, a quick shot of hairspray should seal the greens and prevent them from drying out.
What other holiday decorating tips do you have to offer our readers?
At Borst, we add a lot of natural branches that we find in the landscape such as hydrangea and interesting dried material like gypsum and ting ting. We may also spray some material with gold or silver paint for a special holiday sparkle. The natural branches go with any style décor and add a striking accent to your display.
Borst Landscape and Design – 260 West Crescent Ave., Allendale, 201.785.9400, borstlandscape.com
Link to article
When it comes to holiday decorating, it never hurts to get a little professional advice. Experts at Borst Landscape and Design, a nationally recognized, award-winning landscaping company, offer NJL readers tips on both indoor and outdoor holiday decorating. From greenery to holiday lighting, these tips will help you make the best of holiday decorations.
Which types of indoor & outdoor greenery are best for decorating homes for the holidays?
For outdoors, we typically use garland, mostly from heavy balsam, cedar or pine. We add greens such as holly, juniper, noble fir, berries, and eucalyptus. When it comes to outdoor arrangements, we enhance the above greenery with grevillea, birch branches, and magnolia.
For indoor use, we use pine, balsam, spruce, magnolia, and noble fir. These cuttings dry out more slowly than other greenery and can last several weeks if you keep them cool.
Which types of outdoor plants are best for surviving the winter months?
Choose evergreens for container plantings such as boxwood, Alberta spruce, Colorado blue spruce, and globosa spruce.
Which kinds of greenery stand up and stay up the easiest?
Balsam, juniper, noble fir, baby eucalyptus, and magnolia are definitely best for this.
What are the major safety tips you have to offer for installing holiday lighting?
Always use proper tools (such as stable ladders) and electrical fixtures made for the outdoors. To enhance safety, secure all extension cords with electrical tape and use timers that are suitable for the outdoors.
What tips do you have on caring for decorations like wreaths, mistletoe and holly?
Outdoor greenery can be sprayed with a fixative, widely available at craft stores, or an anti-dessicant spray. For indoors, a quick shot of hairspray should seal the greens and prevent them from drying out.
What other holiday decorating tips do you have to offer our readers?
At Borst, we add a lot of natural branches that we find in the landscape such as hydrangea and interesting dried material like gypsum and ting ting. We may also spray some material with gold or silver paint for a special holiday sparkle. The natural branches go with any style décor and add a striking accent to your display.
Borst Landscape and Design – 260 West Crescent Ave., Allendale, 201.785.9400, borstlandscape.com
Link to article
News Article: Social Anxiety & the Holidays
Are you one of the many people who finds themselves tongue-tied or nervous at those annual holiday gatherings with relatives or co-workers? If so, Dr. Martin Anthony, a leading expert on social anxiety and shyness, has some helpful tips on how to put your fears to rest and enjoy the holiday season to the fullest:
• Start off by showing that you are approachable and open to conversation by smiling and making eye contact with others.
• Look for ongoing group conversations – try to join one about a topic that interests you or one that you can tell a funny personal anecdote about.
• Ask questions. These kinds of gatherings provide a chance to catch up with co-workers, friends or relatives and to share some of your own experiences with them.
• Be an active listener. Pay attention to what the other person is saying and reflect back that you understand. Then you can relate to them more effectively and keep the conversation rolling.
• Don’t automatically believe your anxious thoughts and predictions as true. Do your best to think realistically and examine what actual evidence you have for basing your negative predictions on. It is likely that most people won’t even notice your anxiety.
• Do not avoid fearful situations. Your anxiety will not improve by doing this. Push yourself; being shy can make it difficult to talk to others at first, but the more you do it, the less difficult it will become.
• Don’t try to fight your anxiety at parties; this can make things worse. Accept your feelings, but move forward.
• At office parties, be sure to shake hands with your boss, senior managers and whoever the party organizer is and also to wish them a happily holiday season. And when you leave, be sure to say goodnight and thank them as well.
• Start off by showing that you are approachable and open to conversation by smiling and making eye contact with others.
• Look for ongoing group conversations – try to join one about a topic that interests you or one that you can tell a funny personal anecdote about.
• Ask questions. These kinds of gatherings provide a chance to catch up with co-workers, friends or relatives and to share some of your own experiences with them.
• Be an active listener. Pay attention to what the other person is saying and reflect back that you understand. Then you can relate to them more effectively and keep the conversation rolling.
• Don’t automatically believe your anxious thoughts and predictions as true. Do your best to think realistically and examine what actual evidence you have for basing your negative predictions on. It is likely that most people won’t even notice your anxiety.
• Do not avoid fearful situations. Your anxiety will not improve by doing this. Push yourself; being shy can make it difficult to talk to others at first, but the more you do it, the less difficult it will become.
• Don’t try to fight your anxiety at parties; this can make things worse. Accept your feelings, but move forward.
• At office parties, be sure to shake hands with your boss, senior managers and whoever the party organizer is and also to wish them a happily holiday season. And when you leave, be sure to say goodnight and thank them as well.
News Article: New Treatments for Severe OCD
New hope has been found for patients who suffer from treatment-resistant OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder). The Archives of General Psychiatry reported that stimulating areas deep within the brain using electrodes my significantly help such patients.
“OCD is a psychiatric disorder characterized by persistent thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive ritualistic behaviors (compulsions),” the authors of the article described. OCD is a serious condition that can incapacitate a person from functioning at work, in social settings, or even in their own homes if left untreated.
Typical treatments include behavioral therapy and medication. Yet such treatments are only effective for about half of patients. It is estimated that 10 percent of OCD patients still remain severely incapacitated by the disorder, despite receiving the best treatments currently available.
The study in which the article detailed, included 16 OCD patients whose symptoms had not responded to previous treatments. Electrodes were implanted deep into participants’ brains. The study was a three-phase process, conducted over many months. On average, patients’ OCD symptoms were found to decrease by 46 percent. The authors concluded that this treatment may be highly effective and safe way to treat patients with otherwise unresponsive forms of OCD.
The authors write, “Further research is necessary to optimize this therapy with respect to patient selection and management, target location and investigation of new potential indications.”
“OCD is a psychiatric disorder characterized by persistent thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive ritualistic behaviors (compulsions),” the authors of the article described. OCD is a serious condition that can incapacitate a person from functioning at work, in social settings, or even in their own homes if left untreated.
Typical treatments include behavioral therapy and medication. Yet such treatments are only effective for about half of patients. It is estimated that 10 percent of OCD patients still remain severely incapacitated by the disorder, despite receiving the best treatments currently available.
The study in which the article detailed, included 16 OCD patients whose symptoms had not responded to previous treatments. Electrodes were implanted deep into participants’ brains. The study was a three-phase process, conducted over many months. On average, patients’ OCD symptoms were found to decrease by 46 percent. The authors concluded that this treatment may be highly effective and safe way to treat patients with otherwise unresponsive forms of OCD.
The authors write, “Further research is necessary to optimize this therapy with respect to patient selection and management, target location and investigation of new potential indications.”
News Article: Flu Season Protection for Your Kids (and You too!)
With flu season fast approaching, Cincinnati Children’s doctors and the American Academy of Pediatrics are just in time to provide flu prevention tips for kids. Although getting vaccinated is the best way to prevent catching the flu, these organizations have compiled together some other helpful tips that can prevent the spread of the flu virus and common colds alike:
• Cough and sneeze into a tissue and if you are unable to get a tissue in time, cough into your inner elbow instead. Teach your kids to do the same.
• Make sure you and your kids use tissues for whipping runny noses as well as catching sneezes and throw them out after each single use.
• If you are ill, avoid kissing your child anywhere near his or her face.
• Make sure you and your kids wash your hands before and after coming into contact with anyone who has or might have the flu. Wash hands with soap and warm water for at least 15 seconds.
• Keep hand sanitizer on you in case water and soap are not available.
• Wash all plates and silverware in hot, soapy water or in the dishwasher.
• Wipe all surfaces and toys down with a disinfectant or soap and hot water. Viruses can live for over 30 minutes on places like doorknobs, toilet handles, counter-tops and toys.
• Keep all children away from secondhand tobacco smoke - especially infants. Children exposed to tobacco smoke have a higher risk for developing respiratory illnesses.
• Cough and sneeze into a tissue and if you are unable to get a tissue in time, cough into your inner elbow instead. Teach your kids to do the same.
• Make sure you and your kids use tissues for whipping runny noses as well as catching sneezes and throw them out after each single use.
• If you are ill, avoid kissing your child anywhere near his or her face.
• Make sure you and your kids wash your hands before and after coming into contact with anyone who has or might have the flu. Wash hands with soap and warm water for at least 15 seconds.
• Keep hand sanitizer on you in case water and soap are not available.
• Wash all plates and silverware in hot, soapy water or in the dishwasher.
• Wipe all surfaces and toys down with a disinfectant or soap and hot water. Viruses can live for over 30 minutes on places like doorknobs, toilet handles, counter-tops and toys.
• Keep all children away from secondhand tobacco smoke - especially infants. Children exposed to tobacco smoke have a higher risk for developing respiratory illnesses.
News Article: Schools' Choices of Vending Machines Correlate with Children’s Overall Diet Choices
A comprehensive study found that there is indeed a link between elementary and middle school’s vending machine content and student diet. The study, published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, found that schools selling primarily sweets in their vending machines contained students who consumed more sweets overall than students from schools with healthier vending machines.
Conversely, researchers found that schools selling fruits and vegetables in their vending machines contained students who consumed more produce than students from schools whose vending machines did not offer such choices.
The study examined the food sold in vending machines at 152 elementary and middle schools and the dietary behavior of 5,930 students in total. This was the first study to explore this topic using a sample size representative of the nation as a whole.
It was found that the overwhelming majority of schools - 83% - primarily sold vending machine food like sodas, chips and sweets, with little to no nutritional value. It was also found that vending machine content was more likely to influence younger children’s dietary behaviors.
According to the World Health Organization, poor dietary choices are more highly associated with mortality and account for more health care costs than smoking cigarettes and taking illegal drugs combined, Joel Fuhrman, M.D., family physician and nutritional researcher, says. Like many nutritionists, Fuhrman was particularly disturbed by these findings.
“We are supposed to be teaching proper nutrition in the schools and having a vending machine inside of the school doesn’t make sense,” Fuhrman said. “Schools are introducing foods that every nutritional scientist in the world knows are dangerous.”
Conversely, researchers found that schools selling fruits and vegetables in their vending machines contained students who consumed more produce than students from schools whose vending machines did not offer such choices.
The study examined the food sold in vending machines at 152 elementary and middle schools and the dietary behavior of 5,930 students in total. This was the first study to explore this topic using a sample size representative of the nation as a whole.
It was found that the overwhelming majority of schools - 83% - primarily sold vending machine food like sodas, chips and sweets, with little to no nutritional value. It was also found that vending machine content was more likely to influence younger children’s dietary behaviors.
According to the World Health Organization, poor dietary choices are more highly associated with mortality and account for more health care costs than smoking cigarettes and taking illegal drugs combined, Joel Fuhrman, M.D., family physician and nutritional researcher, says. Like many nutritionists, Fuhrman was particularly disturbed by these findings.
“We are supposed to be teaching proper nutrition in the schools and having a vending machine inside of the school doesn’t make sense,” Fuhrman said. “Schools are introducing foods that every nutritional scientist in the world knows are dangerous.”
News Article: Higher Recurrence of Teen Depression in Females
Amongst teens who are treated for depression, the strongest predictor of recurrence is female gender, according to a report that will appear in the March 2011 print issue of Archives of General Psychiatry. Depression was found to recur in nearly half of depressed teens who received treatment, but even more among females.
According to the report, which detailed a study conducted by Duke University Medical Center, depressive disorder affects about 5.9% of teen females and 4.6% of teen males. A total of 196 adolescents participated in the study; 86 males and 110 females. The teens were assigned randomly to one of four possible short-term treatments and were followed up for five years. Almost all of the participants recovered from their initial depression episode within the five-year period (96.4%) and 88.3% recovered within two years.
However, 44.6% of teens who recovered from their initial depression experienced recurrence. Amongst those whose depression returned, a number of common characteristics were noted, but “female sex was the most robust predictor of recurrence,” said researcher, John Curry, PhD.
Depression was also more likely to return in those with anxiety disorders (61.9% recurrence in those with anxiety disorders as opposed to 42.2% recurrence in those without anxiety disorders). Also, those who showed no response within the length of the short-treatment program (12 weeks) were more likely to have recurrent depression than partial or full responders. Lastly, participants who scored higher on scales of suicidal thoughts and behaviors were also more likely to have recurrent depression.
Researchers were alarmed to find that being female was the the strongest factor correlated with depression recurrence. Curry said this fact, “indicated the importance of understanding and reducing the vulnerabilities of female adolescents to recurrent episodes."
According to the report, which detailed a study conducted by Duke University Medical Center, depressive disorder affects about 5.9% of teen females and 4.6% of teen males. A total of 196 adolescents participated in the study; 86 males and 110 females. The teens were assigned randomly to one of four possible short-term treatments and were followed up for five years. Almost all of the participants recovered from their initial depression episode within the five-year period (96.4%) and 88.3% recovered within two years.
However, 44.6% of teens who recovered from their initial depression experienced recurrence. Amongst those whose depression returned, a number of common characteristics were noted, but “female sex was the most robust predictor of recurrence,” said researcher, John Curry, PhD.
Depression was also more likely to return in those with anxiety disorders (61.9% recurrence in those with anxiety disorders as opposed to 42.2% recurrence in those without anxiety disorders). Also, those who showed no response within the length of the short-treatment program (12 weeks) were more likely to have recurrent depression than partial or full responders. Lastly, participants who scored higher on scales of suicidal thoughts and behaviors were also more likely to have recurrent depression.
Researchers were alarmed to find that being female was the the strongest factor correlated with depression recurrence. Curry said this fact, “indicated the importance of understanding and reducing the vulnerabilities of female adolescents to recurrent episodes."
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