Public health emergency declared in Flint, Michigan, due to contaminated water

When Flint, Michigan, disconnected their water supply from Detroit and started drawing from the Flint River, they were thinking of $15 million in savings

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/public-health-emergency-declared-in-flint-michigan-due-to-contaminated-water/

Texas girl can't stop sneezing

12-year-old Katelyn Thornley has been sneezing almost non-stop -- about 12,000 times a day -- for the past month, and doctors have no idea why

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/texas-girl-cant-stop-sneezing/

Gene therapy for rare cause of blindness shows promise

Company hopes its new treatment could become the first gene therapy to win FDA approval

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/gene-therapy-for-rare-cause-of-blindness-shows-promise/

Hospitals offer more breastfeeding help for new moms

A growing number of U.S. babies are born in "baby friendly" hospitals

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/breastfeeding-support-at-hospitals-is-growing-for-new-moms/

More women opt to get IUDs right after giving birth

Experts say Medicaid reimbursement for this procedure can help prevent repeat, unintended pregnancies

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/more-women-opt-to-get-iud-right-after-giving-birth/

Why can't this girl stop sneezing?

12-year-old from Texas suddenly started sneezing 12,000 times a day; "even in my dreams, I sneeze"

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/texas-girl-katelyn-thornley-cant-stop-sneezing/

Mobile Pressure Map Project Receives DOD Funding

From: Mayo Clinic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6KXO0fOYVc

Demi Lovato pushes Congress for mental health reform

The singer wants to use her fame to destigmatize mental illness and advocate for a change in Congress

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/demi-lovato-pushes-congress-for-mental-health-reform/

FDA targets youth with hip-hop anti-smoking campaign

"You're the boss," stresses ad campaign, but does it have street cred?

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/fda-targets-youth-with-hip-hop-anti-smoking-campaign/

FDA Clears Long-Lasting Drug for Schizophrenia

The FDA has approved a version of the antipsychotic drug aripiprazole that adults with schizophrenia can take every 4-6 weeks. WebMD has the details.

From: http://www.webmd.com/schizophrenia/news/20151006/aristada-schizophrenia-drug?src=RSS_PUBLIC

This Surgery May Not Be Best Rectal Cancer Option

Two studies found standard surgery was slightly more successful

From: http://www.webmd.com/colorectal-cancer/news/20151006/less-invasive-surgery-may-not-be-best-option-for-rectal-cancer?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Palliative Care Pearls - Practice of Internal Medicine 2016

From: Mayo Clinic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOpmaM3CVxE

General Internal Medicine Pearls - Practice of Internal Medicine 2016

From: Mayo Clinic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUsoHCqhWLA

Dermatology Pearls - Practice of Internal Medicine 2016

From: Mayo Clinic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpWMvR18TB8

​Dads-to-be may be at risk for "baby blues"

Study finds new moms aren't the only ones who may experience symptoms of depression

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/dads-to-be-may-be-at-risk-for-baby-blues/

3D Printing Safeguards Baby Before Birth

New technology took guesswork out of high-risk pregnancy, experts say

From: http://www.webmd.com/baby/news/20151006/doctors-use-3d-printing-to-safeguard-baby-before-birth?src=RSS_PUBLIC

CA Governor Signs Right-to-Die Bill Into Law

Doctors can now prescribe life-ending drugs to terminally ill

From: http://www.webmd.com/palliative-care/news/20151005/california-gov-jerry-brown-signs-right-to-die-bill-into-law?src=RSS_PUBLIC

FDA Orders Studies on Endoscopes Tied to Outbreaks

Duodenoscopes used at 2 Los Angeles hospitals carried drug-resistant 'superbug'

From: http://www.webmd.com/news/20151005/fda-orders-studies-on-contaminated-endoscopes-tied-to-illness-outbreaks?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Flint residents get bottled water, filters for lead

Efforts are underway to get clean drinking water to Michigan city after public health emergency was declared

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/flint-residents-get-bottled-water-filters-for-lead/

Developing Smart Devices to Predict, Stop Seizures

From: Mayo Clinic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eGfr9JXLxY

USDA Seeks Applications for $16.8 Million in Grants to Empower SNAP Participants to Make Healthy Eating Choices

WASHINGTON, Oct. 6, 2015 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the availability of up to $16.8 million in funding to help participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) increase their purchases of fruits and vegetables. The funding is available to local, state and national organizations to test incentive strategies to help SNAP participants better afford healthy foods.

From: http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentid=2015/10/0276.xml&contentidonly=true

Wearable tech aims to give you a jolt - or help you relax

CEO says Thync is made for someone who wants to "conquer life" or "unwind during the day because life is stressful"

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/wearable-device-thync-helps-change-mood-says-ceo/

Mayo Clinic Minute: Statins and Mediterranean Diet

From: Mayo Clinic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoYXfcMzOhM

New wearable tech could boost energy, relieve stress

The wearable Thync wants to change your mood using electric stimulation

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/new-wearable-tech-could-boost-energy-relieve-stress/

A mindful worker is a happier worker

When I gave a talk at Google a few months ago about using mindfulness to help relieve anxiety, depression, and other common forms of psychological distress, I was impressed by the company’s commitment to taking care of their employees. From the organic juice bars in every building to the gyms and meditation and yoga facilities scattered around the campus, it was clear that they’re thinking a healthy employee will be a productive employee (not to mention an employee who needs fewer expensive medical services). In fact, they had a whole team devoted just to teaching mindfulness meditation, and offered regular practice sessions that workers could attend either in person or online throughout the day.

But can mindfulness practice really help employees’ mental health? Is it something that more businesses should be investing in, or just another fad for ex-hippies in Silicon Valley? The results of the best-designed study to date that addresses this question are just in, and the answer is impressive: mindfulness really can help workers, even those far from California.

What the study found

The new study comes from Taiwan, where researchers surveyed 3,270 factory workers to identify those with high levels of psychological distress. They then invited these particularly unhappy workers to participate in the study. The 144 workers who ultimately agreed to participate were assigned to either an active intervention group, in which they completed an eight-week mindfulness training program consisting of two-hour classes each week at work and 45 minutes of daily meditation homework, or a control group, who reported regularly on their psychological well-being but didn’t receive any mindfulness training.

What did they find? Compared with the control group, the workers who took the mindfulness class reported feeling much better. They had less prolonged fatigue — that feeling of exhaustion that doesn’t go away even after having a chance to rest. They also felt less stressed, reported reduced anxiety and depression, and had fewer sleep difficulties, aches and pains, and problems getting along with others.

So what exactly was this mindfulness training that helped them? Mindfulness involves bringing our attention into the present moment and accepting whatever is happening here and now. That sounds very simple, but when we begin to try to actually practice mindfulness — by picking a sensory experience such as the breath, bringing our attention to it, and working to accept whatever arises in our awareness — most of us find not only that our minds quickly wander off into all sorts of thoughts about the past and the future, but they also generate all sorts of negative judgments about what’s happening.

The good news is that like any skill, mindfulness can be learned. It just requires a bit of instruction, and setting aside some time to practice. Numerous research studies have shown that by practicing mindfulness, we can actually change both the structure and the functioning of our brains in ways that are consistent with feeling happier and more engaged in our lives. These changes also help us to have an easier time dealing with both physical and emotional pain.

How you can reap the benefits of mindfulness

So how might you begin if you wanted to become more mindful? One way that doesn’t require any extra time is to simply pick a few activities, such as walking the dog, showering, or eating a meal alone, and decide to do them as mindfulness practices. That means instead of checking our smartphone, going over our to-do list, or listening to music, we try to bring our attention to the sights, sounds, and bodily sensations occurring during the activity. Since mindfulness practice is very dose-related, the more we try to do this throughout the day, the more mindful we become.

While these informal practices will indeed help you to develop some mindfulness, to develop more, it’s helpful to set aside time for meditation practice, like they do at Google. Most studies documenting the effectiveness of mindfulness involve people meditating regularly. It’s easiest to begin a regular meditation practice by following recorded instructions. While there are many sources for these, you can listen for free to some that I recorded at www.mindfulness-solution.com. May you have many mindful moments!

Related Posts:

• Mindfulness meditation may ease anxiety, mental stress
• Mindfulness meditation helps fight insomnia, improves sleep
• Distracted eating may add to weight gain
• Feeling young at heart may help you live longer
• Cognitive behavioral therapy offers a drug-free method for…

The post A mindful worker is a happier worker appeared first on Harvard Health Blog.

From: Ronald Siegel, PsyD http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/a-mindful-worker-is-a-happier-worker-201510068391

General Mills recalls some gluten-free Cheerios after wheat exposure

Some people say eating Cheerios is making them sick

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/general-mills-recalls-some-gluten-free-cheerios-after-wheat-exposure/

I Challenge YOU to Create Your Plate!

Since joining the American Diabetes Association in June, I think about my health differently as I internalize our mission to prevent and cure diabetes and improve the lives of all people affected by the disease. I want my actions to represent the health and wellness that the Association stands for—not just for people with diabetes, but all Americans.

But this has not always been the case. About eight years ago, my doctor diagnosed me with prediabetes. I was told I might not see my 45^th birthday if I continued on the same path of overeating and lack of exercise. There it was: the wakeup call, in fact a blaring siren, I needed to start making the right choices.

I began to work with my doctor to create a plan for my health needs and goals, which included thinking about portions and the ingredients I chose. I also made a commitment to move and work out regularly. It didn’t happen overnight, but I took on the challenge of putting myself first. The changes to my lifestyle added up, and I lost 120 pounds. Now Elizabeth, my wife calls me her second husband!

I still struggle with balance, especially as a busy professional, but I have the right priorities now and a reason to stay motivated—keeping type 2 diabetes at bay and “walking the walk” here at my job. And I know it all starts with the types of food I put on my plate each day!

As we enter the second half of Hispanic Heritage Month, I am reminded of the health disparities that exist in America and the Association’s increased focus on education and awareness in minority communities nationwide. I’m thinking about my friends in the Latino community, especially since Latinos are nearly twice as likely to develop diabetes compared to non-Latino whites.

As part of our outreach to, and celebration of, this Latino community, the Association developed a digital Create Your Plate. This interactive tool takes foods commonly available in the Latino community and allows users to choose the proteins, starchy foods and non-starchy veggies they love to build a balanced meal. Try it out and let me know what you think! What I love about the Create Your Plate method is that it’s a quick, visual way to make sure my portions are in check at every meal.

But we don’t want you to stop there! Create your own healthy meals at home and post them to social media using #CreateYourPlate. Share it with the world and be proud of the wellness in your life. Then challenge your friends, family members and coworkers to do the same. We’ll display our favorite photos in a gallery on our Hispanic Heritage Month page along with other resources, such as healthy recipes and tips for healthy eating.

I shared my own plate to Twitter and Instagram using #CreateYourPlate, so look for it in the social media gallery!

Through small but conscious decisions, we can eat well and take time to enjoy our food and the people we share it with. These efforts can lead to profound changes, just as I’ve seen in my own life.

I’ll be looking for your plate pictures online!

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Kevin L. Hagan is the Chief Executive Officer of the American Diabetes Association. Visit his blog and follow him on Twitter and Instagram.

From: American Diabetes Association http://diabetesstopshere.org/2015/10/06/create-your-plate-challenge/

WHO/UNAIDS launch new standards to improve adolescent care

New Global Standards for quality health-care services for adolescents developed by WHO and UNAIDS aim to help countries improve the quality of adolescent health care.

Existing health services often fail the world’s adolescents (10-19-year-olds). Many adolescents who suffer from mental health disorders, substance use, poor nutrition, intentional injuries and chronic illness do not have access to critical prevention and care services. Meanwhile, many behaviours that have a lifelong impact on health begin in adolescence.

From: http://www.who.int/entity/mediacentre/news/releases/2015/health-standards-adolescents/en/index.html

Statement from Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack Regarding the Agreement on the Trans-Pacific Partnership

WASHINGTON, Oct. 5, 2015 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today made the following statement following the successful conclusion of negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership:

From: http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentid=2015/10/0274.xml&contentidonly=true