Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR): First aid

From: http://www.mayoclinic.org/first-aid/first-aid-cpr/basics/art-20056600

Health Care Spending for U.S. Kids Jumped 56 Percent in Less Than 20 Years

Preventive services in childhood create healthier adults, researcher says

From: http://www.webmd.com/health-insurance/20161227/health-care-spending-for-us-kids-jumped-56-percent-in-less-than-20-years?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Spinning out of control: Vertigo

Vertigo isn’t just a catchy song by the band U2, but is also a common symptom that has multiple potential causes. Although most people think that vertigo has to involve a spinning sensation, vertigo is actually the sensation the one is moving or that one’s surroundings are moving in the absence of any actual movement. To understand vertigo, one must understand that our sense of balance comes from multiple different systems in the body.

A balancing act: processing system inputs

There is your visual system, which tells you where your body is in space and time in relation to your surroundings. There is the sensory system, which allows your feet to send information to your brain about the terrain you are walking on. A third system, the vestibular system, often goes unappreciated in day-to-day life, but can cause havoc when not working properly. The vestibular system is composed of structures in your inner ear that function like a carpenter’s level.

Like a level, when the device is tilted in one direction or another, the bubble moves indicating imbalance. Similarly, during head and body movements, the inner ear transmits information regarding movement or balance to the brain. When there is a mismatch between the visual, sensory, or vestibular systems, people can at times have balance issues. Those balance issues can include vertigo.

Medications for the treatment of vertigo are used to target structures in the brain that process these at times conflicting signals. Antihistamines like dimenhydrinate (Dramamine), diphenhydramine (Benadryl), and meclizine (Antivert) can be useful treatments for vertigo. Anticholinergic medications like scopolamine can be particularly useful, as it comes in a patch form, which can be applied just prior to entering a situation where motion sickness can be anticipated.

Shipwrecked

One of the most common manifestations of vertigo occurs when someone travels on a boat. While on a boat, particularly when not standing on the deck, your visual system indicates that there is not much movement, and your surroundings appear still. The vestibular system (inner ear), on the other hand, is telling your brain that there is back and forth rocking movement, which naturally occurs with sea travel. The result is that one part of the brain is registering movement while the other part of the brain is registering no movement. This mismatch leads to vertigo, nausea, and at times vomiting, which is commonly known as seasickness.

Unfortunately, when people feel seasick many go below deck to lie down, which makes the problem worse. The best remedy for seasickness is actually to go above the deck, and look at the motion of the water or off at the horizon. By doing this, the visual system perceives the motion that the vestibular system perceives, which can alleviate the sense of imbalance. For many who have experienced seasickness, the symptoms can persist for hours to days after getting off the boat. Another place where such balance mismatches frequently occur is when transitioning onto or off of an escalator.

I explained this concept to one of my patients who is an avid fisherman as he complained about his wife, who frequently gets seasick. After providing the advice, he said, “Dr. Mathew, your care has been life-changing. As a thank you, you must join me on my boat some day.” I replied, “Thank you for the offer, but I am horrible at fishing.” He said, “Oh really, why is that?” I replied, ‘’Because it is difficult to catch any fish when you are holding two cocktails.” He chuckled, and proceeded to tell me about how he often catches mackerel, which other fishermen call inedible, advising him to throw it back in the water. He ignores their advice and keeps the mackerel, noting, “My wife loves that greasy fish.” I then asked him, “Is fishing a religious experience for you?” He said, “No doctor, why do you ask?” I then shrugged my shoulders and said, “Holy mackerel?” As he tried to hide a smile, he indicated that he was not amused. I then said, “Like the mackerel, I guess I should have thrown that bad joke overboard”, which caused him to laugh out loud. Apparently, the post-punch line was a bigger hit than the actual punch line.

The post Spinning out of control: Vertigo appeared first on Harvard Health Blog.

From: Paul G. Mathew, MD, FAAN, FAHS http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/spinning-out-of-control-vertigo-2016122710919

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR): First aid

From: http://www.mayoclinic.com/first-aid/first-aid-cpr/basics/art-20056600

Don’t tolerate food intolerance

Who hasn’t eaten something that did not agree with them? But when your stomach issues become more frequent and severe, you might have a bigger digestion problem called food intolerance. Food intolerances occur more often as you age since your digestion naturally becomes slower and your body produces fewer enzymes needed to break down food. “This allows more time for bacteria to ferment in the GI tract and lead to digestive distress,” says Evagelia Georgakilas, a registered dietitian and nutritionist with Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Over time, you also may become more sensitive to particular foods, chemicals, or additives.  Some examples include sulfites found in wine, dried fruits, and canned goods, or foods flavored with monosodium glutamate (MSG). However, the most common food sensitivities are lactose and gluten. With lactose intolerance, your body can’t break down the sugar lactose in dairy products because your gut contains reduced levels of the intestinal enzyme lactase.

People with gluten sensitivity have trouble digesting gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. (This is different than Celiac disease, an immune disease in which consuming gluten damages the lining of the small intestine.)

Track possible food intolerance with a food diary

Common symptoms of food intolerance include nausea, diarrhea, cramps, and stomach pain, but also may involve other issues like vomiting, heartburn, headaches, and irritability or nervousness.

Food intolerance is often tricky to pinpoint because you may be able to eat small amounts of a problem food without having any reaction. Instead, symptoms may only appear after you eat a large portion of the food, or eat it frequently.

The best way to identify problem foods is with a food diary. Write down what you eat for every meal, including individual foods and portions. Then list any symptoms that occur afterwards and rate their level of intensity on a scale of one to 10, with one being no reaction to 10 being the most severe.

Maintain your diary for two weeks to a month, and then review. “You should be able to find a connection between foods and common symptoms,” says Georgakilas.

How to ease the discomfort of food intolerance

Once you pinpoint one, or several, potential problem foods, eliminate them from your diet. After a few days, add only one food back into your diet and monitor your reaction. “If your symptoms return, you’ve found the offending food,” says Georgakilas.

Eliminating the problem food from your diet is the easiest move, but here are some other strategies to consider:

Reduce serving sizes. Sometimes you can still enjoy your favorite foods by reducing the amount, says Georgakilas. “For instance, if you have an intolerance of excessive fructose, you may discover that a half-cup of fruit may not cause any problems,” she says.

Make adjustments. Your food intolerance may be a cumulative effect. For instance, pizza might cause you problems, but it may be the result of certain ingredients, or combinations. “You may be able to tolerate the cheese and tomatoes on their own, but together they create the perfect storm,” says Georgakilas. Try to eliminate specific ingredients one at a time, and then experiment with eliminating certain combinations until you find the right balance.

Also, if the problem food is a source of vital nutrients, make sure you find an adequate replacement. “Cutting out gluten foods like wheat can rob your diet of fiber and B vitamins,” says Georgakilas. Switch to gluten-free bread, or increase your intake of gluten-free grains like quinoa, sorghum, teff, millet, and buckwheat. For lactose intolerance, drink almond or coconut milk to ensure you get enough calcium and protein.

The post Don’t tolerate food intolerance appeared first on Harvard Health Blog.

From: Matthew Solan http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/dont-tolerate-food-intolerance-2016122310829

Can you really "catch up on sleep" over vacation?

“People of all ages tend to underestimate how sleep-deprived they are," one expert says

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/sleep-catch-up-on-weekends-vacation-holidays/

Does Legalizing Pot Spur Kids to Try It?

In 2 states studied, teens downplayed harms after recreational pot legalized; use increased in 1 state

From: http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/news/20161227/does-legalizing-pot-spur-kids-to-try-it?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Sexual Relationships When You're HIV-Positive

HIV doesn't have to come between you. Get tips for good sex and a healthy relationship with your partner when one (or both) of you is HIV-positive.

From: http://www.webmd.com/hiv-aids/features/sex-intimacy-hiv?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Living Longer and Aging With HIV

Although HIV makes it more complicated, you can live well into middle age and beyond. Find out how HIV will affect you as you get older and how to plan ahead.

From: http://www.webmd.com/hiv-aids/features/hiv-and-aging?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR): First aid

From: http://www.mayoclinic.org/first-aid/first-aid-cpr/basics/art-20056600

Heart failure drug shows promise in first human trial

Experimental treatment aims to repair damaged cells and improve heart function

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/heart-failure-drug-shows-promise-in-first-human-trials/

Wiser, But Fatter, by Graduation

Study finds 10-pound weight gain is about average for college students

From: http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20161226/wiser-but-fatter-by-graduation?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Mayo Clinic in Florida

From: Mayo Clinic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1kycJSBI2I

Mayo Clinic Minute: Popping a healthier snack

From: Mayo Clinic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_9p3EnqNes

Infectious Diseases A-Z: Top public health threats

From: Mayo Clinic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNKd0tBu54M

Spinning out of control: Vertigo

Vertigo isn’t just a catchy song by the band U2, but is also a common symptom that has multiple potential causes. Although most people think that vertigo has to involve a spinning sensation, vertigo is actually the sensation the one is moving or that one’s surroundings are moving in the absence of any actual movement. To understand vertigo, one must understand that our sense of balance comes from multiple different systems in the body.

A balancing act: processing system inputs

There is your visual system, which tells you where your body is in space and time in relation to your surroundings. There is the sensory system, which allows your feet to send information to your brain about the terrain you are walking on. A third system, the vestibular system, often goes unappreciated in day-to-day life, but can cause havoc when not working properly. The vestibular system is composed of structures in your inner ear that function like a carpenter’s level.

Like a level, when the device is tilted in one direction or another, the bubble moves indicating imbalance. Similarly, during head and body movements, the inner ear transmits information regarding movement or balance to the brain. When there is a mismatch between the visual, sensory, or vestibular systems, people can at times have balance issues. Those balance issues can include vertigo.

Medications for the treatment of vertigo are used to target structures in the brain that process these at times conflicting signals. Antihistamines like dimenhydrinate (Dramamine), diphenhydramine (Benadryl), and meclizine (Antivert) can be useful treatments for vertigo. Anticholinergic medications like scopolamine can be particularly useful, as it comes in a patch form, which can be applied just prior to entering a situation where motion sickness can be anticipated.

Shipwrecked

One of the most common manifestations of vertigo occurs when someone travels on a boat. While on a boat, particularly when not standing on the deck, your visual system indicates that there is not much movement, and your surroundings appear still. The vestibular system (inner ear), on the other hand, is telling your brain that there is back and forth rocking movement, which naturally occurs with sea travel. The result is that one part of the brain is registering movement while the other part of the brain is registering no movement. This mismatch leads to vertigo, nausea, and at times vomiting, which is commonly known as seasickness.

Unfortunately, when people feel seasick many go below deck to lie down, which makes the problem worse. The best remedy for seasickness is actually to go above the deck, and look at the motion of the water or off at the horizon. By doing this, the visual system perceives the motion that the vestibular system perceives, which can alleviate the sense of imbalance. For many who have experienced seasickness, the symptoms can persist for hours to days after getting off the boat. Another place where such balance mismatches frequently occur is when transitioning onto or off of an escalator.

I explained this concept to one of my patients who is an avid fisherman as he complained about his wife, who frequently gets seasick. After providing the advice, he said, “Dr. Mathew, your care has been life-changing. As a thank you, you must join me on my boat some day.” I replied, “Thank you for the offer, but I am horrible at fishing.” He said, “Oh really, why is that?” I replied, ‘’Because it is difficult to catch any fish when you are holding two cocktails.” He chuckled, and proceeded to tell me about how he often catches mackerel, which other fishermen call inedible, advising him to throw it back in the water. He ignores their advice and keeps the mackerel, noting, “My wife loves that greasy fish.” I then asked him, “Is fishing a religious experience for you?” He said, “No doctor, why do you ask?” I then shrugged my shoulders and said, “Holy mackerel?” As he tried to hide a smile, he indicated that he was not amused. I then said, “Like the mackerel, I guess I should have thrown that bad joke overboard”, which caused him to laugh out loud. Apparently, the post-punch line was a bigger hit than the actual punch line.

The post Spinning out of control: Vertigo appeared first on Harvard Health Blog.

From: Paul G. Mathew, MD, FAAN, FAHS http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/spinning-out-of-control-vertigo-2016122710919

Heart Failure Drug Shows Promise in First Human Trial

Cimaglermin appears to strengthen cells and improve heart function, researchers report

From: http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/heart-failure/news/20161227/heart-failure-drug-shows-promise-in-first-human-trial?src=RSS_PUBLIC

'Emotional Hangover' Is Real and Affects Future Experiences: Study

Emotion-provoking events prime the brain to remember things more effectively, researchers find

From: http://www.webmd.com/balance/news/20161226/emotional-hangover-is-real-and-affects-future-experiences-study?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR): First aid

From: http://www.mayoclinic.com/first-aid/first-aid-cpr/basics/art-20056600

Don’t tolerate food intolerance

Who hasn’t eaten something that did not agree with them? But when your stomach issues become more frequent and severe, you might have a bigger digestion problem called food intolerance. Food intolerances occur more often as you age since your digestion naturally becomes slower and your body produces fewer enzymes needed to break down food. “This allows more time for bacteria to ferment in the GI tract and lead to digestive distress,” says Evagelia Georgakilas, a registered dietitian and nutritionist with Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Over time, you also may become more sensitive to particular foods, chemicals, or additives.  Some examples include sulfites found in wine, dried fruits, and canned goods, or foods flavored with monosodium glutamate (MSG). However, the most common food sensitivities are lactose and gluten. With lactose intolerance, your body can’t break down the sugar lactose in dairy products because your gut contains reduced levels of the intestinal enzyme lactase.

People with gluten sensitivity have trouble digesting gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. (This is different than Celiac disease, an immune disease in which consuming gluten damages the lining of the small intestine.)

Track possible food intolerance with a food diary

Common symptoms of food intolerance include nausea, diarrhea, cramps, and stomach pain, but also may involve other issues like vomiting, heartburn, headaches, and irritability or nervousness.

Food intolerance is often tricky to pinpoint because you may be able to eat small amounts of a problem food without having any reaction. Instead, symptoms may only appear after you eat a large portion of the food, or eat it frequently.

The best way to identify problem foods is with a food diary. Write down what you eat for every meal, including individual foods and portions. Then list any symptoms that occur afterwards and rate their level of intensity on a scale of one to 10, with one being no reaction to 10 being the most severe.

Maintain your diary for two weeks to a month, and then review. “You should be able to find a connection between foods and common symptoms,” says Georgakilas.

How to ease the discomfort of food intolerance

Once you pinpoint one, or several, potential problem foods, eliminate them from your diet. After a few days, add only one food back into your diet and monitor your reaction. “If your symptoms return, you’ve found the offending food,” says Georgakilas.

Eliminating the problem food from your diet is the easiest move, but here are some other strategies to consider:

Reduce serving sizes. Sometimes you can still enjoy your favorite foods by reducing the amount, says Georgakilas. “For instance, if you have an intolerance of excessive fructose, you may discover that a half-cup of fruit may not cause any problems,” she says.

Make adjustments. Your food intolerance may be a cumulative effect. For instance, pizza might cause you problems, but it may be the result of certain ingredients, or combinations. “You may be able to tolerate the cheese and tomatoes on their own, but together they create the perfect storm,” says Georgakilas. Try to eliminate specific ingredients one at a time, and then experiment with eliminating certain combinations until you find the right balance.

Also, if the problem food is a source of vital nutrients, make sure you find an adequate replacement. “Cutting out gluten foods like wheat can rob your diet of fiber and B vitamins,” says Georgakilas. Switch to gluten-free bread, or increase your intake of gluten-free grains like quinoa, sorghum, teff, millet, and buckwheat. For lactose intolerance, drink almond or coconut milk to ensure you get enough calcium and protein.

The post Don’t tolerate food intolerance appeared first on Harvard Health Blog.

From: Matthew Solan http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/dont-tolerate-food-intolerance-2016122310829

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR): First aid

From: http://www.mayoclinic.org/first-aid/first-aid-cpr/basics/art-20056600

Find meaning in the small things

From: http://www.mayoclinic.org/find-meaning-in-the-small-things/art-20269949

How to break the busy cycle

From: http://www.mayoclinic.org/how-to-break-the-busy-cycle/art-20269953

Cold medicines for kids: What's the risk?

From: http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/childrens-health/in-depth/cold-medicines/art-20047855

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR): First aid

From: http://www.mayoclinic.com/first-aid/first-aid-cpr/basics/art-20056600

Find meaning in the small things

From: http://www.mayoclinic.com/find-meaning-in-the-small-things/art-20269949

How to break the busy cycle

From: http://www.mayoclinic.com/how-to-break-the-busy-cycle/art-20269953

Don’t tolerate food intolerance

Who hasn’t eaten something that did not agree with them? But when your stomach issues become more frequent and severe, you might have a bigger digestion problem called food intolerance. Food intolerances occur more often as you age since your digestion naturally becomes slower and your body produces fewer enzymes needed to break down food. “This allows more time for bacteria to ferment in the GI tract and lead to digestive distress,” says Evagelia Georgakilas, a registered dietitian and nutritionist with Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Over time, you also may become more sensitive to particular foods, chemicals, or additives.  Some examples include sulfites found in wine, dried fruits, and canned goods, or foods flavored with monosodium glutamate (MSG). However, the most common food sensitivities are lactose and gluten. With lactose intolerance, your body can’t break down the sugar lactose in dairy products because your gut contains reduced levels of the intestinal enzyme lactase.

People with gluten sensitivity have trouble digesting gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. (This is different than Celiac disease, an immune disease in which consuming gluten damages the lining of the small intestine.)

Track possible food intolerance with a food diary

Common symptoms of food intolerance include nausea, diarrhea, cramps, and stomach pain, but also may involve other issues like vomiting, heartburn, headaches, and irritability or nervousness.

Food intolerance is often tricky to pinpoint because you may be able to eat small amounts of a problem food without having any reaction. Instead, symptoms may only appear after you eat a large portion of the food, or eat it frequently.

The best way to identify problem foods is with a food diary. Write down what you eat for every meal, including individual foods and portions. Then list any symptoms that occur afterwards and rate their level of intensity on a scale of one to 10, with one being no reaction to 10 being the most severe.

Maintain your diary for two weeks to a month, and then review. “You should be able to find a connection between foods and common symptoms,” says Georgakilas.

How to ease the discomfort of food intolerance

Once you pinpoint one, or several, potential problem foods, eliminate them from your diet. After a few days, add only one food back into your diet and monitor your reaction. “If your symptoms return, you’ve found the offending food,” says Georgakilas.

Eliminating the problem food from your diet is the easiest move, but here are some other strategies to consider:

Reduce serving sizes. Sometimes you can still enjoy your favorite foods by reducing the amount, says Georgakilas. “For instance, if you have an intolerance of excessive fructose, you may discover that a half-cup of fruit may not cause any problems,” she says.

Make adjustments. Your food intolerance may be a cumulative effect. For instance, pizza might cause you problems, but it may be the result of certain ingredients, or combinations. “You may be able to tolerate the cheese and tomatoes on their own, but together they create the perfect storm,” says Georgakilas. Try to eliminate specific ingredients one at a time, and then experiment with eliminating certain combinations until you find the right balance.

Also, if the problem food is a source of vital nutrients, make sure you find an adequate replacement. “Cutting out gluten foods like wheat can rob your diet of fiber and B vitamins,” says Georgakilas. Switch to gluten-free bread, or increase your intake of gluten-free grains like quinoa, sorghum, teff, millet, and buckwheat. For lactose intolerance, drink almond or coconut milk to ensure you get enough calcium and protein.

The post Don’t tolerate food intolerance appeared first on Harvard Health Blog.

From: Matthew Solan http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/dont-tolerate-food-intolerance-2016122310829

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR): First aid

From: http://www.mayoclinic.org/first-aid/first-aid-cpr/basics/art-20056600

Find meaning in the small things

From: http://www.mayoclinic.org/find-meaning-in-the-small-things/art-20269949

How to break the busy cycle

From: http://www.mayoclinic.org/how-to-break-the-busy-cycle/art-20269953

Cold medicines for kids: What's the risk?

From: http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/childrens-health/in-depth/cold-medicines/art-20047855