Friday, March 23, 2018

End of Brutal Flu Season in Sight

For the sixth week in a row, there was a decrease in the number of doctor visits for flu-like illness, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Friday.



From: https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/news/20180323/end-of-brutal-flu-season-in-sight?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Common Meds May Help Spur Antibiotic Resistance

Researchers at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory, in Germany, tested about 1,000 medicines on 40 species of gut bacteria. Of 923 non-antibiotics tested, 250 affected the growth of at least one of species of gut bacteria.



From: https://www.webmd.com/drug-medication/news/20180323/common-meds-may-help-spur-antibiotic-resistance?src=RSS_PUBLIC

His Prostate Cancer Becomes Her Struggle, Too

While the impact of prostate cancer and its treatment on men has been widely studied, there has been little examination of how patients' partners are affected, the association noted.



From: https://www.webmd.com/prostate-cancer/news/20180323/his-prostate-cancer-becomes-her-struggle-too?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Sonny Perdue's Second Back To Our Roots Tour in 3 Northeastern States



From: USDA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcwG4iwN6Fk

Freezing 'Hunger Nerve' Might Help Shed Pounds

woman looking in mirror

The nerve's proper name is the posterior vagal trunk and it's part of the larger vagus nerve that's linked with the heart, lungs and digestive system, ABC News reported.



From: https://www.webmd.com/diet/obesity/news/20180323/freezing-hunger-nerve-might-help-shed-pounds?src=RSS_PUBLIC

"Like a zombie": Officials warn about drugs doused in bug spray

Rescue crews in Indianapolis say a growing number of overdose cases involve a street drug called KD, which is made with bug spray and causes "zombie"-like effects. WTTV's Alexis McAdams reports.

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/like-a-zombie-officials-warn-about-drugs-doused-in-bug-spray/

Obesity Rates Keep Rising for U.S. Adults

Meanwhile, about 18.5 percent of kids were obese in 2015-2016, compared with 17 percent in 2007-2008.



From: https://www.webmd.com/diet/obesity/news/20180323/obesity-rates-keep-rising-for-us-adults?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Study Weighs Heart Danger of Antibiotics for Older Women

The study of women age 60 or older found those who took antibiotics for at least two months were 27 percent more likely to die from all causes over a period of eight years, and they had a 58 percent greater risk of dying from heart disease, specifically.



From: https://www.webmd.com/drug-medication/news/20180322/study-weighs-heart-danger-of-antibiotics-for-older-women?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Depression Could Be a Risk Factor for A-Fib: Study

At least 2.7 million Americans live with atrial fibrillation, the most common heart rhythm disorder, according to the American Heart Association (AHA).



From: https://www.webmd.com/depression/news/20180322/depression-could-be-a-risk-factor-for-a-fib-study?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Drugs laced with bug spray blamed for "zombie"-like effects

Health officials in Indianapolis say they are seeing a spike in the number of people overdosing​ on a street drug called KD

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/drugs-laced-with-bug-spray-cause-zombie-like-effects/

What are the limits of at-home genetic tests?

FDA recently approved first direct-to-consumer test designed to find three gene mutations​ linked to breast cancer without a doctor's prescription

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/what-are-the-limits-of-at-home-genetic-tests/

Even Bursts of Activity Can Boost Long-Term Health

The finding runs counter to federal guidelines that say activity must last at least 10 minutes in order to help stave off disease and premature death.



From: https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/news/20180323/even-bursts-of-activity-can-boost-long-term-health?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Mayo Clinic Minute: Eating for a healthy colon



From: Mayo Clinic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GLiMuRC_QY

More Cases of Breast Implant-Linked Cancer: FDA

surgeon holding breast implants

The disease -- breast implant-associated anaplastic large-cell lymphoma -- is not breast cancer. It's an immune system cancer that can usually be cured by surgery alone if detected early, The Times reported.



From: https://www.webmd.com/breast-cancer/news/20180323/more-cases-of-breast-implant-linked-cancer?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Your 9 best exercise excuses: Busted



From: Mayo Clinic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8g0QiKQrf_U

How to reduce deaths during emergencies?



From: World Health Organization https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSSOKh_uJCE

Dermal Fillers: The Risks To Eliminating Wrinkles

Close-up of a Woman's Lips

In 2016, more than 2.4 million filler procedures were done with one type alone, hyaluronic acid (Juvederm, Restylane), in the U.S. That's a 56% increase over the last decade.



From: https://www.webmd.com/beauty/news/20180322/dermal-fillers-the-risks-to-eliminating-wrinkles?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Choosing the right mental health provider

When faced with mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, or other symptoms of the mind and brain, it can be difficult to know where to find the best care. In part, the challenge of finding the right professional for you stems from the highly variable manner in which mental health concerns can emerge. One person’s depression, for example, may be very different than someone else’s, and the same can be said for anxiety, post-traumatic stress, obsessionality, attentional issues, substance use disorders, and even psychosis.

There are also lots of different kinds of mental health providers out there doing all kinds of distinct clinical work. It can be intimidating to even know where to start searching for help, but often telling your primary care doctor about your symptoms, and if necessary asking for a referral to a specialist, is a good place to begin.

If your doctor determines that specialized care is needed, you may be referred to a psychiatrist who can do a global assessment of your clinical needs. It may be the case that you will benefit most from an integrated treatment approach that features both psychotherapy and medications, or you may be referred primarily to one treatment or another. Here’s some additional information about the different kinds of mental health providers and the treatments they offer to help diagnose and treat psychiatric issues.

Psychiatrists

Psychiatrists are medical doctors who have graduated from medical school and completed at least four years of additional specialized training, through residency and often fellowship, in the medical treatment of mental disorders. Because of their advanced medical training, psychiatrists are able to prescribe medicine and also have at least basic training in most evidence-based psychotherapeutic approaches. Some choose to see patients for medication management only, while others focus on therapy and still others integrate both approaches into the same clinical sessions. Also, psychiatrists are generally the only mental health providers who can perform electroconvulsive therapy, transcranial magnetic stimulation, or other neuromodulatory treatments that use devices to noninvasively stimulate the brain in severe or medication-resistant cases.

Though some psychiatrists still practice traditional psychoanalysis involving multiple sessions “on the couch” each week, this kind of approach has become less available and less common in recent years, in part because insurances generally do not cover it, and in order to practice it providers must complete additional psychoanalytic training for several years after residency. Often, psychiatric nurse practitioners or other appropriately trained “physician extenders” can take on the traditional role of a psychiatrist, though it is important that they have access to adequate supervision, particularly for complex cases.

Therapists and counselors

Many types of professionals can provide the variety of psychotherapeutic approaches used in the treatment of mental health disorders. Therapists who have obtained PhD or PsyD degrees with a focus in clinical psychology, for example, have perhaps the most extensive training in providing talk therapy, including psychodynamic or “insight-oriented” therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, and others. Clinical social workers and mental health counselors may also have excellent training in particular therapeutic areas that can be very helpful to patients. Therapists and counselors may even offer some therapies, such as eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), that psychiatrists generally have less experience with.

In each of these areas, it is important to remember that there is a spectrum of quality, and so it is essential for people with mental health concerns to find well-trained and credentialed providers that seem to be a good fit with them individually.

The post Choosing the right mental health provider appeared first on Harvard Health Blog.



From: Adam P. Stern, MD https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/choosing-right-mental-health-provider-2018032313423

WHO: Director-General Dr Tedros message for World TB Day 2018



From: World Health Organization https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_F2NWTNf9Y