Women's Heart Health: Mayo Clinic Radio

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

Steam Treatment for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: Mayo Clinic Radio

From: Mayo Clinic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpuXaeOUB1s

Well Living Lab Results: Mayo Clinic Radio

From: Mayo Clinic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCq98BtMIY0

Why spreading the word about HPV risks in men has become this man's mission

"I know that what time I have left really needs to be devoted to raising awareness of the fact that my condition could have been avoided"

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/one-mans-fight-to-raise-awareness-about-hpv-in-men/

Spinning: Good for the heart and muscles, gentle on joints

As part of my 2018 fitness goals, I have resolved to spend two days a week in what I playfully call “the pain cave.”

No, it’s not a setting for Game of Thrones, but one of the most challenging (and rewarding) workouts I have ever tried: spinning, also known as indoor cycling.

Spinning classes are staples at most gyms, and there are even entire fitness centers devoted to nothing but spinning. A class typically lasts 45 minutes to an hour and is led by an instructor who guides everyone through a series of heart-pumping workouts. For instance, you might do speed work, where you pedal fast for brief periods followed by periods of rest and recovery. You also may do incline workouts, where you increase the resistance so it feels like you are cycling uphill.

If you haven’t tried spinning — or are looking for a way to liven up your exercise routine — you should give it a whirl, as it offers a wide range of benefits for people of all ages and fitness levels.

“Spinning is a great cardiovascular workout and can help build lower-body muscle strength,” says Greg Robidoux, a physical therapist with the Cycling Medicine Program at Harvard-affiliated Spaulding Rehabilitation Network.

It’s also perfect for people who don’t enjoy, or have difficulty doing, higher-impact cardio activities like running. Spinning is a low-impact exercise that places less stress on your joints, which makes it ideal for older adults with knee or hip issues or those recovering from orthopedic injuries.

Spinning classes are safe for most people, but get your doctor’s okay, especially if you have a heart problem or are recovering from an injury or surgery. “Once you are more comfortable on the bike, you easily can do your own workouts,” says Robidoux. “But you should experience several classes to get a feel for everything before going solo.”

Guidelines for a safe and effective workout

Look for proper credentials. Most spinning instructors are certified to teach spinning. Others may be only certified to teach aerobics, and while they may be experienced with spinning, they might be less knowledgeable about the equipment and how to move smoothly through different positions on the bike. Robidoux says to look for instructor certifications like Mad Dogg Spinning Instructor Certification, AFAA [Aerobics and Fitness Association of America], Indoor Cycling Certification, or Schwinn Indoor Cycling Certification.

Get fitted. Ask your instructor how to adjust the handlebar and seat height and position to ensure proper alignment, so you don’t put too much strain on your lower back and knees. Your legs should move in a circle with no jackhammer-like bouncing.

Take it easy at first. Only pedal at a pace that allows you to stay stable in the saddle, and never feel you have to do what everyone else is doing. “Go at a lower intensity if needed, stay in your comfort zone, and progress at your own pace,” says Robidoux. “It is perfectly fine to skip a workout, recover, and jump back in when you are ready, or do your own thing and just pedal.”

Keep it short. It’s okay to stay for only 20 or 30 minutes of a class at first, until you are more comfortable and your endurance increases.

Don’t forget a towel and water. You will sweat, so always have a towel handy to wipe your brow and a water bottle to stay hydrated.

Sit right. Also, invest in a pair of cycling shorts, which can make sitting on the saddle more comfortable.

The post Spinning: Good for the heart and muscles, gentle on joints appeared first on Harvard Health Blog.

From: Matthew Solan https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/spinning-heart-joints-2018022413237

WHO: Nurses and midwives: key to universal health coverage

From: World Health Organization https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzQ2HVrrGQk

Deadly flu season has likely peaked, CDC says

The worst flu season in years has likely peaked, the CDC said Friday. But the illness still remains widespread in every state, except for Hawaii and Oregon.

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/deadly-flu-season-has-likely-peaked-cdc-says/

A Conversation with Crystal Jackson and Dr. Fran Cogen: Part 1

Recently, our Safe at School Director, Crystal Jackson, got the chance to chat with Fran Cogen, MD, CDE, Director of Diabetes Services and Interim Co-Chief of Pediatric Endocrinology at Children’s Hospital. Dr. Cogen’s practice serves approximately 1,800 patients in the DC/Maryland/Virginia metro area, with 85 percent of those patients living with type 1 diabetes. Dr. Cogen has been working with diabetes patients since 2002 and is also a member of the ADA’s Safe at School Working Group. Crystal and Dr. Cogen spoke about the Safe at School program, diabetes management in schools and how parents can work with schools as a team—check out part one of this interview series that will be helpful to parents, diabetes providers and school staff.

Dr. Fran Cogen

Crystal Jackson: Most of [your patients] are school age. What are some common school diabetes care complaints that you hear from parents?

Fran Cogen, MD, CDE: Let’s start with insulin—sometimes, private schools may refuse to give insulin at school (but that’s happening less and less). Another concern is independence of the student. Many school nurses insist that students go to the clinic to check blood glucose or to receive other diabetes care. Students then often miss class time. That also goes for insulin pumps—some of the nurses feel that the students are not capable of bolusing on their own. In addition, some schools refuse to give glucagon…even if (in some cases) a child is seizing, they call 911 and give glucose gel. Other schools insist that every time the healthcare provider OR the parent/caregiver makes an insulin dose adjustment, we have to send new orders, which is impractical and can result in delaying an insulin dose and the child being able to eat lunch with classmates. Many school nurses take the position that they will not accept parental permission for insulin dose adjustment and require written orders from the student’s provider. This is unnecessary. Parents and self-managing students adjust insulin doses all of the time without input from the child’s provider.

CJ: What is your feeling about the need for provider authorization to make changes? What do you base that change on; for example, do you know what the child has been up to that day?

FC: I don’t personally know the latest insulin adjustments made by the family, but what we do (at least on the Maryland school form) is give permission to adjust the insulin-to-carb ratio at a certain range, and we give them permission to adjust the correction factor to a certain range…a responsible parent is best positioned to make these adjustments.

CJ: Going back to insulin, you mentioned that some of the private schools don’t have anybody to give insulin?

FC: Some schools don’t have nurses. [In those cases,] We ask that they delegate and train a school employee to give insulin—we haven’t seen many problems with that as of late. Of course, with some day care situations, that may be an issue.

CJ: What about public schools in the D.C. area?

FC: I haven’t heard any issues with the public schools in the area giving shots or using pens—what I am hearing are issues with the insulin pumps. They’re not comfortable letting the children manage them. For example, I recently got a call from one family whose child is perfectly capable of adjusting pump settings, and the child was low and knew what to do, but the nurse was trying to change the basal rates which she had no experienced in how to change. The father was very angry and ended up meeting with the principal.

CJ: What do you think could help to address a situation like that?

FC: It is my personal belief that we want someone trained and experienced to handle insulin pumps. Many school nurses—unless they’re insulin pump nurses—usually do not have that experience. I can understand if there’s a problem and [the school] wants to go over it with the parents on the phone, but I don’t feel it’s appropriate for a nurse to be changing pump basal rates, or changing infusion sites if they fall out in school unless they have training, experience and are comfortable with doing so. I don’t want someone who has little experience changing basal rates and replacing infusion sets basal rates in school, especially with the back-up option of giving insulin injections by pen or syringe.

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Interested in learning more about our Safe at School program? Check out our resources here.

From: American Diabetes Association http://diabetesstopshere.org/2018/02/23/a-conversation-with-crystal-jackson-and-dr-fran-cogen-part-1/

Nasty flu season finally starts to wane

The CDC says this year's deadly flu season finally seems to be getting better instead of worse, although it won't be over for many more weeks. CBS News' Kenneth Craig reports.

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/nasty-flu-season-finally-starts-to-wane/

Nasty flu season showing signs of winding down

The CDC is cautious about saying flu season has peaked, but called a decline in doctor visits encouraging

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/nasty-flu-season-showing-signs-of-winding-down-in-us/

New research debunks medical marijuana myths

Two common beliefs about legalizing the medical use of pot do not hold up under scrutiny, researchers say

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/medical-marijuana-myths-debunked-in-new-study/

Women's Heart Attacks Can Have Hidden Causes

Women who complain of chest pain often are told they haven't had a heart attack if their arteries aren't blocked, the researchers said.

From: https://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/news/20180223/womens-heart-attacks-can-have-hidden-causes?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Eating disorders awareness week set for Feb. 26-March 4

National Eating Disorders Awareness Week is set for Feb. 26-March 4.

From: https://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2018-archive/february/eating-disorders-in-spotlight-feb-26-march-4

Mayo Clinic Minute: Do you practice good sleep hygiene?

From: Mayo Clinic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7_Fi0G5GsM

The Role of Setons – IBD in the News

From: Mayo Clinic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OG9NUknNwY4