Dr. Howard Smith Reports

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/10NdkjxKigc

If you rang in the New Year enjoying some weed and noticed ringing in your ear, so-called tinnitus, it isn’t a coincidence.  Ear researchers from Stanford now show that annoying tinnitus is associated with marijuana use.

The study looked at 2160 adults tabulating use of marijuana, alcohol, and more dangerous, addicting drugs.  Marijuana use, even once a month, was a significant risk for distracting ear ringing.  No other drugs had this effect, and the frequency and quantity of weed used did not impact the severity of ringing.

If you already notice tinnitus, an early sign of inner ear hearing loss, you might want to skip marijuana smokinq or eating.

Z.J. Qian, J.C. Alyono. An association between marijuana use and tinnitus.  Am. J. Otolaryngology 41: 1-2/2020.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjoto.2019.102314

#Tinnitus #ringing #marijuana

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/10NdkjxKigc

If you rang in the New Year enjoying some weed and noticed ringing in your ear, so-called tinnitus, it isn’t a coincidence.  Ear researchers from Stanford now show that annoying tinnitus is associated with marijuana use.

The study looked at 2160 adults tabulating use of marijuana, alcohol, and more dangerous, addicting drugs.  Marijuana use, even once a month, was a significant risk for distracting ear ringing.  No other drugs had this effect, and the frequency and quantity of weed used did not impact the severity of ringing.

If you already notice tinnitus, an early sign of inner ear hearing loss, you might want to skip marijuana smokinq or eating.

Z.J. Qian, J.C. Alyono. An association between marijuana use and tinnitus.  Am. J. Otolaryngology 41: 1-2/2020.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjoto.2019.102314

#Tinnitus #ringing #marijuana

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/CGVcV0EKQpw

Since we just learned that sugar will not sweeten your mood, we look to psychologists from the Iowa State University to provide an alternative to a Hershey bar or a glass of sangria.  They just published a study in the Journal of Happiness Studies that suggests a very good alternative.

The researchers had groups of college students test 3 potentially mood-elevating techniques as they walked around campus eyeballing passersby for 12 minute sessions.  A loving-kindness group made wishes to themselves that the people they saw would be happy.  A second interconnectedness group looked at others and tried to imaging how they might be interconnected in some way.  The third group made downward social comparisons thinking how much better off they were than those they saw.  A control group merely looked at the passersby objectively noting what they were wearing.

Twelve minutes of thinking kind thoughts about people had a therapeutic effect, even on those with narcissistic tendencies.   Expressing concerns for others, even only internally, increases happiness, reduces anxiety, and generates feels of positive social connections.

Douglas A. Gentile, Dawn M. Sweet, Lanmiao He. Caring for Others Cares for the Self: An Experimental Test of Brief Downward Social Comparison, Loving-Kindness, and Interconnectedness Contemplations. Journal of Happiness Studies, 2019 DOI: 10.1007/s10902-019-00100-2

#mood #happiness #lovingkindness #psychology #anxiety

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/2rDWQ_5Cen8

Does sugar really turbocharge you and improve your mood?  A study by British and German psychologists just published in Neuroscience and Behavioral Reviews says absolutely not.

The researchers performed a meta-analysis of 31 studies covering nearly 1300 adults.  The investigations looked at how the quantity and type of sugar ingested affected alertness, fatigue, mood, anger, and depression.

When the numbers were crunched, the conclusions reached were:

Sugar does not elevate your mood.

Sugar makes most people less alert.

Sugar makes you more tired and fatigued.

So if you are looking for a way to energize yourself in order to complete that project, thesis, term paper, or your review for that exam, forget about sugaring up.  Instead, you might try that cocoa-caffeine cocktail I described awhile back.

Konstantinos Mantantzis, Friederike Schlaghecken, Sandra I. Sünram-Lea, Elizabeth A. Maylor. Sugar Rush or Sugar Crash? A Meta-Analysis of Carbohydrate Effects on Mood. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 2019; DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.03.016

http://drhowardsmith.libsyn.com/cocoa-caffeine-cocktail-helps-thinking-and-memory-reprise

#sugar #mood #energy #fatigue #alertness

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/2rDWQ_5Cen8

Does sugar really turbocharge you and improve your mood?  A study by British and German psychologists just published in Neuroscience and Behavioral Reviews says absolutely not.

The researchers performed a meta-analysis of 31 studies covering nearly 1300 adults.  The investigations looked at how the quantity and type of sugar ingested affected alertness, fatigue, mood, anger, and depression.

When the numbers were crunched, the conclusions reached were:

Sugar does not elevate your mood.

Sugar makes most people less alert.

Sugar makes you more tired and fatigued.

So if you are looking for a way to energize yourself in order to complete that project, thesis, term paper, or your review for that exam, forget about sugaring up.  Instead, you might try that cocoa-caffeine cocktail I described awhile back.

Konstantinos Mantantzis, Friederike Schlaghecken, Sandra I. Sünram-Lea, Elizabeth A. Maylor. Sugar Rush or Sugar Crash? A Meta-Analysis of Carbohydrate Effects on Mood. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 2019; DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.03.016

http://drhowardsmith.libsyn.com/cocoa-caffeine-cocktail-helps-thinking-and-memory-reprise

#sugar #mood #energy #fatigue #alertness

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/CGVcV0EKQpw

Since we just learned that sugar will not sweeten your mood, we look to psychologists from the Iowa State University to provide an alternative to a Hershey bar or a glass of sangria.  They just published a study in the Journal of Happiness Studies that suggests a very good alternative.

The researchers had groups of college students test 3 potentially mood-elevating techniques as they walked around campus eyeballing passersby for 12 minute sessions.  A loving-kindness group made wishes to themselves that the people they saw would be happy.  A second interconnectedness group looked at others and tried to imaging how they might be interconnected in some way.  The third group made downward social comparisons thinking how much better off they were than those they saw.  A control group merely looked at the passersby objectively noting what they were wearing.

Twelve minutes of thinking kind thoughts about people had a therapeutic effect, even on those with narcissistic tendencies.   Expressing concerns for others, even only internally, increases happiness, reduces anxiety, and generates feels of positive social connections.

Douglas A. Gentile, Dawn M. Sweet, Lanmiao He. Caring for Others Cares for the Self: An Experimental Test of Brief Downward Social Comparison, Loving-Kindness, and Interconnectedness Contemplations. Journal of Happiness Studies, 2019 DOI: 10.1007/s10902-019-00100-2

#mood #happiness #lovingkindness #psychology #anxiety

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/P3pgy7NLv9w

So you have celiac disease, the most severe form of gluten sensitivity, and exposure to the wheat protein can make you terribly sick.  You avoid any wheat products at home, and you carefully choose restaurants that certify their food to be gluten-free.  Just how good is their certification.

Not very good say studies just published by gastroenterologists at Columbia med school and the NY Presbyterian Hospital.  Their data comes from users of the Nima Gluten Sensor that diners can use to self-test food labeled as gluten free.  In a review of more than 5600 tests by some 800 users over 18 months, gluten was detected in 53% of gluten-free pizza, 51% of gluten-free. pasta, 27% of breakfasts, 29% of lunches, and 34% of dinners.

Here’s the catch: the device is extremely sensitive detecting gluten levels as low as 5 to 10 parts per million (ppm).  In the US, food certified as gluten-free can contain up to 20 ppm, and less than that may not be clinically significant.

Still, the data is sobering, and the byword is buyer beware.  If you have celiac disease and dine out, be certain that your server and also the manager know you must have gluten-free food, check that the restaurant has separate fryers for gluten-free foods, and keep your order simple trying to avoid foods that may be contaminated with gluten.

Benjamin A. Lerner, Lynn T. Phan Vo, Shireen Yates, Andrew G. Rundle, Peter H.R. Green, Benjamin Lebwohl. Detection of Gluten in Gluten-Free Labeled Restaurant Food. The American Journal of Gastroenterology, 2019; 1 DOI: 10.14309/ajg.0000000000000202

#celiac #gluten #glutenfree #wheat #restaurant

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/VLMP7UqntR8

The FDA has just issued a special warning that some e-cigarette users have developed seizures.  Nicotine toxicity can lower a persons seizure threshold.

Seizures have previously only been reported in cases of accidental e-cigarette liquid ingestion.  Now case reports are coming in where seizures are occurring in those vaping for the first time but also in more experienced users.  Convulsions may occur after only a few puffs but may also be delayed up to one day.

If you or someone you know has experienced a seizure in association with e-cigarette use, report the details immediately to both your doctor and to the FDA through their safety reporting portal: safetyreporting.hhs.gov. 

https://www.fda.gov/TobaccoProducts/NewsEvents/ucm635133.htm

#vaping #ecigarettes #seizure #nicotine

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/P3pgy7NLv9w

So you have celiac disease, the most severe form of gluten sensitivity, and exposure to the wheat protein can make you terribly sick.  You avoid any wheat products at home, and you carefully choose restaurants that certify their food to be gluten-free.  Just how good is their certification.

Not very good say studies just published by gastroenterologists at Columbia med school and the NY Presbyterian Hospital.  Their data comes from users of the Nima Gluten Sensor that diners can use to self-test food labeled as gluten free.  In a review of more than 5600 tests by some 800 users over 18 months, gluten was detected in 53% of gluten-free pizza, 51% of gluten-free. pasta, 27% of breakfasts, 29% of lunches, and 34% of dinners.

Here’s the catch: the device is extremely sensitive detecting gluten levels as low as 5 to 10 parts per million (ppm).  In the US, food certified as gluten-free can contain up to 20 ppm, and less than that may not be clinically significant.

Still, the data is sobering, and the byword is buyer beware.  If you have celiac disease and dine out, be certain that your server and also the manager know you must have gluten-free food, check that the restaurant has separate fryers for gluten-free foods, and keep your order simple trying to avoid foods that may be contaminated with gluten.

Benjamin A. Lerner, Lynn T. Phan Vo, Shireen Yates, Andrew G. Rundle, Peter H.R. Green, Benjamin Lebwohl. Detection of Gluten in Gluten-Free Labeled Restaurant Food. The American Journal of Gastroenterology, 2019; 1 DOI: 10.14309/ajg.0000000000000202

#celiac #gluten #glutenfree #wheat #restaurant

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/VLMP7UqntR8

The FDA has just issued a special warning that some e-cigarette users have developed seizures.  Nicotine toxicity can lower a persons seizure threshold.

Seizures have previously only been reported in cases of accidental e-cigarette liquid ingestion.  Now case reports are coming in where seizures are occurring in those vaping for the first time but also in more experienced users.  Convulsions may occur after only a few puffs but may also be delayed up to one day.

If you or someone you know has experienced a seizure in association with e-cigarette use, report the details immediately to both your doctor and to the FDA through their safety reporting portal: safetyreporting.hhs.gov. 

https://www.fda.gov/TobaccoProducts/NewsEvents/ucm635133.htm

#vaping #ecigarettes #seizure #nicotine