Dr. Howard Smith Reports

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/-81VImw-zEo

The prevalence of heart infections, bacterial infestations of the valves and cardiac linings known as endocarditis, have nearly doubled in drug abusers.  Cardiologists at the Cleveland Clinic studied nearly 1 million hospitalized patients with this disorder to understand the causes.

The drug users who developed bacterial endocarditis were predominately young, white men with incomes among the lowest 25%.  They had higher rates of concurrent hepatitis C, alcohol abuse, and HIV infection compared with non-drug abusing cardiac patients.  They were more likely to require heart surgery and had longer hospital stays and higher health care expenses.

Bacterial heart infections occur when germs enter the bloodstream, usually from reused and contaminated drug paraphernalia.  If you must use drugs, hopefully to withdraw from them, consume them by mouth.  If not, enlist help from clinicians to obtain sterile equipment.

Amer N. Kadri, Bryan Wilner, Adrian V. Hernandez, Georges Nakhoul, Johnny Chahine, Brian Griffin, Gosta Pettersson, Richard Grimm, Jose Navia, Steven Gordon, Samir R. Kapadia, Serge C. Harb. Geographic Trends, Patient Characteristics, and Outcomes of Infective Endocarditis Associated With Drug Abuse in the United States From 2002 to 2016. Journal of the American Heart Association, 2019; 8 (19) DOI: 10.1161/JAHA.119.012969

#Endocarditis #drugabuse

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/-81VImw-zEo

The prevalence of heart infections, bacterial infestations of the valves and cardiac linings known as endocarditis, have nearly doubled in drug abusers.  Cardiologists at the Cleveland Clinic studied nearly 1 million hospitalized patients with this disorder to understand the causes.

The drug users who developed bacterial endocarditis were predominately young, white men with incomes among the lowest 25%.  They had higher rates of concurrent hepatitis C, alcohol abuse, and HIV infection compared with non-drug abusing cardiac patients.  They were more likely to require heart surgery and had longer hospital stays and higher health care expenses.

Bacterial heart infections occur when germs enter the bloodstream, usually from reused and contaminated drug paraphernalia.  If you must use drugs, hopefully to withdraw from them, consume them by mouth.  If not, enlist help from clinicians to obtain sterile equipment.

Amer N. Kadri, Bryan Wilner, Adrian V. Hernandez, Georges Nakhoul, Johnny Chahine, Brian Griffin, Gosta Pettersson, Richard Grimm, Jose Navia, Steven Gordon, Samir R. Kapadia, Serge C. Harb. Geographic Trends, Patient Characteristics, and Outcomes of Infective Endocarditis Associated With Drug Abuse in the United States From 2002 to 2016. Journal of the American Heart Association, 2019; 8 (19) DOI: 10.1161/JAHA.119.012969

#Endocarditis #drugabuse

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/BV1PEQG6hzk

WikiHow’s 3 step program to become extroverted.  It is excellent, and I will paraphrase it.

ONE: Have the mindset. TWO: Do the work. THREE: Engage with others.

Have the mindset: 

• Value Extroversion: make friends easily, comfortable in crowds, keep a party going.
• Envision yourself as a good extrovert: not phony or hurtful.
• Select a spot on the extrovert spectrum.
• Look forward to feeling better about yourself.
• Know transition is difficult.

Do the work: 

• Observe.
• Perform.
• Start small.
• Be around people.
• Know yourself
• Walk on the wild side.

Practice:

• Find the right group.
• Play your strengths
• Talk
• Assert yourself
• Interrupt politely
• Attract attention
• Make people laugh
• Keep the party going.

https://www.wikihow.com/Be-an-Extrovert

#Extroversion #introversion #acting

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/BV1PEQG6hzk

WikiHow’s 3 step program to become extroverted.  It is excellent, and I will paraphrase it.

ONE: Have the mindset. TWO: Do the work. THREE: Engage with others.

Have the mindset: 

• Value Extroversion: make friends easily, comfortable in crowds, keep a party going.
• Envision yourself as a good extrovert: not phony or hurtful.
• Select a spot on the extrovert spectrum.
• Look forward to feeling better about yourself.
• Know transition is difficult.

Do the work: 

• Observe.
• Perform.
• Start small.
• Be around people.
• Know yourself
• Walk on the wild side.

Practice:

• Find the right group.
• Play your strengths
• Talk
• Assert yourself
• Interrupt politely
• Attract attention
• Make people laugh
• Keep the party going.

https://www.wikihow.com/Be-an-Extrovert

#Extroversion #introversion #acting

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/eFtj42jop5Q

If you’re quiet and withdrawn by nature, you’ll be happier if you push yourself to be outgoing.  UC-Riverside psychologists studied 123 subjects classifying them as introverts or extroverts.

Investigators coached each participant to act, for one week, as quiet, reserved introverts or as talkative, outgoing, “life of the party” extroverts.

The participants reported greater feelings of well-being during their week spent as extroverts.   Those who were naturally quiet and had to work the hardest to be talkative and spontaneous showed no ill effects as the result of the charade.

We are all actors of sorts, and this study shows that it is healthy to get outside yourself.  Humans are naturally social animals, and the qualities associated with extroversion facilitate that tendency.

Seth Margolis, Sonja Lyubomirsky. Experimental manipulation of extraverted and introverted behavior and its effects on well-being.. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 2019; DOI: 10.1037/xge0000668

#Extroversion #introversion #acting

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/eFtj42jop5Q

If you’re quiet and withdrawn by nature, you’ll be happier if you push yourself to be outgoing.  UC-Riverside psychologists studied 123 subjects classifying them as introverts or extroverts.

Investigators coached each participant to act, for one week, as quiet, reserved introverts or as talkative, outgoing, “life of the party” extroverts.

The participants reported greater feelings of well-being during their week spent as extroverts.   Those who were naturally quiet and had to work the hardest to be talkative and spontaneous showed no ill effects as the result of the charade.

We are all actors of sorts, and this study shows that it is healthy to get outside yourself.  Humans are naturally social animals, and the qualities associated with extroversion facilitate that tendency.

Seth Margolis, Sonja Lyubomirsky. Experimental manipulation of extraverted and introverted behavior and its effects on well-being.. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 2019; DOI: 10.1037/xge0000668

#Extroversion #introversion #acting

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/4V_LSBkMV5s

Four months on a plant-based, low fat diet can cleanse your gut and leave you with a healthier microbiome that helps you control your weight, improve your body composition, and avoid diabetes.  The Physician Committee for Responsible Medicine demonstrated this result after studying 147 subject half of whom followed the vegan program.

Those foregoing meat and fish showed significantly reduced body weights, a significantly lower fat mass, an increase in their insulin sensitivity, and a healthier gastrointestinal bacterial composition.  The investigators conclude that the fiber from the plant-based diet is the magic sauce that refines the gut microbiome.

If you’re looking for a healthy way to lose some weight and improve your metabolism, take a break and become a vegan for 12 weeks.

Diabetologia. "Short-term study suggests vegan diet can boost gut microbes related to body weight, body composition and blood sugar control." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 16 September 2019. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/09/190916185819.htm.

#Vegan #microbiome #weightloss #diabetes

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/4V_LSBkMV5s

Four months on a plant-based, low fat diet can cleanse your gut and leave you with a healthier microbiome that helps you control your weight, improve your body composition, and avoid diabetes.  The Physician Committee for Responsible Medicine demonstrated this result after studying 147 subject half of whom followed the vegan program.

Those foregoing meat and fish showed significantly reduced body weights, a significantly lower fat mass, an increase in their insulin sensitivity, and a healthier gastrointestinal bacterial composition.  The investigators conclude that the fiber from the plant-based diet is the magic sauce that refines the gut microbiome.

If you’re looking for a healthy way to lose some weight and improve your metabolism, take a break and become a vegan for 12 weeks.

Diabetologia. "Short-term study suggests vegan diet can boost gut microbes related to body weight, body composition and blood sugar control." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 16 September 2019. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/09/190916185819.htm.

#Vegan #microbiome #weightloss #diabetes

Vidcast:  ttps://youtu.be/0PQgrkKSGSw

You’ll make poor choices and turn in awful intellectual performances on an empty stomach.  Psychologists at Scotland’s University of Dundee put 50 participants to the test either 2 hours after eating or following a 10 hour fast.

Test results revealed that hunger triggers impatience, impulsivity, and a need for immediate gratification .  The well-fed were willing to wait over a month for a substantial reward while the hungry could only manage 3 days.

If you want and need consistent mental performance, start with a good breakfast and eat regularly.  The researchers add, of course, that you shouldn’t food shop when you’re hungry.

Jordan Skrynka, Benjamin T. Vincent. Hunger increases delay discounting of food and non-food rewards. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 2019; DOI: 10.3758/s13423-019-01655-0

#Hunger #impulsivity #impatience

Vidcast:  ttps://youtu.be/0PQgrkKSGSw

You’ll make poor choices and turn in awful intellectual performances on an empty stomach.  Psychologists at Scotland’s University of Dundee put 50 participants to the test either 2 hours after eating or following a 10 hour fast.

Test results revealed that hunger triggers impatience, impulsivity, and a need for immediate gratification .  The well-fed were willing to wait over a month for a substantial reward while the hungry could only manage 3 days.

If you want and need consistent mental performance, start with a good breakfast and eat regularly.  The researchers add, of course, that you shouldn’t food shop when you’re hungry.

Jordan Skrynka, Benjamin T. Vincent. Hunger increases delay discounting of food and non-food rewards. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 2019; DOI: 10.3758/s13423-019-01655-0

#Hunger #impulsivity #impatience