Dr. Howard Smith Reports

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/D9VspX8CT00

Nearly 30% of people have constipation and don’t even know it.  This is the conclusion of a study from King’s College-London just published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology.

It seems like a simple issue, but public health authorities can’t even agree on how many of us do suffer from constipation.  Estimates range from 3% to more than 10 times that number at 35%, and the variation occurs because there are disagreements about the diagnostic criteria for constipation.

Studying over 2500 subjects, the researchers conclude that constipation is characterized by one or more of 6 symptom clusters: infrequent bowel movements, pain and bloating, rectal discomfort, hard stools, flatulence, and some incontinence.  Patients with these symptoms should consult a gastroenterologist and a therapeutic dietician for help.

Meanwhile, don’t forget the many things you can do to relieve your backup.  These include: drinking abundant water, consuming raisins, munching prunes, and eating cabbage and coleslaw.

King's College London. "Research redefines constipation." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 5 June 2019. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/06/190605201123.htm.

#constipation

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/D9VspX8CT00

Nearly 30% of people have constipation and don’t even know it.  This is the conclusion of a study from King’s College-London just published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology.

It seems like a simple issue, but public health authorities can’t even agree on how many of us do suffer from constipation.  Estimates range from 3% to more than 10 times that number at 35%, and the variation occurs because there are disagreements about the diagnostic criteria for constipation.

Studying over 2500 subjects, the researchers conclude that constipation is characterized by one or more of 6 symptom clusters: infrequent bowel movements, pain and bloating, rectal discomfort, hard stools, flatulence, and some incontinence.  Patients with these symptoms should consult a gastroenterologist and a therapeutic dietician for help.

Meanwhile, don’t forget the many things you can do to relieve your backup.  These include: drinking abundant water, consuming raisins, munching prunes, and eating cabbage and coleslaw.

King's College London. "Research redefines constipation." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 5 June 2019. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/06/190605201123.htm.

#constipation

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/xAilVbLJ0fg

A teen boy’s obsession with body building and strengthening can be every bit as dangerous to his health as a teen girl’s obsession with her weight and shape.  This warning comes from the Departments of Pediatrics and Psychiatry at the University of California-San Francisco.

In contrast to girls’ dangerous practices of gorging and purging, boys tend to over consume protein, dangerously restrict carbs and fats, practice wide swings of nutrient loading with fasting, and compulsively exercise thus creating energy deficits and de facto malnourishment.  Even worse, many adolescent boys consume untested and unregulated dietary supplements and steroids.

We as parents and doctors need to actively look for these tell-tale clues in teen boys and help them deal with the self-image issues that trigger their dangerous behaviors.   Guys will never admit to having an eating disorder.  After all, only girls have those problems right guys?

Jason MNagata,Tiffany ABrown,Jason MLavender,Stuart BMurray.  Emerging trends in eating disorders among adolescent boys: muscles, macronutrients, and biohacking.    The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health. Volume 3, Issue 7, July 2019, Pages 444-445. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2352-4642(19)30147-6

#eatingdisorders #biohacking #anorexia #bulemia #supplements #steroids

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/xAilVbLJ0fg

A teen boy’s obsession with body building and strengthening can be every bit as dangerous to his health as a teen girl’s obsession with her weight and shape.  This warning comes from the Departments of Pediatrics and Psychiatry at the University of California-San Francisco.

In contrast to girls’ dangerous practices of gorging and purging, boys tend to over consume protein, dangerously restrict carbs and fats, practice wide swings of nutrient loading with fasting, and compulsively exercise thus creating energy deficits and de facto malnourishment.  Even worse, many adolescent boys consume untested and unregulated dietary supplements and steroids.

We as parents and doctors need to actively look for these tell-tale clues in teen boys and help them deal with the self-image issues that trigger their dangerous behaviors.   Guys will never admit to having an eating disorder.  After all, only girls have those problems right guys?

Jason MNagata,Tiffany ABrown,Jason MLavender,Stuart BMurray.  Emerging trends in eating disorders among adolescent boys: muscles, macronutrients, and biohacking.    The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health. Volume 3, Issue 7, July 2019, Pages 444-445. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2352-4642(19)30147-6

#eatingdisorders #biohacking #anorexia #bulemia #supplements #steroids

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/JPD_AErq2wQ

When you chomp down on a chocolate bar or daintily take a bite of that truffle, the package that tasty tidbit came in has much to do with its perceived flavor.  Aussies at the University of Melbourne’s School of Agriculture and Food presented 75 study subjects with the same piece of chocolate wrapped in 6 different packages that cried out a variety of messages including bold, fun, everyday, special, healthy, or premium.

The study results showed that the participants, ranging from 25-55 years of age, liked the chocolate taste better when they loved the package design and when that design shouted fun, healthy, relaxing, excitement, and friendly.   The tasters were less enthusiastic about the chocolate taste when they picked up and tasted an unwrapped piece.

Other studies have shown that 60% of consumers make buying decisions solely on product packaging.  I’d add that even more make choices based on name brands.

If you want to save a ton of money and still enjoy the food you eat, be adventurous and try less expensive less well-known and advertised brands.  

Nadeesha M. Gunaratne, Sigfredo Fuentes, Thejani M. Gunaratne, Damir Dennis Torrico, Caroline Francis, Hollis Ashman, Claudia Gonzalez Viejo, Frank R. Dunshea. Effects of packaging design on sensory liking and willingness to purchase: A study using novel chocolate packaging. Heliyon, 2019; 5 (6): e01696 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e01696

#chocolate #packaging, tastetest #branding

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/JPD_AErq2wQ

When you chomp down on a chocolate bar or daintily take a bite of that truffle, the package that tasty tidbit came in has much to do with its perceived flavor.  Aussies at the University of Melbourne’s School of Agriculture and Food presented 75 study subjects with the same piece of chocolate wrapped in 6 different packages that cried out a variety of messages including bold, fun, everyday, special, healthy, or premium.

The study results showed that the participants, ranging from 25-55 years of age, liked the chocolate taste better when they loved the package design and when that design shouted fun, healthy, relaxing, excitement, and friendly.   The tasters were less enthusiastic about the chocolate taste when they picked up and tasted an unwrapped piece.

Other studies have shown that 60% of consumers make buying decisions solely on product packaging.  I’d add that even more make choices based on name brands.

If you want to save a ton of money and still enjoy the food you eat, be adventurous and try less expensive less well-known and advertised brands.  

Nadeesha M. Gunaratne, Sigfredo Fuentes, Thejani M. Gunaratne, Damir Dennis Torrico, Caroline Francis, Hollis Ashman, Claudia Gonzalez Viejo, Frank R. Dunshea. Effects of packaging design on sensory liking and willingness to purchase: A study using novel chocolate packaging. Heliyon, 2019; 5 (6): e01696 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e01696

#chocolate #packaging, tastetest #branding

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/_JJ0_t-I2wk

Health News You Should Use, the latest medical discoveries and commonsense advice that you can use in a practical way to keep yourself and your family healthy.  

Here are this weeks stories :

Laundry detergent Pods Continue To Poison Children

Video Game Weapons Make Kids Handle Real Ones

Large City Air Pollution Clogs Your Arteries

Arthritis Supplement Helps Your Heart

Nervous Neds and Nellies May Stay Safer

Kids On Wheels Risk Head Injuries

An Egg A Day IS Safe

FDA Warns Women Of Vinpocetine Risks

More Evidence Links Gingivitis To Dementia

Blood Pressure Control Reduces Dementia

Formula Supplementation For A Baby’s First Days Does Not Reduce Breastfeeding

Is Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Really Mild?

Lack Of Sleep Damages Your Heart

Buyers Beware Of Wearable Brain Tech Scams

Do You Need To Fast For That Cholesterol Test?

For show notes and references tofor the stories, check out my website at: 

https://www.drhowardsmith.com/june-2019-1st-week-health-news

#Detergentpods #soappackages #poisonings #parenting #pediatrics #Videogames #guncontrol #guns #swords #parenting #Ozone #coronary #carotid #airpollution #Glucosamine #coronarydisease #stroke #smoking #Anxiety #danger #risk #superpower #Bicycles #scooters  #Dementia #hypertension#skateboards #helmets #bikelanes #Egg #cholesterol #stroke #Vinpocetine #foodsupplement #pregnancy #fetaltoxin #dementia #maculardegeneration #deafness #Gingivitis #Alzheimers #Breastfeeding #formula #supplementation #jaundice #TBI #traumaticbraininjury #CTE #Sleep #heart #coronary arteries #carotid arteries #microRNA #TDCS #brainstimulation #selfhelp #Fasting #nonfasting #cholesterol #triglycerides #coronarydisease #lipids

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/_JJ0_t-I2wk

Health News You Should Use, the latest medical discoveries and commonsense advice that you can use in a practical way to keep yourself and your family healthy.  

Here are this weeks stories :

Laundry detergent Pods Continue To Poison Children

Video Game Weapons Make Kids Handle Real Ones

Large City Air Pollution Clogs Your Arteries

Arthritis Supplement Helps Your Heart

Nervous Neds and Nellies May Stay Safer

Kids On Wheels Risk Head Injuries

An Egg A Day IS Safe

FDA Warns Women Of Vinpocetine Risks

More Evidence Links Gingivitis To Dementia

Blood Pressure Control Reduces Dementia

Formula Supplementation For A Baby’s First Days Does Not Reduce Breastfeeding

Is Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Really Mild?

Lack Of Sleep Damages Your Heart

Buyers Beware Of Wearable Brain Tech Scams

Do You Need To Fast For That Cholesterol Test?

For show notes and references tofor the stories, check out my website at: 

https://www.drhowardsmith.com/june-2019-1st-week-health-news

#Detergentpods #soappackages #poisonings #parenting #pediatrics #Videogames #guncontrol #guns #swords #parenting #Ozone #coronary #carotid #airpollution #Glucosamine #coronarydisease #stroke #smoking #Anxiety #danger #risk #superpower #Bicycles #scooters  #Dementia #hypertension#skateboards #helmets #bikelanes #Egg #cholesterol #stroke #Vinpocetine #foodsupplement #pregnancy #fetaltoxin #dementia #maculardegeneration #deafness #Gingivitis #Alzheimers #Breastfeeding #formula #supplementation #jaundice #TBI #traumaticbraininjury #CTE #Sleep #heart #coronary arteries #carotid arteries #microRNA #TDCS #brainstimulation #selfhelp #Fasting #nonfasting #cholesterol #triglycerides #coronarydisease #lipids

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/mdLlLwEvCyk

The latest answer from Harvard’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Britain’s National Heart and Lung Institute is a resounding NO!  They analyzed data from more than 8000 participants in the Anglo-Scandinavian Cardiac Outcomes Trial.

The tabulated results indicate that both non-fasting and fasting lipid levels had similar correlations with coronary events including both non-fatal and fatal heart attacks.  The non-fasting determinations did have slightly higher triglyceride levels, but this variation did not invalidate the usefulness of the non-fasting data.

The next time you need to have your lipid profile including cholesterol and triglycerides drawn, you can go anytime of the day without regard to meals.  But do eat healthy and avoid downing a pile of fat.

Mora S, Chang CL, Moorthy MV, Sever PS. Association of Nonfasting vs Fasting Lipid Levels With Risk of Major Coronary Events in the Anglo-Scandinavian Cardiac Outcomes Trial–Lipid Lowering Arm. JAMA Intern Med. Published online May 28, 2019. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2019.0392

#Fasting #nonfasting #cholesterol #triglycerides #coronarydisease #lipids

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/mdLlLwEvCyk

The latest answer from Harvard’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Britain’s National Heart and Lung Institute is a resounding NO!  They analyzed data from more than 8000 participants in the Anglo-Scandinavian Cardiac Outcomes Trial.

The tabulated results indicate that both non-fasting and fasting lipid levels had similar correlations with coronary events including both non-fatal and fatal heart attacks.  The non-fasting determinations did have slightly higher triglyceride levels, but this variation did not invalidate the usefulness of the non-fasting data.

The next time you need to have your lipid profile including cholesterol and triglycerides drawn, you can go anytime of the day without regard to meals.  But do eat healthy and avoid downing a pile of fat.

Mora S, Chang CL, Moorthy MV, Sever PS. Association of Nonfasting vs Fasting Lipid Levels With Risk of Major Coronary Events in the Anglo-Scandinavian Cardiac Outcomes Trial–Lipid Lowering Arm. JAMA Intern Med. Published online May 28, 2019. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2019.0392

#Fasting #nonfasting #cholesterol #triglycerides #coronarydisease #lipids