Dr. Howard Smith Reports

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/NsMPlTzykEk

Psychologists have been debating over the past century whether or not smiling will actually make you feel happier.  Most thought that smiling was indeed a picker-upper until 3 years ago when a landmark study questioned that premise.

Psychologists at the University of Tennessee now provide a more definitive answer to the question by performing a meta-analysis of 138 studies that collectively reviewed findings on more than 11,000 subjects.  The tabulated results show statistically that smiling makes a person feel just a little bit happier, frowning has the opposite effect, and scowling induces an overlay of anger.

So the next time that you are in a funk, think happy thoughts and beam a smile.  Remember too, that if you are having negative thoughts about someone, your expression could give it away.  To keep your feeling to yourself, use your innate acting skills to suppress that frown.\

Nicholas A. Coles, Jeff T. Larsen, Heather C. Lench. A meta-analysis of the facial feedback literature: Effects of facial feedback on emotional experience are small and variable.. Psychological Bulletin, 2019; DOI: 10.1037/bul0000194

#smiles #Expression #mood #acting

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/NsMPlTzykEk

Psychologists have been debating over the past century whether or not smiling will actually make you feel happier.  Most thought that smiling was indeed a picker-upper until 3 years ago when a landmark study questioned that premise.

Psychologists at the University of Tennessee now provide a more definitive answer to the question by performing a meta-analysis of 138 studies that collectively reviewed findings on more than 11,000 subjects.  The tabulated results show statistically that smiling makes a person feel just a little bit happier, frowning has the opposite effect, and scowling induces an overlay of anger.

So the next time that you are in a funk, think happy thoughts and beam a smile.  Remember too, that if you are having negative thoughts about someone, your expression could give it away.  To keep your feeling to yourself, use your innate acting skills to suppress that frown.\

Nicholas A. Coles, Jeff T. Larsen, Heather C. Lench. A meta-analysis of the facial feedback literature: Effects of facial feedback on emotional experience are small and variable.. Psychological Bulletin, 2019; DOI: 10.1037/bul0000194

#smiles #Expression #mood #acting

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/jBofMI-f1Kw

A long, healthy life with continued mobility depends on healthy, toned muscles, and many turn to weight lifting to achieve that goal.  Turns out, though, that not all types of weight lifting exercises do the trick.

A study presented just last week at the congress of the European Society of Cardiology shows muscle power rather than muscle strength is the important skill to develop.  Muscle strength is the mere ability to lift or move a given weight while muscle power is that ability plus the capability of moving the weight quickly and efficiently.

Brazilian researchers studied more than 3800 non-athletic persons 41-85 years of age.  Using a rowing exercise test, they determined the maximal muscle power in watts per kg that each subject could exert.  

Then each subject was observed over time for health issues.  During the average 6.5 year followup period, those with better than average muscle power had the best survival.  Those with below average muscle power were 5 to 10 times more likely to die.

Looking beyond survival, coordinated muscle power is more important than raw strength for getting around.  Climbing stairs requires strength in motion rather than just strength.

It is relatively easy to develop your muscle strength.  If you use weight lifting, focus on smooth, sustained motion and complete 6-8 repetitions with weights that you can handle.  Rest half a minute between reps to recharge your muscles.  

To develop muscle strength for all extremities, rowing is even better than weight lifting, since it develops smooth, coordinated weight motion.  Cycling has the same effect for the lower extremities only.

European Society of Cardiology. "Ability to lift weights quickly can mean a longer life: Not all weight lifting produces the same benefit." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 12 April 2019. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/04/190412085247.htm.

#Musclepower #strength #weightlifting #rowing

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/jBofMI-f1Kw

A long, healthy life with continued mobility depends on healthy, toned muscles, and many turn to weight lifting to achieve that goal.  Turns out, though, that not all types of weight lifting exercises do the trick.

A study presented just last week at the congress of the European Society of Cardiology shows muscle power rather than muscle strength is the important skill to develop.  Muscle strength is the mere ability to lift or move a given weight while muscle power is that ability plus the capability of moving the weight quickly and efficiently.

Brazilian researchers studied more than 3800 non-athletic persons 41-85 years of age.  Using a rowing exercise test, they determined the maximal muscle power in watts per kg that each subject could exert.  

Then each subject was observed over time for health issues.  During the average 6.5 year followup period, those with better than average muscle power had the best survival.  Those with below average muscle power were 5 to 10 times more likely to die.

Looking beyond survival, coordinated muscle power is more important than raw strength for getting around.  Climbing stairs requires strength in motion rather than just strength.

It is relatively easy to develop your muscle strength.  If you use weight lifting, focus on smooth, sustained motion and complete 6-8 repetitions with weights that you can handle.  Rest half a minute between reps to recharge your muscles.  

To develop muscle strength for all extremities, rowing is even better than weight lifting, since it develops smooth, coordinated weight motion.  Cycling has the same effect for the lower extremities only.

European Society of Cardiology. "Ability to lift weights quickly can mean a longer life: Not all weight lifting produces the same benefit." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 12 April 2019. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/04/190412085247.htm.

#Musclepower #strength #weightlifting #rowing

Vidcast:https://youtu.be/6TU_86VpCwU

The turn of the century has not been good for kids choking on and swallowing foreign bodies.  Data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System just published in the journal Pediatrics shows that twice as many kids are choking on and swallowing foreign bodies now compared with 20 years ago.

A majority of ingestions involved infants and toddlers 1 to 3 years of age.  The most frequent objects ingested were coins at 62%, then toys at 7%, jewelry at 7%, and batteries also at 7%.  Almost 90% of the batteries ingested were the button batteries, and these are the most dangerous type of foreign body ingestion since the batteries can leak caustic chemicals that damage gastrointestinal or respiratory lining tissues.

Preventing these potential tragedies is easy:

• Store items such as spare change, batteries, high powered magnets, and medicines out of sight and out of reach.  
• Don’t disable child-proof packaging.
• Follow age recommendations when buying toys, and use the choke test cylinder to determine when a toy or toy part is safe for a child under 3 to handle.
• If an ingestion occurs, get helps quickly.  If a battery or magnet, get your child to the ED as soon as possible.  
• Call for advice from the local ED or the national poison control center at 800-222-1222.

We parents need to keep a closer eye on our kids, and remind them not to put anything but food and drink into their mouths.

Danielle Orsagh-Yentis, Rebecca J. McAdams, Kristin J. Roberts, Lara B. McKenzie. Foreign-Body Ingestions of Young Children Treated in US Emergency Departments: 1995–2015. Pediatrics, 2019; e20181988 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2018-1988

#Ingestion #parenting #battery #coins #infants #toddlers #childsafe 

Vidcast:https://youtu.be/6TU_86VpCwU

The turn of the century has not been good for kids choking on and swallowing foreign bodies.  Data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System just published in the journal Pediatrics shows that twice as many kids are choking on and swallowing foreign bodies now compared with 20 years ago.

A majority of ingestions involved infants and toddlers 1 to 3 years of age.  The most frequent objects ingested were coins at 62%, then toys at 7%, jewelry at 7%, and batteries also at 7%.  Almost 90% of the batteries ingested were the button batteries, and these are the most dangerous type of foreign body ingestion since the batteries can leak caustic chemicals that damage gastrointestinal or respiratory lining tissues.

Preventing these potential tragedies is easy:

• Store items such as spare change, batteries, high powered magnets, and medicines out of sight and out of reach.  
• Don’t disable child-proof packaging.
• Follow age recommendations when buying toys, and use the choke test cylinder to determine when a toy or toy part is safe for a child under 3 to handle.
• If an ingestion occurs, get helps quickly.  If a battery or magnet, get your child to the ED as soon as possible.  
• Call for advice from the local ED or the national poison control center at 800-222-1222.

We parents need to keep a closer eye on our kids, and remind them not to put anything but food and drink into their mouths.

Danielle Orsagh-Yentis, Rebecca J. McAdams, Kristin J. Roberts, Lara B. McKenzie. Foreign-Body Ingestions of Young Children Treated in US Emergency Departments: 1995–2015. Pediatrics, 2019; e20181988 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2018-1988

#Ingestion #parenting #battery #coins #infants #toddlers #childsafe 

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/RjgMACy-N8U

Should you eat fruit with toast or eggs and ham for your first meal of the day if you’re a type 2 diabetic.  The answer comes from the University of British Columbia, and the eggs win hands down.

Researchers there studied 23 adults with non-insulin dependent diabetes and randomly fed them a meal plan that contained identical numbers of calories and differed only in the content of the breakfasts.  One plan had the higher fat and protein egg breakfast and the other the typical breakfast with the majority of calories from carbohydrates.  The lunches and dinners were the same.  The study had a crossover design in which each subject experienced each meal plan.  Their blood glucose levels were continuously monitored throughout the day.

When the subjects were fed the higher fat and lower carb egg breakfast versus the higher carb cereal, fruit, and toast breakfast, they experienced a significantly lower sugar peak mid-morning after the meal.   Additional benefits of the protein and fat breakfasts included: less variability of glucose levels; less pre-meal hunger; and fewer cravings for sugar the rest of the day. 

Since sugar spikes drive blood vessel and kidney damage in diabetics, the good old egg beats the breakfast of champions any morning.

Courtney R Chang, Monique E Francois, Jonathan P Little. Restricting carbohydrates at breakfast is sufficient to reduce 24-hour exposure to postprandial hyperglycemia and improve glycemic variability. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2019; DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/nqy261

#Egg #diabetes #sugar #hyperglycemia #lowcarb #highfat

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/RjgMACy-N8U

Should you eat fruit with toast or eggs and ham for your first meal of the day if you’re a type 2 diabetic.  The answer comes from the University of British Columbia, and the eggs win hands down.

Researchers there studied 23 adults with non-insulin dependent diabetes and randomly fed them a meal plan that contained identical numbers of calories and differed only in the content of the breakfasts.  One plan had the higher fat and protein egg breakfast and the other the typical breakfast with the majority of calories from carbohydrates.  The lunches and dinners were the same.  The study had a crossover design in which each subject experienced each meal plan.  Their blood glucose levels were continuously monitored throughout the day.

When the subjects were fed the higher fat and lower carb egg breakfast versus the higher carb cereal, fruit, and toast breakfast, they experienced a significantly lower sugar peak mid-morning after the meal.   Additional benefits of the protein and fat breakfasts included: less variability of glucose levels; less pre-meal hunger; and fewer cravings for sugar the rest of the day. 

Since sugar spikes drive blood vessel and kidney damage in diabetics, the good old egg beats the breakfast of champions any morning.

Courtney R Chang, Monique E Francois, Jonathan P Little. Restricting carbohydrates at breakfast is sufficient to reduce 24-hour exposure to postprandial hyperglycemia and improve glycemic variability. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2019; DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/nqy261

#Egg #diabetes #sugar #hyperglycemia #lowcarb #highfat

Vidcast:

https://youtu.be/P7jQ9uSWZbAThis is Health News You Should Use, the latest medical discoveries and some commonsense advice that you can use in a practical way to keep yourself and your family healthy.  

Here are this weeks stories:

Baby Sleeper-Rockers Kill

Phone App Relaxes PTSD Victims

Flossing Helps Prevent Dementia

Medical Applications For Cannabis

Teen Screen Time May Not Be Harmful

Gluten-Free Restaurant Food Isn’t

US Clinical Guidelines Lead To Costly Care

Reading To Babies Gives Them A Million Word Jump By Kindergarten

The Sugar Rush Is A Myth

Improve Your Mood In 12 Short Minutes

Drug Abuse Triggers Strokes In Younger Persons

E-Cigs May Cause Seizures

Pregnant Women’s Commuting Harms Babies

Parents Favor Age Limits For Tackle Football

Walnuts May Help Fight Breast Cancer

TRY A LITTLE KINDNESS: Give Kids A Say In Family And School Charitable Giving

For more information#you’ll find all the references for the stories and a copy of show notes on my website at: https://www.drhowardsmith.com/apr-2019-2nd-week-health-news

parenting #pediatrics #infantrocker #infantsleeper #PTSD #posttraumaticstress #breathing #anxiety #flashbacks #Gingivitis #periodontitis #dementia #Alzheimers #flossing #Cannabis #medicalmarijuana #Screentime #adolescence #teens #Celiac #gluten glutenfree #wheat #restaurant #Colonoscopy #health #healthcosts #Reading #vocabulary #Sugar #mood #energy #fatigue #alertness #Mood #happiness #loving kindness #psychology #anxiety #Psychostimulants #stroke #hypertension #methamphetamine #Vaping #ecigarettes #seizure #nicotine #Commuting #lowbirthweight #intrauterinegrowth #stress #prenatalcare #Football #tackle #concussion #headinjury #flagfootball #Walnuts #breastcancer #charity #philanthropy #decisionmaking #childhood #responsibility

Vidcast:

https://youtu.be/P7jQ9uSWZbAThis is Health News You Should Use, the latest medical discoveries and some commonsense advice that you can use in a practical way to keep yourself and your family healthy.  

Here are this weeks stories:

Baby Sleeper-Rockers Kill

Phone App Relaxes PTSD Victims

Flossing Helps Prevent Dementia

Medical Applications For Cannabis

Teen Screen Time May Not Be Harmful

Gluten-Free Restaurant Food Isn’t

US Clinical Guidelines Lead To Costly Care

Reading To Babies Gives Them A Million Word Jump By Kindergarten

The Sugar Rush Is A Myth

Improve Your Mood In 12 Short Minutes

Drug Abuse Triggers Strokes In Younger Persons

E-Cigs May Cause Seizures

Pregnant Women’s Commuting Harms Babies

Parents Favor Age Limits For Tackle Football

Walnuts May Help Fight Breast Cancer

TRY A LITTLE KINDNESS: Give Kids A Say In Family And School Charitable Giving

For more information#you’ll find all the references for the stories and a copy of show notes on my website at: https://www.drhowardsmith.com/apr-2019-2nd-week-health-news

parenting #pediatrics #infantrocker #infantsleeper #PTSD #posttraumaticstress #breathing #anxiety #flashbacks #Gingivitis #periodontitis #dementia #Alzheimers #flossing #Cannabis #medicalmarijuana #Screentime #adolescence #teens #Celiac #gluten glutenfree #wheat #restaurant #Colonoscopy #health #healthcosts #Reading #vocabulary #Sugar #mood #energy #fatigue #alertness #Mood #happiness #loving kindness #psychology #anxiety #Psychostimulants #stroke #hypertension #methamphetamine #Vaping #ecigarettes #seizure #nicotine #Commuting #lowbirthweight #intrauterinegrowth #stress #prenatalcare #Football #tackle #concussion #headinjury #flagfootball #Walnuts #breastcancer #charity #philanthropy #decisionmaking #childhood #responsibility