Last week';s record: 6-9. Ugh!
Let's try to do better:
NFL PICKS:
Miami even at BUFFALO. My pick: DOLPHINS. Miami is playing well. Buffalo will be without E.J. Manuel. Go with the fish...
CINCINNATI 4 over Minnesota. My pick: BENGALS. Cincy has played well at home all year. Look for a bounce-back win for them here.
KANSAS CITY 3.5 over Indianapolis. My pick: CHIEFS. I think KC has righted the ship. Indy has not played well away from home for some time.
Tampa Bay even at ST. LOUIS. My pick: RAMS. Hard to go against St. Louis here, given their big win last week and being at home.
Cleveland even at NY JETS. My pick: JETS. Very appropriate that this game is rated even; who can ever tell from week to week what these teams will do? But I think the Jets at home will take this one; while Cleveland again will find a way to lose.
Dallas even at WASHINGTON. My pick: COWBOYS. Time for the good side of the Jekyll and Hyde Cowboys to show up. Although no one can be certain what either of these teams will do.
CAROLINA 2 over New Orleans. My pick: SAINTS. This pick would seem to go against recent trends, I know; but I like Drew Brees' experience in a game like this. This game basically means a division title.
Tennessee even at JACKSONVILLE. My pick: TITANS. Because Jacksonville has so many injuries, mainly. And Tennessee has continued to play hard.
Denver 13 over HOUSTON. My pick: BRONCOS. That's a lot of points; but Houston appears to be mailing it in, while the Broncos have everything to play for. Peyton Manning will get them back on track.
DETROIT 3 over NY Giants. My pick: LIONS. I expect a better effort from the Giants this week, after last week's tongue-lashing from Tom Coughlin, but if the Lions can avoid a bunch of turnovers, they should prevail.
SEATTLE 11 over Arizona. My pick: CARDINALS. Arizona's defense is pretty good. This is an improving team. Seattle will win this game; but look for the Cards to keep it close.
Pittsburgh even at GREEN BAY. My pick: STEELERS. I have a feeling Aaron Rodgers won't play; and this time not having him will catch up to the Pack.
SAN DIEGO 10.5 over Oakland. My pick: CHARGERS. San Diego and Philip Rivers are still in there fighting, with something to play for. Oakland looks to be running for the bus.
New England even at BALTIMORE. My pick: RAVENS. Joe Flacco again is finding ways to get it done. New England badly misses Rob Gronkowski.
Chicago even at PHILADELPHIA. My pick: EAGLES. This time that high-flying Eagles' offense won't be grounded; Chicago's defense is especially vulnerable against the run, and the Eagles have the perfect weapons to exploit it.
SAN FRANCISCO 14.5 over Atlanta. My pick: FALCONS. Atlanta has not quit. Matt Ryan can still make some plays. San Fran will win; but I just think that somehow the Falcons will keep it close against a 49er team that might just not be in the most focused frame of mind.
Friday, December 20, 2013
Thursday, December 19, 2013
I-JUST-THOUGHT-THIS-WAS-INTERESTING DEPT.
Some of you with Moebius Syndrome or with someone in your family who has it, and who know something about the use of, shall we say, canine assistance for therapy and assistance, will I thought find this story interesting--therapy dogs can help you in a lot of ways:
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The tension at Emory University's Robert W. Woodruff Library is palpable.
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The tension at Emory University's Robert W. Woodruff Library is palpable.
It's finals. Nearly every
single desk is full amid a flurry of activity. A young woman in an
Emory sweatsuit tears through her notebook as the furious whoosh of
pages turning carries through the hushed study area.
Next to her, a group of
young men stand in a circle, leaning in and frantically whispering a
debate about supply side economics. To the left of them is another a
young woman, her face firmly planted on a computer keyboard. She snores
softly.
Everywhere students are stressed out -- but not in the Jones Room.
Normally the Jones Room hosts world famous poets like Mary Oliver or Billy Collins. Today, its star attraction is Henry.
Henry is the spokesdog for CanineAssistants, an Alpharetta, Georgia-based nonprofit that trains and provides service dogs to children and adults with disabilities.
This sharp-eyed golden
retriever isn't reciting poetry, although as smart as he is, he probably
could -- if someone sneezes, he actually can bring them a tissue. But
today, the K-9 volunteer is happily allowing himself to be petted. Henry
and his colleagues along with their volunteer human handlers visit
hospitals and schools as part of their training,
About half a dozen dogs
are taking two-hour shifts at Emory. Students line up to get 10 minutes
with them. These cute ambassadors of calm are part of a growing trend of
colleges trying to help ease the pain of finals for students.
The University of
Louisiana at Lafayette, UC Berkeley, Columbia University, Marquette and
dozens more campuses are providing what has become one of the more
popular study breaks.
"It's been fantastic for the students," says Chris Daood, who works with the program out of Marquette University's counseling center.
He advertises the event
in advance and puts the dogs in an open space so students can casually
walk by and engage with the animals. The organization Health Heelers brings its dogs and even a couple of mellow therapy cats.
Daood says it works.
"You see (students') shoulders drop and see them smile. This is a great way for them to keep life
in perspective. That really is the most significant part of the
program. With academic stress, it's not uncommon for students to get
tunnel vision during finals. Five minutes with a cat or dog, it clears
their head."
Scientific studies
do show that canine interaction increases a human's level of oxytocin, a
hormone that reduces anxiety and blood pressure. Petting a dog or
caring for a pet helps people become less frightened, more secure and
diverts their attention away from their own fears or anxieties.
Studies also show
excessive stress, like the kind students may experience during finals,
impairs memory. An activity that relieves that stress even for a moment
improves a student's ability to retain what they are trying to learn.
"Next," calls out a
librarian in wire-framed glasses as three young women crowd the door,
excitedly peering over each other to see what's inside. "Are you three
together?" the librarian asks, as they nod in the affirmative.
She waves them in to a
circle of chairs positioned around Wesley, a young dog so large he looks
like his parents could have been horses or Great Danes.
The three get down on
the floor and crowd around Wesley, positioned like the famous ancient
statue of three muses. They coo and reach to stroke his long golden fur.
The dog closes his eyes and goes limp.
"I'm all studied out,"
Ali Serpe says as she strokes the dog's back. The senior has one final
left for her anthropology/human biology major. She's also working on
medical school applications. A lot rides on this work.
"This is exactly what I needed," she says.
Erin Mooney, the library's outreach and education librarian, says Emory got the idea for the study break from another library last year.
"We were surprised how
many students showed up to pet the dogs," she says. "There was such a
crush of people. We had to do it again."
Serpe stops petting
Wesley to ask Susan Dansberry, the dog's volunteer, about the dog's
training. As soon a she does the dog looks up as if she has done
something wrong.
"OK, OK," she says as she resumes petting and then kisses the dog's head. "This really does help me, I guess he likes it too."
Dansberry tells Serpe the dogs learn about 90 commands before they can become certified.
A retired insurance
agent, Dansberry spends much of her free time volunteering with the
dogs. She especially loves the hospital and school visits.
The dogs typically live
on an 18-acre farm in Milton, Georgia, but go home with volunteers to
learn "home manners," as volunteer Karen Edge calls them.
The volunteers also get a
list of sounds and environments the dogs must learn. The dogs get used
to the sound of a vacuum or a computer printer. They learn to walk up
stairs slowly rather than race. They ride escalators and elevators --
anything to ensure they can be calm in the future.
Edge sits in a circle of
her own with her dog Sneakers and a crowd of students. The dog is so
relaxed, it is unclear if the dog is asleep or awake. Sneakers' tranquility visibility relaxes the tense young woman who bends to pet him.
Edge says she took the
day off from Oracle, where she works, to volunteer. She says she
couldn't resist the chance to see the dogs work their magic, even if the
students only have 10 minutes with them.
"I know when I do work
at home, these dogs are always making me laugh," Edge says. "They make
me happy all day. How could I pass up an opportunity to share them like
this?"
Alex Harrison, an Emory
junior, sits with the circle of students around another dog. He says
this is his fourth time signing up. "I was here yesterday too."
His phone buzzes. It's a calendar alert telling him about another upcoming dog shift.
"I have dogs at home,
but my parents live overseas, so they are very far away," Harrison says.
"I spent 18 hours at the library yesterday, so I just booked my
appointments early in the day to make sure I got here and got to
studying."
He says he has three
finals left, and the 10-minute bouts of canine calm will carry him
through. "This is the happiest I've been all week," he says, stroking
the dog's neck.
"I'm sorry, ladies and gentlemen, but it's time to say good-bye," the time keeper says to the students. Their 10 minutes is up.
"Thank you for all that you do," Serpe says quietly to the dog she's been petting. "You are the perfect medicine for finals."
Another student pulls
out her cell phone to remember her new furry friend, saying, "this way
when I'm studying, I've got something to calm me down."
*********************************************
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
HEALTH TIP OF THE DAY
Swimming--it is excellent exercise and can keep you healthy:
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In some ways, the health effects of swimming are similar to those of land-based aerobic activities, such as jogging, walking or bicycling, said Hirofumi Tanaka, the director of the Cardiovascular Aging Research Laboratory at the University of Texas at Austin. Like them, swimming is a “rhythmical aerobic exercise that you can maintain continuously” to improve cardiovascular and muscular health, he said. Experiments by Dr. Tanaka and others have found that swimming “is very effective at reducing blood pressure and improving vascular function,” just as walking and other land-based endurance exercises are.
The unique advantage of swimming is that it is done in water, which provides buoyancy and cooling, Dr. Tanaka said. “So the incidence of orthopedic injury as well as the rate of heat-related illnesses are both low,” he said.
But swimming has a notable drawback. “It seems to stimulate appetite,” Dr. Tanaka said, more so than do vigorous land-based exercises like running. As a result, swimming is not particularly effective at promoting weight loss or maintenance. In a 2005 study of exercise habits and body weight involving more than 15,000 adults ages 53 to 57, those who briskly walked, jogged or cycled gained little weight over the course of a decade. Those who swam tended to pack on pounds.
Still, “there is no doubt that swimming is a beneficial activity for other factors,” particularly cardiovascular health, Dr. Tanaka said. Just skip the celebratory cupcakes after your laps.
**************************
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What are the health benefits to swimming vs. other aerobic exercises?
In some ways, the health effects of swimming are similar to those of land-based aerobic activities, such as jogging, walking or bicycling, said Hirofumi Tanaka, the director of the Cardiovascular Aging Research Laboratory at the University of Texas at Austin. Like them, swimming is a “rhythmical aerobic exercise that you can maintain continuously” to improve cardiovascular and muscular health, he said. Experiments by Dr. Tanaka and others have found that swimming “is very effective at reducing blood pressure and improving vascular function,” just as walking and other land-based endurance exercises are.
The unique advantage of swimming is that it is done in water, which provides buoyancy and cooling, Dr. Tanaka said. “So the incidence of orthopedic injury as well as the rate of heat-related illnesses are both low,” he said.
But swimming has a notable drawback. “It seems to stimulate appetite,” Dr. Tanaka said, more so than do vigorous land-based exercises like running. As a result, swimming is not particularly effective at promoting weight loss or maintenance. In a 2005 study of exercise habits and body weight involving more than 15,000 adults ages 53 to 57, those who briskly walked, jogged or cycled gained little weight over the course of a decade. Those who swam tended to pack on pounds.
Still, “there is no doubt that swimming is a beneficial activity for other factors,” particularly cardiovascular health, Dr. Tanaka said. Just skip the celebratory cupcakes after your laps.
**************************
Monday, December 16, 2013
HEALTH NEWS OF THE DAY
Here are 5 recent medical studies you may have missed. Maybe their results will interest you:
**********************************
Drug that may reduce breast cancer risk
Journal: The Lancet
The conference brought good news for preventing breast cancer in some women. Researchers found that an antihormone therapy called anastrozole cuts the likelihood of breast cancer by about half among postmenopausal women at high risk of breast cancer.
About 80% of U.S. women with breast cancer each year suffer tumors with high levels of hormone receptors, fueled by estrogen. Anastrozole stops the body from making estrogen. It has been used in the past as a treatment for breast cancer of the hormone receptor positive kind.
The study involved 3,864 postmenopausal women at increased risk for developing breast cancer. This was a double-blind, randomized controlled trial, which is the gold standard for drug research.
Women who took anastrozole were 53% less likely to develop breast cancer compared with those who took the placebo. This was after a follow-up time period of more than five years. Few side effects were reported.
Exercise reduces drug-linked joint pain
Presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium
About half of patients on breast cancer drugs called aromatase inhibitors say that they feel joint pain and stiffness. That’s the most common reason that patients stop taking the drug.
But a new study shows that exercise during treatment can reduce the unpleasant side effect.
Participants included 121 postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancers in stages 1, 2 or 3. All of them were taking an aromatase inhibitor, had at least mild joint pain, and did not exercise before beginning the study.
Researchers are interested in investigating how exercise helps with the pain and at what point during the intervention such improvements occurred.
Metastatic breast cancer patients may not benefit from surgery and radiation, post-chemotherapy
Presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium
Retrospective analyses of metastatic breast cancer patient outcomes have given conflicting views over the value of surgery or radiation after chemotherapy.
A new study found no difference in overall survival between patients with metastatic breast cancer who had surgery or radiation after chemotherapy, and those who did not. This was a prospective, randomized, controlled trial.
"Loco-regional treatment" is the name for radiation and removal of the breast tumor and nearby lymph nodes.
“I’m sure a lot of oncologists who believe in conventional wisdom and don’t provide loco-regional treatment will feel a lot more comfortable looking at these results,” study author Dr. Rajendra Badwe, director of the Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai, India, said in a statement.
And here are two other recent studies, which are on the lighter side:
Liars Really Lie
Journal: Human Communication Research
Knowing whom to trust is tricky business. Interestingly, a new study suggests that liars are more honest about their dishonesty than you might think.
Researchers from the University of Amsterdam and Ben-Gurion University gave participants a variety of psychological tests and asked them how often they'd said something untrue in the past 24 hours. They also did some follow-up experiments where participants rolled a die and reported their scores, and another activity involving word puzzles - some of which are not solvable.
Statistically, some people had to have lied, the researchers determined, because there's no way that all of the high scores reported were real.
“The interesting thing was,” study co-author Shaul Shalvi, a psychology professor at the University of the Negev told TIME.com, “that the more people reported they lied in the last 24 hours, the higher their reported die roll outcomes were."
Sugar, Not Fat, Drives Cravings
This sounds like a fun study to participate in: More than 100 high school students drank chocolate-flavored milkshakes, all with the same calorie count. Some were high in sugar and low in fat, and some were low in sugar and high in fat.
Researchers wanted to know whether we're more drawn to the sugar or to the fat during cravings. So they did functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) on the students while they drank the milkshakes.
It appears that the pleasure center of the brain responded to both milkshakes tested in the study, but it was the high-sugar, low-fat version that tended to be a more powerful stimulus.
“We do a lot of work on the prevention of obesity, and what is really clear not only from this study but from the broader literature over all is that the more sugar you eat, the more you want to consume it,” Eric Stice, a senior research scientist at the Oregon Research Institute, told the New York Times. “As far as the ability to engage brain reward regions and drive compulsive intake, sugar seems to be doing a much better job than fat.”
**********************************
Here's a roundup of five medical studies published
this week that might give you new insights into your health, mind and
body. Remember, correlation is not causation – so if a study finds a
connection between two things, it doesn't mean that one causes the
other.
This week kicked off the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium,
at which researchers presented information about the treatment,
diagnosis, prevention and biology of this condition. There were several
important studies presented there.Drug that may reduce breast cancer risk
Journal: The Lancet
The conference brought good news for preventing breast cancer in some women. Researchers found that an antihormone therapy called anastrozole cuts the likelihood of breast cancer by about half among postmenopausal women at high risk of breast cancer.
About 80% of U.S. women with breast cancer each year suffer tumors with high levels of hormone receptors, fueled by estrogen. Anastrozole stops the body from making estrogen. It has been used in the past as a treatment for breast cancer of the hormone receptor positive kind.
The study involved 3,864 postmenopausal women at increased risk for developing breast cancer. This was a double-blind, randomized controlled trial, which is the gold standard for drug research.
Women who took anastrozole were 53% less likely to develop breast cancer compared with those who took the placebo. This was after a follow-up time period of more than five years. Few side effects were reported.
Exercise reduces drug-linked joint pain
Presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium
About half of patients on breast cancer drugs called aromatase inhibitors say that they feel joint pain and stiffness. That’s the most common reason that patients stop taking the drug.
But a new study shows that exercise during treatment can reduce the unpleasant side effect.
Participants included 121 postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancers in stages 1, 2 or 3. All of them were taking an aromatase inhibitor, had at least mild joint pain, and did not exercise before beginning the study.
Researchers are interested in investigating how exercise helps with the pain and at what point during the intervention such improvements occurred.
Metastatic breast cancer patients may not benefit from surgery and radiation, post-chemotherapy
Presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium
Retrospective analyses of metastatic breast cancer patient outcomes have given conflicting views over the value of surgery or radiation after chemotherapy.
A new study found no difference in overall survival between patients with metastatic breast cancer who had surgery or radiation after chemotherapy, and those who did not. This was a prospective, randomized, controlled trial.
"Loco-regional treatment" is the name for radiation and removal of the breast tumor and nearby lymph nodes.
“I’m sure a lot of oncologists who believe in conventional wisdom and don’t provide loco-regional treatment will feel a lot more comfortable looking at these results,” study author Dr. Rajendra Badwe, director of the Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai, India, said in a statement.
And here are two other recent studies, which are on the lighter side:
Liars Really Lie
Journal: Human Communication Research
Knowing whom to trust is tricky business. Interestingly, a new study suggests that liars are more honest about their dishonesty than you might think.
Researchers from the University of Amsterdam and Ben-Gurion University gave participants a variety of psychological tests and asked them how often they'd said something untrue in the past 24 hours. They also did some follow-up experiments where participants rolled a die and reported their scores, and another activity involving word puzzles - some of which are not solvable.
Statistically, some people had to have lied, the researchers determined, because there's no way that all of the high scores reported were real.
“The interesting thing was,” study co-author Shaul Shalvi, a psychology professor at the University of the Negev told TIME.com, “that the more people reported they lied in the last 24 hours, the higher their reported die roll outcomes were."
Sugar, Not Fat, Drives Cravings
This sounds like a fun study to participate in: More than 100 high school students drank chocolate-flavored milkshakes, all with the same calorie count. Some were high in sugar and low in fat, and some were low in sugar and high in fat.
Researchers wanted to know whether we're more drawn to the sugar or to the fat during cravings. So they did functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) on the students while they drank the milkshakes.
It appears that the pleasure center of the brain responded to both milkshakes tested in the study, but it was the high-sugar, low-fat version that tended to be a more powerful stimulus.
“We do a lot of work on the prevention of obesity, and what is really clear not only from this study but from the broader literature over all is that the more sugar you eat, the more you want to consume it,” Eric Stice, a senior research scientist at the Oregon Research Institute, told the New York Times. “As far as the ability to engage brain reward regions and drive compulsive intake, sugar seems to be doing a much better job than fat.”
Friday, December 13, 2013
FRIDAY FOOTBALL PICKS!
I was 8-8 last week.
I'm still under .500 for the year. Yikes!
NFL PICKS
Arizona 2.5 over TENNESSEE. My pick: CARDINALS. Arizona has a lot to play for; and Tennessee is still reeling from Denver's assault last week.
ATLANTA 7 over Washington. My pick: REDSKINS. 2 teams playing out the string. The Falcons have not quit and you have to admire them for that. But I think Kirk Cousins will actually inspire the 'Skins this week.
Buffalo 2 over JACKSONVILLE. My pick: JAGUARS. Jacksonville is improving quite a bit.
CAROLINA 11 over NY Jets. My pick: PANTHERS. Watch out for this Carolina team, despite their loss to the Saints. Look for the Panther defense to bedevil Geno Smith.
Cincinnati 2.5 over PITTSBURGH. My pick: BENGALS. I think this Cincinnati team is coming into its own. They won in Pittsburgh last season. Meanwhile, that loss last week at home to Miami had to be a big blow to the Steelers' psyche.
CLEVELAND vs Chicago. Pick 'em. My pick: BROWNS. Cleveland has not quit and has been competitive. They should have won last week in New England. Meanwhile, Chicago has a short week and Jay Cutler--rusty, perhaps?--will start. The Bears may find they'll miss Josh McCown.
DALLAS vs Green Bay. Off the board. My pick: COWBOYS. This game was off the board because of the uncertainty at QB for the Pack. It appears to me Matt Flynn will still probably start. Of course, who can tell which Cowboys team will show up. My guess--this week, it will be the good Cowboys.
INDIANAPOLIS 5.5 over Houston. My pick: COLTS. The Colts need to right the ship, and especially to get off to a faster start. What better way to do it than to play the reeling Texans.
Kansas City 4.5 over OAKLAND. My pick: CHIEFS. I think last week's win in Washington means that maybe the Chiefs are over their slump. Look for the Chiefs' defense to give Matt McGloin problems.
New England 1.5 over MIAMI. My pick: DOLPHINS. New England has been playing with fire, getting off to slow starts against what appears to be inferior teams. I think this week it will cost them.
New Orleans 6 over ST. LOUIS. My pick: SAINTS. The Saints, many would say here, aren't the same team on the road. Ah, but this game isn't outdoors--it is in a dome. The Saints are the better team and I think they'll show it.
Philadelphia 4.5 over MINNESOTA. My pick: EAGLES. The Eagles are hot. They have speed, more than does a beat up Vikings team. And remember, this game will be indoors--perfect for the fast-paced Eagles offense.
San Francisco 5.5 over TAMPA BAY. My pick: 49ers. They are the better team and I expect in the end the Niners will show it here.
Seattle 7 over NY GIANTS. My pick: GIANTS. I know--upset. I expect Seattle will win here. But it will be a close game, closer than many think. The Giants are tough at home. The Seahawks may be mentally down after a tough loss at San Fran.
DETROIT 6 over Baltimore. My pick: LIONS. Yes, Detroit lost last week...but in a bizarre snowstorm. This week they're at home where their offense does play better.
I'm still under .500 for the year. Yikes!
NFL PICKS
Arizona 2.5 over TENNESSEE. My pick: CARDINALS. Arizona has a lot to play for; and Tennessee is still reeling from Denver's assault last week.
ATLANTA 7 over Washington. My pick: REDSKINS. 2 teams playing out the string. The Falcons have not quit and you have to admire them for that. But I think Kirk Cousins will actually inspire the 'Skins this week.
Buffalo 2 over JACKSONVILLE. My pick: JAGUARS. Jacksonville is improving quite a bit.
CAROLINA 11 over NY Jets. My pick: PANTHERS. Watch out for this Carolina team, despite their loss to the Saints. Look for the Panther defense to bedevil Geno Smith.
Cincinnati 2.5 over PITTSBURGH. My pick: BENGALS. I think this Cincinnati team is coming into its own. They won in Pittsburgh last season. Meanwhile, that loss last week at home to Miami had to be a big blow to the Steelers' psyche.
CLEVELAND vs Chicago. Pick 'em. My pick: BROWNS. Cleveland has not quit and has been competitive. They should have won last week in New England. Meanwhile, Chicago has a short week and Jay Cutler--rusty, perhaps?--will start. The Bears may find they'll miss Josh McCown.
DALLAS vs Green Bay. Off the board. My pick: COWBOYS. This game was off the board because of the uncertainty at QB for the Pack. It appears to me Matt Flynn will still probably start. Of course, who can tell which Cowboys team will show up. My guess--this week, it will be the good Cowboys.
INDIANAPOLIS 5.5 over Houston. My pick: COLTS. The Colts need to right the ship, and especially to get off to a faster start. What better way to do it than to play the reeling Texans.
Kansas City 4.5 over OAKLAND. My pick: CHIEFS. I think last week's win in Washington means that maybe the Chiefs are over their slump. Look for the Chiefs' defense to give Matt McGloin problems.
New England 1.5 over MIAMI. My pick: DOLPHINS. New England has been playing with fire, getting off to slow starts against what appears to be inferior teams. I think this week it will cost them.
New Orleans 6 over ST. LOUIS. My pick: SAINTS. The Saints, many would say here, aren't the same team on the road. Ah, but this game isn't outdoors--it is in a dome. The Saints are the better team and I think they'll show it.
Philadelphia 4.5 over MINNESOTA. My pick: EAGLES. The Eagles are hot. They have speed, more than does a beat up Vikings team. And remember, this game will be indoors--perfect for the fast-paced Eagles offense.
San Francisco 5.5 over TAMPA BAY. My pick: 49ers. They are the better team and I expect in the end the Niners will show it here.
Seattle 7 over NY GIANTS. My pick: GIANTS. I know--upset. I expect Seattle will win here. But it will be a close game, closer than many think. The Giants are tough at home. The Seahawks may be mentally down after a tough loss at San Fran.
DETROIT 6 over Baltimore. My pick: LIONS. Yes, Detroit lost last week...but in a bizarre snowstorm. This week they're at home where their offense does play better.
Thursday, December 12, 2013
HEALTH TIP OF THE DAY
Exercise is kind of a good medicine, as well as being good for you overall. Read more about it:
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Exercise can be as effective as many frequently prescribed drugs in
treating some of the leading causes of death, according to a new report.
The study raises important questions about whether our health care
system focuses too much on medications and too little on activity to
combat physical ailments.
For the study, which was published in October in BMJ, researchers compared how well various drugs and exercise succeed in reducing deaths among people who have been diagnosed with several common and serious conditions, including heart disease and diabetes.
Comparative effectiveness studies are a staple of science, of course, especially in pharmaceutical research. Scientists often track how well one drug treats a condition compared with the outcome if they use a different drug. But few studies have directly compared drugs with exercise, and even fewer have compared outcomes in terms of mortality or whether the intervention significantly lessens the chance that someone with a disease will die from it, despite treatment.
So Huseyin Naci, a graduate student at the London School of Economics and Political Science, and Dr. John Ioannidis, the director of the Stanford Prevention Research Center at the Stanford University School of Medicine, decided to create a comprehensive comparison of the effectiveness of drugs and exercise in lessening mortality among people who had been diagnosed with one of four diseases: heart disease, chronic heart failure, stroke or diabetes. They chose these particular conditions because those were the only ones for which they could find studies that had examined whether exercise lessened the risk of death among patients with that disease, Mr. Naci said.
He and Dr. Ioannidis then gathered all of the recent randomized controlled trials, as well as previous reviews and meta-analyses of older experiments relating to mortality among patients with those diseases, whether they had been treated with drugs or exercise.
They ended up with data covering 305 past experiments that, collectively, involved almost 340,000 participants, which is an impressive total. But most of the volunteers had received drugs. Only 57 of the experiments, involving 14,716 volunteers, had examined the impact of exercise as a treatment.
Still, the numbers were large enough that Mr. Naci and Dr. Ioannidis could create an elaborate network of cross-references, comparing the outcomes when people received certain drugs, followed exercise regimens or, occasionally, both. The exercise routines, typically part of rehabilitation programs, usually involved walking or other aerobic routines but sometimes consisted of weight training or other exercises.
The researchers compared mortality risks for people following any of the treatment options.
The results consistently showed that drugs and exercise produced almost exactly the same results. People with heart disease, for instance, who exercised but did not use commonly prescribed medications, including statins, angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors or antiplatelet drugs, had the same risk of dying from — or surviving — heart disease as patients taking those drugs. Similarly, people with diabetes who exercised had the same relative risk of dying from the condition as those taking the most commonly prescribed drugs. Or as the researchers wrote in statistics-speak, “When compared head to head in network meta-analyses, all interventions were not different beyond chance.”
On the other hand, people who once had suffered a stroke had significantly less risk of dying from that condition if they exercised than if they used medications — although the study authors note that stroke patients who can exercise may have been unusually healthy to start with.
Only in chronic heart failure were drugs noticeably more effective than exercise. Diuretics staved off mortality better than did exercise.
Over all, Dr. Ioannidis said, “our results suggest that exercise can be quite potent” in treating heart disease and the other conditions, equaling the lifesaving benefits available from most of the commonly prescribed drugs, including statins. Statins are at the center of a debate about new treatment guidelines that could vastly expand the number of people taking the drugs.
The results also underscore how infrequently exercise is considered or studied as a medical intervention, Dr. Ioannidis said. “Only 5 percent” of the available and relevant experiments in his new analysis involved exercise. “We need far more information” about how exercise compares, head to head, with drugs in the treatment of many conditions, he said, as well as what types and amounts of exercise confer the most benefit and whether there are side effects, such as injuries. Ideally, he said, pharmaceutical companies would set aside a tiny fraction of their profits for such studies.
But he is not optimistic that such funding will materialize, without widespread public pressure.
For now, Mr. Naci said, he hopes that this new study will prompt smaller-scale negotiations. “We are not suggesting that anyone stop taking their medications,” he said. “But maybe people could think long and hard about their lifestyles and talk to their doctors” about whether exercise could and should be incorporated into their care.
For the study, which was published in October in BMJ, researchers compared how well various drugs and exercise succeed in reducing deaths among people who have been diagnosed with several common and serious conditions, including heart disease and diabetes.
Comparative effectiveness studies are a staple of science, of course, especially in pharmaceutical research. Scientists often track how well one drug treats a condition compared with the outcome if they use a different drug. But few studies have directly compared drugs with exercise, and even fewer have compared outcomes in terms of mortality or whether the intervention significantly lessens the chance that someone with a disease will die from it, despite treatment.
So Huseyin Naci, a graduate student at the London School of Economics and Political Science, and Dr. John Ioannidis, the director of the Stanford Prevention Research Center at the Stanford University School of Medicine, decided to create a comprehensive comparison of the effectiveness of drugs and exercise in lessening mortality among people who had been diagnosed with one of four diseases: heart disease, chronic heart failure, stroke or diabetes. They chose these particular conditions because those were the only ones for which they could find studies that had examined whether exercise lessened the risk of death among patients with that disease, Mr. Naci said.
He and Dr. Ioannidis then gathered all of the recent randomized controlled trials, as well as previous reviews and meta-analyses of older experiments relating to mortality among patients with those diseases, whether they had been treated with drugs or exercise.
They ended up with data covering 305 past experiments that, collectively, involved almost 340,000 participants, which is an impressive total. But most of the volunteers had received drugs. Only 57 of the experiments, involving 14,716 volunteers, had examined the impact of exercise as a treatment.
Still, the numbers were large enough that Mr. Naci and Dr. Ioannidis could create an elaborate network of cross-references, comparing the outcomes when people received certain drugs, followed exercise regimens or, occasionally, both. The exercise routines, typically part of rehabilitation programs, usually involved walking or other aerobic routines but sometimes consisted of weight training or other exercises.
The researchers compared mortality risks for people following any of the treatment options.
The results consistently showed that drugs and exercise produced almost exactly the same results. People with heart disease, for instance, who exercised but did not use commonly prescribed medications, including statins, angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors or antiplatelet drugs, had the same risk of dying from — or surviving — heart disease as patients taking those drugs. Similarly, people with diabetes who exercised had the same relative risk of dying from the condition as those taking the most commonly prescribed drugs. Or as the researchers wrote in statistics-speak, “When compared head to head in network meta-analyses, all interventions were not different beyond chance.”
On the other hand, people who once had suffered a stroke had significantly less risk of dying from that condition if they exercised than if they used medications — although the study authors note that stroke patients who can exercise may have been unusually healthy to start with.
Only in chronic heart failure were drugs noticeably more effective than exercise. Diuretics staved off mortality better than did exercise.
Over all, Dr. Ioannidis said, “our results suggest that exercise can be quite potent” in treating heart disease and the other conditions, equaling the lifesaving benefits available from most of the commonly prescribed drugs, including statins. Statins are at the center of a debate about new treatment guidelines that could vastly expand the number of people taking the drugs.
The results also underscore how infrequently exercise is considered or studied as a medical intervention, Dr. Ioannidis said. “Only 5 percent” of the available and relevant experiments in his new analysis involved exercise. “We need far more information” about how exercise compares, head to head, with drugs in the treatment of many conditions, he said, as well as what types and amounts of exercise confer the most benefit and whether there are side effects, such as injuries. Ideally, he said, pharmaceutical companies would set aside a tiny fraction of their profits for such studies.
But he is not optimistic that such funding will materialize, without widespread public pressure.
For now, Mr. Naci said, he hopes that this new study will prompt smaller-scale negotiations. “We are not suggesting that anyone stop taking their medications,” he said. “But maybe people could think long and hard about their lifestyles and talk to their doctors” about whether exercise could and should be incorporated into their care.
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
MOEBIUS SYNDROME IN THE NEWS
Today, read again about a young man who has been a recurring Moebius hero: Jack Marshall, from the UK. Look what he's done now:
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A brave teenager with a rare neurological condition has again defied the odds by completing a gruelling challenge.
Jack Marshall, aged 15, from Belton in the Isle of Axholme took part in Africa’s biggest road race, the epic Great Ethiopian Run.
Jack suffers from Moebius Syndrome which leaves him unable to walk unassisted and unable to smile. He is also blind in one eye and has reduced hearing and balance.
He completed the 10k run with help from his 19-year-old sister Jaimie.
There were 37,000 participants in this year’s event, including more than 400 elite athletes.
Jack’s mum Linda said: “They were invited to Ethiopia by Olympic legend Haile Gebrselassie after they competed in the junior Great North Run in September, and they actually went to his house after the run.
“The junior race was cancelled so Jaimie took him on the senior event pushing him in his wheelchair over 10k of unmade roads.
“Jack ran the last 200 metres. She said it was the most amazing experience of their lives.”
Linda said the race was not as formal as running events in the UK.
All 37,000 competitors started at the same time after a gun was fired and at each kilometre a band played while runners stopped, danced, chanted and sang.
“They let a fire hydrant off to cool everyone down,” Linda added.
It is not the first time Jack has taken part in a challenge.
He has previously completed the Junior Great Manchester Run and walked up Pen-y-ghent, one of the three Yorkshire Dales Peaks with Emmerdale actor, and good friend, Chris Chittell – who plays Eric Pollard in the TV soap.
His selfless fundraising led to him being selected to carry the Olympic torch during the 2012 relay.
And he has even more challenges lined up – Jack is planning to climb Mount Snowdon in April with Emmerdale cast members.
His ultimate aim is to climb Kilimanjaro.
He is also set to take part in a parachute jump in July, along with Doncaster soldier Ben Parkinson, the most severely injured soldier ever to survive.
********************************
Congratulations, Jack!
*****************************
A brave teenager with a rare neurological condition has again defied the odds by completing a gruelling challenge.
Jack Marshall, aged 15, from Belton in the Isle of Axholme took part in Africa’s biggest road race, the epic Great Ethiopian Run.
Jack suffers from Moebius Syndrome which leaves him unable to walk unassisted and unable to smile. He is also blind in one eye and has reduced hearing and balance.
He completed the 10k run with help from his 19-year-old sister Jaimie.
There were 37,000 participants in this year’s event, including more than 400 elite athletes.
Jack’s mum Linda said: “They were invited to Ethiopia by Olympic legend Haile Gebrselassie after they competed in the junior Great North Run in September, and they actually went to his house after the run.
“The junior race was cancelled so Jaimie took him on the senior event pushing him in his wheelchair over 10k of unmade roads.
“Jack ran the last 200 metres. She said it was the most amazing experience of their lives.”
Linda said the race was not as formal as running events in the UK.
All 37,000 competitors started at the same time after a gun was fired and at each kilometre a band played while runners stopped, danced, chanted and sang.
“They let a fire hydrant off to cool everyone down,” Linda added.
It is not the first time Jack has taken part in a challenge.
He has previously completed the Junior Great Manchester Run and walked up Pen-y-ghent, one of the three Yorkshire Dales Peaks with Emmerdale actor, and good friend, Chris Chittell – who plays Eric Pollard in the TV soap.
His selfless fundraising led to him being selected to carry the Olympic torch during the 2012 relay.
And he has even more challenges lined up – Jack is planning to climb Mount Snowdon in April with Emmerdale cast members.
His ultimate aim is to climb Kilimanjaro.
He is also set to take part in a parachute jump in July, along with Doncaster soldier Ben Parkinson, the most severely injured soldier ever to survive.
********************************
Congratulations, Jack!
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
AWARENESS UPDATE
Asperger's Syndrome is sometimes--though by no means always--associated with Moebius. Look at the famous person who has it:
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Susan Boyle Reveals Asperger’s Diagnosis
Susan Boyle, the Scottish singer who rose to
international fame after stunning audiences on the television show
“Britain’s Got Talent,” says she’s been diagnosed with Asperger’s
syndrome.
Boyle, 52, told The Observer
newspaper in London that she was diagnosed with the form of autism a
year ago by a specialist who found that she has an above-average IQ.
Previously, Boyle said she was told as a child that she had brain damage stemming from complications at birth, but now says she had been misdiagnosed.
“I was told I had brain damage. I always knew it was an unfair label,” the singer said in an interview published over the weekend. “Now I have a clearer understanding of what’s wrong and I feel relieved and a bit more relaxed about myself.”
Boyle wowed audiences when she sang “I Dreamed a Dream” from “Les Misérables” on the show “Britain’s Got Talent” in 2009. Since then, she’s sold millions of albums, topping charts in Britain and elsewhere.
As a child, Boyle was bullied and called “Susie Simple.” More recently, since achieving fame, she has reportedly struggled at times and was treated for exhaustion shortly after coming in second on “Britain’s Got Talent.”
Boyle told The Observer that she hopes her new diagnosis will help others understand where she’s coming from.
“It will not make any difference to my life. It’s just a condition that I have to live with and work through,” Boyle said. “I think people will treat me better because they will have a much greater understanding of who I am and why I do the things I do.”
Singer Susan Boyle says she’s been diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome. (Shutterstock)
Previously, Boyle said she was told as a child that she had brain damage stemming from complications at birth, but now says she had been misdiagnosed.
“I was told I had brain damage. I always knew it was an unfair label,” the singer said in an interview published over the weekend. “Now I have a clearer understanding of what’s wrong and I feel relieved and a bit more relaxed about myself.”
Boyle wowed audiences when she sang “I Dreamed a Dream” from “Les Misérables” on the show “Britain’s Got Talent” in 2009. Since then, she’s sold millions of albums, topping charts in Britain and elsewhere.
As a child, Boyle was bullied and called “Susie Simple.” More recently, since achieving fame, she has reportedly struggled at times and was treated for exhaustion shortly after coming in second on “Britain’s Got Talent.”
Boyle told The Observer that she hopes her new diagnosis will help others understand where she’s coming from.
“It will not make any difference to my life. It’s just a condition that I have to live with and work through,” Boyle said. “I think people will treat me better because they will have a much greater understanding of who I am and why I do the things I do.”
Sunday, December 8, 2013
SUNDAY FOOTBALL PICKS!
We've been kind of iced-in here in North Texas lately, so things have kind of gotten backed up. But here are my football picks for today!
NFL PICKS
ARIZONA 7 over St. Louis. My pick: CARDINALS. They are very good at home.
BALTI juIMORE 6.5 over Minnesota. My pick: RAVENS. The Baltimore defense will make a big difference here; it has stepped up its game.
CINCINNATI 6.5 over Indianapolis. My pick: COLTS. Maybe not to win, but to keep it close; I think the Colts defense will hold its own here.
DENVER 12 over Tennessee. My pick: BRONCOS. Denver to keep rolling at home.
Kansas City 3 over WASHINGTON. My pick: CHIEFS. Mainly because the Redskins, while competitive, seem to find ways to lose this year.
GREEN BAY vs Atlanta. No line. My pick: FALCONS. I don't think Aaron Rodgers will play. The Falcons have not quit. Green Bay is not the same team without Rodgers.
NEW ENGLAND 11.5 over Cleveland. My pick: PATRIOTS. Tom Brady and co. will roll at home.
NEW ORLEANS 3 over Carolina. My pick: SAINTS. Because they are one of the best teams in the NFL--at home.
NY JETS 2.5 over Oakland. My pick: JETS. Look for the Jekyll and Hyde Jets to have a good week.
PHILADELPHIA 2.5 over Detroit. My pick: EAGLES. I just think the Lions will have a difficult time slowing down the Eagles' pass game.
PITTSBURGH 3 over Miami. My pick: STEELERS. The Steelers remain tough and dangerous at home, and are playing better. Will the Dolphins be able to handle the cold? No.
SAN DIEGO 3 over NY Giants. My pick: GIANTS. Just a feeling--Eli Manning will find a way.
SAN FRANCISCO 2 over Seattle. My pick: SEAHAWKS. I think Seattle has become the class of the NFC, and they will show it here.
TAMPA BAY 2 over Buffalo. My pick: BUCCANEERS. Tampa Bay has significantly improved.
CHICAGO vs Dallas--pick 'em. My pick: BEARS. Just a feeling--I think the cold and being on the road, and the Bears being a desperate team, will work in favor of Chicago.
NFL PICKS
ARIZONA 7 over St. Louis. My pick: CARDINALS. They are very good at home.
BALTI juIMORE 6.5 over Minnesota. My pick: RAVENS. The Baltimore defense will make a big difference here; it has stepped up its game.
CINCINNATI 6.5 over Indianapolis. My pick: COLTS. Maybe not to win, but to keep it close; I think the Colts defense will hold its own here.
DENVER 12 over Tennessee. My pick: BRONCOS. Denver to keep rolling at home.
Kansas City 3 over WASHINGTON. My pick: CHIEFS. Mainly because the Redskins, while competitive, seem to find ways to lose this year.
GREEN BAY vs Atlanta. No line. My pick: FALCONS. I don't think Aaron Rodgers will play. The Falcons have not quit. Green Bay is not the same team without Rodgers.
NEW ENGLAND 11.5 over Cleveland. My pick: PATRIOTS. Tom Brady and co. will roll at home.
NEW ORLEANS 3 over Carolina. My pick: SAINTS. Because they are one of the best teams in the NFL--at home.
NY JETS 2.5 over Oakland. My pick: JETS. Look for the Jekyll and Hyde Jets to have a good week.
PHILADELPHIA 2.5 over Detroit. My pick: EAGLES. I just think the Lions will have a difficult time slowing down the Eagles' pass game.
PITTSBURGH 3 over Miami. My pick: STEELERS. The Steelers remain tough and dangerous at home, and are playing better. Will the Dolphins be able to handle the cold? No.
SAN DIEGO 3 over NY Giants. My pick: GIANTS. Just a feeling--Eli Manning will find a way.
SAN FRANCISCO 2 over Seattle. My pick: SEAHAWKS. I think Seattle has become the class of the NFC, and they will show it here.
TAMPA BAY 2 over Buffalo. My pick: BUCCANEERS. Tampa Bay has significantly improved.
CHICAGO vs Dallas--pick 'em. My pick: BEARS. Just a feeling--I think the cold and being on the road, and the Bears being a desperate team, will work in favor of Chicago.
Thursday, December 5, 2013
I-JUST-THOUGHT-THIS-WAS-INTERESTING DEPT
How to think yourself well. Worth reading--check it out:
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What if you had the ability to heal your body just by changing how you think and feel?
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What if you had the ability to heal your body just by changing how you think and feel?
I know it sounds radical,
coming from a doctor. When people are doing everything "right" --
eating veggies, avoiding red meat and processed foods, exercising,
sleeping well and so forth -- we should expect them to live long,
prosperous lives and die of old age while peacefully slumbering, right?
So why is it that so many health nuts are sicker than other people who pig out, guzzle beer and park in front of the TV?
I consider myself one of
those health nuts. I drink my green juice, take my vitamins, hike and
practice yoga daily, get quality sleep, see a doctor and avoid harmful
toxins.
And yet I have come to
believe that the purely physical realm of illness -- the part you can
diagnose with laboratory tests -- is only part of the equation. It's a
big part, mind you, but not the whole shebang.
My experience with
patients (as well as my personal background) has led me to the
conclusion that whether they become sick or stay healthy, as well as
whether they remain ill or manage to heal themselves, might have more to
do with everything else that's going on in their lives than with any
specific health standard they abide by.
When healthy habits aren't enough
Five years ago, I started
working in an integrative medicine practice. My new patients were some
of the most health-conscious people I've ever had the privilege to
serve. Many of them ate a vegan diet, worked out, slept soundly each
night and took vitamins every morning.
But some of them were
also mysteriously sick, complaining of fatigue, aches, gastrointestinal
disturbances and other symptoms. I was baffled! I ran batteries of
tests, and occasionally I would pick up something that eventually
resulted in the complete resolution of a patient's symptoms. But more
often than not, I would find nothing.
I was really motivated
to solve the puzzle of why these "healthy" patients were so sick.
Instead of focusing exclusively on physician-recommended behaviors,
medical history and other traditional factors, I dug deep into their
personal lives.
I asked them questions:
"What do you love about yourself? What's missing from your life? What do
you appreciate about your life? Are you in a romantic relationship? If
so, are you happy? If not, do you wish you were? Are you fulfilled at
work? Do you feel like you're in touch with your life's purpose? Do you
feel sexually satisfied? Do you express yourself creatively? Do you feel
financially stable, or are you stressed about money? If your fairy
godmother could change one thing about your life, what would you wish
for?"
My patients' answers
often gave me more insight into why they might be sick than any lab test
or exam could. They were unhealthy not because of bad genes or poor
habits or rotten luck, but because they were lonely or miserable in
their relationships, stressed about work, freaked out about their
finances or profoundly depressed.
On the flip side, I had
other patients who ate junk, forgot to take their supplements, rarely
exercised and enjoyed seemingly perfect health. Their responses revealed
that their lives were filled with love, fun, meaningful work, creative
expression, spiritual connection and other traits that differentiated
them from the sick health enthusiasts.
Ironman champ: 'Your mind matters more'
What's really making you sick?
That's when I narrowed
it down to two questions I would ask patients at their appointments:
"What do you think might lie at the root of your illness?" and "What
does your body need in order to heal?"
Occasionally, they
answered with conventional health-related insights, saying, "I need an
antidepressant" or "I need to lose 20 pounds." But more often than not,
they said introspective things, like "I hate my job," "I need more 'me'
time," "I must divorce my spouse," "I have to finish my novel," "I need
to hire a nanny," "I need to make more friends," "I need to forgive
myself," "I need to love myself" or "I need to stop being such a
pessimist." Whoa.
While many patients
weren't ready to do what their intuition told them their bodies needed,
my bravest patients made radical changes. Some quit their jobs. Others
left their marriages. Some moved to new cities or towns. Others pursued
long-suppressed dreams.
The results these
patients achieved were astonishing. Sometimes, a list of illnesses would
disappear, often quickly. Even smaller steps, like talking to a boss
about workplace problems or seeing a marriage counselor, helped. I was
in awe.
But I shouldn't have
been surprised: I had healed myself in much the same way. By the time I
was in my 20s, I had been diagnosed with multiple health conditions,
including high blood pressure and precancerous changes on my cervix.
At 33, I was burned out,
thanks to my career in a busy obstetrics and gynecology practice. I
wound up leaving my job, selling my house and liquidating my retirement
account.
My husband, baby and I
moved from chaotic San Diego to a small, sleepy town in northern
California, where I spent two years digging into the root causes of my
illness, diagnosing what needed to be changed and mustering up the
courage to take action. As a result, my health conditions either
completely resolved or drastically improved.
The get-well Rx
This is not "woo-woo"
metaphysics here. The scientific evidence I have uncovered in major
medical journals backs this up: The lifestyle choices you make can
optimize your body's relaxation response, counteract the stress response
and result in physiological changes, leading to better health.
The body doesn't fuel
how we live our lives. Instead, it is a mirror of how we live our lives.
So if you're not feeling well, despite doing all the "right" things,
take a deep breath and ask yourself: What do I think might lie at the
root of my illness? What does my body need in order to heal? If you're
honest with yourself, the answers could save your health -- and your
life.
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Wednesday, December 4, 2013
HEALTH TIP OF THE DAY
Yes, take a walk--but make it a brisk one, too, okay? Read more about it:
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Walking, fast or slow, is wonderful exercise. But now a
first-of-its-kind study shows that to get the most health benefits from
walking, many of us need to pick up the pace.
The findings stem from a new analysis of the National Walkers’ Health Study, a large database of information maintained at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory about thousands of middle-age men and women who walk regularly for exercise. Recruited beginning in 1998 at walking events and from lists of subscribers to walking-related publications, these volunteers filled out a lengthy survey about their typical walking distance and pace, as well as their health history and habits.
As most of us would likely guess, walking is the most popular physical activity in America. But people who walk for exercise do so at wildly varying speeds and intensities. Some stroll at a leisurely 2 miles per hour, which is low-intensity exercise. Others zip along at twice that pace or better, resulting in a sweatier workout.
Exercise guidelines generally suggest that for health purposes, people should engage in 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity most days of the week. For walkers, a moderately intense pace would probably be about 15 or 16 minutes per mile.
It has generally been assumed that if people walk more slowly but expend the same total energy as brisk walkers — meaning that they spend more time walking — they should gain the same health benefits. But few large-scale studies have directly compared the impact of moderate- and light-intensity walking, especially in terms of longevity.
To do so, Paul T. Williams, a statistician at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, gathered data about 7,374 male and 31,607 female participants from the walkers’ health study, who represented almost every speed of fitness walker, from sluggish to swift. His findings were published online this month in PLoS One.
Dr. Williams divided participants into four numerically equal categories, based on their normal pace. Those in Category 1, the fleetest, averaged less than 13.5 minutes per mile, putting them on the cusp of jogging, while those in Category 4, the slowest, strolled at a relatively dilatory 17 minutes or more per mile. The majority of the walkers in this group in fact required at least 20 minutes to complete a mile, and many had a pace of 25 minutes or more per mile. (Interestingly, on average, female walkers were faster than men in all of the categories.)
Next, Dr. Williams cross-referenced his data against that in the essential if somewhat ghoulish National Death Index to determine which of the almost 39,000 walkers had died in the decade or so since they had joined the survey and from what.
It turned out that nearly 2,000 of the walkers had died. More telling, these deaths disproportionately were clustered among the slowest walkers. Those in Category 4 were about 18 percent more likely to have died from any cause than those in the other three categories and were particularly vulnerable to deaths from heart disease and dementia.
Unexpectedly, the death rate remained high among the slowest walkers, even if they met or exceeded the standard exercise guidelines and expended as much energy per day as someone walking briskly for 30 minutes. This effect was most pronounced among the slowest of the slow walkers, whose pace was 24 minutes per mile or higher. They were 44 percent more likely to have died than walkers who moved faster, even if they met the exercise guidelines.
One important inference of these statistics is that intensity matters, if you are walking for health. “Our results do suggest that there is a significant health benefit to pursuing a faster pace,” Dr. Williams said. Pushing your body, he said, appears to cause favorable physiological changes that milder exercise doesn’t replicate.
But there are nuances and caveats to that conclusion. The slowest walkers may have harbored underlying health conditions that predisposed them to both a tentative walking pace and early death. But that possibility underscores a subtle takeaway of the new study, Dr. Williams said. Measuring your walking speed, he pointed out, could provide a barometer of your health status.
So check yours, your spouse’s or perhaps your parents’ pace. The process is easy. Simply find a 400-meter track and, using a stopwatch, have everyone walk at his or her normal speed. If a circuit of the track takes someone 6 minutes or more, that person’s pace is 24 minutes per mile or slower, and he or she might consider consulting a doctor about possible health issues, Dr. Williams said.
Then, with medical clearance, the slow walkers probably should try ramping up their speed, gradually.
The most encouraging news embedded in the new study is that longevity rises with small improvements in pace. The walkers in Category 3, for instance, moved at a speed only a minute or so faster per mile than some of those in the slowest group, but they enjoyed a significant reduction in their risk of dying prematurely.
*********************************
The findings stem from a new analysis of the National Walkers’ Health Study, a large database of information maintained at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory about thousands of middle-age men and women who walk regularly for exercise. Recruited beginning in 1998 at walking events and from lists of subscribers to walking-related publications, these volunteers filled out a lengthy survey about their typical walking distance and pace, as well as their health history and habits.
As most of us would likely guess, walking is the most popular physical activity in America. But people who walk for exercise do so at wildly varying speeds and intensities. Some stroll at a leisurely 2 miles per hour, which is low-intensity exercise. Others zip along at twice that pace or better, resulting in a sweatier workout.
Exercise guidelines generally suggest that for health purposes, people should engage in 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity most days of the week. For walkers, a moderately intense pace would probably be about 15 or 16 minutes per mile.
It has generally been assumed that if people walk more slowly but expend the same total energy as brisk walkers — meaning that they spend more time walking — they should gain the same health benefits. But few large-scale studies have directly compared the impact of moderate- and light-intensity walking, especially in terms of longevity.
To do so, Paul T. Williams, a statistician at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, gathered data about 7,374 male and 31,607 female participants from the walkers’ health study, who represented almost every speed of fitness walker, from sluggish to swift. His findings were published online this month in PLoS One.
Dr. Williams divided participants into four numerically equal categories, based on their normal pace. Those in Category 1, the fleetest, averaged less than 13.5 minutes per mile, putting them on the cusp of jogging, while those in Category 4, the slowest, strolled at a relatively dilatory 17 minutes or more per mile. The majority of the walkers in this group in fact required at least 20 minutes to complete a mile, and many had a pace of 25 minutes or more per mile. (Interestingly, on average, female walkers were faster than men in all of the categories.)
Next, Dr. Williams cross-referenced his data against that in the essential if somewhat ghoulish National Death Index to determine which of the almost 39,000 walkers had died in the decade or so since they had joined the survey and from what.
It turned out that nearly 2,000 of the walkers had died. More telling, these deaths disproportionately were clustered among the slowest walkers. Those in Category 4 were about 18 percent more likely to have died from any cause than those in the other three categories and were particularly vulnerable to deaths from heart disease and dementia.
Unexpectedly, the death rate remained high among the slowest walkers, even if they met or exceeded the standard exercise guidelines and expended as much energy per day as someone walking briskly for 30 minutes. This effect was most pronounced among the slowest of the slow walkers, whose pace was 24 minutes per mile or higher. They were 44 percent more likely to have died than walkers who moved faster, even if they met the exercise guidelines.
One important inference of these statistics is that intensity matters, if you are walking for health. “Our results do suggest that there is a significant health benefit to pursuing a faster pace,” Dr. Williams said. Pushing your body, he said, appears to cause favorable physiological changes that milder exercise doesn’t replicate.
But there are nuances and caveats to that conclusion. The slowest walkers may have harbored underlying health conditions that predisposed them to both a tentative walking pace and early death. But that possibility underscores a subtle takeaway of the new study, Dr. Williams said. Measuring your walking speed, he pointed out, could provide a barometer of your health status.
So check yours, your spouse’s or perhaps your parents’ pace. The process is easy. Simply find a 400-meter track and, using a stopwatch, have everyone walk at his or her normal speed. If a circuit of the track takes someone 6 minutes or more, that person’s pace is 24 minutes per mile or slower, and he or she might consider consulting a doctor about possible health issues, Dr. Williams said.
Then, with medical clearance, the slow walkers probably should try ramping up their speed, gradually.
The most encouraging news embedded in the new study is that longevity rises with small improvements in pace. The walkers in Category 3, for instance, moved at a speed only a minute or so faster per mile than some of those in the slowest group, but they enjoyed a significant reduction in their risk of dying prematurely.
*********************************
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
AUTISM UPDATE
For those of you interested in autism--have you heard of something called "oxytocin"? You will want to know about it--read on:
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The hormone oxytocin has been generating excitement — and caution — among people who care about autism.
Scientists have been eager to see if oxytocin, which plays a role in
emotional bonding, trust and many biological processes, can improve
social behavior in people with autism. Some parents of children with
autism have asked doctors to prescribe it, although it is not an
approved treatment for autism, or have purchased lower-dose versions of
the drug over the counter.
Scientifically, the jury is out, and experts say parents should wait
until more is known. Some studies suggest that oxytocin, sometimes
called the “love hormone,” improves the ability to empathize and connect
socially, and may decrease repetitive behaviors. Others find little or
no impact, and some research suggests that it can promote clannish and
competitive feelings, or exacerbate symptoms in people already
oversensitive to social cues. Importantly, nobody knows if oxytocin is
safe or desirable to use regularly or long term.
Now, the first study of how oxytocin affects the brains of children with autism finds hints of promise — and also suggestions of what its limitations might be.
On the promising side, the small study, published Monday in The
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that the hormone,
given as an inhalant, generated increased activity in parts of the
brain involved in social connection. This suggests not only that
oxytocin can stimulate social brain areas, but also that in children
with autism these brain regions are not irrevocably damaged but are
plastic enough to be influenced.
The limitations could include a finding that oxytocin prompted greater
brain activity in children with the least severe autism. Some experts
said that this could imply that oxytocin may work primarily in
less-impaired people, but others said it might simply suggest that
different doses are needed.
“Here we have a really clear demonstration that oxytocin is affecting brain activity in people with autism,” said Dr. Linmarie Sikich,
director of the Adolescent and School-Age Psychiatric Intervention
Research Program at the University of North Carolina, who was not
involved in the study. “What this shows is that the brains of people
with autism aren’t incapable of responding in a more typical social
way.”
Nonetheless, said Dr. Sikich, who will be leading a large federally
funded trial of 300 children to evaluate behavioral effects of daily
oxytocin for six or 12 months, “there’s still a big gap in knowing how
much it will really change overall functioning and how to best use it.”
In the new study, conducted by the Yale Child Study Center,
17 children, ages 8 to 16, all with mild autism, got a spray of
oxytocin or a placebo (researchers did not know which, and in another
session each child received the other substance). The children were
placed in a functional magnetic resonance imaging machine, an f.M.R.I.,
and given a well-established test of social-emotional perception:
matching emotions to photographs of people’s eyes. They took a similar
test involving objects, choosing if photos of fragments of vehicles
corresponded to cars, trucks, and so on.
During the “eyes” test, brain areas involved in social functions like
empathy and reward — less active in children with autism — showed more
activity after taking oxytocin than after placebo. Also, during the
“vehicles” tests, oxytocin decreased activity in those brain areas more
than the placebo, a result that especially excited some experts.
“If you can decrease their attention to a shape or object so you can get
them to pay attention to a social stimulus, that’s a big thing,” said Deborah A. Fein, a psychology professor at the University of Connecticut.
With oxytocin, the children did not do better on the social-emotional
test, unlike in some other studies. But experts said that was not
surprising, given the difficulty of answering challenging questions
while staying still in an f.M.R.I.
“What I would look for is more evidence of looking in the eyes of
parents, more attention to what parents are saying, less tendency to
lecture parents on their National Geographic collection,” Dr. Fein said.
The Yale researchers did study oxytocin’s effect on such social
interactions and are analyzing those results for later publication, said
Ilanit Gordon, a co-author of the study.
The Yale team suggests that oxytocin may be most useful not as a
continuous treatment to enhance general social skills, but as a tool to
help children benefit more from behavioral therapy or specific social
experiences.
Several experts agreed.
“Most people believe that these drugs will not immediately improve
social behavior or improve some of the more negative symptoms,” said Geraldine Dawson,
director of the Center for Autism Diagnosis and Treatment at Duke
University. Instead, “Think of this as possibly priming the brain to
make it more receptive to social information,” she said. “This may help
to enhance that child’s response to behavioral therapy and early
intervention, and may not have to be used long term.”
The Yale study includes another intriguing result: that children whose
saliva showed higher oxytocin concentrations had more activity in the
amygdala. That, experts said, may eventually mean that a simple saliva
test could help identify who might benefit most from oxytocin.
One participant in the Yale study, Jesse, then 15, said he could tell
immediately which spray was oxytocin because he became giggly, “laughing
uncontrollably — it was like they gave me laughing gas.” The effects
did not last long, said Jesse, whose parents asked that his last name be
witheld.
Since then, his parents started buying low-dose over-the-counter
oxytocin spray, which they keep at home and with the high school nurse.
Occasionally, when Jesse, who has Asperger’s syndrome, has a “panic
attack or spiraling, it just sort of shuts off that mood, and it doesn’t
come back,” said his mother, Jackie.
Or, as Jesse described it, when “I’m really stressed or sad, pretty
quickly I start feeling a lot more calm. It sort of disrupted the
thoughts that were making me nervous.”
Dr. Gordon does not recommend such use. “I don’t want a wave of parents
now giving their children oxytocin,” she said. “We’re not seeing that
giving oxytocin equals treating autism, not yet.”
Both animal and human studies give reasons for caution. While early
research found that oxytocin promoted pair bonding in prairie voles,
newer studies found that giving the equivalent of several years’ worth
of daily oxytocin to adolescent male prairie voles made them behave
abnormally, bonding with strange voles rather than their partners, said Karen Bales,
a psychologist at the University of California, Davis, who conducted
the research. She said early repeated use might tell the brain to make
less oxytocin than it would produce naturally.
A study of healthy men found that oxytocin made them more biased against
outsiders. And when people with borderline personality disorder took
oxytocin, they became more distrustful, possibly because they were
already socially hypersensitive.
Even if it ends up easing autistic symptoms, autism is so complex and
varied that oxytocin is unlikely to work for everyone. People with
different oxytocin receptor genes may respond differently, for example.
“We’re still really in the early stages of understanding whether
oxytocin is going to be an effective treatment for autism,” Dr. Dawson
said.************************
Monday, December 2, 2013
AWARENESS UPDATES
Two new items today--both of them containing good news. First--college roommates help one of their own who is disabled:
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A college student who needs help with everything from
showering to dressing and even getting out of bed is receiving all that
and more from a group of devoted friends turned roommates.
Cesar Ibanez, 28, has spinal muscular atrophy, a genetic condition that leaves his muscles weak. Despite being told that he wouldn’t make it to adulthood, Ibanez is now a biology major at Brigham Young University-Idaho in Rexburg, Idaho with dreams of one day treating his own condition.
During his first semester of college, Ibanez lived at an assisted-living facility. But after bonding with a group of six other guys who tell the (Idaho Falls, Idaho) Post Register that he’s routinely one of the funniest people in the room, Ibanez’ friends convinced him to move in with them.
None of the men had any caregiving experience and Ibanez’ roommates admit that it was an adjustment at first taking on the role full-time and without pay.
“I was nervous about this and how I’d ever have enough time … knowing just a fraction of the responsibilities we’d have if Cesar moved in,” roommate Trevor Rubio told the newspaper. “It really was an act of faith.”
But now the guys say they would drop anything for their friend. When Ibanez had a cold and struggled to breath, they nursed him back to health. And the men admit to worrying about Ibanez when he leaves the house in the morning since they know what could happen if he were to get sick again.
“After knowing Cesar for two semesters, I can honestly say that I love him like he’s my brother,” roommate Jake Christensen told the Post Register. “Cesar doesn’t always greet you with a smile, but you always know he’s grateful.”
Cesar Ibanez, 28, has spinal muscular atrophy, a genetic condition that leaves his muscles weak. Despite being told that he wouldn’t make it to adulthood, Ibanez is now a biology major at Brigham Young University-Idaho in Rexburg, Idaho with dreams of one day treating his own condition.
During his first semester of college, Ibanez lived at an assisted-living facility. But after bonding with a group of six other guys who tell the (Idaho Falls, Idaho) Post Register that he’s routinely one of the funniest people in the room, Ibanez’ friends convinced him to move in with them.
None of the men had any caregiving experience and Ibanez’ roommates admit that it was an adjustment at first taking on the role full-time and without pay.
“I was nervous about this and how I’d ever have enough time … knowing just a fraction of the responsibilities we’d have if Cesar moved in,” roommate Trevor Rubio told the newspaper. “It really was an act of faith.”
But now the guys say they would drop anything for their friend. When Ibanez had a cold and struggled to breath, they nursed him back to health. And the men admit to worrying about Ibanez when he leaves the house in the morning since they know what could happen if he were to get sick again.
“After knowing Cesar for two semesters, I can honestly say that I love him like he’s my brother,” roommate Jake Christensen told the Post Register. “Cesar doesn’t always greet you with a smile, but you always know he’s grateful.”
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And also--who says that sexuality isn't for those with special needs? Check out the new calendar that will soon be available:
A new calendar featuring scantily-clad models with disabilities is
designed to squash preconceived notions about sexuality among those with
special needs.
Dubbed “Undressing Disability,” the calendar produced by the British
disability advocacy group Enhance the UK includes images of people who
are deaf, blind and those with cerebral palsy, among other conditions,
showing off their physiques.
Sporting little more than lingerie or swimsuits, the models are
featured in studio portraits and on location, posing in an iconic London
taxi and in front of British landmarks like Big Ben and the Tower
Bridge.
Those behind the calendar are hoping to turn a few heads.
“All too often disabled people get ignored and desexualized, even ‘babied,’ being seen as people who just need looking after and not wanting or capable of having an active, healthy sex life and loving relationship,” said Jennie Williams, CEO of Enhance the UK and one of the models for the calendar.
Williams said her group wants to “change the way society views sex and disability.”
The calendar is available for free, but a donation is requested. All funds raised will go toward an inclusive sex and relationships education project, Williams said.
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Those behind the calendar are hoping to turn a few heads.
“All too often disabled people get ignored and desexualized, even ‘babied,’ being seen as people who just need looking after and not wanting or capable of having an active, healthy sex life and loving relationship,” said Jennie Williams, CEO of Enhance the UK and one of the models for the calendar.
Williams said her group wants to “change the way society views sex and disability.”
The calendar is available for free, but a donation is requested. All funds raised will go toward an inclusive sex and relationships education project, Williams said.
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