The Dr. Leigh Vinocur Show: Recent Episodes
RadioMD
Host, Dr. Leigh Vinocur, MD, approaches the topics on ER 101 from her perspective as an emergency room physician. Expert guests from the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) join Dr. Leigh to discuss weekly news, healthcare and pop culture health issues, as well as how to keep you and your family safe in an unsafe world.
Your fitness tracker may be able to save your life in the emergency room. Changes in your heart rate from your tracker can provide doctors with valuable information.A healthy man with a history of seizures forgot to take his medicine one morning. He had a seizure at work, and his blood pressure was high when the ambulance arrived to retrieve him.
Using his Fitbit, emergency physicians were able to spot when his atrial fibrulation was triggered and treat him for the condition.
If you use a Fitbit, be sure to sync it with your phone so the information is stored in the cloud. This will make the tracked history more accessible.
Listen in as Dr. Monika Smith shares with Dr. Leigh Vinocur what happened in the ER that day.
Cosmetics aren't regulated as strictly as food. What's in your makeup may be horrible for your health.The regulations of the cosmetic industry are not as stringent as the food industry.
A product "made with organic ingredients" can legitimately contain 30% toxins. Is it really safe for your skin?
Your favorite cosmetics may be killing you.
Biochemist Dr. Jennifer Dietrich recommends avoiding "Dr. Jen's Dirty Baker's Dozen" ingredients in your cosmetics:
- Sodium/Ammonium Laurel Sulfate. It gets absorbed by the body and irritates the skin.
- Parabens. Linked to cancer; causes endocrine disruption and reproductive toxicity.
- Propylene Glycol. This is often contaminated with known carcinogens.
- Phthalates. Present in many fragrances and linked to endocrine disruption, liver/kidney/lung damage and cancer.
- Petrolatum. This suffocates the skin, leads to premature aging, aggravates acne, and can be found in breast tumors.
- Cocamide DEA/Lauramide DEA. Carcinogens.
- Diazolidinyl Urea. Releases formaldehyde, causes skin and eye irritation, tends to cause allergic reaction, and can have reproductive side effects.
- Butyl Acetate. Vapors can cause dizziness and drowsiness. Can cause skin to dry out and crack.
- Butlated Hydroxytulene. Causes skin and eye irritation.
- Ethyl Acetate. Dangerous to the respiratory system.
- Toluene. Disrupts the immune and endocrine systems, as well as fetal development.
- Triethanolamine. Skin, eye, and hair irritation. High doses can have negative effects on organs.
- Talc. Linked to ovarian cancer and reproductive problems.
Listen in as Dr. Jen explains what to avoid when selecting your makeup.
What are varicose veins and how do you get rid of them?Varicose veins are lumpy, enlarged veins that are usually found in the legs and feet. With the legs and feet supporting the weight of the body, these veins are under a lot of pressure.
Varicose veins are often just a cosmetic issue for people. In most cases, the blood can still make its way back to the heart through these twisted cords. However, some varicose veins come with serious medical consequences.
There are new treatments for varicose veins that avoid painful and invasive vein stripping. Minimally invasive VenaSeal uses a medical adhesive to close the diseased vein. This a more appealing alternative to surgery for many.
Listen in as Dr. Jennifer Watson shares what varicose veins are and what you can do about them.
Birth control pills may help prevent knee injuries in teen girls.A recent study at University of Texas Medical Branch showed that teen girls who take birth control pills may be less likely to suffer knee injuries.
Study author Aaron Gray, an MD and PhD student, found an association between these factors but did not find that taking birth control pills prevents knee injuries.
Many young athletes take birth control pills for predictable and light periods. Injury risk may be an additional benefit.
Listen in as Gray joins Dr. Leigh Vinocur to discuss this study.
A happy childhood can reduce risk of heart disease.A recent study showed that children who had a happier childhood were less likely to suffer from coronary artery calcification.
Coronary artery calcification (CAC) is the the result of calcium deposits in coronary arteries. CAC causes blood vessels to narrow and harden over time.
The study, which was conducted in Finland, analyzed children between three and 18 years and looked at them again 27 years later.
Researchers took into consideration the socioeconomic status of the family, the emotional well-being of the family, parental health, stressful events, and the ability to self regulate attention. The more positives they had in these areas, the better their heart health later in life.
Cardiologist Dr. Jennifer Haythe joins Dr. Leigh to discuss how childhood happiness (or lack thereof) affects heart health in adulthood.
What are some common sources of poison within the home?National Poison Prevention Week is March 20-26.
Children are susceptible to poisoning when they are uneducated on the dangers of using or consuming goods that are not meant for little bodies. Adults can be poisoned by errant chemical combinations, using household products incorrectly, overdosing, and taking the wrong medication.
Common sources of poisoning:
- Drugs: prescription, non-prescription, herbal, illegal, or animal medicines
- Cleaning products that cause burns: drain opener, toilet bowl cleaner, oven cleaner, rust remover
- Carbon monoxide gas: leaky furnaces and chimneys, gas stoves and water heaters, generators and space heaters used indoors
- Auto fluids: antifreeze, windshield washer solution
- Hydrocarbons: furniture polish, lighter fluid, lamp oil, gasoline, paint thinner, kerosene, turpentine
- Pesticides: (weed killers, ant and roach killers, mouse and rat poisons, garden chemicals
- Wild mushrooms
Toxicologist and emergency physician, Dr. Paul Kolecki, discusses poison prevention.
Who is making your dermatology diagnosis when you use telemedicine?As technology develops and schedules become tighter, telemedicine is a great alternative to an in-person office visit in many cases.
There are a number of websites and apps dedicated to dermatology diagnosis.
With the options available for telemedicine, the level of care varies. Not everyone on the other end of the app is a dermatologist.
Who is making your dermatology diagnosis when you use telemedicine?
Listen in as Dr. Carrie Kovarik joins Dr. Leigh to share what to expect from teledermatology.
Women are at risk of worse outcomes among young people undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).Women are at risk of worse outcomes among young people undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).
PCI is angioplasty with stent, a non-surgical procedure that uses a catheter to place a stent in the heart to open up blood vessels that have been narrowed by plaque buildup.
Factors that may influence the risk of target vessel and target lesion failure in women include depression, estrogen state, inflammation, and underlying hematologic and rheumatologic disorders.
Listen in as Dr. Robert Willensky discusses the findings of a recent study on these effects.
How can physical activity be incorporated into treatment plans for better overall health?Treatment plans from health care providers usually consist of some combination of dietary changes, taking supplements, and sometimes adding medication.
There may be visits to specialists for diagnosis as well, depending on the issues you're trying to address.
Exercise can also serve as medicine for the body. Elevating physical activity to the status so it becomes a standard on health care would help preserve and improve patient health. Wouldn't it be nice to get a treatment plan from your doctor that includes the best physical activity to help your condition?
Listen in as Dr. Felipe Lobelo discusses how physical activity can be incorporated into treatment plans for better health.
Having a high fiber diet may reduce your risk of breast cancer.Having a high fiber diet early in life can reduce breast cancer risk later in life.
Dr. Maryam Farvid and her team researched the impact of diet on breast cancer. They discovered that a 10g increase in fiber consumption per day in early adulthood was linked to a 13% reduction of breast cancer risk in women.
This research suggests women increase their fiber intake earlier in life to receive these benefits instead of waiting until later in life to increase fiber consumption.
Listen in as Dr. Farvid discusses how fiber can influence breast cancer risk.
As popular as plastic surgery is for looking good on the outside, can it make you feel better about yourself on the inside?Butt lifts, nose jobs, and breast enhancement are all procedures intended to make people look and feel their best.
Plastic surgery is a strong consideration for anyone who has wanted to make an appearance change.
As popular as these procedures are for looking good on the outside, can they make you feel better about yourself on the inside? Can plastic surgery make you happy?
Listen in as Dr. Robert Cohen discusses the emotional side of plastic surgery.
How do the physical effects of depression relate to fitness?When depression kicks in, you may not feel like doing anything, much less exercise.
The problem is that sadness releases chemicals in the brain that can release inflammatory proteins. These inflammatory proteins contribute to stroke, heart disease, and metabolic syndrome.
You don't feel great. Good eating habits fall out. Achy joints, stiff muscles, and headaches don't help get you moving.
There goes your fitness routine.
Listen in as Dr. John Mayer discusses how depression and sadness have physical effects, and how fitness relates to depression.
How important is breakfast?You've heard before that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Was that proclamation based on research?
There is new information available on the importance of breakfast:
- Skipping breakfast and eating a big lunch doesn't seem to make people overshoot their recommended caloric intake for the day.
- Breakfast does jump start your metabolism.
- Skipping breakfast doesn't cause weight gain.
- Different types of breakfasts do different things to the body. Sugary cereal doesn't work the same as a breakfast of protein and grains.
Listen in as Dr. Enhad Chowdhury discusses these breakfast revelations.
How can sex help your heart?You may be hesitant to get frisky after a cardiac event and worry that it could make your ticker worse.
You may also fear the worst case scenario: having a heart attack while engaged with your partner.
The good news is that less than one percent of acute heart attacks are linked to sex, according to a 2012 study published in the American Journal of Cardiology.
With clearance from your doctor, you can engage in sexual activity after a cardiac event. In fact, sex is great for your heart. Sex is good aerobic exercise that engages the large muscles in the body. It lowers blood pressure, reduces stress, and is good for your emotional health.
Listen in as Dr. Jennifer Haythe discusses how sex is good for your heart.
What do you need to know about women's heart health?Heart disease is the number one killer of women, surpassing all cancers, diseases, and injuries.
The Red Dress campaign was started for heart disease awareness for women, using the first Friday of February to enlighten women on heart health and encourage them to reduce their risks for heart disease.
Even though heart disease is prevalent in women, there is concern about it being treated less aggressively than in men. The symptoms in women are more subtle.
Here are some symptoms women may experience:
- Arm or shoulder pain
- Nausea or vomiting
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain
Women tend to put other responsibilities ahead of their own health. This may worsen the outcome after a cardiac event, as women don't always take the necessary steps to recover because they are caring for others.
Men usually visit a doctor 15 hours after a cardiac event, where women will visit a doctor about 55 hours after a cardiac event. Women's symptoms may be missed by urgent care, delaying treatment of heart disease.
Listen in as Dr. Chadd Kraus shares what women should know about heart disease.
Finding humor in daily life may help your heart.Laughter may just be the best medicine for your heart. A recent study by cardiologists at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore found that people with heart disease were 40% less likely to laugh in many situations than people of the same age without heart disease.
An active sense of humor and laughter may help protect you from a heart attack.
Researchers compared the humor responses of 300 people in the study. Half of the participants did not have heart disease. The other half had either suffered a heart attack or undergone coronary artery bypass surgery. They were given one questionnaire with a series of multiple-choice answers to determine how much or how little people laughed in certain situations, and a second questionnaire used true or false answers to measure anger and hostility.
Those with heart disease generally laughed less, even in positive situations, and they displayed more anger and hostility.
Finding humor in daily life may help your heart.
Laughter expert and cardiology professor, Dr. Michael Miller, discusses how to make your heart happy in daily life.
What kinds of physical activity may help ease depression and cardiovascular risk?Early markers of heart disease can be worse when you're depressed.
An observational study recently showed that the association between heart disease and depression can be lessened or eliminated with regular physical activity.
Those associations were consistent when adjusting for a number of variables, including weight, age, and some cardiovascular risk factors.
What kinds of physical activity may help ease depression and cardiovascular risk?
The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans describes the major research findings on the health benefits of physical activity:
- Regular physical activity reduces the risk of many adverse health outcomes.
- Some physical activity is better than none.
- For most health outcomes, additional benefits occur as the amount of physical activity increases through higher intensity, greater frequency, and/or longer duration.
- Most health benefits occur with at least 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) a week of moderate intensity physical activity, such as brisk walking. Additional benefits occur with more physical activity.
- Both aerobic (endurance) and muscle-strengthening (resistance) physical activity are beneficial.
- Health benefits occur for children and adolescents, young and middle-aged adults, older adults, and those in every studied racial and ethnic group.
- The health benefits of physical activity occur for people with disabilities.
- The benefits of physical activity far outweigh the possibility of adverse outcomes.
Listen in as Dr. Arshed Quyyumi shares how exercise is good for your head and good for your heart.
Why are women more at risk for a cardiac episode or death from atrial fibrillation than men?Irregular heartbeat can be caused by several factors: genetics, smoking, drinking alcohol or caffeine, medications, stress, hard physical exercise, certain supplements, and illness.
Atrial fibrillation is a specific kind of irregular heartbeat. Atrial fibrillation occurs when rapid, disorganized electrical signals cause the heart's two upper chambers (the atria) to contract in a sudden and irregular manner.
A recent analysis published online in the British Medical Journal said that women are more at risk than men for stroke, heart disease, heart failure, and death from atrial fibrillation.
Symptoms like shortness of breath or fatigue may not seem like obvious warning signs for heart disease, being chalked up to stress or feeling tired instead. The symptoms women experience may not be as apparent as those men experience.
Why are women more at risk for a cardiac episode or death from atrial fibrillation than men?
Listen in as doctoral student and Rhodes Scholar, Connor Emdin, talks about what atrial fibrillation signals women should heed and what preventative measures should be taken for optimum heart health.
Why does ovarian cancer have a poor prognosis?According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), each year about 200,000 women in the U.S. develop ovarian cancer.
It is often referred to as the silent killer, because the warning signs such as painful sex, nausea, vomiting, and fatigue are often mistaken for something else.
Recently, a study was conducted on ovarian cancer screening and mortality in the UK. In the study, researchers randomly selected women between the ages of 50-74 with ovarian malignancy, increased risk of familial ovarian cancer, and active non-ovarian malignancy.
What did the researchers find?
Listen in as Steven Skates, PhD, shares the recent study on ovarian cancer and the correlation between screening and deaths due to ovarian cancer.
Why do certain foods trigger acne?It's not just your hormones that play a role in whether or not you have acne breakouts.
Your diet is also a major contributor to the health of your skin.
Sugary drinks, desserts, and fast food meals are just a few of the foods notorious for causing breakouts.
What are the six foods that cause adult acne?
- Cake
- Dairy products
- White bread
- Sugary drinks
- Fast food
- Salty foods
Listen in as Debra Jaliman, MD, shares why the food you eat can cause acne and the six foods that may be contributing to outbreaks.
If a patient has been exposed to an infected mosquito, what are the chances the Zika virus will cause mutation in her unborn child?If you've been watching the news lately, you might have seen a few stories on the Zika virus.
Back in 2015, Brazil was the first country to notice an increase of birth defects that were also coinciding with the Zika virus outbreak the country was dealing with.
Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that the virus is "spreading explosively" in the Americas, and as many as three to four million people could be exposed to the virus within the next 12 months.
What is the Zika virus?
The Zika virus is spread through mosquito bites and can cause fever, rash, conjunctivitis, and joint pain. If you're pregnant while infected with the Zika virus, your baby is at risk for birth defects and poor pregnancy outcomes. However, 80 percent of people infected don't show any symptoms.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a statement that pregnant women should not travel to Brazil, Coloumbia, El Salvador, French Guina, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, Paraguay, and many other South American countries where the Zika virus is present.
What else do pregnant women need to know about the virus?
Listen in as Daniel Saltzma, MD, shares everything you need to know about the Zika virus and the dangers posed to pregnant women.
Most doctors recommend waiting 3-6 months post-miscarriage to try again. New research disputes that advice.If you've been trying to start a family, it can be extremely heartbreaking and painful to hear that you've miscarried. It might even make you terrified to try again.
However, a recent study conducted the by National Institutes of Health found that couples who attempt to conceive within three months after losing an early pregnancy (less than 20 weeks gestation) have the same chances, if not greater, of achieving a live birth than those who wait three months or more.
This goes against what most doctors and the World Health Organization (WHO) advise, which is to wait three to six months before trying again.
What did the study look at?
Researchers analyzed data from the Effects of Aspirin in Gestation and Reproduction (EAGeR) trial, a multisite block-randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial that took place between 2007 to 2011.
During the trial, 1,228 women aged 18 to 40 years were enrolled, with more than 99 percent of women who had lost a pregnancy at less than 20 weeks gestation. Participants were followed for up to six menstrual cycles. If they became pregnant, the researchers followed them until the outcome of their pregnancy was known.
What did researchers find?
Listen in as Enrique F. Schisterman, PhD, shares the findings of the study, as well as what this research means for couples who want to try to conceive after a pregnancy loss.
How often should you really wash your hair?When it comes to beauty health, the phrase "less is more" might be appealing, especially when it comes to washing your hair.
Recently, there has been a lot of hype around how often you should be washing your hair, or if you should be skipping shampoo altogether.
Celebrities including Kim Kardashian, Jessica Simpson, and Gwyneth Paltrow all swear by the 'no poo' trend and believe that the detergents in shampoo strip hair of its healthy, natural oils.
However, does this mean you should stop washing your hair?
Listen in as Angela J. Lamb, MD, discusses the 'no poo' trend and if you should consider following it.
How do this year's recommendations differ from 2015?The U.S. government released the new dietary guidelines for 2016, and many experts were unhappy.
The 2016 dietary guidelines closely resemble the 2010 version but with an added focus on dietary patterns, and not so much on individual foods.
With health diseases like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease on the rise within the U.S., the dietary guidelines recommends reducing the amount of added sugars and sugar sweetened drinks from the American diet.
What else can you expect from the 2016 dietary guidelines?
Listen in as David Katz, MD, explains the 2016 dietary guidelines and what they mean for you and your family.
Is wild oregano oil able to kill the new super strains of drug resistant bacteria?If you have a wintertime runny nose, congestion, cough, cold, sneezing, sore throat, or general achiness, you might be coming down with something.
Unfortunately, for the common cold, there's really nothing you can do except take common medicines like NyQuil and let it take its course.
What if you did have the cure to your symptoms and they were right there in your kitchen cupboard?
You might be surprised to find that you can quickly nurse yourself back to health using the power of wild oregano and other germ-fighting aromatic spices.
What spices should you use for a sore throat, runny nose, congestion, coughing, or flu?
Sore Throat: Add a few drops of oil of wild oregano to salt water and gargle several times daily. Take five or more drops of the oil under the tongue two to five times daily.
Runny Nose: Inhale the wild oregano oil frequently, place a drop or two of oil of on the skin next to the nose; consume it under the tongue, five or more drops twice daily.
Flu: Five or more drops of oregano oil repeatedly until the symptoms are resolved.
Congestion: Inhale the oil frequently to help open clogged passages. Place a drop or two of oil of wild oregano on the skin next to the nose for a more direct effect.
Coughing: Inhale the oil of wild oregano directly from the bottle as often as possible. Take a few drops of the oil under the tongue twice daily or gargle with a few drops in salt water.
Sneezing: Inhale oregano oil frequently and place a drop of oil of wild oregano on the skin next to the nose. Also, a sinus spray made from oils of wild oregano, bay leaf, and sage in a sea salt solution brings relief virtually immediately.
Listen in as Dr. Cass Ingram shares these remedies and more.
Why is skipping meals bad for weight management?If you've been eating healthy and getting yourself to the gym, but the weight isn't coming off, you might be wondering what else you could be doing.
Unfortunately, the science of weight loss is a lot more complicated than you think. Not only do you have to adjust your eating habits, but also your lifestyle.
What are 10 reasons why the weight isn't coming off?
According to an article on Yahoo! Health, here are 10 reasons:
- Staying up
- Forgetting to hydrate
- Skipping check-ups
- Eating by the label
- Worrying about work
- Being too sweet
- Overeating healthy foods
- Grazing
- Skipping meals
- Downing diet foods
Listen in as Isabel K. Smith, MS, RD, CDN, shares the 10 reasons why you're not losing weight.
An estimated 10 percent of pedestrian injuries that land in the ER are due to distracted walking.A new report indicates that about 10 percent of pedestrian injuries that end up in the emergency department are due to distracted walking such as texting, or not paying attention while talking on your cell phone.
What are the types of injuries emergency physicians are seeing? How bad is the problem getting?
Listen in as Kevin Klauer, DO shares what kinds of injuries doctors are seeing and why it's important to stay off your phone while walking.
What are the ramifications of equating beauty with health?Do you notice a difference in your mood after you've gotten your hair cut, treated yourself to a facial, gotten a mani/pedi, or put on some lipstick before going out?
According to a recent study by CVS that complied evidence over the past 20 years, taking time for personal care has significant short - and long - term health benefits.
What are the ramifications of equating beauty with health?
Vivian Diller, PhD, shares research that proves makeup can improve your health.
It's been an ongoing discussing for a few years now: does abstaining from sex help or hinder your workout?It's been an ongoing discussing for a few years now: does abstaining from sex help or hinder your workout?
Professional athletes certainly have something to say about the matter.
NFL player, Tim Tebow has publicly announced that he is waiting for marriage to have sex, and Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson has been in the headlines for his declaration that he is also abstaining from premarital sex with his famous singer girlfriend, Ciara.
When it comes to an important championship game or just your daily trip to the gym, does having sex help or hurt your performance?
Listen in as Joel Seedman, PhD, discusses how and if sex helps or hurts your workout performance.
What are some suggestions to kick-start a healthy routine now that the holidays are over?Now that the holidays are over and you have a little more time to get back into a normal routine, you might have noticed your jeans are a little tighter.
Many Americans gain the most weight between Halloween and the beginning of the New Year.
However, at the start of every New Year, there are tons of ways you can set new goals and jumpstart your health and fitness goals.
Listen in as Jim LaValle, MS, RPH, shares how you can conquer your New Years Resolutions.
What are the most common injuries during the holiday season?During the holiday, many emergency rooms see a spike in people needing care.
It may not come to a surprise since around the holidays there is a mixture of stress, overeating, overdrinking, and tons of traveling.
Something you might overlook when it comes to holiday safety is holiday decorations.
In fact, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), approximately 1,300 people are treated each year in emergency departments for injuries related to holiday lights, and roughly 6,200 people are treated for holiday decorations and Christmas tree injuries.
How can you stay safe during the holiday season?
Listen in as Robert Glatter, MD, shares the most common holiday injuries and the ways you can prevent them from happening.
What makes this study different from others that focus on increasing physical activity?If you're someone who likes to spread the gift of health during the holiday season, you may consider buying a wearable tracking device for those you love.
A recent study found that the benefits of wearing a Fitbit and sharing results on social media can help people stay motivated (especially during a time of year when it seems like all you do is eat and drink), which may have you thinking of getting one for yourself, too.
Researchers from the University of Scranton conducted a study where 20 sedentary women used a Fitbit and were assigned exercise partners for six weeks. The women also filled out an online survey about their social contact.
Researchers found that the women's physical activity was highest when they had the most social contact.
How can you use a Fitbit (or other fitness device) in order to help you stay motivated?
Listen in as the study author, Danielle Arigo, PhD, shares the findings in her study and what it means for staying motivated.
Is it possible to avoid holiday stress altogether?Are you someone who can't believe that the holidays have come so quickly and that another year is passing in the blink of an eye?
Some psychologists believe that as you get older, time seems to go by a lot faster.
However, instead of getting upset at how quickly time passes and the stress surrounding the holidays, you can use this time to feel more fulfilled.
How can you find fulfillment and keep stress away during the holidays?
Listen in as Susan Krauss Whitbourne, PhD, shares how you can find fulfillment during the holidays.
How can you avoid a setback in your diet this holiday season?During the holidays, it can be hard to escape unhealthy foods or to stick to your diet. Research has found that the average American gains between one and two pounds between Halloween and New Year's.
Even though that may not seem like a lot, losing one or two pounds can be extremely challenging.
What are 12 tips for healthy eating during the holiday season?
1. Drink water
2. Limit holiday drinks
3. If you're hosting a party, provide healthy snacks
4. Eat smaller portions of food
5. Holiday hors-d'oeuvres
6. Slow down
7. Fill your diet with fruits and vegetables
8. Holidays and the fast food trap
9. Holiday Staples and Stuffing
10. Don't deprive yourself
11. Holiday deserts and your sweet tooth
12. Holiday treats and the healthier option
Listen in as Danine Frugé, MD, shares the 12 tips for eating healthy during the holiday season.
How is debt related to health?During the holidays, it can be easy to get carried away, especially if you find joy in giving to the ones you love.
However, just because the holidays usually mean you exchange gifts, this doesn't mean you need to go overboard and overspend. In fact, if you do overspend and find yourself in credit card debit, it can take a toll on your health.
How can debt be damaging to your health, and how can you avoid overspending during the holidays?
Listen in as Paul J. Lavrakas, PhD, discusses why holiday overspending can affect your health.
Vacation is so important, that many companies are beginning to encourage their employees to use their vacation days.Numerous studies have shown that taking a vacation at least once a year is extremely beneficial for your overall health.
Not only does it help relieve stress and give you adventure, but if you're someone who lives in areas where most of the winter months mean frigidly cold weather and gray skies, vacation can boost your mental health as well.
Vacations are so important, that some companies, like Diamond Resorts, encourages their employees to take regular vacations in order to stay healthy and happy.
Why are regular vacations important? And, what are the benefits of vacationing?
Listen in as Patrick Duffy, Global Director of Vacations for Diamond Resorts International, shares why vacations are important for your overall health and why some companies encourage their employees to take vacations.
Why was it said before that women who are pregnant should stay away from coffee?Being pregnant can be a joyful and exciting time within your life.
However, you may be surprised at how much change you need to make while pregnant in order to stay healthy for you and your baby.
It may seem obvious that you shouldn't be drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, and eating like a college kid. However, having to give up something like coffee can be tough, especially if you're used to drinking two cups every morning in order to function.
Recently, a study suggested that drinking coffee isn't as harmful as previously thought. The study was published in the American Journal of Epidemiology and analyzed data collected from 2,197 expectant mothers that participated in the Collaborative Perinatal Project (CPP). Researchers were interested in the chemical paraxanthine (a central nervous stimulant).
Researchers found that after comparing paraxanthine levels at 20 and 26 weeks gestation to the child's IQ and behavioral problems, there wasn't a consistent pattern between maternal caffeine ingestion and children's IQ.
What else did researchers find?
Listen in as Michael Fenster, MD, shares the recent study and why coffee isn't as harmful to drink in moderation as it was previously thought to be.
Is there a way you can ease the stress from your job without having to quit?Stress can be found everywhere and it can be extremely dangerous to your health. Escaping stress isn't easy, especially if it's from your job.
A recent study found that having a high-stress job can increase your chance of having a stroke, especially if you're a woman.
The meta-analysis, which was published in Neurology, looked at six studies involving 138,782 participants over a span of three to 17 years.
Out of the 138,782 participants 11-27 percent had high-stress jobs and had a 22 percent higher risk of stroke than those with low-stress jobs.
What can you do to help lower your stress?
Dr. Fite joins Dr. Leigh to discuss the correlation of high-stress jobs and stroke and how you can help ease your stress.
What steps can couples take to make sure their tones of voice are working to their advantage?If you've been in a relationship for a long period of time, it seems like you know your better half better than anyone.
You know when they're angry, when they're upset, and when they switch over to a tone of voice that can drive you insane.
New research that was published in Proceedings of Interspeech found that the tone of voice you use to talk to your partner can predict whether or not your relationship will last.
In the study, researchers listened to recorded conversations during marriage therapy sessions of more than 100 couples over a span of two years and then tracked their marital status for five years.
What did the researchers find? Is your tone of voice that important in your relationship?
Listen in as Paul Coleman, PsyD, shares why the tone of your voice can make or break your relationship.
How do the costs of transgender health services compare to other services for people with cancer or other major diseases?Within the past year, there has been a ton of light shone on transgender issues, specifically within the healthcare system.
A new analysis from the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that most U.S. health insurance plans don't give benefits to transgender men and women for medical care in order to transition to the opposite sex, but that paying for sex reassignment surgery and the hormones that are needed is actually quite cost-effective when the factors of not making that transition are considered (depression, suicidal tendencies, drug use, etc.).
According to the study, which was published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, it's estimated that between 3,000 and 9,000 Americans undergo sex reassignment surgery each year.
For the study, researchers reviewed data from the 2011 National Transgender Discrimination Survey, which looked at information on access to medical care and health outcomes, as well as the cost of medical services.
One researcher points out that health insurance companies pay for rare diseases such as cystic fibrosis (which affects 30,000 people in the U.S.), which is treated as a chronic condition and has medications that can cost up to $300,000 a year.
Why can't the same be done for transgender patients?
Listen in as one of the lead authors of the study, William Padula, PhD, MS, discusses why transgender health care costs aren't covered and why they should be.
What are your chances of increased suicide behavior after weight-reduction surgery?If you've been struggling with losing weight and you feel like you're running out of new diets and exercise trends to try, you may be considering weight loss surgery.
Weight loss surgery can help those who are morbidly obese.
Unfortunately, people who are morbidly obese also oftentimes suffer from mental health problems.
Recent research has found that suicide risk might increase for some people after weight loss surgery.
The study was published in the journal JAMA Surgery and looked at 8,800 patients in Ontario for three years before and after their weight loss procedures.
Out of that group, 111 patients had 158 self-harm emergencies during the follow-up period and about 93 percent of those suicide attempts occurred in patients diagnosed with a mental health disorder prior to surgery.
What else did the researchers find?
Amir A. Ghaferi, MD, MS, joins Dr. Leigh to discuss weight loss surgery and who is at risk for a higher suicide rate.
Why does heavy alcohol consumption cause "Holiday Heart Syndrome"?Between Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years, there are a lot of reasons to celebrate.
Unfortunately, it is often a time when many people end up going to the ER due to "holiday heart syndrome."
In 1987, holiday heart syndrome was described in a study of 24 patients who landed in the hospital during the holiday season due to atrial fibrillation.
Atrial fibrillation, or flutter, is a common type of abnormal heartbeat and has been linked to risk of stroke.
In this condition, the heart rhythm is fast and irregular. Atrial fibrillation may occur without your knowledge, causing you to not seek medical attention and thus increase your risk of death from stroke.
What can cause holiday heart syndrome?
Listen in as Chadd Kraus, MD, discusses holiday heart syndrome and how you can protect yourself this holiday season.
Creams and ointments that claim to address stretch marks are everywhere. What kinds are best, if any?Whether you've recently gone through a growth spurt, rapidly gained weight, or had a baby, you might have noticed a few stretch marks on your body.
Stretch marks originate in the middle layer of your skin, the dermis, which supports your skin's outer surface, the epidermis.
This is why they are easily spotted on your arms, legs, stomach, and back.
A recent study in the British Journal of Dermatology looked at why stretch marks occur at the molecular level.
Researchers studied skin samples from 27 pregnant women who suffered from recently-formed stretch marks, comparing the stretch mark skin to both nearby stretched skin on the abdomen and to less-stretched skin on the hip.
Researchers found that the elastic fiber network in the dermis gets disrupted in a stretch mark. After giving birth, this network remains disrupted. Elastic fibers give skin its elasticity, or the ability to "snap back," after stretching.
The skin tries to repair the disrupted elastic network, but it does not appear to be effective, which in turn promotes the lax, loose skin seen in more mature stretch marks.
Is there a way that you can get rid of stretch marks?
Listen in as Frank Wang, MD, shares the recent study on stretch marks and what treatments are available.
What type of exercise is best for burning fat and losing weight?Having a well-balanced metabolism is crucial in order to live a long, healthy life.
Every person's metabolism is different... some may be speedy and others might be slow. But the one thing we all have in common is that as you age, your metabolism will eventually slow down.
What are ways that you can build a healthy metabolism?
Listen in as Francisco Torres, MD, shares how you can build a healthy metabolism.
What is a food cue, and what happens in your brain when you see one?Obesity is a very serious disease that can cause health issues like heart disease and diabetes.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one-third (78.6 million) of people in the U.S. are obese.
Two studies have recently given insight to your brain, how it responds to food cues, and why that matters in obesity.
In the first study, researchers performed an fMRI on 12 lean and 17 obese participants, showing words representing high-energy dense foods (chicken wings, lemon cheesecake) and low-energy dense foods (red-leaf lettuce or summer squash).
Researchers then asked the participants to rate how much they wanted to eat each food item. They found that the brains of the obese participants had a stronger reaction to the high-energy dense food than the lean participants.
What did the other study suggest about food cues and obesity?
Listen in as Susan Carnell, PhD, shares the recent findings of the two studies and how food cues relate to obesity.
Are wearable devices beneficial for your health?It seems like everyone is wearing a fitness device made by Apple, Samsung, or Google to help track their physical activity and sleep patterns for a healthier lifestyle.
Even though it may seem like these fitness wearables are gaining popularity, recent evidence is finding they aren't bridging the gap.
In fact, according to a recent article from the Journal of the American Medical Association, only one to two percent of individuals in the U.S. have used a wearable device, but the annual sales are projected to reach 50 billion by 2018.
What are the gaps that need to be identified?
Listen in as study author, Mitesh S. Patel, MD, MS, identifies and shares the gaps that need to be changed in order for fitness wearables to be successful.
How can overuse of antibiotics cause more harm than good?If you've caught the flu, you might think that to get over it you should be laying low for a few days, drinking lots of fluids, and letting it pass out of your system.
However, if you've gone to the doctors office, you might be prescribed antibiotics.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Atlanta (CDC), 14,487 patients with the flu were given antibiotic prescriptions and 56 percent of those prescriptions were for broad-spectrum antibiotics.
The report also found that the prescribing patterns showed that narrow-spectrum antibiotics were prescribed to around 60 percent of pediatric patients, compared with more than 20 percent of adults, and the broad-spectrum antibiotic macrolides were prescribed to nearly 50 percent of adults, but only about 20 percent of children.
Listen in as Kevin Klauer, DO, shares why there's an overuse of antibiotics, as well as if this overuse can cause more health issues.
By changing the way you think, can you feel better during the winter months?Short days, cold weather, and the long stretch between the holidays and spring can do a number on your mood.
Recently, Kari Leibowitz, a PhD student in Social Psychology at Stanford University, traveled to Tromsø, Norway, to conduct research on how people in Norway handle the Polar Night period.
Tromsø is located 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle, and is the second largest city in Norway with a population of 70,000.
The city experiences Polar Night from November 21 to January 21. This is when the sun dips below the horizon for two months. However, even though it is not pitch black, there is no direct sunlight.
How do people handle the Polar Night and battle the wintertime blues?
Listen in as Leibowitz shares how you can try to combat the winter blues by taking a new approach on how you think about the winter months.
Why does your body react negatively after no exercise?If working out has become a daily habit for you, you know how miserable you might feel if you're unable to work out for more than a week.
It turns out that no matter how fit you are, your age, or how long you've been working out regularly... two weeks without working out has a drastic effect on your body.
What are the visible signs of taking two weeks off?
You can expect the loss of muscle mass, weight gain (if you haven't changed your diet), your speed and endurance will decline, your brain might feel cloudy, and your dopamine levels might also drop.
Lack of exercise can drop your energy levels and reduce your ability for deep sleep.
Why is exercise so important to your health?
Scott Weiss, PT, MS, joins Dr. Leigh to discuss why exercise is important to your health and what your body is like with two weeks of no exercise.
What is the link between sleep apnea and heart disease?An estimated 22 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea, although 80 percent go undiagnosed. Women in particular face special concerns.
Sleep apnea occurs when your breathing repeatedly stops and starts, causing you to snore loudly. Sufferers typically feel exhausted, even after a full night's sleep. Most sleep apnea is found in men over the age of 40, but new research has shown the potential hidden dangers women face in diagnosing sleep apnea.
A recent study found that sleep apnea can raise women's heart risk, but not men's. The study had over 1,600 people with the average age of 63, none who suffered from heart disease. The participants were tracked for nearly 14 years.
What did the study find?
Listen in as Dr. Susan Redline shares the recent findings on how sleep apnea may raise women's heart risk but not men's.
Why might restaurants that list their calorie counts have fewer calories?In a hope to help consumers like you keep an eye on healthier eating, many fast food chains and restaurants have been adding calorie and nutrition information on their menus.
Recent research from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that restaurants that list calorie counts on their menus have an average of 140 fewer calories per item than those that don't list calorie information.
What else did the researchers find when restaurants listed calorie counts on their menus?
Listen in as Julia Wolfson, MPP, shares the study that was published in Health Affairs and if calorie counts can help you lose weight.
Twice as many kids are hit and killed by cars on Halloween than any other day of the year.An estimated 41 million children between the ages of five and 14 will be out trick-or-treating on Halloween night.
For adults, if Halloween falls on a weekend, Halloween can be a fun time to dress up and throw a party. This could also be potentially dangerous if alcohol and driving are involved.
Unfortunately, according to Safe Kids Worldwide, twice as many children are hit and killed by cars between the hours of 4 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Halloween compared to the same time frame on any other day of the year.
What are some tips to keep your child safe during Halloween?
The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) suggests that adults follow these tips for a safe and fun Halloween:
- Make sure your child knows the potential dangers from strangers. Make sure they know never to accept rides from strangers or visit unfamiliar homes or areas.
- Make sure your child stays on the sidewalks as much as possible (off streets) and obeys all traffic signals.
- Avoid costumes that could cause children to trip, such as baggy pants, long hems, high heels and oversized shoes.
- Make sure costume fabric, wigs and beards area made of flame-resistant materials, such as nylon or polyester.
- Make sure costumes are visible at night: avoid dark colors and add reflective tape to costumes so your child is more visible to motor vehicles.
- Take a flashlight while trick-or-treating as visibility decreases long before it gets really dark.
Listen in as Ryan Stanton, MD, shares the potential dangers of Halloween night and how you can be safe on Halloween.
Why should you meditate?In today's world, it can seem hard to slow down and take a moment for yourself. You may constantly feel rushed and unable to think about anything other than your demanding job.
However, by learning to slow your breath and take a moment to feel fully present, meditation can be extremely beneficial to your health.
Meditation also increases your blood flow and slows your heart rate. You're able to feel a deeper level of relaxation, reduce your stress, reduce anxiety, decrease your respiratory rate, and also decrease any muscle tension you feel in your body.
What are some ways you can focus on your breath and meditate in a highly-stressed career?
Listen in as Arnold Raizon, founder of ZIM Meditation, shares why meditation is beneficial and how you can start practicing.
Are there still potential issues with artificial sweeteners?Artificial sweeteners seem like a great alternatives to sugar, since they add the sweetness of real sugar without the added calories and health hazards.
However, that's far from the truth. In fact, researchers are also noting that artificial sweeteners might not be that much better for you. Many have criticized artificial sweeteners as the number-one cause for serious health issues including weight gain, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and cancer.
A new meta-analysis that was published in the International Journal of Obesity looked at low-energy sweeteners (LES) and energy intake plus body weight.
What did the meta-analysis find?
Listen in as Karl Nadolsky, DO, and Spencer Nadolsky, DO, share their recent article that discusses the skinny on artificial sweeteners.
With little or no protein, you might be at an increased risk of skeletal health issues.According to a recent study, a protein-restricted diet can decrease calcium absorption, which could later cause skeletal health issues.
In one study, researchers looked at 11 women with a mean age of 28, a normal weight, and who had regular menstrual cycles.
The first three weeks of the study was a dietary adjustment phase and the six-and-a-half weeks involved protein restriction.
Researchers found that by limiting dietary protein to 0.7 g/kg for the six-and-a-half weeks led to a decrease of -0.43% (95% CI -0.77 to -0.09, P=0.02) in intestinal calcium absorption.
What else did researchers find and why is protein in your diet so important?
Jessica Bihuniak, PhD, RD, joins Dr. Leigh to discuss this study and its implications for women's health.
What is it about the practice of Tai Chi that makes it so beneficial to patients with chronic diseases?According to the American Academy of Pain Medicine, roughly 100 million Americans are suffering from chronic pain.
Research has shown that practicing Tai Chi could be useful for older people that have several chronic pain issues.
Tai Chi is used to self-heal by the slow and gentle movements that help boost muscle and power, as well as improve balance and posture.
Researchers wanted to find out how effective Tai Chi was in patients who had long-term chronic conditions, and they looked at electronic research databases for relevant studies on Tai Chi.
The researchers found that Tai Chi was associated with improvement in physical capacity and muscle strength.
How else can Tai Chi fight chronic disease?
Listen in as Darlene Reid, PhD, BMR, shares how Tai Chi can help improve your physical capacity, as well as how it can help ease chronic pain.
Why is it important to consider rules about the location of marijuana dispensaries and the density of dispensaries within an area?Within the past few years, medical marijuana has been made legal in several states.
Even though research has shown the many benefits to medical marijuana, there are still more research that needs to be done on safety.
According to a recent analysis conducted by the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, people who live in an area with large amounts of marijuana dispensaries have a larger number of hospitalizations.
What did the analysis find?
Researchers found that hospitalizations with marijuana abuse or dependence codes increased from 17,469 in 2001 to 68,408 in 2012.
More than 85 percent of marijuana-related hospitalizations were coded as abuse, rather than dependence, and 99.2 percent were secondary codes, which meant the person was primarily hospitalized for something other than marijuana.
What else did the research find?
Listen in as Dr. Christina Mair shares her study on marijuana dispensaries and marijuana hospitalizations.
Medical marijuana is shown to have painkilling properties without the harmful side effects of typical prescription pain killers.Within the past few years, medical marijuana has been made legal in several states.
Research has shown the benefits of medical marijuana among cancer and chronic pain patients, and now more research is showing that medical marijuana can help lower the amount of prescription overdose deaths.
In fact, according to a new study by researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center, in states where medical marijuana is legal, the number of deaths from prescription drug overdoses is 25 percent lower than in states where medical marijuana is illegal.
What else did this research find?
Listen in as senior author of this study, Dr. Colleen Barry, joins Dr. Leigh to discuss medical marijuana and how it can help lower prescription overdose deaths.
Marijuana smoke doesn't contain nicotine, so why would it be harmful?If you're walking down the street and see (or smell) someone in front you smoking a cigarette, your first reaction might be to speed ahead to avoid breathing in the secondhand smoke.
According to the U.S. Surgeon General's 2014 report on the consequences of smoking, secondhand tobacco smoke causes an estimated 34,000 premature deaths from heart disease each year in the U.S. among nonsmokers.
But, what about medical marijuana?
Even though there isn't any nicotine in marijuana, would secondhand smoke be just as bad?
Dr. Matthew Springer shares his study on medical marijuana and secondhand smoke.
There are over 60 known cannabinoids found in marijuana. Can they be beneficial in treating epilepsy?Epilepsy is a debilitating and sometimes fatal brain disorder that causes repetitive seizures. In some severe cases, you may experience several hundred seizures in a single day.
The current treatments that are used can cause some painful and damaging side effects, such as nausea, decreased appetite, dizziness, weight loss, and the inability to sleep.
Can medical marijuana help treat children with epilepsy?
Dr. Sam Wang joins Dr. Leigh to discuss CPD and if it can help treat pediatric epilepsy.
What is the risk of potential abuse of marijuana and the exposure to younger children in states where it has been decriminalized?Medical marijuana has been legalized in several states, but at a federal level, it is still criminalized.
Back in 2004, the American Academy of Pediatrics released a statement of concern about the risk of potential abuse of marijuana and the exposure to younger children.
In a recent study published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine, researchers looked at unintentional marijuana exposure to children up to the age of nine and call volumes that were reported to U.S. poison centers.
What did the researchers find?
Researchers found that states where marijuana was decriminalized had increases in the number of children requiring medical interventions.
Listen in as lead author of the study, Dr. Sam Wang, shares the research on pediatric exposure and decriminalizing marijuana.
Decreasing a negative stigma can help those suffering from mental illness seek proper help and treatment.If you're a nurse or doctor in the ER, you might see a number of patients who have tried to commit suicide.
Sally Buchanan-Hagen, RN, noticed a stigma around patients that would come in with "serious" visible marks or injuries, and those with "not-so-serious" injuries (like a less lethal medication dose, lesions that aren't fatal). She observed that those with more serious injuries were treated with compassion and understanding while the others were referred to as "time wasters" and treated poorly.
Buchanan-Hagen was diagnosed with bipolar affective disorder and tried to take her own life at age 23. "I was determined to take my life. However, just because I didn't end up in the emergency department didn't make my determination to kill myself less serious."
According to the World Health Organization, 800,000 people commit suicide every year, and for every successful suicide, there are many who will also try to attempt it.
Why does the ER stigma need to be changed?
Listen in as Buchanan-Hagen shares her personal story of battling bipolar while being scrutinized in the ER, as well as why the negative stigma around suicide and mental health needs to be changed.
Are ERs screening enough for specific signs of child abuse?Unfortunately, child abuse is often missed by medical doctors and professionals. This can put the child at an increased risk of repeated injury, and even death.
A recent study conducted by the American Academy of Pediatrics looks into the screening of child abuse in the emergency department. According to the Pediatric Health Information System hospital, among the children that were 24 months and younger, the rate of abuse diagnosis was 0.17 percent.
What else did the study reveal?
Researchers found that sentinel injuries were associated with physical abuse and that further routine testing needs to happen to help improve early recognition of abuse.
Listen in as Madeline Matar Joseph, MD, joins Dr. Leigh to discuss child abuse screening in the ER.
There are over 1,000 exercise apps, but do they really benefit your health?One of the easiest ways to keep yourself accountable for your own lifestyle choices is by using apps that can motivate you to eat right, exercise, schedule doctor's appointments, and even get enough sleep.
Currently, there are thousands of exercise apps available on your phone, but can they really improve your exercise levels and overall health?
A recent study surveyed 726 participants, asking about their use of exercise apps and their health. The researchers found that exercise app users were more likely to exercise during their leisure time.
How can this help reduce BMI?
Listen in as authors Leib Litman, PhD, and Zohn Rosen, PhD, share how exercise apps can help decrease your BMI and also how they are helpful to your overall health.
How do you overcome negative thoughts and despair when first dealing with a cancer diagnosis?Having breasts is a key part of femininity and how you identify as a woman. If you've been diagnosed with breast cancer, the constant fear of losing your breasts might never leave your mind.
Having chemotherapy and getting miserably sick, all while trying to stay strong for your children and family can take a huge toll on you. It can be extremely difficult to stay positive.
Here are five tips to help you mentally get throughout your breast cancer diagnosis:
- Stay positive
- Get spiritual
- Exercise
- Get Pretty
- Love yourself
Listen in as Dr. Sherrie Campbell shares the five tips to help you see the beauty in your breast cancer.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of a contralateral prophylactic mastectomy?According to new research, a single mastectomy might be more beneficial than a double mastectomy for young women who have early-stage breast cancer.
More U.S. women with early stage breast cancer are opting to have both breasts removed as a precautionary measure. In fact, a 2014 study published in JAMA Surgery found that double mastectomy increased from 1.9 percent in 1998 to 11.2 percent in 2011.
Despite this drastic increase, certain studies have found that having a double mastectomy does not improve survival rates.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of a contralateral prophylactic mastectomy?
Nicolas Ajkay, MD, FACS, shares whether a double or single mastectomy is best for the early stages of breast cancer.
Is there a way to preserve fertility while on this drug?Tamoxifen is an estrogen receptor that's used to treat and prevent certain types of breast cancer.
If you've been prescribed Tamoxifen, you have to take it for five years in order to help prevent the cancer from spreading.
Like any medicine, Tamoxifen comes with a list of side effects, including anxiety, blurred vision, chest pain, cataracts, chills, cough, fever, pain or swelling in your legs, shortness of breath, menstrual changes, weight gain or loss, and many more.
Since it is an estrogen receptor, many women who currently have or previously had breast cancer are worried about their fertility.
In fact, according to a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 30 percent of the 515 patients interviewed refused to take tamoxifen or stopped taking it because of fertility concerns.
Can Tamoxifen cause infertility?
Jacqueline Jeruss, MD, PhD, joins Dr. Leigh to discuss the study on Tamoxifen, and whether or not it can mess with your fertility.
When looking for a green beauty product, what ingredients should you want in the product?When you think of "going green," you might tend to think of food, household products, or even your vehicles.
You may not associate green with cosmetics. But, maybe you should.
Did you know that 60 percent of what goes on your skin is absorbed into your body?
Listen in as green beauty expert, Paige Padgett, shares green beauty rules for healthy, glowing skin.
Why is there an increase in bike deaths among men and not women?According to a new report, fewer children are dying in bicycling accidents than they were 40 years ago; but, now more adults are.
Many individuals may depend on bikes for transportation, as many cities have become extremely bike-friendly. But, is it causing more deaths?
Data was taken from the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatality Reporting System, which over a 38 year period, registered 27,911 deaths.
The report also found that within the mortality rate among adults aged 35-54, men were six times more likely to die than women.
Why is that?
Listen in as Jeffrey Sankoff, MD, joins Dr. Leigh to discuss why cycling deaths are increasing in men.
Can country music nurture a suicidal mood?According to the Suicide Awareness Voices of Education, more than 30,000 Americans commit suicide every year.
It's been said that music can alter the way that you think, feel, or react to certain things. But, can music, specifically country music, help nurture a suicidal mood?
Listen in as lead author of a recent study on this concept, Steven John Stack, PhD, joins Dr. Leigh to discuss the effects of country music on suicide.
What are the effects of working 12 hours or more?A recent study published in the online journal BMJ Open looked at 12-plus-hour hospital nursing shifts and the link between burnout or job dissatisfaction.
The researchers surveyed 31,627 registered hospital nurses in 488 hospitals in England, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Belgium, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Norway, and Poland between 2009 and 2010.
The survey included 118 questions in which experiences and demands of the job, job satisfaction, and burnout were all assessed through a three-dimensional measure (MBI).
The most common (50 percent) shift length was 8 or fewer hours, a third (31 percent) worked 8-10 hours; four percent worked 10 or less than 12 hours, 14 percent worked 12-13 hours, and just one percent worked more than 13 hours.
What did this study find were the effects of nurses working 12 hours or more?
Chiara Dall'Ora, RN, joins Dr. Leigh to discuss the study on 12-plus-hour shift workers and the link between burnout and job dissatisfaction.
According to a recent report, at least 25 states have lice populations that don't respond to common OTC treatments.One of the last things you want to hear when your child comes home is that there's a lice outbreak at school.
Six million to 12 million U.S. children are infested with head lice every year, but that doesn't make it any easier to deal with.
It's important to know that head lice are not a health hazard or a sign of poor hygiene, and, in contrast to body lice, are not responsible for the spread of any disease. Instead, it's more of a nuisance and a huge pain that you have to deal with.
A study conducted at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville found that at least 25 states have lice populations that have become resistant to common OTC medications.
Is there a way to prevent your child from catching these "super lice"?
Listen in as lead author of the study, Kyong Sup Yoon, PhD, discusses the new super lice and what you can do to prevent these lice from affecting your family.
How common are sports injuries in children and teens?Kids are not only heading back to the classrooms, but also to the athletic fields and courts.
More than 8,000 kids are treated every day in ERs for sports and recreational injuries.
So, what are the key steps to encourage kids to be active and to compete, while also ensuring that they're safe?
Al Sacchetti, MD, shares how you can help your child stay injury-free throughout the school year.
You should be aware of the symptoms of heart disease, as the bedroom is usually the first place to detect early warning signs.In August 2015, the FDA approved the first female Viagra-type pill, Addyi.
For years, sexual dysfunction was thought of as a men's issue.
However, 43 percent of women suffer from some sort of sexual dysfunction and are looking for something to boost their mood.
Having a female version of the Viagra pill was a huge step for women's sexual health.
But, do know if you have a heart condition that could potentially increase your risk of heart disease?
In fact, many cardiologists are suggesting that older people, specifically women, should be aware of the symptoms of heart disease, as the bedroom is usually the first place to detect early warning signs.
What are the warning signs that you should be aware of?
- Snoring
- Heart palpitations while at rest
- Chest pain during intercourse
- Hot flashes
Listen in as Laxmi Mehta, MD, shares the warning signs you should be aware of when you're in the bedroom and if you should consider taking female viagra.
The debate continues on whether or not restricting fat or carbs actually works.If you've been trying to lose weight, you might have noticed some diets drastically restrict certain food groups, like fat or carbs.
In fact, low-fat dieting was a huge trend several years ago. Then, low or no carbs at all became extremely popular among trendy dieters.
Does it really work?
A recent study published in Cell Metabolism looked at 19 adults with obesity that were confined to a metabolic ward for two 2-week periods. Participants received both isocaloric diets in random order throughout both of the two-week duration.
Researchers found that cutting carbohydrates increased net fat oxidation, but cutting fat by equal calories had no effect. Cutting fat resulted in more overall body fat loss that was measured by metabolic balance.
What else did the research find, and does it mean that dietary restriction works?
Listen in as lead researcher Kevin Hall, PhD, explains his dietary restriction study and if it has an impact on weight loss.
Why should policymakers care about linking health and housing?Even though you may not need to go to the doctor when you're feeling ill, at least you have that option.
According to an article in Medpage Today, homeless people have three to six times the rate of chronic disease as non-homeless people.
Policymakers are arguing that permanent supportive housing is crucial in order to help improve outcomes.
Health providers mentioned in the article said that they see both sides of patient access; the person who might overly go to the doctor and hospital without cause, and the patient who might be coping with a mental health issue or have an addiction problem and avoids healthcare altogether.
Some argue that health issues, specifically mental health problems, can lead to homelessness.
How can we improve health outcomes in the homeless population?
Director of policy for the National Health Care for the homeless Council, Barbara DiPetro, PhD, shares why policymakers care about linking health and housing.
Why do you need a school safety check list?Your child's summer fun is coming to an end, and it's almost time for school to start up.
It's important to find time to talk to your child about school safety... issues like food allergies, peer pressure, and preventing back issues from a stuffed backpack and playground injuries.
For instance, the most common injury children and teens face occurs in the low back, and it's from the backpack your child uses.
How can your child be safe while getting back into the hectic schedule of school?
Dr. Kevin Klauer joins Dr. Leigh to discuss back-to-school safety tips.
You might notice a huge difference in your health upon kicking your soda habit.You might already know the damage sugary drinks pose to your waistline, not to mention your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.
However, kicking the habit can be harder than you think, especially if your body is used to all that sugar on a daily or weekly basis.
Once you DO kick this bad habit to the curb, you may notice some differences in your health, such as:
- You'll be less hungry
- You'll look younger
- You'll lose weight
- You won't get as sick, as often
- You'll reduce hidden fats
- Your bones won't break
- You'll have more energy
Listen in as Isabel Smith, MS, RD, CDN, shares how your health can drastically change once you give up sugary soda.
What are vascular inflammatory risk factors?According to the National Council on Aging, approximately 92 percent of older adults have at least one chronic disease.
Some experts believe that to help understand chronic diseases and put an end to them, doctors need to focus on vascular endothelium, a group of cells that line your blood vessels.
What are the essential foods, vitamins, and mitigating chemical additions for healing chronic disease? Also, how important are capillary cells?
Robert Buckingham, MD, FACP, discusses his latest book, Hazing Aging, and how you can ease your chronic pain by taking care of your vascular health.
A new smartphone app allows individuals track symptoms of depression.Approximately 16 million American adults are affected by depression.
However, many patients see a psychiatrist only once every two or three months.
Your mood can frequently fluctuate if you struggle with depression. To help track these fluctuations, Missouri University of Science and Technology and the Tiger Institute for Health Innovation developed a smartphone app that allows you to log your moods and symptoms and then share that data with your psychiatrist.
Users of the app are able to record their moods on a scale of one to five by selecting the appropriate smiley face icon that matches their current feelings.
In addition to recording your mood, sleep, and activity, the app has a journal feature that lets you record notes to share with your psychiatrist. The app also includes a helpline that can connect the user with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline if needed.
Could this help patients receive help if they're feeling depressed?
Ganesh Gopalakrishna, MD, discusses the app, MoodTrek™, and how it can help patients understand their depression symptoms as well as help psychiatrists treat the depression.