Great words with which to begin the week http://bit.ly/a1NLk2
Overweight People Lose Brain Tissue
Many people worry about their ability to maintain their thought processes as they get older. In fact, one of the frequent comments I hear is, “If I can’t think clearly, I don’t want to live to an old age.” That is understandable. It is even more urgent due to the decline of our health system and safety net. We WANT to keep our health, and in particular we WANT to be able to think clearly until the day we die.
A new study published in the online “Human Brain Mapping” suggests people who are overweight or obese lose brain matter much more quickly than normal weight individuals. This suggests they might be at greater risk for dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and other cognition-impairing conditions, according to researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and the University of California Los Angeles.
We know that people who are obese have much more inflammation and oxidation in their bodies over time. The areas of the brain targeted for this loss include the frontal and temporal lobes (areas of the brain critical for planning and memory), and in the anterior cingulate gyrus (attention and executive functions), hippocampus (long-term memory) and basal ganglia (movement), the corona radiata, white matter comprised of axons, and the parietal lobe (sensory lobe). All of these brain areas are affected by the cellular loss.
Dr. Cyrus Raji, author of the study stated, “It seems that along with increased risk for health problems, such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease, obesity is bad for your brain. We have linked it to shrinkage of brain areas that also are targeted by Alzheimer’s. But that could mean exercising, eating right and keeping weight under control can maintain brain health with aging and potentially lower the risk for Alzheimer’s and other dementias.”
Symtrimics.com wishes all of our clients a healthy, sexy body and a big brain!!
“In time for Christmas, I would like to take this opportunity to repost some information about video games and their effects on the brain from Eldon Taylor. The exploration of our inner selves, including how our brains work to make us “tick,” is truly important research that could change our world.” ~Dr. Kelly Sennholz
It’s the gift-giving season and most of us have someone on our list that would like a video game or a DVD or a game player of some kind including perhaps membership to a MMORPG (massive multiplayer online role playing game). I would encourage you to think about fulfilling that gift before you do so. Let me provide some reasons why I think it is worth withholding some gifts, especially for young people, but first allow me to set it up with a short history of video games and violent media.
In 1972 the first video entertainment game of kind stormed onto the scene and most of us, who are old enough to remember it, played it–Pong. Two players used video paddles to hit the ball back and forth much like a ping-pong game would be played. In the late ’80’s and early ’90s one-on-one fighting games arrived on the scene. Among them was the game Mortal Combat. This game raised the violence bar. In 1992 the game Wolfenstein was the first major 3D first person shooter and the effect of this game was to place the player in the game fighting, killing and being killed. The realism in Wolfenstein rose to a new level as well with enemies falling and bleeding on the floor. This provoked a revolution in games.
In 1993 the game Doom arrived including much blood and gore and allowing players to hunt and kill each other. As the technical and graphical capability increased, the games became more and more graphic and real. Today games of this nature, such as Soldier of Fortune, “respond realistically to different shots depending on where in the body they are shot, with what weapons and from what distance.” (Anderson 2006)
Okay, most have the wrong idea of who plays games, for the average gamer is not some teenager. No, it’s actually a 35 year-old overweight man who is aggressive, introverted and often depressed according to the Centers for Disease Control. Many also believe that war games honor our veterans and yet the veterans themselves say the opposite. In a conversation recently with radio host Jason Spiess, he pointed out that when he asked veterans on Veterans Day, “How do we honor you?” The nearly unanimous answer was, “Find ways to resolve conflict peacefully.” They went on to point out that war games dishonor their service because they not only tend to glamorize the matter but to distort the reality of it all. Indeed, the proposed new game, Six Days in Fallujah has met with public opposition by veteran groups for precisely these reasons.
Now to some facts I want you to consider. First person shooter games have been linked to an increase in hostile aggressive behavior and a reduction in prosocial behaviors such as charitable giving, volunteer work, and overall helping behaviors. “Video games account for one-third of the average monthly core entertainment spending in the U.S. 45% of the heavy video game players and nearly a third of the avid gamers are in the 6 to 17 year-old age group.” (MediaWise.org 2009)
Further, when men were assigned to play “Grand Theft Auto” their blood pressure increased and they reported more permissive attitudes toward drugs and alcohol and uncooperative behavior. {Ibid}
Adolescents who play more than one hour a day manifest more intense symptoms of ADHD. Game usage has been linked to lower performance or scores on SAT tests and grade point averages. “Those who play MMORPGs report more hours spent playing, worse health, worse sleep quality, and greater interference in ‘real-life socializing and academic work verses those playing other types of video games.” {Ibid}
PET scans show that when young men played a video game in which they moved a tank around through a battlefield to destroy the enemy that the neurotransmitter dopamine was released in the brain. Dopamine is involved with feelings of reward and was released from the men’s brain striatum as the men played. “This and other studies suggest that the release of dopamine and stress hormones may be related not only to ideas of violence and harm, but also to motivation.” (Gentile 2009)
Still other studies employing eMRI have shown us exactly what areas of the brain are involved when playing violent video games. Researchers have found that immediately before firing a weapon, players displayed greater activity in the dorsal anterior cingulated cortex. This area controls cognitive control and planning among other functions. While firing a weapon and shortly afterward, players showed less activity in the rostral anterior cingulated cortex and amygdala. Because interaction between these brain areas is associated with resolving emotional conflict, their decreased functioning could indicate a suppression of the emotional response to witnessing the results of taking violent action.” {Ibid}
This kind of desensitization leads to a systematic desensitization and that leads to a general numbing of empathy to say nothing of the direct correlation with the increase in hostile aggressive behavior. Add this to the television and entertainment that is often consumed and by the time you have a young adult, they have seen over 200,000 commercials and over 30,000 homicides. (Taylor 2009)
The fact is, well over 1000 studies including reports from the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Surgeon General’s office suggest overwhelmingly that there is a definite causal connection between media violence and aggressive behavior in some. I think of it this way, take young people and put them in simulators designed to teach them to kill without emotion. Show them all the blood and gore and reward them for a successful kill. Add greater and greater rewards to enhance their killing ability. Soon, you have trained killers free of the guilt, the remorse or the nagging conscience. We train pilots in flight simulators and some of our enemies train in flight simulators and carry out their missions as a result–what on earth do we think we are doing to our younger generation?
Okay, I covered much of this in my books “Mind Programming” and “Choices and Illusions,” but then not all of you have read them yet. As such, I did want to remind you of the long-term possible ramifications to satisfying someone’s idea of fun with a violent video game.
I do want to wish all of you a wonderful Holiday Season!
Thanks for the read,
Eldon
P. S. If you still haven’t obtained a copy of “Choices and Illusions” or “Mind Programming,” use these URLs to take advantage of special offers on both:
http://progressiveawarenesspromotions.com/hayhousepromo/092008/
http://www.progressiveawarenesspromotions.com/innertalk/May09/index.htm
Any information, medical or otherwise, contained in this blog is purely for entertainment and is not intended as medical advice or medical treatment. Please consult your own doctor for any medical advice or treatment.
Sleep 7 to 8 hours a day: There are literally tens of thousands of studies on the effects of sleep deprivation on our bodies. As an Emergency Doctor, this became a high priority in my life so I have studied sleep patterns my entire career. My research has indicated sleep deprivation leads to decreased immunity, weight gain, depression, mood swings, vascular disease and many, many more ill effects on your body. For people doing shift work, it is even a higher priority to stay in tune with your body and to listen to what it needs. I have worked with many health care workers who seemed to wear a 4 hour sleep pattern as a badge of honor. It most certainly is not. Taking care of your body gives those around you permission to do the same. Some tips for healthy sleep: Don’t overdue caffeine, and none after 4 p.m., bedroom for sleep and sex only, create a comfortable space for your room and honor it, eat no later than 2 hours before bedtime, no raucous TV before bedtime, create a ritual that honors your life and your body (many people journal, meditate or pray right before sleep), reduce stimulants in your environment prior to bedtime, limit alcohol and address health issues that impede sleep (like sleep apnea, menopause, orthopaedic problems, etc). These tips will result in a dramatic increase in your comfort and your health.
Take quality supplements: One of the most extensive studies on the subject was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2002. The findings of this study revealed that it is prudent for adults to take a multivitamin every day. There are multiple reasons for this including the decreased nutritional content of our food, the increased processing of our food supply, the substitution of healthy foods with unhealthy foods and the list goes on. The USDA surveyed 16,000 Americans and found that not one person obtained 100% of essential nutrients such as magnesium, vitamin D, and zinc. Similarly, children and adolescents did not obtain enough essential nutrients such as folate, vitamin C, and calcium. The results are in and the answer is yes. Yes, you need supplementation with quality nutritional supplements.
Reduce stress: I reflect on the conversations I’ve had in the last 48 hours. It seems that all of the people I spoke with were under some sort of stress. We have not created a society or an environment where peacefulness is valued. If you have a stressful life my recommendation is insert into your day what I call “peace breaks”. These are little moments of solitude. It can happen in your car, it can happen in the bathroom, it can happen when you take a short walk around the block. Taking a few moments to let your blood pressure fall, your mind relax and to consciously put your attention on peacefulness and releasing any thoughts. Doing this 2 to 3 times a day, especially right when you wake up and right before you go to sleep, can change your life dramatically. Take a moment to pencil this in!
Limit screen time: The statistics on screen time (you know, computers, TVs, video games) are astounding. So here is a challenge for you. Consider turning off all screens for a week. No, not just the kids. All of you. For families caught in the trap of stress and disconnect, this one activity can renew relationships, inspire creativity and change your life. I would love for you to report your experience.
Be cognizant of children: 33% of children born today are expected to develop diabetes. If Black or Hispanic, that jumps to 50%. The future of our world is our children. Your behavior in front of children is so powerful. If you want children to live a healthy life, be an example of health in front of them. Don’t reward with candy. Reward with time, with reading, with love and attention and with other “things”. It is time for our culture to get out of the habit of making candy the reward for behavior. Stand for healthy habits in schools. Be a mentor. So many people I know have come from hard beginnings to become truly magnificent people. The commonality in all of them is they had at least one person in their childhood who really cared. Be that person for someone.
Vote with your money every day: Read food labels and buy foods that don’t come in packages (apples, etc) as often as possible. Every single time you purchase a healthy food you are voting “yes”. Every time you buy chips or unhealthy foods you are voting “no”. If voting is the basis of our democracy, your ‘purchase votes’ are the basis of our capital society. As they say, vote well and vote often!!
Floss twice a day: Most of us know that flossing our teeth can prevent tarter build up and gingivitis. Not everyone knows, however, that lack of flossing may be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. One study revealed that patients who flossed their teeth at least every other day reduced their serum CRP (a risk factor for cardiovascular disease) to normal levels within six months. Harvard Medical School released a study indicating one of the key factors to longevity was flossing. In fact, they stated flossing could lower your Real Age by as much as 6.4 years. Not a bad investment of time, I would say. And the side effect of a gorgeous smile is a real winner!
***************
Any information, medical or otherwise, contained in this blog is purely for entertainment and is not intended as medical advice or medical treatment. Please consult your own doctor for any medical advice or treatment.
Prompted by a fellow Tweet, I created a list of the top 21 behaviors and activities that will lead to a healthy and happy life. Due to the length of this post, I have divided it into three sections. Today I present the first seven healthy behaviors. Some of them are intuitive, but all worth reviewing. Enjoy.
Part 1: The first 7 steps
Eat high fiber: I could write a book about the benefits of fiber. I may sometime. But for now suffice it to say that a diet high in fiber provides the following benefits: relief or prevention of constipation, decreased risk of some types of cancer, decreased cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, deduced risk of coronary disease, blood sugar control, reduced risk of type II Diabetes and decreased risk of obesity. That’s not bad for a mouthful of sticks! The amount of fiber required in your day’s diet is much higher than most people think. It varies for age and sex but in general getting 28 to 30 g of fiber a day is a good start. Take a couple of days to mentally measure the amount of fiber you’re taking in. I think you will be shocked at the results.
Eat healthy fats: For years, our country became fat phobic. In retrospect that seems a little amusing as it is one of the three categories of macronutrients. Of course, we need fat. The problem is we have consumed the wrong types of fats. A large portion of fat consumption in recent years has come from extremely dangerous fats. Consciousness has been rising regarding the difference between a healthy fat and unhealthy fat. In general, fats from fish, flax seed oil, butter and nuts, hemp seed, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts and eggs sourced from chickens fed a diet high in greens and insects are all good food sources of healthy fats. Healthy fats reduced inflammation in your body, improve blood clotting, create healthy cell membranes, lower bad lipids, decreased artery thickening, reduce the risk of obesity, and may inhibit cancer cell growth. This is just the beginning of the list of benefits in choosing healthy fats over unhealthy fats. Avocados are one of my favorite sources of healthy fats. Which is yours?
Drink healthy water: Here is another topic that deserves an entire book. For 10 to 15 years a fetish of drinking bottled water developed. Unfortunately, the very bottles we were drinking the water from have now contaminated our estuaries, streams, ponds and oceans in a very serious way. In addition, chemicals from manufacturing processes and chemicals purposefully added to our water supply have created an increasingly dangerous water supply. Choose a reusable bottle made from a safe materials such as steel or glass. Consider a water filtration system for your home, at least for the water you drink. Many people advocate drinking eight glasses of water a day. To be honest, there is no literature supporting this recommendation. The renal modification of fluid status and thirst mechanism of our bodies are exquisitely sensitive. Be liberal with drinking water but don’t force yourself to drink more than you feel is necessary. Just make sure your water is healthy and protect our environment while you’re doing it.
Exercise regularly: Okay, here’s the raw truth about me. I hate going to the gym. I get bored walking on a little treadmill like a mouse. I admire people that find this to be enjoyable and to be sure I have had workouts that were fun and I do go to the gym. However, I love to get my exercise by doing activities that are fun. Take a walk and look at the flowers. Join a sports team and see what you can do. Get up off the couch and stop watching TV. Play with your children on the floor. Stretch yourself a little bit every day. Just move. Your body will love you and it will be fun.
Eliminate refined carbohydrates: I call these the “white foods”. Most of the foods you can think of that are white are not good for you: bleached flour, sugar, white pasta, etc. etc. etc. In this category I would also include candies and other high sugar products. These are extremely bad for your body in the short term and in the long-term. I’m not just talking about weight gain or control of calories. I’m talking about the hormonal and chemical alterations they cause in your body which lead to lifelong decreased health. Just say no.
Limit salt intake: Actually, salt is an essential bodily mineral. We need salt each and every day. The problem is, in an effort to get people to eat the processed foods that are sold everywhere a tremendous amount of salt is added to improve flavor and increase the amount of food you will eat. Even if you never add salt to your diet, you are probably getting much more salt than is recommended for a day. For many people this is not such a big deal. But if you have a family history, personal history or are at risk of high blood pressure, this one activity change can be lifesaving. By decreasing your blood pressure you may decrease your risk of heart disease and stroke. That is a big deal for just a small pinch.
Stop unhealthy habits like smoking and excessive drinking: Now, if you are a smoker or you drink excessively, you probably know you should stop. I just added this one to give you a little support and encouragement in making the change. There are many people and programs out there to help you. Pick up the phone, fire up the computer, call a friend, open your heart and have courage. Enough said.
Keep your eyes open for part 2. See you then!!
***************
Any information, medical or otherwise, contained in this blog is purely for entertainment and is not intended as medical advice or medical treatment. Please consult your own doctor for any medical advice or treatment.
“It Costs Too Much to Stay Healthy.”
I hear this comment all the time from people hesitating to confront their health problems. First, I will say it is not true, and often is used as an excuse for people to avoid dealing with the problem. You may object saying, “Have you priced organic vegetables lately?” and I will say, “Yes, some foods which are healthy are also expensive.” But that doesn’t mean it can’t be done, and done fairly simply. We have calculated that patients who participate in our Symtrimics programs save on average approximately $600-$700 the first year alone, so that comment is beginning to lose its appeal. In addition, there are some simple ways to make healthy living affordable. Here are some suggestions for just one day, to save $10. Give this a shot and see what happens.
1. Soda at the gas station costs $1.59 or more. Don’t get it.
2. Drink water instead of a beverage with your lunch; save ~$1.50.
3. Limit salty and sugary snacks (omit the afternoon vending machine); save ~$1.75.
4. Avoid foods high in saturated fats (beans for your dinner protein instead of meat); save ~$3.50.
5. Substitute a high quality, pharmaceutical grade, well-rounded shake for breakfast instead of your latte and bagel; save ~$2.50.
This comes out to a total of $10.84, which is over $10. These suggestions may or may not apply to your situation, but with this as an example, take a look at how you could combine food savings with healthier choices. I am sure you will be thrilled with the results.
In addition, if you include the cost of the prescription drugs you will need if you are not healthy, you can see that switching to health is a REAL cost saver!!
To your health,
Dr. Sennholz
***************
Any information, medical or otherwise, contained in this blog is purely for entertainment and is not intended as medical advice or medical treatment. Please consult your own doctor for any medical advice or treatment.
In tough economic times we are surrounded by tales of bad luck or bad decisions that wipe out the accumulated wealth of a lifetime. Sadly, one that seems to recur constantly is the story of an unexpected health crisis. But “unexpected” is often just a shorthand way of avoiding the truth that in regards to our health, these problems were often accumulating over years. The decisions that reduce this potential worry are decisions that we made before the crisis occurred…and they are decisions that it’s not too late to make now. Reversing our choices is the key to reversing the future.
To give you an example of how this works, take the case of diabetes. People with diabetes spend thousands of dollars more on medical costs each year than those without the disease*, and that disparity increases substantially each year after the initial diabetes diagnosis. Researchers found that a 50-year old newly diagnosed diabetes patient spends $4,174 more on medical care per year than someone the same age without diabetes. For that diabetes patient, medical costs increase $158 a year every year after they’re diagnosed, and that doesn’t include increased medical costs due to aging. “The good news is that many of these costs could be contained through proper diabetes management and lifestyle changes,” said this lead author, Justin Trogdon.
Despite the fact that insurance may pay for much of this, between co-pays, pharmaceutical costs, lost work, other costs, and not to mention the pain and suffering of the disease, the expense of this illness is quite high.
Being healthy can be the best investment you have made!
*Financial and Clinical Impact of Team-Based Treatment for Medicaid Enrollees with Diabetes in a Federally Qualified Health Center, Diabetes Care 2008 31:2160-2165.
To your health,
Dr. Sennholz
***************
Any information, medical or otherwise, contained in this blog is purely for entertainment and is not intended as medical advice or medical treatment. Please consult your own doctor for any medical advice or treatment.
Studies have shown that people eat approx 115 calories more on the weekend than during the week. In addition, if you eat only 50 to 100 extra calories a day, you will gain 5 to 10 pounds a year. So you can see why taking control of your weekends can be the key to healthy living.
What things will help with weekend binging?
1. Start to identify your weak points here and take action. If you tend to ‘gorge’ during social events, plan ahead so that doesn’t happen. Not every evening out should be an opportunity to go off track.
2. Notice alcohol calories and keep it in check. One way to do this is to have one drink and then alternate with calorie free beverages. Add a lime for festivity and enjoy without overindulging.
3. Lastly, the weekends are really the time to have fun by increasing your activity. Play ball!! Go on a hike. Play with kids. Don’t make television your only weekend activity.
I am sure with a little attention, you can start to identify your “weekend Achilles heel.” Send me your weekend ideas; I am sure you have some great ones!
To your health,
Dr. Sennholz
***************
Any information, medical or otherwise, contained in this blog is purely for entertainment and is not intended as medical advice or medical treatment. Please consult your own doctor for any medical advice or treatment.
Life is precious and to be enjoyed. The outward result of your life starts in a very warm, cozy place — right inside YOU. Your thoughts create the feelings and ultimately the responses that you exhibit. If you are happy, loving, sad, determined or any other state, it is the thoughts in your head that creates it (NOT the behavior or activities of others. Hmmm). Have you ever loved something or someone and found out a negative about them and subsequently changed your feelings about them? They didn’t change in that moment, you did. With new information you made a decision to love or not love, to help or not help, to support or not support when there was no change of circumstance. Your thoughts created your reaction. You can work on being positive, simply by changing your mind. Don’t let past decisions complicate your present. Choose health, choose delicious, choose vigorous, choose restful. It’s that simple. What one little new choice can you make today?
Vitamin D and Mental Health
Volumes of studies are now documenting the relationship between vitamin D levels and mental health. It is clear, most of us in the developing world have deficiencies of vitamin D that can impact not only our mental health, but our immunity, disease state, cardiovascular health and many other functions.
Vitamins are generally known to be responsible for a single disease and appropriate supplementation should correct the disease. A hormone, on the other hand, goes to distant tissues and has multiple metabolic activities. Vitamin D is in a class by itself. Its metabolic product, calcitriol, is actually a secosteroid hormone that targets over 1000 genes in the human body. And as such, it should come as no surprise that vitamin D deficiency is also linked to behavioral and mental issues such as major depression and seasonal affective disorder…even possibly autism, Parkinson’s Disease and general cognitive function.
- Prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency in patients with Parkinson disease and Alzheimer disease. Arch Neurol. 2008 Oct;65(10):1348-52.
- Vitamin D deficiency is associated with low mood and worse cognitive performance in older adults. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2006 Dec; 14(12):1032-40.
- Vitamin D receptor variants in 192 patients with schizophrenia and other psychiatric diseases. Neurosci Lett. 2005 May 20-27;380(1-2):37-41.
Current recommendations for Vitamin D intake are 2000 IU a day to prevent deficiency states.
Coping with SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder)
Some of the ways to combat winter “blues” include letting more light in your house, taking walks, exercising regularly, getting proper sleep, managing the stress in your life and socializing. Easy to say!! One suggestion for you to de-stress your life: Make a list of your activities, prioritize your to-do list, and shed those activities that no longer serve a purpose in your life. You don’t have to fix the problem all in one sitting. If we make little changes in the directions of our dreams, the stress will lift. Another great idea is to spend 10 minutes right before bedtime and write down the things you are grateful for each day. This is one of the most powerful mood stimulators known to man. Give it a try!
To your health,
Dr. Sennholz
For further health recommendations, visit our site at www.Symtrimics.com.
***************
Any information, medical or otherwise, contained in this blog is purely for entertainment and is not intended as medical advice or medical treatment. Please consult your own doctor for any medical advice or treatment.
In contrast to previous studies concluding that high-dose beta-carotene supplementation may increase lung cancer risk in male smokers, findings from a Yale study support the hypothesis that a combination of dietary antioxidants reduces lung cancer risk in men who smoke.
Unless you are living under a stone, you have heard the health problems associated with smoking. In addition, there have been conflicting reports on the use of antioxidants with concurrent smoking. A few years ago, a study examining the use of beta carotene in smokers identified an increase in cancer rates of those taking the beta carotene. Intuitively, this seemed confounding because the intake of antioxidants in a highly oxidized state would seem to provide benefit. Some felt the isolated nature of the supplementation, rather than looking at a broad based, healthy diet, could have confounded the results. In other word, nutrition is not like drugs: taking an isolated nutritional component may not have the same effect as taking it with the correct balanced amounts of broad based nutrients which are found in healthy foods.
Now, a re-evaluation of this patient data completed by Yale University researchers reviewed dietary records of intakes of carotenoids, flavonoids, vitamin E, selenium and vitamin C. Their conclusions on this subject of reduced rates of cancer differed from the original, highly publicized results. They found in this new analysis that men with higher intakes of antioxidants had lower relative risks of lung cancer regardless of their assigned study group (the beta carotene or placebo). Their conclusions stated that high-dose beta-carotene supplementation may increase lung cancer risk in male smokers, but this study supported a hypothesis that a combination of dietary antioxidants reduces lung cancer risk in men who smoke.
**************
Any information, medical or otherwise, contained in this blog is purely for entertainment and is not intended as medical advice or medical treatment. Please consult your own doctor for any medical advice or treatment.
