Dr. Howard Smith Oncall

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/aD8qLWYK4Ms   The stereotype is a very chubby teen wolfing down chips and popcorn while endlessly perfecting Minecraft and Grand Theft Auto skills.  The latest meta-analysis of some 20 studies reviewing data from 38,000 gamers show that there is no correlation between child and teen video game use and obesity.   Wait!  There IS a link between gaming and excessive weight for adults.  The German study, published in the journal Social Science & Medicine, suggests that, over time, good old Mother Nature catches with kids whose only physical activity is pressing controller buttons.   Eventually there is a price to be paid for addicting, sedentary pursuits such as gaming that lead to less or virtually no time vigorously exercising your body.  That price includes heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and a shorter life. Caroline Marker, Timo Gnambs, Markus Appel. Exploring the myth of the chubby gamer: A meta-analysis of studies on sedentary video gaming and body mass. Social Science &

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/2mYjnj9F5Tk As our planet overheats but you still should be exercising, a cooling vest may become more important than those high tech Nike shoes.  A study from the Hiroshima University just published in Frontiers in Physiology. Researchers there developed and tested an ice pack-laden vest.  They provided it to 8 professional soccer players whom they challenged  with a power cycling scenario that simulated a soccer game.  Wearing the cooling vest led to significantly greater mean and peak power outputs, lower heart rates, lower skin temperatures, and improved thermal comfort. So....If you play or work in high temps and high humidities and you want your body to perform the best it can, you should try a cooling vest.  Vests with cold packs are already readily available online at reasonable prices, and you recharge the cooling packs Yudai Chaen, Sumire Onitsuka, Hiroshi Hasegawa. Wearing a Cooling Vest During Half-Time Improves Intermittent Exercise in the Heat. Frontiers in Physiology,

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/nWqioZcv0VA Is your Fitbit or your Facebook page better at predicting your state of health?  Computer scientists at the University of Notre Dame now say that the strength of your social network is better than fitness wearables at predicting just how health you are.   The investigators collected social info, Fitbit data, and a general health history from nearly 700 Notre Dame freshmen.  They developed an algorithm to quantitate the robustness of students’ friendships, and they used the wearables to  provide cardiac, exercise intensity, and sleep data.  A wellness survey permitted assessment of the students’ physical and psychological wellbeing. It turns out that both are important, and adding the social network data significantly improves the ability of the wearable data alone to predict your state of wellness or otherwise.  The added social data improved predictability of happiness by 65%, of a positive attitude by 55%, and of stress by 38%. So keeping healthy involves more that cyc

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/nt8vigRP6cA Women in the USA thinking about starting a family choose the summer as the ideal time for conceiving that baby.  A study just published in the Journal of Applied Econometrics gathered data from American birth certificates, census information, and survey responses. Women choose summer for conception and spring for birth since the early pregnancy and the new baby will be free from the ravages of fall and winter colds and influenza.  Women who work in education also plan their pregnancies so that the babies first 6 months will coincide with a maternity leave extended by a natural summer vacation. The spring is an ideal time to welcome a new baby, since you can easily spend time outdoors.  The expectant mom also avoids a 3rd trimester during the dog days of summer. Damian Clarke, Sonia Oreffice, Climent Quintana‐Domeque. The Demand for Season of Birth. Journal of Applied Econometrics, 2019; DOI: 10.1002/jae.2711 #Conception #delivery #summer #spring  

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/ENyVyLkYnHY Heavy and obese 4 year olds more than double their chances of developing dangerously high blood pressures by age 6.  Spanish cardiologists followed a group of nearly 1800 4 year olds over a two year period and published their findings in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. Those kids with new or persisting excess weight had a 2.5 higher risk of developing high blood pressure.  Obese children were 3 times more likely to suffer the same fate.  If the hypertension goes unchecked, it will lead to heart disease and stroke. The investigators pointedly disagree with the widespread opinion among pediatricians that weight problems in kids need not be addressed until adolescence.  They firmly believe that weight surveillance is lifelong.  Furthermore it is a family affair with healthy eating and regular exercise for all. Maira A Ortiz-Pinto, Honorato Ortiz-Marrón, Isabel Ferriz-Vidal, María V Martínez-Rubio, María Esteban-Vasallo, María Ordobás-Gavin, Iñaki Galán. Assoc

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/9hHUCD2zq4k Don’t crowd a pregnant woman woman during her third trimester.  A psychological study, recently published in the journal Scientific Reports, demonstrates that a woman’s personal space expands the closer she comes to giving birth. The study quantitated the radius of the personal space, normally about an arm’s length from our bodies, in groups of women during their second trimesters, third trimesters, and 2 months after delivery.  The control group consisted of non-pregnant women.   The data not only showed a larger space but also a sharper delineation between the woman’s guarded zone and public space. This larger personal space “bubble” seems protective in several ways.  It not only provides a stable, safe space in public, but it also helps a woman with a larger physical profile navigate her environment. Flavia Cardini, Natalie Fatemi-Ghomi, Katarzyna Gajewska-Knapik, Victoria Gooch, Jane Elizabeth Aspell. Enlarged representation of peripersonal space in pregnancy. Scient

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/9QyMVsuc9Ig Exercising in the morning tones your muscles while exercising in the evening turbocharges your entire metabolism.  These observations come from studies by the University of Copenhagen and UC-Irvine in a mouse model. They found that the body’s circadian rhythm permits sunrise exercise to trigger a change in the muscle cell gene programming.  As a result, the muscles metabolize sugar and fat more efficiently.  As the sun sets, exercise seems to ramp up the bodies energy expenditure for the remainder of the waking hours. The researchers won’t speculate which time of day is best.  As long as you enjoy at least one aerobic exercise session sometime during the day, you can well afford to just do some walking as more moderate exertion at other times. hogo Sato, Astrid Linde Basse, Milena Schönke, Siwei Chen, Muntaha Samad, Ali Altıntaş, Rhianna C. Laker, Emilie Dalbram, Romain Barrès, Pierre Baldi, Jonas T. Treebak, Juleen R. Zierath, Paolo Sassone-Corsi. Time of Exercise Speci

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/JtHpXj4VhGw Increasing your consumption of red meat by 3.5 servings a week will bump up your risk of  death by some 10%.  On the other hand, trading one serving of red meat for a serving of fish reduced your risk of death by 17% These findings come from a study of nearly 82,000 healthcare professionals recently published in the British Medical Journal.  The subjects were all free of serious disease at the beginning of this 16 year study. The study also awarded the worst actor trophy to processed meats including bacon, hot dogs, and sausages.  Eating increased amounts of these was associated with a 13% higher risk of death. The dats just keeps piling on offering more evidence that red meat should only be a very occasional part of your diet.  Eating it regularly in preference to healthier protein sources including fish, grains, and vegetables is to invite the grim reaper into your life way before your time. Yan Zheng, Yanping Li, Ambika Satija, An Pan, Mercedes Sotos-Prieto, Eric Rimm

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/rsZcuBuW9-o Those whose blood pressures jump up when they see their doctors should be treated for hypertension or face twice the risk of dying from a heart attack or stroke.  They also have a 33% higher incidence of death from all causes. These conclusions come from a meta-analysis of nearly 26,000 subjects and 38,000 controls in 27 nationwide studies and just published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.  The good news is that those with white coat hypertension who did receive anti-hypertensive medications experienced no significant increased risk of cardiovascular disease or death.   It was once thought that high blood pressures only in the doctors office were relatively benign.  This study dispels that myth.  Those with a tendency to toward higher blood pressures should be proactively treated to prevent such spikes.  Then, they should follow the effectiveness of their treatment by taking their own blood pressures at home. Cardiovascular Events and Mortality in White Coat Hyperten

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/p0RaIAnS2mY Spending 2 or more hours a week outdoors in nature is associated with better health.  This conclusion stems from a study at Britain’s University of Exeter. The investigators studied close to 20,000 men and women, and they surveyed them for time spent in natural environments and their self-reported health status.  The odds of a person reporting excellent, very good, or good general health only begins to significantly increase after 2 to 2.5 hours per week out in nature. An exploration of the data shows that it mattered little if the outdoor exposure occurred close to home or during a day trip to a park.  Exercising while outdoors was not a factor though those doing so seemed to gain psychologic benefits. So get outdoors as much as you possibly can but do push for at least 2 hours in nature. Mathew P. White, Ian Alcock, James Grellier, etal.  Spending at least 120 minutes a week in nature is associated with good health and wellbeing.  Scientific Reports 9, Article number: 

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/xQ7aKxrVGVg A new meta-analysis just published by the Oregon Health and Science University identifies nearly 400 important changes in medical and surgical therapy guidelines as a result of over 3000 randomized, controlled studies.  This type of official policy shift by medical authorities is officially called a “medical reversal.”   I want you to know about the most important reversals so that you can take advantage of the latest recommendations and pass them along to your family and friends.  Let’s take a look at 8 key reversals mentioned by the researchers: When a pregnant women’s membranes break, it is better to wait then to induce immediate delivery. Routine screening mammography for all women under 50 is unnecessary. Wearable devices do not promote weight loss despite their promotion of more exercise. Use of machines to deliver chest compressions for CPR outside the hospital offers no advantages over a person pushing on the chest. External hip protectors do not prevent hip fra

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/IcqzirlDbU8 Health News You Should Use, the latest medical discoveries and commonsense advice that you can use in a practical way to keep yourself and your family healthy.   Here are this weeks stories : Chocolate Packaging Influences Its Flavor Teen Boys Have Different Eating Disorders Than Girls Constipation Frequently Unrecognized Food Tastes Better Sitting Down Air Is Polluted Indoors Too Word Choice Reveals Your Romantic Style The Internet Is Brainwashing You Teen Use of Dietary Supplements May Be Deadly Irregular Sleep Patterns Create Body Turmoil The Wall For Human Exertion Chicken And Steak Both Bump Up Cholesterol Should GMO Be A Dirty Word Kids Get Lazy At Age 9 Children’s Clothing  Could Make Them Overeat  Extroverts Excel In The Workplace For show notes and references to for the stories, check out my website at: https://www.drhowardsmith.com/june-2019-2nd-week-health-new #chocolate #packaging, tastetest #branding #eatingdisorders #biohacking #anorexia #bulemia #supplement

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/cgwFQCj6DU4 A new mega-study by workplace psychologists at the University of Toronto shows that extroverts  have definite advantages at work.   These pluses appear applicable to any type of work and to all work settings. Extroverts’ advantages fall into 4 general categories: exceptional motivation, positive emotions, excellent interpersonal skills, and overall job performance.  The investigators admit that other characteristics contribute to success on the job such as cognitive ability, conscientiousness, and a positive outlook.   Successful introverts have these traits in common with extroverts. Most of us are not pure extroverts or introverts, and there is a little bit of actor in each of us.  If you are an introvert, turbocharge yourself so that you literally bubble over at work.  If you are an extrovert, be certain to channel your energies in ways that prevent your positivity from coming across as overwhelming and counterproductive. Michael P. Wilmot, Connie R. Wanberg, John D.

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/wM-_Cv1ZBLY Kids’ apparel all too often bears food graphics and two-thirds of those images depict unhealthy foods.  These are just some of the worrisome conclusions from a University of Michigan study now published in the journal Eating Behaviors. Developmental pediatricians there investigating the reasons for childhood obesity reviewed nearly 3900 clothing items in the lines of 4 major children’s retailers.  One in every eleven items bore pictures of food. Girls clothing were covered with pastries and other fattening desserts.  Boys apparel featured fast foods including burgers, hot dogs, fries, and pizza.  Many of the items targeting the youngest kids featured their cartoon characters wolfing down junk food, hungrily eyeing it, or making funny comments about it. Don’t allow your children’s clothing to suggest unhealthy eating and a general emphasis on junk food to themselves and to their friends.  If their clothing must have graphics, how about Minnie beating Daisy Duck on a road

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/nnW6s-HjVxM A study from Switzerland’s University of Geneva pinpoints time of entry into high school as the watershed when teens increasing shun healthy physical activity in favor of increasingly sedentary pursuits.  This trend is likely responsible for our current child obesity epidemic as well as the recently reported statistic that kids’ cardio-respiratory capacities are 25% lower now than they were 20 years ago. The investigators followed 1200 Swiss pupils from ages 8 through 12 years and clocked their actual physical activity as well as their attitudes and motivations.  The results show that at age 9 on average children’s interest in physical play is replaced by escalating concerns about grades and social acceptance.  Adding to that is the ever-increasing screen time that robs hours from physical activity. The researchers call for more phys-ed teaching and more compulsory PE classes.  I’d agree with that, but the classes need to creatively impart information about lifelong body

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/ClsxEzOQKCI Hey I get no respect!  Foods containing GMOs which stands for genetically modified organisms have become the Rodney Dangerfields of nutrition.  Zealots have waged disinformation campaigns falsely claiming that GMO food is dangerous despite support for it from the National Academy of Science and the World Health Organization.  Conclusive scientific studies reassure us about its safety and purity, yet two-thirds of consumers fear and avoid GMOs. Now a collaborative group of American, Dutch, and Welch psychologists and biologists show that the unwarranted smear campaign against GMO food sources may be neutralized by properly explaining genetically modified food to the public.  The test group consisted of 231 American college undergraduates. The study protocol provided information about the process of genetic modification and its beneficial results including more nutritious, better tasting, more resilient, more pest-resistant, and faster growing crops that can better feed ou

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/cJUGt190R_I The next time you comb the restaurant menu for a healthy choice, consider new data that shows consuming white meat OR red meat will result in higher blood cholesterol levels compared with downing an equal amount of plant protein.  The study comes from the University of California-San Francisco. The study also showed that both white and red meat increase circulating quantities of the so-called bad cholesterol LDL when compared with the proteins contained in vegetables, dairy products, beans, and chickpeas.  The investigators caution that white meat versus red meat consumption has other dietary benefits, and the impact of a given food on cholesterol is not the only criterion for healthy food choices. As always, dietary moderation and good common sense should be your guideposts.  You’re better off enjoying a 4 oz cut of lean steak than a huge filet of chicken fried up as schnitzel. Nathalie Bergeron, Sally Chiu, Paul T Williams, Sarah M King, Ronald M Krauss. Effects of red

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/U3NkNIovZkc Despite the almost superhuman feats of athletic prowess displayed in marathons, Iron person contests, and the Tour De France, a new study from Duke University just published in the journal Scientific Advances suggests that that the human body has physical limits defined by our digestive system’s abilities to absorb calories.  A collaborative group from the USA, Scotland, and China studied runners completing 6 marathons a week for 5 months as they raced across the United States. The data indicates a limit to peak energy expenditure at 2.5 times a person’s basal metabolic rate.  Once the energy demands surpass this wall, the body begins to break down its own muscle and fat tissues to provide fuel, and performance wanes.   In all contests whether running, cycling, or dragging sleds across the arctic, energy expenditure follows an L-shaped curve with the plateau defined by the gut.  The calorie expenditure max is about 3500/day for women and 4500/day for men.  Despite this d

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/9W6waH_s72k Even a one hour variation in your day to day sleep pattern can wreak havoc on your body’s metabolism putting your health and life at risk. This conclusion stems from comprehensive study by sleep scientists at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute in collaboration with those at Harvard’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Previous studies have shown that insufficient sleep duration drives obesity and diabetes.  Now a  study of more than 2000 subjects ages 45 to 84 tracked their sleep patterns with smart watches as well as sleep diaries. Bedtime and sleep duration variability was associated with higher blood pressures, elevated triglycerides, high blood sugars, and larger waistline circumferences as well as lower levels of good HDL cholesterol.  This was true even when the average sleep durations were comparable. So as Ben Franklin said, “early to bed, early to rise etc etc etc” still holds true as long as those early hours are pretty much the same every night.   Consis

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/jWWe90490ss When children and teens use food supplements for weight loss, muscle building, and energy stimulation, 40% of the adverse events that occur are associated with severe disability and death.  This sobering statistic comes from studies at the Harvard School of Public Health that reviewed the details of nearly a thousand adverse event reports that were compiled by the FDA over a 10 year period. The researchers note that many of these products, readily available to anyone of any age online, often contain hidden prescription drugs, FDA- banned substances, toxic heavy metals, and pesticides.  Use of some weight loss and body building agents can trigger testicular cancer, liver destruction, and stroke.  Those supplements sold for sexual enhancement and gi cleansing were twice as likely as others to drive severe illness. Food and diet supplements live outside the otherwise strict FDA review structure.  You have no idea about the purity and/or safety of these substances.  Don’t us