That Health Rules

Those working overtime or late nights may resort to the so called Energy Drinks to hopefully boost their energy level and keep them awake.  However recent research has shown otherwise. 

The findings of a rersearch done in Sleep Center in University of Loughborough in UK published in Human Psychopharmacology found that one hour after drinking a high-sugar, low-caffeine drink… ” people had slower reaction times and experienced more lapses in concentration than if they had consumed a caffeine- and sugar-free beverage.”

It was noted that majority of these energy drinks actually contain lots of sugar around 8 teaspoons that can induce sleepiness around 70 minutes after consumption rather than boosting ones energy.  The short “sugar rush” effect also disappears right away within minutes.

My advise is… if you have to use energy drinks… choose one with caffeine in them because it is actually the caffeine that counteracts sleepiness.  But keep in mind that a dose of caffeine large enough to have an energizing effect like the one present in 1 regular soda or cup of coffee can only last for 3 hours… which should be good enough.

Another reason to enjoy coffee while working late!

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This warning comes in timely because if you read the papers you can see ads of spas or beauty centers offering different cosmetic procedures.  Am also sure you’ve heard stories of horrible outcomes among your peers or even national artists due to so called botched procedures.  It is said that cosmetic procedures that entail incisions or peeling require expertise and if done by someone who’s improperly trained can result in scarring and burning. There are even reports of deaths.

The New England Journal of Medicine reported 5 deaths related to liposuction procedure concluding that tumescent liposuction can be fatal.

But what concerns us most are the pseudo spas that offer medical procedures done by improperly trained personnel and non-physicians performing procedures such as Botox injections, laser hair removal, microdermabrasion and chemical peels.  Reports include loss of pigmentation,improper setting of laser or using untested versions of materials injected into the skin to fill wrinkles.

Guidelines for the American Society of Dermatologic Surgery recommend that a physician should always perform a cosmetic surgical procedure — and should be a dermatologist, rather than a family practitioner or gynecologist.

My advise is to ask these questions before having a procedure done :

1.What procedures are in place in the case of an emergency? Cases of pulmonary embolism or blood clot after liposcution have been reported and this is manifested by shortness of breath. Do they have emergency kits?

2, Inquire about the training of a person who will perform the procedure… where and when? How many procedures have been done because the skill of the surgeon is dependent on the number of procedures done.

3.Are there comlications arising from the procedure… any side effects and how many so far? Do they resolve overtime? 

4. Ask for a before and after photographs of another patient who had a similar procedure.  The clinic should have a collection of these photos to prove their work is done properly.

The best clue is to ask around, your friends and colleagues if results of the procedure done by this clinic has been excellent based on feedback.

Be careful…

Plastic Surgery May Not Turn Out The Way You Perceived It to Be!

Cant help it but overheard 2 ladies in the airport lounge while on the way to Manila for a lecture yesterday talking about how her skin became so white! I thought of asking these ladies to be careful because recently  The Food and Drug Administration proposed a ban on over-the-counter sales of skin-lightening products, saying possible health risks cannot justify their being sold without a prescription.

Yo can see these creams being marketed on TV or radio and at present there are now 135 products being sold as bleaching creams.  What the public is unaware of is that these creams have been linked to possible side effects. Specifically careful with creams that contain a drug called hydroquinone.  This substance is a possible carcinogen that has been researched to cause cancer in rodents as well as linked to a skin-disfiguring condition called ochronosis that results in darkening and thickening of the skin with occasional grayish spots. While the actual risk of the drug is unknown, the US FDA expressed that the products should be restricted to prescription use under medical supervision.

It is to be recalled that in 1990, the FDA also declared another skin-bleaching drug ammoniated mercury as unsafe.

 The NIH website mentions that under the proposed FDA rule, “all skin-bleaching products — prescription and over-the-counter — would be considered new drugs. Manufacturers would have to seek FDA approval to sell them, and only then with a doctor’s note.”

So my friends… who are into vanity and skin whitening regimen…it’s about time for you to take a second look at those creams and reconsider and weigh the risks and benefits you’ll get from using them!

Protect Your Skin From Harm!

We may be working overtime lately, we may be doing a lot of things at the same time, we have kids and family problems…they can be work related etc…all contribute to “stress”.  It is inevitable…we cant escape from it but we should know how to handle it!  Especially with this new research that showed that stress can SHRINK your brain and prematurely age your immune system.

Essentially, the study mentioned in the NIH website presented at the 2006 Annual convention of American Psychological Association emphasized that “stress can addle your mind and make you older.” The study involving rats showed that stress causes neuron in the brain to shrink resulting in memory impairment and this may be happening to humans too. 

With stress, our body starts to produce the so called ” stress” hormones like steroid, catecholamines that have been shown to cause some changes in the brain which result in poor memory with less ability to remember and learn.  The same mechanism may be true why stress in one study can affect one’s mood and result in depression.  Likewise the immune system of a stressed individual tend to age faster due to the shortening of the chunks of DNA which make cells work properly.

But there’s a upside to this news according to the researchers: Exercise has been shown to reverse the defect.  And, in the case of the brain at least, “time might heal the wounds caused by stress.”

So what do we need to do: My Threesome Rules Of Stress Relief!

1. Get sufficient sleep most days of the week,

2. Make an effort to be active throughout life, and

3. Have a healthy diet 

My Practical Tip: solve a problem right away once it crops up.  Delaying action on one issue while analyzing another endeavor will contribute to unnecessary stress. So while seeing a patient in my medical clinic, and if a problem crops up in my research clinic… I pause first, excuse myself from my patient and settle the research problem.  In so doing I am now free to listen and deal with the problems of my patient! And I tell you…it works to lessen the stress! Again it’s how you handle the stress!

Take Good Care of Your Brain…Beat The Stress!

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Patients with diabetes are prone to gum disease. Good blood sugar control helps prevent gingivitis or gum disease but once they develop gum problem comes the dreadful BAD Breath!

The problem with Halitosis or bad breath however is not unique to diabetics.  Even your close friends may have it but not as a result of a disease but because of the more common cause of halitosis : poor oral hygiene.

I recently read an interesting article in The National Institute of Health Medline Plus August issue on a study conducted to determine if flossing helps prevent halitosis.  This study involved a total of 51 subjects: half of them brushed their teeth and tongue 2 x a day while the other half did the same plus regular flossing.

The RESULTS after 2 weeks of study showed that:

The group that did regular brushing plus flossing had 38% reduction in gum bleeding and bad breath.

Clinical Implication:

Just 2 weeks of regular brushing plus dental flossing can reduce gum bleeding and bad breath!

So guys…After brushing your teeth…

To Prevent BAD BREATH… Don’t Forget to Floss!

I take my daily multivitamin. Any Vitamin preparation is a dietary supplement. But also those in the market sold as health food supplements such as herbals, amino acids and energy bars.

So, How do we protect ourselves from taking supplements that may be harmful to us?

Based on studies by the the US FDA Center for Apllied Nutrition, some supplements can really help us but they can also harm us. Be aware of the potential side effects of each supplement before you buy especially if you are taking other medications.

Examples of combination of dietary supplements and common medications that we dont recommend:

1. Calcium and Digoxin ( a heart medication)

2. St John’s Wort and Antidepressants

3. Magnesium and Diuretics like Lasix 

4. Vitamin K and blood thinners like Coumadin

Remember the following tips before buying supplements:

1. Avoid supplements with “cure it all” claims- unless the company has been awarded the Nobel Prize for A Miracle Drug.

2. Don’t be fooled by the word: NATURAL. It does not necessarily equate to being SAFE! Any supplement taken in excess can be toxic to the body and harm either the liver or the kidney. Don’t be fooled by these marketing strategies.

3.DO NOT attempt to substitute a prescription medicine for a dietary supplement based on the product claim… this may kill you, physically and financially! They’re also expensive!

A Take Home Message:

– Dietary Supplements ARE NOT intended to treat, prevent or cure a disease or to be used as replacement for healthy food options.

– Do not self diagnose your condition and treat it based on claims. Talk with your doctor as how best to utilize a supplement and how safe it is in combination with your other drugs.

Dietary Supplements Can Be Your Partners in Health or Your Foe!

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I am extra careful with regard to disciplining my kids. In certain times of stress… your voice may become loud enough for you to realize later that you need to lower it down a bit! My wife always remind me to take it easy and we resort to non verbal or non contact strategies like no Gameboy privileges or standing in one corner for a number of minutes which usually work!

I thought of sharing with you a certain article that I read related to stress, anxiety and depression in later life and what contributes to them.  Medical News Today  highlighted this particular study by Florida State University which included 5000 subjects between 15 to 54 years of age. 

Verbal abuse included insults, swearing, threats of physical abuse and spiteful comments or behavior.

The FINDINGS: 

1.The study showed that people who were verbally abused as children grew up to be self-critical adults prone to depression and anxiety.

2. People who were verbally abused had 1.6 times as many symptoms of depression and anxiety. 

3. Those verbally abused as a child were twice as likely to suffer a mood or anxiety disorder over their lifetime.

IMPLICATION OF THE STUDY….

As parents therefore, it is our duty to understand that our verbal abuse can have long term effects on our children which can forever affect their lives as adults and as parents….

Avoid calling them names or hurl insults to their behavior because these will forever hurt them… and they will remember!

Be Critical in Disciplining Your Kids…

Think Twice Before You Act!