Dr. Howard Smith Oncall

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/LmzLL69mBUI Repetition is the key to controlling your brain, forming positive habits, and erasing self-destructive behaviors.  Psychologists from Britain’s University of Warwick collaborated with colleagues at Princeton and Brown Universities to create and study a digital mouse model that reveals the secrets of our brains’ habitual and goal-directed controllers. In the experiment, the mice were first taught to trigger their goal-directed controller by pulling one of two levers that gave them a food reward.  When the reward lever was switched after only a few trials, the mice adapted and pulled the new lever in response to the goal-directed controller.  But when the reward lever was switched after many trials, their brain’s habitual controller became dominant and they continued to pull the same lever despite the lack of a reward.If you want to train your brain with a good habit or if you want to erase a bad habit, repeat the desired action over and over again.  With experience you wil

Health News RoundUp-1st Week of February, 2019 2/7/19 Vidcast: https://youtu.be/YpmA6bS43IM   I’m Dr. Howard Smith, PENTA Medical Network,  reporting from NYC with the Health News Roundup for the FIRST week of FEBRUARY, 2019.  This is Health News You Should Use, the latest medical discoveries that you can use in a practical way to keep yourself and your family healthy.     Here are the headlines: How To Hack Your Brain How Long Does Weed Show Up On A Drug Test How Losing Weight In A Group Can Fail HELPful Hint: Saunas Are Good For All That Ails Poor Sleep Can Be A Pain The Next Day Exercise For Better Executive Brain Skills Vitamin D Prevents Diabetes and More FUTUREMed: Parfait Male Contraceptive Skip Mammogram Before Breast Reduction Surgery Teen Concussion Recovery Faster With Aerobic Exercise Mindfulness An Antidote for Exhaustion Pain Relief Triggers Most Medical Marijuana Use TRY A LITTLE KINDNESS: Grateful Seagull Thanks A Kind Man Every Day   For more information, you’ll find all the references for th

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/Bmf-1znzk94 Don’t rush your newborn into the baby tub if you want immediate breastfeeding success.   A study from the Cleveland Clinic’s obstetric unit shows that delaying the traditional post-delivery dunk by 12 hours significantly increases a new mom’s chances of exclusively breastfeeding her baby. The obstetric nurses leading the study conjecture that the warmth and higher energy of an unbathed newborn, the longer mother-child skin-to-skin time, and the baby’s smelling of its own amniotic fluid coating all contribute to better latching. A ton of studies prove that breastfeeding helps a an infant emotionally, nutritionally, and immunologically.  The American Academy of Pediatricians recommends exclusive breastfeeding and feeding with pumped breast milk for 6 months and continued breast feeding while introducing foods up to 1 year of age. Heather Condo DiCioccio, Candace Ady, James F. Bena, Nancy M. Albert. Initiative to Improve Exclusive Breastfeeding by Delaying the Newborn Bath.

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/Z3xovlAR4Cg The pop music in the soundtracks of Americans’ lives has become more sad and more angry over the past 7 decades.  Musicologists at the University of Michigan now report this conclusion from their computerized sentiment analysis of more than 6,000 songs on Billboard’s Top 100 from the 1950s through 2018.  Angry lyrics increased yearly except from 1982-84 and surged in the 1990s.  Sadness, disgust, and fear in lyrics also increased over the same timeframe.   The bubblegum sounds of the late 50’s and early 60’s were muted by the ugly Vietnam war, and the lighthearted optimism they expressed never recovered under the influences of corporate greed and resurgent intolerance.   Kathleen Napier, Lior Shamir. Quantitative Sentiment Analysis of Lyrics in Popular Music. Journal of Popular Music Studies, Vol. 30 No. 4, December 2018 DOI: 10.1525/jpms.2018.300411 #Popmusic #anger #hate #sadness #healthtips #healtnews

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/_W3hoDgJfP0 Another goal for the #metoo movement is suggested by the latest study from Yale psychologists.  As research subjects observed a video of the very same child being subjected to the classic, old fashioned medical torture, the fingerstick, but identified as either Samuel or Samantha, the majority of observers, both men and women, believe that the girl Samantha felt less pain than the boy Samuel. This gender bias result is in synch with similar impressions of adults experiencing pain.   The result can be explained by the widespread misconception that boys are more stoic than girls, and it would take greater pain to elicit the same response in the male.  Parents of girls and significant others of women undergoing procedures need to advocate for their child or partner if they feel that the  pain management being offered is insufficient whether or not it’s due to gender bias.   Brian D Earp, Joshua T Monrad, Marianne LaFrance, John A Bargh, Lindsey L Cohen, Jennifer A Richeson.

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/Lb0OYyB-6P4 School violence is on the rise but, surprise, it’s the bullies themselves who are most likely to be seriously injured.  This the conclusion of a study by researchers at the University of Texas-Houston who studied of some 4300 5th, 7th, and 10th graders in Houston, LA, and Birmingham, Alabama. In 5th grade, 17% of children sustained at least one violent injury with a gun or knife, but that percentage rose to 33% by10th grade with gunshot injuries predominating.  Bullies themselves were 41% more likely to be violently injured compared with other children because they engage in more risky and violent activities. If you are the parent of a bully, don’t think that encouraging your child to “feel his/her oats” will end well.  Aggressively stop this behavior and redirect your child’s energies in more positive directions. Katelyn K. Jetelina, Jennifer M. Reingle Gonzalez, Mark A. Schuster, etal. Mechanisms and Frequency of Violent Injuries Among Victims and Perpetrators of Bullyi

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/rfr_xGLijiQ You may have heard about the ketogenic diet controversy.  Some including the popular fitness expert and Biggest Loser consultant Jillian Michaels insist that this high fat, low carb diet dangerously robs you of critical macronutrients including blood sugar. To fact check Michaels’ conclusion, a scientific analysis of the ketogenic diet by University of Alabama nutrition scientist Amy Goss reveals that, despite no carbohydrate intake, the body does not become sugar-starved.  The liver uses other sources to create sufficient glucose to fuel the brain. The ketogenic diet is useful for controlling or eliminating obesity, type 2 diabetes, epilepsy, and non-alcoholic liver disease. If you do use this or any elimination diet, do so safely under the direction of a registered dietician. https://www.newswise.com/articles/how-safe-is-the-keto-diet https://www.today.com/health/jillian-michaels-criticizes-keto-diet-you-re-starving-yourselves-t146530 #ketogenicdiet #lowcarb #highfat #

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/fhEZX0VLIEs Cancer of the esophagus is so often asymptomatic that it it kills almost a half million persons around the world before they know what hit them.  From Johns Hopkins now comes a simple, non-invasive test that can diagnose this cancer early without the need for a formal endoscopic procedure. The test, called the EsophaCap, is a dissolvable capsule containing a tiny self-inflating sponge.  The patient swallows the capsule, and an attached string permits the released sponge to be drawn back up the esophagus capturing cells along the way.  The cells on the sponge are then analyzed for genetic material looking for cancer or a pre-cancerous condition. Patients with a history of GERD, gastroesophageal reflux disease, or even recurrent heartburn should have this test.  If you fit the description, look into having the EsophaCap test. Zhixiong Wang, Swetha Kambhampati, Yulan Cheng, Ke Ma, Cem Simsek, Alan H Tieu, John M Abraham, Xi Liu, Vishnu Prasath, Mark D Duncan, Alejandro Star

VidCast: https://youtu.be/ANgt3DTv5rE Women suffering preeclampsia during their pregnancies have a 30% higher risk of later stroke.  Columbia University neurologists studied 84,000 California teachers and found that low dose aspirin at least 3 times weekly virtually erases the greater risk of stroke for women before they reach the age of 60.  Once past 60, aspirin’s protective effect vanishes. Preeclampsia complicating pregnancy is rising in the US, and one in every 20 pregnancies is now affected.  An increasing incidence of obesity and associated high blood pressure in women seem to be responsible. If you experienced preeclampsia during your pregnancy and are currently less than a young 60, do ask your doctor about beginning a course of low dose aspirin. Steven K. Feske, Cheryl Bushnell. Stroke prevention. Neurology, 2019; 92 (4): 159 DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000006802 #preeclampsia #stroke #hypertension #aspirin #healthnews #healthtips

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/olxRebs_d5M We doctors constantly repeat it and you constantly hear it: avoid all but healthy food during pregnancy.  Despite this mantra, nearly one-third of pregnant women believe that cannabis is safe for their developing babies. The analysis by Canadian doctors of 6 US studies shows that, as years go by, more pregnant women are using marijuana.  Currently, at least 4% of women use the drug sometime during their pregnancy.   Ironically, the rate of use is the highest at 7.4% during the critical first trimester when so many body systems are just beginning to blossom.  In one study, 35% of women were users when they discovered their pregnancy, and that only dropped down to 12% after the positive pregnancy test.  Half of those continuing to use did so almost daily. The available research on cannabis shows that it is associated with low birth weight, stillbirths, and NICU admissions.  OB/GYN specialists and most doctors recommend against any cannibis use while trying to get pregnant,

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/Gu_bP7t1WyA Muscular development during our younger years provides the building blocks for strength maintenance as we age.  This the conclusion of a literature review from UMass-Amherst.   Biology professor Lawrence Schwartz reminds us that, during the first decades of our lives, our muscles not only grow in size but generate more and more cell nuclei, the local brains of our cells and tissues.  Muscles are syncytial tissues with many nuclei but fewer blended cell bodies.   During our younger days, we trigger desirable muscle nuclear proliferation with exercise and training.  As we age, we may lose muscle bulk, muscle cell bodies, but we retain our muscle nuclei.  If we have enough of these so-called myonuclei banked, we can then maintain and redevelop muscle mass with exercise and conditioning thereby preventing elder weakening and frailty. The bottom line: childhood, adolescent, and young adult physical activities are critical for “charging our muscle batteries” to insure a long an

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/8pv8A-fRs78 Most of our brain’s horsepower, so called general cognitive ability or GCA, develops early in life.  An international team led by those at UC-San Diego now report that 99% of our intellectual abilities measurable at age 62 have already developed by age 20.   Said another way, the higher education, job challenges, and various intellectual pursuits that we pursue over more than 40 years since our teens only increases our raw thinking and problem-solving abilities by about 1%.  This conclusion is supported by brain imaging that links brain size in 60 year olds with GCA test scores at age 20. So parents and kids alike should cram as much intellectual stimulation as possible into the childhood and teen years.  This early brain charging creates a vital trajectory into satisfying careers, rewarding relationships, and a gratifying, thoughtful life. University of California - San Diego. "Youthful cognitive ability strongly predicts mental capacity later in life: Education, job com

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/rOPNUtRcBY4 Aspirin has now been shown to significantly improve survival for at least one type of cancer in those patients whose tumors have a specific genetic variant.  That cancer is squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck with an altered PIK3CA gene. A study just published in The Journal of Experimental Medicine followed 266 patients after surgical resection of their tumors and post-operative chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy.  Those patients regularly taking aspirin or another NSAID for 6 months and also having an activated PIK3CA gene were 3 times more likely to survive 5 years.  Specifically, the average survival rate rose from a baseline of 25 percent to a gratifying 78 percent.  Those without the PIK3CA gene mutation enjoyed no survival benefit. A larger, confirmatory study is now underway.  Meanwhile, know that the PIK3CA oncogene is present and mutated in about one-third of other cancers including colon, stomach, esophageal, pancreatic, liver, breast, cervical, endometr

Aspirin Can Help Cure Cancer Most Brainpower Develops During Childhood and Adolescence Muscle Power Banked During Youth Supports Later Vigor Weed is Fetal Poison A Short Delay Bathing Newborns Enhances Breastfeeding Low Dose Aspirin Prevents Preelampsia-Associated Stroke A Simple Swallow Can Detect Esophageal Cancer The Ketogenic Diet Is Safe It’s Karma: School Bullies Sustain More Injury Than Victims Girls In Pain Get Less Sympathy Pop Music Lyrics Getting Darker and Angrier Vidcast: https://youtu.be/5dAOUVMx16c For more information, you’ll find all the references for the stories and a copy of show notes on my website at: https://www.drhowardsmith.com/jan-2019-5th-week-health-news #Aspirin #cancer #cognitivepower #GCA #muscles #exercise #frailty #preeclampsia #stroke #esophagealcancer #ketogenicdiet #schoolviolence #bullying #gende bias #meetoo #popmusic  

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/YFe2s7g4drk from www.goodnewsNetwork.org Kate, not her real name, has epilepsy.   Late once night, she began suffering seizures and went to the ER.  She stabilized and was discharged at 4 in the morning.  She called a Lyft to get home as she could not drive.   Here’s her first person account:  I called a Lyft to pick me up and hoped against hope that it would be someone kind, someone safe.  A small SUV pulled up in front of the hospital doors and I climbed in, expecting some awkward small talk. After all, it was 4:30AM and I was being picked up from a hospital by a complete stranger.  I buckled my seatbelt, and then the driver turned around; she was a woman in her mid-forties with the kindest eyes. “Are you okay, sweetheart?” she asked. “Oh, I’m fine. I just have epilepsy so I can’t drive.” I replied, expecting her to shrug it off and hit the road. Instead, she began to tell me about her daughter’s recent epilepsy diagnosis. She said she understood my struggle of being sick and unabl

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/DgFFJMe2_no Here’s a flash from the off-beat health news department.  Researchers in Sweden and Hungary report that the black and white striped design seen on Africa’s Zebras and copied into body painting by indigenous peoples protects against biting and blood-sucking insects including mosquitos and horseflies.  The scientists compared the frequency of horsefly attacks on 3 different mannikins: one beige, one brown, and one black with white stripes.  The striped skin design reduced insect attacks by 90% compared to brown skin and by 50% compared with beige skin. It is likely that Africans years ago discovered the protective effect of Zebra designs against insect-borne infections such as malaria.  We don’t yet know if Zebra-striped garments are as good insect repellants as body painting, but this is something you should try for yourself.  Do let me know if it works. #bodypaint #zebrastripes #mosquitos #horseflies #malaria #healthnews #healthtips   Gábor Horváth, Ádám Pereszlényi, Susa

Vidcast:https://youtu.be/RldzY17lQUQ Acupressure can give breast cancer survivors significant relief from pain, anxiety, depressive symptoms, fatigue and sleep problems.  A continuing study at the University of Michigan reports a news analysis of 288 patients. Two different type of Eastern medical acupressure, relaxing acupressure and stimulating acupressure, were compared with standard relaxation and sleep management techniques.  Both acupressure approaches bested standard therapy for anxiety and pain.  Relaxing acupressure was most effective for depression, sleep, and fatigue. Acupressure's mode of action is not yet understood.  The best news is that it may be carried out at home, and women learn to apply proper pressure to appropriate body points with few negative effects. Acupressure may well work for anyone suffering from anxiety, pain, depression, and sleep issues.  If you fit that description, look into it. #acupressure #Easternmedicine #breastcancer #pain #anxiety #insomnia #depression #healthnews #he

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/p-LdqwUqtPg The wearable foot sensors that many serious runners think may prevent devastating stress fractures are measuring the wrong forces.  Engineers and orthopedic specialists at Vanderbilt University now report that muscular forces on the leg bones rather the force of the foot striking the running surface are the principal causes of the incapacitating, tiny cracks in bones.   Most of the currently marketed wearable sensors only measure forces of the foot impacting the ground.  The Vanderbilt studies utilized high-speed motion capture and biomechanical algorithms to compute the relevant muscular forces in addition to a force-measuring treadmill to estimate the ground-strike force. Work is now underway to develop a system of wearables that will measure all forces acting on the leg bones.  That task may not be easy or inexpensive. #stress fracture #running #gaitanalysis #wearablesensors #humankinematics #jointkinetics #healthnews #healthtips Vanderbilt University. "Stress fracture

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/js0YBT86Omo Mmmmm.  Smell that fried dough!  Doesn’t that whiff of pepperoni pizza get your juices flowing?   Businesses peddling less than healthy treats have been blowing fragrances of warm cinnamon rolls and buttered popcorn in our faces for years knowing that its tough for us to resist.  Marketing gurus from the University of South Florida’s college of business now come to our rescue. As experimental subjects are presented with the choice of cookies or strawberries,  precisely-controlled scent nebulizers spew out a warm cookie scent.   The data shows that whiffing the cookie scent for 30 seconds or less will drive you to buy the cookie.  Continuing to inhale the cookie fragrance for more than 2 minutes resulted in a preference for the strawberries.  The same phenomenon occurred with a pizza-apple pairing. So the next time you whiff those fatty and sugary smells, inhale them longer and think skull and cross-bones.  Then reach for that juicy apple. #foodfragrances #fat #sugar #hea

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/cnqHqgpqycE Someday soon, high-tech tattoos may replace blood testing for continuous monitoring.  Bioengineers at MIT and Harvard Med School as well as at the University of Colorado’s ATLAS Institute are combining nanoparticles with tattoo technology to create color changing indicators deep in the skin. The Harvard-MIT team developed sensor inks that can signal levels of glucose, body fluid acidity or pH, and sodium levels.  They tattoo the indicator ink directly into the skin and state that the inks would have to be replaced periodically The Colorado investigators, hoping to create a more permanent solution, are encasing such color-shifting chemicals in porous microcapsules that are then propelled into the skin using tatoo needles.  They are currently experimenting with particles that signal exposure to harmful UV rays but plan to use this same technology to continuously monitor blood sugar and blood alcohol levels. #tattoos #bloodchemistry #glucosemonitoring #bloodalcohol #UVexposu