Dr. Howard Smith Oncall

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/joU9-5CEU4s   Extreme training drills inflicted on high school and college football players by over-zealous coaches produce more non-traumatic fatalities than game play.  This conclusion comes from a study of 187 such deaths occurring over the past 20 years and just presented to the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine’s Annual Meeting.   Football remains the most dangerous sport for young people clocking the largest number of fatalities, and there are 2 to 3 times more non-traumatic deaths than traumatic ones.  The data shows that 52% of these tragedies are associated with cardiac problems, 24% with heat exhaustion, and 5% with asthma.  Most deaths occurred in August before the regular season.   The study authors blame unreasonably intense workouts and punishing drills as the causes for these unnecessary deaths.  We should add lax medical screening for both heart and sickle cell disease.   You parents of teens and young adults playing football should be certain that your

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/Ij4Np7YmIlc   A British meta-analysis of 21 studies and 4.4 million persons warns that adults who had been born prematurely are less likely than their full term peers to form romantic relationships, enjoy sex, or pursue parenthood.  These results were just published online in the journal JAMA Network Open.   Those born at 37 weeks or earlier or with low birth weights were 28% less likely to have experienced a true love partnership, 57% less likely to have had sexual intercourse, and 22% less likely to have become a parent.  Those born even earlier at 32 weeks or less were that much less likely to form relationships and 3 times less likely to have sex and become parents.   If you are a parents of  preterm baby who will likely become a somewhat shy child and adolescent, be sure to encourage the child to foster close relationships as they mature.  This will oppose these reported tendencies so that your chil can have a fulfilling love life and, in time, a family.   Marina Mendonça, Ayten

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/S9oKOm2pkOw   To kill your craving for booze, butts, and beer, convene with Mother Nature in the open green space of a park on a regular basis.  This is the bottom line from British study just published in the journal Health & Place.   The investigators surveyed nearly 150 subjects to determine their exposure to green spaces either in and around their residence or during visits to parks.  The data demonstrated that passion for unhealthy food, drink, or drugs diminished as green space exposure time increased.   So we now have one more reason to hit the great outdoors on a regular basis.  If you combine such regular visits with exercise, all the better.   Leanne Martin, Sabine Pahl, Mathew P. White, Jon May. Natural environments and craving: The mediating role of negative affect. Health & Place, 2019; 58: 102160 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2019.102160   #Outdoors #greenspace #overeating #drugs #alcohol

Vidcast: : https://youtu.be/j2dzIsHcqJs   Exposure to the dirty air that accompanies excessive automobile traffic leads to blockage of the coronary arteries escalating the risk of heart attack and sudden death.  University of Buffalo environmental health specialists studied nearly 8900 Chinese adults of all ages.   Because of China’s problematic air contamination, subjects were exposed to significant quantities of nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter, and ozone.Those who lived closer to roadways had more advanced arterial calcium deposits and blockage leading to coronary artery disease.     This study is a wake-up call for the science-deniers running our government and corporations to adhere to the strictest of automobile emission standards.  It is also a “heads up” reminding you to spend as much time as possible away from traffic and in those fresh air green spaces.   Meng Wang, Zhi-Hui Hou, Hao Xu, Yang Liu, Matthew J. Budoff, Adam A. Szpiro, Joel D. Kaufman, Sverre Vedal, Bin Lu. Association of Estimated L

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/aSqAIaL7lFo   Before you can come to someone’s rescue in a true altruistic spirit, you must first imagine your plan of attack.  Psychologists at Boston College employed MRI scanning to study the brain activity of 18 young, healthy adults before and while they remembered and imagined helping others in distress.   Those participants whose scans indicate more powerful imaginative thinking indicated a greater willingness to help others.  That help could come with direct physical assistance or with monetary support.  In order to help, you must first imagine how you might safely and effectively pull off the rescue.   This is yet another aspect of life that benefits from a ready imagination.  To exercise and spark yours, you can daydream, doodle, read fiction, exercise, and take calculated risks.     Brendan Gaesser, Josh Hirschfeld-Kroen, Emily A Wasserman, Mary Horn, Liane Young. A role for the medial temporal lobe subsystem in guiding prosociality: the effect of episodic processes on wi

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/oD9WB_S7kZc   Even if you’re at a normal weight or maybe a few pounds over, cutting an extra 300 calories out of your daily tally has significant health benefits.  A Duke University study of 218 young and middle aged healthy and non-obese subjects now shows that reducing your calorie intake by about 12% over a 2 year period will significantly improve your cardiovascular, metabolic, and general health.   Those participants who trimmed the calories had a significant reduction in those inflammatory factors that drive heart disease, cancer and mental decline.  As a bonus, they realized a 10% weight loss nearly ¾ of which was from fat.   I’ll bet you can consume 300 fewer calories a day without even missing them.  Forgo that candy bar, bypass the bagel, skip the second slice of pepperoni pizza, or avoid that large cup of Coke,   Then again, you can also burn 300 extra calories with longer or more intense exercise.  It’s your choice.   William E Kraus, Manjushri Bhapkar, Kim M Huffman, Ca

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/mBkTDPeg6lI   Throughout life, we accumulate brainpower, known technically as Cognitive Reserve (CR), by participating in formal education, reading, writing, gaming, and having social interactions.  A new study from Sweden’s Karolinska Institute’s Neurobiology Department and Chicago’s Rush University Alzheimer’s Research Center tells us that this extra Cognitive Reserve may protect us from from developing Alzheimer’s and other dementias as we age.   The study group of some 1600 healthy older adults was followed for 20 years and their CRs tabulated.  Those with the highest CR scores were nearly 40% less likely to develop dementia., though about one-quarter of the group eventually developed Alzheimer’s.     If you want to enjoy a long life in full possession of your brainpower, commit to making regular deposits to your mind’s Cognitive Reserve by learning, reading, problem-solving, and socializing now and always.   Xu H, Yang R, Qi X, et al. Association of Lifespan Cognitive Reserve I

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/mLKKARFLkTM  This is 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 : Warmer Screens At Night May Curb Your Appetite Odd Eating Indicates Autism Exercise Fuels Better Thinking For the Overweight Lassie May Prevent Childhood Allergies Mind Clearing Helps You Resist Temptations Larger Screens Deliver Video News More Powerfully Minecraft Play Increases Creativity Hospitalized Pneumonia Patients Over-treated With Antibiotics Exercise Is Better The Same Time Each Day Triclosan Weakens Womens’ Bones Will Sugary Drinks Give You Cancer? Toddlers Word Learning Soars In Daycare Maternal Obesity Triggers Childhood Leukemia Marijuana For Chronic Pain A High Tech Vaccine For Fake News For show notes and references to for the stories, check out my website at: https://www.drhowardsmith.com/july-2019-2nd-week-health-news #Bluelight #sugar #obesity #warmlight

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/F2wbdM4T7EA There is an epidemic of lies on the internet, and we are all confronted daily with so-called news that is, in fact propaganda.  Just as your brain can be conned, it is possible to train it to withstand these attacks with an electronic from of BS repellent. The UK’s University of Cambridge and its Social Decision-Making Lab have developed a browser game called Bad News that can help your brain withstand the assault of half-truths and frank lies.  A group of 15,000 test subjects played the game for only 15 minutes yet afterward were 24% more likely to dismiss fake headlines and tweets, 20% less likely to fall for a false conspiracy, and 19% more likely to believe a legitimate new source that was being smeared and trolled online. You can and should try the game yourself at getbadnews.com. With the upcoming, critical elections, we all must be more sophisticated and discerning consumers of the news.  And a can of BS repellent on your phone won’’t hurt either! Jon Roozenbeek &

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/Mmr5bCArcSU Cannabis in its various forms does curb pain.  This is the conclusion of study from New York’s Einstein College of Medicine and the University of Miami just published in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs. The investigators studied 1000 user-customers of a Colorado dispensary with most being under the age of 50.  Nearly two-thirds of the group reported using cannabis for pain relief, and almost three-quarters of pain sufferers used it daily.   Eighty percent reported that marijuana was extremely or very helpful for controlling their pain.  Eighty-two percent stopped or reduced use of over-the-counter pain meds, and a full 88% stopped or reduced use of opioids. Given our current opioid crisis, this news is good news indeed.  If you suffer from chronic pain, you should receive care from pain specialists who can offer you cannabis as yet one more option. Marcus Bachhuber, Julia H. Arnsten, Gwen Wurm. Use of Cannabis to Relieve Pain and Promote Sleep by Customers at an Adult

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/pKHclU_qRSA Summer is a prime time for baby-making.  Before you take that plunge, you prospective moms, make sure your weight is under control.   A just released, frightening study from the University of Pittsburgh shows that children of women obese at the time of pregnancy were 57% more likely to develop leukemia before the age of 5.  The Pitt epidemiologists analyzed almost 2 million birth records and 3,000 pediatric cancer cases in Pennsylvania. The good news, if there is any, is that that awful statistic applies to the severely obese women with BMIs, body mass indices, above 40.  That’s equivalent to a weight of 235 pounds for a woman who is 5 ft 4 inches tall.   The risk of cancer does diminish with the BMI, so it pays to lose those pounds and approach an ideal weight before conceiving and embarking on parenthood. Shaina L Stacy, Jeanine M Buchanich, Zhen-qiang Ma, Christina Mair, Linda Robertson, Ravi K Sharma, Evelyn O Talbott, Jian-Min Yuan. Maternal Obesity, Birth Size, and

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/IfhsrH3V-X4 Toddlers nearing their second birthday learn new word associations better when they spend time with other toddlers rather than only adults.  A study published in the September edition of the Journal of Experimental Child Psychology comes from Canada’s University of Waterloo. The investigators studied 88 toddlers in two groups: those who spend their days with other children and others who only spent time with peers once a week.  The children in both groups processed familiar words well.  The kids spending more time with other children were better able to pick up new words and linked them with persons and things, which is what language is all about. The “news you should use” is the unsurprising fact that developing children need contact with their peers as well as with adults.  Keep that in mind when you as a parent structure their life. Dana E. Bernier, Katherine S. White. Toddlers’ sensitivity to phonetic detail in child speech. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology,

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/TDcZ0q1apbs It’s all over the news.  Sugar-sweetened drinks increase your risk of cancer.  Well let’s take a closer look at the data. The study comes from Sorbonne Paris’ Epidemiology and Statistics Research Center, and it reviewed health and dietary records from over 100,000 participants with a mean age of 42 years and followed over an 8 year period.  The investigators looked at some 3300 food products. Drinking just 3 ounces more 3 z.of sugary drinks a day increases the overall risk of any cancer by 18% and breast cancer in pre-menopausal women by 22%.  Drinking the same amount of 100% fruit juices increases the risk of any cancer by 10%.  Let’s look at the fine print.   But let’s look at the fine print.  Carbonated, sweetened drinks like Coke or Pepsi did not increase the risk.  Artificially-sweetened drinks, carbonated or not, did not increase the risk.  Drinking sugary drinks did not increase the risk of lung cancer, colorectal cancers, pancreatic cancer, or prostate cancer. Do

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/tmSkorpdkQ8 If you’re a woman with bone density problems, you’d better watch the ingredients in your toothpaste, mouthwash, and soap.  A study just published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism shows that the common antibacterial triclosan, added to many consumer products, is associated with bone issues in women. The study reviewed data from more than 1800 women participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.  Those women found to have higher levels of triclosan in their urine samples had a higher incidence of bone issues including osteoporosis of the thigh, hip, and lower spine. Triclosan is simply bad news.  Earlier this year, I reported to you that it can also inactivate certain antibiotics including amoxicillin and ciprofloxacin.  You should avoid it in all products by checking the ingredients before you buy. Shaofang Cai, Jiahao Zhu, Lingling Sun, Chunhong Fan, Yaohong Zhong, Qing Shen, Yingjun Li. Association between urinary triclos

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/F6xnFH4gA-w Those who exercise with moderate to vigorous physical activity the same time each day more often successfully maintain their weight loss.  A study from Brown University was just published in the journal Obesity. Nutritional researchers there studied 375 adult subjects who had successfully maintained a weight loss of more than 30 lbs for more than one year.  Of this group, 68% report consistently exercising at the same time of day.  In addition, this time of day consistency was associated with more daily exercise sessions per week as well as a significant increase in duration of each session.  Almost 48% of the participants reported early morning exercise sessions. Vigorous exercise is wonderful for your body and soul.  Pick a time, any time, for a daily workout, and you will be able to better control your weight and enjoy better health. Leah M. Schumacher, J. Graham Thomas, Hollie A. Raynor, Ryan E. Rhodes, Kevin C. O’Leary, Rena R. Wing, Dale S. Bond. Relationship of Co

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/bdtVe_7ksls A study just published by Cancer Research UK reveals that there are twice as many obese Brits as smoking Brits.  As many as one-third of the British are obese. Smoking is still the UKs leading preventable cause of cancer.  However, consider the fact that excess weight rather than tobacco abuse is the leading cause of 4 deadly types of cancers including those in the gastrointestinal tract, the kidneys, the ovaries, and the liver. The British health system is now launching a all out campaign to attack overeating and junk food intake from childhood on. But wait.....I buried the lead.  Here in the USA, obese persons are almost three times as common as smokers with those same cancer risks as well as risks of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.  Americans as well as Brits need to stop eating and start exercising. Cancer Research UK. "Obese people outnumber smokers two to one." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 2 July 2019. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/07/190702211335.htm http

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/xGAirF0H81Y Two-thirds of patients hospitalized for treatment of pneumonia are receiving excess antibiotic therapy that puts them at risk for undesirable side effects and complications.   This finding is the conclusion of a study by the University of Michigan and the Michigan Hospital Consortium. The investigators reviewed the records of some 6500 pneumonia patients admitted to Michigan Hospitals.  Over 90% of the excess antibiotic therapy was due to extra antibiotics prescribed at discharge.  The clinicians prescribing discharge medications failed to properly account for in-hospital days of antibiotic therapy. Typical therapy for community acquired pneumonia is a minimum of 5 days and therapy is continued until you are free of fever for 3 days.  Complicated infections may require 10-14 days of therapy. Unnecessary antibiotic therapy places patients at risk for developing antibiotic resistance, the outgrowth of so-called opportunistic bacteria such as Clostridium difficile, better k

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/V_ctJH6Fujc This definitive conclusion comes from a comprehensive meta-analysis of 277 clinical trials involving nearly one million participants just published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.  The study concludes that few of the 16 food supplements touted to improve your cardiovascular health did so.   Only omega-3 fatty acids seemed to reduce heart attacks.  Folic acid seemed to have some benefit for reduction of strokes.  Furthermore, only 1 of the 16 so-called heart-healthy diets was legitimately helpful, and that dietary modification was reducing ingested salt. The food supplement industry operates in the Wild West with no FDA regulatory authority to test the safety or effectiveness of the products being sold to an unsuspecting public.  My advice is simple and direct: DON’T BUY THIS CRAP! Khan SU, Khan MU, Riaz H, Valavoor S, Zhao D, Vaughan L, et al. Effects of Nutritional Supplements and Dietary Interventions on Cardiovascular Outcomes: An Umbrella Review and Evidence Map.

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/US61BSXwDno Playing the Minecraft video game, indeed playing it without any instructions, appears to drive a higher level of creativity.  A just published study from the psychologists at the Iowa State University compared the effects of playing this popular game with playing a race car game or merely watching TV. The 352 college undergrads each spent 40 minutes playing or watching TV.  They then completed the creative task of drawing an alien creature, and their work was then graded for creativity by judges unaware of what they played or watched before picking up the pencils. The most creative work was done by those who played Minecraft without any instructions or limitations so that their intellectual energies could run free.   Many video games drive creativity by tasking the player to create characters and and unique strategies.  Given their popularity and proven effectiveness as creativity catalysts, educators are now looking for ways to incorporate these games into formal educat

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/zw1NDorVPvA News has a greater impact where you view it on a larger screen versus on your smartphone.  Communication research at the University of Michigan and Texas A&M University measured the responses of participants viewing news stories on a 13 inch laptop and on a 5 inch phone. Using physiologic measurements of attention including heart rate variability and skin conductance measurements, the video presented on the larger screen was more compelling and engaging.  The data did not directly show whether or not the smaller screen reduced the subjects’ comprehension of the stories but that is the implication. Using your cellphone to inform yourself has both pros and cons.  The phone provides high availability, but you might just have to force yourself to pay more attention to the teeny-tiny screen. Johanna Dunaway, Stuart Soroka. Smartphone-size screens constrain cognitive access to video news stories. Information, Communication & Society, 2019; 1 DOI: 10.1080/1369118X.2019.