November 20th, 2008 by Dr. Val Jones in Audio, Celebrity Interviews
Tags: Bedside Briefings, bedsidebriefings.com, Debi Mazar, Dr. Val Jones, Entourage, Goodfellas, Insomnia, Sleep, sleep deprivation
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Debi Mazar
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You may know actor Debi Mazar from her work in the movie Goodfellas, and from her role as Shauna on the HBO hit TV show, Entourage. But I know Debi as a busy mom who struggles with insomnia. I caught up with her a few days ago to find out how she’s coped with those sleepless nights.
Listen to the podcast here:
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Dr. Val: When did insomnia first become a problem for you?
Mazar: Insomnia is surprisingly common. It affects 60 million Americans: 40% of women and 30% of men. My struggle with insomnia began in my mid to late 20′s when my professional and love life went into full swing. I ate well and exercised, but started having trouble falling asleep every night. I went to see a doctor because I didn’t realize that there were many things that I could do about it on my own.
Dr. Val: What are some of the non-medical treatments that worked for you?
Mazar: Cutting back on caffeine, sugar, and alcohol, and exercising only early in the day, having a healthy sex life, and getting myself on a sleeping schedule. I also tried to reduce stress levels in my life by not going to bed angry, by unplugging from TV and the Internet, and I made my bedroom a very cozy, dark environment that would be condusive to sleep. When you’re a mom, sleeping pills aren’t a good option because you might have to get up in the middle of the night. I have a full list of insomnia tips at bedsidebriefings.com
Dr. Val: I bet that insomnia is a common problem in Hollywood. Has that been your experience?
Mazar: I don’t consider myself to be part of “Hollywood” I’m just an average mom who worries about the world we live in and our economy. The news can cause a lot of anxiety – regardless of what you do for a living. It keeps us all awake at night. Of course, chronic insomnia can increase our risk of depression, weight gain, diabetes and hypertension.
Dr. Val: What is the most important thing for Americans to know about sleep?
Mazar: Sleep is the time when your body repairs itself, so sleep is essential for good health. Without it, we all fall apart.
November 12th, 2008 by Dr. Val Jones in Audio, Expert Interviews
Tags: ADA, Corn Syrup, Dr. Val Jones, Evidence Based Nutrition, Fat Burning, Fish Oil, Food and Nutrition, Magic, Nutrition, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Penny Kris-Etherton, Podcast, Supplements, Weight Loss
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Penny Kris-Etherton, Ph.D., R.D., Distinguished Professor of Nutrition (Department of Nutritional Sciences, Penn State University) about what she learned at the American Dietetic Association Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo in Chicago.
Please listen to the podcast here:
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Penny’s take home messages:
1. Corn is not evil. The vegetable itself can be quite nutritious, though high fructose corn syrup is an empty calorie food additive.
2. There is no magic food that will melt your fat away.
3. There is no magic pill that will help you lose weight. You must decrease your calorie intake and increase your exercise.
4. Increasing protein a little bit can increase satiety.
5. Omega-3 fatty acids and iron can improve brain health.
6. Regular fatty fish consumption can reduce the risk of heart disease (2 servings/week).
7. Food first – try to get all your nutrients from the foods you consume. Consider vitamins and supplements only after you’ve been unable to get your dietary needs met from food.
8. Fish oil supplements are safe and pure. There are differences in the amount of omega-3 fatty acids that the supplements deliver, so read the label carefully.
9. A healthy diet is about eating a broad range of nutritious food (don’t scrimp on your veggies), it’s not about supplementing a poor diet with some supplements.
10. Accurate nutrition information is really important. Two trusted sources are: MyPyramid.gov and the American Heart Association
**Listen to the podcast**
November 9th, 2008 by Dr. Val Jones in Audio, Expert Interviews
Tags: Blogging, Code Blog, Dr. Val Jones, My Strong Medicine, Nurse Practitioners, Nurse Ratched's Place, Nurses, Nursing, Podcast, Primary Care, Professionalism, Stereotypes
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I was following an interesting conversation on Twitter between several nurses. They were expressing concern about how nursing stereotypes were damaging to their profession. I invited them to discuss the subject with me via podcast.I have summarized some key points below.
You can listen to the whole conversation here.
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Participants:
Gina from Code Blog (6 year veteran blogger, and has spent 11 years as an ICU nurse)
Strong One from My Strong Medicine (an anonymous blogger, athletic trainer and nurse of 3 years)
Terri Polick from Nurse Ratched’s Place (has held various positions in nursing, including psychiatric nursing for 20 years)
Current Nursing Challenges:
1. Nursing Instructor Shortage – nursing instructors make about 25% of the salary of nurses who do clinical work. Therefore, there are long wait times to enter nursing school due to instructor shortages. Many students can’t afford to wait, and choose other careers.
2. Inequality of Respect – some nurses feel that they have to continually prove themselves despite their training and qualifications. Patients often express disappointment or annoyance when they see a nurse practitioner (rather than a physician) in a group practice. Some doctors still expect nurses to give up their chairs when they enter the room.
3. Nursing Stereotypes – the “naughty nurse” and “nurse Ratched” images are still very much in the forefront of peoples minds when they think of nursing as a specialty. Some people believe that nurses simply pass out pills and make coffee, when in reality they are active in complex technical procedures and saving lives. These stereotypes and misconceptions denigrate the education and technical expertise of nurses.
4. Primary Care Doesn’t Pay: nurse practitioners incur higher debt and have lower salaries than specialist nurses. Just as in the medical profession, there are no incentives for nurses to choose careers in primary care.
Strengths of Nursing:
1. Nurses Are Better And Brighter Than Ever – since getting into nursing school is so competitive, the quality of individuals who are entering nursing school has never been higher.
2. Job Flexibility – nurses can easily transition to part time work for maternity purposes. Nursing careers offer a wide variety of work experiences – from nursing home work, to cardiothoracic surgery. One license offers hundreds of various opportunities.
3. Job Satisfaction – saving lives and serving patients contribute to a sense of job satisfaction.
What can be done to improve and advance the US nursing profession?
1. Establish an Office of the National Nurse. The National Nursing Network organization is promoting this initiative. The National Nurse would act as a government spokesperson for nurses- promoting preventive medicine, increasing awareness of nursing, and securing financial support for nurse education. He or she would be the chief nurse officer of the US public health service.
2. Do not be afraid to speak up. Nurses should feel comfortable defending their professional ideals, and discouraging stereotypes.
3. Blog to raise awareness of nursing challenges and successes.
**Listen to the podcast**
