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How To Reduce Teen Drug Use: Dinner With Parents

November 22nd, 2009 by Nancy Brown, Ph.D. in Better Health Network, Research

Tags: Dinner, Drinking, Drug Use, Parenting, Pediatrics, Psychology, smoking, teens

I know I have said this before, but now there is more research to back it up. A recent report on the results from the “back-to-school” survey (September 2009) done by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University reports a decade of research finding that the more often children have dinner with their parents, the less likely they are to smoke, drink, or use drugs.

Bottom line – compared to teens who have family dinners 5+ times a week, those who do not are twice as likely to use tobacco and marijuana and 1.5 times likelier to use alcohol. They also get significantly better grades and report that it is easier to talk to their parents. Read more »

This post, How To Reduce Teen Drug Use: Dinner With Parents, was originally published on Healthine.com by Nancy Brown, Ph.D..

Do Low Carb Diets Make People Angry?

November 20th, 2009 by admin in Better Health Network, Research

Tags: Anger, Carbohydrates, Diet and Nutrition, food, Low Carb, Mood Swings, Obesity, Psychology, Weight Loss

As if we haven’t seen enough bad press for low carb diets, check this out: a study just published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that dieters who followed a low carb diet for a year were more depressed, angry, and confused than people following a higher carb diet.

The researchers studied two groups of people for one year. Both were on a reduced calorie diet and both lost an average of 30 pounds. However, the group on the low carb diet had detrimental effects on their mood.

I know I am pretty angry when I don’t have chocolate for a long time! 😉 Seriously, other smaller studies have not shown changes in mood with low carb diets, but we will have to see if future studies show a similar affect. It makes sense…we know that carbs cause release of serotonin, the feel good hormone. There is a reason people say they are “addicted” to carbs. One is because they are our body’s preferred source of energy, so we need them for energy and we can “crave” them. The other is that they literally make us feel good (and they taste great!) Read more »

This post, Do Low Carb Diets Make People Angry?, was originally published on Healthine.com by Brian Westphal.

Facelifts Can Cause Pixie Ears

November 19th, 2009 by RamonaBatesMD in Better Health Network, Research

Tags: Face Lifts, Pixie Ears, Plastic Surgery

This article by Dr. Daniel Man (full reference below) is well worth the time spent reading it. Telltale signs of facelift procedures can include tightening across the lower face, visible scars, a distorted hairline, and the “pixie ear” deformity.  Dr. Man looks at the causes of the ear deformity and ways to prevent it. (photo credit)

Dr. Man has provided a pdf file of the article on his website, so you don’t have access to the Aesthetic Surgery Journal to read the article.

Between January 2005 and November 2007, the author performed facelifts on 106 patients using a technique that included autologous fat injections to improve facial volume, hidden incisions in and around the ear, and absorbable bidirectional barbed sutures. Patient charts and photographs were reviewed retrospectively. Read more »

*This blog post was originally published at Suture for a Living*

The Mammogram Debate: Two Doctors Discuss Why It’s So Complicated

November 18th, 2009 by Dr. Val Jones in Audio, Expert Interviews, News, Research

Tags: ACS, Breast Cancer, Dr. Avrum Bluming, Guidelines, Mammogram, Oncology, Radiation, Radiology, Screening, Treatment, USPSTF

Dr. Avrum Bluming is a medical oncologist and clinical professor of medicine at the University of Southern California. He is also a dear friend, scientist, and careful analyzer of data. I asked him to help me understand the current mammogram guidelines debate, and what women (now faced with conflicting recommendations) should do about breast cancer screening. Please listen to his fascinating discussion captured here:

What I learned is that the guidelines must be tailored to each woman’s unique situation. The variables that must be considered are incredibly complex, as breast cancer risk factors include everything from when and if one has given birth, to a history of smoking, drinking, overweight, breast cancer in the family and even the age of your parents when you were born. Beyond risk factors, new research suggests that some breast cancers spontaneously resolve without treatment, but our technology is not advanced enough to distinguish those from others that will go on to become life-threatening tumors – so we treat all cancers the same. Read more »

Can You Diagnose A Cough By Its Sound?

November 17th, 2009 by Medgadget in Better Health Network, News, Research

Tags: Analysis, Audio, Cold, COPD, Cough, Flu, Infectious Disease, Pulmonology, Sound, STAR Analytical Services, Technology

DiscoveryNews is reporting on a Bedford, Massachusetts company developing software that can detect the difference between a typical cough and one caused by a cold, flu, COPD, or a number of other respiratory diseases. STAR Analytical Services is working with a database of pre-recorded coughs to determine signatures that point to underlying conditions.

The final 100 to 150 milliseconds of the cough contains the distinctive sounds that could help doctors and nurses remotely diagnose a cough as the common cold or more serious pneumonia.

Even with a limited amount of data, scientists can distinguish between a healthy, voluntary cough and the involuntary cough of a sick person. Healthy people have slightly louder coughs, about 2 percent louder than a sick person. Read more »

*This blog post was originally published at Medgadget*