May 19th, 2008 by Dr. Val Jones in Uncategorized
Tags: News
2 Comments »
People come from all over the nation (and the world) to speak their mind about health issues in Washington, DC. I work at a DC-based online media company (Revolution Health) devoted to enhancing awareness of medical issues and empowering patients to take control of their health.
A few weeks ago I put 2 and 2 together and realized that I could practically tip a microphone out my window and get some really important and compelling health information straight from America’s most influential leaders and organizations. I began attending local meetings, and before I knew it, I was embraced as the local physician-journalist who provides press coverage for an online health audience.
I’ve gotten terrific feedback about my recent blog interviews with former Surgeon General Rich Carmona, and Governor Mike Huckabee, among others. So I figured – hey, maybe this is something I should do more often? Maybe the medical blogosphere would like to receive regular updates on the “goings on” in Washington? Someone’s gotta keep an eye on them, and why not a local “voice of reason?”
So I’ll continue interviewing my little heart out – and point my virtual microphone at groups and people who have something interesting and important to say about health issues. I hope you enjoy them!
Up Next: I just met with a group of mental health professionals (from the American Psychiatric Association and American Psychiatric Foundation) about an exciting new volunteer effort (Give an Hour) to serve the psychological needs of military personnel returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. I hope to post about this initiative today or tomorrow here on my blog.
Later this week: Dr. Val covers the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids update. I’ll find out what we’re doing to break the smoking cycle at the earliest stages.
Much later this week: Dr. Rich Carmona gets a second visit from Dr. Val. As an unsuspecting victim of “round two,” our former Surgeon General is speaking at the Strategies to Overcome and Prevent (STOP) Obesity Alliance.
This post originally appeared on Dr. Val’s blog at RevolutionHealth.com.
May 13th, 2008 by Dr. Val Jones in Uncategorized
Tags: Fitness, Pedometer, Personal, Weight Loss
5 Comments »
This is day 2 of the Woman Challenge, and I’m supposed to take at least 10,000 steps a day for 8 weeks. So I got myself a pedometer and marveled at how sedentary I am. Then I dragged myself upstairs to a small stuffy white room (where my building has a treadmill and elliptical machine) and decided to make up the rest of my steps for the day (about 8000!) So I was jogging along, huffing and puffing, eyes fixed on a door jam, and at the 30 minute mark I checked my pedometer. I was at 3000 steps only. Now, my math isn’t that great, but I think I can do more than 1000 steps in 30 minutes of jogging.
On closer inspection, my pedometer had ceased counting. Argh! I started shaking it and I realized that there must be some sort of ball bearing inside, trapped like some helpless pinball in the recesses of the little metal box in which it lives.
So my question is this: does anyone know how to keep a pedometer functioning properly? Do I need to find a way to make more movement in the Y-plane when I’m jogging? Should I bob around or do the “funny walk” to keep the little thing from going into pinball “tilt” mode?
Maybe hubby was right – I need to find a sport that I’m good at.
Hrmph.This post originally appeared on Dr. Val’s blog at RevolutionHealth.com.
May 10th, 2008 by Dr. Val Jones in Uncategorized
Tags: News
1 Comment »
My blogger colleague, Trisha, at Ideas for Women told me about an exciting, virtual walk across America that is being sponsored by the Department of Health and Human Services. The event starts tomorrow (Mother’s Day, May 11th) and you can sign up for various routes. I chose the cross-country route that begins in San Francisco and ends in my city: Washington, DC. I guess I felt inspired by my recent chat with Mike Huckabee about how he lost weight and got fit.
The idea is to use a pedometer (or your best guess work) to track your daily steps, with a goal of about 10,000 per day. You can tally your steps each day so that they contribute to the grand total contributed by your team mates and others in the Woman Challenge.
You can also track your participation in my “Lose 20 Pounds” group here at Revolution Health.
Care to join me? My team is called “Dr. Val” and my home city is Washington, DC. You can also leave your username (that you chose when you signed up at the Woman Challenge site) and home town in the comments section below and I’ll invite you personally.
Don’t live in the US? All the more reason to have a virtual vacation here and walk across the country with me!
All those of you who are moms (or any of you who’ve ever had a mom – ha, ha) please join me in getting out into the fresh, virtual air in honor of Mother’s Day. Imagine how good we’ll feel 8 weeks from now…
Happy Mother’s Day!
This post originally appeared on Dr. Val’s blog at RevolutionHealth.com.
May 9th, 2008 by Dr. Val Jones in Uncategorized
Tags: Cancer, Research
3 Comments »
Revolution Health is always looking for creative ways to bring important health information to the public. This week, in honor of Mother’s Day, we’ve created a virtual women’s health expo – and we’ll donate to the featured non-profit organizations for every click you make.
So why not do some good for the following non-profits by visiting their booths at the virtual expo? This is the easiest way for you to support your favorite non-profit – you can even visit them in your pajamas. 
Y-Me National Breast Cancer Association
Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA)
National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
National Women’s Health Resource Center
The Wellness Community
Women’s Sports Foundation
Go Red For Women
Healthy Weight For Life
Society for Women’s Health Research
*Go to the Women’s Health Expo*
This post originally appeared on Dr. Val’s blog at RevolutionHealth.com.
May 5th, 2008 by Dr. Val Jones in Uncategorized
Tags: Hospitals, Research
No Comments »
I’m excited to be attending The Big Sleep Show in Chicago this Friday and Saturday, as Revolution Health is the Title Sponsor of the expo. I’ll be perched in a special sponsor booth, giving out frozen yogurt – so to all three of my Chicago-based blog fans: please meet me there!
To prepare for the event, I interviewed Reid Blank, Chief Executive of the Big Sleep Show, about sleep debt in America and how it impacts physicians. Enjoy the audio podcast or read his responses below.
Dr. Val: A recent poll at Revolution Health indicated that our viewers’ #1 health concern was “getting enough sleep.” Tell me a little bit about how America is doing with sleep debt, and how we compare to other countries.
Reid: As far as I can tell, America is not getting any better where sleep debt is concerned. Most Americans fall short of their ideal sleep requirements by an hour to an hour and a half per night. We have too much going on in our lives and sleep is the easiest thing to exclude. This is probably why the energy drink business has taken off like crazy – it’s now a 3.5 billion dollar industry – and it’s really growing in popularity among 18-23 year-olds. So we’re all looking for ways to solve our sleep debt.
In terms of other countries, there is not a lot of research comparing sleep debt between them, but it does seem that Asians are as sleep deprived as we are. In Europe they may be a little less so.
Dr. Val: There has been a lot of debate about how much sleep is enough. What’s your take on that?
Reid: It’s a little bit obvious, but basically you need as much sleep as feels right for you. On average we need about seven and a half to eight hours, but sleep needs follow a bell curve, so some people can get by on less than others.
Dr. Val: Are there any tests to help people figure out if they’re getting enough sleep?
Reid: Yes, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale is a good sleep debt questionnaire. Actually, at the Big Sleep Show we’ll be debuting the Glidewell Rapid Sleep Screener which is a web-based tool that allows people to find out (within a couple of minutes) whether or not they’re at risk for a sleep disorder. The National Sleep Foundation and the National Center on Sleep Disorders Research also have great websites where people can determine their level of sleep deprivation or whether or not they have a sleep disorder.
Dr. Val: I see that Google has special nap pods available for their employees. Do you think this is a good idea?
Reid: Absolutely. Napping is a great way to address sleep problems and can help to counter fatigue. Every day from 3-5pm we all have a “circadian slump” which is why there are siestas in Latin American cultures and “high tea” (the caffeine in the tea probably counter acts sleepiness) in England.
The National Sleep Foundation sponsored a poll recently and found that as many as 30% of employers were open to the idea of an employee nap program, but only 15% had any appropriate facilities for it. There’s still a bit of a disconnect between wanting to offer employee naps and being able to implement such a program.
Dr. Val: I’d like to see napping programs implemented in surgical residencies. Ha, ha.
Reid: Don’t laugh. At Alertness Solutions we worked with the Veterans Administration hospitals to conduct some pilot programs to put napping in the hospitals. As far as I know initial trials were very successful and they’re working on implementing napping now.
Dr. Val: As a physician, I was sleep deprived through much of my residency training. Some studies suggest that sleepy doctors are not a threat to patients. Do you agree with that?
Reid: Wow, I’m not aware of those studies but I suppose there’s always a counter argument. We’re all human beings and we operate on the same basic principles. We’re not biologically geared to stay up all night and sleep during the day. Shift work makes you tired and makes you prone to errors and accidents.
Some folks with large egos may feel that they’re resistant to fatigue. It’s like “The Right Stuff” syndrome where pilots and astronauts are beyond fatigue. Surgeons and doctors may share that attitude as well.
Dr. Val: Right, surgeons don’t experience the “circadian slump.” What is the Big Sleep Show and how will attendees benefit?
Reid: The Big Sleep Show is the first ever consumer health expo that’s solely devoted to sleep and alertness. It addresses a gap between the education that’s available and the access that consumers have to it. The show puts consumers face-to-face with experts both on the healthcare side and the industry side. They can attend dozens of workshops on a variety of topics such as how napping improves brain function or how you can be prettier by sleeping better.
Dr. Val: If people can’t attend the conference, how can they best educate themselves about their sleep concerns?
Reid: The nice thing is that we are debuting in Chicago but the plan is to create a model show that we can offer in other major cities across the country. We’ve been getting email from people around the country (and even Canada) who want to know how to host a sleep show in their own city. There are a lot of resources on our website, and I also highly recommend Revolution Health, The National Sleep Foundation and the National Center on Sleep Disorders Research.
*Listen to Dr. Val and Reid Blank discuss sleep*
*Join Revolution Health’s “Can’t Sleep Cafe” with neurologist Dr. Steve Poceta*
This post originally appeared on Dr. Val’s blog at RevolutionHealth.com.
