What are the latest and greatest health-related products? How can I spice up my ho-hum workout? Are the new nutritious food products and health-focused restaurants worth my money? If you're asking any of these questions you've found the right spot!Note: While I'm a journalist with a Bachelor's degree in kinesiology and am a Certified Health Education Specialist, I don't replace the guidance/counseling that comes from a good chat with your doctor or dietitian. For more information, feel free to contact me at karlaswalsh@gmail.com!
Healthful Bites
Dilly-Dally at Dinner
Countless studies have reported the effects of eating slower. Taking your time at the table increases satisfaction, allows your brain and stomach to register the food consumed and can help you to avoid eating out of necessity when in a group (hey, if everyone else is still eating, I better go for seconds)!
Slowing down while eating is also important because it gives time for your body to release hormones that make your stomach feel full, so says new research published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. During the study, participants ate ice cream either quickly or slowly—the poor quick eaters left feeling less full and probably had killer ice cream headaches too!
Prior to this study, scientists had known that hormones play a role in feeling full. The new bit of knowledge gained from this study is that the rate at which you eat can affect the amount and timing of hormone release.
They eat so fast, do you think competitive eaters feel full afterwards?
(Photo from si.com’s Extra Mustard Blog)
Texting’s Not Always the Enemy
Lately the war against text messaging has hit the road, and texting has been dealt some major negative PR. But healthcare workers are teaming up with a technology program called CareSpeak to give some positive press to text messaging.
Adherence to medications increases when a patient is texted with reminders, reports research from Mount Sinai Hospital discussed in the New York Times. Teens especially benefit from this service, as in the past, this population has had a hard time making health issues “hit home.” Since teens often feel invincible, medication often falls by the wayside. This can be a huge issue among young transplant patients, the NYT article explains. (Plus teens are much more comfortable with cell phone technologies than, say, seniors).
CareSpeak texts reminders to patients when it is time to take their medicine and this simple message increases the likelihood that medicine is taken. Patients can tailor the messages to arrive at the time that is best for their schedules and are required to respond to the message, confirming that they took their medication, within one hour. If CareSpeak doesn’t hear back, the healthcare professional or parents will be contacted. While this seems a little bit “tattle tale,” I really appreciate the fact that this program is preventative (making sure patients take their medicine) rather than reactive and totally treatment based (we’ll just deal with the problem that comes from skipping medicine after the patient feels the effects of med-neglect).
Cool things to watch related to this program: developers are hoping to send photos of the pill patients should take along with the message and refill reminders may also become a part of the text plan.
What do you think: is this be pesky or practical?
(Image from Neighborhood Crime Map)
Water cooler conversation starter: Are good sprinters born or made? Hard to say, but researchers at Penn State suggest that long toes and an optimal ankle tendon length can make runners more successful sprinters. Do you think genetics or training has a larger role in your innate athletic abilities?
