Make Decisions When You Have To Pee!

Okay friends, our time with solely Reader's Digest facts has come to an end for now. But don't fret! I am sure that we'll be learning more from it as the year progresses. I am just going to go back to posting tidbits from all over. It'll be fun, okay?

For the last in my Reader's Digest series, I wanted to include this gem from an article in their June 2012 issue called "4 Wacky Health Tips That Work":

Tip 1: Eat Sugar, Act Sweeter

Tip 2: Smellier Foods Help You Slim Down

Tip 3: Curse To Kill Pain [Faster]

Tip 4: Make Important Decisions When You (Really) Gotta Go

"People with full bladders may be better at making decisions, according to a Dutch study. If you show self-control in terms of a bodily function (such as going to the bathroom), you're more likely to show self-control in decision making, holding out for a long-term reward instead of jumping on an impulse."

So, if you felt discouraged with last week's post about decision fatigue, maybe this will help you know what to do when you're fatigued, but still really need to make the decision!

I'm curious to test the theory. I bet you get different results, though, if you tell the person "you can go to the bathroom as soon as you make this decision." In that case, the impulse may win!

:)

Hospital Emergency Codes

Have you ever wondered what the classic "Code Red" means when you hear it announced in the background of your favorite hospital television show? Or maybe you've actually heard a "code" announcement at your hospital?

Reader's Digest to the rescue! Below are the definitions of the common hospital codes that they published in their May 2012 issue (although codes can vary).

CODE:

RED: fire
BLUE: adult medical emergency
WHITE: pediatric medical emergency
PURPLE: child abduction
GRAY: combative person
SILVER: combative person with a weapon and/or hostage
YELLOW: bomb threat
PINK: infant abduction
ORANGE: hazardous-materials spill
BROWN: bed full of excrement

Actually, those all sound awful! Let's just hope and pray that we all only reference this guide because we hear them on tv!

"Decision Fatigue"

According to the May issue of Reader's Digest, "Decision Fatigue" has become a catchphrase. In their words:

[The definition]: The notion that the mental work of making decisions over and over again can warp your judgement and lead to poor choices. In one example, an Israeli study found that judges granted more parole requests early in the day than they did after making a series of rulings. According to the New York Times, "the more choices you make throughout the day, the harder each one becomes for your brain."

Of course, does everyone agree that granting parole requests is the "better" choice? :)

Luckily, it's all explained more thoroughly in the New York Time's article. To read it, click here. Lots of good learning to be had there! It seems like we probably all can relate to feeling worn out after using a lot of mental energy. Check it out!

Homemade Ice Packs

From the Reader's Digest December issue:

How To Make a Better Ice Pack

Pour 1 1/2 cups water and 1/2 cup rubbing alcohol in a ziploc freezer bag (quart size); seal the bag and throw it into the freezer. The alcohol will keep the water from freezing solid, leaving you with a moldable slush that conforms perfectly to knees and foreheads.

That sounds like a much easier and cheaper alternative to running out to the store to buy an ice pack next time you get hurt!

Prevent Hearing Loss

Here's a handy guide from Reader's Digest to help you know when you're listening to music too loudly:

One in five adolescents now suffers from hearing loss -- a 30% jump from just two decades ago. The loss is mild, but it means more teens are hearing only about as well as a typical 40- to 60-year-old. 

Playing music too loudly is partly to blame, experts believe. To avoid damage to your hearing, keep these numbers in mind:

• 60 : You can listen all day if you keep the volume at 60% of the max

• 80 for 90 : You can boost the volume to 80% for 90 minutes a day

• 100 for 5 : If you want to crank up the volume as high as it'll go, keep it short -- just 5 minutes a day

Here's to good hearing health!

What's A Hysterical Pregnancy?

Late in last season's hit sitcom 30 Rock, the character Jenna experienced a "hysterical pregnancy" during a gas leak, where she had all the signs of being pregnant without actually being pregnant.  I couldn't help but wonder... is that really a thing? 

Not only is it a thing, but women and men can experience it!

According to WebMD: 

False pregnancy, or pseudocyesis, is the belief that you are expecting a baby when you are not really carrying a child. People with pseudocyesis have many or all of the common symptoms of pregnancy [swollen belly, stopped menstruation, feelings of fetal movement, nausea/vomiting, milk production, etc] with the exception of an actual fetus.  

This condition is very rare, occurring in only 1 to 6 out of every 22,000 births.  It is most common in women aged 20 to 44, although it can affect women of all ages. 

In rare cases, even men can have a false pregnancy. Some men experience a related phenomenon known as couvade, or sympathetic pregnancy. They will develop many of the same symptoms as their pregnant partners -- including weight gain, nausea, and backache.

People suffering from a false pregnancy can sometimes even test positive on pregnancy tests!

What can cause hysterical (false) pregnancy?

According to an article in the NY Times:

Though scientists are still largely baffled about what causes it in humans, recent case studies and studies of similar conditions in animals are beginning to provide insight, exploring the role of hormones and psychology.  

Psychiatrists have suggested that pseudocyesis occurs in patients who desperately want to become pregnant — or who have a strong desire to be involved in a family member’s pregnancy experience.   

In a recent issue of the journal Psychosomatics, Dr. Biju Basil, a psychiatrist at Drexel University, reported a case of a woman who went through false delivery at the same time her son’s girlfriend was giving birth. "She started having labor pains..." Dr. Basil speculated that “she wanted to [subconsciously] play a more active part in this new life that was coming into the world.”  

Still, for all the theories about false pregnancy’s origins in the subconscious, biological studies suggest it may be in part hormonally mediated as well... Case studies at the University of Michigan and elsewhere indicate that many patients have elevated levels of hormones like estrogen and prolactin — compounds that can cause physical symptoms like abdominal swelling and milk excretion...  

This raises the possibility that pseudocyesis is the result of a delicate mind-body feedback loop: an initial emotional state induces abnormal hormone secretion, which in turn has its own physical and psychological effects... anxiety may be one emotional state that helps set this feedback loop in motion.

Wow.  That's incredible. False pregnancy has written about since at least 300 BC!  The human body is a crazy thing.

And what's stranger -- dogs have much higher instances of false pregnancy than humans!

Is DDT Dangerous?

DDT, the chemical used as a bug and mosquito repellent in farming, has been pretty controversial since started being more widely used in the 1950s & 60s. People believe that it's been a cause of cancer and possibly worse.  Recently I read some research to the contrary:

Despite [DDT's] overuse, there was no surge in cancer or any other human injury. Scientists found no evidence that spraying DDT seriously hurt people. 

It did cause some harm: It threatened bird populations by thinning the shells of their eggs. 

In 1962, the book Silent Spring by Rachel Carson make the damage famous and helped instill our fear of chemicals. The book raised some serious questions about the use of DDT, but the legitimate nature of those questions was lost in the media feeding frenzy that followed. DDT was a "Killer Chemical!" and the press was off on another fear campaign. 

It turns out DDT itself wasn't the problem -- the problem was that much too much was sprayed... 

In the late 1950s we sprayed DDT indiscriminately, but it only takes a tiny amount to prevent the spread of malaria. If sprayed on the walls of an African hut, a small amount will keep mosquitoes at bay for a year. That makes it a wonderful malaria fighter. But today DDT is rarely used to fight malaria because environmentalists' demonization of it causes others to shun it.

It's interesting how media coverage of a chemical can influence people's views on it more than science can. If the above paragraphs are true, it's tragic, considering how many people die of malaria each year...

[source: Myths, Lies, and Downright Stupidity by John Stossel]

The Benefits of Blemishes

Prevention Magazine claims that acne might not be all bad:

Researchers from the UK's University of Bristol tracked about 10,000 male college students for 30 years or more and found that those who suffered from severe breakouts as young adults were a third less likely to die from coronary heart disease.

Androgens -- hormones involved in acne -- may help prevent the narrowing of arteries, says study author Bruna Galobardes, MD. The findings may lead to androgen-related therapies to prevent heart disease.

Oh, man, I hope this is true! :)

(side note: if they give people androgens to prevent heart disease, will the patients get pimples? maybe it'd be worth it?)

Prevent Jellyfish Stings

For those of you lucky ones who get to live on or visit the ocean this summer, Lifehacker shared a really easy way to prevent jellyfish stings: pantyhose!

Apparently, some short stingers can't penetrate the tight weave of pantyhose. And other stingers are triggered by contact with skin, which can't happen with the pantyhose in the way.

Although I can't imagine most people adding nylon sleeves and such to their bathing suits, I bet this is particularly helpful to those who like to scuba dive or spend a lot of time observing ocean life. I mean, they are likely to wear a wet-suit anyway, right?

Lifehacker also included a helpful tip for if you do get stung: use a blowdryer on the hottest setting you can stand (without burning your skin) to dry out the stingers. After the heat is applied, you can scrap the stingers off with a razor.

In case you don't have a blowdryer handy at the beach or on your boat, I learned a quick way to ease the sting after I got stung myself: a spritz of vinegar. The local lifeguard had some on hand just for that purpose, and it worked beautifully. Whatever you do, the lifeguard said, don't rinse it with freshwater or it'll just irritate it more; you can rinse with salt water if you need to.

(Of course, seek a professional opinion about the kind of jellyfish you'll be swimming with - you want to seek immediate medical attention if the jellyfish sting could potentially be life-threatening!)

Safe swimming!

Naps Help Improve Your Memory

EurekAlert has posted a study that states that naps can dramatically improve your memory retention, particularly when trying to recall something you learned earlier that day.

Here's the Lifehacker summary:

"At noon, all the participants [39 healthy, young adults] were subjected to a rigorous learning task intended to tax the hippocampus, a region of the brain that helps store fact-based memories. Both groups performed at comparable levels.

At 2 p.m., the nap group took a 90-minute siesta while the no-nap group stayed awake. Later that day, at 6 p.m., participants performed a new round of learning exercises. Those who remained awake throughout the day became worse at learning. In contrast, those who napped did markedly better and actually improved in their capacity to learn."

This study suggests that if you're trying to cram in facts you need to recall later, a same-day nap before your last-minute cram might be more helpful than powering through your day with nervous energy.

Here's yet another reason why you should consider incorporating a "siesta" into your day!

Cat Scratch Fever

The other day, I was playing with my friends' cat and she scratched me across the lip. As I tried to stop the bleeding, the phrase "cat scratch fever" entered my mind and I had no idea what it meant.

For an answer, I looked to my favorite disease controlling center- the, uh, Centers For Disease Control:

Cat scratch disease (CSD) is a bacterial disease caused by Bartonella henselae. Most people with CSD have been bitten or scratched by a cat and developed a mild infection at the point of injury. Lymph nodes, especially those around the head, neck, and upper limbs, become swollen. Additionally, a person with CSD may experience fever, headache, fatigue, and a poor appetite. Rare complications of B. henselae infection are bacillary angiomatosis and Parinaud's oculolandular syndrome.

It's typically cured by antibiotics and is really only dangerous for people with a compromised immune system.

Hmmm. Not as exciting and/or as crazy as I thought it would be. It's no taxoplasmosis... but then again, nothing really is thankfully. :) At least it's not worth being too concerned over!

Burn Calories By Tapping Your Foot

Worried about the few extra pounds you may have picked up recently? Lifehacker just posted this easy advice that they learned from MSN's Shaun Chavis:

Tap your foot. Your skinnier friends are probably fidgeters, who burn up to 350 calories a day just by tapping their feet or being restless. Try it for a few days. Walk around while you're on the phone, or tap out a tune with your hands or feet (in the privacy of your own office, of course).

Seems simple enough, right? Plus, it'll give you a good excuse to dance a little at your desk to any new tunes you acquired this season!

Laughter's A Great Medicine!

Looking for a way to stay healthy during this cold-and-flu season? Try a daily doses of comedy!

According to an article in Woman's Health magazine, laughter...

... raises levels of disease-fighting immunoglobulins by 14 percent

... helps people deal with or forget their physical pain

... increases circulation about as much as a treadmill session

... sharpens creative thinking and ability to recall information

... helps people to effectively adapt to changing circumstances

... produces the feel-good neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain

... helps people bond with new people and read their emotions more accurately

What does all this add up to? Certainly the potential for less stress, improved health, and better relationships. It's not too often that something so enjoyable can be so good for you, so laugh as much as you want! :)

Bitsy's laughing. So can you!

Old-Timey Diseases Defined

Have you ever watched a movie or read a book that mentioned a vague disease and you had no idea what it was? When it happens to me, I typically just make up the symptoms and causes in my head... and I frequently learn later that I am very wrong!

So if you're like I am, hopefully these definitions will help you!

1. The Vapors

origin: Victorian times, mid to late 1800's

ailment: Nervous disorder such as hysteria, typically in women

symptoms: anxiety, depression, bloating, fainting, loss of appetite, tremors, digestive issues, gas, and behavioral problems

causes: sometimes psychosomatic, sometimes a result of cancers, depression, underlying infections, and lacing corsets too tightly

2. Scurvy

origin: 4th Century BC

ailment: Malnutrition, a lack of plasma in the blood

symptoms: Fatigue, nausea, muscle pain, bloody and swollen gums, loose teeth, anemia, bruising, dry skin, and rashes

causes: Vitamin C deficiency

3. Consumption

origin: Defined in 460 BC; though cases were reported much earlier

ailment: Tuberculosis

symptoms: Weight loss, low energy, poor appetite, fever, cough, and night sweats

causes: Passed from person to person by saliva or mucus

4. Gout

origin: First written description by Egyptians in 2600 BC

ailment: Severe arthritis

symptoms: Excruciating, sudden, and burning pain, and swelling, redness, warmth, and stiffness in the affected joint or tissue, and fever

causes: Too much uric acid in one's blood (either naturally or in foods such as liver, sweetbreads, anchovies, beef, lentils, cauliflower, etc)

5. Rickets

origin: Reported in ancient times, but defined around the Industrial Revolution

ailment: Malnutrition, the softening of bones

symptoms: Bone pain or tenderness, dental problems, muscle spasms or weakness, bone fractures, deformities, and growth disturbances

causes: Vitamin D deficiency, possibly also a calcium deficiency

Wow, I feel more knowledgeable, but I don't know if I feel better after looking up all of those diseases up! Thank goodness for modern diets and medicine!

Alien Hand Syndrome

We've all read horror stories or watched science fiction movies where a hand of one of the characters turns against him or others involuntarily. Apparently there's an actual syndrome that can cause that calamity!

Alien Hand Syndrome happens when there is unusual damage to the brain, sometimes following surgery, stroke, or an infection. Sufferers of the neurological condition usually retain feeling of the hand, but not the movement. Many say that their hand appears to "have a mind of its own", and it can "perform complex acts such as undoing buttons, removing clothing, and manipulating tools"!

Much like in movies such as Dr. Strangelove, the afflicted typically has to use his or her other hand to keep the "alien hand" at bay.

The human brain is unbelievable!

The "Bright" Side To Morning Sickness?

There's hope for nauseous mothers-to-be!

I heard on NPR's "Wait, Wait... Don't Tell Me" that a recent study concluded that mothers who experienced morning sickness during pregnancy gave birth to babies with higher IQs!

An article in the UK's Telegraph corroborates:

"The same hormones which make expectant mothers feel ill could help their baby's development, doctors believe.

Children were more likely to do better in intelligence tests if their mothers had experienced nausea and vomiting during pregnancy...

Scientists believe that the sickness could be a by-product of changes in the levels of certain hormones, known as HCG (human chronic gonadotropin) and thyroxine, during pregnancy.

These fluctuations help the body to ensure that a woman's placenta grows properly, delivering vital nutrients to her baby."

More research must be done to figure out exactly what's going on, but it's an encouraging start. Hang in there, sick moms, it may be well worth it!

Benefits of Coffee!

As I have gotten older, I have developed a little bit of a coffee addiction. :) I just can't stay awake like I used to! Plus, since I got used to the taste, all it takes is one whiff of a brewing pot and I am a goner...

I know that there can be a lot of issues with drinking coffee - caffeine addiction, teeth stains, etc - but today, since I had to wake up at 7am, I want to focus on the health benefits of a good old cup of joe.

Coffee can...

1. reduce your risk of diabetes, Parkinson's Disease, gallstones, cirrhosis, and colon, breast, skin, and liver cancers!

2. relieve headaches!

3. lower your risk of cavities!

4. contribute to your sense of well-being and happiness!

5. relieve muscle soreness!

6. clean out your liver!

7. decrease your chance of dying from heart disease!

8. help prevent memory loss!

(I added the exclamation points because that's how I say my sentences after drinking coffee!)

Many of these benefits come from coffee's high level of caffeine (which is about twice that of cola). But coffee also contains antioxidants (six times more than bananas), which we all know are vital to good health!

Of course, coffee is best consumed in moderation (probably less than 4 cups a day), and without a lot of cream and sugar. But I'll happily take what I can get!

Drink on, coffee lovers!

(from WebMD, Reader's Digest, and EcoSalon)

Autumny Allergy

The other day, I felt like I was experiencing seasonal allergies for the first time. I mentioned it to a friend who chuckled, thinking I was joking. She asked, "Allergies in the fall? Are there things even growing now?"

Oh yes. Yes there are.

Since then I have experienced my fair of sneezing and swollen passages, and what feels like an insatiable itch in my runny nose. In case you're like me and suspect that you've just developed fall allergies, here's what they could be caused by:

1. Ragweed (which can travel hundreds of miles by wind)

2. Mold Spores (which thrive in cold damp environments)

3. Dust Mites (which can get stirred up when you turn on your furnace)

4. Pollen (which plants can release from March until October)

Also, maybe you think you're getting something like the swine flu because you are feeling a bit stuffy these days. It may actually be allergies. The symptoms typically include:

1. Runny nose (check!)

2. Watery eyes

3. Sneezing (check!)

4. Coughing

5. Itchy eyes and nose (check check!)

6. Dark circles under the eyes (always check!)

If you're feeling bogged down by allergies this season, try these tips:

1. Take an OTC antihistamine or a decongestant.

2. Stay indoors during peak allergy hours (morning for pollen, afternoon for mold).

3. Use a humidifier in your home.

4. Get your ducts cleaned.

5. Use a HEPA filter in your furnace to trap airborne allergens.

6. Wear a dust mask when raking leaves or mowing the lawn.

Hope this helps! Good luck!

(thanks WebMD)

Migraines May Be Good For Something

According to a new study of over 9000 women, women who have migraines may have a 26% lower risk of getting breast cancer (even if they take a daily medicine to prevent them!).

As a migraine-suffering woman myself, this puts a very positive spin on a very awful condition!