How Much Sleep Do You Really Need? - TIME

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How Much Sleep Do You Really Need?

By Laura Blue Friday, Jun. 06, 2008

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TIME talks to Daniel Kripke, of California's Scripps Clinic Sleep Center, about how a night's sleep can prolong

#151;or shorten

#151;your life

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Q: How much sleep is ideal?

A: Studies show that people who sleep between 6.5 hr. and 7.5 hr. a night, as they report, live the longest. And people who sleep 8 hr. or more, or less than 6.5 hr., they don't live quite as long. There is just as much risk associated with sleeping too long as with sleeping too short. The big surprise is that long sleep seems to start at 8 hr. Sleeping 8.5 hr. might really be a little worse than sleeping 5 hr.

Morbidity [or sickness] is also "U-shaped" in the sense that both very short sleep and very long sleep are associated with many illnesses—with depression, with obesity—and therefore with heart disease—and so forth. But the [ideal amount of sleep] for different health measures isn't all in the same place. Most of the low points are at 7 or 8 hr., but there are some at 6 hr. and even at 9 hr. I think diabetes is lowest in 7-hr. sleepers [for example]. But these measures aren't as clear as the mortality data.

I think we can speculate [about why people who sleep from 6.5 to 7.5 hr. live longer], but we have to admit that we don't really understand the reasons. We don't really know yet what is cause and what is effect. So we don't know if a short sleeper can live longer by extending their sleep, and we don't know if a long sleeper can live longer by setting the alarm clock a bit earlier. We're hoping to organize tests of those questions.

One of the reasons I like to publicize these facts is that I think we can prevent a lot of insomnia and distress just by telling people that short sleep is O.K. We've all been told you ought to sleep 8 hr., but there was never any evidence. A very common problem we see at sleep clinics is people who spend too long in bed. They think they should sleep 8 or 9 hr., so they spend [that amount of time] in bed, with the result that they have trouble falling asleep and wake up a lot during the night. Oddly enough, a lot of the problem [of insomnia] is lying in bed awake, worrying about it. There have been many controlled studies in the U.S., Great Britain and other parts of Europe that show that an insomnia treatment that involves getting out of bed when you're not sleepy and restricting your time in bed actually helps people to sleep more. They get over their fear of the bed. They get over the worry, and become confident that when they go to bed, they will sleep. So spending less time in bed actually makes sleep better. It is in fact a more powerful and effective long-term treatment for insomnia than sleeping pills.

via time.com

It obviously depends on person, but in general we don't get enough.

Posted via web from wholefamilyjoy's posterous

re Class III at Willowcreek NorthShore.Wrapping UP Magnetic Families,Obstacles to Joy;grumpy kids,parental being over technique,can't give what

Wrapping up Magnetic Families, Whole Family JOY

Obstacles to Joy; 

Focus on Circumstances. How to avoid the Buzz kill flu.

Grumpy kids, Marriage as the second child.

Vicious cycles, virtuous cycles

Parental being over technique,

Let's talk about technique; WIN WIN;

Judo moves,

Pick your battles carefully, but when you have them, ALWAYS WIN.

It's ok to negotiate. 

What you sound like to your children when you are grumpy. 

Can't give what you don't have.Get it and don't settle.

An interview about the importance of touch. 

Eat from the banquet of JOY PRAXIS 

Making an action plan: Rest more, do less. 

Eat what you enjoy, Exercise more. 

Watch less TV, Make LOVE MORE; Gotcha. 

Focus on the now, not the woulda shoulda coulda.

Dream on, 

I say it again Rejoice, and Delight yourself in the Lord and He will Give you the Desires of your heart. 

Embracing a Savior, our Emmanuel. 

John C Kim MD and Thea N Kim, mother of 4 delicious children. 

Remember to invite your friends. 

www.kiddoc.ORG
www.wholefamilyjoy.com
 

Posted via email from wholefamilyjoy's posterous

the Il recs are a bit dif from the natl cdc recs;they are rec suspec swine flu, stay home, but if kids under 5; should consider tx

April 29, 2009

State Public Health Director Announces 9 Probable Cases of Swine Flu in Illinois   Proclamation issued to ensure medicine and medical supplies are readily available   SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Dr. Damon T. Arnold, Illinois Department of Public Health Director, announced there are currently nine probable cases of swine flu in Illinois: five in Cook County (all within the Chicago city limits), one in DuPage County, two in Kane County and one in Lake County. A probable case means the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has tested a specimen and found that it is positive for influenza A, but it could not be subtyped. The Department has shipped three of the nine probable cases to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to perform final testing to confirm if the cases are positive for swine flu, and the other six will be shipped later day. The federal government has declared a health emergency and identified a potential threat to the health and safety of the citizens of Illinois.  A Gubernatorial Proclamation issued by Governor Pat Quinn Tuesday allows for the mobilization of state assets, as the Governor deems necessary, to aid in the distribution of medical supplies and other actions needed to protect public’s health and safety. “Our goals during this public health emergency are to quickly identify cases of swine flu and reduce the spread and severity of the illness,” said Dr. Arnold. “The Governor’s proclamation is not cause for alarm but simply allows us to be proactive and distribute medicines and medical supplies from the state and federal stockpiles to hospitals and local health departments across the state so they are available when they are needed.” U.S. Health and Homeland Security officials have released a quarter of the country's Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) to be shipped to every state. Illinois is expecting to receive its shipment sometime this week. The SNS contains large quantities of medicine and medical supplies to protect the American public in the event of a public health emergency, such as the swine flu outbreak. Included in the SNS are antiviral drugs, Tamiflu and Relenza, as well as surgical masks, gloves and gowns. Illinois has developed plans to receive and distribute SNS medicine and medical supplies to local communities as quickly as possible. Once the SNS reaches Illinois, approximately 200 Illinois National Guard members will repackage the supplies into smaller shipments and Illinois Department of Transportation trucks will distribute those shipments to state facilities in all areas of Illinois outside the City of Chicago. Chicago has its own stockpile and receives its own SNS from the federal government due to the size of population. Once the smaller shipments reach state facilities across Illinois, they will then be distributed to local health departments and hospitals to be dispensed as needed. The Department will issue guidance on how medicine will be given out when it’s needed. “The swine flu situation is rapidly evolving and we fully expect to see cases in Illinois.  The Department and its public health partners, including local health departments, hospitals and emergency departments, are on full alert to watch for possible cases.  We are prepared to act swiftly to assure early detection and to respond in the event a case or cases are identified to limit its spread,” said Dr. Arnold. The Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) continues to closely monitor the developing situation and is taking steps to ensure response plans can be activated quickly if necessary. In addition to coordinating closely with Dr. Arnold, IEMA Director Andrew Velasquez, III has participated in several situation briefings with the Department of Homeland Security. IEMA alerted state agency liaisons to the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) of the developing situation over the weekend, and on Monday afternoon the liaisons met to discuss potential response actions. State emergency management officials are also in contact with local emergency management agencies throughout the state to make them aware of developments and ensure that they are prepared to deal with a potential flu outbreak in Illinois. Dr. Arnold recommends people who have flu-like symptoms, fever with a cough or sore throat, should stay home for seven days after the onset of illness or at least 24 hours after the symptoms go away, whichever is longer. People with symptoms who wish to seek medical care should contact their health care provider by phone before going to a clinic, physician’s office or hospital. If someone is having difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, or are believed to be severely ill, they should seek immediate medical attention. Dr. Arnold said the public should follow some common sense precautions to avoid getting sick or, if sick, infecting others: Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your arm. Wash your hands often with soap and water – especially after you cough and sneeze.  You can also use alcohol-based hand cleaners. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth – that’s how germs are spread. If you get sick – stay home from work or school and limit your contact with other people to avoid infecting them. Parents should follow these same recommendations for their children. The Department will continually update information on swine flu on its Web site at www.idph.state.il.us and also the www.ready.illinois.gov Web site.

Posted via email from wholefamilyjoy's posterous

Swine flu for parents by cdc

http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/parents.htm?s_cid=tw_epr_83
 
 
John C Kim MD
Sent telepathically from imind. A man So cutting edge,he sometimes falls off.
Www.kiddoc.org

Posted via email from wholefamilyjoy's posterous

re what to do when faced with high viral loads, Phil 4 v 6; Enjoy your life, your health, live the day very very well.

 

Posted via email from wholefamilyjoy's posterous

CDC - Swine Influenza (Flu) | Interim Guidance for Clinicians on the Prevention and Treatment of Swine-Origin Influenza Virus Infection in Young Children

Interim Guidance for Clinicians on the Prevention and Treatment of Swine-Origin Influenza Virus Infection in Young Children

via cdc.gov

Bottom line, is that the paradigm has changed; we never have treated anyone under 1 yr ,basically these guidelines promote use of tamiflu or relenza in children down to 3 months, and preventative or prophylaxis down to that age. Uncharted waters.

Posted via web from wholefamilyjoy's posterous

CDC -This is tip of iceberg, unfortunately in my opinion. THis is a very efficient transmitter, and my concern is how it will mutate.

Swine Influenza (Flu)

Swine Flu website last updated April 29, 11:00 AM ET

U.S. Human Cases of Swine Flu Infection
(As of April 29, 2009, 11:00 AM ET)

States	# of laboratory confirmed cases	Deaths
Arizona	1
California	14
Indiana	1
Kansas	2
Massachusetts	2
Michigan	2
Nevada	1
New York City	51
Ohio	1
Texas	16	1
TOTAL COUNTS	91 cases	1 death
International Human Cases of Swine Flu Infection See: World Health Organization

The outbreak of disease in people caused by a new influenza virus of swine origin continues to grow in the United States and internationally. Today, CDC reports additional confirmed human infections, hospitalizations and the nation’s first fatality from this outbreak. The more recent illnesses and the reported death suggest that a pattern of more severe illness associated with this virus may be emerging in the U.S. Most people will not have immunity to this new virus and, as it continues to spread, more cases, more hospitalizations and more deaths are expected in the coming days and weeks.

CDC has implemented its emergency response. The agency’s goals are to reduce transmission and illness severity, and provide information to help health care providers, public health officials and the public address the challenges posed by the new virus. Yesterday, CDC issued new interim guidance for clinicians on how to care for children and pregnant women who may be infected with this virus. Young children and pregnant women are two groups of people who are at high risk of serious complications from seasonal influenza. In addition, CDC’s Division of the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) continues to send antiviral drugs, personal protective equipment, and respiratory protection devices to all 50 states and U.S. territories to help them respond to the outbreak. The swine influenza A (H1N1) virus is susceptible to the prescription antiviral drugs oseltamivir and zanamivir. This is a rapidly evolving situation and CDC will provide updated guidance and new information as it becomes available.

via cdc.gov

This is tip of iceberg, unfortunately in my opinion. THis is a very efficient transmitter, and my concern is how it will mutate.

Posted via web from wholefamilyjoy's posterous

Swine Flu Vaccine May Be Months Away, Experts Say - NYTimes.com

Swine Flu Vaccine May Be Months Away, Experts Say

And beyond the United States and a few other countries that also make vaccines, some experts said it could take years to produce enough swine flu vaccine to satisfy global demand.

Although production is much faster than would have been possible even a few years ago, it still may not be in time to avert death and illness if the virus starts spreading widely and becomes more virulent, some experts said.

In this country, the biggest problem is that despite years of effort, the country is still relying on half-century-old technology to make the flu vaccines.

Federal authorities have spent years and more than a billion dollars trying to shift vaccine production to a faster, more reliable method — one that involves growing the vaccine viruses in vats of cells rather than in hen’s eggs, the old technology. And there are numerous small companies developing totally new approaches that might allow for the production of huge volumes of vaccines in a matter of weeks.

But the cell-based production is not quite ready, and some of the newer techniques are not proven enough to satisfy many experts.

“Those are all great technologies, but it isn’t going to happen in time,” said Dr. Greg Poland, head of the vaccine research program at the Mayo Clinic.

Federal officials have not yet made a decision on whether the swine flu is enough of a threat to warrant vaccine production. But they are taking the initial steps.

A potential problem is that producing swine flu vaccine might interfere with production of the seasonal flu vaccine for next winter.

“We would have to most likely make a compromise,” Andrin Oswald, chief executive of the vaccine division at the drug maker Novartis, said in an interview.

But Robin Robinson, who runs the emergency preparation research program for the federal Department of Health and Human Services, said most manufacturers would have finished producing the bulk of seasonal vaccine by June.

If production of the swine flu vaccine were to start right after that, the first 50 million to 80 million doses would be available by September, Dr. Robinson said.

A full 600 million doses, enough to provide the required two shots for each American, could be finished by January. If immune stimulants called adjuvants were added to the vaccine, that could reduce the dosage needed by each person, allowing enough doses to be ready by late November, he said.

The vaccine industry is in a much stronger position to respond now than it was five years ago, when the United States had only two flu vaccine suppliers and was hit by a severe shortage.

Now there are five suppliers to the domestic market. And the vaccine industry, once a backwater of the pharmaceutical industry, is attracting new investments, lured by government subsidies and higher prices for vaccines.

Still, a study done with the World Health Organization and the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations estimated that it would probably take four years of production to satisfy fully global demand for a vaccine to protect against the bird flu strain that has concerned health authorities for the last few years.

Similar projections might apply to the swine flu vaccine, some experts say.

“The bottom line is there won’t be enough vaccine quickly enough and the vaccine will largely go to the countries that already produce the vaccine,” because countries will restrict exports in a pandemic, said Dr. David Fedson, an independent expert on pandemic preparedness.

The federal government is encouraging manufacturers to set up production in the United States, since all companies but one, Sanofi-Aventis, now import their flu vaccines.

The government also gave $1.3 billion, spread among several manufacturers, to develop ways of producing the vaccine in vats of animal cells rather than in eggs. Cell culture is less vulnerable to contamination and the process could save at least a few weeks.

The results so far have been mixed. Solvay, which was awarded the biggest federal grant, nearly $300 million, decided it was economically too risky to build a flu vaccine plant in the United States. (Most of the grant money had not yet left federal coffers and will not be lost, Dr. Robinson said.) Sanofi-Aventis has also put cell culture production on the back burner, Dr. Robinson said.

But Novartis is building a cell culture flu vaccine factory in Holly Springs, N.C., which might be ready for use in 2010 or 2011. The federal government is providing nearly $500 million in construction costs and guaranteed vaccine purchases.

via nytimes.com

It will be a very dramatic race

Posted via web from wholefamilyjoy's posterous

Sleep problems, mainly insomnia cause tension headaches, and headaches, can lead to insomnia vicsious cycles

Sleep Disturbance Linked to Tension Headache

Laurie Barclay, MD

Authors and Disclosures

via medscape.com

Posted via web from wholefamilyjoy's posterous

The Symptoms of Swine Flu ;how is swine different than regular flu; think headache, body aches, fever, and diarrhea, the worst. argh

via well.blogs.nytimes.com

In kids ,flu symptoms are hard to figure, because they sometime have diarrhea with flu symptoms, in adults, diarrhea is unusual with aches, chills, and fever. Gotta think swine.

Posted via web from wholefamilyjoy's posterous

My predictions for swine flu

Here's what I think will happen with swine flu.  As of this writing, Monday, April 27 there are five states affected with 20 cases. Generally, there is a direct connection between transmission and travel to Mexico. However the swine flu appears to be fairly efficiently transmitted between people. And it is likely to spread fairly rapidly over the next several weeks. The virus has killed between 20 and 100 people in Mexico. Several thousand people had appeared to have been made ill. This is probably a fairly significant underestimation. There is no reason to think that in crossing the border, the virus will be nicer to Americans. But who knows? There will likely be documented cases found in Illinois over the next several weeks. Nationally, there will likely to be a handful of swine flu related deaths. This will intensify national hysteria.
The virus so far appears to be effectively well controlled by the two most common antiviral flu medications, Relenza and Tamiflu. They have some side effects that are generally well tolerated.
The question will come up, whether to treat or not, just to stay home or not. I think around here, people will want to be treated. There may be sporadic reports of Tamiflu or Relenza shortages and will increase anxiety. Whenever there are shortages of anything people sometimes freak out. There probably will be plenty of Tamiflu as we did not use nearly as much as we did last year and the CDC has stockpiled 50 million doses. However, there may be local and transient shortages and that will add to the excitement.
The interesting thing about the Mexican experience is that most of the severe cases and deaths involved healthy young adults. This echoes the 1918 influenza pandemic signature. The most vulnerable populations typically, i.e. the youngest kids and oldest adults appear not to have been severely affected.
Currently, as of this morning the CDC is generally recommending home isolation of cases as most cases appear to be fairly mild. They want us to stay at home for seven days after becoming ill. Or at least 24 hours after symptoms have resolved whichever is longer. 

How information will  be transmitted will be interesting. I predict a twitter storm of swine flu information and it will be useful/hazardous mode of communicating public health information/panic about swine flu. 

NYTimes: It’s Time to Make a Coffee Run

From The New York Times:

PERSONAL BEST: It's Time to Make a Coffee Run
By GINA KOLATA

Caffeine is one of the few performance enhancers that are not banned
by the World Anti-Doping Agency, and studies have proved that it does
work in athletes' favor....

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/26/health/nutrition/26best.html

Get The New York Times on your iPhone for free by visiting http://nytimes.com/iphoneinstaller

Sent from my iPhone

NYTimes: Students Give Up Wheels for Their Own Two Feet

From The New York Times:

Students Give Up Wheels for Their Own Two Feet
By ELISABETH ROSENTHAL

To confront childhood obesity, traffic and car emissions, a city in
Italy is encouraging its children to walk to school....

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/27/world/europe/27bus.html

Get The New York Times on your iPhone for free by visiting http://nytimes.com/iphoneinstaller

Sent from my iPhone

Bug Crazy: Assessing The Benefits of Probiotics   1/13/2009 8:21 PM  from  http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123180831081775767.html
Bug Crazy: Assessing The Benefits of Probiotics By LAURA JOHANNES Bacteria are everywhere, and in the view of many people that's a good thing. Many medical experts believe that consuming healthy bacteria, called probiotics, improves the body's overall balance of good versus bad micro-organisms, boosting general health. But nutritionists warn that not all the probiotic-containing products found on store shelves provide the health benefits they claim. Companies have sought to attract health-conscious consumers in recent years by putting probiotics in products as diverse as yogurt, juices, muffins and even pizza, as well as in dietary supplements. Last year, 231 new probiotic-containing products hit grocery and pharmacy shelves, up from just 34 in 2005, according to market-research firm Datamonitor PLC. Lindsay Holmes/The Wall Street Journal Probiotics are found in products ranging from yogurt and ice cream to snacks and supplements. To be sure, some regular foods contain healthy bacteria, from common yogurt to naturally fermented pickles. But pasteurization has eliminated much of the flora found in modern foods. The recent boom in probiotic products reflects an effort to re-introduce bacteria believed to promote good health. Probiotics are generally considered safe to eat, but scientists say people with immune deficiencies should consult their doctor first. Companies that sell products with added probiotics claim they offer a range of health benefits, from helping with digestion to boosting the immune system and preventing cavities. Some of the claims are based on reputable scientific study. But others are unproved, and advertising pitches are sometimes exaggerated. The quality of probiotic supplements also varies widely. As a result, consumers might have a difficult time choosing among a host of products. Of several hundred probiotic-product lines on the market in North America, "15 to 20 have clinical studies behind them," says Gregor Reid, a professor of microbiology at the University of Western Ontario's Lawson Research Institute. Probiotics are defined as "live micro-organisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit," according to 2002 guidelines developed by the World Health Organization and the United Nations. Exactly how this works isn't fully understood, but scientists believe that good types of bacteria have long lived in symbiosis with humans and that the positive health effects may have evolved over time. In choosing a probiotic, consumers should look for products that list a specific strain of bacteria on their label or on a Web site. Look for three names -- in Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, for example, the final two letters identify the strain. The GG strain has been well tested scientifically and has shown health benefits. A product that simply uses the first two names may include a similar, but not identical, bacterium that doesn't have the same science behind it. The best evidence is when the actual product -- not just the bacterium -- has been tested in humans. Such studies are sometimes posted on manufacturers' Web sites. Otherwise, consumers can do an Internet search of the specific bacterial strain to see if there is credible evidence of a product's health claims. This can take some legwork. Say, for example, you want information on the active bacteria in Activia, a probiotic-enhanced yogurt from DannonCo. The product label identifies the strain as Bifidus Regularis, but this is only a marketing name. The Activia Web site, under the tab "for health-care professionals," links you to summaries of scientific papers that use the scientific name,Bifidobacterium animalis DN-173 010, which has been found to hasten digestion. For additional information, you can do an Internet search of that name and many of the scientific studies on the strain pop up. Probiotic dietary supplements also may be confusing. In a 2006 study, ConsumerLab.com, which tests nutritional products, found that just eight of 13 probiotic supplements met its quality standards. While there's no guarantee, consumers stand a better chance of getting quality products from well known, reputable manufacturers, scientists say. Some additional tips when buying probiotic foods: Look for the word "live" on the package, since organisms killed by processing won't be helpful, says Gary B. Huffnagle, a professor at the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor. Respecting the expiration date is particularly important, because even if a product still tastes good the bacteria may no longer be alive. For maximum benefit, scientists say, try to consume a variety of different bacteria, as each may contribute something slightly different. Here are some claims probiotic manufacturers make for their products: Faster Digestion: Dannon's Activia yogurt and Yoplait Yo-Plus yogurt, made by General MillsInc., contain bacteria that have been shown in scientific studies to reduce "transit time" of waste through the intestines. Slow digestion isn't necessarily bad but can cause discomfort, such as bloating or constipation. Dannon points to four published studies testing a formulation similar to its product in humans. General Mills says a large body of scientific evidence backs up the efficacy of the bacteria in Yo-Plus. And the company says a recent study, presented at a conference of the American College of Gastroenterology, found that a dairy drink with the same active ingredients as a four-ounce container of Yo-Plus reduced transit time to 21 hours from 31 hours, compared with no change with a placebo. The study was funded by General Mills. Irritable Bowel Syndrome: This disorder, including cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, constipation and diarrhea, can be disabling. A scientific task force, which published its findings in the American Journal of Gastroenterology this month, concluded that certain probiotic bacteria -- primarily bifidobacteria -- have shown "some efficacy" in treating the condition. One bacterium with solid science behind it is Bifidobacterium infantis 35624, the main ingredient in Procter & Gamble Co.'s Align dietary supplement. In a 2006 published study, partially funded by P&G, a daily dose of the product was shown to relieve a wide range of symptoms better than a placebo. Colic: When babies scream or cry with no apparent reason, it's called colic. A study of 83 infants, published last year in the journal Pediatrics found that five drops a day of a probiotic supplement from Sweden's BioGaia AB reduced median crying time from 197 minutes a day to 51 minutes. A control group of babies was given a liquid medication commonly used to treat colic but not widely viewed as effective; this group's crying fell to a median of 145 minutes a day. Immune Health: Studies have long found that probiotics help regulate the immune system on a biochemical level. A small but growing number of studies are showing concrete health benefits in humans. Among them is an Israeli study that looked at Lactobacillus reuteri 55730 andBifidobacterium lactis Bb-12. Published in 2005 in Pediatrics, the three-month study of 201 infants found that babies fed with either of the two probiotic formulas had fewer episodes of fever and diarrhea than babies fed a control formula. Of the two bacteria, L. reuteri was more effective in preventing illness, the study found. B. lactis Bb-12 is available in Yo-Plus yogurt and Nestle SA's Good Start Natural Cultures infant formula. The L. reuteri strain is in BioGaia's dietary supplements, as well as in Nestle's Boost Kid Essentials boxed dairy drink. The bacteria are in the straw and are intended to be ingested with the juice. Other bacteria with scientifically demonstrated immune-health properties include Lactobacillus casei DN-114 001, the bacteria in Dannon's DanActive dairy drink, and L. rhamnosus GG, in Dannon's Danimals children's drink. Oral Health: A small number of studies have found benefits for probiotics in preventing cavities and easing gum disease. A two-week, 42-patient study published last year found that daily chewing of gum with BioGaia's L. reuteri strains improved gum health compared with a placebo gum. The study was funded in part by BioGaia. The gum product is not available in the U.S. But the company sells lozenges that BioGaia says it believes will be as effective as the gum. A seven-month Finnish study of 594 children, published in 2001 in the journal Caries Research, found that children who drank milk infused with L. rhamnosus GG had significantly fewer cavities than those who drank regular milk. The study received funding from Valio Ltd., a Helsinki company that supplies the bacteria to food and dietary supplement companies, including Dannon for use in Danimals. Antibiotic-associated diarrhea: Regular yogurt has long been used to stave off this unpleasant side effect of taking antibiotics. However, supplements and foods fortified with additional probiotics may provide further relief, scientists say. So far there is good scientific evidence for several strains, including L. rhamnosus GG and Saccharomyces boulardii lyo, a yeast sold by France's Laboratoires Biocodex SA as a dietary supplement under the brand name Florastor. Dannon's DanActive drink has also been shown effective. Write to Laura Johannes at laura.johannes@wsj.com
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a link te common baby skin issues.

http://children.webmd.com/slideshow-baby-skin-

--
John C Kim MD
www.kiddoc.ORG
www.adoptionchicago.com
http://kiddocmd.blogspot.com/ (BLOG)
847-346-0846 FAX
773-598-5800 (best number)

Pastor's advice, more sex

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/24/us/24sex.html?partner=permalink&exprod=permalink
Pastor’s Advice for Better Marriage: More Sex

Erin Trieb for The New York Times

 Madeline and Rob Hulsey on Sunday after the weeklong sex challenge for married couples at Fellowship Church in Grapevine, Tex. The evangelical church has 20,000 members.

•  

By GRETEL C. KOVACH

Published: November 23, 2008

GRAPEVINE, Tex. — And on the seventh day, there was no rest for married couples. A week after the Rev. Ed Young challenged husbands and wives among his flock of 20,000 to strengthen their unions through Seven Days of Sex, his advice was — keep it going.

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Mr. Young, an author, a television host and the pastor of the evangelical Fellowship Church, issued his call for a week of “congregational copulation” among married couples on Nov. 16, while pacing in front of a large bed. Sometimes he reclined on the paisley coverlet while flipping through a Bible, emphasizing his point that it is time for the church to put God back in the bed.
“Today we’re beginning this sexperiment, seven days of sex,” he said, with his characteristic mix of humor, showmanship and Scripture. “How to move from whining about the economy to whoopee!”
On Sunday parishioners at the Grapevine branch watched a prerecorded sermon from Mr. Young and his wife, Lisa, on jumbo screens over a candlelit stage. “I know there’s been a lot of love going around this week, among the married couples,” one of the church musicians said, strumming on a guitar before a crowd of about 3,000.
Mrs. Young, dressed in knee-high black boots and jeans, said that after a week of having sex every day, or close to it, “some of us are smiling.” For others grappling with infidelities, addictions to pornography or other bitter hurts, “there’s been some pain; hopefully there’s been some forgiveness, too.”
Mr. Young advised the couples to “keep on doing what you’ve been doing this week. We should try to double up the amount of intimacy we have in marriage. And when I say intimacy, I don’t mean holding hands in the park or a back rub.”
Mr. Young, known simply as Ed to his parishioners, and his wife, both 47, have been married for 26 years and have four children, including twins. They have firsthand experience with some of the barriers to an intimate sex life in marriage, including careers, exhaustion, outside commitments, and “kids,” a word that Mr. Young told church members stands for “keeping intimacy at a distance successfully.”
But if you make the time to have sex, it will bring you closer to your spouse and to God, he has said. You will perform better at work, leave a loving legacy for your children to follow and may even prevent an extramarital affair.
“If you’ve said, ‘I do,’ do it,” he said. As for single people, “I don’t know, try eating chocolate cake,” he said.
The sex-starved marriage has been the topic of at least two recent books, “365 Nights” and “Just Do It.” But Mr. Young’s call from the pulpit gave the discussion an added charge.
It should not, in his view. This is not a gimmick or a publicity stunt, Mr. Young says. Just look at the sensuousness of the Song of Solomon, or Genesis: “two shall become one flesh,” or Corinthians: “do not deprive each other of sexual relations.”
“For some reason the church has not talked about it, but we need to,” he said, speaking by telephone Friday night on his way to South Africa for a mission trip. There is no shame in marital sex, he added, “God thought it up, it was his idea.”
 Those who attend Fellowship’s location here or one of several satellite churches in the Dallas area and one in Miami are used to Mr. Young’s provocative style. (The real “f word” in the marital boudoir, he says, is “forgiveness.”) But the sex challenge was a bit much for some of his church members, who sat with arms crossed in uncomfortable silence, he recalls, while many in the audience gave him an enthusiastic applause.
One parishioner, Rob Hulsey, 25, said his Baptist relatives raised their eyebrows about it, but he summed up the reaction of many husbands at Fellowship Church when he first heard about the sex challenge — “Yay!”
A week later, he and his wife, who are expecting a baby and have two older children, could not stop holding hands during the sermon. His wife, Madeline Hulsey, 32, said she was just as thrilled to spend a week focusing on her husband. Usually, “we start to kiss, and it’s knock knock knock, Mom!” she said.
Others found that, like smiling when you are not particularly happy, having sex when they did not feel like it improved their mood. Just eight months into their marriage, Amy and Cody Waddell had not been very amorous since Cody admitted he had had an affair.
“Intimacy has been a struggle for us, working through all that,” Ms. Waddell said. “This week really brought us back together, physically and emotionally.”
It is not always easy to devote time for your spouse, Pastor Young admitted. Just three days into the sex challenge he said he was so tired after getting up before dawn to talk about the importance of having more sex in marriage that he crashed on the bed around 8 p.m. on Tuesday night.
Mrs. Young tried to shake him awake, telling her husband, “Come on, it’s the sex challenge.” But Mr. Young murmured, “Let’s just double up tomorrow,” and went back to sleep.

fan in room reduces sids, good data, why? to be elucidated.

Fan in Baby’s Room Lowers SIDS Risk

Babies who sleep in rooms with a fan have a dramatically lower risk for sudden infant death syndrome, a new study shows.

The finding is the latest evidence to suggest that a baby’s sleep environment is a critical factor in the risk for SIDS, which is diagnosed when the sudden death of an infant can’t be explained by other health concerns.

Since 1992 the rate of SIDS deaths has dropped by 56 percent, from 1.2 deaths per 1,000 live births to about 1 death per 2,000 live births. The decline is linked to a national “Back to Sleep” campaign that promotes putting babies on their backs instead of the stomach, which has been shown to lower risk for sudden death. The American Academy of Pediatrics also recommends that parents avoid soft bedding, allow a baby to use a pacifier if he or she wants, and avoid overheating a baby’s room as ways to lower the risk for SIDS.

Despite the gains, SIDS continues to be the leading cause of death among infants in the first year of life, and researchers are looking for additional measures to lower risk.

The latest study compared the sleeping circumstances of 185 babies who died of SIDS with another 312 randomly selected babies who were matched by race, ethnicity, country of origin and age. The study, published today in The Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, found that simply having a fan in the room lowered a baby’s risk of SIDS by 72 percent. The gains were even greater if the baby was wrongly placed on its stomach or was sleeping in a warmer room, both of which are risk factors for SIDS.

“Even though we don’t know why certain babies are more susceptible, sleeping environment matters,’’ said Dr. De-Kun Li, reproductive and perinatal epidemiologist at Kaiser Permanente’s division of research in Oakland, Calif., and a co-author of the study.

While the study wasn’t designed to identify why fans make a difference, the theory is that by circulating the air, fans lower the risk of “rebreathing” by the baby. The rebreathing of exhaled carbon dioxide trapped near an infant’s airway has been suggested as a possible reason SIDS risk is higher when children sleep on their stomachs, in soft beds or without pacifiers.

Parents who worry that their child will be chilled by a fan should know that fans do not cool the air, they simply move air around. A baby will only feel a chill if he or she is perspiring, doctors say.

Parents who use fans in a child’s room should make sure to take normal safety precautions, keeping cords out of the way and making sure the fan can’t be knocked down by a toddler or pet.

Dr. Li said fan use can’t replace the other sleeping strategies for lowering SIDS, such as removing soft bedding and putting a baby on his or her back. He notes that the gains shown in the study were for the whole group, but that the benefit appeared to be smaller when parents followed all of the A.A.P. guidelines. However, even if a baby already is sleeping on the back, SIDS risk was lowered by about 16 percent, he said, although the trend was not statistically significant.

“If parents wanted to do more to reduce the baby’s SIDS risk, they can add a fan,’’ Dr. Li s

house party on health care.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/23/health/23health.html?partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

At House Party on Health Care, the Diagnosis Is It's Broken   12/24/2008 1:09 PM  from  http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/23/health/23health.html
At House Party on Health Care, the Diagnosis Is It's Broken Brendan Smialowski for The New York Times  Karima Hijane, flanked by her husband, Theodore A. Kolovos, and Li Yang, needed a year to get correct diagnoses of illnesses. "Instead of being able to focus on my health, I focused on insurance to cover the tests and treatments."               E-Mail Print Reprints Save  Share Linkedin Digg Facebook Mixx Yahoo! Buzz Permalink   By ROBERT PEAR Published: December 22, 2008 VIENNA, Va. — When a dozen consumers gathered over the weekend to discuss health care at the behest of President-elect Barack Obama, they quickly agreed on one point: they despise health insurance companies. They also agreed that health care was a right; that insurance should cover "everything," not just some services; and that coverage should be readily available from the government, as well as from employers. Those were the conclusions of a house party held here in Northern Virginia at the home of Karima Hijane and Theodore A. Kolovos, information technology consultants who have been married for seven years. It was one of more than 4,200 such events being held around the country from Dec. 15 to 31, as part of an experiment in grass-roots politics and policy-making, to provide recommendations to the president-elect. "We have to keep the momentum going," said Ms. Hijane, 34, who was a volunteer in the Obama campaign and is active in women's health advocacy. "We are not lobbyists. We are simple citizens. We want to make sure that our voices are heard and that health care is reformed." One of the people seated around Ms. Hijane's dining room table, Bruce D. Chatman, worked for I.B.M. for 29 years. Corporations, he said, have too much influence in the legislative process and the health care system. He wants to counterbalance their power with the energy and passion of citizens lobbying for themselves. Mr. Chatman, a Chicago native who lives in Fort Washington, Md., said he had been inspired by Mr. Obama's book "The Audacity of Hope" and started working for his campaign as a volunteer in April 2007. "I don't believe health care should depend on people making money," Mr. Chatman said. "The profit motive has to be tempered, especially on the administrative side of the health care business." Shiva S. Makki, an economist, complained that in many cases, insurers did not cover the costs of screening procedures and preventive care. Dr. Lawrence M. Nelson, a scientist at the National Institutes of Health who emphasized that he was speaking as a private citizen, said: "The incentives in the current health insurance system are upside down. The less care you provide, the bigger your profits." Dr. Nelson said he liked Mr. Obama's proposal to create a new public plan, similar to Medicare, that would compete with private insurance companies. Alex R. Lawson, a volunteer in the Obama campaign now trying to build public support for Mr. Obama's agenda, said a public plan would give people a choice they do not have. "A public insurance plan would not take anything away," Mr. Lawson said. "It just adds another option." After one speaker expressed a mild concern about too much involvement by the government, Mr. Kolovos said: "Everyone is afraid of government bureaucracy. But what we have now, with the filing and adjudication of insurance claims, is also bureaucratic." Several people at the health care forum said they were frustrated by the current arrangement under which health insurance is tied closely to the workplace. Hamudi Almasri, a 35-year-old information technology consultant at a small company that does work for the Labor Department, said that when he changed jobs, he had to change health plans and doctors. "If I change employers, why should it be such a hassle?" Mr. Almasri asked. His wife, Li Yang, said: "When I move from one doctor to another, my information is lost. In many cases, the doctors don't talk to each other. In a country where information technology is so advanced, there's no system linking all these doctors together. It's a hindrance to treatment." Ms. Li said she and her husband "had a few surprises" when they started shopping for a better health insurance policy on their own. "If we wanted a baby," Ms. Li said, "insurers would not cover the maternity care if conception occurred within six months after we purchased the insurance. We were shocked." In many cases, the standard individual insurance policy does not cover maternity care, though such coverage can be bought for an additional premium. Even then, some insurers stipulate that maternity benefits will be available only if a woman waits for a certain amount of time before becoming pregnant. The Obama transition team asked for "particularly poignant stories to highlight the need for health care reform," and such stories were abundant at the round table here. Mr. Almasri said that when his infant daughter had severe eczema, she had to wait several months to see a dermatologist in their H.M.O. network. By then, he said, "the symptoms were all cleared up." Ms. Hijane said she had gone from doctor to doctor for more than a year before she got correct diagnoses for premature ovarian failure and celiac disease, a digestive disorder. "Instead of being able to focus on my health," Ms. Hijane said, "I focused on insurance to cover the tests and treatments. Everything we did was designed to find a job with good health insurance." The Obama transition team did not ask people how a new health care system should be financed, but several people here said that individuals and businesses should have to pay a small health care tax — some preferred to call it a "contribution" — so that everyone could be covered. Mr. Chatman said he expected insurance companies and others in the health care industry to resist many of Mr. Obama's proposals. "This is warfare for the health care of our country," Mr. Chatman said. "The question is, Will money win, or will the people win? If we lose, we'll be a second-class country."
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Lack of sleep direct paste into blog site

Lack of Sleep Linked to Heart Problems

By ALICE PARK Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2008

Ray Kachatorian / Getty

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No one likes to walk into work after just a few fitful hours of sleep. But now there's evidence that not getting enough sleep may have more serious consequences than dark circles under your eyes the next morning. Researchers at the University of Chicago report in the Journal of the American Medical Association that too little sleep can promote calcium buildup in the heart arteries, leading to the plaques that can then break apart and cause heart attacks and strokes.

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• Laugh and the World Laughs Too: Happiness is Contagious
• How Depression Harms Your Heart
• America's Health Checkup

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The University of Chicago team documented for the first time exactly how much of a risk shortened shut-eye can be — one hour less on average each night can increase coronary calcium by 16%. Among a group of 495 men and women aged 35 to 47, 27% of those getting less than five hours of sleep each night showed plaque in their heart vessels, while 11% of those sleeping the recommended five to seven hours did, and only 6% of subjects sleeping more than seven hours each night showed such atherosclerosis. "We were surprised by the findings," says Diane Lauderdale, a professor of health studies at the University of Chicago and lead author of the study. "We really were not expecting to find an association at all, and certainly not one that was this strong." (See the Top 10 Medical Breakthroughs of 2008.)
Lauderdale and her team had reason to be skeptical. While the connection between sleep and heart disease is of growing interest to researchers, earlier studies had been inconclusive, and plagued by biases, including the fact that most of the trials relied on people's self-reported accounts of their sleeping habits. The scientists knew that teasing apart the myriad processes that contribute to sleep, and then drawing scientifically sound connections between them and the host of things that can trigger heart disease, would be difficult at best. So the Chicago team isolated the most common confounding variables that could explain both poor sleep and heart problems, such as smoking, alcohol, and other medical conditions, and also found a way to record, as accurately as possible, the amount of sleep that the subjects got each night. Each volunteer wore a wrist monitor that measured and recorded activity at 30 second intervals; when the monitor was quiet, the subject was asleep.
While Lauderdale acknowledges that her results are far from the last word on sleep and heart disease, the study does suggest that doctors and patients should consider sleep in addition to the more familiar hazards for the heart such as high cholesterol, hypertension and diabetes. In Lauderdale's analysis, one additional hour of sleep was equivalent to lowering systolic blood pressure by 16.5mm Hg. "We have enough evidence from this study and others to show that it is important to include sleep in any discussion of heart disease," says Dr. Tracy Stevens, spokesperson for the American Heart Association and a cardiologist at Saint Luke's Mid-America Heart Institute. "We talk about the traditional risk factors, and now the other important thing we need to include is sleep." (See pictures of how animals sleep.)
Exactly how a lack of sleep is feeding plaque in the heart arteries isn't yet clear, but one explanation may involve inflammation. Too little sleep can raisecortisol levels, which fuels inflammation that can destabilize plaques. Once these deposits rupture, they can block vessels in the heart or brain, causing a heart attack or stroke. While the Chicago team did not track levels of cortisol to test this theory, future studies might.
A simpler explanation might involve blood pressure. In general, blood pressure dips during sleep, and over a 24 hour period, people sleeping less will have shorter periods of lower blood pressure, thus increasing their tendency to dislodge any unstable plaques.
Whatever the reason might be, the results of this study make it clear that sleep isn't just for dreamers. Getting enough sleep might just save your heart.
The Year in Medicine 2008.
See the 50 best inventions of 2008.

Lack of Sleep Linked to Heart Problems   12/24/2008 1:02 PM  from  http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1868406,00.html?imw=Y
Lack of Sleep Linked to Heart Problems By Alice Park Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2008 Ray Kachatorian / Getty  No one likes to walk into work after just a few fitful hours of sleep. But now there's evidence that not getting enough sleep may have more serious consequences than dark circles under your eyes the next morning. Researchers at the University of Chicago report in the Journal of the American Medical Association that too little sleep can promote calcium buildup in the heart arteries, leading to the plaques that can then break apart and cause heart attacks and strokes. Related Stories 5 Simple Ways to Cut Your Breast Cancer Risk Laugh and the World Laughs Too: Happiness is Contagious How Depression Harms Your Heart America's Health Checkup The University of Chicago team documented for the first time exactly how much of a risk shortened shut-eye can be — one hour less on average each night can increase coronary calcium by 16%. Among a group of 495 men and women aged 35 to 47, 27% of those getting less than five hours of sleep each night showed plaque in their heart vessels, while 11% of those sleeping the recommended five to seven hours did, and only 6% of subjects sleeping more than seven hours each night showed such atherosclerosis. "We were surprised by the findings," says Diane Lauderdale, a professor of health studies at the University of Chicago and lead author of the study. "We really were not expecting to find an association at all, and certainly not one that was this strong." (See the Top 10 Medical Breakthroughs of 2008.) Lauderdale and her team had reason to be skeptical. While the connection between sleep and heart disease is of growing interest to researchers, earlier studies had been inconclusive, and plagued by biases, including the fact that most of the trials relied on people's self-reported accounts of their sleeping habits. The scientists knew that teasing apart the myriad processes that contribute to sleep, and then drawing scientifically sound connections between them and the host of things that can trigger heart disease, would be difficult at best. So the Chicago team isolated the most common confounding variables that could explain both poor sleep and heart problems, such as smoking, alcohol, and other medical conditions, and also found a way to record, as accurately as possible, the amount of sleep that the subjects got each night. Each volunteer wore a wrist monitor that measured and recorded activity at 30 second intervals; when the monitor was quiet, the subject was asleep. While Lauderdale acknowledges that her results are far from the last word on sleep and heart disease, the study does suggest that doctors and patients should consider sleep in addition to the more familiar hazards for the heart such as high cholesterol, hypertension and diabetes. In Lauderdale's analysis, one additional hour of sleep was equivalent to lowering systolic blood pressure by 16.5mm Hg. "We have enough evidence from this study and others to show that it is important to include sleep in any discussion of heart disease," says Dr. Tracy Stevens, spokesperson for the American Heart Association and a cardiologist at Saint Luke's Mid-America Heart Institute. "We talk about the traditional risk factors, and now the other important thing we need to include is sleep." (See pictures of how animals sleep.) Exactly how a lack of sleep is feeding plaque in the heart arteries isn't yet clear, but one explanation may involve inflammation. Too little sleep can raise cortisol levels, which fuels inflammation that can destabilize plaques. Once these deposits rupture, they can block vessels in the heart or brain, causing a heart attack or stroke. While the Chicago team did not track levels of cortisol to test this theory, future studies might. A simpler explanation might involve blood pressure. In general, blood pressure dips during sleep, and over a 24 hour period, people sleeping less will have shorter periods of lower blood pressure, thus increasing their tendency to dislodge any unstable plaques. Whatever the reason might be, the results of this study make it clear that sleep isn't just for dreamers. Getting enough sleep might just save your heart.
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re sleep and heart health

Lack of Sleep Linked to Heart Problems

By Alice Park Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2008

Ray Kachatorian / Getty

•  

 No one likes to walk into work after just a few fitful hours of sleep. But now there's evidence that not getting enough sleep may have more serious consequences than dark circles under your eyes the next morning. Researchers at the University of Chicago report in the Journal of the American Medical Association that too little sleep can promote calcium buildup in the heart arteries, leading to the plaques that can then break apart and cause heart attacks and strokes.

Related

Stories

• 5 Simple Ways to Cut Your Breast Cancer Risk
• Laugh and the World Laughs Too: Happiness is Contagious
• How Depression Harms Your Heart
• America's Health Checkup

The University of Chicago team documented for the first time exactly how much of a risk shortened shut-eye can be — one hour less on average each night can increase coronary calcium by 16%. Among a group of 495 men and women aged 35 to 47, 27% of those getting less than five hours of sleep each night showed plaque in their heart vessels, while 11% of those sleeping the recommended five to seven hours did, and only 6% of subjects sleeping more than seven hours each night showed such atherosclerosis. "We were surprised by the findings," says Diane Lauderdale, a professor of health studies at the University of Chicago and lead author of the study. "We really were not expecting to find an association at all, and certainly not one that was this strong." (See the Top 10 Medical Breakthroughs of 2008.)

Lauderdale and her team had reason to be skeptical. While the connection between sleep and heart disease is of growing interest to researchers, earlier studies had been inconclusive, and plagued by biases, including the fact that most of the trials relied on people's self-reported accounts of their sleeping habits. The scientists knew that teasing apart the myriad processes that contribute to sleep, and then drawing scientifically sound connections between them and the host of things that can trigger heart disease, would be difficult at best. So the Chicago team isolated the most common confounding variables that could explain both poor sleep and heart problems, such as smoking, alcohol, and other medical conditions, and also found a way to record, as accurately as possible, the amount of sleep that the subjects got each night. Each volunteer wore a wrist monitor that measured and recorded activity at 30 second intervals; when the monitor was quiet, the subject was asleep.

While Lauderdale acknowledges that her results are far from the last word on sleep and heart disease, the study does suggest that doctors and patients should consider sleep in addition to the more familiar hazards for the heart such as high cholesterol, hypertension and diabetes. In Lauderdale's analysis, one additional hour of sleep was equivalent to lowering systolic blood pressure by 16.5mm Hg. "We have enough evidence from this study and others to show that it is important to include sleep in any discussion of heart disease," says Dr. Tracy Stevens, spokesperson for the American Heart Association and a cardiologist at Saint Luke's Mid-America Heart Institute. "We talk about the traditional risk factors, and now the other important thing we need to include is sleep." (See pictures of how animals sleep.)

Exactly how a lack of sleep is feeding plaque in the heart arteries isn't yet clear, but one explanation may involve inflammation. Too little sleep can raise cortisol levels, which fuels inflammation that can destabilize plaques. Once these deposits rupture, they can block vessels in the heart or brain, causing a heart attack or stroke. While the Chicago team did not track levels of cortisol to test this theory, future studies might.

A simpler explanation might involve blood pressure. In general, blood pressure dips during sleep, and over a 24 hour period, people sleeping less will have shorter periods of lower blood pressure, thus increasing their tendency to dislodge any unstable plaques.

Whatever the reason might be, the results of this study make it clear that sleep isn't just for dreamers. Getting enough sleep might just save your heart.

--
John C Kim MD
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