Archive for October, 2008

Good stress, bad stress: It all adds up. How to cope with economic downfall, holidays.

Friday, October 31st, 2008

by James Hubbard, M.D., M.P.H.

If you are not stressed in these economic times, you should be, or so it seems if you listen to the media long enough these days.  The holidays are coming up also, and here’s the thing: There is good stress and bad stress but your body treats it the same.  It adds up quickly.  Ever heard of the Holmes-Rahe Live Inventory Scale (PDF download)?

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Bipolar Diagnoses Increase

Thursday, October 30th, 2008

by James Hubbard, M.D., M.P.H.

According to the National Institutes of Health the actual diagnosis of bipolar disorder in teens and children has increased by 40 times over the last 10 years. During this same time period, in adults, the diagnosis has doubled. The study was published in the September 2007 issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry.

Now the big question is whether the increase of bipolar disorder in children and teens is from overdiagnosing the disorder, underdiagnosing it in the past, or a combination of the two. (more…)

Make Halloween fun, safe and healthy for your children (plus: recipes!)

Thursday, October 30th, 2008

by James Hubbard, M.D., M.P.H.

These are tips from another good press release I received for Halloween. Anything to make sure those kids stay healthy and safe. Its comes from the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation, to form the Alliance For a Healthier Generation. (Also, scroll down for some healthier Halloween recipes.)

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Tips to avoid food allergies and still have fun this Halloween

Wednesday, October 29th, 2008

by James Hubbard, M.D., M.P.H.

How do you keep your little tyke with food allergies from missing all the fun?   The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology has some tips.

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Keep kids safe at Halloween

Tuesday, October 28th, 2008

by James Hubbard, M.D., M.P.H.

It’s dress-up and candy time. Not my favorite holiday, but fun for the kids. Keep it that way by making sure your kids stay safe.

I have received several good press releases regarding the holiday and thought I would share. Below are some tips from www.kidshealth.org on how to have a safe, spooktacular Halloween.

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Should physicians prescribe placebos to their patients?

Monday, October 27th, 2008

by James Hubbard, M.D., M.P.H.

new study concludes that many physicians prescribe placebos to their patients.  The news, which made headlines all over the place late last week, was surprising to me.  But I think the study is a tad weak and misleading.

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Twitter Contest Nominees! Vote for your favorites.

Friday, October 24th, 2008

by Leigh Ann Hubbard, Managing Editor

We’re excited to announce the Twitter contest nominees!

On Tuesday, we asked you to tweet the answer to, “What small steps are you taking for your health?” You gave some amazing responses. It was so hard to narrow them down.

Now, we’re giving away 24 subscriptions! (more…)

How to enjoy Halloween candy without gaining weight

Thursday, October 23rd, 2008

by Jill Weisenberger, M.S., R.D., C.D.E.

Unless you’ve been hiding behind a scarecrow, you’ve probably seen the bags of candy crowding the grocery store shelves. And if you’ve shopped with children lately, you’ve likely had bags mysteriously jump into your shopping cart. The junk food season which starts before Halloween and doesn’t end until Valentine’s Day is upon us.

So what’s a parent to do? How do we temper the candy frenzy with our kids? How do we handle it for ourselves? Without a plan, a lot of pounds can be gained before Cupid visits us.

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Doctors should encourage breastfeeding. Best for mother, baby. All groups agree.

Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008

by James Hubbard, M.D., M.P.H.

Want to give your baby the best?  Feed him/her only mother’s milk for the first 12 months.  An added incentive is it helps the mother’s health, also.  I thought everybody knew breastfeeding was the ideal until a woman asked me if the new report from the Annals of Internal Medicine , which reiterates this, was accurate.  October’s Annals updates previous recommendations by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force that health-care providers should do all they can to actively support breast feeding.

Why do they feel the need to call for more support?

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Twitter Contest Is Today! Win subscriptions!

Monday, October 20th, 2008

by Leigh Ann Hubbard, managing editor

What small steps are you taking for your health?

Answer that question today (Tuesday) on Twitter, and you might win two subscriptions to James Hubbard’s My Family Doctor! JHMFD is written by health-care professionals. If you like this blog content, you’ll LOVE the magazine.

The contest runs all day, and you can tweet as many answers as you like. Be sure to include #step in your tweet. (more…)

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