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

Sorry, eating that turkey on Thanksgiving does not cause after-meal drowsiness, at least according to the new view that has emerged in the past few years.  At emedicinehealth.com and other places, the consensus is there is not enough triptophan in turkey and it must be taken on an empty stomach (fat chance, huh) to put you to sleep.

Pork, chicken and cheese also contain the unjustly maligned somnolent triptophan, but they never get blamed.

Probably it is that heavy meal, in general, that is the real culprit.  I’ll dig into it a little deeper after my nap.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

(and to all a good night)

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

Most everyone who reads this blog knows we need to stay healthy and fit more than ever in these tight economic times.  It helps us cope with stress, and who needs more medical bills by getting down and sick?

Stacy Berman, a fitness trainer who has written for JHMFD, sent me some “frugal fitness tips.”  We like Stacy and thought we would share.  See her bio at the end of the tips.

In the past, we’ve featured ways to eat healthy while saving money (here and here), but she offers some new tips on fitness.  I wondered what you’d think.  Here are the tips.

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

The CDC says we’re having a big problem with type 2 diabetes. It reported a whopping 90-percent increase in new cases from 2005 to 2007, compared to 10 years earlier.

What can we do? Perhaps genetic treatment is the answer!(?)

The current New England Journal of Medicine published two studies on whether we can better predict type 2 diabetes risk by looking at DNA variations on genes. If we could, we might also be able to individualize treatment, they thought. A double whammy.

Alas, they found that it doesn’t help much more than knowing family history and weight.  They hypothesized the reason was scientists haven’t found all the DNA sequences that affect diabetes.

Although I have simplified these complicated studies, that’s the gist.  But I looked at the results a different way.

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

Not eating enough potassium appears to be related to high blood pressure—independent of how much salt you eat—reported Dr. Susan Hedayati at the American Society of Nephrology annual meeting.  (Dr. Hedayati works at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, where I trained, since it is affiliated with Parkland Hospital.)

I look forward to the published study.  If you read my blog often, your next question should be …

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

Do you smoke?  Want to quit?  Want to help a friend quit?  Today is the day to get serious.  It is the American Cancer Society’s 33rd annual Great American Smokeout.  The ACS has great information on their Web site with topics such as ”reasons to quit,” “guide to quitting” and “plan your quit day.”  Check it out or mail the link to a smoker-friend. (You can even download a “Craving Stopper” button, pictured at right, that pulls up a match game to occupy your mind.)

The ACS quitline at 800-227-2345 has counseled 380,000 smokers over the past eight years.

Personally, I have never taken a puff of a cigarette.  The smell, touch, and even sight, of tobacco nauseates me.  It may be that my father smoked for years, finally quitting, but dying of lung cancer.  But I know it is a really hard habit to quit for many.  Over the years I have heard excuses like, “It is my only enjoyment,” or, “You have to die of something.”  Strangely, though, I never heard it from lung cancer or emphysema victims.  It is worth it to quit.

Find out what will happen to your body if you stop smoking right now at Healthbolt.

What do you think?  Have you quit?  Have any tips or words of encouragement?

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

The Federal Trade Commission has a brand new Web site called Who Cares: Sources of Information About Health Care Products and Services. As it suggests on their home page, you can:

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