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March 1, 2008 Political and personal change. Change is in the air. Today's political climate seems permeated with the notion of change. The majority of people voting in presidential primaries are indicating a preference for change. At this stage of the election year, the precise nature of the change and the route to getting there are unknown. Change apparently is favored on both sides of the political aisle. The situation is not unlike the change process on a personal level, but key differences exist. When people are dissatisfied with something about their personal lives -- whether it is some aspect of themselves or a person close to them -- they at least contemplate change. They would vote, if they could, in favor of it. Some would study more about what needed changing, and even analyze the situation. Some would construct an action plan and begin implementing it. The reality is that only a fraction of personal change programs are fully implemented and therefore achieve real success. Lack of knowledge, inertia, self-sabotage, pressure from others, and the strength of old behavior patterns are frequent reasons for unrealized success. In the kSero Center, a major issue is the desire for someone else to change and not seeing one's own need to contribute to the solution. This insight can inform on a personal level and a national level. The year 2008 is still young. Whether politically or personally, being in favor of change implies a willingness to take personal action. Spending a few minutes daily in reflection can help you to make a difference in your own life, in the lives immediately touching yours, and in an ever widening circle. To your health, Susan Hardwicke, Ph.D. Director, kSero Center for the Mind Publisher |
U.S. physicians prescribe exercise for patients with physical conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity. Pharmaceuticals are their frequent choice for mood disorders. The situation is different for the British.
The BBC reported on a recent study on prescribing habits for depression. In the U.K., non-pharmaceutical solutions are being sought and studied. Physicians there. are more frequently prescribing exercise for depression, and report that their patients are pleased with the results. Two hundred general practitioners (GPs) were surveyed by the Mental Health Foundation, who found that 22% suggest exercise for mild depression. Just three years ago, the number was only 5%. According to the BBC article, research indicates that exercise helps people to establish a more positive self-image and reduce isolation, thereby helping to alleviate symptoms.
Commentary: for years I have been concerned about the increasing "medicalization" of our culture, and about applying medical treatment for non-medical conditions (e.g., school performance). A question we should continually ask ourselves is at what level does discomfort constitute a medical condition? People with serious medical conditions should, of course, see their physicians.
Read the article and associated blogs ...
Artificial sweeteners (product names such as Nutrasweet, Sweet 'n' Low, Equal) have been linked to obesity in a study conducted at Purdue University. Susan Swithers found that rats fed a diet of sugar substitutes ate more calories and gained more weight than rats that ate sugary foods. This finding could explain why people who consume a lot of diet soda have higher rates of obesity. It seems that the artificial sweeteners fail the body's ability to regulate caloric intake and slow the metabolism, providing a formula that will lead to weight gain and health problems.
Aspartame is an artificial sweetener that has been in use in the United States since the 1970's, when it was first approved by the FDA. "It is found in more than 6,000 products including carbonated and powdered soft drinks, hot chocolate, chewing gum, candy, desserts, yogurt, and tabletop sweeteners, as well as some pharmaceutical products like vitamins and sugar-free cough drops." Studies from 2004 indicate that rats treated with daily intake of aspartame, at simulated dosages equal to the current level approved for humans, had significantly higher increases in the occurrence of malignant carcinogenic tumors.
Sources:
"A Pavlovian approach to the problem of obesity," International Journal of Obesity (2004) 28, 933-935."Aspartame causes cancer in rats at levels currently approved for humans," www.medicalnewstoday.com
The American Academy of Pediatrics has created guidelines standardizing screening for autism spectrum disorder during regular checkups. This practice has some psychiatrists worried about "overdiagnosis" of children who fall in a marginal range of normal behavior but may be grouped among the increasing rate of diagnoses made by physicians trying to catch problems early. Autism cases have exploded in recent years, with the CDC estimating that one in every 150 children has an autism spectrum disorder. Experts and others question whether there is an actual increase of autism among the population, or if we are more highly sensitized to recognizing the disorder. Richard Friedman, a child psychiatrist at Weill Cornell Medical College agrees that there is a worry for overdiagnosis, but that many severe cases go untreated, and screening for this disorder may help kids who have a potentially treatable illness.
The potential dangers of such a diagnosis include stigmatization, and inappropriate use of health care services. Often, referrals to specialists in neurodevelopmental disabilities are necessary for such problems. Paul Lipkin, a developmental pediatrician at the Kennedy Krieger Institute, will often see such referrals. There have been cases where, after a complete evaluation, he has determined the child to have only mild problems and nothing that might be considered on the autism spectrum. One perspective is that the family ultimately was provided with information to help them better understand their child. However, it is a concern that the families may begin to worry unnecessarily about a diagnosis before a full evaluation has occurred. In this case, the family may perceive the child as being very different in some manner, when in fact, the symptoms are very mild.
In addition to the new screening methods for the autism spectrum, there have also been callings for universal screening for depression in adolescents. This would present a similar problem with stigmatization, and may unnecessarily upset the parents and child. Richard Friedman points out that you need to take perspective when examining this process. Is it okay to upset someone temporarily in an effort to prevent illnesses from going untreated? "Stigma doesn't kill," Friedman says, "But untreated psychiatric illness can kill, and untreated depression can certainly kill."
Source: The Dana Foundation's Brain Work, Vol. 18 No.1 January-February 2008
Lemon Rosemary Chicken
4-6 organic chicken breasts
Marinade (to taste):
salt and pepper
extra virgin olive oil
1/2 fresh squeezed lemon
fresh rosemary, chopped
Place chicken breasts in a plastic storage bag and pour marinade into the bag. Refrigerate for 6 hours. Grill or roast chicken breasts. (Grill for 6-8 minutes on each side, and brush with remaining marinade once or twice during this time. Roast in pan in oven heated to 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.)
Serve with vegetables and salad.
Euphoria during long distance running
Findings from a recent study published in Cerebral Cortex evidence that the euphoric state associated with a runner's high occurs in region-specific areas of the brain involved in processing moods. Read more on this exercise-induced mood change:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18296435?ordinalpos=2&lessons=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum
Vaccinations: Opportunity to explore the issue for yourself
Read more about how vaccines may not be as preventative as you think at:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/2/26/how-vaccines-can-damage-your-brain.aspx
Creative play helps to build better self-regulation
Children who spend all of their playtime using video games, watching t.v., and participating in organized lessons or sports are not learning how to self-regulate their thoughts and emotions. Researcher Deborah Leong says that while these activities can be fine, there is a loss of unstructured playtime using creativity and imagination, which teaches children to practice important self-regulation skills. Read more at:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=76838288
Children don't come with an instruction manual! Do you wish they did?
Every parent hits stumbling blocks along the way.
Have you:
- Reached the end of your rope over schoolwork, behavior, attitude, or habits?
- Believed that your child is the one who needs to change?
- Disagreed with your spouse about consequences in front of your child?
- Felt resentful that your child does not appreciate your efforts?
- Regretted overly harsh or lenient consequences for problem behaviors?
- Avoided parenting actively because you don't want to disturb the peace?
- Lost sight of why you became a parent in the first place?
If you believe that your child can change without some change on your part, even if he/she is taking medication, you are likely to have more difficulties than you expect right now.
Dr. Susan Hardwicke has helped hundreds of parents and teachers with a research-driven approach to helping parents feed, guide, nurture and (when needed) rein in their children. Also a parent of two adults, she can help you identify your parenting blind spots and address them. Learn the tips you need now.
Cost is only $125.00 per parent for the programme (less than you'll pay for tutoring in a few weeks). You'll save money after this investment in developing your skills and knowledge.
Call 804-360-5976 today to schedule your appointment.
Sincerely,
Susan Hardwicke, Ph.D.
Director
kSero Centers for the Mind
©kSero Corporation Inc. 2007