December 5 and counting

Good morning friends,
The weathermen and women are saying we are in for a miserable weekend! Please check your medicine and renew any necessary prescriptions today. Also, be sure you have plenty of food which does not have to be cooked. The chances of power loss are the real danger with this storm. Charge your phone and iPad. Be sure you close all the apps to reserve battery life. If you have a fireplace, try to have it inspected before you use it. Birds, squirrels, possums and other Arkansas critters tend to live in your fireplace and the upper workings where we don't see or hear them. Unfortunately, when you crank it up and burn their home and belongings you are endangering your house! Those title boogers have used your home as a dumping ground and it is very easy to catch your roof on fire. Be very careful!
My local Wal Mart was stripped bare last night! I can't help but wonder do people really sit around and eat bread and drink milk when it storms? Personally, if it snows that is when I like to cook and if the power is out I am usually so stressed I go for the chocolate! I realize sandwiches are a mainstay but Wal mart always has lunch meat but no bread!
I have to confess I obsess over storms and food after surviving all those hurricanes!
Stay safe....until tomorrow,
Dr. Janet

Depressing health news

Can a person be obese and still be healthy? The answer is no, according to a new study from the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) and the American Institute of Cancer Research (AICR) that appears in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.

According to reports published by FoxNews.com, individuals who were obese but did not have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, elevated blood sugar levels or other metabolic issues were still 24 percent more likely to have a heart attack or other cardiovascular issue, or die from any cause over a 10-year period, versus their normal weight counterparts.

“This really casts doubt on the existence of healthy obesity,” lead researcher Dr. Ravi Retnakaran, an associate professor of medicine at the University of Toronto, told BBC News. “This data is suggesting that both patients who are obese who are metabolically unhealthy and patients who are obese who are metabolically healthy are both at increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease, such that benign obesity may indeed be a myth.”

The study involved 61,000 men and women who were either overweight or obese based on their BMI levels, according to Alexandria Ingham of the Las Vegas Guardian Express. The study found that while it is possible to carry excess weight and not suffer any of the metabolic symptoms typically associated with obesity, being overweight still increases a person’s risk of contracting cancers or other serious illnesses when compared to normal weight individuals.

Yale University Prevention Research Center Director Dr. David Katz told HealthDay News that he welcomed the study in light of recent attention being given by the scientific community to the so-called “obesity paradox,” the believe that some people can actually benefit from chronic obesity. He added that not all weight gain is necessarily harmful, and that it “depends partly on genes, partly on the source of calories, partly on activity levels, partly on hormone levels.”

“However, the report that says people suffering from obesity are not healthy has come under criticism from a number of experts,” Ingham said. One of those individuals, Harvard Medical School assistant professor of medicineDr. Pieter Cohen, said that blood pressure and high cholesterol was far more important than BMI in determining long-term heart-health, and that based on the study’s own findings, “obesity itself confers an extremely small risk of heart disease.”

Ingham added that there are some issues with the research methodology itself. “The information about the metabolic health was only taken once. This could have changed over the period of the research,” she said. “Considering most of the participants were monitored for a 10-year period at a minimum, it is highly possible that the metabolic health deteriorated, which has led to the heart problems and negative results; not just the obesity factor.”

Back in 2007, a WCRF and AICR study issued a series of recommendations, including that the median adult BMI should be kept between 21 and 23, based on the normal range for different populations. Furthermore, they recommended that the total number of overweight or obese people should be maintained or reduced by the year 2017.

Prepping for the weekend!

5.0 from 2 reviews

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Slow Cooker Baked Potato Soup Recipe

 

Ingredients

• 5 lbs russet potatoes, diced, NOT peeled
• 5 tablespoons Garlic
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 64 ounces chicken broth or stock
• 16 ounces cream cheese
• bacon, sour cream, chives or shredded cheese for garnish

Instructions

1. Combine first 4 ingredients in your crock pot, cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 5.
2. Purée soup in food processor with cream cheese.
3. Serve warm topped with bacon, sour cream, shredded cheese & chives.

December 3 countdown

Good morning all,
Christmas countdown with 22 days to go! I want to give a big Congratulation shoutout to my friend Bob who retired with over 30 years of state service last week! He is starting the fun phase and I am very jealous! I am sure Johnye is keeping him busy and letting him sleep in.

The weatherman is saying eye are in for cold and miserable weather later in the week. Be sure you get to the store and are prepared! Any ice in Central Arkansas is dangerous.

Take care until tomorrow,
Dr. janet

Post number 2 for Monday, December 2. - cyber shopping update

Good morning everyone,
I have scoured the online sales looking for bargains. I found a limited number of nice toys and books on sale at Amazon.com. The department stores appear to have just extended the Thanksgiving sales and many items are sold out. Again, if you are looking for a specific item, check a number of sites to determine the best price. Be sure you take shipping and sales tax into consideration. If the seller does not have a brick and morter presence in Arkansas, then sales tax will not be charged. Many sellers are offering free shipping. That is a bonus! Shipping can double your cost so read carefully!
Happy shopping!
Dr. Janet

Monday, December 2 -Alzheimer's update

An international study has discovered a vascular issue that may contribute to Alzheimer's disease and other aging-related neurological disorders.

Researchers in the United States, England and Taiwan examined an abnormality in the internal jugular veins called jugular venus reflux (JVR). The condition occurs when blood leaks backward into the brain.

"We were especially interested to find an association between JVR and white matter changes in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease and those with mild cognitive impairment," said Robert Zivadinov, MD, PhD, FAAN, professor of neurology at the University of Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and senior author.

The brain's white matter enables communication between nerve cells. Change in white matter has been linked to the buildup of amyloid plaque that has been associated with Alzheimer's disease.

The study involved 12 Alzheimer's patients, 24 subjects with mild cognitive impairment and 17 age-matched elderly controls. Participants underwent Doppler ultrasound exams and magnetic resonance imaging scans.

Researchers said a larger study is needed to validate their research. The Journal of Alzheimer's Disease published the pilot study.

December 1 and the Christmas countdown begins

Good morning everyone,
Tomorrow is cyber Monday which has the potential to be the busiest shopping day of the year. I want to issue a word of warning, buyer beware! Not all deals are what they appear. Before you dive into that good deal, be sure you compare the same product on another site to confirm you are getting a bargain. Many online websites are not honest or reliable. I suggest you stick to name brand retailers. The nightmare of trying to return a product to China gives me migraines! Personally, I like Amazon. If you watch your prices and do your own research, good deals are possible. Not all prices are a bargain but smart shopping will pay off.

We work hard for our money-let's hang on to it!
Until tomorrow,
Dr. Janet