Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Why That Hot Cup of Coffee May Prime You to Feel Warmly Toward Someone

New research helps to explain the unconscious phenomenon that causes the context of information to change the way we think or behave.

The behavior is called “priming,” scientists have had difficulty understanding it fully.

For example, researchers found that hearing words associated with ageing people to walk more slowly, or holding a hot cup of coffee while talking to another person heightens feelings of interpersonal warmth.

In a paper published in Perspectives on Psychological Science, psychologists Drs...


Reposted by:
Charles R. Davenport, Psy.D.
Licensed Psychologist
Charles R. Davenport, Psy.D., LLC.

What's Your Earliest Memory?

Few adults can remember anything that happened to them before the age of 3. Now, a new study has documented that it’s about age 7 when our earliest memories begin to fade, a phenomenon known as “childhood amnesia.”
For the study, researchers at Emory University interviewed children about past events in their lives, starting at age 3...
http://psychcentral.com/news/2014/01/26/whats-your-earliest-memory/64982.html

Reposted by:
Charles R. Davenport, Psy.D.
Licensed Psychologist
Charles R. Davenport, Psy.D., LLC.


Attention to Depression Key for Effective PTSD Treatment

New research suggests attention to depression symptoms can speed recovery from post-traumatic stress disorder.
In a new study, researchers at Case Western Reserve University found that during PTSD treatments, rapid improvements in depression symptoms are associated with better outcomes...

Reposted by:
Charles R. Davenport, Psy.D.
Licensed Psychologist
Charles R. Davenport, Psy.D., LLC.


This Is The Single Biggest Threat To Health And Happiness

As the World Economic Forum opens this year's session in Davos, Switzerland -- bringing together world leaders to discuss the state of the global economy -- it has been hard not to focus on a single statistic, released by the relief organization Oxfam in advance of the proceedings: Currently, the 85 richest people in the world hold as much wealth as the bottom half of the entire global population, some 3.5 billion people...

..."Instead of moving forward together, people are increasingly separated by economic and political power, inevitably heightening social tensions and increasing the risk of societal breakdown, "the report added.
There are health consequences too: Socioeconomic status is a significant predictor of physical and mental health outcomes -- not to mention overall well-being

Reposted by:
Charles R. Davenport, Psy.D.
Licensed Psychologist
Charles R. Davenport, Psy.D., LLC.

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Teen Concussions Raise Risk for Depression

Teens with a history of concussion — the most common type of traumatic brain injury — are more than three times as likely to suffer from depression versus teens who have never had one, according to a new study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health.


Reposted by:
Charles R. Davenport, Psy.D.
Licensed Psychologist
Charles R. Davenport, Psy.D., LLC.



Ubiquitous Work E-Mails May Harm Mental Health

A UK research study suggests workers obsessed with checking their emails could be damaging their own mental health, and that of their colleagues.
Dr. Emma Russell, an occupational psychologist, has identified seven deadly email sins that can lead to “negative repercussions’ if not handled correctly.
http://psychcentral.com/news/2014/01/20/ubiquitous-work-e-mails-may-harm-mental-health/64776.html

Reposted by:
Charles R. Davenport, Psy.D.
Licensed Psychologist
Charles R. Davenport, Psy.D., LLC.



Lung Disease Linked to Memory Problems

People with obstructive lung disease are at higher risk for mental impairments such as memory loss, recent research has found. Obstructive lung diseases are forms of airway obstruction that include asthma, bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)...

http://psychcentral.com/news/2014/01/21/lung-disease-linked-to-memory-problems/64808.html

Reposted by:
Charles R. Davenport, Psy.D.
Licensed Psychologist
Charles R. Davenport, Psy.D., LLC.


Smartphone Use at Night May Lower Productivity

The ubiquitous smartphone may ironically be counterproductive to work efficiency as a new study suggests use of the device for late night work lowers next day productivity...

http://psychcentral.com/news/2014/01/23/smartphone-use-at-night-may-lower-productivity/64892.html

Reposted by:
Charles R. Davenport, Psy.D.
Licensed Psychologist
Charles R. Davenport, Psy.D., LLC.


New Autism-Diagnosis Rules: Study says stricter definition of the condition means fewer children will meet threshold

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 22, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Stricter new criteria for autism may change how frequently the condition is diagnosed, a new study suggests.
The study estimates that if the new diagnostic guidelines had been in place in 2008, they would have lowered the prevalence of the disorder in a nationally representative database to one in 100 children...

http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/news/20140122/new-diagnosis-rules-could-lead-to--drop-in-autism-numbers

Reposted by:
Charles R. Davenport, Psy.D.
Licensed Psychologist
Charles R. Davenport, Psy.D., LLC.


Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Specific Foods to Avoid w/ Specific Meds; Dangerous Interactions (*Consumer Reports*)


*Consumer Reports* includes an article: "Don't mix your meds with these foods; Some fruits, vegetables, and even some drinks can cause dangerous interactions."

Here are some excerpts:

Here's a list of seven foods that don't mix well with common drugs.

<snip>

This is a partial list; to be safe, ask your doctor and pharmacist about possible food interactions with any drugs you take. Also read the warnings in inserts that come with your prescription meds, and in the fine print on over-the-counter drugs.

Bananas

Don't mix with:

ACE inhibitors such as captopril (Capoten), enalapril (Vasotec), and lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), which are used to lower blood pressure or treat heart failure.

Also avoid mixing with certain diuretics, such as triamterene (Dyrenium), used to reduce fluid retention and treat high blood pressure.

<snip>

So people who take those drugs should avoid large amounts of food high in potassium, including bananas, oranges, green leafy vegetables, and salt substitutes such as Morton Lite Salt.

Kale

Don't mix with:

Blood thinners such as warfarin (Coumadin).

<snip>

Kale and other greens, including broccoli, cabbage, spinach, and brussels sprouts, are rich in vitamin K, which can reduce the drug's anti-clotting effects.

It's good to eat a balanced diet with lots of greens, but don't suddenly start drinking a daily kale smoothie without telling your doctor.

Black licorice

Don't mix with:

Digoxin (Lanoxin), used to treat heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms.

What can happen:

Glycyrrhizin, a component of black licorice, can cause irregular heartbeat or even death when combined with digoxin.

Licorice also appears to make certain drugs less effective.

The list includes blood-pressure medications, blood thinners, pain relievers, and birth-control pills.

<snip>

Milk

Don't mix with:

Tetracycline antibiotics (Sumycin).

<snip>

Calcium--from dairy foods such as milk, yogurt, and cheese, and calcium supplements and fortified foods--can prevent the body from absorbing the drug.

<snip>

Grapefruit juice

Don't mix with

Cholesterol drugs such as atorvastatin (Lipitor) and lovastatin (Mevacor).

<snip>

Drinking grapefruit juice can raise the level of the drug in your bloodstream and increase the risk of side effects, especially leg pain.

Grapefruit and grapefruit juice can interfere with other drugs, too.

Salami

Don't mix with:

Drugs such as metronidazole (Flagyl) and linezolid (Zyvox), used to treat bacterial infections.

<snip>

If you eat or drink too much of anything that contains the amino acid tyramine, your blood pressure could spike.

Tyramine is found in foods that are aged, pickled, fermented, or smoked, such as processed cheeses, anchovies, and dry sausage.

It's also in avocados, bananas, chocolate, and alcoholic drinks.

Walnuts

Don't mix with:

Thyroid drugs such as levothyroxine (Levothroid, Levoxyl, Synthroid).

<snip>

Walnuts, soybean flour, cottonseed meal, and high-fiber foods can prevent your body from absorbing those medications.

So if you eat a high-fiber diet, you might need a higher dosage.

<snip>

Pay attention to those alcohol warnings!

Many medications come with instructions not to drink alcohol while you're taking them.

It's an important warning--even one little glass of wine could be too much.

Here's why: Alcohol alone can make you drowsy, light-headed, and less coordinated; mixing it with certain drugs can magnify those effects.

Even worse, it can cause serious problems, including internal bleeding and breathing and heart problems.

And alcohol can make a drug less effective, even useless, or it can make a drug toxic.

For example, just a few drinks mixed with acetaminophen (Tylenol) can damage your liver.

Supplement Shocker

Like the foods and drinks above, some dietary supplements, including vitamins, minerals, and herbals, can cause problems if you take them with some drugs.

Even a multivitamin with iron can negate the effects of many drugs.

But herbs are the worst offenders, and St. John's wort might be the worst of all.

For example, combining St. John's wort with over-the-counter cough medicines or prescription antidepressants or migraine drugs can cause serotonin syndrome, a dangerous condition that can cause rapid blood-pressure changes, confusion, muscle spasms, and even death.

A 2012 review of 10 years of published data about interactions between drugs and supplements revealed just how big the problem really is.

Researchers found almost 1,500 documented interactions involving a total of
509 drugs and 213 supplements.

The most common drugs involved in the interactions were, in order, warfarin (Coumadin), insulin, aspirin, digoxin (a heart drug), and ticlopidine.

The supplements that turned up most often were St. John's wort, magnesium, calcium, iron, and ginkgo biloba.

Bottom line: When you tell your doctor and pharmacist what drugs you take, don't forget to also mention supplements.

They might not be harmless!

[end excerpts]

The article is online at:

Reposted by:
Charles R. Davenport, Psy.D.
Licensed Psychologist
Charles R. Davenport, Psy.D., LLC.