THINK BEFORE YOU DRINK - PART TWO

This is a great article about how we're pretty bad at guessing how much oversized soda cups actually hold. Mayor Bloomberg is right when he asks you think twice before you buy the BIG drink. And don't forget your body doesn't register liquid calories like it does solid food so it won't recognise that you've just had a huge feed and signal you to stop. It'll do the opposite and you'll eat, eat, eat. 

Take the quiz and see how good you are at guessing how much is in each cup. I got none right. I way underestimated each one. 

PARTYING GOOD FOR PREGNANT MOMS?


Women drinking in pregnancy is nothing new. Until recently it was quite commonplace. Reaction to pregnant women drinking publicly can be over the top and wreak of parternalism even when it's another woman not minding her own business. Two waiters at a Red Robin just outside Seattle got fired for their overbearing obnoxious behavior. No question excessive drinking leads to alcohol fetal syndrome, increased number of miscarriages and still births. The question is how much is too much? A new study from Norway seems to indicate that moderate drinking does little damage to the fetus. I have to admit it's a well designed study but... 

 

I get what the Norwegians are saying about overall safety but my feeling is why risk it? For some, nine months of no alcohol is a bigger sacrifice than for others. Put in context, however, against all the other sacrifices moms make for their children this is small potatoes. Alcohol is best avoided when pregnant especially in the first trimester. Your child deserves nothing less. 

DR. CHAMBERS ON CALL JUNE 23 2012

The show this week...diets, diets, diets...vegan, blood type, flatulence inducing - gives you gas...yeah makes you fart...what's the best?...TV medicine, how it stacks up against real life...quick solution to that sudden pimple outbreak that's about to spoil the long awaited hot date or major presentation...AND as always your calls.

                                                     DR. CHAMBERS ON CALL 

                                    SATURDAYS 6-8 AM ON KFWB NEWS TALK 980

                                        THE NUMBER TO CALL IS 888 539 2980

FYI, encore hour of Dr. Chambers On Call @ 5 PM Saturday on KFWB NEWS TALK 980

MONEYHEALTHMONEY

Not like it's news but money talks. This article illustrates how warped the discussion on health care has been and the power of a quarter billion dollars in negative advertising.  

There's definitely things in the affordable Care Act that I really don't like but overall it's a huge step forward. Like what? Abolition of preexisting conditions, no life time caps, children up to the age of 26 can go on their parents insurance. 

We live in an era of chronic diseases so an occasional harried ER visit for the uninsured is a band aid on festering puss. We already spend oodles of money on health care. Enough to give everyone basic coverage if we had the will. Seems we don't.

GLEN HANSARD/KCRW

Thanks to Morning Becomes Eclectic producer Arianna Morgenstern, one of the Silver Sisters of Solidarity, who invited me over to the KCRW studios this morning for an in house performance by fellow Irish Man Glen Hansard. You may remember Glen as the star of the indie movie "Once" that went on to win an Oscar for best song with "Falling Slowly". Last week the stage version of "Once" won a slew of Tonys including Best Musical Of The Year. The man's on a roll.

Happy to say the fellow Dub was in fine mettle today. The man rocked the studio with a few sets from his new album, uniquely titled, Glen Hansard. Worth checking out. 

HEALTH CARE IN THE RICHEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD

Remote Area Medical is a group that provides free health care to the legions of uninsured in America. Another example of what $2 trillion dollars doesn't buy - basic health care for all.

 

TO SCREEN OR NOT TO SCREEN, THAT IS THE QUESTION.

Alexander Oen became a national hero in Norway last year when he won the 100 meters breast stroke at the world championships in Shanghai. This year he stunned not only Norway but the world by dying. Yes dying. Something each and every one of us is going to do. I guess this simply means when an Olympic god in his prime drops dead it scares the bejaysus out of us all. 

His autopsy results revealed a cause of death about as common, mundane and routine as it gets. Atherosclerotic heart disease - blocked coronary arteries. These are the arteries that supply oxygen and nutrients to the heart itself. Turns out his only risk factor was a bad family history of heart disease. His dad died at age 42. The findings prompted the coroner to advise Mr. Oen's family to get screened for heart disease.  What does this mean for you?

If you have a bad family history of heart disease you need to start screening yourself much younger than average. Whatever correctable risk factors you have, fix, agressivley. If you smoke, stop. NOW. If diabetic or hypertensive or have high cholesterol fix 'em. If you're obese lose some weight. And exercise! There's nothing that says if you have a bad family history of heart disease that you'll die before your time. The choice is yours.