Pulse on Health by Jeff Hansel

Mayo Clinic hosts runners at Mall of America...

Mayo Clinic has announced a free runner's event at the Mall of America in Bloomington coming up April 10, 2010.

Location: Sears Court

"The event will feature Mayo experts from the Sports Medicine Center and Jeff Galloway, Olympic runner and author," says a post by Mayo social-media guru Lee Aase.

Outfit suggestion:  You're encouraged to wear your running shoes!

Time: 12 to 3 p.m.

Running analysis begins: 12 noon

Lectures begin: 1 p.m.

Mayo Sports Medicine Center co-director Dr. Edward Laskowski says flexibility, strength training, stability training and the way you run all play a part in running injuries.  At the Mall of America event, Mayo staff will show you how to run longer, better and pain free.  

There will also be a session where physical therapists will analyze how you run on a treadmill, with suggestions of how you can change things to make your running better.

Pulse on Health

By Jeff Hansel, member Association of Health Care Journalists

Health Reporter for the Post-Bulletin newspaper, 18 1st Ave. S.E. in Rochester, Minnesota 55904 

Twitter Hansel's Pulse: @Jeff Hansel

Obesity addiction...

I have long wondered about the concept of choice when it comes to obesity.  Suggestions offered for those who want to lose weight generally center around things that require motivation.

For example, as a diabetic, I must maintain an adequate level of sugar in my system.  Thus, exercise can be a double-edged sword because too much exercise can lead to lowered sugar, requiring consumption of additional calories.  

I personally attack this problem by often eating right before exercise, taking less insulin (a hormone which can, in too great amounts, lower sugar to dangerous levels).  But that doesn't mean you won't walk out of the gym with your sugar too low (in the event you have a really good workout).  Or, you might miscalculate and end up with high sugar.  That requires extra insulin, which can sometimes lead to low sugar later (and the need to eat extra food).  It's a vicious cycle.

But exercise is also important for people with diabetes because we're at greater risk from high blood pressure, heart disease, etc.

So I see all the advice offered to people who are heavy and I wonder just how easy it is to follow. Because I know from personal experience that I do not want to be overweight.  So it seems to me that someone who would prefer to be thin isn't going to 'want' to be overweight — and if there was a way to get thin, the person would.  In other words, I often doubt that motivation is the problem. Rather, I've often thought that some sort of underlying biological problem might be a cause.

And here's a tidbit of evidence to support my thoughts, although I confess it's an animal study and animal studies often do not translate easily to human application.

The National Institutes of Health now suggests that obesity might cause behaviors similar to drug addiction.

"Some of the same brain mechanisms that fuel drug addiction in humans accompany the emergence of compulsive eating behaviors and the development of obesity in animals, according to research funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)," the NIH quotes one of its institutes as saying.

The scientific journal Nature Neuroscience carries an article about the topic.

"When investigators gave rats access to varying levels of high-fat foods, they found unrestricted availability alone can trigger addiction-like responses in the brain, leading to compulsive eating behaviors and the onset of obesity," the NIH announcement says.

This makes so much sense to me because I used to crave cheese curds, bacon and fried foods (probably not the best diet for a diabetic).  But when I began eating more and more fruits and vegetables and virtually abandoned greasy snack foods, suddenly I found myself craving salads, oranges and celery.  Yum!

Of course, the concept isn't proved just because my own personal tastes changed.  And one study in rats doesn't prove the concept either.  Still, it's intriguing.  

If you really want to lower your caloric intake, it might be more useful to find a way to separate yourself from fatty foods long enough to break the 'addiction' than to try various diets.  

The NIH quotes Dr. Nora D. Volkow as saying, "drug addiction and obesity are two of the most challenging health problems in the United States. This research opens the door for us to apply some of the knowledge we have gathered about drug addiction to the study of overeating and obesity."

What's already been learned about drug addiction and obesity? Both are linked to "a dysfunction in the brain’s reward system." Over time, the NIH says, craving for more and more of the drug or food occurs because the "reward threshold" increases, meaning it takes more and more of the addictive drug — or food — to overcome the craving.

"The study titled: 'Addiction-like reward dysfunction and compulsive eating in obese rates: Role for dopamine D2 receptors,' by Paul M. Johnson and Paul J. Kenny in Nature Neuroscience can be found online at: http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/vaop/ncurrent/index.html," the NIH announcement says.

Mayo Clinic offers healthy meal options online, including submitted menu items like crispy potato skins (baked in the oven, rather than fried), black bean burgers and white chicken chili.  I look forward to learning what researchers continue to find.

Pulse on Health

By Jeff Hansel, member Association of Health Care Journalists

Health Reporter for the Post-Bulletin newspaper, 18 1st Ave. S.E. in Rochester, Minnesota 55904 

Twitter Hansel's Pulse: @Jeff Hansel

Third wave of H1N1 influenza...?

The Los Angeles Times reports today (March 29, 2010), nearly one year since H1N1 influenza was first identified, that "continuing activity of pandemic H1N1 influenza in the Southeast, particularly in Georgia, is raising fears of a third wave of swine flu."

"Although swine flu activity is still low in most of the country, flu-related hospitalizations in Georgia have, since the beginning of February, been higher than they were last October at the height of the second wave of swine flu, said Dr. Anne Schuchat, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, in a telephone news conference," says the LA Times article.

According to the Times, 60 million Americans have been infected with H1N1 so far. A total of 265,000 have been infected and 12,000 have died nationwide. 

[Dr. Anne Schuchat on a panel of experts during a training session for journalists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention during fall of 2009. Copyright.] 

Pulse on Health

By Jeff Hansel, member Association of Health Care Journalists

Health Reporter for the Post-Bulletin newspaper, 18 1st Ave. S.E. in Rochester, Minnesota 55904 

Twitter Hansel's Pulse: @Jeff Hansel

Olmsted Medical Center construction in northwest Rochester...

Olmsted Medical Center will reignite plans to build a new $15 million clinic in northwest Rochester at the intersection of 55th Street Northwest and 50th Ave. Northwest. The street address of the new clinic will be 5067 55th Street N.W.

The construction go-ahead is another sign of an improving local economy.

Back in July of 2009, OMC's president, Dr. Roy Yawn, announced an indefinite delay in construction.  He said said that there were two reasons:

• Recession-related slowing of patient volume increases that had been expected to rise enough to support the new facility.

• Uncertainty about the direction of state and federal health reform. 

But President Obama signed the new Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law March 23, clarifying things on the national level and providing a framework of guidance for states. And, OMC has indicated that business has been booming, especially at its FastCare Clinic at the south-side Shopko store.

So shovels are going to start digging later this spring, pending, of course, OMC's ability to catch an attractive financing package.

Read more in today's print edition of the Post-Bulletin. 

Pulse on Health

By Jeff Hansel, member Association of Health Care Journalists

Health Reporter for the Post-Bulletin newspaper, 18 1st Ave. S.E. in Rochester, Minnesota 55904 

Twitter Hansel's Pulse: @Jeff Hansel

Career path for medical students: Outer space...

Here's a fascinating little tidbit from the American Medical Association.

Medical students might be surprised to learn about a career path that just a few physicians have qualified for — that of physician-astronaut.

"Since 1973, 23 U.S. physicians have launched into space. They have taken part in spacewalks, treated fellow crew members and conducted medical research," says an article at ama-assn.org.

Of course, the space program is more than competitive and it's a rough ride to train, qualify and then actually fly into space.

When they reach space, "almost immediately, 75% to 95% of astronauts become nauseated and may vomit as their vestibular systems adapt to weightlessness. Blood and fluids redistribute to the upper parts of their bodies, which causes the heart to enlarge. They become less thirsty, and the kidneys increase output of urine, causing fluid and electrolyte levels to drop. Eventually, the heart shrinks due to the lack of gravity and fluid."

That's a far cry from the pretty images beamed into living rooms.  But it's something astronauts invariably want more of once they've experienced the rush of floating weightless, and it's also kind of intoxicating for physicians interested in the human body's reactions to space.

A physician-astronaut's role in space is similar to that of a physician on Earth, writes Christine S. Moyer, American Medical News writer. They provide care for other astronauts. 

They also "play an integral role designing and conducting experiments to find solutions for health concerns not only facing astronauts in space but also the public on Earth. Researchers are examining connections between the health risks of dust on the moon and asthma on Earth, sleep problems of astronauts and shift workers, and emergency medical care in space and war zones," Moyer writes.

President Obama's budget eliminates NASA's planned mission to Mars, suggesting future efforts might be more likely to come from the private sector, Moyer writes.  

But doctors are still needed "to help design medical kits for astronauts, as well as spacecrafts, suits and other equipment that will protect crews from radiation, freezing temperatures and other risks inherent to space travel."

So if you're heading toward medical school and have high aspirations, keep space travel in the back of your mind as a 'future' option. 

Pulse on Health

By Jeff Hansel, member Association of Health Care Journalists

Health Reporter for the Post-Bulletin newspaper, 18 1st Ave. S.E. in Rochester, Minnesota 55904 

Twitter Hansel's Pulse: @Jeff Hansel

Free camp for youth after loved one's death...

The Mayo Clinic Hospice Program plans a free, one-day camp for children and teens ages 5 to 18 who have experienced the death of a person important in their life.

I have in the past spoken with young people who have attended this camp. Some might be frustrated about the whole concept and maybe not even want to go. But transformations have occurred in which children are able to release pent up sorrow, frustration and even anger. My sense — having still not ever directly observed the camp — is that campers realize that the camp won't make grief go away. But experiences like this can help them better navigate life during the grieving process (which, from my own experience, can last a long time). 

The Department of Chaplain Services at Mayo and Mayo Eugenio Litta Children's Hospital will host the "Healing Adventures Camp." Campers will spend time with other children who have had similar experiences and meet with trained grief facilitators. Topics for discussion might include loss, healing, grief and new beginnings. Campers will join age-appropriate groups and participate in activities such as nature walks, music, crafts, rock-wall climbing and a petting zoo.

Families are then invited to participate in a closing activity with campers. 

Date: Saturday, May 15, 2010

Time: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Closing activities for campers and families: 3 to 4 p.m.

Optional adult support session: 8:30 to 11 a.m. 

Registration required by: Friday, April 30, 2010.

Questions: Contact Carol Kuisle at kuisle.carol@mayo.edu or 284-1690 (1-800-679-9084).

(Source: Mayo Clinic)

Pulse on Health

By Jeff Hansel, member Association of Health Care Journalists

Health Reporter for the Post-Bulletin newspaper, 18 1st Ave. S.E. in Rochester, Minnesota 55904 

Twitter Hansel's Pulse: @Jeff Hansel

Hayes named Mayo Clinic diversity director...

Dr. Sharonne Hayes has been named the new diversity director for Mayo Clinic.

Hayes, a cardiologist, has been a leading advocate for women with heart disease — the #1 killer of women. Mayo's national CEO Dr. John Noseworthy is quoted in the clinic's announcement as saying that "diverse organizations make better decisions, and we need to increase our diversity to create the best environment for patients."

Mayo's top leadership has often been populated by Caucasian males, but clinic officials are working to change that. Shirley Weis, who has a background in nursing, including work on the overnight shift in an emergency room, became the clinic's second-in-command in 2007. She's now the chief administrative officer both of the Rochester campus and of Mayo nationally. She's the first woman to hold the CAO position. 

"Dr. Hayes will work with Mayo leaders at all campuses to create and implement an overall institutional diversity plan. She has long been an advocate for women’s health, for women in health care, and other issues of diversity in medicine," the clinic noted. Hayes is director of the Mayo Women's Heart Clinic.

"We are in a changing world that's very diverse and Mayo Clinic needs to meet the needs of our patients, of our community and by that, getting a diversity of thought, a diversity of backgrounds of individuals and really aspiring to have our employees, and the way we care for patients, reflect the needs of our patients," Hayes says on a YouTube video.

Hayes is the same physician who appeared on a national television program talking about heart disease when a man realized the symptoms she described were the same as his wife was experiencing. The couple went to the ER and credited Hayes with saving the woman's life over the television air waves. 

Pulse on Health

By Jeff Hansel, member Association of Health Care Journalists

Health Reporter for the Post-Bulletin newspaper, 18 1st Ave. S.E. in Rochester, Minnesota 55904 

Twitter Hansel's Pulse: @Jeff Hansel

Crying tears of health-reform joy...

I recently interviewed a Rochester woman about a health-related issue.  She shared with me some of her thoughts about health reform and gave me permission to share them with you. I think her comments are a good example of how raw the emotions are for Americans, regardless of whether they are health-reform advocates or opponents. 

Linda Rockey moved to Rochester, she says, after her insurance company in another state denied her request to visit Mayo Clinic for a colonosocpy. Instead, she says, she was required to have the procedure locally and "due to an error, the next day I began to hemorrhage and was rushed to the hospital to receive blood transfusions."

She needs regular colonoscopies due to Crohn's disease.

"A year later I asked my insurance company to let me return to Mayo Clinic for a colonoscopy and they denied it and insisted that I let the same doctor who botched the previous one to repeat the test," Rockey said.

On Wednesday, Rockey sent me a note about President Obama's signature of the new health law that was passed in December by the U.S. Senate and by the House on Sunday:

"Last night I went out walking near St. Marys Hospital and I just started crying and couldn't stop because we now have a health reform bill.   What does that mean to every patient who would love to come to Mayo Clinic and was denied even a visit by their insurance carrier, how many lives will this save from today on where someone can actually go to a doctor, think of the relief of college students without work who now can stay on their parents' insurance until they find a job.   I could go on and on but I never thought in my lifetime this could happen.  President Obama has given all Americans the gift of a lifetime."

Rockey said she "decided to quit my job, sell my home and leave my family and friends because of harassment by my health insurance provider."  She now lives here in Rochester, Minnesota.

Pulse on Health

By Jeff Hansel, member Association of Health Care Journalists

Health Reporter for the Post-Bulletin newspaper, 18 1st Ave. S.E. in Rochester, Minnesota 55904 

Twitter Hansel's Pulse: @Jeff Hansel

Mexican Americans don't get help as fast after stroke...

Mexican Americans are less likely to call for help after a stroke, an article in the Los Angeles Times says, and less than a third of any population calls within the three-hour window during which treatment is most effective against the effects of stroke.

Researchers "found that only 40% of Mexican Americans called for emergency medical services (EMS), compared with 56% of whites. Only 27% of the former group arrived at a hospital within three hours, and 29% of the latter. Language did not play a role in how soon patients arrived at the hospital," the article says.

It notes that you should be familiar with stroke symptoms:

"-- Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body

-- Sudden confusion and trouble speaking or understanding

-- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes

-- Sudden trouble walking, dizziness and loss of balance or coordination

-- Sudden severe headache with no known cause"

Pulse on Health

By Jeff Hansel, member Association of Health Care Journalists

Health Reporter for the Post-Bulletin newspaper, 18 1st Ave. S.E. in Rochester, Minnesota 55904 

Twitter Hansel's Pulse: @Jeff Hansel

Eyota boy recovering from stroke...

I confess that I had no concept of strokes in people younger than age 18. But I've received quite an education recently.

Levi Lastine, now 15, and his family invited us into his hospital room at the Saint Marys Hospital rehabilitation unit. Last December Levi, an avid skateboarder and lover of snowboarding and fishing and camping with his family, was reaching for the shampoo bottle in the shower at home when he felt a sudden headache that felt like his blood was pumping furiously.

But Levi was actually having a stroke, a medical emergency in which the brain actually does not get enough oxygen. His symptoms portrayed sort of the opposite of what was happening, because Levi thought he was going to vomit.  

He stumbled out of the shower to the toilet because he thought he was about to get sick. He called out to his brother Dillion, who knew immediately that something was terribly wrong.

Levi's stroke, triggered by a blood clot in his neck but without an identified underlying cause, affected his brain, spinal cord and entire left side. You can read more in this weekend's print edition.

But I should comment on Pulse on Health about the support this Dover-Eyota student is getting from health providers, friends, family and school officials.  He's got a lot of support and it's pretty clear he appreciates it.  

When I was his age, I could never have dealt with all the attention from so many people. But Levi seems to be dealing well with the extreme effort of rehabilitation, having to stay inside since before Christmas, 2008 and the struggle to eat enough, exercise enough, stretch enough and stay focused on the positive without getting overly confident.  

That's a lot to take in when you're heading into your high school years.  

  

[Levi Lastine skateboarding. Images from his CaringBridge site. Copyrighted images referenced by permission from the Lastine family. Please click to enlarge.] 

You folks over there in Eyota make sure he knows how you feel about him (but maybe give him a little while to get settled in first).  

Check out his CaringBridge site to read his journal and get a full picture of what he and his family have been through.  He developed, for example, a pressure ulcer on his skin, making it extremely painful to sit up.  He has fortunately received some healing and relief recently, so he's been able to do a little more movement than previously.  Now, his family is hoping to make some changes at home to widen doors and make the shower wheelchair accessible during his ongoing recovery.

I wish Levi, his parents, brother, sister, friends and family well in the months ahead.  It's been a long time since he was able to skateboard, like the images from his CaringBridge site above show. But he hopes to one day get to be that active again.

Pulse on Health

By Jeff Hansel, member Association of Health Care Journalists

Health Reporter for the Post-Bulletin newspaper, 18 1st Ave. S.E. in Rochester, Minnesota 55904 

Twitter Hansel's Pulse: @Jeff Hansel