Breakfast and Weight Loss

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Two recent studies examined the importance of breakfast and weight loss. The research question is simple: Does eating breakfast help you get to and attain a healthy weight?

Let’s take a look at the first study (1). Researchers in five cities screened 746 people. Of those, 309 overweight people were then randomly assigned to one of three groups; they were then further subdivided into to those who typically ate breakfast and those who were breakfast skippers. All subjects were given a pamphlet called "Let’s Eat for the Health of It" that talked about healthier eating (2). The researchers . . .

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Depression: The Next Step

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In today’s message, I’m going to wrap up this week on depression. After Thursday’s message, I thought that the first question would be “What is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)? I’m going to give you the definition according to the National Alliance for Mental Illness:

“Cognitive behavioral therapy is a form of treatment that focuses on examining the relationships between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. By exploring patterns of thinking that lead to self-destructive actions and the beliefs that direct these thoughts, people with mental illness can modify their patterns of thinking . . .

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Depression: Never Too Late

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Not all depression can be handled the same way the person in Tuesday’s message did. Sometimes depression is a lot more severe. For some, it may require long-term medication; Paula expects to take an antidepressant for the rest of her life. But there are still ways to work with the medication to make it more effective.

Here is the second person’s story:

“I’m 70 and for the first time in 54 years I have just completed a year that has been really depression-free. I’ve suffered from depression since I . . .

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Depression: Your Stories

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The comments from readers and listeners on my special message last week on depression were very positive. What I did not anticipate was how some of you opened your hearts and shared your battles with depression. Today and Thursday, I’m going to share two of those stories, with the permission of the individuals and keeping their identity confidential; I’ve already shared Paula’s story and my mother-in-law’s story. I’m hoping they will inspire you to know you’re not alone and to take the next step in finding out whether you may be suffering . . .

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Equipment, Examples, and Hibiscus

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Wherever I am, I observe people. Here are a few recent observations about kids, fitness, and tattoos. Tattoos? It doesn’t go where you think it might.
Kids and Exercise Equipment
As I was working out on the treadmill in the fitness room of the hotel I stayed at in Fort Worth, the door opened and a mom and her son walked in. I would say he was about seven or eight years old, and he wanted to try out the elliptical trainer. No luck—he wasn’t big enough to get any type of movement. Then he tried the . . .

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Don’t Get on the Scale

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I’m a fan of Seth Godin, one of the first Internet marketers, and his daily blog; sometimes it’s a page, sometimes only one or two sentences. His messages deal with all aspects of business and marketing, but sometimes, he uses examples from everyday life. Here’s one that’s brutal but honest:

Don't measure anything unless the data helps you make a better decision or change your actions. If you're not prepared to change your diet or your workouts, don't get on the scale.

Metrics dictate what . . .

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Special Message: Enough!

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You may have seen the news that actor and comedian Robin Williams reportedly took his own life on Monday. I was on a plane when I heard, and the guy next to me just kept saying over and over, “He was only 63!” That was my seatmate’s age and mine as well. One of the contributing factors was depression. I know it was severe depression and needed to be treated by physicians, but there’s plenty of mild to moderate depression going around.

We don’t know all the details, but I’ve had enough—enough of men, especially baby boomer men, who refuse to acknowledge they might be depressed. They certainly won’t bother to get an actual diagnosis. They walk around fatigued, tired, and unable to accomplish anything. Those are signs of depression? Yes!

I don’t want any more tragedies especially for men in my age group! I want them to become productive again and be able to have the vigor they used to have.

Many people, especially men, don’t want to address depression because they believe there’s a stigma attached. That’s why Paula talks about her battle with depression and urges me to talk about it, too: the more people open up about it, the less effective the stigma becomes.

My mother-in-law spent years living half a life. We always suspected she was depressed, but she refused to take that medication. When she moved into continuing care, she was given an antidepressant along with her other meds, and she came alive—more like the person Paula and Steve remembered from childhood. Her last few years were some of her best. If you suspect you may be depressed, don’t wait until you’re in a nursing home to treat it. I guess the other side of that coin is that it’s never too late to feel better.

Not everyone will need an antidepressant, but that’s getting ahead of the game. I don’t want any more tragedies but even more, I want men and women in my age group—baby boomers—and of all ages to really live every day they’re alive. If you have a friend or family member in trouble, speak up. I know you don’t want to meddle, and neither do I, but meddling is a whole lot better than watching people fritter their life away.

For men only: quit playing games. I always say you can’t walk off a heart attack. Well, you can’t walk off depression without some guidance. So get off it and get after it. Today!

What are you prepared to do today?

Dr. Chet

 

Never Going to Happen

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I was walking in the cereal aisle of a grocery store the other day. Actually, I walked up, then down, at different times. I can’t explain it, but I’m sure it’s a man thing. Even with a list, I wander around and around. But the way I shop is not the point—it’s the way other people shop.

The first time, a little girl in a grocery cart jumped up pointing to the Fruit Loops shouting, “There they are!” I don’t know whether she saw the television ads or normally ate them, but a three . . .

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The Bottom Line on Handshakes in Healthcare

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This week I’ve talked about physicians opinions on human contact in the healthcare setting as well as a couple of studies that establish that pathogens can be transferred from normal human contact such as handshakes in hospitals and other medical locations.

Normal human contact. That sounds much different from talking about handshakes or fist bumps, doesn’t it? Puts a different feel to it. That’s the Number One problem I see with limiting actions such as handshakes in the healthcare setting: we lose the feeling expressed through common human contact. Some people who don’t like . . .

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More Research on Hospital Handshakes

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Two studies on handshakes have made the news recently (1,2). Both indicate that avoiding handshakes and perhaps moving to something such as a fist bump might be a good idea in the healthcare setting. Let’s take a closer look.

In the first study, researchers had two healthcare workers start at the ground floor of a hospital and then proceed to the surgical suite on the 5th floor. They pushed the buttons on elevators, used door handles, etc. Then they shook hands with 20 other healthcare workers working on the surgical floor. After contact, the 20 unsuspecting workers were . . .

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