Quick Facts: Food Preparation

Holidays are fast approaching are you prepared?

·         Clean. Wash hands, cutting boards, utensils, and countertops.

·         Separate. Keep raw meat, poultry, and seafood separate from ready-to-eat foods.

·         Cook. Use a food thermometer to ensure that foods are cooked to a safe internal temperature: 145°F for whole meats (allowing the meat to rest for 3 minutes before carving or consuming), 160°F for ground meats, and 165°F for all poultry.

·         Chill. Keep your refrigerator below 40°F, and refrigerate food that will spoil.

·         Check your steps at http://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/basics/index.html

·         Report suspected illness from food to your local health department.

·         Don't prepare food for others if you have diarrhea or have been vomiting. [Dr. Carm just wants to add "EW!!!" to this one]

·         Be especially careful when preparing food for children, pregnant women, those in poor health, and older adults.

Tips from: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: www.cdc.gov


Related Postings:Sweets and Sugars
Pass the Honey
Diet Fads

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Quick Fact: Diet Fads

Two diet fad facts to consider:

 

Low Carb Diet

-Pasta, rice, or vegetables eaten on their own do not convert to fat. They convert to glycogen and are stored in muscle and liver cells. A study by Kevin Acheson showed that when people were fed over 500 g of carbs (roughly 1.3 kg of cooked pasta), it only converted to 10 g of fat—large amounts stored as glycogen.

-In 1997, Dr Susan Holt from the University of Sydney fed people 1000 kJ portions of food and measured the amount of glucose and insulin produced. What she found was protein foods such as beef, chicken and fish stimulated the release of larger amounts of insulin than a 1000 kJ serving of white pasta. The reason? Protein foods also stimulate the release of insulin, and some specific amino acids (the building blocks of protein) are potent stimulators of insulin.

-For each gram stored as glycogen in the muscle and liver, there is about 3-4 g of water. On a low carb diet, after 7-14 days, a person basically goes through diuresis which makes weight loss more dramatic.

-When deprived of carbs, the body uses ketone (emergency backup fuel). Some studies have shown that the metabolic rate can slow as much as 20% while the human body is in this state.

-Consider the production of glucose from protein, and that while in ketosis the body cannibalizes its own muscle in a bid to get some carbohydrate to the above-mentioned systems, and you can understand why valuable muscle and water loss make a huge chunk of the weight loss. A loss of lean muscle means a further decrease in metabolism.

Glycemic Index (GI)

-This measure how fast the carbohydrate-based foods release sugar (glucose) into the blood.

- Glycemic load (GL) is the GI food multiplied  by the grams of carbohydrates. A study was conducted between two groups. One followed a high GL diet and other was a low GL diet. There was no difference between the two groups with weight loss.

-The American Diabetes Association states: “At this time, there is insufficient information to determine whether there is a relationship between glycaemic index or glyceaemic load of diets and the development of diabetes.”

-Dairy foods have a low GI but have a high insulin index. For example, whole milk was 41 (low GI), the insulin index was a whopping 148. (Skin milk is 37 and 140.)

Information for this posting was from: Bilsborough, S. (2007). Finding facts in fad diets. Issues, 84, 28-31.

As for Dr. Carm, she is on a see food diet. Not seafood, but see food. 

[This means she sees food and eats it!]

Did you miss the last Quick Fact? Click here

Next Quick Fact is scheduled for October 20th

Related Postings:

Probiotics

Chromosomes

Dr. Bill's Hiccups
Pass the Honey
I Ate Too Much Candy
Food Preparation

Quick Facts: Sports-Related Concussions

1.    The definition of concussion is vague and inconsistent among professionals

2.       Accurately speaking, it should be called brain injury—not concussion or head injury

3.       “Mild brain injury” is inaccurate. It’s “subtle brain injury.” Why? Because the effects of the brain injury can be difficult to recognize or observe to those outside the medical profession.

4.       Many injuries are unreported

5.       More medial training is needed. The research included a cited survey of 233 recently graduated chief residents found that approximately 68% reported being less than comfortable managing a concussion sustained by an athlete

6.       Neurocognitive and neuroimaging instrumentation and other evaluation techniques are not sensitive enough to a subtle brain injury.

7.       Athletes need more training in knowing the signs and symptoms of a brain-related injury

8.       Female athletes are more prone to brain injuries than male athletes (this is because they are more likely to seek medical treatment—hence more cases are reported)

9.       An athlete does not have to sustain a blow to the head for a brain injury

10.   It may or may not involve unconsciousness

11.   Prior brain injury has been linked to depression, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and chronic traumatic encephalophy (CTE) [CTE is a degenerative disease that affects the brain and is believed to be caused by repeated head trauma…resulting in large accumulations of proteins that kill cells in regions responsible for mood, emotions, and executive functioning]

12.   Some children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder might actually be suffering from a traumatic brain injury

13.   Brain injury mimics many symptoms of drunkenness

14.   Individual treatments should be used for student-athletes with brain injuries

Brady, D., & Brady, F. (2011). Sport-related concussions: Myths and facts. Communique, 39(8), 32-33.

Related Postings:Sneeze Record
Can You Read This?

Quick Facts: Chromosomes

Chromosomes (the stuff that contains your genes) are distributed as follows:

• Domestic Cat has 38 chromosomes

• Rabbit has 44 chromosomes

• Guppy has 46 chromosomes

• Human has 46 Chromosomes [You didn’t think you shared anything in common with a guppy, did you?]

 

"I am not a guppy...I am not a guppy...."

• Chimpanzee has 48 chromosomes

• Garden Snail has 54 chromosomes

• Silkworm has 56 chromosomes

• Guinea Pig has 64 chromosomes

Statistics are from Wiki :)



Related Postings:Skin Cancer
Sneeze Record
What Does Your Hair Say About Your Health

Quick Fact: Hippocratic Oath (and Dr. Carm)

Hippocratic Oath [Dr. Carm Comments]

I do solemnly vow, to that which I value and hold most dear:

That I will honor the Profession of Medicine, be just and generous to its members, and help sustain them in their service to humanity;  

[If they are nice to Dr. Carm, Dr. Carm will be nice to them]

That just as I have learned from those who preceded me, so will I instruct those who follow me in the science and the art of medicine;

 [Hence, the blog, because Dr. Carm is just that smart!]

That I will recognize the limits of my knowledge and pursue lifelong learning to better care for the sick and to prevent illness;  

[Hmm, Dr. Carm learned everything already so it can be scratched off the list]

That I will seek the counsel of others when they are more expert so as to fulfill my obligation to those who are entrusted to my care;  

[Ha ha ha ha!!! Dr. Carm believes this is vice versa]

That I will not withdraw from my patients in their time of need; 

[Unless Dr. Carm is in the middle of a show or a good book or sleep or eating or daydreaming or....]

That I will lead my life and practice my art with integrity and honor, using my power wisely;

[Dr. Carm always uses her power wisely]

That whatsoever I shall see or hear of the lives of my patients that is not fitting to be spoken, I will keep in confidence;  

[Of course Dr. Carm cannot be bought....but she can be rented if the price is right!]

That into whatever house I shall enter, it shall be for the good of the sick;  

[Who makes house calls anymore??? That's what the Internet is for!]

That I will maintain this sacred trust, holding myself far aloof from wrong, from corrupting, from the tempting of others to vice;  

[Dr. Carm is always above the rest]

That above all else I will serve the highest interests of my patients through the practice of my science and my art;  

[Art? Does this mean Dr. Carm can draw funny mustaches on the patients with Sharpies while they are sleeping or in surgery?!?!?!]

That I will be an advocate for patients in need and strive for justice in the care of the sick. 

[Again, if they are nice to Dr. Carm, Dr. Carm will be nice to them]

I now turn to my calling, promising to preserve its finest traditions, with the reward of a long experience in the joy of healing.  

[Traditions? How do people feel about leeches? They do have their benefits though...]

I make this vow freely and upon my honor.

[If every doctor takes this oath, is it really freely? Hey! Dr. Carm is now a philosopher!]

Related Postings:Sneeze Record
Best Medical Schools
Mammograms
Medical Professions

Quick Facts: Skin Cancer

-Melanoma (the deadliest skin cancer) kills 8,700 Americans every year

-Skin cancer effects 2 million people in the United States every year

- Caucasians are at a higher risk for skin damage than those who have darker skin tones (but all people are at risk)

- Adolescent skin is more sensitive and vulnerable than adult skin

- Single blistering sunburn while young doubles the chances of getting melanoma later

- There is not that much of a difference between SPF 15 and SPF 30

- Skin cancer is twice as high in Arizona than Minnesota (Yep, you guesses it. Sunny places are higher for skin cancers)

- Tanning beds release 10 to 15 times UV radiation than a noontime sun

- Tanning weakens your skin’s elasticity – i.e., premature aging, sagging skin, deep wrinkles, and brown spots

- 10 minutes of sun is enough for your body to synthesize vitamin D

- California has banned anyone younger than 18 years of age from tanning beds

-Try wearing fabrics that block UVA and UVB rays to help protect your skin

- Avoid sun exposure between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

- Wear sunscreen

- Get regular skin checks

- Old sunscreen  rules only focused on UVB. Now, the rules also focus on UVA rays (which protect against cancer)

- No sunscreen can completely block the sun or be completely waterproof (it must be effective for at least 40 minutes when wet)

Paturel, A. (2012). Shining a light on skin cancer. Current Health Teen, 38(6), 16-19.

Related Postings:
Mammograms
What Does Your Hair Say About Your Health
Nails

Quick Fact: Sneeze Records

According to the Guinness World Records (2004):

The highest speed at which expelled particles from a sneeze have been measured to travel is 103.6 mph (167 km/h).

and

Longest sneezing fit: The longest recorded sneezing fit is that of Donna Griffiths (UK). She began sneezing on January 13, 1981 and sneezed an estimated one million times in the first 365 days. Her first sneeze-free day came 978 days later on September 16, 1983.

Related Postings:
Best Medical Schools 
Can You Read This? 
Hippocratic Oath 
Dr. Bill: Hiccups 
Chromosomes 
Cold versus Flu
 

Quick Facts: Best Medical Schools

For those of you who wish to be like Dr. Carm (and I know all of you do!), it takes a lot of time and dedication. And if you mean to practice medicine, you want to get the best education out there. Dr. Carm has found the top medical programs in the world. Not everyone can be naturally smart as Dr. Carm, so this should help.

Top 50 worldwide medical schools of 2011:

1.       Harvard University (USA)

2.       University of Cambridge (UK)

3.       Massachusetts Institute of Technology—MIT (USA)

4.       University of Oxford (UK)

5.       Stanford University (USA)

6.       Yale University (USA)

7.       University of California, Los Angeles—UCLA (USA)

8.       John Hopkins University (USA)

9.       Imperial College London (UK)

10.   University of California, San Diego  - UCSD (USA)

11.   California Institute of Technology—Caltech (USA)

12.   University of Toronto (CANADA)

13.   McGill University (CANADA)

14.   Duke University (USA)

15.   The University of Melbourne (AUSTRALIA)

16.   Columbia University (USA)

17.   University of California, San Francisco (USA)

18.   National University of Singapore—NUS (SINGAPORE)

19.   University of Chicago (USA)

20.   The University of Tokyo (JAPAN)

21.   University of Pennsylvania (USA)

22.   University of Michigan (USA)

23.   Cornell University (USA)

24.   University of Washington (USA)

25.   University College of London—UCL (UK)

26.   Karolinska Institute (SWEDEN)

27.   Rockefeller University (USA)

28.   University of Edinburgh (UK)

29.   The University of Sydney (AUSTRALIA)

30.   Kings College London (UK)

31.   University of British Columbia (CANADA)

32.   The University of Manchester (UK)

33.   The University of Queensland (AUSTRALIA)

34.   University of Wisconsin—Madison (USA)

35.   Boston University (USA)

36.   Monash University (AUSTRALIA)

37.   The University of Texas M. D. Anderson CancerCenter (USA)

38.   Kyoto University (JAPAN)

39.   The University of Auckland (NZ)

40.   Washington University in St. Louis (USA)

41.   Humboldt-Universitat zu Berlin (GERMANY)

42.   Erasmus University Rotterdam (NETHERLANDS)

43.   Leiden University (NETHERLANDS)

44.   McMaster University (CANADA)

45.   University of Hong Kong (CHINA)

46.   Australian National University (AUSTRALIA)

47.   University of Helsinki (FINLAND)

48.   University of Bristol (UK)

49.   New York University—NYU (USA)

50.   Ruprecht-Karls-Universitat Heidelberg (GERMANY)  

For more information on the top medical universities of 2011, please visit here


Missed the last quick story? Click here
Next quick story: Massive Myocardial Infarct on July 29, 2012

Quick Facts: Mammogram

Have you ever heard women say, "I bet a man invented the mammogram"? Well, they are right!
Albert Salomon began the concept of mammograms, while Jacob Gershon-Cohen began using mammograms in the 1950s.


Related Postings:
Elderly Woman 
Breast Cancer