Google has a vegetable garden
Google was doing it in 2007: In Growing our connection to food, Google explained they launched a mini-farm on campus with 300 self-watering containers. The correct name for the containers is sub-irrigated planters (SIPs) and they can be purchased commercially ($30) or made from plastic totes.
Sports team has a mini-farm
San Francisco Giants have a mini-farm on their stadium growing kale, Swiss chard, lemon grass, sage and more. The garden—one of the first of its kind at an American sports stadium—comes as a bizarre sight to some fans who associate stadiums with more traditional fare. But the Giants say that the Garden, as they call it, promotes healthy eating. In a city with no shortage of fussy foodies, it has attracted its share of devotees.
Hospitals could be next
The Giants garden may be an almost utopian oasis of tranquility, with its rows of lushly packed planter beds and water-conserving, vertical garden towers. But it is also a popular vantage point—complete with tables and seating. Fans who want to stay planted inside the garden can still watch the game action through a series of cutouts in the center-field wall or follow it on one of TVs.
Quoting the late author Lewis Grizzard, it reads: “It’s difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato.”
It is possible that hospitals that focus on wellness initiatives may be interested in launching their SIP-powered gardens as an educational initiative for patients and staff.
Related videos:
Google Garden Planting. Executive Sous-Chef Jennifer Johnston leads a team of volunteers to plant a Growing Connection garden on Google campus.
Google Garden Harvest. Rebecca Jepsen from Santa Clara County Master Gardeners helps Jennifer maintain and harvest the garden.
The Growing Connection Gardens at Google. Google Chief Internet Evangelist and Co-Chair of the Global Advisory Board of The Growing Connection Vint Cerf stopped in and helped unveil The Growing Connection's Gardens at the Googleplex on May 1, 2007.
References:
Official Google Blog: Growing our connection to food http://buff.ly/1oC2lkr
For San Francisco Giants, the Star of This World Series Is a Vegetable Garden - WSJ http://buff.ly/1sY8qpM
"Food gardening is the most intelligent adult endeavor on earth and ought to be understood by anyone who eats. You eat healthier, fresher, tastier food, enjoy gentle exercise, and make new friends." Source: http://amzn.to/RpbdJx
Gardening helps you burn calories - 160 calories for 30 minutes of gardening http://buff.ly/1ekjB7L
Why Gardening is Good for Your Health (infographic) http://bit.ly/10JAhzU
He who plants a garden plants happiness. — Chinese proverb
Friday, 1 May 2015
Wednesday, 22 April 2015
Medical jokes portray an unflattering picture of doctors in general
From this French study:
Sociological studies have shown the link between humor and unconscious ideas that we have of the society in which we evolve. Researchers conducted a survey to answer the question: "What were the stereotypes of our medical profession that emerge from a transcript of jokes collected in a medical population?"
Recruitment of the source population (doctors and medical students) was done through different personal and professional mailing lists, Twitter, Facebook, and medical press. The inclusion period was 6 weeks (from June 6 to July 14, 2013). Each physician recruited received the link to the study authors' blog: http://humourmedical.overblog.com which contained a link to the questionnaire.
Physicians responded to the following simple proposition: "tell the joke involving doctors you laugh the most".
Analysis of jokes was made by 3 investigators. First, two investigators pooled of results to generate a stereotype for each joke. Then a triangulation was made with a third investigator, to determine the final stereotype.
512 jokes were collected on the site and 448 were included in the analysis. The gender of respondents was 284 men (63%) and 164 women (37%).
156 different stereotypes were classified into 6 themes:
- Anesthesiologists were represented as lazy, inveterate coffee drinkers and less awakened than their sleeping patients.
- Surgeons were seen as megalomaniac, tyrannical with other professions, operating without thinking, as their "brain down to a neuron."
- Medical students appeared docile and absurd.
- Psychiatrists were as "crazy as their patients, sometimes passing them to the consultation and looking only at their past relationship."
Researchers claim that the stereotypes contained in the medical jokes were quite caricatured and portrayed an unflattering picture of doctors in general.
Video: "You can never Trust Doctors" (embedded above).
I'm sure some patients and doctors will not find this Eurosport commercial funny, and they probably have a point. Humor may be difficult to explain and interpret. Some social media "experts" even advise doctors not to use humor on Twitter, Facebook and blogs for fear of misinterpretation and legal repercussions.
However, humor is what makes us human. It can also help with the healing process and provide some relief at a time when you need it the most. The commercial above may not provide the best example for that particular purpose but I think you get the point.
Comments from Twitter: @scanman: Ha!! I do this ALL THE TIME!!!
References:
[The jokes are vectors of stereotypes. Example of the medical profession from 220 jokes.] [Article in French] Presse Med. 2014 Oct 2. pii: S0755-4982(14)00419-9. doi: 10.1016/j.lpm.2014.05.013. [Epub ahead of print]
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25284735
Sociological studies have shown the link between humor and unconscious ideas that we have of the society in which we evolve. Researchers conducted a survey to answer the question: "What were the stereotypes of our medical profession that emerge from a transcript of jokes collected in a medical population?"
Recruitment of the source population (doctors and medical students) was done through different personal and professional mailing lists, Twitter, Facebook, and medical press. The inclusion period was 6 weeks (from June 6 to July 14, 2013). Each physician recruited received the link to the study authors' blog: http://humourmedical.overblog.com which contained a link to the questionnaire.
Physicians responded to the following simple proposition: "tell the joke involving doctors you laugh the most".
Analysis of jokes was made by 3 investigators. First, two investigators pooled of results to generate a stereotype for each joke. Then a triangulation was made with a third investigator, to determine the final stereotype.
512 jokes were collected on the site and 448 were included in the analysis. The gender of respondents was 284 men (63%) and 164 women (37%).
156 different stereotypes were classified into 6 themes:
- Anesthesiologists were represented as lazy, inveterate coffee drinkers and less awakened than their sleeping patients.
- Surgeons were seen as megalomaniac, tyrannical with other professions, operating without thinking, as their "brain down to a neuron."
- Medical students appeared docile and absurd.
- Psychiatrists were as "crazy as their patients, sometimes passing them to the consultation and looking only at their past relationship."
Researchers claim that the stereotypes contained in the medical jokes were quite caricatured and portrayed an unflattering picture of doctors in general.
Video: "You can never Trust Doctors" (embedded above).
I'm sure some patients and doctors will not find this Eurosport commercial funny, and they probably have a point. Humor may be difficult to explain and interpret. Some social media "experts" even advise doctors not to use humor on Twitter, Facebook and blogs for fear of misinterpretation and legal repercussions.
However, humor is what makes us human. It can also help with the healing process and provide some relief at a time when you need it the most. The commercial above may not provide the best example for that particular purpose but I think you get the point.
Comments from Twitter: @scanman: Ha!! I do this ALL THE TIME!!!
References:
[The jokes are vectors of stereotypes. Example of the medical profession from 220 jokes.] [Article in French] Presse Med. 2014 Oct 2. pii: S0755-4982(14)00419-9. doi: 10.1016/j.lpm.2014.05.013. [Epub ahead of print]
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25284735
Wednesday, 15 April 2015
Offer new treatments only as part of post-market trials until data on meaningful outcomes are available, says Ben Goldacre to BMJ
Watch the video from the BMJ channel below:
Tuesday, 14 April 2015
High-fructose sweeteners are a principal driver of type 2 diabetes
High-fructose sweeteners are a principal driver of type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and its consequences, according to a recent report in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Conversely, whole foods that contain fructose (eg, fruits and vegetables) pose no problem for health and are likely protective against diabetes and adverse CV outcomes. Read more here: http://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(15)00040-3/abstract
Our own Dr Hyman discusses How to Avoid the Hidden Dangers of High Fructose Corn Syrup in this video from the official Cleveland Clinic YouTube channel: "Dr. Mark Hyman, explores the many ill effects of high fructose corn syrup and offers strategies to avoid it. He says this sweetener can only be processed by the liver, causing what he calls a "fat production factory" in your body."
Disclaimer: I am an Allergist/Immunologist, Cleveland Clinic Florida and a Clinical Associate Professor, FAU Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine.
Our own Dr Hyman discusses How to Avoid the Hidden Dangers of High Fructose Corn Syrup in this video from the official Cleveland Clinic YouTube channel: "Dr. Mark Hyman, explores the many ill effects of high fructose corn syrup and offers strategies to avoid it. He says this sweetener can only be processed by the liver, causing what he calls a "fat production factory" in your body."
Disclaimer: I am an Allergist/Immunologist, Cleveland Clinic Florida and a Clinical Associate Professor, FAU Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine.
Saturday, 14 March 2015
This is what happens when social media sites go too far
From Ray Ray, gardener and YouTube star: "This is what happens when social media sites go too far. Mr Zuckerberg, there are certain things you (Facebook) can NOT have from me."
Sunday, 8 March 2015
Facebook Launches Suicide Prevention Initiative - WSJ video
Facebook is partnering with suicide prevention organizations on a new tool to identify people in distress. Forefront research scientist Ursula Whiteside discusses the project with Sara Murray.
Saturday, 7 March 2015
"A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory"
A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP
— Leonard Nimoy (@TheRealNimoy) February 23, 2015Don't smoke. I did. Wish I never had. LLAP
— Leonard Nimoy (@TheRealNimoy) January 11, 2015Thursday, 5 March 2015
Most cancers caused by "bad luck" in cell division and "poor repair" of the defect
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University studied 31 different cancers. Of those, just 9 were found to be linked to bad genetics or unhealthy lifestyle choices. However, researchers excluded two of the most common cancers from their study, breast cancer and prostate cancer (published in the journal Science).
The most common cause of the production of most cancerous cells occurs when one chemical letter in DNA is incorrectly swapped for another during stem cell division. Scientists found that cancer rates were higher in parts of the body where cells are quickest to regenerate, thereby creating more random mutations.
Genetic mutations that randomly crop up as our stem cells divide are “the major contributors to cancer overall, often more important than either hereditary or external environmental factors.”
BBC: New research suggests most types of cancer are the result of bad luck, rather than unhealthy lifestyles, diet or even inherited genes.
References:
Study concludes that many cancers caused by bad luck in cell division | Fox News http://buff.ly/1xebIsy
Besides Lifestyle and Inherited Genes, Cancer Risk Also Tied to Bad Luck - WSJ http://buff.ly/1xebVMw
The most common cause of the production of most cancerous cells occurs when one chemical letter in DNA is incorrectly swapped for another during stem cell division. Scientists found that cancer rates were higher in parts of the body where cells are quickest to regenerate, thereby creating more random mutations.
Genetic mutations that randomly crop up as our stem cells divide are “the major contributors to cancer overall, often more important than either hereditary or external environmental factors.”
BBC: New research suggests most types of cancer are the result of bad luck, rather than unhealthy lifestyles, diet or even inherited genes.
References:
Study concludes that many cancers caused by bad luck in cell division | Fox News http://buff.ly/1xebIsy
Besides Lifestyle and Inherited Genes, Cancer Risk Also Tied to Bad Luck - WSJ http://buff.ly/1xebVMw
Wednesday, 4 March 2015
Ironstrength, the Doctor's Total-Body Exercise Routine - New York Times video
Dr. Jordan Metzl is a sports medicine physician who developed an extreme total-body workout routine called Ironstrength. He now teaches free exercise classes all around New York City. Produced by: Colin Archdeacon.
Tuesday, 3 March 2015
Myelodysplastic Syndromes / Myeloproliferative Disorders
What are myelodysplastic syndromes?
Myelodysplastic syndromes are clonal marrow stem-cell disorders, characterized by ineffective hemopoiesis leading to blood cytopenias, and by progression to acute myeloid leukemia in a third of patients.
Who is affected?
15% of cases occur after chemotherapy or radiotherapy for a previous cancer. The syndromes are most common in elderly people.
What is the cause?
The pathophysiology involves cytogenetic changes with or without gene mutations and widespread gene hypermethylation at advanced stages.
What are the symptoms?
Clinical manifestations result from cytopenias (anemia, infection, and bleeding).
How to make the diagnosis?
Diagnosis is based on examination of blood and bone marrow showing blood cytopenias and hypercellular marrow with dysplasia, with or without excess of blasts. Prognosis depends largely on the marrow blast percentage, number and extent of cytopenias, and cytogenetic abnormalities.
What is the treatment?
Treatment of patients with lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes, especially for anaemia, includes growth factors, lenalidomide, and transfusions.
Treatment of higher-risk patients is with hypomethylating agents and, whenever possible, allogeneic stem-cell transplantation.
In this first video in the series, Myeloproliferative Neoplasms 2015 - Mayo Clinic, Ruben Mesa, M.D., professor and hematologist at Mayo Clinic in Arizona, discusses the treatment and management of myeloproliferative neoplasms as well as shares highlights from the 56th Annual American Society of Hematology (ASH) meeting in San Francisco, December 2014.
Here is the complete playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSWR1ylG_6JZKr0ChD4N_8MJ3g3FnF08S
References:
Myelodysplastic syndromes : The Lancet http://buff.ly/VwiRor
Myelodysplastic syndromes are clonal marrow stem-cell disorders, characterized by ineffective hemopoiesis leading to blood cytopenias, and by progression to acute myeloid leukemia in a third of patients.
Who is affected?
15% of cases occur after chemotherapy or radiotherapy for a previous cancer. The syndromes are most common in elderly people.
What is the cause?
The pathophysiology involves cytogenetic changes with or without gene mutations and widespread gene hypermethylation at advanced stages.
What are the symptoms?
Clinical manifestations result from cytopenias (anemia, infection, and bleeding).
How to make the diagnosis?
Diagnosis is based on examination of blood and bone marrow showing blood cytopenias and hypercellular marrow with dysplasia, with or without excess of blasts. Prognosis depends largely on the marrow blast percentage, number and extent of cytopenias, and cytogenetic abnormalities.
What is the treatment?
Treatment of patients with lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes, especially for anaemia, includes growth factors, lenalidomide, and transfusions.
Treatment of higher-risk patients is with hypomethylating agents and, whenever possible, allogeneic stem-cell transplantation.
In this first video in the series, Myeloproliferative Neoplasms 2015 - Mayo Clinic, Ruben Mesa, M.D., professor and hematologist at Mayo Clinic in Arizona, discusses the treatment and management of myeloproliferative neoplasms as well as shares highlights from the 56th Annual American Society of Hematology (ASH) meeting in San Francisco, December 2014.
Here is the complete playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSWR1ylG_6JZKr0ChD4N_8MJ3g3FnF08S
References:
Myelodysplastic syndromes : The Lancet http://buff.ly/VwiRor
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