Dr. Dale Prokupek MD
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Dr. Dale Prokupek MD
Don’t Skip Your Colonoscopy

6 Daily Rituals You Can't Afford to Skip

I love articles like this.  So true.  Thanks Diane! - Dr. Dale

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6 Daily Rituals You Can't Afford to Skip

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/diane-gottsman/mindfulness-practice_b_4854737.html?utm_hp_ref=healthy-living

Posted: 03/09/2014 9:25 am EDT Updated: 03/09/2014 9:59 am EDT

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Diane Gottsman

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National etiquette and modern manners expert; Owner, The Protocol School of Texas

1. A morning routine. Some people enjoy reading the paper and drinking a quiet cup of coffee, while others use this time to go for a run or exercise at the gym. A few simple minutes of food prep the night before, and setting the alarm for as little as 10 minutes earlier, will help set the right pace for your morning.

2. Prayer and/or meditation.  Studies have shown that regular mediation and/or prayer, can positively affect yourheart and benefit your mind. Taking a five-minute break at the office, or taking a walk around the building to clear your mind is a daily indulgence that isn't expensive or caloric.

3. Family rituals.  You don't do your best work when you are feeling guilty and distracted. These feelings often come from grabbing nightly fast food for dinner, skipping after school performances and sports, and missing important parent/teacher conferences due to working late. Even if your nightly dinner is reheated leftovers from the weekend, rather than drive thru fries and a soda, it "feels" better to be in control of what you are serving your family. This is where a concise calendar and time management system can be very important. A schedule of meals and meetings is less overwhelming when you can look at it, and helps you to plan out your week accordingly.

4. Commitment to perform at a high standard during the day. We often go through the day by the seat of our pants, counting the hours until it's time to clock out and go home. Rather than responding and reacting to whatever is tossed your way throughout the day, make a concerted effort to efficiently handle the daily minutia, and occupy the remainder of the work day thinking beyond what is in front of you, and creating a job you will look forward to coming to, day after day. Take a good look at what you need in order to excel and don't be afraid to ask your boss for the tools and training you will need to be your best as an employee.

5. Staying connected to friends. Designate a few minutes every day to contact one friend you owe a call, or feel guilty for not speaking with in a while. Deliver a quick "I'm thinking of you" message, send an email or text a friend to let them know they are in your thoughts. Just a friendly check in is more than a valiant effort for most of us. Your core friends will understand that you don't have 30 minutes to talk every day, and normally don't expect daily conversations. Schedule a lunch or go out to dinner with a group of friends once a month to catch up.

6. An evening power down.  Going strong all day leaves little time for communicating with your spouse, working with your kids on homework, or even taking a leisurely bath. While the bath may be a luxury, making time to check in with the people in your home is a necessity in order to continue to build strong relationships. Asking three simple questions, "What did you eat for lunch?", "Have you talked to your mom?", "What would you like for dinner tomorrow?" indicates you are present and interested in the other person. Create your own list of questions, but make a nightly attempt to communicate. Stay away from your email and off of social media for the last few hours of your day, dedicating it your family and yourself. You will find you have a few extra minutes without that last post, tweet or Instagram pic.

I publish weekly business etiquette articles on my blog, including topics such as interview etiquette, technology etiquette, email etiquette, and everyday social etiquette topics. Connect with me here on the Huffington Post, follow me on Pinterestand "like" me on Facebook at Protocol School of Texas.

Follow Diane Gottsman on Twitter: www.twitter.com/dianegottsman

Pregnancy + Acetaminophen = WHAT?

This is really interesting! -- Dr. Dale

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Acetaminophen in pregnancy linked to 'ADHD-like behaviors'

Post by: 

Arianna Yanes -- CNN Medical Intern

http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2014/02/24/acetaminophen-in-pregnancy-linked-to-adhd-like-behaviors/

Doctors frequently recommend acetaminophen, commonly found in over-the-counter pain relievers including Tylenol, to pregnant women for treating mild pain.

But a new study out of Denmark suggests the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy could be associated with ADHD-like behavioral problems in children.

“(Pregnant women) shouldn’t worry at this point,” says study author Dr. Beate Ritz, professor and chair of the epidemiology department at the University of California, Los Angeles Fielding School of Public Health. “But if I were a woman who was pregnant ... I would try to avoid taking painkillers as much as I can until we know more about this.”

The study, published Monday in the medical journal JAMA Pediatrics, analyzed data from more than 64,000 children enrolled in the Danish National Birth Cohort study between 1996 and 2002. Mothers in the cohort study reported on their children’s behavior, and the researchers looked at databases to determine how many prescriptions for ADHD drugs were written and how many children received a diagnosis of a severe form of ADHD called hyperkinetic disorder, or HKD.

The study authors concluded that prenatal exposure to acetaminophen may increase the risk of a child being diagnosed with HKD or being prescribed ADHD medications and “exhibiting ADHD-like behaviors." It's important to note that ADHD-like behaviors are not the same as having ADHD.

An accompanying editorial published in JAMA Pediatrics emphasizes that the study has found “an interesting observed association,” but that the researchers did not find that acetaminophen causes ADHD. The study authors agree that their results do not show a cause-and-effect relationship.

The data suggests that taking acetaminophen for longer periods and later in pregnancy is associated with higher risks, Ritz says. When women reported use for 20 weeks or more, their children had a 50% increased risk for receiving ADHD medication, according to the study.

Ritz says more than half of all mothers in the study reported some acetaminophen use while pregnant. The study measured how many weeks the mother reported taking any amount of acetaminophen but did not take the dosage into account.

“When used as directed, Tylenol has one of the most favorable safety profiles among over-the-counter pain relievers,” said McNeil Consumer Healthcare, the maker of Tylenol. “We are aware of the recent JAMA Pediatrics study; however, there are no prospective, randomized controlled studies demonstrating a causal link between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and adverse effects on child development."

The study’s authors suggest that acetaminophen may increase the risk of ADHD by interfering with maternal hormones that are critical for fetal brain development, citing a previous study done using acetaminophen in rats and a study of acetaminophen and autism done with humans.

“The cited literature is not relevant to the human condition,” says Dr. Max Wiznitzer, pediatric neurologist and associate professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. “I’m afraid that (women) will think, somehow, that they caused their child’s problem when the study does not tell us that. It tells us that they are linked but does not tell us how.”

“There are a lot of variables that still need to be considered, such as the fact that ADHD runs in families,” Wiznitzer says. Seventy to 80% of ADHD cases are hereditary, he says.

The study highlights the importance of not taking a drug’s safety during pregnancy for granted, the accompanying editorial points out.

“There are nonpharmacological ways to deal with pain,” says Dr. Jeffrey Chapa, head of maternal-fetal medicine at Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital. Massages, baths and acupuncture are some alternatives he suggests to help relieve pain. “I think we have to focus a little bit more on that as opposed to just medications.”