4 new recommendations for adolescent health

4 new recommendations for adolescent health - The annual "check-up" is (perhaps only) perfect for not only how children develop and provide the necessary vaccines, but to see how they are generally time - and help ensure they turn into happy, healthy adults. After all, prevention is really what is pediatrics.

That's why the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has a checklist for pediatricians called "Recommendations for pediatric preventive health care." These recommendations, which are updated every few years, based on the update on child health research now - and in the future.

 

While the latest version which includes new recommendations for younger children, like putting fluoride varnish on the teeth of children under 5 years and make a simple test of heart defects in newborns, most changes this occasion relate to teenagers. Here is what the AAP thinks pediatricians should do with their pre-teen and adolescent patients:

 

Detection of the lipids. Sometimes high cholesterol runs in families - but parents and other family members can not have checked your own, or may not be aware of the results of other family members tests.

 

Because high cholesterol can cause real damage to blood vessels over time and lead to heart disease and stroke, it is recommended that all young people have their cholesterol between the ages of 9 and 11. Doctors can before or again it is based on risk, but the AAP wants to be sure that everyone is checked at least once.

The detection of drugs and alcohol. As we all know, teenagers usually experience with drugs and alcohol. For some young people, this may be difficult or even fatal consequences.

 

The AAP recommended six simple questions (called the CRAFFT screen) that the really important information became apparent - and allow important discussions.

 

Depression screening (eg, a questionnaire). Suicide is the leading cause of death among teenagers - and depression is a treatable illness. But to treat it, we know it's there.

 
HIV testing between the ages of 16 and 18. This is important because one in four new HIV infections occur among young people aged 13-24, and 60% of all young people living with HIV do not know that they are infected. 

 

If you do not know, they not only can not help, but they can pass the infection to others. 

 

I guess some parents say, "My son did not need these. - Our family is healthy and my son is a good boy, happy to know stay out of trouble" But the truth is that we never can Learn everything about the history of our family or our children - and when it comes to health and well-being of our children is always better to be safe than sorry.

If you have questions about these recommendations or whatever you do - or not - happening at the check-up of your child, talk to your doctor.

By: Claire McCharty,MD. 

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Experts say that no amount of alcohol is safe during pregnancy

Let's face it: pregnancy is difficult. Yes, it is ultimately a wonderful thing to bring a baby into the world. But the process does not always feel so wonderful; accompanied by nausea, fatigue, stomach fat and uncomfortable varicose veins are not the things that are asked pregnant women to stop smoking. As the sushi; Swordfish; eggnog; Some soft cheeses; this extra cup of coffee; for smokers, cigarettes; and alcohol.

For some women, it is difficult to stop drinking completely. It can be tempting, especially on special occasions or in restaurants where everyone is drinking, to have a teensy-tiny glass of wine. After all, how much damage can a glass of wine?

But here's the problem: we do not know the answer to that. This means that to be safe, pregnant women should not drink alcohol at all. This is the conclusion of a clinical report just published by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

This is what we know: the alcohol is dangerous to the developing fetus. It can cause problems with the baby's growth. It can affect the kidneys, heart, muscles, eyes and ears. But what is more worrying is that it can affect the brain in a variety of ways - causing smaller and actually physically different, for a learning pattern and behavior.

The most serious form of damage is called fetal alcohol syndrome, or FAS. Babies born with this condition are smaller than other babies have distinctive facial features (small eyes, a thin upper lip, flat to the skin between the nose and the mouth instead of the usual chants), and effects on the brain. Occasional consumption at a party is unlikely to cause FAS; often occur when mothers drink at least a moderate amount of alcohol during pregnancy.

But what researchers have been finding is that there may be softer, more subtle effects of small amounts of alcohol. A study of 31,000 pregnancies found a risk for developmental problems when women had one alcoholic drink per day. And because some of the learning and behavior problems will not become clear until years after his birth, it is likely that even small amounts of alcohol have an effect. In fact, some experts believe the Disorder Fetal Alcohol Spectrum (a broad term that encompasses all the possible negative effects of fetal alcohol syndrome) affects up to 5% of all children.

About half of all women of childbearing age drink alcohol drink from sporadic to heavy drinking. Some of the damage caused by alcohol passes before women realize they are pregnant. Although most women cut or stop once they know they expect, over 7.6% of alcohol consumption continued - and 1.4% report binge drinking.

There is no time during pregnancy when it is "safe" to drink either. Yes, most organs are formed in the first quarter. But the baby grows and changes, and the brain develops during pregnancy. Alcohol can still hurt.

So do not risk it. Give your baby the best chance for the best life possible. If you are pregnant or could become pregnant, choose sparkling water instead. Nine months can seem like an eternity, but it is not.

If you do not think you can stop drinking for nine months, talk to your doctor. We can help you.
By: Claire McCarthy, MD
 

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Low nicotine cigarettes may help smokers cut determined

It is clear that smoking night the heart, lungs, and virtually all other body systems. According to the Centers for Disease Control and prevention of diseases, smoking remains the leading preventable cause of death in the United States.

So why do people do it?

It is nicotine. This stimulant, found on all tobacco products, snuff, smoking makes them feel calm and relaxed - and can quickly lead to dependence. The more you smoke, the greater the need to smoke to feel good. It is the power of nicotine makes it so difficult to stop.

But what if you could reduce the amount of nicotine in cigarettes available to start? Would it help people quit - or might cause them to smoke more to compensate?

Recently, a team of researchers set out to answer this question, following more than 800 adults who smoked at least five cigarettes a day. The volunteers in the study had no desire to quit. They were asked to continue smoking regardless of their regular brand of cigarette smoke or one of six types of cigarettes research had different amounts of nicotine, ranging from 15.8 milligrams (mg) of nicotine per gram snuff (the amount in most trademark) all the way down to 0.4 mg per gram. The smokers were followed for six weeks. The results of the study were published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

These results were unexpected. People who receive low nicotine cigarettes smoked 23% to 30% fewer cigarettes per day than those who smoked cigarettes with 15.8 mg of nicotine per gram. Perhaps even more surprisingly, smokers with low nicotine cigarettes were also reduced nicotine addiction - and fewer cravings for cigarettes when they did not smoke.

The study lasted only six weeks, we need more trials to really help us understand if the low-nicotine cigarettes are optional "safe" for people who are determined to smoke (as many as one in five Americans is gift) smoker. However, these results suggest that if nicotine content in cigarettes could be reduced commercial, users smoke less and less likely to be "addicted" that could mitigate the health risks associated with smoking.

For those who want to cut nicotine, there are good options that can help meet the challenge. They come in many shapes, nicotine patches and gum, pills and nasal sprays - not to mention electronic cigarettes, which work by vaporizing nicotine. E-cigarettes have become popular, but to date we do not know for sure that they are safer than regular cigarettes, and that can really help people quit.

Prescription medications such as bupropion (Zyban) and varenicline (Chantix) can also help smokers quit. All these methods work particularly well when combined with behavioral support, such as talk therapy. Of course, it often takes several attempts to quit before they succeed - but you can do.

Anything that reduces the dangers of smoking is a step in the right direction. But as we know him for years, the stage is really the best to stop smoking completely.
By: Mallika Marshall, MD,

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Quitting smoking does not necessarily mean a large increase in weight

Many people put off quitting because they are worried about weight gain. Not only want to avoid having to buy bigger pants, they also believe that the books would be worse for your health than smoking. The good news is that quitting smoking does not necessarily mean a larger size.

Several studies confirm that, when comparing the health effects of tobacco consumption with weight gain, is much better for your health to quit. A few extra pounds will not harm your health as smoking will. For example, quitting smoking reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases, independently of any subsequent decision weight. Researchers say resigned earning some books still have a risk about 50% less heart disease than smokers. 

The same reduction in risk applies to people with diabetes. This is surprising, since weight gain can worsen diabetes - which increases the risk of cardiovascular disease on their own.Usually people gain 5-10 pounds in the six months after leaving. But what happens during the next 10 years? To answer this question, researchers from Penn State Faculty of Medicine used data collected from the long-term Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) National Health and.

Weight gain during 10 years in the three groups of people watched: recently arrested who had been heavy smokers, former smokers who Recent were light smokers, and continue smoking. They also looked at whether the weight of a person's body when he or she resigned made a difference in the extra pounds during the next decade. 

All smokers who quit smoking gained an average of 18 pounds over 10 years. Those who continued smoking also gained weight over the long term - eight pounds on average. Thus, the average amount of weight gain associated with stopping was 10 books in 10 years. This does not mean much more than the initial weight gain in the first six months after stopping.Interestingly, former smokers who were light smokers (those of 1-14 cigarettes per day) had a similar increase in long-term weight than those who continued to smoke. 

However, quitting smoking who were heavy smokers (those over 24 cigarettes per day) to significantly more weight than all continue to smoke or quit smoking light.The body weight at the time of quitting smoking also makes a difference. In this study, people who were obese at the time of quitting smoking were more likely to get the most weight after quitting. 

If you are a smoker and want to quit, you may want to have a plan to maintain the potential gain weight under control. Start a new exercise program before leaving. If you are overweight, and now change your diet to eat healthier and reduce total daily calories. Make these healthy changes before quitting smoking can help reduce weight gain.
By: Howard LeWine, M.D.

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The negative impacts of alcohol and why you should stop drinking

Since childhood, our minds are bombarded with negative effects that alcohol has on our health. But somehow many people end up being addicted to it. The truth is that it has a first drink is a wonderful experience. In fact, there is nothing special about the taste that brings us to safe drinking water. Or is social pressure, our willingness to challenge authority and form of individuality, and the fact that, under the influence, we were relieved of some of the anxiety, you do not feel well.

However, alcoholism is the easy way out of our problems, and addiction is formed easily, so that, before we knew it, many of our finances are consumed due to this habit. Here is the list of negative things that bring you to a continuous exposure to alcohol.

Related liver disease

While you refuse to drink responsibly, you can expect to liver complications. It is widely suggested, if you drink large amounts of alcohol, undergo a test of liver function. First, fatty liver disease can occur because the fat accumulates inside - you can experience fatigue and weight loss. If you choose to stop drinking, it will disappear by itself. On the other hand, if you choose to continue, you are likely to develop toxic hepatitis which is caused by various toxins and exposure to certain chemicals, and mild to severe ranges. Finally, there is cirrhosis, when the liver is damaged beyond self-repair, and is subject to failure. Again, all this can be avoided to leave this bad habit.

You become socially unbearable

If you go out with friends and all of you decides to take a few more shots, then you will have no trouble socializing. However, if you are the only person with an alcohol odor and inappropriate behavior, then rest assured, the best that can happen is an intervention. Nobody can tolerate indefinitely, and if it starts to behave that way in your home, in front of your children, you become a bad role model, and can cause them to become precarious. It is not uncommon for a marriage falls apart as a result of alcoholism. Furthermore, it is only a matter of time before driving under the influence becomes a good idea, and then you become a nuisance to yourself and everyone in the street. 

If you leave

As mentioned, your health will improve, will also sleep better and increase your job performance. In addition, to be more energetic, attention and concentration increases by approximately 18%, but at the same time, you are bound to experience some withdrawal symptoms. If you can not quit completely, then reduce alcohol consumption as much as possible. The practice moderation is impossible, and could become a better alternative. When you quit completely, it still means the habit has control over his life while reducing consumption, you show that you can be responsible. 
 

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If the alcohol calories come with labels?

I'm a big fan of British television. One thing I've noticed over the years is the number of characters enjoy their liquor. Watch Lord Grantham in Downton Abbey, head of MI5 section Harry Pearce D, and the country vicar of Grantchester Sidney Chambers, it is clear that the best way to end a day supervising the mansion, bypassing a terrorist plot, or comforting troubled souls poured two fingers of a good whiskey.  

And men are not the only drinkers. Regular tippling forced Jane Tennison in Prime Suspect DCI early retirement Scotland Yard. 

These fictitious British reflect the UK population. In the UK, the average annual pure alcohol consumption is 10 liters per person. That's the equivalent of about 500 glasses of wine or 533 shots of whiskey. (Note that this "average" for all men, women and children, many of whom do not drink applies.) In a survey, two thirds of men and over half of women in the UK they reported drinking of alcohol at least once during the last week.

The UK, like most Western countries, is also struggling with an obesity epidemic. Nearly two-thirds of adults - 67% of men and 57% of women - are overweight or obese.

In an editorial in this week's edition of the journal BMJ, Dr Fiona Sim, President of the Royal Society for Public Health, the link between alcohol consumption and obesity. She cites a recent study shows that 80% of adults in the UK do not know the calorie content of their drinks. Most were unaware that alcohol contributed to the total calories consumed. To remedy this situation, called Sim to label all alcoholic beverages with calories.

What's on this side of the Atlantic?  

Americans drink a little less than the UK (an average of 8.5 liters per person per year), but are slightly heavier: 71% of American men and 62% of women are overweight or obese. Alcohol consumption plays a role in weight gain, too. A report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of Diseases indicated that on average, Americans get 100 calories per day from alcohol. (This average is based in nondrinkers as well as drinkers.) People who regularly drink alcoholic beverages get up to 16% of their calories from alcohol every day, according to the CDC. 

That's too high, said Stacey Nelson, clinical nutrition manager at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital. Alcohol falls into the category of "empty calories" he explains, with saturated fats and added sugars. The proposed new federal dietary guidelines limit the empty calories to 20% of the daily total. "If you're budgeting calories, your choice should be:" Do you want that I drink or dessert? '"He said.

How we treat alcohol

Nutrition-wise, alcohol is similar to dietary fat. As fat, alcohol is metabolized primarily in the liver. At seven calories per gram, the alcohol content of energy is also close to that of the grease, which has nine calories per gram, than carbohydrates or proteins, each of which contains four calories per gram.In addition to adding calories directly, alcohol can affect the calorie intake by other means. 

Nelson cites evidence that a drink with food may increase the amount of food consumed. Although researchers do not know exactly why that is, they believe that alcohol decreases inhibition or make changes in brain chemistry that increase the reward you get from food. These same effects will be invited to ask for another cup too.

People can drink more sparingly if they knew how many calories you consume, Nelson thinks. Like Sim, it promotes the containers of spirits tagged with the amount of calories in addition to the alcohol content. "Why should we not label the amount of calories in alcoholic beverages when we labeling each another drink? I am in favor of providing this information so that people can make an informed decision." 

This information will soon be available for some people in the restaurant. From December 2015, the Food and Drug Administration will require chain restaurants with 20 or more outlets to provide information on calories from food and some alcoholic beverages. the number of calories can be a warning shot for drinkers who are used to thinking of a drink contains on average between 100 and 150 calories.  

This figure may be true for the shooting level 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits, 12 oz bottle of beer or a 5-ounce glass of wine, but the "generous pour" in many bars and restaurants often double the amount . Furthermore, concoctions containing syrups, liqueurs, fruit juices, cream and other ingredients can send calories soaring "A landslide may have more than 500 calories. - more than a Big Mac," Nelson said. See figure for a certain amount of calories in various alcoholic beverages.

Counting calories cocktail now

It may take years before most of the alcohol containers or bar drinks come with calories. However, if you want to keep your happy time become a considerable time, there are some things you can do:

     1. When you pour a drink at home, measure so that you know how much you drink.
     2. When you order a cocktail in a bar or restaurant, ask the server or bartender how many ounces of alcohol present, and the amount of calories it contains. You may not know, but worth asking.

Calories aside, limit alcohol consumption to one drink a day if you are a woman and two if you're a man is always a good idea. When this limit is exceeded, your health risks begin to increase. 
Image:bahasa.aquila-style.com

 

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The edible marijuana - half an idea?

When I was a student in the 70s, brownies laced marijuana were at a new way to get high (never inhaled!). Remain a staple of some games. Now a new generation of "food companies" take the concept of edible marijuana in a frightening new address: foods that mimic candy marijuana-laced people These candies can be hazardous for children, says a perspective article. in New England Journal of Medicine today.

In the article, Robert J. Makoun and Michelle M. Mello, of the Stanford Law School explored the promotion of edible marijuana, which can now be purchased legally in four states - Colorado, Washington, Oregon and Alaska - along the smoked form more traditional. Like other states to explore decriminalization of marijuana, the market for these products is likely to grow.

From a marketing perspective, it's a beautiful concept to sell Buddha fingers that look like Butterfingers, imitating Reese Peanut Butter Cups Rasta Reese or Pot-Tarts that look like Pop-Tarts. Adults would get the joke. But it is not funny for kids who accidentally eat based product marijuana think it's sweet.

To make matters worse, some of these products contain up to four times the "safe" dose of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active ingredient in marijuana. Overdose is not just a theoretical concern.

In Colorado, it was legal to buy and consume medical marijuana since 2000. In 2014, the state became the first in the nation for the sake of selling marijuana for recreational purposes. But as written by Dr. Tista Ghosh and colleagues at the Colorado Department of Public Health in a separate article The New England Journal of Medicine, was an emergency increase in visits to hospitals in the Denver area for children because children accidentally eating marijuana edible products. And calls for marijuana to poison the Rocky Mountains and the Centre for drugs increased by 70% since the recreational marijuana got the green light.Although it is illegal for anyone in Colorado under 21 to buy marijuana, marijuana edible packaging seems destined in part to children. It's like Joe Camel cigarette ads that once targeted young smokers, writing MacCoun and Mello. (Click here to listen to an interview with Robert MacCoun on edible marijuana.)

He edible marijuana in a legal gray area. Marijuana is what is known as a drug class 1. According to the Drug Enforcement Agency, which means that he has "no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse." Other drugs in this category include heroin, ecstasy (methylenedioxymethamphetamine), and LSD. The FDA can not regulate the sale of drugs currently Annex 1, so it can not regulate marijuana edible products. The Department of Justice may intervene, but won'to likely, say MacCoun and Mello.  

The ministry has no plans to sue people whose actions may violate federal law (under which it is illegal to use, sell or possess marijuana), but are not violating state or local laws.

MacCoun Mello and do not call for the closure of the edible marijuana. Instead, the question in the hope of creating a more streamlined marketing and sale of the same state and federal approach arises. Important steps include  

1. the edible marijuana packaged to attract not only confused children.
2. using child-resistant packaging.
3. ensure that marijuana edible products are sold in individual portions that do not contain more than "security", 10 milligrams of THC per serving.

On the scale of public health problems, the regulation of edible marijuana takes a back seat to ensure that children are vaccinated or exercising enough. But all we can do to protect children from harm should not be confronted in the first place is worth pursuing.

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