Researching the Obvious Often we do things because – that’s the way we’ve always done it. Yet when tested impartially, especially in medicine and public health, these “rules of thumb” frequently prove unsupported – or positively harmful. The standard joke about medical school education – “half of what we’re teaching is true, the other half false – […]
Can Shifting Body Clocks Cause Cancer?
Time rules life. Human body clocks are powerful. Disrupt them and people feel worse – and often get sick. Shiftworkers know this: they experience more heart disease, strokes, ulcers and an earlier grave. For years, the World Health Organization has talked of shift work as a possible carcinogen. Yet it’s hard to prove in humans. The people […]
Why does exercise work? (2/01/12)
Making Regeneration More Efficient People are exhorted every day – exercise, exercise, exercise. Many patients I see are annoyed. Why should I bother? they ask. How much difference can it make? Next they’re told it will increase their lifespan; lower their blood pressure; decrease the risk of heart attack and stroke; lower the risk of […]
Are you getting enough sleep? (3/7/11)
The CDC Measures American Sleeplessness Americans are progressively sleepless. The latest survey reported Friday by the Centers for Disease Control, found 35.3% of 75,000 adults were sleeping less than 7 hours a night. Some people don’t need much sleep. Yet most of us perform better with at least 7-8 hours of sleep. Too little sleep […]