The most common red flag is often the one we’re likely to ignore.
Sleep is a fickle creature—like Goldilocks. Too little, and you’re pounding back coffees in the morning. Too much, and your head is stuck in a groggy fog all day. And in the search for sleep that’s “just right,” researchers have found health issues on both sides of the happy medium. Sleep deprivation can lead to depression and cancer, and too much sleep (more than eight hours) quadruples your risk for stroke, according to new research published in the journal, Neurology.
While the researchers point out that it’s not clear whether too much sleep is a cause, a consequence, or simply an early red flag of ill health, it’s clear that optimizing your sleep patterns should be a priority.
“Our lives—not to mention our sanity—depend on our ability to fully experience each stage of sleep,” says Gary Kaplan, DO, author of Total Recovery. “Ironically, the sleeping pills many people rely on do not support the quality of their sleep in the night and may be heightening their experience of pain the next day.”
The first thing to do is practice good sleep hygiene, such as turning off all electronics an hour before bed and having a consistent bedtime.
Next, work with your doctor to address any possible underlying health issues. “Taking a sleeping pill is like yanking the batteries out of a screeching fire alarm,” Dr. Kaplan. “If that’s all we do, in some cases, we’re shutting down the irritating warning while the house burns down.” Sleep disorders like sleep apnea can cause hypertension, weight gain, type 2 diabetes, and stroke.
If you suspect you have a sleep disorder, such as sleep apnea, he recommends taking the Epworth Sleepiness Scale Quiz or finding a location for a sleep lab overnight evaluation at the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. You can get a general idea of your sleep patterns with a home sleep test device that’s reliable, such as the WatchPAT, says Dr. Kaplan.
Learn how ignoring or downplaying your symptoms can hurt your health.
In our over-stimulating world, we’ve become very good at tuning things out, like background conversations on the train, sidebar advertisements online, and TV commercials. Unfortunately, this seems to have carried over into our heath lives and a concerning number of people are ignoring messages from their body, even potential cancer symptoms, according to research published in the journal PLOS One.
Surveying 1,700 people, they found that 53 percent had experienced at least one symptom that could be a red flag for cancer during the previous three months. The scary part: Only 2 percent didn’t dismiss cancer as a possibility.
“It’s worrying that even the more obvious warning symptoms, such as unexplained lumps or changes to the appearance of a mole, were rarely attributed to cancer [in this study],” says Dr. Katriina Whitaker, lead study author and senior research fellow at University College London.
Dr. Whitaker also points out that, even if cancer isn’t at the root, responding to this kind of serious symptom could catch other serious diseases early. “That’s why it’s important that these symptoms are checked out, especially if they don’t go away. But people could delay seeing a doctor if they don’t acknowledge cancer as a possible cause,” she says.
In addition to unexplained lumps or moles, some of the cancer red-flags included in the questionnaire included unexplained cough, bleeding, unexplained weight loss, unexplained pain, and persistent changes in bowel or bladder habits. Of the people who experienced concerning symptoms, just over half contacted their doctor, even if they didn’t attribute the symptom to cancer.
Catching cancer, or any disease really, early is a huge advantage for recovery, but that means that you need to dial into what your body is telling you and really listen. Gary Kaplan, DO, author of Total Recovery, says learning to listen to our bodies can save lives, but we’re really bad at doing this.
“It still amazes me how many aches and pains patients take for granted. At the most basic level, many people are stiff in the morning when they get out of bed,” says Dr. Kaplan. “They’re irritable and foggy-headed until they have a second cup of coffee. Since their friends are having the same experience, they joke about ‘getting older’ and assume that what they’re feeling is just nature taking its course, that there’s nothing they can do about it. But that’s not true.”
He asks us to ask ourselves the question “‘What are you putting up with?’ Whatever it is, the research is showing that the time to address it is now, not later.”
One of the big things we can listen for are signs of inflammation. “Only recently have we come to realize that so many of our most chronic diseases are primarily inflammatory conditions: inflammatory bowel disease (5 million),3 cancer (10 million), diabetes (14 million), 4 autoimmune disease (24 million), asthma (30 million), allergies (50 million), rheumatoid arthritis (50 million), 5 and cardiovascular disease (60 million), among many others,” he explains.
Dr. Kaplan recommends watching out for these three sneaky symptoms that may be trying to tell you “Something is wrong!”
Nutritional and Gastrointestinal Issues
“Gas, bloating, and poor digestion are also so common in our culture that it’s easy to assume they’re normal and nothing to worry about,” says Dr. Kaplan, but he points out that this is not the case: An upset tummy is not status quo. “It may be a symptom of a sustained inflammatory reaction in your body due to leaky gut, celiac disease, gluten intolerance, or other gastrointestinal disorders.”
Infections with pain, fever, malaise, or mood alterations
“The body is an ecosystem, so inflammation in the periphery can always potentially affect the central nervous system as well,” he says. “A lingering infection in the body can perpetuate inflammation.”
Unfortunately, he also points out that our best cure for infections, antibiotics, can upset the microflora in your gut, leading to leaky gut [link]. “It’s not that antibiotics are bad,” he clarifies, “But we know that antibiotics can have damaging side effects, so it makes sense to be aware of the consequences of using them and take precautions to offset it.”
Injuries
“The injuries that contribute to [relentless inflammation] seem to be the ones that have never fully healed,” he says. Unfortunately, the “bad back” or “trick knee” that people force themselves to just live with keeping the inflammation going. ” If you still feel lingering effects from physical trauma, I encourage you to find a way to treat it. Total recovery is your best protection against the effects of cumulative traumas.”
Article reprinted from Well!, a publication from TuftsHealthPlan.com, Fall/2014
If you find yourself wanting to crawl into bed after work these days, rest assured you’re not getting lazy. And it’s not your imagination that you feel more sluggish now that the sun goes down earlier. “The lack of sunlight makes us feel more tired,” says Gary Kaplan, DO, director of The Kaplan Center for Integrative Medicine and author of Total Recovery. “We’re programmed to be up with the sun and down when the sun is gone.” We can’t control the sun’s activities, but we can do a few things to energize.
1. Wake up to light
If the sun is up when you wake up for work, open up your curtains and let light in, as research shows this can help you feel more awake.
2. Jump-start energy with the right breakfast
Start your day with a bowl of oatmeal made with low-fat milk, topped with almond butter and chia seeds, says Keri Gans, MS, RD, author of The Small Change Diet. A combination of fiber, protein, and healthy fat will keep you energized until lunchtime. Low-fat plain yogurt with fruit is also a good choice.
3. Go for a short stroll
A 10-minute brisk walk (even indoors) can translate into 2 hours of increased energy, Dr. Kaplan says. He suggests that if your job or schedule allows it, break up your day with brief activity bursts to keep energy levels high.
4. Recall the good things in your life
Practicing gratitude is another way to feel uplifted and energized. Spend a few minutes daily writing down or thinking about the things you’re most grateful for. Doing this regularly will increase energy, boost mood, and help keep your immune system strong, according to Dr. Kaplan.
5. Breathe deeply
Often when we’re concentrating hard on a task, we fall into shallow breathing patterns. To feel more awake and alert, take slow deep breaths for 30 seconds. “Deep breathing is a signal to the body that it needs to wake up. You’re getting more oxygen, increased blood flow, and more oxygenation in the body, waking your brain up,” Dr. Kaplan says.
6. Don’t miss magnesium
This mineral helps us get a good night’s sleep, and it also helps break down glucose for energy, Dr. Kaplan says. You need 300 mg to 350 mg of magnesium a day. Dark greens, whole grains, and Brazil nuts are good sources. If you’re routinely feeling low on energy, ask your doctor if you need more magnesium.
7. Make time for belly laughs
If you’re having trouble concentrating, watch online videos that make you chuckle. “Laughing for a few minutes will help you wake up, increase your heart rate, and release endorphins so you feel more energized,” Dr. Kaplan says.
Feeling Groggy? You May Be Sleeping Too Much!
/in Lifestyle/by Kaplan CenterGetting Too Little or Too Much Sleep Is Unhealthy
by Julia Westbrook
The most common red flag is often the one we’re likely to ignore.
Sleep is a fickle creature—like Goldilocks. Too little, and you’re pounding back coffees in the morning. Too much, and your head is stuck in a groggy fog all day. And in the search for sleep that’s “just right,” researchers have found health issues on both sides of the happy medium. Sleep deprivation can lead to depression and cancer, and too much sleep (more than eight hours) quadruples your risk for stroke, according to new research published in the journal, Neurology.
While the researchers point out that it’s not clear whether too much sleep is a cause, a consequence, or simply an early red flag of ill health, it’s clear that optimizing your sleep patterns should be a priority.
“Our lives—not to mention our sanity—depend on our ability to fully experience each stage of sleep,” says Gary Kaplan, DO, author of Total Recovery. “Ironically, the sleeping pills many people rely on do not support the quality of their sleep in the night and may be heightening their experience of pain the next day.”
The first thing to do is practice good sleep hygiene, such as turning off all electronics an hour before bed and having a consistent bedtime.
Next, work with your doctor to address any possible underlying health issues. “Taking a sleeping pill is like yanking the batteries out of a screeching fire alarm,” Dr. Kaplan. “If that’s all we do, in some cases, we’re shutting down the irritating warning while the house burns down.” Sleep disorders like sleep apnea can cause hypertension, weight gain, type 2 diabetes, and stroke.
If you suspect you have a sleep disorder, such as sleep apnea, he recommends taking the Epworth Sleepiness Scale Quiz or finding a location for a sleep lab overnight evaluation at the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. You can get a general idea of your sleep patterns with a home sleep test device that’s reliable, such as the WatchPAT, says Dr. Kaplan.
Published date: Feb 25, 2015
www.RodaleNews.com
Listening To Your Body – Red Flags You Should Never Ignore
/in Wellness/by Kaplan CenterBy Julia Westbrook
Learn how ignoring or downplaying your symptoms can hurt your health.
In our over-stimulating world, we’ve become very good at tuning things out, like background conversations on the train, sidebar advertisements online, and TV commercials. Unfortunately, this seems to have carried over into our heath lives and a concerning number of people are ignoring messages from their body, even potential cancer symptoms, according to research published in the journal PLOS One.
Surveying 1,700 people, they found that 53 percent had experienced at least one symptom that could be a red flag for cancer during the previous three months. The scary part: Only 2 percent didn’t dismiss cancer as a possibility.
“It’s worrying that even the more obvious warning symptoms, such as unexplained lumps or changes to the appearance of a mole, were rarely attributed to cancer [in this study],” says Dr. Katriina Whitaker, lead study author and senior research fellow at University College London.
Dr. Whitaker also points out that, even if cancer isn’t at the root, responding to this kind of serious symptom could catch other serious diseases early. “That’s why it’s important that these symptoms are checked out, especially if they don’t go away. But people could delay seeing a doctor if they don’t acknowledge cancer as a possible cause,” she says.
In addition to unexplained lumps or moles, some of the cancer red-flags included in the questionnaire included unexplained cough, bleeding, unexplained weight loss, unexplained pain, and persistent changes in bowel or bladder habits. Of the people who experienced concerning symptoms, just over half contacted their doctor, even if they didn’t attribute the symptom to cancer.
Catching cancer, or any disease really, early is a huge advantage for recovery, but that means that you need to dial into what your body is telling you and really listen. Gary Kaplan, DO, author of Total Recovery, says learning to listen to our bodies can save lives, but we’re really bad at doing this.
“It still amazes me how many aches and pains patients take for granted. At the most basic level, many people are stiff in the morning when they get out of bed,” says Dr. Kaplan. “They’re irritable and foggy-headed until they have a second cup of coffee. Since their friends are having the same experience, they joke about ‘getting older’ and assume that what they’re feeling is just nature taking its course, that there’s nothing they can do about it. But that’s not true.”
He asks us to ask ourselves the question “‘What are you putting up with?’ Whatever it is, the research is showing that the time to address it is now, not later.”
One of the big things we can listen for are signs of inflammation. “Only recently have we come to realize that so many of our most chronic diseases are primarily inflammatory conditions: inflammatory bowel disease (5 million),3 cancer (10 million), diabetes (14 million), 4 autoimmune disease (24 million), asthma (30 million), allergies (50 million), rheumatoid arthritis (50 million), 5 and cardiovascular disease (60 million), among many others,” he explains.
Dr. Kaplan recommends watching out for these three sneaky symptoms that may be trying to tell you “Something is wrong!”
Nutritional and Gastrointestinal Issues
“Gas, bloating, and poor digestion are also so common in our culture that it’s easy to assume they’re normal and nothing to worry about,” says Dr. Kaplan, but he points out that this is not the case: An upset tummy is not status quo. “It may be a symptom of a sustained inflammatory reaction in your body due to leaky gut, celiac disease, gluten intolerance, or other gastrointestinal disorders.”
Infections with pain, fever, malaise, or mood alterations
“The body is an ecosystem, so inflammation in the periphery can always potentially affect the central nervous system as well,” he says. “A lingering infection in the body can perpetuate inflammation.”
Unfortunately, he also points out that our best cure for infections, antibiotics, can upset the microflora in your gut, leading to leaky gut [link]. “It’s not that antibiotics are bad,” he clarifies, “But we know that antibiotics can have damaging side effects, so it makes sense to be aware of the consequences of using them and take precautions to offset it.”
Injuries
“The injuries that contribute to [relentless inflammation] seem to be the ones that have never fully healed,” he says. Unfortunately, the “bad back” or “trick knee” that people force themselves to just live with keeping the inflammation going. ” If you still feel lingering effects from physical trauma, I encourage you to find a way to treat it. Total recovery is your best protection against the effects of cumulative traumas.”
As first seen on www.RodaleNews.com
7 Steps to Re-energize Naturally
/in Lifestyle/by Kaplan CenterBeat the Seasonal Energy Crisis
Outsmart the mid-day urge to take a nap
Article reprinted from Well!, a publication from TuftsHealthPlan.com, Fall/2014
If you find yourself wanting to crawl into bed after work these days, rest assured you’re not getting lazy. And it’s not your imagination that you feel more sluggish now that the sun goes down earlier. “The lack of sunlight makes us feel more tired,” says Gary Kaplan, DO, director of The Kaplan Center for Integrative Medicine and author of Total Recovery. “We’re programmed to be up with the sun and down when the sun is gone.” We can’t control the sun’s activities, but we can do a few things to energize.
1. Wake up to light
If the sun is up when you wake up for work, open up your curtains and let light in, as research shows this can help you feel more awake.
2. Jump-start energy with the right breakfast
Start your day with a bowl of oatmeal made with low-fat milk, topped with almond butter and chia seeds, says Keri Gans, MS, RD, author of The Small Change Diet. A combination of fiber, protein, and healthy fat will keep you energized until lunchtime. Low-fat plain yogurt with fruit is also a good choice.
3. Go for a short stroll
A 10-minute brisk walk (even indoors) can translate into 2 hours of increased energy, Dr. Kaplan says. He suggests that if your job or schedule allows it, break up your day with brief activity bursts to keep energy levels high.
4. Recall the good things in your life
Practicing gratitude is another way to feel uplifted and energized. Spend a few minutes daily writing down or thinking about the things you’re most grateful for. Doing this regularly will increase energy, boost mood, and help keep your immune system strong, according to Dr. Kaplan.
5. Breathe deeply
Often when we’re concentrating hard on a task, we fall into shallow breathing patterns. To feel more awake and alert, take slow deep breaths for 30 seconds. “Deep breathing is a signal to the body that it needs to wake up. You’re getting more oxygen, increased blood flow, and more oxygenation in the body, waking your brain up,” Dr. Kaplan says.
6. Don’t miss magnesium
This mineral helps us get a good night’s sleep, and it also helps break down glucose for energy, Dr. Kaplan says. You need 300 mg to 350 mg of magnesium a day. Dark greens, whole grains, and Brazil nuts are good sources. If you’re routinely feeling low on energy, ask your doctor if you need more magnesium.
7. Make time for belly laughs
If you’re having trouble concentrating, watch online videos that make you chuckle. “Laughing for a few minutes will help you wake up, increase your heart rate, and release endorphins so you feel more energized,” Dr. Kaplan says.