Here are some interesting developments from the world of health and medicine:
* Weight Loss Helps Sleep Apnea Sufferers. The medical community has long suspected that losing weight can help people suffering from sleep apnea, a condition in which breathing becomes impaired during sleep, leading to daytime exhaustion as well as high blood pressure and an increased incidence of cardiovascular disease and stroke. Now, for the first time, a clinical study has confirmed this suspected link. In a study of 264 obese patients with type 2 diabetes conducted by the Center for Obesity Research and Education, researchers found that patients who lost just 10 percent of their body weight were three times more likely to nearly eliminate their apnea episodes than those whose weight remained stable. Since sleep apnea can be a killer, shedding a few unwanted pounds seems like a cheap price to pay for a longer, healthier life—not to mention a good night’s sleep.
* Study Links Shoe Styles with Foot Pain in Women. Carrie Bradshaw may be headed for a cane or walker before her time. Like the Sex & The City character, many women love stylish designer shoes—but most “fashion” footwear can lead to serious debilitating foot pain in later life, this according to a study just published in Arthritis Care & Research. The study looked at three categories of shoes: “Poor” (high heels, pumps, sandals and slippers), “average” (hard or rubber-soled shoes and work boots) and “good” (athletic and casual sneakers). Researchers found the women who regularly wore “Poor” shoes reported serious foot pain in later life. No link was found between foot pain in men and traditional male footwear. Conclusion: Unless you consider long-term foot pain a fashion statement, good athletic shoes should be de rigueur for every woman’s wardrobe.
* Strict Rules—and Rule-Breaking—Key to Raising Successful Children. Children raised in strict households, who nonetheless have enough freedom to occasionally challenge their parents’ rules, are most apt to become professional and community leaders, according to a study recently published in The Leadership Quarterly. A long-term Minnesota study of twins found that children raised by “authoritative” parents were more likely to mature into adults who assumed leadership roles. The key appears to be establishing clear behavioral boundaries and still supporting children when they occasionally test those limits. Not setting limits (permissiveness) or frequent punishment for even minor infractions (authoritarianism) can lead children to become confused, insecure or overly rebellious, the study found. In short, good leaders aren’t born—they’re made.
* Researchers Find Link Between Psychosis and Creativity. The idea of the “mad genius” may be more than just a literary convention. A study recently conducted by psychiatrists at the University of Hungary revealed that many unusually creative people have gene (neuregulin 1) usually associated with mental illness. The study suggests that this and other “bad” genes may actually provide some benefits, allowing their owners to think and behave outside conventional norms. Now psychiatrists need to find a way to deal with potentially destructive mental illness like mania and schizophrenia in artistic individuals in a way that doesn’t dull their “creative edge.”
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