Ask any person what they fear most about illness and they will likely tell you they fear pain. No one wants to suffer. Although suffering is a reality for many who are ill, suffering and illness shouldn’t go together. Fortunately, there are those working to change this situation for the better.
How do we relieve pain for those who are ill? What can be done to make sure people live a good quality of life for however long they live? Those were some of the questions we explored last night on Health Watch as we considered the topic, “Why Suffering and Illness Shouldn’t Mix: Pain Relief for the Seriously Ill.” Joining us by phone was Dr. Diane Meier, director of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine palliative care institute and center in New York City. She holds the distinction of being a 2008 MacArthur Foundation “genius grant” recipient and recently edited a book, Palliative Care: Transforming the Care of Serious Illness, which comprehensively considers pain and pain management. Dr. Meier was an ideal guest to talk about pain relief.
Dr. Meier shared that how we deal with pain, whether as a patient or a provider, is related to culture. We discussed how cultural notions like “gritting our teeth and bearing it,” and “no pain, no gain” often create situations in which pain is not treated like a medical emergency (which it is), but instead as a statement of character. As a palliative care specialist and geriatric physician, Dr. Meier works to change the way healthcare deals with pain and suffering. She is succeeding one patient and family at a time.
During the program Dr. Meier explained what palliative care is. Palliative care is care provided to relieve pain, stress and other symptoms of serious illness. Palliative care is not the same as hospice, which provides care at the end of a person’s life. Although hospice is part of palliative care, palliative care is not just for those who are terminally ill or dying. Palliative care is for anyone experiencing pain or suffering related to illness. The goal of palliative care is to improve people’s quality of life for however long they live. Achieving this first requires walking in another’s shoes.
Dr. Meier talked about how good palliative care first starts with providers listening to patients about their pain. Good listening, which includes rating pain intensity and setting goals to reduce pain, leads to better identification and address of specific pain symptoms. But, palliative care is more than just good listening. It is also about providers’ foreknowledge of the side effects associated with pain-relief medications (things like constipation), as well as understanding that pain is more than physical. It is emotional and spiritual, as well. Treating chronic pain and suffering, therefore, requires a team approach, one that includes healthcare providers, social workers, chaplains, family members and others. Each has an important role to play in providing pain relief. Dr. Meier’s genuineness and concern for those in pain was apparent even over the phone. It was a Health Watch you would not have wanted to miss!
Before we closed the show, Dr. Meier talked about the unsung heroes/sheroes of the palliative care movement. These people are caregivers. Often overlooked, caregivers walk daily the pain management road with their loved ones. Busily caring for others, caregivers often neglect their own health, too often leading to their premature deaths and disability. Dr. Meier spoke candidly about how we need to help share the load with those who care for others. She also strongly encouraged caregivers to advocate for their loved one’s pain management, even to the point of sometimes irritating healthcare providers to do it. When it comes to effective pain management, assertiveness pays in better quality outcomes.
If you want to find out more about Dr. Meier and her palliative care approach, then check out these links:
http://www.npcrc.org/about/about_show.htm?doc_id=437101
http://www.mountsinai.org/profiles/diane-e-meier
People who are hurting shouldn’t have to. Relieving pain associated with illness requires time, empathy and compassion. Although it may not be easy, giving someone quality time to spend living is definitely worth it. Health Watch will continue shining its light on paths that lead to better health and pain-free living. Until next time remember, “When we know better, we do better. Then pass it on!”
Friday, July 23, 2010
Friday, July 16, 2010
Roots and Wings to Soar
The best families give you two things. They give you roots that connect you to something bigger than yourself. Families also give you wings, which help you soar to your fullest potential. Knowing who you are and where you come from affects many things, including physical, emotional and spiritual health.
For many, particularly African Americans, knowing the depths of our families’ roots is a challenge. With the institution of American slavery, many families of African descent were separated and displaced throughout the Americas. Compounding the issue is the lack of written records documenting enslaved African Americans’ history. Often these records are spotty, at best, or missing, at worst. Yet, where there is a will there is a way.
Within each of us is a key, unlocking the door to who we are, while also showing us the past and future, including our health. Health Watch wanted to find out more about this. So we dedicated yesterday’s show to exploring the topic, “Roots and genes: The link between DNA testing, history and health.”
Joining us was Dr. Rick Kittles, a scientist who well understands the connection between history, genes and health. Dr. Rick Kittles is a biologist at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the scientific director of African Ancestry, Inc. Dr. Kittles was the right guest to talk about how history and health are written in our genes.
As Dr. Kittles explained so much of who we are is encoded in DNA, which stands for Deoxyribo Nucleic Acid. We inherit DNA equally from our biological mothers and fathers. By studying the distinct patterns in the maternal or paternal lines scientists can determine lots of useful information about who we are, what health conditions we are predisposed to, and the ethnic groups our families originated from. Taking those applications to scale, Dr. Kittles and colleagues have developed African Ancestry, Inc., a genetics testing service which uses DNA to identify where in Africa people of African descent originated. Since starting the company, more than 20,000 people have used the relatively lost cost, fast and easy testing service.
Beyond genetic inheritance, Dr. Kittles also laid to rest the myth that race is a biological. Although there is tremendous physical variation between people, which we then use to put people into boxes or typologies called “races,” in actuality human beings no matter what their skin color or other physical features are almost identical biologically. Race is a cultural and social idea, not a biological one. That issue sparked some lively conversation with our Health Watch listeners.
While DNA helps unlock history’s past, including facts like all human beings originating from early humans located in Africa, it also has applications for health. DNA is answering questions about the excessively high incidence and mortality rates of prostate cancer among African American men. It is also the driving force behind personalized medicine and genome mapping. The science of DNA is creating new and exciting paths of discovery. Yet, with any new technology there is an up side and a down side. DNA-related research is no exception. Dr. Kittles shed some light on this also.
DNA material once collected can be used for multiple research purposes. As healthcare consumers, when you provide human tissue, salvia, blood or other specimens, you should ask how is it going to be used and whether it will be saved for later use. Whether you decide to contribute your biological material or not, you should know this up front. However, as Dr. Kittles shared, the responsibility of conducting ethical research rests squarely on the shoulders of scientists themselves. Those who seek to know must first careful consider the implications of what they do and how they do their work. Dr. Kittles is obviously an advocate for researcher accountability. If you missed yesterday’s Health Watch, you definitely missed an important discussion. It was radio worth hearing!
To find out more about DNA testing and its applications, check out African Ancestry, Inc.’s website. They have a wealth of information, as well as a schedule for their 2010 national tour. Here’s the link to get your search started: http://africanancestry.com/
Health Watch believes when you know who you are, the rest is derivative. Here’s to finding your roots and developing wings to soar. Until next time remember, “When we know better, we do better. Then pass it on!”
For many, particularly African Americans, knowing the depths of our families’ roots is a challenge. With the institution of American slavery, many families of African descent were separated and displaced throughout the Americas. Compounding the issue is the lack of written records documenting enslaved African Americans’ history. Often these records are spotty, at best, or missing, at worst. Yet, where there is a will there is a way.
Within each of us is a key, unlocking the door to who we are, while also showing us the past and future, including our health. Health Watch wanted to find out more about this. So we dedicated yesterday’s show to exploring the topic, “Roots and genes: The link between DNA testing, history and health.”
Joining us was Dr. Rick Kittles, a scientist who well understands the connection between history, genes and health. Dr. Rick Kittles is a biologist at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the scientific director of African Ancestry, Inc. Dr. Kittles was the right guest to talk about how history and health are written in our genes.
As Dr. Kittles explained so much of who we are is encoded in DNA, which stands for Deoxyribo Nucleic Acid. We inherit DNA equally from our biological mothers and fathers. By studying the distinct patterns in the maternal or paternal lines scientists can determine lots of useful information about who we are, what health conditions we are predisposed to, and the ethnic groups our families originated from. Taking those applications to scale, Dr. Kittles and colleagues have developed African Ancestry, Inc., a genetics testing service which uses DNA to identify where in Africa people of African descent originated. Since starting the company, more than 20,000 people have used the relatively lost cost, fast and easy testing service.
Beyond genetic inheritance, Dr. Kittles also laid to rest the myth that race is a biological. Although there is tremendous physical variation between people, which we then use to put people into boxes or typologies called “races,” in actuality human beings no matter what their skin color or other physical features are almost identical biologically. Race is a cultural and social idea, not a biological one. That issue sparked some lively conversation with our Health Watch listeners.
While DNA helps unlock history’s past, including facts like all human beings originating from early humans located in Africa, it also has applications for health. DNA is answering questions about the excessively high incidence and mortality rates of prostate cancer among African American men. It is also the driving force behind personalized medicine and genome mapping. The science of DNA is creating new and exciting paths of discovery. Yet, with any new technology there is an up side and a down side. DNA-related research is no exception. Dr. Kittles shed some light on this also.
DNA material once collected can be used for multiple research purposes. As healthcare consumers, when you provide human tissue, salvia, blood or other specimens, you should ask how is it going to be used and whether it will be saved for later use. Whether you decide to contribute your biological material or not, you should know this up front. However, as Dr. Kittles shared, the responsibility of conducting ethical research rests squarely on the shoulders of scientists themselves. Those who seek to know must first careful consider the implications of what they do and how they do their work. Dr. Kittles is obviously an advocate for researcher accountability. If you missed yesterday’s Health Watch, you definitely missed an important discussion. It was radio worth hearing!
To find out more about DNA testing and its applications, check out African Ancestry, Inc.’s website. They have a wealth of information, as well as a schedule for their 2010 national tour. Here’s the link to get your search started: http://africanancestry.com/
Health Watch believes when you know who you are, the rest is derivative. Here’s to finding your roots and developing wings to soar. Until next time remember, “When we know better, we do better. Then pass it on!”
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
You can learn some new tricks.
It seems like the older you get, the less you remember. You once could turn around on a dime and give 9 ½ cents back in change. Now you are lucky if you remember to get the change while you are actually paying for your purchase. Remembering is a valuable tool, no matter what walk of life you are from. If we could only remember as well as we used to or even better, now wouldn’t that be something. Well, Health Watch wanted to find out if it was possible. Can you can teach an old dog new tricks when it comes to memory?
Joining us by phone was two-time Guinness World Book Record holder for memory Dave Farrow. Dave not only perfected memory techniques to overcome his ADD and dyslexia, he is now on a mission to boost others’ memory to improve their lives and achieve their goals. It was a Health Watch you would not have wanted to miss.
During the program we discussed common memory challenges, including remembering peoples’ names. Picture this scenario. You are meeting several people for the first time and you want to remember their names. How do you do it? Dave advised that you first slow down and take the time to actually recognize each person, instead of meeting people in rapid-fire succession. Next, after meeting each person, ask yourself the question, “What is this person’s name?” When you do this, you will more easily recall the person’s name and store that information in your long-term memory.
Have you ever forgotten where you placed something? If so, do not fret. Just use this trick Dave shared with us. Imagine the item blowing up. (Please do not actually make the item blow up!) The visual will spark your memory, leading you directly to where you last placed the item.
Beyond specific memory tips, Dave shared with us several applications of his memory techniques. We covered topics like speed reading, focus and goal setting, improving memory as well as how to read for maximum comprehension. For this last one, Dave suggested reading intensely in short bursts (5-8 minutes) followed by 5 minute breaks. Reading and studying this way increases retention and lessens the need to cram. Dave definitely gave our Health Watch listeners food for thought and something to remember.
If you are looking for ways to improve your memory and achieve your life goals, then perhaps Dave Farrow has tools you can use. You can find out more about Dave and his techniques at this link: www.yourmemorysucks.com
Whoever said, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks” perhaps never met the right coach. Here’s to improving your memory to get the most out of life. Until next time remember, “When we know better, we should do better. Then pass it on!”
Joining us by phone was two-time Guinness World Book Record holder for memory Dave Farrow. Dave not only perfected memory techniques to overcome his ADD and dyslexia, he is now on a mission to boost others’ memory to improve their lives and achieve their goals. It was a Health Watch you would not have wanted to miss.
During the program we discussed common memory challenges, including remembering peoples’ names. Picture this scenario. You are meeting several people for the first time and you want to remember their names. How do you do it? Dave advised that you first slow down and take the time to actually recognize each person, instead of meeting people in rapid-fire succession. Next, after meeting each person, ask yourself the question, “What is this person’s name?” When you do this, you will more easily recall the person’s name and store that information in your long-term memory.
Have you ever forgotten where you placed something? If so, do not fret. Just use this trick Dave shared with us. Imagine the item blowing up. (Please do not actually make the item blow up!) The visual will spark your memory, leading you directly to where you last placed the item.
Beyond specific memory tips, Dave shared with us several applications of his memory techniques. We covered topics like speed reading, focus and goal setting, improving memory as well as how to read for maximum comprehension. For this last one, Dave suggested reading intensely in short bursts (5-8 minutes) followed by 5 minute breaks. Reading and studying this way increases retention and lessens the need to cram. Dave definitely gave our Health Watch listeners food for thought and something to remember.
If you are looking for ways to improve your memory and achieve your life goals, then perhaps Dave Farrow has tools you can use. You can find out more about Dave and his techniques at this link: www.yourmemorysucks.com
Whoever said, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks” perhaps never met the right coach. Here’s to improving your memory to get the most out of life. Until next time remember, “When we know better, we should do better. Then pass it on!”
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Quitting is closer than you think.
Kicking the tobacco habit is easier said than done. Just ask anyone who has either quit or is trying to quit. Quitting is a process, not a destination. Yet, kicking the tobacco habit is possible! That is the good news.
Quitting requires understanding smoking and what tools work best to quit. Just like planning for a battle, quitting takes strategy and support. Doing just that-- developing a strategy to help you or someone you love kick tobacco is our goal. Health Watch is so intent to succeed we dedicated an entire show to smoking cessation. It was a program you would not have wanted to miss.
Helping us understand tobacco addiction was Dr. Charles Bentz, an internist and medical director for the Legacy Health System Tobacco Cessation & Prevention Program in Portland, Oregon. We could not have asked for a better guest to talk about kicking the tobacco habit. Dr. Bentz not only understands the issue as a physician and advocate, but as a former smoker himself.
We talked about how breaking the smoking habit is really about two competing challenges. The first is nicotine addiction. The other is smoking behavior. Each comes with its on set of issues to tackle. Nicotine, when inhaled, alters the brain’s chemistry. Therefore to break the addiction requires stepping the body down from its nicotine dependency.
Smoking also is not just something people do. Smoking comes with its own set of meanings, feelings and behaviors. Some people smoke when they are with others or during breaks. As a result, smoking cigarettes is linked with other activities and people. Breaking the habit requires knowing what triggers the desire to smoke and altering that. The more a person interrupts these triggers, the more successful quitting becomes.
During our conversation Dr. Bentz also helped us understand the mystery of why African Americans are less likely to smoke, yet they are more likely to die from lung cancer. Much of is has to do with the types of cigarettes African Americans consume and how they smoke cigarettes. Mentholated cigarettes, preferred more often by African Americans, contain menthol, which sooths the throat. Consequently, people who smoke mentholated cigarettes draw harder while smoking and even smoke up to the filter to get the most of each cigarette. Who knew that cool sensation was numbing us to an early grave!
Although smoking is not an easy habit to break, quitting is possible. That was the message Dr. Bentz wanted our Health Watch listeners to know. Quitting requires having the right support and tools. Tools like quit lines. Each state has a local 1-800 number that providers callers counseling support right over the phone. They also have information about other resources that can help people quit. In Tennessee, the number is 1-800- QUIT-NOW. Help is just a phone call away.
So whether it is your first time or umpteenth time quitting, keep trying. Each attempt brings you one step closer to kicking the habit for good. Remember you are not in the fight alone. Health Watch is in your corner and on your side. Until next time remember, “When we know better, we should do better. Then pass it on!”
Quitting requires understanding smoking and what tools work best to quit. Just like planning for a battle, quitting takes strategy and support. Doing just that-- developing a strategy to help you or someone you love kick tobacco is our goal. Health Watch is so intent to succeed we dedicated an entire show to smoking cessation. It was a program you would not have wanted to miss.
Helping us understand tobacco addiction was Dr. Charles Bentz, an internist and medical director for the Legacy Health System Tobacco Cessation & Prevention Program in Portland, Oregon. We could not have asked for a better guest to talk about kicking the tobacco habit. Dr. Bentz not only understands the issue as a physician and advocate, but as a former smoker himself.
We talked about how breaking the smoking habit is really about two competing challenges. The first is nicotine addiction. The other is smoking behavior. Each comes with its on set of issues to tackle. Nicotine, when inhaled, alters the brain’s chemistry. Therefore to break the addiction requires stepping the body down from its nicotine dependency.
Smoking also is not just something people do. Smoking comes with its own set of meanings, feelings and behaviors. Some people smoke when they are with others or during breaks. As a result, smoking cigarettes is linked with other activities and people. Breaking the habit requires knowing what triggers the desire to smoke and altering that. The more a person interrupts these triggers, the more successful quitting becomes.
During our conversation Dr. Bentz also helped us understand the mystery of why African Americans are less likely to smoke, yet they are more likely to die from lung cancer. Much of is has to do with the types of cigarettes African Americans consume and how they smoke cigarettes. Mentholated cigarettes, preferred more often by African Americans, contain menthol, which sooths the throat. Consequently, people who smoke mentholated cigarettes draw harder while smoking and even smoke up to the filter to get the most of each cigarette. Who knew that cool sensation was numbing us to an early grave!
Although smoking is not an easy habit to break, quitting is possible. That was the message Dr. Bentz wanted our Health Watch listeners to know. Quitting requires having the right support and tools. Tools like quit lines. Each state has a local 1-800 number that providers callers counseling support right over the phone. They also have information about other resources that can help people quit. In Tennessee, the number is 1-800- QUIT-NOW. Help is just a phone call away.
So whether it is your first time or umpteenth time quitting, keep trying. Each attempt brings you one step closer to kicking the habit for good. Remember you are not in the fight alone. Health Watch is in your corner and on your side. Until next time remember, “When we know better, we should do better. Then pass it on!”
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