Bite Counter is like a pedometer for your mouth

Like a pedometer, it keeps count of a repetitive physical movement. But putting fork to mouth is more complex than walking. "A pedometer can't tell what kind of motion you're making. This tracks a very specific motion," Hoover says.

The wrist rotation necessary to move a fork from plate to mouth turns out to be the critical motion in eating; the machine counts bites with 90% accuracy, he says.

It also counts bites taken without the use of a fork or spoon, such as eating an apple; the rotation of the wrist is the same whether eating with the hands or utensils, Hoover says.
Hoover and his co-inventor, psychologist Eric Muth, have found that one bite generally averages about 25 calories.  Read more . . .

See, my problem would be that I seldom use utensils unless the food is messy.  I eat a lot of sandwich type stuff, as well.  And I take big bites . . so . . . what do the rest of you think?  Does this have any value?

ADHD in Children Is on the Rise

 The percentage of children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has risen from 6.9% to 9% in the past decade, a CDC study shows.

The study suggests the increase may be influenced by racial, ethnic, and economic factors.
The report is published in the National Center for Health Statistics Data Brief for August 2011.
ADHD is one of the most common mental health disorders of childhood, but its frequency varies by race and ethnicity, the CDC says.

Symptoms of ADHD include inattention, impulsive behavior, and hyperactivity.

Read more . . .

Of COURSE more children are being diagnosed with ADHD.  More money for doctors and hospitals.  To say nothing of the toxic bath most children live in . . . cleaners and food and clothing all laden with chemicals.  And we don't let them go out and play.  WE are the cause, folks.  

Found: The rogue gene that could make you prone to depression

Depression could be caused by a single rogue gene, scientists believe.

They have discovered flaws in people’s DNA which may make them more likely to get the condition.

It is hoped that their findings eventually lead to the development of better treatments for the disorder which is notoriously difficult to manage.

Read more:

New strategic plan for NIH obesity research seeks to curb epidemic

More than one-third of adults in the United States and nearly 17 percent of the nation's children are now obese, which increases a person's chance of developing many health problems, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, fatty liver disease, and some cancers. In 2008, obesity-related medical costs were an estimated $147 billion. Government, nonprofit and community groups, businesses, health care professionals, schools, families, and individuals are taking action to address this public health problem – and research can provide the foundation for these efforts.

Read . . .

March 17, 2011

AM Supplements:
Fish Oil 2000 mg
Lecithin

Lunch Supplements:
Flaxseed Oil 2000 mg
Cayenne

Daily Health and Food Log
Bed	Up	Hrs	AM Pain	AM BP	PM Pain	PM BP	Weight
1130p	7a	7.5	4		5		295
	Calories	Fat	Chol	Sodium	Carbs	Fiber	Protein
Goal	1396	45g	211mg	1688mg	211g	18g	35g
Actual	1019	58g	106mg	1194mg	57g	7g	41g

AM Supplements:
Fish Oil 2000 mg
Lecithin

Daily Health and Food Log
Bed	Up	Hrs	AM Pain	AM BP	PM Pain	PM BP	Weight
1130p	7a	7.5	4		7		295
	Calories	Fat	Chol	Sodium	Carbs	Fiber	Protein
Goal	1396	45g	211mg	1688mg	211g	18g	35g
Actual	1387	84g	438mg	1498	178g	14g	22g

9 Tips to Treat Colds and Flu the 'Natural' Way

With no cure in sight for the cold or the flu, current treatments can at best bring symptom relief or shorten the duration of those symptoms. You can take one of a variety of medications that may help relieve your symptoms. Or you can take the natural approach. WebMD went to Charles B. Inlander, president of The People's Medical Society, for some home remedies that may help you feel better along the way.

Read more at WebMD . . .

Health News Round Up

How Depression Dulls the World—Literally

A sad person who says that the world looks dull and gray and that flowers no longer smell so sweet may not just be speaking figuratively. Two recent studies from Germany provide evidence that sensory perception is diminished in depressed individuals.

To determine if depression has an effect on vision, neuropsychiatrist Ludger Tebartz van Elst of the University of Freiburg hooked up depressed patients and control subjects to a pattern electroretinograph, a device that measures electrical signals in the retina. When viewing black-and-white checkerboard images, people with depression showed markedly reduced electrical responses.

Read more . . .


Forget the cot, sleep with your baby according to SIDS researcher Doctor James McKenna

NEWBORN babies who share a bed with their parents are safer than those in cots, says a leading baby sleep expert.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome researcher Doctor James McKenna said that as long as co-sleeping is carried out in a responsible manner - not on a waterbed or couch and not by parents affected by drugs or alcohol - then babies up to 12 months old will reap the long-term benefits.

If parents are not able to sleep in the same bed as their baby then they should at least be in the same room, Dr McKenna said. "Co-sleeping is humankind's oldest and most successful method of mother and baby sleeping," he said.

Read more . . .

I totally suppose co-sleeping.  My eldest daughter, now 28 years old, died several times in her first week of life.  The red tape on getting a monitor for her meant none was available until she was 2 months old.  Fortunately my instincts told me to let her sleep on my stomach, which it turns out stimulates them to breath, and she survived. 

For mental health, bad job worse than no job

With unemployment still high, job seekers who have been discouraged by a lack of work might be inclined to take the first opportunity they're offered. That will help pay the bills, but it could cause other problems: A new study suggests that some jobs are so demoralizing they're actually worse for mental health than not working at all.

The findings add a new wrinkle to the large body of research showing that being out of work is associated with a greater risk of mental health problems. In the study, which followed more than 7,000 Australians over a seven-year period, unemployed people generally reported feeling calmer, happier, less depressed, and less anxious after finding work, but only if their new jobs were rewarding and manageable.


U.S. Has Highest Bipolar Rate in 11-Nation Study

About 2.4% of people around the world have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder at some point in their lifetime, according to the first comprehensive international figures on the topic.

The United States has the highest lifetime rate of bipolar disorder at 4.4%, and India the lowest, with 0.1%.

Read more . . .