Do happy children become happy adults?

kidsHappiness may actually start in childhood. British researchers from the University of Cambridge (UK) report an association between a positive childhood and well-being in adulthood.

In the study, a “positive” childhood was based on teacher evaluations of students’ levels of happiness, friendship and energy at ages 13 and 15. The researchers then linked these ratings to the individuals’ mental health, work experience, relationships, and social activities several decades later. Teenagers who were rated positively by their teachers were significantly more likely to have higher levels of well-being later in life compared to those with no positive ratings. Well-being in the study was defined by a higher work satisfaction, more frequent contact with family and friends, and more regular engagement in social and leisure activities. Happy children were also much less likely to develop mental disorders throughout their lives. The team concludes, “Childhood well-being predicts positive adult well-being, and not merely the absence of mental ill-health.”

SOURCE: Richards M, Huppert FA. Do positive children become positive adults? Evidence from a longitudinal birth cohort study. J Positive Psychol. January 2011;6(1):75–87.

Eating fish before age of nine months = decreased risk of wheezing and eczema

A recent study shows that feeding babies fish before nine months of age may cut their risk of pre-school wheezing. According to a Swedish study published in the December issue of Acta Paediatrica, eating fish before the age of nine months almost halved the likelihood of suffering recurrent wheezing at 4.5 years of age. The fish most commonly eaten was white fish, followed by salmon and flat fish. However, children faced a higher risk of developing wheezing if they were treated with antibiotics in the first week of life or if their mother took paracetamol (i.e. Tylenol) during pregnancy. Children whose mothers took paracetamol during pregnancy had a 60% increased risk of developing asthma.

Researchers analysed responses from 4,171 randomly selected families, who answered questions when their child was six months, 12 months and 4.5 years of age.

The authors have previously reported that fish is beneficial in preventing both eczema in infancy and allergic rhinitis at pre-school age. Other research suggest a protective effect on the development of asthma.

Fish is abundant in omega-3 fatty acids, which reduce inflammation in the body. Frank Greer, a pediatrician and former chairman of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ (AAP) Committee on Nutrition, says you can introduce fish to your baby as early as 6 months. However, if your baby shows signs of allergy such as eczema, check with your baby’s doctor before giving your baby fish.

Also, the type of fish you give your baby is important- Beware of heavy metals found in fish, particularly mercury in the local fish in Hong Kong. Babies are especially sensitive to mercury’s adverse effects on brain and nervous system development. You can read more about heavy metal toxicity here.

SOURCE: http://wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/APA

How’s your sleep? (part two)

Haven’t had enough sleep lately? Can’t fall asleep at night? Try some of these natural ways to cure insomnia:

  1. Go to bed and get up at the same time every day. Establishing a regular routine will help your body learn when to wind down in the evening to prepare for sleep. Our bodies run on a 24-hour cycle called the circadian rhythm, and going to bed and getting up at the same time every day will help to establish a proper sleep-wake cycle.
  2. Limit your drinks and foods before bedtime. Are you constantly getting up for bathroom breaks at night? Have your last beverage 1-2 hours before bedtime. Are you consuming caffeinated beverages or foods such as coffee, caffeinated tea, chocolate, chocolate chip cookies, etc. too close to bedtime? These may be keeping you awake at night.
  3. Is it your medication? Check your medications to make sure that they don’t cause insomnia.
  4. Tension-reducing techniques. While you lie in bed, take a few deep breaths using your nostrils. Exhale slowly and fully before taking the next deep breath. Another stress-reducing technique: clench your fists for 3 seconds, then slowly release them. Gently shake loose your hands. Repeat these steps several times while relaxing your mind.
  5. Soak your feet in warm water for 10-15 minutes before bedtime. You can also add a few drops of lavender essential oil into the water for an added relaxation boost.
  6. Prayer, meditation and relaxing music can also help you wind down.
  7. Address the underlying cause. Are you worried or anxious about something in particular? Is there something that’s bothering you of which you can’t keep your mind off? If the situation can be resolved, try to resolve it sooner rather than later. If it’s something you cannot control or change, then find ways to accept or deal with it.
  8. Try natural medicines that work gently and aren’t addictive. A licensed naturopathic doctor, herbalist or homeopathic doctor would be able to prescribe appropriate natural remedies safely and effectively.

If you persistently can’t fall asleep or stay asleep, you should address it before it affects your health and mental/ functional capacity during the day. Talk to your naturopathic doctor or healthcare practitioner about your sleep problem.

SOURCE: https://drardyceyik.com/2010/08/22/help-me-sleep-please/

How’s your sleep? (part one)

Insufficient sleep can pose a problem to your health and safety. Studies have linked sleep deprivation to relationship problems, poor job performance, memory problems, mood disorders and car accidents. Some even suggest that sleep disorders may contribute to heart disease, obesity, and diabetes.

Are you getting a good night’s rest? Or do you suffer from insomnia? Symptoms of insomnia and sleep disorders include:

  • Excessive sleepiness during the day
  • Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep
  • Snoring or episodes of stopped breathing during sleep
  • Urge to move your legs at rest or an uncomfortable feeling in the legs at night

Insomnia may be caused by sleep disorders such as restless leg syndrome, a condition where people feel an urge to move their legs at rest. This is usually more pronounced at night, and some may experience twitching motions during their sleep which wake them up. People with sleep apnea, another type of sleep disorder, have episodes when they stop breathing many times while they sleep. These pauses last several seconds and trigger a switch from deep sleep to light sleep. These interruptions often lead to daytime sleepiness.

Bad habits may also lead to insomnia. These habits include:

  • consuming caffeinated beverages (e.g. coffee) or foods (e.g. chocolate) in the afternoon or evening
  • eating heavy foods before bed
  • going to bed at a different time each night
  • falling asleep with the television on

Mental health problems can also lead to insomnia. These include

  • depression
  • anxiety
  • post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

There are ways to combat insomnia on your own (stay tuned for “How’s your sleep? (part two)”), but some situations require medical attention. Call your doctor if you notice that you snore loudly or gasp during sleep, if you think a medical condition or medication is keeping you up at night, if you’re always tired or if you fall asleep during daytime activities.

SOURCE: webmd.com

High dose vitamin E may raise risk of cancer

A new large study reveals that high doses of vitamin E can significantly increase the risk of developing prostate cancer in men.

According to the study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the chances of developing prostate cancer rose by 17%, even years after men stopped taking the vitamin. Researchers found more cases of prostate cancer among men taking 400 international units (IU) of vitamin E a day than placebo. This comes right after a study which found women taking certain supplements have an increased risk of dying.

In the past, there have been similar studies linking vitamin E supplementation on its own with cancer. Interestingly, there are other studies showing the opposite- that vitamin E has a preventive effect- so findings have been inconsistent.

If you take supplements or nutraceuticals regularly, my advice is to seek a licensed naturopathic doctor to guide you through and to determine what is necessary for your health needs. Very often I have patients coming in and telling me that they are on 10 or 15 different supplements- because they’ve read that this may prevent that, or their friends have recommended they take it. Many people think that all supplements are “safe” to take anytime, since they are “natural”. But the truth is, supplements and nutraceuticals could potentially do harm if taken for the wrong condition, at a wrong dosage, or with other interacting drugs and supplements.

SOURCE: Journal of the American Medical Association. 2011 Oct 12;306(14):1549-56.

Miscarriage and low levels of copper and zinc

A new study from the University of Granada has confirmed that low blood levels of copper and zinc in pregnant women may be a factor associated with miscarriage (spontaneous abortion).

Dr. Jesús Joaquín Hijona Elósegui, one of the researchers in the study, points out that “despite the significant progress made in reproductive medicine, spontaneous abortion is still the most frequent complication during pregnancy. It is estimated to affect 15% of pregnant women, mainly during the first trimester. Although most of the time it is not recurring, there is a recurrence of 2 to 5% among women who have already suffered a miscarriage.”

The scientists found that although more than half of the pregnancies (that ended in miscarriage) were planned, only 12% of patients had used the recommended supplements of iodine and folate before attempting pregnancy. These substances have been proven to decrease the rate of abortions and malformations. Furthermore, a third of the women who had a miscarriage reported to be regular smokers and 16.6% consumed coffee regularly at a dose that exceeded the abortifacient and teratogenic threshold. Tobacco and caffeine at high enough doses have been strongly associated with the occurrence of spontaneous abortion.

The number of pregnant women in the Spanish population who suffer a miscarriage has increased gradually, from 10.39% in 2003 to 13.70% in 2010.

Click here to find out how Dr. Ardyce Yik can help you determine your nutrient/ health status, boost fertility and carry a healthy baby to term.

SOURCE: Progresos de Obstetricia y Ginecología (the official journal of the Spanish Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics), in Toko-Ginecología Práctica, and in Obstetrics  and Gynaecology. http://canalugr.es/health-science-and-technology/item/52016

Vitamin D: are you deficient?

Vitamin D is touted as the new “wonder vitamin”. Not only do our bodies need vitamin D to absorb calcium for strong bones, but studies now show that people with low blood levels of vitamin D may be at a higher risk for heart problems and other health issues.

One study found that people with hypertension (high blood pressure) and a vitamin D deficiency were twice as likely to have a heart attack than other people in the study.

Other studies suggest that people with low vitamin D are at risk for developing breast cancer, colon cancer and prostate cancer. Low vitamin D levels may worsen the prognosis for women with breast cancer. In one study, women with a vitamin D deficiency when they were diagnosed had a 94% greater chance of the cancer spreading. They also had a 73% greater chance of dying over the next 10 years.

There is some evidence that vitamin D at high enough levels may inhibit the autoimmune processes that lead to multiple sclerosis (MS). Taking adequate vitamin D is important to decrease or minimize flare-ups of the disease in patients with MS.

Studies also show that children who get enough vitamin D from the sun or from supplements may have a reduced risk of developing Type I diabetes while others link inadequate vitamin D to more severe childhood asthma. Children with asthma who have low vitamin D levels have more hospitalizations and use more asthma medications. Furthermore, vitamin D deficiency is now linked to depression and seasonal affective disorder.

Could you be deficient in vitamin D?

Your body uses your skin to make vitamin D when you are out in the sun. Milk, fortified foods such as breakfast cereals and soy products, and foods that naturally contain vitamin D such as salmon and eggs are good sources of this vitamin, but you cannot rely on foods to get enough. People with the following may be at risk for vitamin D deficiency:

  • obesity
  • living in the northern latitudes
  • digestive disorders
  • being older than 50
  • some medications including orlistat (Xenical) for weight loss, phenytoin (Dilantin) for seizures and corticosteroids

There is a simple blood test your doctor can order to check your level of vitamin D. It is a good idea to get your levels checked, especially if you are over the age of 50 and/ or have the above mentioned conditions.In Hong Kong, I have found that many patients- adult and children alike- have low levels of vitamin D regardless of sun exposure or diet.

SOURCE: webmd.com

Researchers say obesity OK for some people

In a new York University study, researchers say obesity really is okay for some people who are active and eat a healthy diet, challenging the notion that everyone has to be slim and lean to live a long life. The research compared the lifespan of 6000 obese and lean individuals in a sixteen-year study. The researchers found that many individuals with high body mass index (BMI) in early life only had mild physical and physiological impairments that would put them at risk for obesity-related diseases.

Instead of relying on body mass index alone, the researchers used the Edmonton Obesity Staging System (EOSS).  The tool was developed by University of Alberta researchers and gauges risk factors for disease, which is broken down into five stages of obesity. The system classifies the extent/ severity of other diseases including cancer, mental illness and heart disease.

Lead researcher Jennifer Kuk, assistant professor at York University’s School of Kinesiology & Health Science, Faculty of Health explains the finding negates the idea that all obese people must lose weight.

“…It’s possible that trying – and failing – to lose weight may be more detrimental than simply staying at an elevated body weight and engaging in a healthy lifestyle that includes physical activity and a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables,” she says. Based on the findings, the researchers say fat can be healthy and that not everyone who is obese should be guided toward weight loss.

In order to determine whether obesity is a truly a health risk, Kuk says people should see a physician for evaluation that uses the EOSS criteria.

Dr. Yik has helped many patients reach their weight goals and maintain optimal health. Click here to learn more about the Weight Loss 2.0 program she supervises.

SOURCE: Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism. “Edmonton Obesity Staging System: association with weight history and mortality risk”. August 14, 2011

Divorce: the impact on grown-up children

Adult children of divorce, otherwise known as ACODs, are becoming a wide-spread phenomenon as couples choose to split later on in life.

Though most current studies concerning the effects of divorce discuss the responses of younger children to divorce, those that look at the impact on adult children indicate that the event may still produce some negative effects. A study found that men with late-divorcing parents tend to be socially and economically disadvantaged compared with peers with parents who stayed together. Meanwhile, ACODs who were over 20 when their parents separated were more likely to have their own first partnership or marriage break up by age 33. And, very often, older children and grown-ups experience much of the same trauma (grief, anxiety, etc.) as younger children of divorcing parents.

ACODs go through a grieving process when their parents divorce, even if they are aware of a history of discord in their parents’ relationship. This may include periods of anger at one or both parents. There may be a strong feeling that their family is irreversibly fragmented and there may be feelings of confusion concerning how to relate to their parents. ACODs may also question how holidays and other family traditions can ever be meaningful again.

Quotes from some ACODs on their parents’ divorce:

  • “I’ve been surprised by how upset I’ve been, because at 28 you would assume you’d be past it and because I know that the divorce is the right thing for my parents. But it feels as though it’s not just they who are separating, but us as a family. It’s very upsetting.”
  • “I had my dad crying on one shoulder and my mum on the other. They’d say stuff about each other, too. Because I was grown-up, they appealed to my adult side. I found myself in massive shock, wondering how on earth I’d never noticed that my family was dysfunctional – and were all families that seemed happy dysfunctional? All my ideals were absolutely shattered. No matter how old you are, the child in you reacts.”
  • “My mum, who was in her late 60s at the time of the divorce, had never paid a bill. I had to show her how. She hadn’t done any of this stuff before. Two years on, I still have to call her every day. In many ways, it was like my dad had died, only it was worse because it was his choice to leave her – and she spares me no details about her feelings towards him.”

The authors of the book, A Grief Out of Season, write, “It is a big deal when parents divorce – no matter how old or independent their children. Divorce shakes the roots of each member’s self-perception.”

So, how can ACODs cope with their parents’ separation? Some tips for coping:

  1. The grieving process is normal. A parental divorce is a painful loss for children, regardless of age. It is normal to cry, to feel sad.
  2. Although often difficult, it’s important to try to forgive parental weaknesses and faults. You will heal easier and sooner with a little understanding and reasonable expectations. Holding onto anger slows the healing process and keeps one from moving forward to a more positive new life.
  3. There may be pressure to take sides, but try not to be drawn into the middle of the conflict. Try to remain as loving as possible to both parents. At the end of the day, both are your parents. That fact will never change.
  4. A support group or professional counselor may be helpful in allowing you to sort out your feelings.
  5. Create new traditions by incorporating favorites from your childhood. Continue to build strong relationships with family members.  Though this process is stressful, it is important to remember that in time, life will be back to normal, even though normal may be different from what one once expected.

SOURCE: The Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/mar/14/divorce-adult-offspring-acods; The Ohio State University, Family and Consumer Sciences

FDA drug alert: anti-depressant celexa (citalopram)

Citalopram (Celexa) is an anti-depressant drug prescribed for depression, anxiety and other disorders. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning: this drug should not be used in high doses because of concerns that it may cause damage to the heart.

Dosages of 40mg/ day or higher has been found to cause problems with the heart’s electrical activity. Patients with underlying heart disease and individuals who are predisposed to low levels of potassium and magnesium in the blood are at particular risk.

The FDA alert issued on August 24th reads, “Citalopram should not be used in patients with congenital long QT syndrome. Patients with congestive heart failure, bradyarrhythmias, or predisposition to hypokalemia or hypomagnesemia because of concomitant illness or drugs, are at higher risk of developing Torsade de Pointes, a rare type of ventricular tachycardia.”

According to the alert, research has shown that dosages of Celexa greater than 40 mg/day confer no additional benefit on treatment outcomes. However, the Celexa drug label previously stated that certain patients may require a dose of 60 mg/ day.

People taking Celexa should seek medical attention if they experience irregular heartbeats, breathlessness, black-outs or dizziness.