The Elite 8 – Summertime Edition

Posted on June 21, 2016 by Bernadette Keefe

Bernadette Keefe MD

Introduction

In U.S. collegiate sports, “The Elite Eight“, are the final eight teams in the national tournament; two from each region. The outcome of those four games becomes, “The Final Four”. However, for this summer time edition of The Elite Eight, we’re talking about the revered “eight glasses of plain water per day” health dictum.

While optimal hydration is essential for health, and water is considered the “gold standard” of hydration, we do not need 64 ounces of plain water a day. We do, however, need 64 ounces or 1.9 liters of total fluid obtained via drinks and food for optimal functioning and health, especially during the warm weather and exercise.

Furthermore, what makes the eight glasses of water per day advice “elite”/special is that consuming a zero calorie beverage might just be the antidote to the current epidemic of obesity and Type 2 diabetes. Americans typically satisfy their thirst with sugary beverages. Shockingly, these drinks contribute the majority of our daily ingestion of sugar! Continue reading →

Health Literacy – Not “Feeling” It?

Posted on June 1, 2016 by Bernadette Keefe

Bernadette Keefe MD

Health Literacy – It’s still not catching on.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines health literacy as

“the degree to which an individual has the capacity to obtain, communicate, process and understand basic health information and services to make appropriate health decisions”.

As a believer in improved general literacy for citizens, I have assumed that health literacy, achieved through quality health information, having been easily accessed and well understood, would be akin to the process of general literacy. But just as education involves more than the conveyance of information, it is similar for achieving health literacy.

Although considerable efforts have been made regarding the formulation and dissemination of health and self-care information, we are seeing little effect on health outcomes. All parameters of health and wellness in the U.S. remain stubbornly poor, including the high incidence of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer, mental health, and addiction. Healthcare systems and healthcare professionals continue to tout patient engagement strategies and the importance of health literacy, but as Michael Friedman states in his excellent piece on the topic:

Continue reading →

Robots/Robotics in Healthcare

Posted on April 27, 2016 by Bernadette Keefe

Bernadette Keefe MD

Introduction

Robots, through their combined “otherness” and “sameness”, capture the human imagination. However, the purpose of robots, and use of robotics, has always been, essentially, practical. Humans have used robots to do work since ancient times. It’s the capacity of robots to produce, on a consistent basis, over and over again, which makes them valuable. Now, with sophisticated software, robotic applications have shifted from the purely industrial uses, to include the service industries. With elegant algorithms, speech and facial expression abilities, and recognition, robots are increasingly interacting with us, on a more personal level, in everyday life.

The healthcare industry is under significant pressure from many sides. The major causes include: out of control costs and prices, labor shortages throughout the ranks, a continuous explosion of information and technology, and an increasingly sick and aging population. The promise of robots and robotic applications to help ease the labor gap, and improve efficiency and safety, has captured the attention of many in the healthcare sector.

Continue reading →

The Power and The Glory of Walking

Posted on March 2, 2016 by Bernadette Keefe

Introduction

Walking

Definition: to move at a regular and fairly slow pace by lifting and setting down each foot in turn, never having both feet off the ground at once.-

Synonyms: stroll, saunter, amble, trudge, plod, dawdle, hike, tramp, tromp, slog, stomp, trek, march, stride, sashay, glide, troop, patrol, wander, ramble, tread, prowl, promenade, roam, traipse

–Wikipedia

“What if a simple act could change the world?” – Born to Walk: The Transformative Power of the Pedestrian Life

Born to Walk – Trailer

Walking for Health

The U.S. Surgeon General regularly announces public health campaigns, “Calls to Action”, which are deemed particularly important for the overall health of the nation. A “Call to Action” is defined as “a science-based document to stimulate action nationwide to solve a major public health problem”.

For 2015, the U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek H. Murthy chose walking as the focus, when he announced the ‘Step It Up’ campaign. The ‘Step It Up’ campaign was designed to promote walking and walkable communities. Here is the video which accompanied the launch:

Continue reading →

Sports/American Football & Concussions – A Love/Hate Bond

Posted on February 10, 2016 by Bernadette Keefe

Bernadette Keefe M.D.

Introduction

“If just 10% of the mothers in this country think that football is a dangerous sport, then that is the end of football” – The NFL

The sports of American football, European football (U.S. soccer), ice hockey (a Canadian favorite), wrestling, lacrosse, and field hockey, among others, are associated with a significant risk of concussions. In the early 2000s, investigations of early, untimely deaths of several retired National Football League (NFL) players, showed similar microscopic findings in their brains. With this discovery, the disease of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), associated with multiple concussions on the football field, was introduced to the world.

Concussion, The Movie

League of Denial, The Documentary

“You’re going to war with a corporation that owns a day of the week! “

Two books, one feature film and one television documentary have been released recounting the story of Dr. Bennett Omalu, the man who linked characteristic brain abnormalities, which he later named chronic traumatic encephalopathy, to the progressive dementia and erratic behavior in the pro-football players he studied. Countless scientific articles have been written, and the issue of traumatic brain injury in contact sports has now become front-page news.

Concussion Movie Trailer

Continue reading →

In Brief, Football: The History, The Violence, The Grace/Beauty

Posted on February 5, 2016 by Bernadette Keefe

Bernadette Keefe M.D.

Introduction -The Passion, The Inquiry

The Golden Game, the game that decides the 2016 National Football League (NFL) champion, will be played in Santa Clara, California, on Sunday February 7, before a stadium audience of 68,000 and a U.S. television audience likely surpassing 110 million (private TV sets).

Football is immensely popular in the United States. For many, it is a favorite past time and, is often dubbed America’s sport. Football is also big business, with tentacles reaching into two massive empires: media, through TV networks such as ESPN, and gambling, from Las Vegas back rooms to online Fantasy Football websites such as FanDuel and Draftkings.

Notably, football is a particularly violent game, one in which brute strength is as important as skill. The over-riding mission is to destroy/nullify opposing players who stand in the way of ball possession and goals. Injury is common in the sport, and can be severe.

As a Carolina Panthers fan, but also a physician, the violence in football has always been unnerving. For me, the sport’s allure is in the many graceful, athletic moves, especially the leaping, and reaching. For many others, however, it’s the cold, hard violence that thrills. As a prelude to my larger post on football, to be released later this weekend, I wanted to delve into the roots of the sport, and ask: Was football always so violent?

Continue reading →

Fireside Chats – A Celebration of Self Care and Care for Each Other

Posted on December 23, 2015 by Bernadette Keefe

Bernadette Keefe MD

A Holiday Post that translates to any gathering with loved ones ~ BK

The Path to Wellness

‘Tis the season of celebration. As we are in a festive month, I’d like to talk about a few celebratory health related ‘fireside chats’ that we might consider when we gather with our families and friends this holiday season. Conversations around health and healthcare are often avoided as they can invite a difficult mixture of bad news, fear, criticism, advice, or unwanted cajoling. I’d like to flip these chats towards celebration by identifying four major things in life that are both good for us, and are, at essence, a cause for celebration.

For this post on holiday “fireside chats; a celebration of self-care”, I chose four major topics to delve into: emotional health, physical exercise, food and food culture and the circle of life. Included within are videos, text and references that I hope hone in on the essence of self care, and the process of creating healthy lives for ourselves, and our loved ones.

Let’s celebrate the role of self-care in the lives of ourselves, our families, and our friends!

Continue reading →

Popping Pills: A Drugged Nation

Posted on December 2, 2015 by Bernadette Keefe

Bernadette Keefe MD

Excerpts from ‘Limitless’ The Movie (Trailer)

You (can) access 100 % your brain

A tablet a day and I was limitless

What’s your secret? Medication

A perfect version of ourselves…..power…..

What would you do???

The ‘Limitless” Trailer

Introduction: A pill for every ill.

From teenagers to granny, to the pro-athlete, and everyone in between, the United States is the most drugged nation in the world. A staggering:

70 Million Americans are taking legal mind-altering drugs

Nearly 70% of all Americans are on at least one prescription drug and 20% are on at least five prescription drugs Continue reading →

Sugar High Halloween

Posted on October 26, 2015 by Bernadette Keefe

Candy Corn

Bernadette Keefe MD

It’s Halloween… but:

‘We need to start talking about how our food supply is making many of us sick.”

“Sugar high” is the term used to describe the cascade of responses after eating a sugar load. A high sugar load, especially a pure sugar load, triggers is a rapid release of insulin to counteract the high blood sugar. With that response, glucose is absorbed into cells and the blood sugar plummets. We feel hunger with the low blood sugar and if we consume a sugary snack or meal, the cycle restarts. The taste of sugar is also ‘addictive’ over time. At this time we have a cultural sugar high, a palate tuned to the taste of sugar, across our nation and indeed the world. It has led to unprecedented levels of Type 2 diabetes and obesity. Continue reading →

Aging: It’s A Good Thing!

Posted on September 28, 2015 by Bernadette Keefe

Honoring Active Aging Week 2015, September 27^th– October 3^rd.

From Active Aging Week website,

“This year’s Theme: Live Your Adventure! Led by the International Council on Active Aging, Active Aging Week celebrates aging and active living. Each year event organizers engage participants in wellness activities in a safe, friendly and fun atmosphere.”

Each day of active aging week has a corresponding theme, thus the “adventure book” has 7 Chapters, each devoted to a specific aspect of wellness in aging. Chapter details follow:

Continue reading →

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Introduction: A pill for every ill.

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