It’s OK to Chew The Fat
The sugar industry spent tens of thousands of dollars to underplay the relationship between sugar and heart disease and shift the blame to fat in the 1960s, The New York Times reported. This, and 50 years' worth of research influenced by the industry has played into how our dietary community views the dangers of fat versus sugar. As it turns out, the sugar lobby postponed investigation into the health hazards of sugar for that entire time, instead making saturated fat out to be a bigger culprit than objective research would otherwise indicate.
There's Plenty of Work to Go Around
A report from Houston Public Media describes how health care leaders in Texas and elsewhere are rethinking staffing in response to a growing physician shortage and the move toward value-based payment. Among the ideas: Allow pharmacists to treat minor issues like cuts and pink eye in the pharmacy; allow dental therapists to fill simple cavities; and use nurse’s aides as grand-aides, a cross between a grandparent and a nurse’s aide who visits patients daily after they’ve been discharged to make sure they’re eating well, taking their medications and avoiding anything that might interfere with their recovery.
Going Beyond the Diagnosis
More and more docs are speaking out about the need to address the social determinants of health in care delivery. In fact, 60 percent of positive health outcomes can be attributed to social, environmental and behavioral factors, according to a Dayton Children’s Hospital release. That’s why Dayton Children’s Hospital Center for Child Health and Wellness launched its Family Resource Connection program to screen patient families for unmet social needs. Watch a video about the program (below).
There's More to Color than Meets the Eye
How do those who can’t see hues experience color? Ashley, a user on li.st, posted that she was legally blind as a child because of improper development of neurological connections but, thanks to her doctor and a long journey, she now can see just fine. But, during her early days, her friends and family helped to describe colors to her through sensations and feeling. Green: “I held soft leaves and wet grass. They told me green felt like life. To this day, it is still very much my favorite color,” she posted.
