So, to celebrate Canada Day I headed out on my own little half-marathon this morning and I have to say… It felt AWESOME!
You can check out my www.motionbased.com page for details, if you want.
Now I am heading out to climb a mountain… or have a nap… haven’t decided which yet.
[ File under: Me & Health ]
We’ve all heard it, we’ve all (sort of) lived by it, but now it seems we must change our ways… for the better!
A college professor and her students challenged the “five-second rule”, which for generations has governed how long food can remain on the floor before it becomes “too gross to eat”.
It seems the actual time is really more like 30 seconds… read more about the study at www.newsday.com.
[ File under: Health & Foolishness ]
I don’t know about everyone else but I am freakin’ hot and, since I work downtown, there are a million coffee places within a 3 block radius of our office. So, before you become addicted to cold coffee drinks, like I am, you better take a look at this:
Luckily it is also running season. See you on the trails!
[ File under: Health & News ]
Savasana (Corpse Pose) – A way of saying “I am going to lay in the middle of the floor and do nothing for a while” and sound like you are doing something awesome.
[ File under: Health & Me ]
Audiogram (hearing test)
The objective of a hearing test is to measure your threshold for hearing tones and speech. During the hearing test, the Audiologist will use headphones that most often look like something you would find in an old German u-boat.
When the test starts, you will be instructed to respond each time you hear a soft tone presented in either ear. In addition, you may occasionally hear a static noise in the background (masking noise) that should be ignored. The Audiologist will measure your threshold for tones over a range of frequencies (typically, the range is 250 to 8000 Hz – the frequency range necessary to understand speech).
Speech Testing is used to measure the lowest level at which you can repeat two-syllable words and also your ability to understand and repeat single-syllable words presented at a loud volume.
Electronystagmogram (ENG)
The most common audiological test ordered for individuals complaining of dizziness or vertigo. This test records and measures voluntary and involuntary eye movements, specifically nystagmus (the involuntary back and forth jerking movement of the eyes that occurs when the entire balance system is stimulated).
The ENG is comprised of a series of subtests:
The patient wear goggles housing special video cameras that track eye movement that is reported to and recorded by a computer.
Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR)
This test is performed on an individual who is resting quietly. A series of clicks are presented to each ear through special earpieces inserted into the ear canals. The audiologist can vary the intensity of the clicks. The individual wears electrodes on their head which record appropriate brainwave activity. The averaging computer in the ABR unit then analyzes the information and it is compared to normal responses. If the results of the test suggest some degree of hearing loss, you may be referred for further testing.
Electrocochleography (ECoG)
This test is an objective measure of the electrical potentials generated in the inner ear as a result of sound stimulation. This test is most often used to determine if the inner ear (cochlea) has an excessive amount of fluid pressure which can cause symptoms such as hearing loss, aural fullness, dizziness, and/or tinnitus.
A patient undergoing an Ecochg test will have several surface electrodes placed on their head. A tiny microphone and an earphone will then be inserted into the canal of the test ear. The patient will be instructed to relax while they listen to a clicking sound. No response from the patient is required for this test.
[ File under: Health & Me ]
According to a new survey commissioned by Staples Inc., nearly one in five small business managers read work related email (and other documents) while in the bathroom, and 49 percent say they work while driving.
This isn’t REALLY necessary… is it?
[ File under: Health & Foolishness ]
The Pathumwan district office in central Bangkok recently set up a lunchtime “nap room” that features soft music, sweet-smelling flowers, soft lighting and strict rules surrounding mobile phones and talking.
Surakiet Limcharoen, the district’s top official who started the program, in a brave/honest moment said “I’ve been taking naps at lunchtime for a long time, and decided to introduce the project to my staff in November.”
The Bangkok Post’s Monday edition showed a picture of a wood-paneled room with civil servants seated around a conference table. Everybody in the room has their heads down on desks and the blinds drawn.
Now that is progress! Are you listening Alberta employers?
[ File under: Health & Foolishness ]
There are a lot of sick people at work these last few days and I just want to share some info with all you sickies:
Presenteeism (the act of showing up at work or school, even though you probably should be at home getting over whatever it is that ails you) costs the American economy up to $150 billion US a year, as ill workers perform well below their usual levels while they pass on their ailments to their co-workers.
Respiratory infections (such as colds and flu) are responsible for 21% of the presenteeism costs, not including the added costs of potentially infecting others.
Being on the job but not functioning to the best of your ability can cut your productivity by a third or more – and can actually cost an employer much more than absenteeism.
So, what symptoms should keep you at home?
What symptoms are normally OK to go to work with?
Oh yeah! Contrary to common belief, stomach and intestinal complaints are not a feature of the flu. The flu is a respiratory illness and the lungs are the major site of symptoms. If you are nauseated and vomiting, it’s far more likely you have food poisoning or gastroenteritis. As for the term “stomach flu,” well… there’s no such thing.
79% of Canadians surveyed reported going to work sick at some point in the past year… don’t be one of them.
[ File under: Health & Irritants ]
Some forms of cardiac disease are easily missed when the patient is at rest, because at rest the patient’s physical examination and ECG are often entirely normal. In these cases, cardiac abnormalities may become apparent only when the heart is asked to perform at increased workloads.
During a stress test the patient is attached to an ECG machine, and a blood pressure cuff is placed on one arm. After a baseline ECG is obtained, the patient begins to perform a low level of exercise by walking on a treadmill. The exercise is “graded” (every three minutes the level of exercise is increased). At each “stage” of exercise, the pulse, blood pressure and ECG are recorded, along with any symptoms the patient may be experiencing.
With a “maximal” stress test (the kind I had), the level of exercise is gradually increased until the patient cannot keep up any longer because of fatigue, or until symptoms (chest pain, shortness of breath, or lightheadedness) prevent further exercise, or until changes on the ECG indicate a cardiac problem (the Cardiologist stopped my test at 5.5 mph, an elevation grade of 16% and a heart rate of 167 bpm, after 13 minutes. A new record for that lab, I was told!).
After the test, the patient remains monitored until any symptoms disappear, and until the pulse, blood pressure and ECG return to baseline. Then a towel is applied to sop up the sweat and the patient is sent home… or back to work, as the case may be.
[ File under: Me & Health ]
There is a rumor going around that the infrared Wiimote interferes with pacemakers. Apparently signs were posted at the Nintendo World event in Japan that warned folks with pacemakers to stay back. I have googled my ass off and have not been able to confirm this rumor further than with this (crappy) photo of a warning from the Nintendo Wii packaging. It seems to read “Do not operate the Wii console or remote within 9 inches of a pacemaker.” 9 inches… that’s only 22.86 centimeters! That would make it rather difficult to play! I guess this is one more good reason to stay healthy and not need a pacemaker!
[ File under: Geek & Health ]
