Dr. Howard Smith Reports

Vidcast:   https://youtu.be/JpZFL6rGnfY   Slogans seem more believable if the words appear in alphabetic order or nearly so.   A University of   Texas study, just published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology , explores this phenomenon in detail.   Ten advertising claims, either written in an alphabetic sequence or not, were presented to a focus group and rated for truthfulness.   The truth rati...

Vidcast:   https://youtu.be/-gftb2MimL8   When you brew tea contained in a plastic teabag, it can release nearly 15 billion microscopic plastic particles into the liquid you’re consuming.   A new study from the American Chemical Society tested four different commercially-available teas that are packaged in completely or partially plasticized teabags.   A single teabag released 11.6 plastic micropa...

Vidcast:   https://youtu.be/ogsadES_aa4   Cancer survivors facing sleepless nights can be cured with basic sleep education.   Psychologists at Harvard’s Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, looking for a less resource-intense alternative to individual cognitive-behavioral-therapy, tested a simple 2 step program on some 51 participants.   It begins with a sleep-education class that makes that dry informat...

Vidcast:   ttps://youtu.be/IC2HBiQBqf8   You’ll turboscharge your self-confidence by seeing yourself in the eyes of those outside your circle of peers.   A Brigham Young University study of 213 college students analyzed the phenomenon called the imposter syndrome in which even competent trainees feel they are faking it and will be embarrassingly exposed any minute.   The study shows that one in ev...

Vidcast:   https://youtu.be/Icbiaal4Abg   If you crack open that can of nuts and consume even half a serving each day, you’ll keep your weight in a healthy range and avoid obesity.   Harvard nutritional researchers conducted longitudinal studies on nearly 145,000 professional men and women for up to 24 years.   Subing in nuts for less healthy fare such as processed meats, refined grains, and sugar...

Vidcast:   https://youtu.be/SH6daqtuf0c   More than one in every 10 young persons with medical illness is currently using marijuana each day.   Public health researchers at the Universities of Nebraska and Kansas reviewed survey records from nearly 170,000 participants.   Frequency of use is highest in the youngest.   Twenty-five percent of young patients 18-24 use marijuana while only 2.4% of tho...

Vidcast:   https://youtu.be/uwfSwkH0Hvk   At least once daily Sofrito, a sauce consisting of garlic and onions, reduces the risk of developing breast cancer by 50% or more.   Researchers at the Universities of Buffalo and Puerto Rico studied more than 300 breast cancer survivors and an equal number of healthy controls.   Those women consuming the most Sofrito showed the greatest benefit. The effec...

Vidcast:   https://youtu.be/v4hLGckpOYI   Kids and teens who specialize in a single sport sustain more stress fractures, tendinitis, ligament tears, and musculoskeletal overuse damage.   Brown University epidemiologists and Boston Children Hospital orthopedists analyzed data from more than 10,000 youths over the past 22 years.   More serious injuries occur in those who exclusively play one sport,...

Vidcast:   https://youtu.be/2go_s2VQgnM   The pathologic love of yourself decreases almost 80% in most persons as they pass from their teen years into midlife.   Psychologists from the University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign report this finding after studying some 237 participants over a 23 year period surveying them at 18 and 41 years of age.   Three key aspects of narcissism, vanity, entitlement...

  Vidcast:   https://youtu.be/3grsczIEnEE   Regularly consuming green, oolong, or black tea at least 4 times weekly will improve your brain’s regional synchrony and your thinking skills.   A collaborative study recently published in the journal Aging looked at MRI brain imaging and neuropsychological test results as a function of tea drinking.   The imaging studies showed that regular tea drinkers...

Vidcast:   https://youtu.be/nzYmPzIEq-k   Sixty percent of adolescents ride with teen drivers who are distracted.   University of Michigan researchers report this information from their study of 877 surveyed families.   The most common distractions in the vehicle include deafeningly loud music in 46% of cases, cell phone use in 42%, and raucous teens in the back seat 39% of the time.   Even more c...

Vidcast:   https://youtu.be/IbIaSEhMt7c   Growing cannabis plants give off biogenic volatile organic compounds, BVOC for short, that can poison those exposed.   Besides the BVOCs from the plants, the oil extraction process gives off another, butane.   Together, these organic compounds create highly toxic ground-level ozone.   Researchers from Nevada’s Desert Research Institute studied emissions fr...

  idcast:   https://youtu.be/bILq94CbJoc   Give kids active toys like bikes, skates, scooters, slides, and swings that motivate them to physically exert themselves.   When you do, they will not be among the more than 80% of kids who never meet physical activity guidelines.   These specify at least one hour of vigorous activity each day.   Researchers at the University of Queensland studied more th...

Vidcast:   ttps://youtu.be/r6alvHymzwg   Simply rubbing your hands with Purell™ or   knock-offs will not kill the influenza virus.   A Japanese study just published by the American Society of Microbiology shows that the mucus that contains the virus protects it from alcohol-based hand sanitizers.   The typical 15-30 second sanitizer rub won’t kill the flu virus, or probably any virus, unless the s...

Vidcast:   https://youtu.be/GIM0xl8Rs10   Babies delivered by C-section rather than by a normal vaginal route develop a gastrointestinal bacterial population contaminated by bad bugs found around the hospital.   Their gut bacteria include antibiotic-resistant ones rather than the more benign species found in their mothers.   British researchers studied 600 healthy babies to identify their gut bact...

Vidcast:   https://youtu.be/bTWGLdnm90w   If you prefer more conservative medical therapy but must visit a surgeon for a consultation, pick an appointment at the end of day or just before lunch.   You’ll be half as likely to hear a recommendation for surgery.   A Swedish study of some 848 orthopedic appointments confirms that, when doctors are relatively fatigued, they avoid difficult or risky dec...

Vidcast:   https://youtu.be/-81VImw-zEo   The prevalence of heart infections, bacterial infestations of the valves and cardiac linings known as endocarditis, have nearly doubled in drug abusers.   Cardiologists at the Cleveland Clinic studied nearly 1 million hospitalized patients with this disorder to understand the causes.   The drug users who developed bacterial endocarditis were predominately...

Vidcast:   https://youtu.be/BV1PEQG6hzk   WikiHow’s 3 step program to become extroverted.   It is excellent, and I will paraphrase it.   ONE: Have the mindset. TWO: Do the work. THREE: Engage with others.   Have the mindset:   Value Extroversion: make friends easily, comfortable in crowds, keep a party going. Envision yourself as a good extrovert: not phony or hurtful. Select a spot on the extrove...

Vidcast:   https://youtu.be/eFtj42jop5Q   If you’re quiet and withdrawn by nature, you’ll be happier if you push yourself to be outgoing.   UC-Riverside psychologists studied 123 subjects classifying them as introverts or extroverts.   Investigators coached each participant to act, for one week, as quiet, reserved introverts or as talkative, outgoing, “life of the party” extroverts.   The particip...

Vidcast:   https://youtu.be/4V_LSBkMV5s   Four months on a plant-based, low fat diet can cleanse your gut and leave you with a healthier microbiome that helps you control your weight, improve your body composition, and avoid diabetes.   The Physician Committee for Responsible Medicine demonstrated this result after studying 147 subject half of whom followed the vegan program.   Those foregoing mea...

Vidcast:   ttps://youtu.be/0PQgrkKSGSw   You’ll make poor choices and turn in awful intellectual performances on an empty stomach.   Psychologists at Scotland’s University of Dundee put 50 participants to the test either 2 hours after eating or following a 10 hour fast.   Test results revealed that hunger triggers impatience, impulsivity, and a need for immediate gratification .   The well-fed wer...

Vidcast:   https://youtu.be/OSjfU5mXNbI   Studies prove that oral exposure to peanut protein can tame deadly peanut allergies.   The FDA just approved a drug therapy program, Palforzia, to do just that.     A Stanford University study now shows that peanut reactivity will return unless therapeutic peanut exposures continue.   The researchers studied 120 peanut-allergic participants.     After near...

Vidcast:   https://youtu.be/UUTcZc0Izxs   The harder you think, the more sleep you require.   Neuroscientists at University College London report this finding after studying sleeping patterns in zebrafish.   These marine animals are a good model since, like humans, require a daily sleep session to rejuvenate their brains.   Experimental animals were driven to continuous brain activity by drugs suc...

Vidcast:   ttps://youtu.be/YZQ4NNpfZ1Y   After my years as a camp counselor, raising 4 kids, and caring for children and their parents as a pediatric otolaryngologist for 40 years, here are my go-to principles for effective parenting.   ONE. Consistency.   Establish reasonable boundaries that create security.   Offer praise and rewards for remaining within them.   Use a carrot versus a stick.   An...

Vidcast:   https://youtu.be/X36J-0nZ-rk   The common child discipline, the good old time out, is safe and effective.   University of Michigan pediatric psychologists report this conclusion after studying a large group of children in Early Had State Research study at 3 points in their early development: around 3, 4 and 10 years of age.   Despite the statements found on 30% of parental advice websit...