KNIGHT WATCH

IS WOMEN'S WORK EVER DONE?

Women wake up grumpier than men. According to a Duke University study, this is because women need much more sleep. Lack of sleep also puts women at higher risk of heart disease, depression and psychological problems. In addition it increases a clotting factor, which can lead to stroke and increases inflammation markers, which can lead to pain. This difference between men and women may be caused by hormonal differences. Women may need more sleep to regulate and balance their hormones. However, the fact that lack of sleep makes women wake up grumpier explains why “Sleeping Beauty” is a woman.

Doing less housework is causing women to gain weight. That’s according to a study published in PLoS ONE. On average, women spent 25.7 hours a week on housework in 1965 versus 13.3 hours in 2010. That translates into about 6,000 calories burned versus 4,600 calories. Unemployed women went from 33.1 hours of weekly housework to 16.5 hours – burning 360 fewer calories. Employed women did 6.7 hours weekly in 2010 – burning 132 fewer calories. Nevertheless, because these numbers were based on women doing the same amount of housework, I think this study was done by men.

New mothers show signs of obsessive-compulsive disorder. In a study of 329 women published in the Journal of Reproductive Medicine, 11% of women reported significant OCD symptoms compared to 2%-3% in the general population. At 2 weeks and at 6 months after childbirth they reported such things as intrusive fears about injuring the baby, repeatedly checking the baby’s breathing and washing and rewashing sterile bottles. Although the symptoms disappeared in more than 50% of the women within 6 months, 5% developed new symptoms. Whether post-partum OCD is caused by dramatic hormone swings or overreacting to increased responsibilities, new motherhood can redefine “baby buggy”.

There are 5 professions where women rule. According to the Bureau of Labor statistics, 27% of pharmacists were women in 1983; but as of 2012 it was 54%. Bartenders went from 50% to 60% and physician assistants went from 35% to 70%. In photography women went from 20% to a 50-50 split with men. Unfortunately, there isn’t the same split regarding earnings. On average women photographers earn $16,300 compared to men’s $35,000. Finally, accountants went from 39% to 60%. However, as of 2011 only 21% of them were partners in accounting firms. Yes, women have further to go; but these aren’t “men-ial” accomplishments.

SHOULD WE OR SHOULDN'T WE?

Eat a Mediterranean diet – fish, grains, nuts, fruits and vegetables. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine included 7,000 people, ages 55-80, who all were at high risk for heart attacks and strokes. They were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 diets: low-fat, Mediterranean with more than ¼ cup of olive oil daily or Mediterranean with more than 1 ounce of walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts daily. After less than 5 years participants on the Mediterranean diets had 30% less risk of heart attack, stroke or dying from cardiovascular disease. These aren’t diets. They are “live-its”.

A drink a day may be good for your heart, but it increases your cancer risk. According to a study published in the American Journal of Public Health, alcohol accounts for 3.5% of the more than 577,000 cancer deaths a year. Breast cancer was the most alcohol-related cancer death in women. Mouth and throat cancers were the most related deaths in men. Alcohol is also related to 15,500 deaths yearly from ovarian cancer and 9,180 from melanoma skin cancer. For more than 65% of adult Americans who are regular or occasional drinkers, this information may be hard to “drink in”.

Stay active. In a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, survey respondents were asked about their leisure-time physical activity and their happiness level. Based on their answers they were divided into active and inactive groups and happy and unhappy groups. People unhappy when first surveyed were excluded from the study. Happy people who were inactive at the study’s start were 49% and 45% likelier to be unhappy 2 and 4 years later compared to those who were active. However, those who became active were likelier to be happy 2 and 4 years later. Unfortunately, “running errands” doesn’t qualify as physical activity.

Low wages are bad for your heart. From 1999-2005 a study published in the European Journal of Public Health examined health data for 5,000 people ages 25-65 – none of whom had high blood pressure. Not surprisingly, workers with the lowest wages were likelier to have hypertension than workers with the highest wages. However, the link was strongest among women and people ages 25-44. In 2013 dollars hypertension became noticeable among those making $23/hr or less. Sleep, listening to favorite music and eating potassium-rich bananas reduce high blood pressure. Sometimes it’s easier to change a lifestyle than change a job.

ARE RESEARCHERS DOING MORE "BRAINSTORMING"?

O ur brain is wired to think positively. For example, 69% of adult Americans are overweight; but a 2013 NPR poll found only 20% of children had a parent who worried their child would become an overweight adult. The “optimism bias” makes us overestimate the likelihood of positive events and underestimate the likelihood of negative events. This bias is caused by 2 areas in the frontal lobe. Because we do better in life when we expect to do better, the optimism bias is probably a good thing. After all, in spite of a 50% divorce rate, we keep getting married.

Distracted minds make better decisions. A study published in the journal Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience described features of 4 cars to 27 adults. One-third of the group evaluated the cars immediately; one-third evaluated after considering the pros and cons; and one-third evaluated after performing a distracting, math-memory task. The distracted group made better decisions. Even when distracted, the part of the brain responsible for learning information remains active. Unlike the conscious mind that considers only a couple of things at once, the unconscious mind considers all relevant information more effectively. Distracting ourselves for 2 minutes is a conscious connection to our unconscious.

Previous studies have shown women talk almost 3 times as much as men – 20,000 words a day for the average woman compared to 7,000 for the average man. Now a scientific, biological explanation has been found. A study published in the Journal of Neuroscience examined a group of 4- and 5-year-olds and found 30% more FOXP2 in the brains of the girls. FOXP2 is a “language protein”, which is involved in vocalization. This may not be the only reason why women are more talkative; but considering the leader of the study was a man, it’s a very good “talking point”.

Do something for someone else. Among 846 adults in a study published in the American Journal of Public Health, those who did good deeds for others were less likely to die in the 5 years following a major stressor, such as losing a job or a loved one. However, for people who didn’t do much for others, every stressful event they experienced caused a 30% increased risk of death. Focusing on others’ wellbeing decreases our stress. Carpool to your job, make a meal for a neighbor, send a card of cheer to a friend. Helping others helps us.

IS TIME THE BEST JUDGE OF WHAT'S A GOOD IDEA?

The “Prevent Cancer Super Colon” is a 20-foot, inflatable, walk-through colon with 3-dimensional representations of Crohn’s disease, colorectal polyps and different stages of colon cancer. For several years it’s been displayed around the U.S. to draw attention to colon issues. On March 1, 2013 it was in New York City’s Time Square to kick off National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in the U.S. The American Cancer Society predicts 143,000 cases will be diagnosed in 2013 and 51,000 people will die from the disease. A 30-minute colonoscopy could put an “end” to that.

“Solar suitcases” are portable, solar energy kits that provide light and power. They were designed by Dr. Laura Stachel and her husband when she discovered many women and babies in third-world countries died during childbirth because of inadequate light. Since 2009 “We Care Solar” – the Stachels’ non-profit – has given out almost 250 free kits to medical facilities in Africa, Asia and South America. One kit was used by a doctor in the Congo to treat cholera patients day and night. For the first time in his island’s history, no one died from cholera. Obviously, solar suitcases suit many cases.

FlightCar is an online, peer-to peer, rental company that was launched at San Francisco International Airport in February 2013. CEO Rujul Zaparde connects people leaving their car at the airport with people wanting to rent a car. Owners list their car’s make, model, type of transmission, pet-friendliness, etc. They also provide a picture and travel dates. Renters provide rental dates and personal information. For example, a 2007 Toyota Camry rents for $15/day. Owners receive free, offsite parking and a $10 gas card for small cars and up to $10/day for larger cars. Although FlightCar provides liability insurance, I worry strangers aren’t “car-ing” enough.

February 2013 was also when the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City became the first gambling establishment in the U.S. to provide in-room gambling. Hotel guests can bet on slots and poker by using a television remote control. To prevent underage guests or those restricted from gambling from playing, players must have a Borgata player’s club card and log in using 2 forms of identification: a PIN number on the rewards card and a password provided at check-in. Players can wager $2,500 daily; but at least if they “lose their shirt”, no one will notice.