Here are the summaries of several recently published research studies which may impact your health and wellness:
CPR guidelines have been updated by the American Heart Association. The AHA now recommends 30 chest compressions inbetween 2 rescue breaths instead of the usual 15 compressions. This emphasizes the incredible importance of moving blood through the heart and body via compressions , rather than relying on the the rescue breaths for oxygen.
A recent medical study showed that many hospital patients are not getting correct dosages of antibiotics and painkillers when they are administered via a hypodermic needle in the buttocks muscle. Researchers concluded that excess fat stored in the buttocks due to being overweight or obese does not allow the needle to reach it’s “target”. Longer needles are the remedy for obese and overweight patients- another reason to lose weight!
Two recent nutrition research studies give us important information about weight loss and weight maintenance. One study showed conclusively that we will significantly overeat when large portions are served to us compared to a smaller portions, even when seconds of smaller portions are available. If you think that you can “stop eating” whenever you want when served large portions- forget it- we tend to eat more even when we do not think we are. Secondly, a very large study which followed thousands of patients over many years, showed that those patients who weighed themselves frequently- daily in this study-gained less weight or maintained their weight better as compared to those who did not weigh themselves. Last year, I wrote a blog on this exact subject, suggesting that, except for those who find weighing demoralizing, we should all be weighing ourselves at regular intervals. I suggest once every two weeks- or once a week at most, as weight fluctuates several pounds daily depending on fluid balance and other factors. Regardless of what the scale says- loss or gain or no change- we still all need to be exercising daily for optimal health and wellness.