Trying to find that perfect work-life balance is notoriously difficult and sometimes, it feels as though we’re working so many hours that we don’t get to enjoy the money we’ve earned. We miss out on family occasions or are simply too tired to enjoy them, and with the explosion of mobile technology, it seems that work can creep into every corner of our lives. It’s becoming increasingly unavoidable, but could there be a better way? Perhaps there is. Many are claiming that the three- or four-day workweek is the perfect solution to our work-life balance issues, and many scientists and business executives suggest it’s both beneficial for our health and great for business.
When around 80% of people believe that it’s acceptable to telephone an employee outside of work hours, and when it seems that modern technological advances have led to an increase rather than a decrease in hours, things are getting out of hand. Many suggest then, condensing the workweek so that the same number of hours are worked but over fewer days – four days of ten working hours rather than five days of eight, for example. This idea is not new either. John Maynard Keynes famously (and perhaps incorrectly) predicted the progression of technology would lead to more leisure and less work time, suggesting that by the year 2030, we’d all be working a 15-hour week[1]. Herman Kahn believed something similar in the 1960s, claiming that all Americans would soon be enjoying a massive 13-weeks’ annual vacation and a four-day workweek[2]. Nowadays, the campaign for reducing the weekly work days, whether to three or four days, is gaining in popularity from all walks of life, from employers and employees, to health practitioners, scientists, and business moguls. So why aren’t we doing it yet?
Everybody occasionally partakes in behavior that is potentially dangerous, whether this is intentional, such as casual unprotected sex, or unintentional, such as a workplace injury. The consequences of those actions can be scary, but perhaps the scariest of all consequences is transmitting a life-affecting virus such as HIV – and both of the previous examples could have this result. Of course, there are ways in which you can help protect yourself – avoiding risky situations where possible and following safety advice such as using condoms are a good start – but it’s impossible to avoid every potentially dangerous situation in life. Sometimes, risk of exposure to HIV is going to happen. So is there any way that transmission of HIV can be prevented after exposure? Perhaps surprisingly, the answer is yes. PEP, or post-exposure prophylaxis, is a treatment given to those who have been exposed to a high risk of HIV transmission and it’s used as a preventative medication in order to stop the virus in its tracks.
What is PEP?
PEP is essentially an antiretroviral (ARV) therapy made up of a combination of one to three ARV drugs and is actually the same therapy used to treat HIV once transmitted[1]. Originally only given to occupational exposures, such as needlestick injuries in health care workers, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) offered guidelines in 2005 for the use of PEP in non-occupational (nPEP) cases such as exposure through sexual activity or drug use as well[2]. The treatment is given to those who test negatively for HIV and have been exposed to a high risk in a single case (ongoing exposure, such as a person with an HIV positive partner, is not normally treated with PEP, but with an alternative drug, PrEP – pre-exposure prophylaxis). In contrast to occupational PEP, nPEP is generally coupled with risk-reduction counselling and education in order to help patients learn from their damaging behavior. It is also only administered if treatment is sought within 72 hours of the exposure – any longer than that, and the treatment simply isn’t effective and therefore isn’t prescribed[3].
Dieting is hard. It’s as simple as that. You are depriving yourself of the things you love and if you are new to dieting, there is a chance that you could be suffering withdrawals from sugar and processed foods too. If only there was a way to maintain a healthy diet and eat the things you love. Well perhaps there is. Many now argue that having a ‘cheat’ meal or even a whole day can actually help rather than hinder your weight loss goals. What this means in real terms is that whilst you continue your dieting struggles, you can still indulge in your favourite things on a regular basis, albeit once a week rather than once a day! Some go on to argue that not only is a cheat day enjoyable, but it’s also vitally important to the success of your regimen. Carolyn O’Neil, co-author of The Dish on Eating Healthy and Being Fabulous, explains that “sensible splurging is really the key to being able to achieve a healthy lifestyle.”[1] Sounds good right? But is it too good? Can a cheat day really be good for your diet or is it all just wishful thinking?
Motivational Donuts
Perhaps one of the most obvious benefits to a cheat day whilst dieting is a psychological one. It can be tough when you are stuck eating things that perhaps you don’t enjoy whilst seeing everyone else tuck into your favourite foods. The idea of never getting a taste of that delicious treat again can be devastating – and could potentially de-rail even the most determined dieter. So the possibility of a motivational donut or other treat at the end of the week could really help keep you on track. Joe Vennare, creator of Hybrid Athlete, says just that. “It’s a reward for hard work in the gym and adherence in the kitchen,” he claims[2]. Jillian Guinta, professor of Health and Physical Education at Seton Hall University agrees with him, stating that “oftentimes, it may take several weeks to see the scale budge, so knowing that a cheat day is coming up can help keep up motivation.”[3]
Is Human Chorionic Gonadotropin weight loss the next fad diet or a magical weight loss drug? Human Chorionic Gonadotropin, also known as hCG, is a hormone naturally produced in the body and it has many uses to treat a variety of conditions such as infertility and is even used as a cancer detection agent. However, it is most known as a pregnancy hormone. During pregnancy, the hCG hormone levels in a woman increase. This allows the body to use fat as a source of nutrients for both the mothers and developing fetus. For weight loss, the same concept is used but in very small doses to promote loss of fat. However, the use of hCG in this fashion does not produce any other hormonal effect related to pregnancy and can therefore be used by both men and women.
The use of hCG for the treatment of obesity and excess weight was discovered in 1954 by endocrinologist Dr. Albert T.W. Simeons while studying pregnant women in India. After seeing that hCG helped reduce fat in many women, Simeons decided to share his knowledge with the world and published a weight loss book on the subject titled Pounds and Inches: A New Approach to Obesity. Before Simeons discovery, obesity was thought of as simply the intake of too much calories by the patient and “had been relegated as to a ‘do-it-yourself’ project,” as Dr. Harry Guzman states in his study, “Chorionic Gonadotropin in Obesity.” Guzman claims that Dr. Simeons discovery gave light to the fact that human fat and energy intake are much more complicated than originally thought (Gusman, 1969).
It’s nice to have friends. It makes you feel good about yourself, you have someone to do stuff with, and you have a source of ongoing support. Friends are great, there’s no doubt about that, but is it more than that? Recent research says yes. In fact, findings show that friendship between men can actually improve their physiological health as well as their mental well-being. For one thing, a good ‘bromance’ can help to reduce stress – and stress is a known factor in many physiological issues, including cardiovascular disease and heart attacks. But what exactly is it about friendship that is so great? And are men able to create strong enough bonds for friendship to show its true benefits?
Rat Friends
A study recently published in Neuropsychopharmacology journal claims that men who are close to other men have higher levels of oxytocin in their brains – a chemical often referred to as ‘the cuddle hormone’. It’s this hormone that makes people better at handling stress and it’s this, research claims, that helps to improve men’s physical health[1].
The study, conducted by Elizabeth Kirby of Stanford University, put male rats into mildly stressful situations – namely that of being stuck in a confined space for around three hours. Those rats who had previously had ‘friends’ (i.e. those which had been in cages together for one week previously in order for them to bond) showed higher levels of oxytocin, the anti-stress hormone, than those rats without friends[2]. What’s more, the study showed that being placed under stressful situations made the rats more likely to be social and co-operative, as those who returned to their ‘friends’ touched each other more, huddled together more, and generally helped each other overcome their difficult situations[3].
There are a lot of stories and old wives’ tales surrounding pregnancy and birth, and each and every possible factor of having a baby is subject of discussion. The potential size of your baby is no different, and whether or not you’ll have a large baby is a question on many people’s lips. Thanks to recent research though, that question can now be answered – at least for some people. Studies show that mothers who are overweight or obese during pregnancy are much more likely to have big babies than smaller mothers.
A recent co-operative review study between universities in the UK looked at research involving more than 30,000 women of European ancestry and their babies. The studies examined the mother’s body mass index (BMI), blood sugar levels, and blood pressure as well as the weight of the resulting babies. The results, published in the Journal of American Medical Association, demonstrated that not only will larger moms have larger babies, but moms with high blood sugar levels (whether overweight or not) will also have bigger babies. Conversely, moms with high blood pressure will have smaller babies[1].
Big Babies
The size of the average baby is around 6-7 pounds[2], but the amount of babies being born at 9.9 pounds or more has increased over the last ten years[3]. These are known as LGA babies, or ‘large for gestational age’. The American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology suggests that overweight moms are twice as likely to have an LGA baby and obese moms are three times as likely. What’s more, a study by the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research shows that women who gain 40 pounds or more actually during the pregnancy are also twice as likely to have LGA babies[4], even if they started out with a healthy BMI. So the statistics show that this increase in baby size is there, but the questions we’re left with are why are babies getting bigger? And why does it matter?
Bigger Babies
The fact that babies are getting bigger is not only due to the size of the mother, of course. One of the most obvious reasons that babies are getting bigger is that we are getting healthier in terms of pregnancy development. Mothers generally don’t smoke and drink during pregnancy any longer, for example, and these factors influence the resulting size of the baby. That however would only explain a small growth, rather than why babies are increasingly being born LGA.
Despite romantic ideas of long walks in the snow or being curled up by a roaring fire with a good book, being cold is rarely fun. It can be bad for you too, as statistics show that cold weather is 20 times more likely to kill you than hot weather[1]. It’s no wonder, then, that so many of us crave the summertime when the weather is warm and people seem instinctively happier. Nevertheless, there is a growing group of people who believe that, despite the dangers, braving the cold can actually be very good for you.
Do You Dare?
Dutch dare-devil Wim Hof is one of these people and is, in fact, the founder of a whole school of thought when it comes to the cold. Nicknamed ‘The Iceman’, it seems that Hof has always had an affinity to the cold weather. Even in his teenage years, he was running barefoot in the snow. Since then, he has broken no less than 21 world records in relation to the cold, including the record for the longest time spent immersed in an ice-bath, running a marathon above the Arctic Circle wearing only sandals and shorts, and unofficially, swimming under ice for a huge 120 meters having taken only one breath[2]. Rather impressive, undoubtedly, but Hof claims that through all his experiences, he has developed a technique that control his own autonomic nervous system – something that science has, up until recently, said simply cannot be done[3].
Genetics is amazing. It tells us so much about humanity and it’s a minefield of information. Admittedly, it’s a minefield that has only just been touched upon, but scientists argue that genetics is the answer to everything – so does that include diet and fitness? Companies like DNAFit say yes. They argue that the results of a DNA test will allow you to develop a personal gene-based diet and fitness plan that works for you – and that brings a whole new meaning to the term ‘tailor-made’. It may sound like a futuristic way to develop a fitness plan, and the possibilities are nothing if not intriguing, but there are some questions of the efficacy of these tests. So can they really help you improve your diet and fitness? And are they worth the money?
What They Do
At a very basic level, our genes dictate everything. Like a computer code written into us before we’re even born, our genes influence everything we do in life and how we respond to different external stimuli – and that, of course, includes how we respond to different foods and exercises. It makes sense, then, that a DNA test could tell us what foods are best for us to eat and which exercises will have the best results. Companies like DNAFit are now branching out from working with only professional athletes to providing home-testing kits and the results can provide information about your sensitivity to carbohydrates, salt, saturated fats, lactose, and gluten. You can find out about your specific requirements when it comes to anti-oxidants and vitamins, and your ability to process things like caffeine and alcohol. Not only that, but you can discover which sports suit you best – endurance sports or power sports? These tests even claim to tell you how likely you are to injure yourself during training and how long it will take you to recover[1].
Do you often get told to toughen up or stop being so sensitive? Do you cry easily at movies or even sad commercials? Do you shy away from noisy, busy places? If so, you might be a Highly Sensitive Person or HSP. It’s not an illness or disorder, but rather a character trait that is estimated to affect around 20% of the population, equally affecting both men and women[1]. It’s a trait that is only recently being recognized, although it has likely existed for much longer, and both the term and an acceptance of the trait are becoming more mainstream. There has even been on a documentary on the subject (Sensitive: The Movie), and there are several books available. But what exactly is it? Are you a HSP? And if you are, what can you do to protect yourself?
What is HSP?
Dr. Elaine Aron, scientist and author of The Highly Sensitive Person, is one of the leading researchers into HSP, says that it’s a genetic trait rather than something that is learned and that it affects more people than we might think. Some famous HSPs include singer Alanis Morisette[2], Albert Einstein, Martin Luther King, and Steve Jobs[3], so being HS doesn’t necessarily mean being shy and retiring. There are, however, certain traits that lead to HSPs to being overstimulated or easily upset. It’s defined as having a hyper sensitive nervous system, and HSPs can both become overwhelmed emotionally and be very sensitive to external stimuli such as lights, noise, temperatures, and smells[4].
Dr. Aron explains the trait using the acronym DOES: depth of processing, meaning HSPs process information longer and deeper; overstimulation due to depth of processing; emotional reactivity and increased empathy; and sensitivity to external stimuli. In general, HSPs:
Breast cancer is often considered a women’s issue. It evokes images of pink ribbons and women championing their bodies and checking their breasts. What it doesn’t evoke is an image of the men suffering from the very same disease but actually, breast cancer can affect both genders. The American Cancer Society states that by the end of 2015, there will have been 231,840 new cases of breast cancer amongst women and 2,350 cases of male breast cancer. Of those 2,350, 440 will die[1]. Whilst the number of women suffering from the disease is substantially higher than the rate amongst men, male breast cancer is generally diagnosed and is often more dangerous.
Male Breast Cancer
Invasive ductal breast cancer is the most common form of breast cancer in men, and it affects hormonal receptors. Around 85% of male breast cancers is found in estrogen receptors in cell membranes which allow estrogen molecules to bind to the cancer. This stimulates growth and multiplication. This means that those with higher levels of estrogen, such as men with Klinefelter’s Syndrome, are more likely to develop breast cancer[2]. It’s also closely linked to family ties too, and around one in five male breast cancer sufferers have a first degree male relative (such as a father or brother) with a history of breast cancer[3].
Janell Seeger MD, an oncologist at the Norton Cancer Institute in Louisville, KY, suggests that the lack of breast tissue on men is both a blessing and a curse. The smaller amount of tissue means that lumps are more likely to be noticed but it also means that the cancer can grow much faster and travel to the nipple, skin, and lymph nodes. By time that it is detected, then, the cancer has already spread and has begun to affect other parts of the body[4].
On the whole, male breast cancer is treated in the same way as female breast cancer. A mastectomy will remove all the breast tissue and hormone therapy is used to block estrogen so that it is unable to enter, and hence aid, the cancerous cells[5]. Lynda Weeks, the executive director at the Susan G. Komen Institute claims that male breast cancer affects around “one in 1,000 men […] but typically, men are diagnosed at a later stage,” meaning that the diagnosis can be more serious. To make matters worse, it’s on the rise.
