Friday's Top 5 Tips and Trends

Happy February! Luckily, the shortest month of the year has no shortage of health news.

1. A tip for teaching kids to swallow pills

Even though kids seem to have no problem swallowing foods, candies, and things they shouldn’t (a common example being buttons), they can often find it challenging to swallow pills such as supplements. Swallowing pills is an important skill, so we don’t have to rely exclusively on liquid formulations.

Here’s a simple trick from the pros that’s said to work every time. Start small, with something as tiny as a grain of rice or “sprinkle” candy. Then, slowly move up in size to larger pieces. Another trick is to turn your head ever so slightly to one side. This increases the esophagus diameter slightly, as well as creating a slight delay in the closure of the esophagus.

2. Cancer survivors benefit from staying active

According to a new study, regular physical activity reduced mortality by up to 48 percent in male cancer survivors.  The physical activity doesn’t have to be extensive, either—walking, stair-climbing, and participation in sports all make a huge difference.

Learn more about the benefits of exercise for men. And remember, it’s not just men who benefit: learn how to Get Fit After Breast Cancer.

3. Could vitamins help treat ADHD?

A new study divided 80 adults with ADHD into two groups for eight weeks: one group was given supplements containing vitamins and minerals such as vitamin D, vitamin B12, folate, magnesium, calcium, and zinc, and the other group was given a placebo. The researchers found that the group that received the vitamins showed a modest improvement in areas such as concentration span and hyperactivity.

Of course, always speak to your health care practitioner to make sure a supplement is right for you. In the meantime, learn more about adult ADHD, as well as ADHD in children.

4. Weight gain or loss depends on the weekdays

You may have noticed that you weigh more on the weekend than during the weekdays. This is a common pattern in many people, due to increased food and drink consumption (often in social settings) on the weekends. In fact, people tend to reach their lowest weight on Friday morning, before climbing again during the day.

A new study is now showing that it’s not necessarily these weekends that determine whether we lose or gain weight in the long term—it’s how we eat, drink, and move during our typical weekdays. The moral of the story? Don’t stress too much about that piece of chocolate cake on Saturday night, as long as you keep up your healthy habits during the week.

5. Happy Heart Month!

Did you know that February is Heart Health Month? As an intro to this all-important theme, here’s an article from a couple years back that’s a wonderful, actionable tool to improve your heart health during your daily life, every day: Daily Heart Health Planner.