Texan ENT Specialists' online newsletter for January 2018
TexanENT.com
512.550.0321
JAN 2018
‘EAR, NEWS, AND THROAT’
Why I’ll Take a Page From‘Tools of Titans’ PLANNING FOR A BRIGHT 2018
A new year means New Year’s resolutions. Over the last few years, I’ve started off the year with a list of 10 resolutions. By December, I usually have three resolutions I successfully achieved, two that I kept up for a while, and five I managed for just a single day. At a glance, this might look like only 30 percent success, but that 30 percent lends itself to some real changes. Plus, as I go into the next year, I can look at the resolutions I didn’t achieve, think about why I didn’t get them done, and adjust my plans going forward. I made one of my most successful New Year’s resolutions back when I was still a resident. At the time, I wasn’t eating great and realized I was pretty out of shape. To motivate myself to exercise, I paid for a membership to Gold’s Gym, forcing myself to put my money where my mouth was. With that extra kick, I got myself to hit the gym three times a week and ended up in the best shape of my life!
That’s why this year I’ll be taking advice from Tim Ferriss’ book, “Tools of Titans.” Ferriss interviewed over 200 successful people from various industries and compiled their advice into his book. One of those people was Chade-Meng “Meng” Tan, a former software engineer and Google pioneer turned motivational speaker who aims to teach the world how to be happy. Meng says happiness is a state of mind and advocates for mental practices that can “program” our brains to be happier. In “Tools of Titans,” Meng describes a 10-second exercise he calls “loving- kindness,” which I thought was pretty cool. The idea is, every hour, as you go about your day, look at someone nearby and think to yourself, “I wish for this person to be happy.” You don’t have to do or say anything. Just quietly wish them well. It might be you co-worker whose desk is next to yours, the bus driver on your morning commute, or a random stranger in the coffee shop. It sounds silly at first, but the thought behind loving-kindness is that you start to think empathetically about other people. Thinking about the happiness of others can inspire us to feel happier. People who have adopted Meng’s technique as a daily habit report they do feel happier themselves, myself included. After reading “Tools of Titans,” I began to practice loving-kindness, and I really did feel happier. Along with going to the gym, wishing people well will also be on my 2018 resolution list. There are a lot of opportunities to make positive personal changes and achieve success in the new year. If you are making New Year’s resolutions, I hope you are able to achieve them, too.
I should probably adopt that resolution again in 2018. Last year, I fell off the fitness wagon. It was much easier to get myself to the gym each day when I was a resident, though, because there was no one waiting for me at home. Now my wife and baby are there, and I want to see them as soon as possible! Physical health is a common theme in New Year’s resolutions, but I believe mental health is equally important.
“Physical health is a common theme in New Year’s resolutions, but I believe mental health is equally important. ”
–Dr. Seth Evans
PAGE 2
512.550.0321
TexanENT.com
WANT TO SEE BETTER REPORT CARDS IN 2018? Make Reading a Family Resolution Every parent wants to see their child do well in school, and there’s one fun activity that benefits students of all ages: reading. In a world with so much stimulation, however, it can be difficult to motivate kids to put down a screen and pick up a book. New Year’s resolutions are the perfect opportunity to make reading a priority. Here are a few tips to make 2018 the year your kids become bookworms. Make It a Family Resolution There’s no better motivator than solidarity! Plus, we’re guessing everyone in your household could stand to read a little more. You don’t have to read the same books or set identical goals, but it’s a lot more fun when everyone participates. Schedule weekly reading discussions so everyone can share the cool stories they’ve read. Stack your completed books in your house somewhere as a monument to all the knowledge your family has gained. Set Reward Milestones Positive reinforcement will propel your kids to keep reading long after the calendars have turned. For a certain number of books completed or hours spent reading, offer them a prize. You can even create a big end goal to really cement those reading habits. Better yet, set a combined goal that the entire family can work toward. Don’t be afraid to pull out all the stops. If your kids know that reading one book per week through June means an extra-special summer vacation, their enthusiasm won’t wane come spring. Use Reading Apps Goodreads is a social network for bibliophiles. You can find recommendations, share ratings, and create lists of both completed and to-be-read books. Users also create reading lists based on topic, genre, decade, and more. With over 2 billion books added, you’ll never run out of inspiration. Biblionasium offers the same services, but it’s designed specifically for children. Talk to other parents and create a network of friends and classmates. After all, nothing is cooler to a kid than what their friends are doing. Avid readers tend to do better academically from kindergarten through college. In fact, a study from the Journal of Education and Practice found that reading comprehension predicted success in other subjects more than any other factor. If you want to see improved report cards, make a reading resolution for your entire household.
Calorie-cutting diets have become a thing of the past. Instead of depriving our bodies of nutrients, we’ve turned to lifestyle changes. Losing weight and reaching a healthy nutritional balance isn’t easy, and a fewmonths of eating 1,000 calories per day just doesn’t cut it. Enter the Mediterranean diet, a lifestyle change that’s become quite popular and effective. This diet is inspired by the traditional eating habits of people in southern Italy, Greece, Turkey, and Spain. According to the Mayo Clinic, it is a realistic and sustainable way to reduce disease-causing inflammation and lose weight, and it is one of the most heart- conscious ways of eating. The Mediterranean lifestyle promotes heart-healthy foods, including the following:
•
Fresh fruits and vegetables, especially leafy greens and non- starchy veggies
•
Wild-caught fish and seafood High-quality, pasture- raised poultry, eggs, cheese, goat milk, and yogurt Red meat, but only on special occasions Daily glasses of red wine
•
• • • • •
Olive oil
Nuts and seeds
Legumes and beans Herbs and spices
•
Whole grains
•
Following the Mediterranean diet has many benefits. The Mayo Clinic credits this lifestyle with reduced incidences of cancer and Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. In addition, women who eat a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil and mixed nuts may have a reduced risk of breast cancer. But there are still a lot of misconceptions surrounding this lifestyle change. Many people believe it costs a small fortune. However, if you craft meals with beans or lentils as your main source of protein and eat mostly plants and whole grains, the Mediterranean diet is far less expensive than processed foods. Some Mediterranean diet enthusiasts may believe that if a daily glass of wine is good for your heart, then three glasses per day is okay, too. While moderate amounts of red wine certainly have unique heart benefits, drinking too much has the opposite effect. The Mayo Clinic recommends no more than 5 ounces of wine daily for women and men over 65, and no more than 10 ounces per day for those under 65. Anything more is bad for your heart. But even if you switch over to Mediterranean-friendly recipes, your work doesn’t stop there. It’s also important to mirror the other ways Mediterraneans live their lives. When it’s time to eat, don’t rush or watch TV. Sit down, relax, and enjoy a leisurely meal with others. And of course, get plenty of exercise.
TexanENT.com
512.550.0321
PAGE 3
IS YOUR ‘EAR INFECTION’ TMJ PAIN IN DISGUISE? A Common Misdiagnosis
Pain caused by TMJ will be centered directly in front of the ear, rather than inside of it. TMJ pain is named for the temporomandibular joint, which is basically a technical term for your jaw joint. To feel the joint, place your fingers right in front of your ears and open and close your mouth widely. TMJ pain often arrives without warning, but it’s normally caused by one of a few common issues. Stress on the joint can come from teeth grinding (usually while you’re asleep), previous trauma, poor teeth alignment, arthritis, frequent gum chewing, or general stress. Most patients with dentures or with many missing teeth will experience TMJ pain from time to time. The pain ranges from sharp pangs that occur after chewing to a constant, pulling pain. Once the cause of pain has been correctly identified as a TMJ issue, an effective course of treatment is fairly simple. I recommend you treat it the same way you would treat pain in other joints. Avoid excessive stress by cutting down on chewy, sticky foods and gum. Massage the painful area several times daily. Use a hot compress at least twice daily to minimize inflammation. And, if necessary, take ibuprofen three times daily until symptoms improve. In severe cases, a dentist or oral surgeon can recommend oral appliances or surgery to combat the issue. If you think you’re suffering from chronic ear infections, ask yourself whether or not it may be TMJ pain in disguise. If you don’t identify the real source of your pain, you’ll never be able to treat it effectively.
Many patients think that they suffer from ear infections when they actually have TMJ pain. Sometimes, once they get around to seeing a specialist, they’ve already been through multiple rounds of failed antibiotics. The reason for the common confusion is that pain caused by these two conditions is localized in the same area. An easy test to determine if you have an ear infection is whether or not you suffer from muffled hearing. If you do, an ear infection is the likely cause. A doctor will confirm by checking for infected fluid in the ear.
LAUGH! HAVE A
Pistachio Goji Berry Granola Want to spruce up your morning yogurt? Top it with this tasty granola. Even better, swap out the dairy for coconut yogurt and enjoy your vegan breakfast.
Recipe inspired by LoveAndLemons.com.
Ingredients
• • • •
1 cup rolled oats 1/2 teaspoon salt
• • • •
1/3 cup pistachios, chopped
1/4 cup coconut flakes 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/3 cup goji berries
1 tablespoon coconut oil 3 tablespoons maple syrup
Directions
1. Heat a large skillet over low heat. Add oats in a thin layer and toast for 1–2 minutes. Add coconut oil and salt, then stir. Continue toasting for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add maple syrup 1
but not burned, for about 5 minutes. 4. Remove from pan and stir in goji berries. 5. Let cool and enjoy as a snack or on top of your yogurt!
tablespoon at a time; stir to coat. 3. Once oats are toasted, add pistachios, coconut
flakes, and cinnamon. Cook slowly until pistachios and coconut flakes are toasted
PAGE 4
512.550.0321
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
Satellite Offices: 601A Leah Avenue San Marcos, TX 78666 Tuesday and Thursday afternoons 1009 W San Antonio Street Lockhart, TX 78644 1st and 3rd Mondays of each month
1180 SETON PARKWAY, SUITE 330 KYLE, TX 78640
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Page 1 What’s Your NewYear’s Resolution?
Page 2 HaveYou Heard of the Mediterranean Diet?
Page 2 Make Reading a Family Resolution
Page 3 The Real Cause of Your‘Ear Infection’
Page 3 Start the Day RightWithThis Granola
Page 4 TrickYour Kids Into Healthy Eating
Hours: Monday-Thursday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Get Your Kids to Eat HEALTHIER THAN EVER
Do your kids get enough nutrients in their diet? If they’re like most kids, the answer is probably no. You want your children to eat more vegetables and less processed junk, but that’s easier said than done. Getting the average kid to chow down on a serving of broccoli is a chore. Food manufacturers have built an entire industry around our kids’ penchant for sugary cereal and fast food. However, a diet of processed foods can lead to a host of problems, including hindered brain development and even behavioral issues. A study in the American Journal of Public Health found links between poor diet and the development of depression in kids and teens. So, how can you encourage your kids to eat healthier foods? One way is through presentation. A mound of plain old veggies is unappealing, whether you’re 10 years old or 40. The solution is to think of vegetables as an ingredient rather than as a stand-alone dish. Take lasagna, for instance. You can easily modify this beloved Italian dish. Instead of using lasagna noodles, slice zucchini into thin, noodle- like strips and layer them as you would typical pasta. The same can be done for other pasta dishes. Zucchini noodles made with a spiralizer — also known as “zoodles” — make a mean substitute for spaghetti. Pair
them with your favorite marinara sauce or toss them in a slightly less decadent, but still delicious, alfredo. Vegetables can also be incorporated into other foods your children already know and love. Did you know you can make brownies with avocado and black beans? Slipping in a few healthier ingredients here and there can deliver the nutrients your kids need to power through a busy school week. If you want to foster long-lasting healthy eating habits, the best thing you can do is offer your child some agency. For example, saying to your child, “You can have the cauliflower or the broccoli. It’s up to you!” empowers them to make their own decision based on their preferences. Psychologists and social scientists, including the famed Dr. Maria Montessori, argue that when kids feel in charge of a decision, they are more likely to embrace the ability to choose, even if it’s between two kinds of vegetables. Ultimately, as a parent, you are in control of your child’s diet. Help them explore new foods and foster a positive culinary environment. Your kids will develop a taste for healthy eating in no time!
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker