In the News

Association Between ADHD and Intensity of Sunlight: Can ADHD be Prevented?

A New Book for Physicians

ALCAT Worldwide Applauds Gluten Sensitivity Commentary

Association Between ADHD and Intensity of Sunlight: Can ADHD be Prevented?

Researchers from Utrecht University, Research Institute Brainclinics, Leiden University, and Ohio State University today published their work suggesting a possible preventive effect of sunlight on ADHD. The researchers investigated this in two US and one non-US datasets, where they found a clear negative dose-response effect between solar intensity and the prevalence of ADHD (see original press-release at brainclinics.com for figures). Considering all data, solar intensity accounted for 34-57 percent of the variation in ADHD prevalence. Many potential confounding factors were adjusted for in their analysis such as socio-economic status, low birth weight, infant mortality, etc. However, these factors could not explain the results.

ADHD and Sleep

Many patients with ADHD suffer from sleep problems, most often a difficulty falling asleep. Shorter sleep duration and sleep restriction are associated with attention problems. The authors suggest that sleep disturbances may explain the attention problems in this subgroup of ADHD patients. Difficulty falling asleep has been linked to circadian rhythm (biological clock) problems and a delayed melatonin response. It is well known that sunlight is the strongest influence on the human biological clock.

The authors hypothesize that this delayed circadian rhythm and difficulty falling asleep may be caused by increased evening use of modern media, such as tablet computers and smart phones, increasing the exposure to blue-light* during the evening. The authors speculate that strong sunlight during the day might reset the biological clock and act as an antidote to the evening exposure to artificial blue-light causing sleep onset problems.

The implications of these findings are that future research in ADHD should take into account sleep and circadian issues. From the public health perspective, manufacturers of tablets, smartphones and PCs could investigate the possibility of time-modulated color-adjustment of screens, to prevent unwanted exposure to blue light in the evening (e.g. f.lux software). Finally, these results could point the way to prevention of a sub-group of ADHD, by increasing the exposure to natural light during the day in countries and states with low solar intensity. For example, skylight systems in classrooms and scheduling playtime in line with the biological clock could be explored further.

* It is known that only 464-484 nm blue light specifically affects the biological clock, incandescent lamps have a low proportion of light in this range, whereas screens and some LED lights have a higher proportion in this range.

A New Book for Physicians

A new book to help physicians better communicate with their patients is getting great reviews from both Doctors and health care administrators.

Wendy Leebov, EdD, and Carla Rotering, MD, are the co-authors of The Language of Caring Guide For Physicians: Communication Essentials For Patient-Centered, quality-patient-experience.com/book.

Rotering served as a medical leader and mentor to fellow physicians and medical students. Leebov, a breast-cancer survivor, was a bedside supporter of dying relatives and a "mystery shopper" at an emergency department to gain insight into patient experiences. Both have provided extensive training to physicians and health care administrators on patient-centered care.

Grounded in comprehensive research on best communication practices for physicians, The Language of Caring Guide For Physicians describes the communication skills key to patient-centered care, the unparalleled patient and family experience, positive clinical outcomes, and optimal pay-for-performance.

"By employing the concrete Rules of Thumb in our Guide for each competency," says Leebov, "physicians can better fulfill their professional caring mission and find greater personal fulfillment from the practice of medicine."

Dr. Rotering, a physician with a respected medical practice, is Vice President of Physician Services of the Leebov Golde Group with offices in Boynton Beach, Florida, St. Louis and Phoenix. Leebov is President and CEO of the Leebov Golde Group.

Leebov Golde Group is a team of dynamic, experienced professionals who care deeply about creating great patient and family experiences and creating great places to work in the healthcare field. The Group exists to provide implementation support, leadership development, training and coaching to help organizations provide healing experiences and achieve optimal results for patients.

The authors stress that these are challenging times as physicians deal with Accountable Care Organizations, Value-Based Purchasing, required patient surveys, patient-care standards, the added challenges of the Affordable Health Care Act and malpractice lawsuits.

"The quality of doctor-patient communication has a far-reaching impact on scores, outcomes, public perception, reputation, pay, job satisfaction and much more," stresses Dr. Rotering. "To thrive in the face of today's challenges, excellent physician communication with patients and families is pivotal."

Key points in the highly-acclaimed The Language of Caring Guide For Physicians:

• Physician communication is the number one factor most highly correlated with patients' likelihood of returning to a hospital or medical practice.
• Communication problems cause the vast majority of malpractice lawsuits.
• Effective patient-centered communication by physicians improves adherence to recommended treatment and in improved patient outcomes for diabetes, hypertension, and cancer.
• Physicians who communicate well with their patients find their work less stressful.

ALCAT Worldwide Applauds Gluten Sensitivity Commentary

ALCAT Worldwide applauds recent commentary in Scientific American about how gluten sensitivity, as opposed to allergy, is mediated by the innate immune system. The guest blog was written by esteemed science and health writer Julianne Wyrick . To read the article visit: blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/2013/03/04/gluten-sensitivity-what-does-it-really-mean/

"It's a well written article on gluten sensitivity that supports our findings that instead of the adaptive portion being to blame, the innate immune system is now thought to be the culprit," said Roger Deutsch, CEO of Cell Science Systems and pioneer of the ALCAT blood test.

There are two branches of the immune system, the innate immune system and the adaptive immune system. The innate immune system is the branch that is most associated with delayed-onset symptoms of food and chemical intolerance, which is what the ALCAT Test deals with.

ALCAT Worldwide is a division of Cell Science Systems, where the ALCAT Test is performed in its impressive licensed and FDA compliant laboratory. The ALCAT Test is a simple blood test that measures the body's cellular response to a wide array of substances including foods, functional foods, medicinal herbs, food additives, food colorings, environmental chemicals, molds, and antibiotics. The ALCAT Test identifies the personal triggers of inflammation caused by foods and chemicals.

In Julianne Wyrick's article "Gluten Sensitivity: What Does it Really Mean" she writes: "Instead of making antibodies that recognize specific invaders, cells of the innate immune system have receptors known as TLRs that recognize broad patterns present on a variety of invaders. Then, the TLRs trigger a quick inflammatory response.

A 2011 study found gluten-sensitive patients have higher expression of the TLRs compared to control patients. This finding suggests the involvement of the innate immune system."

For more information on Your Hidden Food Allergies Are Making You Fat, visit: amazon.com/Your-Hidden-Food-Allergies-Making/dp/0761537600