Mental Attitude: What is the Key to Being a Good Comedian? A new study suggests that a stand-up comedian’s
success at making an audience laugh is determined by how adept he or she is at linking humor and emotion. The lead
author of the study, Dr. Tim Miles of the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom, claims that comedians and their
audiences are connected by "admiration, empathy and the paradox of identification." This occurs when the audience can
identify with the humor or observations made by the comedian, rather than being able to identify with them as a
performer. Comedy Studies, July 2014
Health Alert: Children & Hot Cars are a Deadly Combination. So far in 2014, 18 American children have lost their
lives as a result of being left in a hot car. Over the last 20 years, nearly 700 children have lost their lives for the same
reason. There are many things parents can do to prevent this type of tragedy: teach your child the car is not a toy and lock
your car when not in use; keep reminders in the car that children are in the back seat, as children can fall asleep and
parents can become distracted and ultimately forget their child; and never leave your child in the car, even if you think
you will only be a minute, as even five minutes can mean a substantial increase in temperature.
Hershey Medical Center, July 2014
Diet: Vitamin C May Help with Sea Sickness. Volunteers who consumed a vitamin C supplement before spending time
on a raft in one meter high waves experienced sea sickness symptoms to a lesser degree than those who took a placebo. In
the study, volunteers who did not take the vitamin C supplement were nearly three times more likely to ask to leave the
experiment early due to illness. Journal of Vestibular Research: Equilibrium & Orientation, January 2014
Exercise: Physical Fitness Can Prevent Youth Depression. Among sixth graders, those who are physically fit are less
likely to report depression symptoms a year later. Researchers from Northern Texas surveyed 437 students as part of a
county-wide program to assess physical fitness and found that physical fitness was associated with a decreased likelihood
of depression when the children entered seventh grade, even among those who experienced depression symptoms at the
start of the study. American Psychological Association, August 2014
Chiropractic: Disturbed Sleep Increases Back Pain Risk. Among firefighters, those who reported disturbed sleep at the
start of a 13-year study were 2.4 times more likely to experience radiating back pain during the following decade. The
authors of the study warn that sleep disturbances should be addressed early-on as a risk factor for back pain.
International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, August 2014
Wellness/Prevention: Protecting Children's Teeth. The American Dental Association recommends the following to
promote healthy teeth in children: don’t share feeding spoons with baby or place baby’s pacifier in your mouth; wipe
gums after feedings; begin brushing as soon at teeth come in; provide supervision when brushing until age 6; never put
juice or soda in bottles; avoid dipping a child’s pacifier in anything sweet; have your child drink from a cup by one year of
age; and promote eating healthy foods. American Dental Association, January 2014
Quote: “There is nothing more frightful than ignorance in action.” ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
To Receive The “Weekly Health Update” (every Monday) and other information from 30-A Medical,
click the 'Subscribe' button below:
(A mobile version of this site is available for access via your smartphone so you can get your Weekly Health Updates on the go.)
