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NATIONAL NON-SMOKING WEEK:

Part of this special week this year is “Weedless Wednesday”, this year on Jan. 23.  This day has traditionally meant a day people could choose to forgo cigarette smoking for at least one day.  The term weed is also used to refer to marijuana and since it’s now legal in Canada, it can also be included in this special day where people try to stop using an addictive substance.

MARIJUANA AND ADOLESCENTS:

A recent prospective study involving almost 4000 adolescents and using a novel multilevel approach that examined within-person differences found a strong correlation between cannabis and psychosis.  The study found that cannabis use in any given year predicated an increase in psychosis symptoms a year later and these effects were seen in the entire cohort.  The study concluded that all young users faced this psychosis risk and not just those with a family history or a biological factor that increased their susceptibility to the effect of cannabis. I’m sure there will be many more studies, particularly in Canada now that the drug has been legalized.

SAD:

In our store in Kelowna, we had quite a few of these loght boxes that we rented during the dark days of winter.  These light boxes emit 10,000 lux of cool-white fluorescent light, an amount that is 20 times greater than ordinary indoor lighting and has ultraviolet rays filtered out.   This treatment for SAD certainly is the place to begin when people complain of SAD symptoms.  Other treatments for more serious intractable cases includes medication like the SSRIs and bupropion.  Cognitive behavioural therapy can also help.  This type of therapy relies on basic techniques like identifying negative thoughts and replacing them with more positive thoughts and as well, encouraging people to engage in activities deemed pleasurable and engaging.

FINGER NAILS:

The average adult’s finger nails grow at a rate of about 0.1 inch (3mm) per month. People that have lost a finger nail to accident will find it takes about six months for it to grown out again.  Toe nails take a lot longer….about 12 to 18 months to grow out completely.  Eating plenty of protein and keeping well-hydrated will encourage nail growth.  Fingernails can be a window to your health.  Changes in nail colour could signify a nail fungus or in some cases skin cancer.  Nails turning white or yellow could foreshadow kidney failure.  Yellow nails might also mean a sign of a respiratory condition. “Clubbing” of the nails….when the nails curve much more than usual could be a sign of low oxygen levels and perhaps a lung disease.  When I go for my annual (or recently biennial) CPX, my GP never checks my nails.  Perhaps that’s the area of the naturopath physicians who will check your whole body during a one-hour check-up.