Today looking at small health studies

Today was my day to travel around the country reading newspapers in looking for news in health. Small size studies have there limits but they may raise good questions.

Before I stepped off into my virtual news travel I read an article from the Chicago Tribune, Is PTSD in our Genes? Like many disorders both physical and mental Science has researched whether or not we are predispose genetically to the illness or not. Here was a study of Holocaust 32 survivors DNA with 22 of their children's DNA at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. The researchers there found a correlation of PTSD being possibly a factor genetically. In the reporting it was noted that the study was too small and the conclusions may have other explanations. It is an example of reading the article and not just a headline of it. You may draw the wrong conclusion. 

Bruce Carey & Sarah
Love these pictures of
dads with their kids.
Not sure Bruce is keeping up.
One time Bruce and I
carried a girl out of
the wilderness

For example, people who went through the Holocaust and personally suffered; how does that affect them as parents? Would their horrible experiences make them better parents or present more difficulties for them? Is it a problem in their DNA or is the problem in their suffering PTSD which at that time lacked sufficient information, support and treatment? 

In some ways I've had this conversation with my psychiatrists and therapists who cared for me with anxiety, depression, insomnia and PTSD. The cycle of the extreme abuse goes way back in my family history on my fathers side. Is that genetic or is that just learned behavior? There's no way I could rule it out one way or another. My game plan was to end it in my generation. I decided to do this back in my 20s. Did I stop the chain reaction? I think I definitely influenced how my children parent without abuse. Of course, I think they get a lot of credit for it to. 

So this study in the article is too small to make any big statements. But I think it raises good questions.

Mark Huber and David -
Mark and I had some great hikes.

My next stop was the Big Apple and an article by Gretchen Reynolds of the New York Times, for exercise, nothing like the great outdoors. Study was again a small one and looked at two different walks. Both were long walks of three hours. One walk was in the Alps and the second walk was on a treadmill. For me that is a no brainer as to which is better for the body and mind.  They also had a three hour experience where they could lounge around and talk or read, or surf the web. In walking, both experiences improved the mood better than the longing around and surfing the net. Walking in the mountains scored the best in improving mood. If I were predicting the outcome I would have rated the walk outdoors as the best. Personally I don’t do well on the treadmill but for many walking on a tredmill is a good thing to lift the spirits. I know walking does improve mood in general. 

Again the study is too small and there are a lot of factors that could effect outcome. 

Walking on vacation often can motivate our daily walking to be fit enough to take a nice long scenic walk. Finding outdoor walks near by can be a very rewarding experience. Keep walking and keep reading