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February is Heart Month. No, not because Valentines Day falls midway through the month, but to raise awareness about heart health.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women. An average of 659,000 people die in the U.S. each year from the disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

In addition, women are experiencing unacceptable and avoidable heart-related illness and death, and nearly half of U.S. women do not recognize that heart disease is the leading cause of death for women, according to the Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention. Heart-health disparities specific to women widen and deepen when combined with race, ethnicity, and other social factors.

As the need for quality cardiac care grows, along with the population of the Island, the Marthas Vineyard Hospital Cardiology Department has expanded its services over the years, with the number of cardiology visits to the hospital increasing from 209 service line visits in FY20, to more than 2,200 in FY22.

Offerings include EKGs, Holter Monitors-Mobile Cardiac Telemetry, cardiac rehabilitation, stress testing (including nuclear), echocardiograms, pulmonary function tests, vascular consults and testing, implanted cardiac monitoring devices, and more.

Dr. Aliya Browne, Medical Director of Cardiology at Marthas Vineyard Hospital, has been a provider at the hospital since 2020 and has been in practice for more than 20 years. Dr. Browne has expertise in treating heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy, among other conditions.

In addition to the many cardiology services offered, last year at this time, the radiology department at the hospital launched a new screening process for cardiology patients. Known as Computed Tomography Angiography (CTA), the exam uses a CT scanner to detect the presence of coronary heart disease.

The importance of the CTA is that we can actually see the arteries, said Dr. Browne. The patients who have mild abnormalities on stress tests and some symptoms of concern, weve been sending them off-Island to get a simple CAT scan that we can now do here.

In partnership with Massachusetts General Hospital, the CTA is a less invasive way to detect potentially blocked arteries and other heart issues without the patient undergoing cardiac catheterization, which is similar to a surgical procedure and requires anesthesia, adding risk for the patient.

The CTA exams are part of the hospitals ongoing efforts to provide higher level tests for preventative care, Dr. Browne said, adding, Weve come a really long way in being able to support our patients.

The cardiology team at Marthas Vineyard Hospital includes two advanced practice providers and several specialty cardiology physicians from Massachusetts General Hospital, as well as expanded services to include advanced vascular studies, pacemaker implants, and heart failure clinics.

Heart Month is a reminder that heart disease is avoidable, even if you have a family history. Eighty percent of premature heart disease and strokes are preventable, according to Dr. Browne.

Lifestyle changes can have a large impact in preventing cardiovascular disease, or in keeping it from worsening. Experts recommend that you control high blood pressure, reduce cholesterol by avoiding foods high in cholesterol, exercise regularly, get enough sleep, and quit smoking.

For more information on cardiology services at Marthas Vineyard Hospital, visit mvhospital.org/services/cardiology.

Health Beat is sponsored by Marthas Vineyard Hospital. It informs and advises on health issues, shares health tips, and helps the community to become better acquainted with Marthas Vineyard Hospital, the physicians, and staff. For more information, visit mvhospital.org.

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Hospital doesnt miss a beat when it comes to cardiac care - Martha's Vineyard Times

Cardiology

Cardiologist on the beat for healthy hearts | News, Sports, Jobs – Marietta Times

February 29, 2024 medical

Dr. Jason Schott is an interventional and structural cardiologist at Memorial Health System. He started working for Memorial in the summer of 2022. (Photo by Michelle Dillon)

February is National Heart Month and Mid-Ohio Valley residents have a range of cardiovascular services they can receive in the area.

Memorial Health System offers minimally invasive procedures to treat a range of cardiovascular issues in patients in the Mid-Ohio Valley at its Marietta and Belpre locations. One of the doctors offering cardiovascular services at Memorial is Dr. Jason P. Schott.

Schott, 36, grew up in Noble County. In junior high school he and his classmates were studying the cardiovascular system and dissecting hearts. He always knew he wanted to help people. He started following surgeons after learning about the cardiovascular system, with Dr. Michael Sarap being the one he shadowed the most. Sarap was someone that Schott wanted to emulate.

Schott decided in high school he wanted to be a cardiothoracic surgeon based on his time with Sarap. Then he went to cardiothoracic perfusion school when he was in undergrad and then started shadowing Dr. Joe Mayo, an interventional cardiologist. This got him interested in interventional cardiology, Schott said about his journey becoming an interventional and structural cardiologist.

Schott went to medical school at Ohio State and worked in Columbus, Michigan and other locations. He left his home 18 years ago to get his training and start his career, but he always knew he wanted to come back, Schott said.

Dr. Jason Schott, an interventional and structural cardiologist at Memorial Health System, shows off a device used to perform a transaortic valve replacement. Memorial offers many minimally invasive procedures to treat cardiovascular issues using devices like it and others. (Photo by Michelle Dillon)

Schott has worked in cardiology for seven years and started working for Memorial as an interventional and structural cardiologist approximately a year and a half ago in the summer of 2022.

Its good to be home, Schott said.

According to Schott, an interventional cardiologist diagnoses and treats mostly coronary artery disease, while a structural cardiologist diagnoses and treats mainly valvular heart disease and structural issues of the heart.

People in the area need to know that they do have access to care locally and that the cardiology department at Memorial can be liaisons to get the care they need, Schott said.

Schott and other cardiologists at Memorial perform procedures to fix cardiovascular issues. Many of these procedures are minimally invasive.

Schott said when babies are in the uterus there is a hole in the heart. This hole is called the foramen ovale and is a small flaplike opening between the upper chambers of the heart, the atria. As a baby grows the hole closes in 80% of people. In the other 20%, the hole does not close; this is called a patent foramen ovale. This does not cause an issue for most people, but it can allow blood clots to migrate, which can cause a stroke or other issues, Shcott said.

Cardiologists at Memorial, like Schott, can perform a minimally invasive procedure to fix this issue. The cardiologist puts a small camera in a patients vein, then uses a wire to get a device up to the patent foramen ovale. The device to fix the issue is deployed. It has disks that open on each side of the flap and they sandwich it. It takes six months for the hole to then seal off. Closing the patent foramen ovale lowers a patients risk of stroke, he said.

Cardiovascular disease in the Mid-Ohio Valley is very prevalent, Schott said.

Schott said this is due to tobacco use and genetic components. The cancer risk in the area is quite high also and probably from tobacco, genetics and environmental factors. People who receive radiation for cancer are at risk of cardiovascular disease.

Many cardiovascular issues are inherited but there are things people can do to lower their risk of cardiovascular issues. Schott stresses primary prevention, like smoking cessation, monitoring blood pressure, watching cholesterol and monitoring glucose.

Schott also said getting regular exercise is important for lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Baby steps, Schott said about how much exercise a person should perform. Whatever gets you moving.

According to Schott, people can also modify their diet to help lower their risk of cardiovascular disease too. People should fill up on vegetables, increase their fiber intake, eat fruit in moderation, limit carbs and eat whole grains as their carb source, and eat leaner meats like fish, chicken and turkey, and eat low fat dairy.

Schott is very proud of the cardiology team he works with at Memorial, he said.

I cant say this enough about our team, we treat people like our neighbor or our family. You cant care any more than our team does, Schott said.

Schott likes providing cardiovascular care and thinks that it is really rewarding.

Its a labor of love, he said.

To learn more about the cardiovascular services MHS offers, visit https://www.mhsystem.org/services/heart-cardiology-vascular-services/.

Michelle Dillon can be reached at mdillon@newsandsentinel.com

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Cardiologist on the beat for healthy hearts | News, Sports, Jobs - Marietta Times

Cardiology

One of few females in her field, Dr. Sheth focuses on educating women about heart health – Chicago Tribune

February 29, 2024 medical

Dr. Reema Sheth is no stranger to being the exception to the rule, especially when it comes to her career.

Shes an interventional cardiologist, a field in which fewer than 5% are women, according to a news release from Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox, where shes been on staff for 18 months and is a member of the Heart Care Centers of Illinois practice.

I think I act who I am and have been very lucky to have found care centers who have a long history with the community, she said. I come to work, try my best, work hard, and feel like Im treated fine with the Heart Care group. The guys have been great. I enjoy going to work every day.

Sheth speculated her specialty draws few women because of its very nature, both the experience itself and the hours that result.

I think maybe because its more of a technical field with procedure, and when you go into internal medicine and cardiology, you focus more on the medical aspect than the technical aspect. So I think its more preference, or people cant choose when they have heart attacks because the hours can vary because of the unpredictability, she said.

Its not a strict 9 to 5 job. Procedures can be scheduled throughout the day, but emergencies can happen any time.

Her father and sister also are in the medical field both are psychiatrists but she chose a different path.

Im the odd one out, Sheth shared. But they are very supportive. Interventional cardiology has different hours, so I was lucky to have a family that was celebratory and supported my accomplishments. I wouldnt be here without them.

Her interest in a medical career came about partly because of her familys careers but also thanks to her own experience as an infant with surgery to correct a heart defect she was born with.

I definitely went into my schooling with an open mind but always gravitated toward cardiology, she said. I just love working with the heart and working with my hands and doing procedures, so cardiology was a really good fit.

Sheth attended medical school at Michigan State University and completed her training in Michigan after earning her degree.

After medical school I did my internal medicine residency. Directly after that, I did my cardiology fellowship, and after that I went for a year of interventional training, doing procedures nonstop every day within the cardiac field.

She truly enjoys working as an interventional cardiologist.

Not only can I help prevent developing cardiovascular disease, but I help treat progression. I can help identify current disease, treat current disease and take it one step further where if its significant damage, I can treat the disease with a coronary stent and help make blood flow to the heart better, more efficient.

Cardiologys continual advances also make Sheths job fulfilling, such as a trans-radial approach for cardiac catheterizations, performing coronary angiograms through an artery in the wrist.

Thats another great thing about cardiology as a field ever progressing with technology with approaches to not only get the best outcomes and the best care. Its a more convenient way for the procedure to be performed through the wrist rather than your groin, she explained. Its more comfortable for the patient after the procedure, plus less rest time and less risk of bleeding because of the small size of the artery as opposed to the groin.

Sheth, who is board-certified in internal medicine, reading cardiac echocardiograms, cardiac nuclear stress tests, general cardiology and interventional cardiology, is just starting to provide presentations and training to others.

Ive only been in the area for about 18 months, so now that Ive gotten my feet on the ground, Ive started to do more for the community. Im open to giving more lectures when the opportunity arises, she said. I have helped train female interventional cardiologists at one of the hospitals that I cover. I offer any guidance that I can.

The cardiologist gave a presentation Feb. 20 to theLincolnway Area Business Womens Organization in New Lenox that focused on women and heart disease, and a program for the community on preventing heart disease is planned Feb. 28 at the Silver Cross Conference Center in New Lenox.Registrationis required. Both are provided as part ofAmerican Heart Month.

More than 140 people signed up for the program Feb. 28, which Sheth called exciting.

Were focusing on general cardiac prevention and general cardiovascular care. Im hoping to keep it educational but also open conversation with questions, she said. It will be me presenting PowerPoint slides but will be broad-based points for general discussion to keep the flow of what were talking about. Sometimes I feel like we know the general idea of being healthy but not the specifics.

She said those specifics are important because the leading cause of death in the United States is heart disease, so as much education as we can get out there only helps in the long run.

Even for women specifically, its the leading cause of mortality in the U.S. Specifically with women, there are document studies that they are underrepresented. There are conditions in women that they may not be aware of, Sheth explained. Symptoms can be unique more commonly to women than men. All that information is paramount for women to know.

In-person presentations are important to provide correct information, she believes. It may not be the typical thing presented online, she said. You might not get that information just Googling online.

Additional information about heart health can be found by viewing or listening to Seths episode of Silver Cross iMatter Health podcast titled Is Heart Disease Genetic or Environmental? via the hospitals YouTube channel or a podcast platform.

Melinda Moore is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.

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One of few females in her field, Dr. Sheth focuses on educating women about heart health - Chicago Tribune

Cardiology

URMC Hosts ‘Heartbeat of Upson’ Celebration | Lifestyle | upsonbeacon.com – upsonbeacon.com

February 29, 2024 medical

On Thursday, Feb. 22 Upson Regional Medical Center hosted the Heartbeat of Upson celebration to share successes and enhancements of the hospitals cardiology services, including the full-serve cardiovascular catheter laboratory.

CEO Jeff Tarrant welcomed all attendees, giving thanks to the organizations board of directors, as well as staff members who made the celebration happen. Following his welcome, he introduced Ed Searcy for an invocation.

URMC, with 115 licensed beds, serves an eight-county region in middle Georgia and is the only hospital for six of those counties. Tarrant said the service area is described as an older population and Upson has the oldest population within the public health district.

Cardiovascular disease is quite a problem within our population, Tarrant stated. In fact, Upson County itself has the second highest cardiac death rate on a per capita basis of any county within the State of Georgia, adding that the statistics cover a date range through 2019j. We will get some updated numbers soon, and we are anxious to see those numbers during the coming years based on the investment we have made and the resources to help reduce that.

In 2016, URMC opened its first diagnostic catheter laboratory, but no treatment was available through URMC at the time, due to state guidelines.

In 2019, hospital officials began studying the population and found significant numbers of cardiovascular disease, leading to a push for more services.

Although the COVID-19 outbreak created an additional barrier to cross, URMC continued to work with partners to introduce a full-service, full-spectrum cardiac catheter lab, opened in December 2020.

Director of Cardiology and Imaging Services Sue Mangum introduced the cardiology staff and providers, including Rajeev Pillai, M.D., FACC, FSCA, who provided a presentation of cardiology services. Additional providers include Joshua Donis, M.D.; Ryan Macwar, M.D.; Candice Young, NP-C; and Kaitlin Carmichael, RN-BSN.

Dr. Pillai, who is board certified in internal medicine, interventional cardiology, and cardiovascular disease, has performed high-volume coronary intervention procedures for more than 15 years.

Prior to URMC, one of the various positions he held was as director of the catheter laboratory at Chesapeake Regional Medical Center (a 400-bed hospital), and through his work in larger hospitals, he said he found no purpose.

This has been an incredible experience. I work with incredible people, he said prior to speaking on the variety of cardiology services offered at URMC.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, claiming one life approximately every 34 seconds. Along with its related complications, cardiac disease is the number one reason why people in Upson County are hospitalized. At URMC, officials say they are dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of all cardiovascular disorders.

Cardiology services offered at URMC include the interventional catheter laboratory, cardiac rehabilitation, the congestive heart failure clinic, pacemaker follow-ups, and pulmonary rehabilitation. Diagnostic services include inpatient/outpatient EKGs, echo cardiology services, coronary CT angiography, 128 slice CT, impedance cardiography, and stress tests.

Throughout the last three years, the URMC catheter laboratory has performed 913 diagnostic heart caths, performed 450 coronary interventions, including stents and angioplasties, and managed 108 major heart attacks.

Prior to a tour of the laboratory, residents Debbie McClain and Mike Mangum spoke about their experiences at URMC.

McClain, publisher of the Upson Beacon, spoke about how URMC saved her life when she needed a bypass procedure.

I felt like I was healthy and then I wasnt, she began. They could not figure out why my heartbeat was jumping When Dr. Pillai looked at my heart monitor, he ordered a heart cath, and it turns out I had a 98 percent blockage.

McClain commented that she also had instances at two other hospitals throughout the journey, and said, Theres no place like home. These people are top-notch Its incredible what we can do here and how dedicated these people are. Its scary to have heart problems but these are the people to go to.

While introducing her husband Mike, Sue Mangum added, Helping to start the cath lab took a personal turn for me about two months after we opened, when my husband became a guest.

Mike shared his story, detailing the ways he has prioritized his health since 1976, when he decided he would never want to have coronary bypass surgery.

Its a life extender, its a life saver, it enhances the quality of life, but I did not want it. Theres no fun in that type of procedure, he stated. So, I developed a lifestyle that would prevent that.

As he slowed down throughout the years, Mike described moving a mattress with another man when he just could not continue. Although he felt no pain, he said that he was out of breath and in shock. Once he stood up, he took an Aspirin, and scheduled a stress test for the next day.

Following the test, he had not made it home before doctors called him back to the hospital, and before the sun set, he had a stent implemented.

By nine oclock the next morning, I was back home, he stated. Because of the resources at the hospital, I was able to avoid bypass surgery and I was able to avoid going to Atlanta - two of the most important things in my life were managed by the resources here.

Related to the services provided, he concluded by saying, If you havent been through it, you cant appreciate just how good it is, how professional it is, how good the people are.

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URMC Hosts 'Heartbeat of Upson' Celebration | Lifestyle | upsonbeacon.com - upsonbeacon.com

Cardiology

WVU, Valley Health offer pediatric cardiology in Tri-State | Special Sections | loganbanner.com – The Logan Banner

February 29, 2024 medical

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WVU, Valley Health offer pediatric cardiology in Tri-State | Special Sections | loganbanner.com - The Logan Banner

Cardiology

First patient treated using A-Flux Reducer interventional system for angina – Cardiac Rhythm News

February 29, 2024 medical

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VahatiCor has announced the treatment of the first patient with the A-Flux Reducer system, an interventional treatment for patients with angina or chest pain.

The implant is placed in the coronary sinus and is designed to provide more blood flow to the ischaemic portion of the heart and improve patient symptoms and quality of life.

The first patient received the A-Flux reducer implant through the Special Access Program (SAP) of Health Canada. A prospective multicentre clinical study of the device is scheduled to begin enrolment this year.

We have many interventional or surgical revascularisation options for patients with advanced large coronary artery disease. However, a significant proportion still suffer from angina. The A-Flux Reducer could help to fill that therapeutic void. It was an honour to perform the first-in-human implant and the patient is doing great, said Jean-Michel Paradis, specialist in coronary and structural interventional cardiology at Quebec Heart and Lung Institute (Quebec, Canada), who co-treated the first patient.

The A-Flux Reducer system is a promising intervention with the potential to provide a predictable and low-risk treatment for a growing population of patients with angina symptoms that do not respond well to medicines and lifestyle changes, added Can Manh Nguyen, interventional cardiologist who co-treated the first patient with Paradis.

At VahatiCor, were driven to improve patient outcomes with solutions that provide rapid relief and long-term effectiveness. While many interventions are available to treat the blockages in the large coronary arteries, very few options exist for an even larger group of patients with microvascular angina, said Howard Edelman, CEO of VahatiCor. We are encouraged by the positive early clinical experience with A-Flux and are moving forward quickly to a larger study that will support the availability of the device for more patients.

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First patient treated using A-Flux Reducer interventional system for angina - Cardiac Rhythm News

Human Behavior

Euphemisms increasingly used to soften behavior that would be questionable in direct language – Norfolk Daily News

February 29, 2024 medical

During questioning of Fulton County, Georgia, prosecutor Nathan Wade about his relationship with District Attorney Fani Willis there was a moment that cut through all the euphemisms we have become accustomed to when it comes to human behavior.

Scott Sadow, an attorney for Donald Trump, who is trying to get an indictment against Trump dismissed for Trumps alleged interference in the 2020 presidential election, received an answer to a question that appeared to surprise him. Asked about his relationship with Willis, Wade said, Do you mean intercourse? Sadow said he wasnt going to use that word, but since Wade brought it up, then yes, thats what he meant.

It was a classic example of how euphemisms are increasingly used to soften the meaning of questionable behavior.

A forceful Willis tried to obfuscate her relationship with Wade, even calling him at one point a Southern gentleman. But in an earlier court filing, she admitted to an affair (meaning sex) with Wade, who she put on the payroll as part of her Trump prosecution team.

So many descriptions of human behavior have been modified or changed to gloss over their real meaning. In part, I think, it is to avoid judgment which can lead to a change in behavior that benefits individuals and the wider culture. Failing to identify certain behavior for what it is can have the effect of legitimizing that behavior in the eyes of people who are engaging in it and in the wider culture that refuses to accept a standard defining right and wrong.

How many speak of cheating on ones spouse, as Wade is alleged to have done, as adultery? Todays preferred description is a romantic relationship.

Could we also stop saying boyfriend and girlfriend when speaking of adults? These are not dating teenagers. They are mature people who have presumably been exposed to what used to be called the right way to live, but who have chosen another way.

Lying doesnt always bring the consequences it once did, even when witnesses take an oath to tell the truth. It is more than fishy that Wade and Willis exchanged cash and have no receipts or other records to back up their claims of legal behavior and propriety. Wade refused to say where he keeps his cash, but suggested some of it might be under his pillow. Willis said she once paid Wade $2,500 in cash that came from her pocketbook. Who carries around that kind of money? Wade even obfuscated on whether he used a credit card and how he was reimbursed for part of his expenditures when he and Willis traveled together. Who doesnt keep receipts, especially for tax purposes? Will the IRS investigate?

Two of the Ten Commandments prohibit adultery and bearing false witness. Those two forms of behavior are increasingly allowed in our non-judgmental culture. We see daily the corrosion violating these commands have caused.

Using words that accurately describe behavior, instead of euphemisms, can have the effect of limiting that behavior. It once seemed to. Approving, or at least failing to reject such behavior, contributes to more of it. As one translation of Proverbs 29:18 puts it, If a nation is not guided by God, the people will lose self-control.

Human Behavior

Linking environmental influences, genetic research to address concerns of genetic determinism of human behavior – Phys.org

February 29, 2024 medical

Linking environmental influences, genetic research to address concerns of genetic determinism of human behavior Phys.org

Human Behavior

Emerson’s Insight: Navigating the Three Fundamental Desires of Human Nature – The Good Men Project

February 29, 2024 medical

Earlier today, I had a brief conversation with a superintendent at my worksite; he had a long career in construction spanning 45 years, so he is a wealth of knowledge. I asked him what he does to keep himself motivated in our industry. He paused momentarily and mentioned some words that his favorite writer, Ralph Waldo Emerson, had said.

If you dont know Ralph Waldo Emerson, he is a towering figure in American literature and philosophy and is often remembered for his insightful observations on human nature and society.

The superintendent told me that Emerson once said that 3 wants are fundamental desires that drive human behavior:

1 The want for more (greed),

2 The want for health,

and

3 The want of Anywhere but here.

While seemingly straightforward, these desires offered a deep glimpse into the complexities of human motivation and our quest for fulfillment. So, I decided to dig deeper for a better understanding.

The first desire Emerson identifies is the want for greed, encapsulated in the phrase its never enough. This desire stems from an insatiable longing for more more wealth, more success, more possessions. It reflects a deeper discontentment, a belief that happiness and satisfaction can be attained through the accumulation of material wealth.

However, this endless pursuit often leads to a cycle of dissatisfaction, where each achievement or acquisition only fuels the desire for more, leaving people trapped in a perpetual state of wanting.

This want for greed speaks to a broader societal issue, where success is often measured by material wealth and social status.

It challenges us to reconsider our values and question whether true contentment can ever be achieved through external means.

Emersons observation invites us to explore alternative sources of fulfillment that are not contingent on accumulating wealth but are rooted in the richness of our internal lives and relationships.

The second desire Emerson discusses is the want for health.

This desire is universal, transcending cultural, economic, and social boundaries.

To want to be healthy is not merely to be free from illness but to experience a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being. It reflects an understanding that health is the foundation upon which we build our lives, enabling us to pursue our goals, enjoy our relationships, and engage fully with the world around us.

However, the want for health also highlights the challenges and inequalities within our societies. Access to healthcare, nutritious food, clean air and water, and safe living conditions are not uniformly available, making pursuing health a privilege for some and a distant dream for others.

Emersons identification of health as a fundamental desire serves as a call to action, urging us to address these disparities and work towards a world where the want for health can be a reality for all.

The third desire, characterized by the sentiment anywhere but here, is a longing for change, something different from our current circumstances. It reflects a belief that happiness and fulfillment lie elsewhere, that if we could only change our location, situation, or surroundings, we would find what we are looking for.

This desire is often rooted in dissatisfaction with the present and romanticizing the unknown.

However, Emerson suggests that this want overlooks a crucial truth: that our external circumstances are not the sole determinants of our happiness. The energy we bring to our experiences, the attitudes we adopt, and the meaning we find in our daily lives shape our fulfillment. By focusing on changing our perspective rather than our location, we can discover that contentment is not a distant reality but a possibility within our current existence.

The energy we bring to our experiences, the attitudes we adopt, and the meaning we find in our daily lives shape our fulfillment.

Emersons identification of these three wants greed, health, and the desire for change serves as a powerful reminder of the complexities of human desire and the search for fulfillment. It challenges us to look beyond the superficial markers of success and happiness and to delve deeper into the values and attitudes that truly shape our well-being.

In doing so, we can address the underlying discontent that drives these wants and work towards a more fulfilled, contented existence.

I was fortunate to come across this wisdom passed on to me from my worksite superintendent from Ralph Waldo Emersons insights.

Examining these desires invites us to contemplate the true sources of happiness and fulfillment. Emersons observations encourage us to reconsider our priorities, to value our health and well-being above material wealth, and to find contentment in our current circumstances through a shift in perspective.

In embracing these lessons, we can navigate the complexities of life with a deeper understanding and appreciation for the journey toward fulfillment.

What are your thoughts? I would love to know.

This post was previously published on medium.com.

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Emerson's Insight: Navigating the Three Fundamental Desires of Human Nature - The Good Men Project

Human Behavior

Dogs can recognize a bad person and there’s science to prove it. – GOOD

February 29, 2024 medical

Dogs can smell fear, but can they sniff out the truth? Your dog might actually be smarter than you're giving it credit for.

It turns out, dogs are pretty good at picking up on human behavior. Science says so. A team led by Akiko Takaoka of Kyoto University in Japan conducted a study which found out that dogs actually know if you're to be believed or not.

The study involved tricking dogs in the name of science. Humans have known for a long time that if you point at an object, a dog will run to it. Researchers utilized this information in their study. During the experiment, they pointed at a container that was filled with hidden food. Sure enough, the dog ran towards the container. Then, they pointed at a container that was empty. The dogs ran towards it, but found that it had no food.

The third time the researchers pointed at a container with food, the dogs refused to go to the container. They knew the person pointing wasn't reliable based off their previous experience. 34 dogs were used in the experiment, and every single dog wouldn't go towards the container the third time. This experiment either proves that dogs can spot a liar or that dogs have major trust issues.

In other words, if you lie to your dog, your dog forms the opinion that your word isn't good and will behave accordingly. "Dogs have more sophisticated social intelligence than we thought. This social intelligence evolved selectively in their long life history with humans," said Takaoka, who was also surprised that dogs were quick when they devalued the reliability of a human."

John Bradshaw of the University of Bristol in the UK, who wasn't involved in this study, says that the results indicate that dogs prefer predictability. When gestures are inconsistent, dogs tend to become nervous and stressed.

The researchers have plans to repeat the experiment swapping out the dogs with wolves because wolves are closely related to dogs. The point of this isn't to get bitten by wolves, but rather, to see the "profound effects of domestication" on dogs.

This article originally appeared on 06.06.19