Lightsabering Is Now Officially A Sport

Image from Movies.com

Star Wars fans can now finally scream “It’s about time!!!!”

The French Fencing Federation has officially recognized dueling with lightsabers a sport.

Points are given based on where the light saber hits.  Rounds run 3 minutes and whoever scores the most points wins (or whomever hits 15 points first.)

The Associated Press reported the following:

Combatants fight inside a circle marked in tape on the floor. Strikes to the head or body are worth 5 points; to the arms or legs, 3 points; on hands, 1 point. The first to 15 points wins or, if they don’t get there quickly, the high scorer after 3 minutes. If both fighters reach 10 points, the bout enters “sudden death,” where the first to land a head- or body-blow wins, a rule to encourage enterprising fighters.

Blows only count if the fighters first point the tip of their saber behind them. That rule prevents the viper-like, tip-first quick forward strikes seen in fencing. Instead, the rule encourages swishier blows that are easier for audiences to see and enjoy, and which are more evocative of the duels in “Star Wars.” Of those, the battle between Obi-Wan and Darth Maul in “The Phantom Menace” that ends badly for the Sith despite his double-bladed lightsaber is particularly appreciated by aficionados for its swordplay.

Lightsabering embodies a variety of physical elements that utilize most muscle groups and requires balance. It qualifies as cardio, getting heart rate going, and the average participant finds it exhilarating.

Enticing young people to exercise may be made easier with this fun sport.  I’m a huge fan and hope this sticks!

Check out these guys…they’re fantastic!!!

 

 

 

Learning Medical Spanish is Easy!!!

 

Daliah Wachs, MD, FAAFP is a nationally syndicated radio personality on GCN Network, KDWN, and iHeart Radio.

 

 

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Medicine Can Easily Predict This Year’s Super Bowl Winner

The NFL Injury Report tells us all we need to know to make our picks.

For years I’ve been dissecting the NFL Injury Report and predicting who would win during the playoffs and Super Bowl. When you’re a doctor who loves football, it’s not that difficult.

So my success has prompted me to make the risky move of posting my strategy and results.  There are varying levels of theory, just like layers of the epidermis.  And each deeper layer of prediction should confirm the simpler ones.  But if I can’t scientifically deduce the winner, I wing it.

Method 1 – Number game

Let’s take for example the AFC/NFC Conference Championship games between the Chiefs and the Patriots and the Saints and Rams.  According the NFL injury report, the Saints had 2 injuries while the Rams had zero.  Then there was 1 injury reported for the Chiefs and 0 for the Patriots.  A novice may just think 0 is less than 2 or the Saints and 1 for the Chiefs so the winners would be the Rams and Patriots.  But as a physician, this is not good enough.   We need to also look at the types of injuries.

 

Method 2 – Anatomy counts

According to the NFL Injury report during the playoff game between the Cowboys and the Rams, the Boys sustained an injury to the groin and the Rams, a thigh.  These are very telling. Why?

Think about when you were playing football.  If you hurt a finger you still played.  If you sprained your knee, you toughed it out. But what happened when you sustained a groin injury.  You were leveled.  Probably couldn’t even get up.  So any injury involving the groin is physically devastating for a player, and from a psychological standpoint, the whole team.

If a groin injury specifically is not incurred and reported by the NFL injury report, then you look at the injuries closest to the groin.  A head injury is also very concerning so that will come after groin.  Hence the scale from most devastating to least in terms of injured body parts listed is:

Groin < head/concussion < hip< < glute < quad < hamstring  < eye < abdomen < chest < knee < shoulder < calf < arm < ankle < foot < wrist < hand < finger < toe.  

The groin injury reported on the Cowboy’s roster unfortunately sealed their fate.

If specific injuries are not listed, we can sometimes count how many did not participate in practice.

 

Method 3 – Colors 

In case of a tie….meaning both teams sustained equal numbers of groin injuries or subsequent proximal body parts (or no injuries are being reported for the week), we look to the main colors of the jersey.  Black, Blue, Green and Yellow will fare worse than White and Red, Brown. In medicine, Black may happen with necrosis, Blue is associated with hypoxia, Green- mucous, Yellow – gonorrhea.  White and Red are fairly routine and healthy colors in medicine (bones and blood).  Silver and Purple are colors that are fairly neutral as we usually don’t see those colors on a routine basis in medicine unless with hair.

Therefore, the color scale from most problematic to least is:

Black < Blue < Yellow < Green < Orange < Purple < Silver < White < Red.

Again this is only used if predictions cannot be made due to an anatomical tie.  Again I must stress we do not use the color method unless we are unable to predict using the NFL injury report.

So in light of the NFL Injury report failing to list the injuries for Sunday’s game, we must go with the colors.

This Super Bowl, the Patriots will be wearing white while the Rams will be in vintage blue and yellow.

The prediction….another Patriots win.

Hey… don’t throw shade…..its science.

 

Learning Medical Spanish is Easy!!!

 

Daliah Wachs, MD, FAAFP is a nationally syndicated radio personality on GCN Network, KDWN, and iHeart Radio.

Superbowl and ASMR: What’s the Connection?

A Superbowl commercial is predicted to cause millions of football fans to “tingle.”

Zoe Kravitz in an ad for Michelob Ultra Pure Gold whispers into two giant microphones and opens a bottle of beer in slow motion, attempting to invoke an ASMR, autonomous sensory meridian response.

 

ASMR provides stimuli that sends a tingling from your scalp down to your neck and back. It’s been touted to help one overcome depression, anxiety and insomnia.  Although not many studies have proven this, many people find certain sounds to be very soothing.

ASMR may excite one while at the same time decrease one’s heart rate.

According to theasmr.com, the most common triggers include:

• Whispering
• Scratching and Tapping
• Blowing
• Physical Touch
• Personal Attention
• Page Turning
• Hand Movements (visual ASMR)
• Hair Play
• Role Playing
• Concentration
• Eating
• Sticky Fingers

Although ASMR may work for some, I predict during the Superbowl most won’t want to stimulated as the game itself is three to four hours of yelling, screaming, booing and jumping up and down….that’s enough excitement for me. Keep the whispers to a minimum.

 

 

Learning Medical Spanish is Easy!!!

 

Daliah Wachs, MD, FAAFP is a nationally syndicated radio personality on GCN Network, KDWN, and iHeart Radio.

 

 

 

 

Football Fans May Be More Successful Lovers

For those of us who are football enthusiasts, we may be at an advantage when it comes to relationships.  Makes sense….when things go sour with our partner we turn to football.  When we get sidelined we wait for a signal to get back on the field.  And we instinctively “suit up” before each encounter to protect us from the blows we may incur.  So the question arises, do football fans fare better in relationships?

 

We know the field

Before any play, we need to position ourselves correctly on the field.  Being too close to the “end zone” when you’re supposed to be yards away can give you a severe penalty.

So we start at the line of scrimmage and respect the “neutral zone.”

 

 

An infraction of this space could again inflict a costly penalty.  There’s a time and a place when beginning a play and entering this zone is allowed.

 

 

True our goal is to get to the end zone but it will take some strategy, finesse, and opportunity.  Some good drives will get you a long way, and patience and persistence is key.

 

 

We study our competition

Before any play we size up our competition.  Some may block your advance but most you can overcome.  As long as you know your routes and can keep other players at bay, you have a chance of advancing.

 

How do we fumble?

Holding a ball loosely and carelessly could cause it to easily fall into another player’s hands.

 

But if you hold it too tight it may squeeze out the first opportunity it gets.  A proper cradling, warmth, and protection may be the right recipe.

 

 

We need to rely on others during a fumble

Losing the ball is devastating and someone else can pick it up and run with it.  It takes your buddies to help you regain possession so you can start over.

 

 

Treat your partner right and don’t lose them to begin with.

 

We are always prepared for an interception

The field is fluid and players are out there watching, waiting to grab your ball and take advantage of the yardage you acquired.

 

 

Always be mindful of your position and don’t take your possession for granted.

We adapt when we’re in the red zone

Although the red zone is not officially marked on the field, we understand it to be the 20 yards closest to the end zone, or time during a relationship where you can either advance to your goal or fail miserably, losing all the time and work you put into the relationship.  Being too aggressive may cause a fumble, interception or even injury.  Being too chill could prevent you from ever making a touchdown.

So us football folk know how to stop, huddle, and plan,  hopefully resulting in the ball sailing into the end zone without a hitch.

 

So if you’re in the dating scene and find yourself getting encroached, needing to scramble, or facing a blitz, watch some football and learn how to treat your date right.  It might get you a whole new set of fresh downs…….

 

 

Daliah Wachs, MD, FAAFP is a nationally syndicated radio personality on GCN Network, KDWN, and iHeart Radio.

She is also a Board Certified Family Physician and Assistant Professor at Touro University Nevada

Can Drinking Too Much Water Kill You?

Over the years we’ve heard of high school football players, endurance athletes and soldiers dying from drinking too much water and sports drinks.  And with it being hot (as well as prefootball season) there’s huge anxiety for those of us wanting to avoid dehydration. So here’s the breakdown….

What is hyponatremia?

Hyponatremia is defined as low blood sodium, or levels that fall under 135 mEq/L (normal is 135-145 mEq/L).

Why is hypnotremia dangerous?

If sodium levels are low in the blood, the body will sense this dilution and want to move the excess fluid out of the blood stream and into the cells.  Cells will swell and not work properly.

Many cases of hyponatremic death are caused by brain swelling and herniation due to the shunting of fluid.

What are symptoms of hyponatremia?

If you overhydrate and begin to drop serum levels of sodium you may feel the following:

• muscle cramps
• nausea
• vomiting
• headache
• confusion
• dizziness
• weakness
• drowsiness
• double vision
• confusion
• seizures
• coma
• death

 

How much fluid should we be drinking?

This will vary based on your body weight, climate, activity and medical conditions.  The Institute of Medicine (IOM) suggests men drink on average 125 oz (3.7 liters) per day and women drink 91 oz (2.7 liters) per day.  Putting this into perspective a medium bottle of water contains 16.9 fluid oz.

How much fluid can our bodies handle?

According to Medical News Daily our kidneys can eliminate about 5.3-7.4 gallons (20-28 liters) of water a day but eliminate about 30 oz (0.8-1 liter) per hour. So they recommend not drinking more than 30 oz of water per hour on average to avoid hyponatremia.

So taking multiple breaks to drink is safer than drinking large amounts all in one sitting.  And on hot days or in heavy gear, try to stay cool and take more frequent breaks to drink.

 

 

Daliah Wachs, MD, FAAFP is a nationally syndicated radio personality on GCN Network, KDWN, and iHeart Radio.

She is also a Board Certified Family Physician and Assistant Professor at Touro University Nevada

las vegas “bans” capital letters in support of golden knights

the las vegas war cry as the knights ready to battle against the washington capitals for the stanley cup is #nocaps.

 

 

eye chart lower case letters

 

this week the iconic “welcome to las vegas” sign was photoshopped, donning its support with all lower case letters, thanks to las vegas county officials.

98.5 radio host chet buchanan might have launched one of the most brilliant fan decrees seen in modern sports.

“knight up days” have also been declared on those days where the knights and capitals play for the stanley cup.

playoff games are scheduled for the following (pacific):

• game 1: may 28 at vegas, 5 p.m. (nbc, cbc, sportsnet, fubotv)
  game 2: may 30 at vegas, 5 p.m. (nbc, cbc, sportsnet, fubotv)
  game 3: june 2 at washington, 5 p.m. (nbc, cbc, sportsnet, fubotv)
  game 4: june 4 at washington, 5 p.m. (nbc, cbc, sportsnet, fubotv)
  *game 5: june 7 at vegas, 5 p.m. (nbc, cbc, sportsnet, fubotv)
  *game 6: june 10 at washington, 5 p.m. (nbc, cbc, sportsnet, fubotv)
  *game 7: june 13 at vegas, 5 p.m. (nbc, cbc, sportsnet, fubotv)

 

daliah wachs, md, faafp is a nationally syndicated radio personality on gcn network, iheart radio, kdwn…..

she is also a board certified family physician and assistant professor at touro university nevada

The Golden Knights: Why They Continue to Win

Image above from Forbes

 

The inaugural success of NHL’s newest team, the Las Vegas Golden Knights, has smashed records. Whether its their multiple winning streaks, or the fact that in February they broke the record for most points by an expansion team in their inaugural season, the Knights have had a run like no other.

Now they are on their way to the Stanley Cup!

How?  Beginner’s Luck?  Nope.  Not in the least.  The Knights were destined to succeed from the beginning.  Here’s my psychological take….

 

Vegas Baby!!

The excitement surrounding the Entertainment Capital of the World is infectious.  The home of the Golden Knights, T-Mobile Arena, is actually on the Strip (resort corridor).   Where lights and dazzle brighten the sky and headliners bathe in standing ovations, Las Vegas offers a launching pad into fame.  You can’t miss. Talent and electricity create the perfect environment for a break out star, or star team.

 

 

We Built This City

The Las Vegas Valley is home to 2 million people.  Residents not only support the tourism industry but a city that has built phenomenal schools, medical centers, universities, parks, and just about everything any metropolis across the nation has.  So when the birth of a hockey team came down the canal, a city so strong and passionate was committed to nurturing this creation, ensuring its success.

 

 

The Perfect Recipe

A professional ice hockey team put together by General Manager George McPhee, with Head Coach Gerard Gallant, goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, and players such as Karlsson, Marchessault, Neal, Tuch, Reaves, to name a few, were the perfect ingredients to make NHL gold.  True, the doubling of the NHL by adding six new expansion teams did allow for high-caliber players to be drafted and traded but the advantage wasn’t unique to the Knights alone. New opportunities provide the freshness and clean state needed to create a masterpiece, whether its art, food, or sports.

 

Image by Yahoo Sports

Icing on the Cake

So maybe the Golden Knights didn’t officially “start from scratch.” But for the most part they were not expected to crush first season.  So every win was a happy surprise and each loss was considered par for the course.  Odds were against them and very few of us (except for me) thought the playoffs were ever within their reach.  With no pressing expectations, they could build on each win’s momentum.  Psychologically this is a jet stream that can take a team to the playoffs.

 

So can they win it ?!!  Yes, …but it helps if no one’s expecting it…..

 

Go Knights Go!

 

 

 

Daliah Wachs, MD, FAAFP is a nationally syndicated radio personality on GCN Network, iHeart Radio.

She is also a Board Certified Family Physician and Assistant Professor at Touro University Nevada