The Weekly Dose...

... the latest from Dr Karan

  Here is your weekly dose...  

Hi all!Here is your weekly dose of the Sunday Six! A list of what has piqued my interest and things I've been pondering.If you're enjoying these newsletters please forward them to your friends, family and even enemies! Help me to help as many people as possible.**You'll find more in depth analysis of some of these subjects on my social platforms in the links just below. As well as more content including Dr Karan Investigates for deep dives into interesting topics on my YouTube channel. Plus plenty of short videos about weird little facts and wonders in the world of medicine!**

A few points for you this week

😴

- A Concept I've Been Trying

This will be music to many people's ears. Science tells us to have a nap! No need to feel guilty about that midday siesta, we are evolutionary designed to to have a little nap. Naturally, our energy levels dip mid-afternoon. This is because of a biphasic sleeping pattern.

Napping is a law of nature. Just make sure you keep in under 90 minutes and have one before 4pm. A fantastic way to improve your cognitive, memory and energy levels. In fact the Japanese consider napping at work a sign of diligence... Inemuri, which means sleeping on the job!

'Lets normalise nap breaks at work!' a Dr Karan initiative.

🤔 

- What I've been doing

So, this past week you may have seen my post regarding adding subtitles to videos online and why going forward I'll be making sure everything I post will include them.

Captions on videos have a lot of benefits, of course if a person is deaf it is vital. But it is also very helpful for someone whose first language isn't English. A video with subtitles also helps with engagement if you're a content creator. If you're watching in public with the sound off, you'd be less likely to just scroll past if subtitles were on.

🍨

- This Weeks Fun Fact

Have you ever heard of something called Dessert Stomach? It isn't just a fun name, it is actually a medical fact. It relies on something called sensory-specific satiety. Simply put, this means that the more we eat something, the less you like it and this gives off the impression that you are full - your tummy is very British-like, instead of saying it doesn't like something it will be polite and pretend to be full.

But when we move onto something else, something sweet perhaps, our tummy will get out of its huff and wont feel as full anymore. Hence there always seems to be room for dessert!

📺

-What I'm Watching

The Sandman (Netflix)

DC's attempt to stay strong in the superhero world after Marvel left them in the dust with productions such as the End Game, Black Panther and The Guardian of the Galaxy franchises. DC have released this very exciting TV series starring Tom Sturridge as Morpheus. I have high hopes for this show, and will certainly continue watching as the first few episodes have me hooked!

It also brings me onto Encephalitis Lethargica, also known as Sleeping Sickness. Which Morpheus is responsible for bringing to the world in the series. Well the cool part - or not so cool - is that this is an actually illness. The story is based upon a real pandemic that spread across Europe around 1915/16. This illness certainly sounds like something from a movie set, so I've left a link for you to look into it a bit more, I promise you wont be disappointed!

🎧

-What I'm Listening to

Cornfield Chase - Hans Zimmer (Spotify)

Now, before you judge me for listening to some classical music, remember this isn't just music made by dead people. In some of our favourite movies we will find classical music scores, for example in Interstellar, a movie that I love! Plus all of Hans Zimmer's music is incredible, hence why he has been on the music scene for over four decades. Added fun fact, Zimmer worked with

The Buggles

and can be seen in their music video for

Video Killed the Radio Star!

This song is instantly calming, then becomes a little bit trippy. But all the while soothing from start to finish. You'll probably recognise this song from some of my videos, try and see if you can hear it!

📰

- What I've Seen in the News this Week

I mentioned this week that a DEXA scan had been doing the rounds online which claims to belong to Kim Kardashian. (A DEXA scan is a Dual-energy X-Ray, which looks at the bone density of a person)

Picture taken from a Buzzfeed article

Now, the fact that Ms Kardashian thought this had to be put on Social Media is not for me to dispute. But it does allow us an insight into what a DEXA scan shows - the white parts usually mean bones (with exclusion to the chest area, which I'm sure you all know what they are), red shows muscles, and the yellow/orange colour indicates fat.

Some of the numbers have been blurred out at the request of Kim Kardashian, but I just wanted to bring to your attention that her total body fat % puts her in an 'athletic' category. This is of course amazing news for someone, but take this gentle reminder that you don't need to compare yourself to celebrities, and that all bodies are unique. 

What is a DEXA scan? 

Usually a DEXA scan is used if a person is at high risk of developing bone issues such as osteoporosis. Somebody deemed high risk would be if you have broken a bone, perhaps suffer with arthritis, or are a woman post menopause.

And, as always, please give me feedback on Twitter. Which of this weeks Sunday Six was your favourite? Is there anything you would like to see more or less of? I'm always open to suggestions to make this newsletter as informative and enjoyable as possible.

Just send a tweet to @drkaranrajan with the hashtag #theweeklydose at the end so I can find it!

Have a wonderful week, all.

Much love,

Karan