Welcome to the Stars Hollow Health and Fitness weekly diary. It will publish on Saturday afternoon and be open for discussion about health related issues including diet, exercise, health and health care issues, as well as, tips on what you can do when there is a medical emergency. Also an opportunity to share and exchange your favorite healthy recipes.
Questions are encouraged and I will answer to the best of my ability. If I can’t, I will try to steer you in the right direction. Naturally, I cannot give individual medical advice for personal health issues. I can give you information about medical conditions and the current treatments available.
You can now find past Health and Fitness News diaries here and on the right hand side of the Front Page.
Note to chefs: Quinoa doesn’t work as a risotto. It doesn’t have enough starch for the broth, which is what makes a good risotto creamy. Quinoa also has a grassy flavor and a texture that ranges from fluffy – too fluffy for risotto – to granular.
Quinoa is perfect, however, for a salad. It can be the main ingredient, or it can play alongside lettuces and other greens. Quinoa works very well as a pilaf, but think about adding vegetables that will complement its grassy flavor. Many of you may have been disturbed by the news that quinoa’s popularity abroad is making it unaffordable in Bolivia, where it has long been a staple. The good news is that several companies are committed to paying farmers fair market value for their produce.
Quinoa lends itself to lemony salads, and the rainbow mix is particularly nice because each type of quinoa has a slightly different texture.
his beautiful pink pilaf, made with pearl white quinoa, uses both roasted beets and their greens.
Use lentil or sunflower sprouts, which have a peppery flavor, in this well-textured salad.
These delightful “burgers” can be served as a main dish or side, and made with spinach in place of chard.
The addition of cooked quinoa to regular buttermilk pancake batter results in a thick, moist pancake that’s hefty but not heavy.
Many Young Adults May Have High Blood Pressure
By Denise Mann
Study Shows Nearly 19% of Young Adults May Have Hypertension
May 25, 2011 — Close to 19% of young adults may have high blood pressure, and just half of them are aware of it despite this condition’s strong link to heart attack and stroke risk, according to a new study.
Job-Related Exercise Helps People Stay Healthy
By Bill Hendrick
76% of Men Meet Exercise Guidelines by Combining Work and Leisure Activity
May 26, 2011 — Walking or performing physically demanding work on the job helps U.S. adults meet minimum physical activity guidelines that could lead to better health, the CDC says in a new report.
The report is based on survey of nearly 386,400 U.S. adults who answered questions about their physical activity on and off the job.
About 64% of participants said they met minimum physical activity guidelines in their free time. That includes 68.5% of men and 60.4% of women.
Adding on-the-job physical activity pushed those percentages to about 76% for men and nearly 66% for women.
Racial, Ethnic Gap in Stroke Care
By Bill Hendrick
American Heart Association Spotlights Differences in Stroke Care Among Ethnic Groups
May 26, 2011 – The American Heart Association (AHA) is calling for new efforts to curb stroke in minority groups.
In a scientific statement, the AHA notes that stroke is more common among African-Americans, Hispanics, American Indians, and Alaskan Natives than among whites.
Do Tinted Glasses Provide Migraine Relief?
By Kathleen Doheny
Study Suggests Wearing Precision Tinted Lenses Can Ease Migraines in Some Patients
May 27, 2011 — Precision tinted lenses can help reduce the discomfort experienced by some migraine sufferers by normalizing activity in the brain, a study suggests.
Some people who suffer migraines ”are highly susceptible to stressful visual stimuli,” says study researcher Jie Huang, PhD, associate professor of radiology at Michigan State University.
Stroke Rehab: Home Exercise as Good as Rehab Facility
By Brenda Goodman
Study Shows Walking Improves for Stroke Patients Who Get Physical Therapy at Home
May 25, 2011 — When it comes to helping stroke patients walk again, low-tech, home-based approaches to rehabilitation may work just as well as specialized treadmill training in a rehab facility, a new study shows.
The key to the success, researchers say, appears to be the intensity and frequency of the exercise, not where it’s performed or even how long after stroke patients wait to start physical therapy.
‘Placebo Effect’ May Be Common in Headache Treatment
By Salynn Boyles
Study Shows Many Patients Feel Better Even When Their Medicine Is Just a ‘Dummy Pill’
May 23, 2011 — There is a substantial “placebo effect” in the treatment of migraines and tension headaches, a new research analysis shows.
Placebo treatments or no treatment appeared to work just as well as drugs in a large percentage of headache patients participating in more than 100 studies.
Inhaled Drugs for COPD Linked to Urinary Problem
By Brenda Goodman
Study Shows Inhaled Anticholinergic Drugs May Increase Risk for Acute Urinary Retention
May 23, 2011 — Men who take certain kinds of inhaled medications to treat chronic lung disease are more likely to experience a medical emergency called acute urinary retention than those who don’t take the drugs, a new study shows.
Acute urinary retention is feeling the pressure, pain, and urgency of a having full bladder without being able to relieve it by urination. If left untreated, urine can back up into the kidneys, causing infections and even organ damage.
Low Vitamin D Levels May Be Linked to MS
By Jennifer Warner
Study Shows Many African-Americans With Multiple Sclerosis Also Have Vitamin D Deficiency
May 23, 2011 — African-Americans with multiple sclerosis (MS) may be more likely to have low vitamin D levels than African-Americans without the disease.
A new study shows 77% of African-Americans with MS were vitamin D deficient compared with 71% of African-Americans without the disease.
USDA Revises Cooking Temperatures for Pork
By Bill Hendrick
Whole Cuts of Pork Should be Cooked to an Internal Temperature of 145 degrees, with a 3-Minute Rest Time
May 25, 2011 — Just in time for the start of grilling season, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has updated guidelines for safely preparing pork. The USDA recommends that pork be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
The federal agency says it is lowering the recommended safe cooking temperature for whole cuts of pork from 160 degrees to 145 degrees and adding a 3-minute rest time.
That temperature should be measured with a food thermometer placed in the thickest part of the meat, then allowing the meat to sit for three minutes before carving or eating.
The safe temperature for beef, veal, and lamb remains at 145 degrees, but the USDA says it is adding a 3-minute rest time to its preparation recommendations.
9 Sunscreens Get Top Ratings by Consumer Reports
By Kathleen Doheny
Magazine Evaluates Sunscreens on How Well They Protect From UVA and UVB Rays
May 24, 2011 — Nine of 22 sunscreens tested by Consumer Reports Health earned a ”recommended” or “Best Buy” rating in the organization’s latest evaluation.
All nine got excellent marks for protection from UVB rays (which cause sunburn) even after water immersion. All provided very good protection against UVA rays, which penetrate deeper and are linked with aging and tanning.
The results, issued today, are published in the July 2011 Consumer Reports.
Environmental Group: Only 1 in 5 Sunscreens OK
By Kathleen Doheny
Environmental Working Group Rates Sunscreens for Safety and Effectiveness; Industry Group Calls Report ‘Reckless’
May 23, 2011 — Just in time for the beginning of summer, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) has issued its 5th annual guide to sunscreen products.
Just one in five of more than 600 beach and sport sunscreens made the cut. Another 11 products earned a spot in the group’s Hall of Shame.
The report also evaluates lip balms, moisturizers, and makeup products that claim sun protection.
Meningitis Rate Is Dropping in U.S.
By Salynn Boyles
CDC Researchers Say Pneumococcal Vaccine Is Helping to Lower Meningitis Rate
May 25, 2011 — Cases of bacterial meningitis continue to decline in the U.S., with incidence falling by almost a third over the last decade, the CDC says.
The latest drop is being attributed in part to the introduction of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, which protects children from a leading cause of bacterial meningitis, Streptococcus pneumoniae.
Atrial Fibrillation Raises Death Risk for Middle-Aged Women
By Kathleen Doheny
Study Shows Increased Risk of Death for Women Who Are Newly Diagnosed With Atrial Fibrillation
May 24, 2011 — Otherwise healthy middle-aged women newly diagnosed with a heart rhythm problem known as atrial fibrillation are at increased risk of premature death, a study shows.
The study is published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Weight Gain Between Pregnancies Raises Gestational Diabetes Risk
By Cari Nierenberg
Women Putting on Pounds Between First and Second Pregnancy Increase Their Odds of Gestational Diabetes, Researchers Say
May 23, 2011 — The amount of weight a woman gains or loses between a first and second pregnancy influences her risk for gestational diabetes, new research reveals.
In the study, which appears in the online issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology, researchers analyzed the medical records over a decade of more than 22,000 Northern California women who belonged to the same health plan. They looked at how many pounds a woman gained or lost between a first and second pregnancy, in normal weight and overweight women.
Study Gives New View of ‘Full-Term’ Pregnancy
By Denise Mann
Babies Born Between 39 and 41 Weeks of Pregnancy May Do Better Than Babies Born a Few Weeks Earlier
May 23, 2011 — Babies born between 39 and 41 weeks of pregnancy fare better than infants born during weeks 37 or 38, a study shows.
A term birth is considered 37 to 41 weeks, but the new study suggests it is more of a continuum.
The findings appear in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Prostate Cancer Drug Zytiga May Extend Life
By Denise Mann
Study Shows Zytiga Adds 4 Months of Life to Patients With Advanced Prostate Cancer May 25, 2011 — The newly approved prostate cancer pill Zytiga (abiraterone acetate) may extend life by up to four months in men with spreading cancer who have already been treated with chemotherapy, a study shows.
This survival gain “means quite a bit,” says study researcher Howard I. Scher, MD, chief of the genitourinary oncology service at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. “These are a group of patients for whom there is no standard of care and it is particularly gratifying to see these results, to say the least.”
The new study is published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Brisk Walking May Help Keep Prostate Cancer in Check
By Bill Hendrick
Study Suggests Walking Briskly Reduces Chances That Prostate Cancer Will Get Worse
May 24, 2011 — Brisk walking may help men diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer reduce their risk of progression of the disease, according to a new study.
Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco and the Harvard School of Public Health followed 1,455 men who had been diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer.
Autism Brains Alike; Very Different From Normal Brains
By Daniel J. DeNoon
Common ‘Developmental Patterning Defect’ Seen in Autistic Brains
May 25, 2011 — A common brain defect occurs in about 75% of people with autism, molecular analysis of autistic brains reveals.
It’s becoming clear that there are many different causes of autism and that autism takes many different forms. Some researchers have proposed that the various “autisms” may even be different diseases.
Preschoolers Who Sleep Less Weigh More by Age 7
By Brenda Goodman
Amount of Sleep Linked to Kids’ Weight and Body Fat
May 26, 2011 — How much sleep a child gets may affect their weight and their body fat.
That’s according to a new study, published in BMJ.
The study shows that found that preschoolers who are sleep less are more likely to be overweight or obese by the time they’re 7 years old, even when diet and other lifestyle factors are taken into account.
Babies Think, Therefore …
By Salynn Boyles
Infants Use Pure Reasoning to Make Sense of the World
May 26, 2011 — Babies as young as 12 months old can reason and make rational predictions about how novel situations will play out, according to an international team of researchers who study the infant mind.
The findings suggest that, like adults, babies are capable of sophisticated analysis when they encounter new and complex visual scenes.
Kids May Get Pain From Playing Handheld Games
By Bill Hendrick
Study Shows Children Report Wrist and Finger Pain From Using Gaming Devices, Mobile Phones
May 25, 2011 — Young people who use gaming devices or mobile phones for extended periods of time may experience pain in their wrists and fingers, a study shows.
Researchers studied the effects of playing computer games on devices such as a Gameboy or an Xbox on wrist and finger pain in 257 students between the ages of 9 and 15 in two schools in St. Louis.
They also looked at the effect of mobile phone use, including texting, over time.
Do Probiotics Relieve Constipation in Children?
By Bill Hendrick
Although Some Adults Found Relief by Taking Probiotics, the ‘Friendly’ Bacteria Have No Benefit for Children With Constipation, Researchers Say
May 23, 2011 — Researchers in Europe say a fermented dairy product containing a specific bacterium known as a probiotic did not relieve constipation in children more than a dairy product without a probiotic.
The finding is significant, the researchers say, because probiotics have helped some adults with constipation.
Developmental Disabilities on the Rise in U.S.
By Salynn Boyles
CDC Survey Shows Increase in Autism, ADHD, and Other Conditions in Children
May 23, 2011 — Autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnoses are on the rise in the U.S., with one in six children now having these or other developmental disabilities, according to new figures from the CDC.
Nearly 10 million U.S. children had developmental disabilities in 2008 — a 17% increase in just over a decade, says epidemiologist Sheree Boule, PhD, of the CDC’s National Center for Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities.
Eating Meat May Raise Colon Cancer Risk
By Denise Mann
Study Suggests Eating Less Red Meat and Processed Meat May Cut Chances of Getting Colon Cancer
May 23, 2011 — Red meat and processed meat may increase the risk of developing colon cancer, according to a new report from the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) and the World Cancer Research Fund.
The report, which builds on the two groups’ 2007 Continuous Update Project, points to solid evidence that eating less red meat and avoiding processed meat altogether can slash colon cancer risk.
Food Pyramid Replacement Coming June 2
By Daniel J. DeNoon
New Icon Heralds ‘Monumental Effort’ to Make Americans Healthy
May 26, 2011 — In an exclusive interview with WebMD, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) says the replacement for the Food Pyramid will be announced on June 2 — and that the new icon heralds a “monumental effort” to improve America’s health.
Why a new icon? The pyramid really does not capture the public’s attention anymore, Robert C. Post, PhD, deputy director of the USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, tells WebMD.
Omega-3s May Reduce Heart Risks for People With Stents
By Bill Hendrick
Study Shows Benefits of Omega-3s Plus Blood Thinners to Reduce Blood Clotting
May 26, 2011 — Combining two blood-thinning drugs with omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of heart attack for people with stents in their arteries, a new study shows.
The combination of omega-3s plus blood thinners may significantly change the blood-clotting process, according to researchers.
People who have stents are at risk of blood clots forming where the stent is placed. Blood thinners are given to reduce the risk of blood clots.
Baked or Broiled Fish May Cut Heart Failure Risk
By Bill Hendrick
Study Shows the Way You Cook Fish Plays a Role in Reducing Heart Risk
May 24, 2011 — Eating baked or broiled fish regularly may decrease the odds of heart failure in older women, new research suggests. But eating fried fish, even in small amounts, may have the opposite effect.
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