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.
In countries where yogurt is part of the culinary landscape, it’s used in many savory dishes.
To thicken yogurt, simply put it into a cheesecloth-lined strainer set over a bowl and refrigerate for several hours. Or buy already thick Greek yogurt or lebna in Middle Eastern markets. But whatever you do, buy organic yogurt that has only two ingredients on the label: milk and live active cultures
Plain low-fat (not nonfat) yogurt was usd in this week’s recipes; full-fat yogurt will work too, but nonfat is too watery and often quite sour.
Based on a recipe for red mullet from “Classic Turkish Cooking” by Ghillie Basan.
This dish is much like the familiar Middle Eastern chickpea purée, but instead of tahini, the chickpeas are blended with yogurt.
The mild, subtle mâche, also known as lamb’s lettuce, contrasts nicely with the sharp, pungent garlic-spiked yogurt.
From Paula Wolfert’s book “The Cooking of the Eastern Mediterranean,” a simple combination of cooked squash, drained yogurt, garlic and tahini that proves you can make yogurt dips with just about any vegetable.
A vegetarian moussaka, with bulgur standing in for meat.
Why Cardiac Rehab Saves Lives
by Kathleen Doheny
Rehab Trains Heart Rate to Recover to Normal, Doubling Odds of Survival
Sept. 26, 2011 — Cardiac rehabilitation can be extremely effective, yet most people choose to avoid it. New research may make them think twice.
Cardiac rehabilitation can improve the ability of the heart to return quickly to a normal rate after exercise, and that in turn can double the chances of survival.
“Time and time again, cardiac rehabilitation has been shown to improve survival, to improve quality of life, and of course improve exercise capacity,” says researcher Leslie Cho, MD, section head of preventive cardiology and rehabilitation at the Cleveland Clinic.
Blood Test May Help Spot Stroke
by Charlene Laino
In Study, Blood Test Identified 98% of People Who’d Had Ischemic Stroke
Sept. 29, 2011 (San Diego) — A new blood test shows promise for helping to detect stroke.
In a preliminary study of 152 people, the test correctly identified 98% of those who had had an ischemic stroke and 86% of those who hadn’t had one. Ischemic stroke is the most common type of stroke. It occurs when a clot blocks blood flow in the brain.
New Type 1 Diabetes Genes Found
by Denise Mann
Researchers Gain Ground in Determining Genetic Risk for Disease
Sept. 29, 2011 — Researchers have identified a new set of genes that may increase risk for type 1 diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes is the form of the disease that occurs when the body produces little to no insulin, which is the hormone that helps the body keep blood sugar (glucose) levels in check. As a result, glucose builds up in the bloodstream. This leads to the symptoms of type 1 diabetes. People with type 1 diabetes must take insulin every day.
Too Many Heart Patients Getting Migraine Drugs
by Charlene Laino
Triptans Taken by 22% of Migraine Sufferers With Heart Problems Who Shouldn’t Take Them
Sept. 30, 2011 (San Diego) — A disturbing number of people with heart problems who shouldn’t be prescribed standard migraine medications like Amerge, Axert, Frova, Imitrex, Maxalt, Relpax, Treximet, and Zomig are given the drugs anyway, researchers say.
The drugs are all triptans. They’re considered very effective for treating migraine headaches and, for many people, the only drugs that work.
Adult Smoking Rates Differ Among Occupations
by Bill Hendrick
Blue Collar Jobs Tend to Have More Smokers, CDC Says
Sept. 29, 2011 — Education, occupation, and socioeconomic status are major factors affecting cigarette smoking rates among working adults, according to a new CDC report.
The CDC reports that the smoking rate of working adults is 19.6%, but that number jumps to 28.4% for those with less than a high school education, and to 28.6% for those who have no health insurance.
These rates are higher than Healthy People 2010 goals to reduce cigarette smoking rates among adults to 12% or less.
Study: BPA Often Undetectable in Blood of Adults
by Salynn Boyles
Most of the Chemical Is Quickly Eliminated in Urine, Researchers Say
Sept. 28, 2011 — Most of the bisphenol A (BPA) that adults ingest is quickly eliminated in the urine, new research confirms.
In the government-funded study, BPA was virtually undetectable in the blood of adults, even when levels in urine were high.
Prehypertension Tied to Increased Risk of Stroke
by Brenda Goodman
Study: Even Slightly High Blood Pressure Is Associated With Significant Stroke Risk
Sept. 28, 2011 — Having even slightly high blood pressure may substantially increase a person’s risk of having a stroke, new research shows.
The research, a review of 12 studies that included more than half a million people, found that adults who had prehypertension — meaning systolic blood pressure (the top number) between 120 and 139 or diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) between 80 and 89 — had a 55% increased risk of having a stroke compared to adults whose blood pressure fell within the normal range.
Study: Generic Quit-Smoking Drug Works
by Salynn Boyles
Tabex Used in Russia for More Than 40 Years
Sept. 28, 2011 — An inexpensive drug widely used in Central and Eastern Europe, but not approved in the United States, more than tripled smokers’ chances of successfully kicking the habit in a new study published in the latest New England Journal of Medicine.
The drug, Tabex (cytisine), has been used for smoking cessation in Russia and other Eastern European countries for more than four decades, but no rigorous studies have ever been done to prove its effectiveness.
Many Skip Doses of Rx Drugs to Save Money
by Denise Mann
Survey Shows Skipping Doses and Taking Expired Pills Are Among Patients’ Cost-Cutting Tactics
Sept. 27, 2011 — Robert Schwartz, MD, recently got an email from a patient he was treating for high blood pressure. In the email, the patient told Schwartz that at $130 month, the cost of his prescription blood pressure drug was too steep.
Schwartz, a professor and chairman of family medicine and community health at University of Miami School of Medicine, made some calls and found a more affordable solution for his patient.
Listeria Prompts Romaine Lettuce Recall
by Daniel J. DeNoon
Bagged Chopped Romaine Shipped to 21 States May Carry Listeria
Sept. 30, 2011 — Listeria may contaminate bagged chopped or shredded romaine lettuce shipped to distributors in 21 states.
No illnesses linked to the lettuce have been reported. There does not appear to be any link to the ongoing outbreak of listeria in Colorado cantaloupes.
True Leaf Farms of Salinas, Calif., is recalling 2,498 cartons of chopped or shredded romaine lettuce. The FDA detected listeria in a single bag of the lettuce during routine tests.
Ground Beef Recalled in 14 States
by Matt McMillen
E. coli Infections in Ohio Traced to Contaminated Meat
Sept. 29, 2011 — A potential E. coli 0157:H7 contamination has spurred the recall of over 130,000 pounds of ground beef products. On Sept. 27, the USDA issued a Class 1 recall of ground beef products shipped from Emporia, Kan., by Tyson Fresh Meats Inc. to 14 states.
A Class 1 recall is the highest risk category and is issued when there is a “reasonable probability that eating the food will cause health problems or death,” according to the USDA’s web site.
Study: MRSA Common Among Some Dental Students
by Salynn Boyles
1 in 5 UAW Dental Students Tested Carried the Drug-Resistant Staph Strain
Sept. 29, 2011 — Dental students in a Seattle study had very high rates of colonization with MRSA, the drug-resistant strain of staph, raising new questions about the prevalence of the bacteria outside of hospitals in community health care settings.
People who are colonized with MRSA carry the bacteria in their nose or on their skin, but they may or may not have signs or symptoms of infection. They can spread MRSA to others, however.
Listeria: Are You at Risk?
by Daniel J. DeNoon
FAQ on Deadly, Little-Understood Listeria Bug Behind Cantaloupe Outbreak
Sept. 29, 2011 — Are you at risk from listeria, the deadly bacteria now in the news?
The death toll is rising in the ongoing outbreak from contaminated cantaloupe. It’s now the largest outbreak of food-borne illness in more than a decade.
Suddenly the spotlight is on listeria. What is it? Where is it found? Who’s at risk? What can we do about it? What are the symptoms of listeriosis, and how is it treated? Here’s WebMD’s FAQ.
The X Factor: Why Women May Be Healthier Than Men
by Denise Mann
The Reason Women Live Longer May Lie in Their Second X Chromosome
Sept. 28, 2011 — “X” may really mark the spot when it comes to why women live about five to 10 years longer than men and are less likely to develop certain diseases.
Specifically, it’s the X chromosome and the microRNA — or tiny strains of ribonucleic acid — that it contains. Men have one X chromosome and one Y chromosome, and women have two X’s. Their microRNA tells our genes what to do or not to do.
Childless Men May Have Higher Heart Risk
by Salynn Boyles
Study Shows Men With No Kids Had 17% Increased Risk in Death From Heart Disease or Stroke
Sept. 26, 2011 — Men who remain childless throughout their lives may be more likely to die from heart disease and stroke than men who become fathers, a new study suggests.
Researchers followed more than 135,000 older men for a decade in an effort to examine the impact of fatherhood on health.
They found that childless men and men with just one child were more likely to die from cardiovascular causes such as heart attack and stroke than men who fathered more than one child, study researcher Michael L. Eisenberg, MD, tells WebMD.
Shorter Course of Radiation May Treat Prostate Cancer
by Charlene Laino
Researchers See Potential Benefits for a 5-Week Course of Radiation Therapy
Sept. 27, 2011 — A shorter, cheaper, and more convenient five-week course of radiation appears to work just as well as the traditional seven-and-one-half week schedule for men with prostate cancer.
In a study of 303 men, cancer recurred in about 15% of those given both the shorter and usual courses of radiation.
But five years after treatment, incontinence and other urinary side effects were about twice as common in men who received the short course, says Alan Pollack, MD, head of radiation oncology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
Does Saw Palmetto Treat Enlarged Prostate?
by Denise Mann
Study Shows Saw Palmetto Is No Better Than Placebo in Treating Symptoms of BPH
Sept. 27, 2011 — For years, men with enlarged prostate glands have turned to a supplement called saw palmetto to ease their trouble with urination and other symptoms.
Exactly how saw palmetto was thought to relieve the symptoms is unclear, but the fruit of saw palmetto dwarf palm tree remains widely used.
Now, a new study shows that this popular remedy is no more effective than a placebo or dummy pill at relieving these symptoms — even in high doses.
The study is published in The Journal of the American Medical Association.
Do Men Need Earlier Colorectal Screenings?
by Matt McMillen
Austrian Study Shows That Men Develop Cancer and Precancerous Growths Earlier Than Women
Sept. 27, 2011 — Men and women should be screened for colorectal cancer starting at different ages, a new study suggests.
The Austrian study, published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that men frequently have advanced polyps that could lead to colorectal cancer at ages 45 to 49, a decade earlier than women. These findings have prompted the researchers to conclude that men should likely have their first colonoscopy earlier than 50, the age that current guidelines recommend.
Kids With Diabetes May Be More Likely to Have Asthma
by Denise Mann
Study Shows Kids With Asthma and Diabetes Are More Likely to Have Trouble Controlling Blood Sugar
Sept. 26, 2011 — Children who have diabetes may be more likely to also have asthma. What’s more, kids with both conditions are more likely to have poor control over their diabetes.
These are the two main findings of a new study in Pediatrics.
The study didn’t explore why asthma and diabetes may be linked. But the two conditions share certain risk factors, including obesity.
They are also both related to underlying inflammation, says study researcher Mary Helen Black, PhD. She is a biostatistician/data consultant at Southern California Permanente Medical Group in Pasadena.
Black says that the next step will be to look at how diabetes and asthma are connected.
Teens: Sleep in, Gain Weight? by Salynn Boyles
In Study, Teens Who Went to Bed Late and Woke Late Were More Likely to Gain Weight
Sept. 30, 2011 — Kids and teens who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to become obese and have other health problems, but new research suggests that the timing of sleep may be as important as total sleep time.
In the Australian study, older children and teenagers who went to bed latest and woke up latest were more likely to gain weight than those who went to bed earliest and got up earliest, even though total sleep times for the two groups were virtually the same.
Lack of Sleep for Teens Linked to Risky Behavior
by Jennifer Warner
Study Shows Sleep-Deprived Teens More Likely to Drink, Smoke, or Get Into Fights
Sept. 27, 2011 — Teenagers who don’t get enough sleep on school nights may be more likely to take risks with their health.
A new CDC study shows high school students who sleep less than eight hours on school nights are more likely to drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes, seriously consider suicide, and engage in a variety of other risky behaviors.
Teen Use of Stimulants for ADHD on the Rise
by Denise Mann
Study Shows More Teens Are Getting Prescriptions to Treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Sept. 28, 2011 — More teens are receiving prescription stimulants to treat symptoms of their attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Close to 9% of children aged 4 to 17 years have received a diagnosis of ADHD. It’s a behavioral disorder marked by impulsiveness, hyperactivity, and inattention.
Stimulants such as Adderall, Concerta, Dexedrine, and Ritalin are often the first line of therapy. Treatment also involves behavioral changes, such as keeping set schedules and routines.
Low Vitamin B12 May Speed Brain Shrinkage
by Salynn Boyles
Study Shows Older People With Vitamin B12 Deficiency Had Lower Scores on Memory Tests
Sept. 26, 2011 — Older people with low levels of vitamin B12 may be more prone to age-related memory declines and brain shrinkage.
That finding, reported in Neurology, comes from researchers at Chicago’s Rush University Medical Center. They found that older people with blood markers associated with vitamin B12 deficiency had the smallest brains and the lowest scores on tests measuring thinking, reasoning, and memory.
The brain naturally shrinks as people age, and it appears that those with the greatest reductions in brain volume are most at risk for Alzheimer’s disease and other age-related dementias.
Talking About End-of-Life Care Doesn’t Raise Death Risk
by Jennifer Warner
Study Shows People Who Prepare Advance Directives Don’t Die Sooner
Sept. 28, 2011 — Talking about end-of-life care and having advance directives doesn’t make death come any more quickly, according to a new study.
Advance directives are legal documents that allow you to record your wishes concerning medical care in the event that you become incapacitated and are unable to speak for yourself.
Antipsychotics Offer Modest Benefits for Non-Approved Conditions
by Brenda Goodman
Study Examines Risks and Benefits of Drugs Used for Conditions Not Specifically Approved by FDA
Sept. 27, 2011 — A new research review shows that powerful drugs approved to treat schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression may have modest benefits when they are prescribed for certain other mental and behavioral problems.
The study is published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Magic Mushroom Drug Has an ‘Anti-Aging Effect’ on Personality
by Brenda Goodman
After Taking Psilocybin, Many Become More Open, Creative, and Curious
Sept. 29, 2011 — Psilocybin, the drug in “magic mushrooms,” helps many people become more open, creative, and curious after they take a single high dose, a new study shows.
Ordinarily, researchers say, after age 30 personality is a pretty fixed part of who we are.
When people do change their stripes, it’s usually in the wake of significant life events that cause emotional upheaval, like marriage, divorce, or getting fired from a job.
Twitter Tracks Mood Swings
by Denise Mann
Social Media Patterns Show Better Moods on the Weekends, Early Morning, Midnight
Sept. 29, 2011 — Twitter may tell us a whole lot more than whether or not actors Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher are really on the rocks or what reality TV star Kim Kardashian had over for lunch.
All of this tweeting may actually give researchers a glimpse into moods and mood patterns across the globe. The Twitterverse served as a virtual laboratory for graduate student Scott A. Golder and Michael Macy, PhD, professor of sociology at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y.
Antipsychotics Offer Modest Benefits for Non-Approved Conditions
by Brenda Goodman
Study Examines Risks and Benefits of Drugs Used for Conditions Not Specifically Approved by FDA
Sept. 27, 2011 — A new research review shows that powerful drugs approved to treat schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression may have modest benefits when they are prescribed for certain other mental and behavioral problems.
The study is published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Variety of Fruits, Veggies Best vs. Colon Cancer
by Rita Rubin
Study: Not All Fruits, Veggies Fight Colon Cancer Equally
Sept. 26, 2011 — Location, location, location: A new study suggests fruits and vegetables may help protect different parts of the colon against cancer.
Broccoli and cauliflower helped one part of the colon more, while carrots and apples helped in another part.
Drink Coffee, Stay Happy?
by Kathleen Doheny
4 Cups Daily Linked With 20% Lower Risk of Depression in Women, but Mental Health Expert Urges Caution
Sept. 26, 2011 — Some coffee drinkers may have a reason to smile — or keep smiling.
Drinking several cups a day is linked with a lower risk of depression, according to a new study that looked only at women. The benefit seems to start at two cups a day.
The study is published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Diet for Autism: What Works?
by Kathlenn Doheny
Parents Who Try Special Diets for Autism Should Be Supported, Even Though Evidence Conflicting, Experts Say
Sept. 28, 2011 (San Diego) — Up to half of children with autism are placed on special diets by their parents to improve symptoms, despite conflicting evidence that they work.
Now, a small new study of the popular gluten-free/casein-free diet, or GFCF diet, suggests it does not work, says Patricia Stewart, RD, PhD, of the University of Rochester. She presented the findings here at the American Dietetic Association’s Food Conference Expo in San Diego.
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