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.
Dinner for one can be a conundrum. If you never know when you’re going to be home it’s difficult to plan. If you’ve been cooking for a family for years and now your children are out of the house, you may be flummoxed by the idea of preparing a meal for just one person. Or say you’re divorced, and some nights your children are with their other parent. How do you plan a dinner for yourself?
As in most of the other comforting and simple dinners for one in this week’s Recipes for Health, all of the elements here can be prepared in advance of assembling this dish.
This meal, which Italians call “eggs in purgatory,” comes together in little more time than it takes to toast some bread and warm the sauce.
Long-lasting endive makes this a forgiving dish for busy cooks with unpredictable schedules.
This is like a South Asian version of huevos rancheros. The sauce yields more than what you’ll need for one serving. Refrigerate or freeze what you don’t use.
Toasted whole-grain bread forms a foundation for garlicky greens and silky poached eggs.
Blood Pressure Drugs at Bedtime May Cut Heart Risk
by Kathleen Doheny
Study Suggests Benefits to Taking Blood Pressure Drugs Before Going to Sleep
Oct. 27, 2011 — Taking at least one blood pressure medicine at bedtime cuts the risk of heart problems, according to new research.
The study also shows that participants taking at least one blood pressure pill at bedtime had lower blood pressure while asleep.
Routine Chest X-Rays May Not Cut Lung Cancer Deaths
by Laird Harrison
Study Shows Routine Chest X-Rays Are Not Effective at Detecting Lung Cancer Early
Oct. 26, 2011 (Honolulu) — Getting a routine chest X-ray is not likely to reduce your chance of dying from lung cancer.
That’s the result of a study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association and presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians.
It came as a disappointment because more people die of lung cancer worldwide than any other cancer. Researchers are looking for ways to detect lung cancer before it grows too difficult to treat effectively.
Experimental Drug May Help Treat Psoriasis by Brenda Goddman, MA
Study Shows Briakinumab Is Effective in Clearing Up Psoriasis Skin Lesions
Oct. 26, 2011 — An experimental drug called briakinumab appears to be more effective than a standard medication for treating psoriasis, a new study shows.
The study is published in the New England Journal of Medicine. It included psoriasis patients who were assigned to get monthly injections of briakinumab or to take methotrexate pills weekly.
Cataract Surgery May Be Safer With Laser
By Charlene Laino
Laser Pretreatment Softens Cataracts, Allows for Safer, Easier Removal, Researchers Say
Oct. 25, 2011 (Orlando, Fla.) — Laser pretreatment to “soften” cataracts appears to be making cataract surgery safer, two new studies suggest.
“There certainly seems to be a benefit to using the laser,” says American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) spokesman James Salz, MD, clinical professor of ophthalmology at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. He reviewed the findings for WebMD.
Yoga, Stretching May Ease Lower Back Pain
by Jennifer Warner
Study Shows Yoga or Intensive Stretching Are Effective Treatments for Chronic Lower Back Pain
Oct. 25, 2011 — Practicing yoga or intensive stretching may improve chronic lower back pain and reduce the need for pain medications.
A new study shows 12 weeks of weekly yoga classes improved back function and reduced symptoms in people with chronic lower back pain.
The pain reduction continued six months after the classes began and participants were able to use less medication to manage their lower back pain.
Researchers say it’s the largest study to date on yoga for back pain.
The study is published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Insomnia May Raise Heart Attack Risk
by Salynn Boyles
Study Shows Poor Sleepers Have More Heart Attacks Than Those Without Insomnia
Oct. 24, 2011 — Poor sleepers who toss and turn most nights may be at risk for more than just daytime sleepiness.
Chronic insomnia has been linked to depression and anxiety, and now a large study from Norway finds that it may also increase the risk of heart attacks.
People in the study with insomnia symptoms had more heart attacks than people without insomnia symptoms, and those with the most symptoms had the highest risk.
Restore Your Near Vision — Without Reading Glasses
by Charlene Laino
Cornea Inlay Improves Near Vision in People With Presbyopia
Oct. 24, 2011 (Orlando, Fla.) — A Lifesaver-shaped micro-disc about the size of a pinpoint can help restore normal reading vision in the millions of baby boomers who have trouble making out newspaper print, cell phone text messages, and other small print, researchers say.
Vaccine May Help Slow Spread of Lung Cancer
by Matt McMillen
Experimental Vaccine Targets a Protein Linked to Many Cases of Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer
Oct. 21, 2011 — A cancer vaccine shows potential to slow the spread of cancer among lung cancer patients, a study shows.
The experimental vaccine targets a protein linked to more than half of all cases of non-small-cell lung cancer, the most common form of lung cancer.
The study is published in The Lancet Oncology.
Panel Recommends Hepatitis B Vaccine for Diabetes Patients
by Daniel J. DeNoon
Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices Votes to Recommend Vaccine for Patients Under 60
Oct. 25, 2011 — Do you have diabetes? Get the hepatitis B vaccine, says the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).
By a 12-2 vote, the ACIP strongly recommended the hepatitis B vaccine for diabetes patients under age 60 who have not been fully vaccinated. It also urged hepatitis vaccination of some older diabetes patients.
Males Aged 11-21 Should Get Gardasil HPV Vaccine
by Daniel J. DeNoon
Advisory Panel Votes 13-0 to Make HPV Vaccination Routine for Boys
Oct. 25, 2011 — Boys and men aged 11 to 21 should routinely be offered the Gardasil vaccine for HPV, the human papillomavirus, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) today voted.
Although HPV vaccination is approved for males as well as females, it has been routinely recommended only for girls and women up to age 26. The ACIP decision changes that.
The panel voted 13-0, with one abstention, to make HPV vaccination with Gardasil routine for boys aged 11-12. In a second 8-5-1 vote, the panel extended routine Gardasil vaccination to boys and men through age 21.
And in a third vote, the panel voted 13-0-1 to recommend Gardasil for 22- to 26-year-old men who have sex with men, or who have weakened immune systems. Boys 11-12 years old will be offered Gardasil as a routine vaccination; it can be given as early as age 9. It will be offered as a catch-up vaccination to older teens and young men who have not completed the three-shot series.
FDA: Some Asthma Drugs Riskier for Kids Than Adults
By Salynn Boyles
Rare Side Effects of Long-Acting Beta-Agonists Are More Likely in Children
Oct. 25, 2011 — Children are more vulnerable than adults to rare but potentially life-threatening events associated with asthma drugs known as long-acting beta-agonists (LABAs), a new analysis from the FDA shows.
The analysis is published in Pediatrics.
How Effective Are Flu Vaccines?
BY SalynnBoyles
Study Suggests Flu Vaccine Provides Moderate Protection Against Flu
Oct. 25, 2011 — As flu season approaches, a new analysis finds that the flu vaccine provides only moderate protection against the flu, noting that such protection is greatly reduced or absent during some flu seasons.
The analysis is published in The Lancet.
C. diff Infections in Hospitals Are Leveling Off
By Laird Harrison
Researchers Say Careful Use of Antibiotics and Better Sanitary Methods May Be Curbing C. diff Infections
Oct. 26, 2011 (Honolulu) — After explosive growth in North American hospitals at the beginning of the millennium, the number of new infections with the bacterium Clostridium difficile (C. diff) appears to have leveled off, a new study shows.
“We find this tremendous growth from 2000 to 2005, but from 2005 to 2009 there is a leveling off,” study co-researcher Marya D. Zilberberg, MD, MPH, tells WebMD.
IVF May Raise Risk for Less Aggressive Ovarian Cancer
by Sonya Collins
Study Shows Increased Risk for ‘Borderline’ Ovarian Tumors in Women Who Had In Vitro Fertilization
Oct. 27, 2011 — Women who undergo ovarian stimulation as part of IVF (in vitro fertilization) treatment may be more likely to develop “borderline” ovarian tumors, but not invasive ovarian tumors, later in life, Dutch researchers report.
The researchers defined borderline ovarian tumors as low-grade ovarian cancer that is far less aggressive than invasive ovarian cancer.
The new study is published online in Human Reproduction. It’s the first study to compare ovarian cancer rates among women with fertility problems who had gotten IVF and those who had not.
More Women With Breast Cancer Get Nipple-Sparing Surgery
by Salynn Boyles
Study Shows Nipple-Sparing Mastectomies Are Just as Safe as Conventional Surgery
Oct. 27, 2011 — More women facing mastectomies are opting for surgeries that remove the breast tissue but not the skin, nipple, and areola.
Concerns that a procedure called nipple-sparing mastectomy could raise the risk of a return of cancer have kept the surgery from being widely adopted in the past. That is changing as more surgical centers offer the procedure.
Supporters say that in the right patients nipple-sparing mastectomies can be just as safe and successful as more conventional breast removal.
Study: Newer Birth Control Pills May Double Blood Clot Risk
by Brenda Goodman, MA
Overall Risk Is Still Low, but May Be Highest During the First Few Months of Use
Oct. 25, 2011 — Women who take newer birth control pills appear to get dangerous blood clots in their veins about twice as often as women on an older pill formulation. That was the finding of one of the largest studies ever to look at the link between blood clots and hormonal contraception.
Still, the newer pills carry a low risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE), experts stressed, and women should consult with their doctors before changing their birth control.
HPV May Be Linked to Heart Attack, Stroke in Women
by Denise Mann
Study Suggests Vaccine for Human Papillomavirus Could One Day Help Prevent Heart Disease
Oct. 24, 2011 — It’s well known that several types of human papillomavirus (HPV) cause most cases of cervical cancer. Now new research suggests that some of these same types of HPV may also increase a woman’s likelihood of having a heart attack and/or stroke — even without any other risk factors.
Binge Eating Often Overlooked in Men
by Denise Mann
Researchers Say Men Are Often Not Included in Studies About Binge Eating
Oct. 27, 2011 — Eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia are more common among women than men. Binge eating, however, occurs at similar rates among both sexes. Yet men are rarely included in research studies on binge eating and its consequences and treatments, a study shows.
The researchers analyzed data from 21,743 men and 24,608 women who participated in a health risk self- assessment. Binge eating in the past month was reported by 7.5% of men and 11.19% of women.
The study is published in the International Journal of Eating Disorders.
Autism Linked to Unusual Shapes in Lungs
by Laird Harrison
Study Shows Children Born With a Unique Airway Shape May Have Autism
Oct. 25, 2011 (Honolulu) — Children born with a certain shape in their airways — the tubes that take air to the lungs — all have autism or autism spectrum disorder, according to a new study.
The study is one of the few to show a strong link between anatomy and autism and may indicate a genetic cause for the syndrome, says Barbara Stewart, MD. She presented the study today at CHEST 2011, the Annual Meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians.
Studies: Vision Problems in Preschoolers Are Common
by Charlene Laino
Researchers Say as Many as 1 in 4 Preschoolers Has Vision Problem That Needs Attention
Oct. 28, 2011 (Orlando, Fla.) — Vision problems among preschoolers may be more common than previously thought.
That’s the conclusion of researchers who conducted two large studies funded by the National Institutes of Health.
Previously, it was estimated that one in 20 preschoolers had vision problems. But the studies show that as many as one out of every four preschool-aged children may have a vision problem that needs attention.
The studies also show that even mild problems left untreated in childhood may lead to permanent vision loss.
Does Playing Outdoors Benefit Kids’ Vision?
By Charlene Laino
Study Shows Children Who Play More Outside Are Less Likely to Be Nearsighted
Oct. 25, 2011 (Orlando, Fla.) — Children who spend more time outdoors may be less likely to suffer from nearsightedness, a study shows.
In nearsightedness, objects in the distance appear blurry and out of focus.
Researchers who pooled the results of eight previously published studies involving more than 10,000 youngsters found that each additional hour spent outdoors during the week decreased the risk of developing nearsightedness (myopia) by 2%.
Eye Surgery Improves Mood of Alzheimer’s Patients
by Charlene Laino
Study Shows Alzheimer’s Patients May Sleep Better, Be Less Depressed After Cataract Surgery
Oct., 28, 2011 (Orlando, Fla.) — People with Alzheimer’s disease should have regular eye tests to screen for vision problems.
That’s the recommendation of researchers who found that people with mild Alzheimer’s disease who have cataracts may benefit from vision-correcting surgery. The benefits include improved sight, better sleep, and less depressed mood.
Also, people with Alzheimer’s often had better communication and interaction with others after the surgery.
FDA OKs Generic Zyprexa for Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder
BY Bill Hendrick
Olanzapine Approved to Treat Symptoms of Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder
Oct. 25, 2011 — The FDA has approved the first generic versions of the drugs Zyprexa and Zyprexa Zydis for the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Weight Regain May Not Be Due to Lack of Willpower
by Denise Mann
Study Suggests Hormones May Be Responsible for Failure to Keep Off Lost Pounds
Oct. 26, 2011 — Just ask anyone who has ever tried to shed extra pounds: Losing weight can be hard, but it’s keeping this extra weight off that is often most daunting.
Now new research in the New England Journal of Medicine sheds some light on why, and the answer is not lack of willpower. It seems that our hormones — at least those involved in appetite regulation — may be setting us up to fail.
Coffee Fights Common Skin Cancer
by Jennifer Warner
Coffee Drinkers Less Likely to Develop Most Common Type of Skin Cancer
Oct. 24, 2011 — Drinking coffee may help prevent the most common type of skin cancer.
A new study shows that women who drank more than three cups of coffee per day had a 20% lower risk of developing basal cell carcinoma (BCC) than women who drank less than one cup a month.
Men who drank more than three cups of coffee benefited from a 9% reduction in risk of this type of skin cancer.
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