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.
I didn’t break the bank buying fresh fish. I looked in the freezer department, where there is often a better selection (depending on where you shop), and was able to find moderately priced varieties. Among them were albacore steaks, one of the few types of tuna that we can still enjoy with a clear conscience, and a great fish to eat if you’re trying to get more omega-3s into your diet, and farmed Arctic char, another fatty fish full of omega-3s. It’s pink like salmon, but meatier, and the taste is not as strong.
If you are concerned about the quantity of soy sauce, know that most of it stays behind in the bowl when you cook the fish. If you are using frozen albacore steaks, wait until they are partly thawed before marinating.
The cod that gets the Environmental Defense Fund’s highest rating is Pacific cod.
Make sure to cover this tightly so the fish doesn’t dry out. An hour seems like a long time to cook fish, but the fish is well insulated and won’t dry out.
This refreshing combination has Middle Eastern overtones, though in the Middle East the fish would probably be fried or poached. Serve it as a first course or as a light main dish.
Sea bass is the fish I always associate with fennel, as the combination is a classic in Provence. But cross the border into Italy and you’ll find tuna cooked with this anise-flavored vegetable.
Most Americans With HIV Don’t Have Infection Under Control
by Brenda Goodman, MA
Medications Can Help Suppress the Virus, but Many Don’t Take Them
Nov. 29, 2011 — Nearly three-quarters of Americans with HIV don’t have their infection under control. That’s in large part because they may not know they have HIV or because they aren’t taking drugs that suppress the virus, according to a new study from the CDC.
The study is published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. It is being released in advance of World AIDS Day, Thursday, Dec. 1.
Experimental Treatment May Help Relieve Back Pain
by Charlene Laino
Study Shows Injections of Ozone Helped Treat People With Back Pain Due to a Herniated Disc
Dec. 1, 2011 (Chicago) — An experimental treatment that involves spinal injections of ozone gas and steroids relieved pain in over two-thirds of 327 people with back problems related to a herniated disc.
This condition occurs when the cushions, or discs, that serve as shock absorbers for the spine become inflamed and bulge or break open. When inflamed, discs press against nearby nerves. People with this condition can experience pain, numbness, and weakness in the back, buttocks, and legs.
Long-Term Treatment May Be Best Way to Help Smokers Quit
by Salynn Boyles
Study Suggests That Treating Smoking Like a Chronic Disease May Help Smokers Break Habit
Nov. 28, 2011 — If you had high blood pressure, you wouldn’t expect your doctor to give you some pills, pat you on the back, and say good luck, would you?
Of course not, you would expect long-term treatment. What if the same principle was applied to smoking?
Well, treating smoking like a chronic disease could help people who want to give up cigarettes be more successful, results from a new study show.
Heading Soccer Ball Linked to Brain Injury
by Charlene Laino
Regularly Hitting Soccer Ball With Head Linked to Memory Problems
Nov. 29, 2011 (Chicago) — Using your head in soccer may not always be the best thing.
Regularly hitting a soccer ball with your head — even just a few times a day — has been linked to traumatic brain injuries, researchers report.
In a preliminary study, 32 amateur soccer players who “headed” the ball more than 1,000 to 1,500 times a year, the equivalent of a few times a day, had abnormalities in areas of the brain responsible for memory, attention, planning, organizing, and vision.
Microwave Technique Fights Lung Tumors
by Charlene Laino
Study Shows Some Success in Using High-Energy Waves to Treat Lung Cancer Patients
Nov. 28, 2011 (Chicago) — Researchers are using high-energy waves similar to those used to make microwave popcorn to destroy inoperable lung tumors.
In a preliminary study, the technique, called microwave ablation, eliminated lung tumors in 19 of 28 patients. Eight months later, none of the tumors had come back.
Tumors shrank or stopped growing in the other nine patients, says study researcher Claudio Pusceddu, MD, a specialist in radiation and oncology at Oncological Hospital in Cagliari, Italy.
Report: Arsenic in Apple, Grape Juice
by Daniel J. DeNoon
Consumer Reports Says Arsenic in 10% of Apple, Grape Juice Samples Too High
Nov. 30, 2011 — Ten percent of store-bought apple and grape juice samples have more arsenic — and 25% have more lead — than the Environmental Protection Agency allows in bottled water, a Consumer Reports study finds.
Those total arsenic levels are well below the FDA’s current “level of concern” that prompts further tests. But the consumer advocacy group says the federal agency should be more worried.
Childbirth May Cut Women’s Heart Disease Risk
by Salynn Boyles
Giving Birth to 4 or More Children Is Linked to Reduced Risk of Death From Heart Disease
Nov. 28, 2011 — Women who give birth to four or more children may have a slightly lower risk of dying from heart disease later in life compared to women who have no children, new research shows.
Past studies examining the impact of childbirth history on postmenopausal heart disease and stroke risk have been mixed, with some suggesting a higher risk for death from heart attack and stroke associated with pregnancy and childbirth and other studies finding the opposite.
Study Adds Support to Mammograms Starting at Age 40
by Charlene Laino
Breast Cancer as Likely to be Found in Women Without Family History
Nov. 29, 2011 (Chicago) — In the latest findings to fuel the debate on when to start getting mammograms, new research adds support to those suggesting that annual breast X-rays should begin at age 40.
Screening younger women has been controversial, with 2009 guidelines from a U.S. federal task force recommending against routine mammography screening for average-risk women in their 40s.
Men Don’t Always Think About Sex
by Kathleen Doheny
Just Sometimes — and the Same Goes for Women, Too
Nov. 29, 2011 — Men do think about sex more often than women overall, but not all the time — and the gap is not as wide as you might think, a new study finds.
“The absolute number of sexual thoughts is dramatically less than the urban legend that men think about sex every seven seconds,” says study researcher Terri Fisher, PhD, professor of psychology at The Ohio State University at Mansfield.
Treatment Shows Promise for Premature Ejaculation
by Charlene Laino
Freezing Overactive Nerves Helped Men Last Longer in Small Study
Dec. 2, 2011 (Chicago) — An experimental approach in which penile nerve tissue is frozen to knock out overactive nerves helped men with premature ejaculation last three times longer.
Researchers tested the technique on 24 men who hadn’t been helped by standard treatments. They lasted an average of 110 seconds before ejaculation, or nearly two minutes, over the three months they were followed, compared with 36 seconds before treatment.
Infants May Sleep Better When Vaccinated in Afternoon
by Jennifer Warner
Study Suggests Timing of Vaccinations May Make a Different in Infant Sleep
Nov. 29, 2011 — Scheduling infant immunizations in the afternoon may lead to an increase in the infant’s sleep over the next 24 hours.
A new study shows that infants who received their vaccinations after 1:30 p.m. were more likely to sleep longer and have a small increase in body temperature in the 24 hours following vaccination.
A small rise in body temperature is an expected reaction in infants getting
Chickenpox Vaccination of Children Helps Protect Infants, Too
by Denise Mann
Routine Vaccination of Children Aged 1 and Older Has Indirect Benefits for Infants
Nov. 28, 2011 — Chickenpox infection can be life-threatening for infants who are too young to receive the chickenpox vaccine. The good news is that the routine vaccination of children aged 1 and older has shown spillover benefits for infants.
The U.S. began recommending a single dose of the chickenpox (varicella) vaccine for children aged 12 months and older in 1995. A second dose was added to the immunization schedule in 2006.
Before the vaccine was recommended, infants were four times more likely to die from chickenpox compared to children aged 1 to 14.
Not anymore.
Kids With ADHD Have Distinct Brain Patterns
by Charlene Laino
Researchers Working Toward Developing a Test for ADHD
Nov. 28, 2011 (Chicago) — Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) process visual information differently than children without the disorder, preliminary research shows.
By finding distinct patterns of activity in the brains of children with ADHD, researchers hope to someday develop an early test for the disorder.
The findings were presented here at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America.
Concussions Might Affect Kids and Adults Differently
by Brenda Goodman, MA
In Kids, Injury From a Concussion May Last Longer Than Expected
Nov. 29, 2011 — A blow to the head might injure a child’s brain differently than it would an adult’s, a new study shows.
On the one hand, that’s good news, researchers say, because the brain damage caused by concussions appears to be less serious in kids than it is for adults.
But the study also found that the changes in a child’s brain often outlast symptoms like decreased reaction times, memory and concentration problems, irritability, insomnia, and fatigue.
That means coaches and parents might be clearing kids to return to their sports while they’re vulnerable to reinjury.
Violent Video Games Linked to Brain Changes
by Charlene Laino
Scans Show Brain Changes Affecting Inhibition in Young Men
Nov. 30, 2011 (Chicago) — Playing violent video games might produce temporary changes in areas of the brain that help control emotion, preliminary research suggests.
Brain scans showed that 11 young men who shot at video game characters for about 10 hours in one week had decreased activity in areas of the brain associated with inhibition, attention, and decision-making, says researcher Vincent Mathews, MD, president and CEO of Northwest Radiology Network in Indiana.
“We think less inhibition means more aggression,” he tells WebMD.
Chewing Gum Before a Test May Boost Performance
by Jennifer Warner
But Study Shows Chewing Gum During a Test May Give You Worse Results
Dec. 2, 2011 — Chewing gum before a test may give students an extra edge during finals season.
A new study shows chewing gum for five minutes before a test improves performance.
But be sure to get rid of the gum before the test starts. Researchers say chewing gum during testing may detract from your performance.
“Clear performance advantages emerge when gum is chewed prior to (but not during) [mental] testing,” write researcher Serge Onyper, assistant professor of psychology at St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y., and colleagues in a recent issue of Appetite.
Prozac May Lessen Autism Symptom in Adults
by Salynn Boyles
Study Shows Half of Treated Patients Had Reduction in Repetitive Behaviors
Dec. 2, 2011 — The antidepressant Prozac appears to be useful for treating a defining symptom of autism spectrum disorder — repetitive, compulsive behavior.
In a newly published study involving autistic adults, half of those who took Prozac (fluoxetine) experienced meaningful declines in repetitive behaviors.
Snacking Before Lunch May Sabotage Your Diet
by Denise Mann
Study: Women Who Have Mid-Mornings Snacks Lose Less Weight
Nov. 30, 2011 — Women hear this: Grabbing a snack between breakfast and lunch may sabotage your weight loss efforts.
New research shows that older female dieters who have a mid-morning snack lose less weight than their counterparts who ate a healthy breakfast and don’t snack in the a.m.
The new findings appear in the December issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.
Diet Loaded With Veggies, Fruits, Whole Grains May Cut Stroke Risk
by Denise Mann
Study Shows Women Have Lower Risk of Stroke if Their Diet Includes Lots of Antioxidants
Dec. 1, 2011 — Eating a diet loaded with antioxidant-rich vegetables, fruits, and whole grains may help women lower their chances of having a stroke — even if they have a history of heart disease or stroke, a new study shows.
Antioxidants are certain vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that may lower stroke risk by sopping up damaging molecules in our blood called free radicals, which have been linked to heart disease, stroke, and other diseases.
The study is published in Stroke.
Eating Fish May Be Good for Brain Health
by Charlene Laino
Study Shows That People Who Eat Fish Regularly May Have a Lower Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease
Nov. 30, 2011 (Chicago) — Older people who eat baked or broiled fish at least once a week may be boosting their brain health.
In a new study, imaging scans showed that regular fish-eaters were less likely to have brain cells die off in the area of the brain responsible for short-term memory — recalling a phone number that was just heard, for example.
And people who ate baked or broiled fish at least weekly and didn’t lose brain cells were much less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease or mild mental impairment, says Cyrus Raji, MD, PhD, of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Recent Comments