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 addition to this week’s recipes, some of my past Recipes for Health would also make great gifts. I’ve always enjoyed making huge batches of granola and sending nice-looking bags or jars filled with it to family and friends. This year, though, I had another idea: packaging dry ingredients for pancakes and other baked goods with labels that specify the wet ingredients and instructions for mixing, like a cake mix. ~ Martha Rose Shulman
Package in a jar and add a note reminding the recipient that these are especially nice to have on hand for adding to salads and quick toasted open-faced sandwiches. Suggest they place a round on a piece of bread, pop it in a toaster oven and toast 3 to 4 minutes.
“The lemon oil goes beautifully with vegetables or fish, and is lovely on a salad or drizzled over bread,” says Ms. Shulman
“This spicy oil with an African name is popular throughout Provence. It’s usually on the table in pizzerias for drizzling, but it’s also terrific drizzled over vegetables, grilled meats or fish, grains and bread – whatever you want to add a kick to,” explains Ms. Shulman. “In France it is made with very hot bird chilies. You could use fresh Thai chilies for this, but I’m using dried chiles de arbol, because that’s what I have on hand and it makes an oil that will last for months.”
Harissa is that fiery paste used in Tunisian cuisine. You can get it in tubes, but the homemade version tastes much fresher. “Make a note on the label to top up with olive oil whenever the harissa is used so that it will keep for a long time,” she advises.
Roasted peppers always look beautiful in a jar of olive oil. Feel free to add other herbs, like oregano or basil, to the mix.
The reason people buy mixes is to save the time it takes to measure and sift ingredients. “So why not take the dry ingredients called for in this recipe, put them in a nice bag and put a label on the package,” suggests Ms. Shulman. The label should say something like: “Beat together 2 extra-large eggs with 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, 3 tablespoons canola or grapeseed oil and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Whisk in the pancake mix. Add berries, chopped fruit or dried fruit as desired.”
Same idea; mix up the dry ingredients and package them, then write out the missing ingredients and instructions on your homemade label. Or consider giving dry mix gifts for a variety of Ms. Shulman’s muffin recipes or Cornmeal Cranberry Scones.
“I used to make a rich holiday granola, but often it burned and stuck to the baking sheets,” says Ms. Shulman. “One of the reasons: I used wheat germ, which browns more quickly than oats. Now I keep the heat low in my oven and line my baking sheets with parchment. Be sure to stir the granola every 10 to 15 minutes, and switch the trays from top to bottom each time you stir. If you want to make a smaller amount, you can halve this recipe.”
Treating Prehypertension With Medication May Lower Stroke Risk
by Denise Mann
Study Spurs Discussion About Blood Pressure Treatment Guidelines
Dec. 8, 2011 — If your blood pressure is higher than normal, but not high enough to be considered high blood pressure, then you have prehypertension. And that means you may have a higher risk for stroke and heart disease.
Now, new research shows that blood pressure-lowering pills may help lower the risk of stroke in people with prehypertension.
Study: Bone Drugs May Increase Longevity of Replaced Joints
by Salynn Boyles
Common Drugs May Help Some People Limit Repeat Surgeries
Dec. 6, 2011 — New research may help hip and knee replacements last longer in patients who take commonly prescribed bone-loss drugs.
Joint replacement surgeries help millions live with less pain, but many people who have them eventually need repeat procedures when the implants loosen over time.
Now a new study suggests that commonly prescribed osteoporosis drugs may extend the life of replacement joints, but researchers say it is not yet clear which patients will benefit most from the treatment.
Do US Presidents Live Longer Than the Average Joe?
by Cari Nierenberg
Better Health Care Access, Education, and Income Help Explain Longer Life, Research Suggests
Dec. 6, 2011 – Yes, the job seems to turn them gray and age them before our eyes, but a new study shows that being president of the United States may not actually shorten a man’s life.
In fact, those holding the highest elected office in the land tend to live longer than other men who were the same age when they first took office. This was true even when factoring in that American presidents are thought to age twice as fast while in office.
The study appears in the Dec. 7 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Raw Cookie Dough Ready to Bake, Not Ready to Eat
by Denise Mann
2009 E. Coli Outbreak Serves as a Reminder of Risks of Eating Raw Cookie Dough
Dec. 8, 2011 — Raw cookie dough, whether it’s homemade or store-bought, should be destined for your oven, not your mouth.
That’s one of the CDC’s top lessons from the 2009 E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in refrigerated Nestle Toll House cookie dough products.
During the outbreak, 77 people in 30 states became ill after eating the dough before baking it. Of these, 35 people were hospitalized. The outbreak prompted a recall of 3.6 million packages of cookie dough and some changes in the way that Nestle and other companies manufacture their cookie dough.
That was the first time an E. coli outbreak was traced to ready-to-bake commercial prepackaged cookie dough. The details of the outbreak and steps taken to control it appear in Clinical Infectious Diseases.
Most Contact Lens Wearers Don’t Follow Safety Steps
by Salynn Boyles
Study: Less Than 1% Fully Compliant With Recommended Care
Dec. 9, 2011 — Most people who wear contact lenses say they know about the wear and care recommendations, but almost none actually comply with them, a new study shows.
More than 80% of contact lens wearers surveyed prior to an eye exam believed they followed good lens wear and care practices, but just 2% actually complied with most recommended lens hygiene steps.
And less than 1% were found to be fully compliant with recommendations such as washing their hands before handling lenses, using fresh lens solution every time instead of topping off old solution, and replacing lens cases frequently.
Some Fish Oil Supplements Fishy on Quality
by Jennifer Warner
Consumer Reports: Some Popular Fish Oil Supplements May Contain PCBs
Dec. 7, 2011 — Some popular fish oil supplements may be a little fishy when it comes to quality.
A new test of 15 top-selling fish oil supplements by Consumer Reports shows five fell a bit short on quality.
The good news is all 15 of the fish oil supplements evaluated by an independent lab contained their labeled amount of EPA and DHA, omega-3 fatty acids that have been shown to reduce the risk of heart attacks and stroke.
But four of the fish oil supplements tested contained trace levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).
Federal Agencies Act to Remove hCG Weight Loss Products
by Matt McMillen
Warning Letters Cite Lack of Approval, Potential for Harm
Dec. 6, 2011 — The FDA and the Federal Trade Commission today took joint action against several companies selling over-the-counter hCG products that falsely and illegally claim to promote weight loss.
Labeled “homeopathic” by the seven companies who received the letters, the products contain human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a hormone produced during pregnancy by cells that form the placenta.
An injectable drug containing hCG has been approved by the FDA to treat female infertility and other medical conditions. No form of hCG has been approved for weight loss. Making such claims, the letters inform the recipients, is a violation of federal law.
More People Getting Flu Shots This Year
by Bill Hendrick
Influenza Vaccinations Up Since 2009 Swine Flu Pandemic
Dec. 5, 2011 (Atlanta) — New CDC numbers show that 36% of adults have already gotten flu shots as of early November — months before the illness normally sweeps the nation.
That means roughly 111 million adults have received flu shots or the spray flu vaccine so far, the CDC’s Anne Schuchat, MD, director of the agency’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said at a media briefing here.
Flu Season Mild So Far, Says CDC
by Kathleen Doheny
Flu Vaccine Matches Well With Circulating Viral Strains
Dec. 8, 2011 — The U.S. flu season is mild so far, according to the CDC. That is typical for this early in the season.
Influenza activity was low in October and November, according to the latest CDC statistics. They are published in the Dec. 9 issue of the agency’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).
Progress Made on Vaccine for So-Called ‘Cruise Ship’ Virus
by Laird Harrison
Norovirus Spreads Through Crowded Populations, With Children, Seniors at Risk of Becoming Severely Ill
Dec. 7, 2011 — An experimental vaccine has passed an important test in preventing symptoms and infection from a type of norovirus, one of the most common causes of diarrhea and vomiting, researchers say.
The disease often sweeps through cruise ships, nursing homes, and other areas where a lot of people live close together.
Bedbugs: Why They’re Back
by Denise Mann
Experts Explain Why Bedbugs Are Everywhere Again — and What to Do
Dec. 6, 2011 — For a while, it seemed the bedbug had gone the way of the Edsel automobile and cold water flats. Not anymore — as we’ve learned. They’re back with a vengeance, and experts now seem to know why.
Bedbugs may not get as much play in the media as they did in the summer of 2010, but they are here to stay, experts warned at the annual meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) in Philadelphia. New research presented here helps explain why they are back and a lot of it has to do with an ability to outsmart existing treatments.
Bone Drug May Extend Lives of Young Women With Breast Cancer
by Charlene Laino
Study: Premenopausal Women Given Zometa 37% Less Likely to Die
Dec. 9, 2011 (San Antonio) — A drug given to protect bones during breast cancer treatment extended the lives of young women with the disease, researchers report.
In a study of more than 1,800 premenopausal women, those given the bone-strengthening drug Zometa along with their cancer drugs were 37% less likely to die over a seven-year period than those who received standard therapy alone.
Carriers of Breast Cancer Gene at Risk of Second Cancer
by Charlene Laino
BRCA Carriers Treated for Cancer in One Breast at Higher Risk for Cancer in the Other
Dec. 9, 2011 (San Antonio) — Women who have been successfully treated for cancer in one breast and who carry the BRCA1 or BRCA2 cancer gene are at increased risk for developing cancer in their other breast.
Women who received their first diagnosis when they were 40 or younger and women with so-called triple-negative breast tumors that are often difficult to treat are at particularly heightened risk, says Alexandra J. van den Broek, MSc, a doctoral candidate at the Netherlands Cancer Institute in Amsterdam.
Many Women Don’t Get Breast Reconstruction After Mastectomy
by Charlene Laino
Older Women, Those on Medicare Less Likely to Have Reconstruction Immediately
Dec. 8, 2011 (San Antonio) — Despite the psychological and cosmetic benefits, fewer than 1 in 4 women with insurance have breast reconstruction immediately after having a mastectomy to treat their breast cancer.
Women who are on Medicare or Medicaid, who are older, who are black, and who are treated at rural or non-teaching hospitals are even less likely to have immediate reconstructive surgery. Research has shown that breast reconstruction improves patients’ psychological and sexual well-being.
Test May Help Guide Treatment of Early Breast Tumors
by Charlene Laino
Genetic Test Predicts Risk of Cancer Coming Back if Radiation Is Skipped
Dec. 7, 2011 — A test that categorizes very early breast cancers by their genetic fingerprint can tell a woman the likelihood that cancer may come back if she does not have radiation, researchers say.
More than 45,000 women in the U.S. are diagnosed with this early form of breast cancer, called ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), each year. The tumors are confined to the milk ducts, meaning they have not invaded the rest of the breast.
The researchers’ hope is that the test, which looks at the activity of a dozen genes from such noninvasive breast cancers, will help women with DCIS avoid unnecessary radiation.
Mammograms May Cut Breast Cancer Deaths in Half
by Sonia Collins
Dutch Study Shows That Regular Mammograms Do Save Lives, Particulary for Older Women
Dec. 6, 2011 — Despite the controversies over mammograms, the bottom line is they still save lives in women aged 50 to 75. A new Dutch study shows the scan reduced the risk of death from breast cancer in this age group by almost half.
Women between 50 and 75 years old who had at least three mammograms in the Netherlands national screening program before they were diagnosed with breast cancer were 49% less likely to die of the disease, according to the study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
Common Prostate Cancer Treatment May Be Less Risky Than Thought
by Salynn Boyles
But Concerns About ADT Treatment Remain for Heart Patients
Dec. 6, 2011 — Just over a year ago the FDA warned that commonly used hormone-blocking treatments may increase the risk for fatal heart attacks in prostate cancer patients, but a new analysis finds these fears to be unfounded for most men.
The review, which appears this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found no difference in heart attack deaths and death from other heart and stroke-related causes between patients who took androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and those who did not.
ADT treatment was associated with a lower overall risk of death from prostate cancer.
Experts Call Male Menopause a Myth
by Denise Mann
Not All Men Will Need Testosterone Replacement Therapy
Dec. 2, 2011 (New York City) — It may be called “men”-opause, but it’s a time of life that only belongs to women. Male menopause, well, that may be a myth, according to some experts.
While many men and men’s health experts argue that male menopause (andropause) occurs when a man’s supply of the male sex hormone testosterone dwindles with advancing age, there really is no such thing, says Bradley Anawalt, MD, an endocrinologist at the University of Washington in Seattle. Anawalt spoke at a meeting sponsored by the Endocrine Society in New York City.
Some of World’s Tiniest ‘Preemies’ Are Growing Up Healthy
by Cari Nierenberg
Two of the Smallest Surviving Infants Develop Normally, but Height and Weight Lag a Bit
Dec. 12, 2011 — Against heavy odds, the world’s tiniest and the fourth-smallest surviving infants have had normal childhood development, a new study shows, although the girls’ heights and weights still lag behind other kids the same age.
Little information is available to doctors and parents on how extremely low-birth-weight babies develop and grow as toddlers, school-age children, or into young adulthood. So a report like this offers a rare glimpse at the long-term health and growth of two of the world’s teeniest premature babies as they get older.
Newer Antidepressants Work Equally Well, Study Finds
by Kathleen Doheny
But Medicines Do Differ in Side Effects, How Quickly They Work
Dec. 5, 2011 — Newer antidepressants are all about equally effective, according to a new analysis, but that doesn’t mean they work the same way for everyone.
“Contrary to drug industry claims, scientific evidence does not support the choice of one drug over another based solely on better effectiveness,” says researcher Gerald Gartlehner, MD, MPH, a clinical epidemiologist at Danube University in Austria.
Contagious Yawns May Show Social Bonds
by Jennifer Warner
Yawning Together May Be Sign of Empathy Between Friends and Family
Dec. 8, 2011 — Yawns may be contagious for good reason.
A new study suggests that yawning after someone else yawns may be a sign of social empathy and emotional bonds between family and friends.
Researchers found that people are more likely to respond to a yawn with another yawn if the other person is a family member or friend. Contagious yawns are least likely among strangers.
Want to Live Longer? Fit Outweighs Fat
by Denise Mann
Study: Fit People Live Longer, Regardless of Weight Changes
Dec. 5, 2011 — Fitness trumps fat when it comes to living longer.
In a new study of more than 14,000 men, those who maintained or boosted their fitness level were less likely to die from any cause, including heart disease. This was true even if their weight stayed the same or increased compared to men whose fitness levels dipped over time.
The new findings appear in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Many Kids’ Cereals Loaded With Sugar: Report
by Kathleen Doheny
Some Cereals Have Sugar Content of Cookies, Snacks
Dec. 7, 2011 — If you think giving your child cereal for breakfast ensures a healthy start to the day, check the label.
Many kids’ cereals are loaded with sugar, according to a new report that looked at 84 cereals.
“In our study, three cereals have more sugar than a Twinkie,” says Paul Pestano, MS, a research analyst at the Environmental Working Group, which issued the report. ”Forty-four others have more sugar in one cup than three Chips Ahoy cookies.”
Low Vitamin D May Raise Diabetes Risk in Kids
by Salynn Boyles
Researchers Exploring Whether Supplementation Could Help Lower Risk
Dec. 5, 2011 — Obese children with lower vitamin D levels may be at higher risk for type 2 diabetes, a new study shows.
Along with the low vitamin D levels, the obese children also had higher levels of what’s called insulin resistance, meaning that they are no longer able to efficiently use insulin to convert sugars from foods into fuel for the cells. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body either does not produce enough insulin or the cells become insulin resistant.
Eating Fatty Fish Benefits Younger Women, Study Shows
by Rita Rubin
Modest Amount Could Reduce Risk of Heart Disease, Stroke
Dec. 5, 2011 — Younger women can cut their risk of heart disease and stroke by occasionally eating fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, Danish researchers report.
“We saw a positive effect on [heart disease and stroke risk] even from relatively modest intake of fish, so this is encouraging to people who might struggle to comply with the recommended levels of daily fish intake,” study researcher Marin Strom, PhD, tells WebMD in an email.
Eating Rice May Raise Arsenic Levels
Study Finds Higher Arsenic Levels in Pregnant Women Who Eat Rice; Researchers Say That Exposure Could Harm Developing Baby
Dec. 5, 2011 — On the heels of new revelations about arsenic in grape and apple juice, a new study shows that rice may be a significant source of arsenic in the diets of pregnant women.
Exposure during pregnancy is a concern, experts say, because arsenic is able to cross the placenta and may harm a developing baby.
Recent Comments