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.
Many people who have chimed in on the Recipes for Health page on Facebook have requested recipes for lunches they can take to work and eat at a desk. [..]
I so enjoyed working on these recipes, as they provided me with great lunches all week long. They’ve kept all week in the refrigerator, and they don’t require refrigeration during those few hours between the time to get you work and the time you eat your lunch, though all of them will taste fresher if they have been in the fridge.
Martha Rose Shulman
The broccoli will not retain its pretty green color once in contact with the acid in the dressing, so for best results keep the broccoli separate, along with a tablespoon of the dressing. Just before you want to eat, toss in the broccoli and extra dressing; or eat the broccoli separately with the dressing.
These these delicious wraps are made with the whole-wheat lavash purchased in Middle Eastern markets. Beet greens and Swiss chard are both good choices.
This colorful mixture is hard to resist, with its contrasting chewy and crunchy textures and the nutty Asian dressing. Black rice is high in antioxidant-rich anthocyanins
You can find a whole-wheat version of the spherical couscous marketed as Israeli couscous in some whole foods and Middle Eastern markets.
It’s much more economical to buy broccoli on the stem, which gives you the fixings for this salad. It takes minutes to peel and then shred them in a food processor. Don’t use the food processor for shredding cabbage, though – that’s better done by hand if you don’t want mush.
Marijuana Push in Colorado Likens It to Alcohol
by Kirk Johnson
DENVER – Proponents of marijuana have argued for years that the drug is safer than alcohol, both to individuals and society. But a ballot proposal to legalize possession of marijuana in small amounts in Colorado, likely to be on the November ballot, is putting the two intoxicants back into the same sentence, urging voters to “regulate marijuana like alcohol,” as the ballot proposition’s title puts it.
Given alcohol’s long and checkered history – the tens of thousands of deaths each year, the social ravages of alcoholism – backers of the pro-marijuana measure concede there is a risk of looking as if they have cozied up too much, or are comparable, to old demon rum.
Oral HPV More Common in Men Than Women
by Anahad O’Connor
About one in 15 Americans is infected with oral human papillomavirus, a sexually transmitted virus that causes throat cancers, and the disease is especially common among men, new research shows.
The research is the first major study to document the nationwide prevalence of oral human papillomavirus, or HPV, a disease that has drawn growing attention from public health experts because it has fueled a rise in oropharyngeal cancers affecting the back of the tongue and the throat. Researchers showed last year that throat cancers caused by a particular strain of the virus, HPV Type 16, have tripled in the last 20 years. But it was unclear exactly how many people over all were carrying HPV, which exists in more than 40 forms.
CDC: Cancer Screening Below Target Rates
by Salynn Boyles
Screening Rates Especially Low for Asians, Hispanics in U.S.
Jan. 26, 2012 — Screening rates for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer remain below target levels in the United States and are especially low among Asians and Hispanics, the CDC reports.
Screening rates for breast and cervical cancer have remained relatively stable over the past decade, with about 3 out of 4 eligible women receiving mammograms and 4 out of 5 having Pap tests to screen for cervical cancer. Target rates set by federal officials in the Healthy People 2020 initiative are 81% and 93%, respectively, for breast and cervical cancer screening.
Gene Test May Help Determine Early Lung Cancer Survival
by Brenda Goodman. MA
Test May Help Doctors Decide Which Patients Would Benefit From Chemotherapy After Surgery
Jan. 26, 2012 — A new test that measures the activity of certain genes in cancer cells may help doctors tell which early, non-small-cell lung cancers are the most dangerous.
The hope is that doctors can use that information to figure out which patients might benefit from more aggressive treatment for their early lung cancers.
Risk for Heart Attack, Stroke May Be Underestimated
by Cari Nierenberg
Study: Someone at Low Risk for Heart Disease in the Short-Term May Be at High Risk Later in Life, if They Have Just One or Two Risk Factors
Jan. 25, 2012 — The method doctors use to determine a person’s risk for heart disease could underestimate the future odds of heart attack and stroke.
That’s because a person’s risk of heart disease is currently estimated in the short-term, meaning the likelihood of having heart disease in the next 10 years.
But a new study calculates lifetime risk by measuring it across the adult age spectrum, beginning in middle age. This research estimates risks for men and women, and for African-Americans and whites. Previous estimates of heart disease have looked mainly at white men.
2 in 5 Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Sedentary
by Matt McMillen
Many RA Patients Who Avoid Exercise Unaware That Physical Activity Can Ease Symptoms
Jan. 26, 2012 — More than 40% of U.S. adults with rheumatoid arthritis get no exercise, according to a study published in the journal Arthritis Care & Research.
RA, which affects 1.3 million adults, is a painful condition that causes joints to be swollen, stiff, and damaged. Inactivity puts RA patients at risk of increased pain, weakened muscles, poor balance, and stiffened joints. But many people with RA lack the motivation to exercise — or don’t know that exercise may help them feel better.
CDC: Big Drop in Diabetes Amputations
by Salynn Boyles
65% Lower Rate of Foot, Leg Amputations in Just Over a Decade
Jan. 24, 2012 — There has been a dramatic drop in the rate of diabetes-related amputations in the U.S., and experts attribute the improvement to better management of risk factors that lead to the loss of feet and legs.
The amputation rate declined by 65% among adults with diabetes in a little over a decade, the CDC reports.
Stem Cells: New Hope for Macular Degeneration
by Daniel J. DeNoon
Embryonic Stem Cells Safe; Some Vision Gained in First 2 Patients Treated
Jan. 23, 2012 — Two legally blind women with macular degeneration are the first people ever to get new retina cells grown from human embryonic stem cells.
One patient has dry macular degeneration, the top cause of blindness in developed nations. The other has Stargardt’s disease, the leading cause of macular degeneration in young people. Both diseases are untreatable. Both get progressively worse.
But instead of progressively losing more retinal cells, new cells are growing in the treated eyes. And while both women still have permanent central vision loss, both seem to see a little better.
Only 25% of Children Wear Sunscreen Regularly
by Jennifer Warner
Poor Sunscreen Habits May Put Kids at Risk for Skin Cancer Later in Life
Jan. 23, 2012 — “Slip! Slop! Slap! and Wrap” may be losing its grip.
Despite numerous efforts to encourage people to wear sunscreen, a new study shows only 1 in 4 children regularly uses sunscreen.
Researchers say more than half of the children in the study also reported having a sunburn in the previous summer.
Study Finds Virus to Be Fast Learner on Infecting
by Carl Zimmer
Viruses regularly evolve new ways of making people sick, but scientists usually do not become aware of these new strategies until years or centuries after they have evolved. In a new study published on Thursday in the journal Science, however, a team of scientists at Michigan State University describes how viruses evolved a new way of infecting cells in little more than two weeks.
The report is being published in the midst of a controversy over a deadly bird flu virus that researchers manipulated to spread from mammal to mammal. Some critics have questioned whether such a change could have happened on its own. The new research suggests that new traits based on multiple mutations can indeed occur with frightening speed.
Study: Women May Feel More Pain Than Men Do
by Denise Mann
Differences in Pain Perception Seen Across Several Diseases and Painful Conditions
Jan. 23, 2012 — The question has been around as long as “he said/she said” has been a phrase: Basically, who is more capable of handling pain?
Though not likely to be the final word, new research shows that women may feel pain more intensely than men do, especially for specific types of pain.
Home Births on the Rise
by Denise Mann
CDC Reports 29% Increase in Home Births From 2004 to 2009
Jan. 26, 2012 — Are home births in again?
Home births declined from 1990 to 2004, but jumped by 29% from 2004 to 2009. Even with this increase, the overall percentage of women giving birth at home remains low. In 2004, 0.56% of births occurred at home, and 0.72% in 2009.
“This is a fairly rapid increase over five years and it is fairly widespread, with increases in almost all states,” says researcher Marian F. MacDorman, PhD. She is a statistician at the National Center for Health Statistics in Hyattsville, Md.
Drug for Enlarged Prostate May Slow Cancer Growth
by Salynn Boyles
Could Avodart Be an Alternative to Surgery, Radiation for Low-Risk Prostate Cancer?
Jan. 23, 2012 — A drug widely prescribed to treat men with enlarged prostates may also slow the growth of early prostate cancers, according to a new study.
Researchers say the drug Avodart (dutasteride) may reduce the need for aggressive treatments in men who have a very low risk of dying from their disease.
Testosterone May Delay Boys’ Speech Development
by Brenda Goodman, MA
Exposure to High Levels of Testosterone Before Birth May Result in Language Delay in Boys, Researchers Say
Jan. 26, 2012 — Boys tend to talk later than girls; they also acquire language skills at a slower rate than girls do. Now new research may point to why.
In a newly published study, umbilical cord blood was collected from nearly 900 Australian newborns and tested for testosterone. Newborn boys are exposed to 10 times the levels of testosterone before birth, compared to girls. Sex hormones, like testosterone, are known to play a key role in shaping how the brain develops.
Why Some Children May ‘Grow Out’ of Autism
by Brenda Goodman, MA
But Kids With Several Physical, Psychological Problems May Be Less Likely to Improve Over Time, Study Shows
Jan. 23, 2012 — Some kids with autism will no longer qualify for that diagnosis as they grow older.
Now a new study shows that whether or not a child “outgrows” their autism may be related to the number and severity of other physical and psychological problems that are part of their original diagnosis.
The study is published in the journal Pediatrics. It compared more than 1,300 children with a past or current diagnosis of autism. About one-third of the kids in the survey had once been diagnosed with autism but were no longer considered to have the condition.
Childhood Head Injuries Can Improve Over Time
by Kathleen Doheny
Study: Recovery Plateaus, Then Gains Ground; Recovery Toughest for Severe Injuries
Jan. 24, 2012 — Serious head injuries in kids can affect development for years, and parents worry their child may never recover fully or get worse.
Now, Australian researchers who followed a small group of children for 10 years after head injuries from falls or car accidents have some answers.
They find, not surprisingly, that severe brain injury is associated with the poorest recovery.
Study Links Cadmium Exposure to Learning Disabilities in Kids
by Denise Mann
Does Exposure to This Heavy Metal Cause Learning Delays?
Jan. 27, 2012 — Children with high levels of the heavy metal cadmium in their urine may be more likely to have learning disabilities and/or need special education, a new study shows.
Cadmium occurs naturally in some soils. Children are most likely to be exposed to it through food such as grains and root vegetables, as well as through tobacco smoke. Some children’s toys and jewelry have also been found to contain cadmium.
Cadmium exposure can damage the kidney and lungs and has been linked to cancer. Studies on whether or not it affects learning and behavior among children have had mixed results.
Environmental Chemicals May Thwart Kids’ Vaccines
by Kathleen Doheny
Study Suggests Higher Blood Levels of PFCs May Make Immune System Less Responsive to Vaccines
Jan. 24, 2012 — Routine vaccines may not work as well in children with elevated blood levels of chemicals called PFCs (perfluorinated compounds), according to a new study.
PFCs are widely found in consumer goods such as food packaging, stain-resistant carpeting, and other products.
In the new study, researchers looked at PFC levels in children’s blood and their antibody responses, crucial to produce immunity.
Mild Memory Problems May Be More Common in Men
by Denise Mann
Condition Is Often, But Not Always, a Precursor to Full-Blown Dementia
Jan. 25, 2012 — Men may be more likely than women to experience mild memory or cognition problems. This condition, called mild cognitive impairment (MCI), often comes on before full-blown dementia.
More than just “senior moments,” MCI symptoms may include difficulty remembering recent events and/or new information, as well as problems with language, thinking, or judgment that are greater than age-related changes but not reaching dementia. People with MCI are at greater risk for developing dementia, but not all will develop dementia.
Too Much Overtime May Raise Depression Risk
by Cari Nieberg
Workers Who Regularly Put in 11-Hour Days More Than Double Their Depression Risk, Researchers Say
Jan. 25, 2012 — Working 11-hour days may seem the norm in this economy, but regularly logging long hours can more than double a worker’s risk of depression.
People who routinely put in more than 11-hour days more than double their chances of major depression, compared to employees who typically work about eight hours a day, a new study suggests.
CDC: Morgellons Disease May Be Psychiatric Disorder
by Daniel J.DeNoon
Mysterious Morgellons Skin Fibers: Only Cotton From Clothing?
Jan. 26, 2012 — Extensive study of people suffering from Morgellons disease — including analysis of their mysterious “skin fibers” — finds no underlying cause of the illness.
Morgellons symptoms are as creepy as the name implies. Patients report slow-to-heal sores that often feel like bugs are crawling under their skin. They often scratch themselves raw. And they also report that mysterious colored fibers, granules, worms, eggs, fuzzballs, or other stuff comes out of their skin.
Fried Food and No Heart Disease?
by Kathleen Doheny
Eating Foods Fried in Healthier Oil Not Linked to Heart Disease, Researchers Find
Jan. 24, 2012 — Eating foods fried in healthier oils such as olive or sunflower is not linked to heart disease or premature death, Spanish researchers have found.
They followed more than 40,000 adults for 11 years, tracking fried food intake and heart disease.
However, this tentative morsel of good news for fried food fans comes with a heaping side dish of caution, especially when it comes to typical U.S. fried foods and diets.
New Rules for School Lunches
by Daniel J. DeNoon
Healthier Food, Smaller Portions: But Still No Potato Limit
Jan. 25, 2012 — For the first time in 15 years, the National School Lunch Program has raised nutrition standards.
The new rules mean kids will see more fruits and vegetables every day. Portions will be smaller. Only low-fat or skim milk will be served. There will be a lot more whole grains. And schools will get more money — an extra six cents a meal — from the federal government.
But Congress in 2011 forbade the USDA from limiting servings of potatoes. The law also allows schools to count the tomato paste on pizza as a vegetable. But Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says that won’t throw a monkey wrench into the new standards.
Family Involvement May Help Overweight Kids Change Habits
by Cari Nierenberg
AHA: Parent and Caregiver Support Key to Healthier Lifestyles in Overweight Kids
Jan. 23, 2012 — Parents and grandparents can play a unique role in reversing obesity by encouraging healthy lifestyle changes in overweight children, suggests the American Heart Association.
A new statement issued by the organization calls for more family involvement when treating childhood obesity. It describes specific ways parents and caregivers can be “agents of change” to support healthier behaviors in overweight and obese kids.
Fiber May Not Prevent Diverticular Disease
by Salynn Boyles
Study Questions Prevailing Wisdom About Fiber, Diverticulosis
Jan. 23, 2012 — A new study challenges the long-held belief that a high-fiber diet prevents the formation of small pouches in the colon wall that can lead to diverticular disease.
For decades, doctors have recommended high-fiber diets to patients at risk for developing the intestinal pouches, known as diverticula.
The thinking has been that by keeping patients regular, a high-fiber diet can keep diverticula from forming. But the new study suggests the opposite may be true.
Drinking Black Tea May Lower Blood Pressure
by Jennifer Warner
Study: Drinking at Least 3 Cups of Black Tea a Day Lowered Blood Pressure
Jan. 24, 2012 — Lowering your blood pressure may a major factor behind the many health benefits of tea.
A new study shows that people who drank three cups of black tea a day lowered their blood pressure levels by an average of 2 to 3 points.
That may not sound like much. But researchers say even small reductions in blood pressure levels, like those found in this study, can have a major impact on the prevalence of high blood pressure (hypertension) and risk of heart disease.
Enriched Milk May Ease Gout
by Jennifer Warner
Drinking Enriched Skim Milk May Curb Painful Gout Flare-ups
Jan. 23, 2012 — Drinking a daily dose of enriched skim milk may help reduce gout flare-ups.
A new study shows that people who drank an enriched skim milk shake made from powdered milk and additional dairy components had fewer gout attacks and less painful symptoms.
Previous research has already shown that people whose diet is low in dairy products are more likely to develop gout.
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