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.
Cut the tortillas in half or into quarters, or leave whole. Place as many as will fit in one layer on a plate and microwave on full power for 1 minute. Turn over the tortilla pieces (they’ll be wet on the bottom) and microwave again for a minute. The chips should be browned and crisp. If they are not, turn over once more and microwave for another 30 seconds to a minute. Repeat with the remaining tortillas until all of them are done. They’ll remain crispy for several hours.
Note: The process will take less time if you air-dry the tortillas on a rack for an hour or so before microwaving.
If you’re cooking for both meat-eaters and vegetarians, make a batch using mushrooms alone.
Give the stove the night off; other than toasting the tortillas, no cooking is required for these light and zesty tostadas.
Seasonal vegetables get a rich, spicy coating in this flavorful tostada topping.
This variation on huevos rancheros makes a satisfying breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Topped with avocado and cheese, these hearty tostadas will please both the vegetarians and the meat-eaters in your household.
Metal-on-Metal Hip Implants Have Higher Fail Rates
by Brenda Goodman, MA
Study: All-Metal Hip Replacements Fail Faster Than Other Types
March 12, 2012 — Data from the world’s largest joint replacement registry show that troubled metal-on-metal hip implants have early failure rates that are two to four times higher than implants made with other kinds of materials.
The new study, which is published in the Lancet, shows that high early failure rates for all-metal implants are not related to a single design or manufacturer, but may be related to the entire class of devices.
“We thought it was very important to get the message across that this is not a single-brand problem,” says researcher Ashley W. Blom, MD, PhD, a professor of orthopedic surgery at the University of Bristol in the U.K.
Topical Gel Treats Precancerous Skin Condition
by Denise Mann
New Gel Has Short Application Time
March 15, 2012 — A new prescription gel may quickly treat a common precancerous skin condition called actinic keratosis, a new study shows.
The gel is derived from the sap of the Euphorbia peplus plant. This has long been used as a folk remedy for skin lesions.
The new findings are published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Eye Disease Linked to Memory Decline
by Salynn Boyles
Eye Screening May Identify Increased Risk of Early Mental Issues
March 14, 2012 — To update the old saying, the eyes may be the windows to the brain.
A new study suggests that people with even minimal eye damage involving the blood vessels of the retina, due to vascular disease, have a higher risk for memory and thinking declines.
Researchers say problems with the blood vessels in the eyes may be an important clue that the blood vessels in the brain are not functioning properly.
Imported Foods Causing More Disease by Daniel J. DeNoon
CDC: Imported Fish, Peppers Most Common Culprits
March 14, 2012 — Foodborne disease from imported foods is on the rise, with more foods from more countries causing more outbreaks, the CDC says.
The most common culprits are fish and spices, particularly peppers, the CDC’s Hannah Gould, PhD, said in a report to this week’s International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases in Atlanta.
Deaths From Stomach Bugs Have Risen Since 1999
by Cari Nierenberg
CDC: C. Difficile Leading Cause of U.S. Deaths From Gastroenteritis; Norovirus Is Second
March 16, 2012 — The number of Americans who died from gastroenteritis, most commonly caused by stomach bugs, more than doubled between 1999 and 2007, a new study from the CDC shows.
Researchers found that people aged 65 and older were the hardest hit: They accounted for 83% of all deaths from gastroenteritis.
Gastroenteritis refers to an inflammation of the stomach and intestines. Symptoms include cramps, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. It’s a common illness that usually lasts just a few days, but it can leave people feeling weak and miserable.
Trying to Get Pregnant? Moderate Exercise May Help
by Salynn Boyles
Moderate Activity Beneficial, but Vigorous Exercise May Delay Conception
March 15, 2012 — If you’re trying to get pregnant, adding a brisk walk to your daily routine may help — but you may want to hold off training for that marathon.
Moderate physical activity was found to benefit women of all body types in a new study examining the impact of exercise on fertility, while intense exercise appeared to increase the time to conception for normal weight, but not overweight, women.
Normal-weight women in the study who said they exercised vigorously five or more hours a week were 42% less likely to get pregnant in any given month than women who did not exercise at all.
The more vigorous the exercise that normal-weight women engaged in, the lower their probability for conception.
New Cervical Cancer Guidelines: Less Screening
by Rite Ruben
Women 30-65 Can Go 5 Years Between Screenings if They Have Normal Pap and HPV Tests
March 14, 2012 — Combining a Pap test with a human papillomavirus (HPV) test can safely extend the interval between cervical cancer screenings from three years to five years in many women between the ages of 30-65, according to new recommendations.
If women opt for the Pap test alone, the new guidelines are similar to the old ones, recommending screening every three years.
Having Small Babies May Raise Heart Risk in Moms
by Salynn Boyles
Delivery of Small, Full-Term Babies a Heart Disease Risk Factor for Mom
March 14, 2012 — Women who give birth to small, full-term babies may have an increased risk for heart disease decades later, new research shows.
Delivering a small baby was found to be a strong, independent predictor of heart disease later in life in a new study led by researchers from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.
After accounting for medical and genetic factors that influence heart risk, the researchers found that women who had smaller babies were almost twice as likely to develop heart disease an average of three decades later.
Menopause ‘Brain Fog’ May Be Real
by Salynn Boyles
New Research Finds Differences in Menopausal Memory Problems and Age-Related Memory Loss
March 16, 2012 — Along with hot flashes and night sweats, memory problems are a common complaint of menopausal women. Now a new study finds evidence that menopause “brain fog” may be real.
The research provides clues about changes in women’s brains as they transition through the “change,” finding key differences between the memory issues women in the study had around the time of menopause and those most often associated with aging.
Few Sexually Active Women Get Chlamydia Test
by Daniel J. DeNoon
About Two-Thirds of at-Risk Young Women Miss Test for Fertility-Robbing STD
March 13, 2012 — Nearly two-thirds of sexually active young women don’t get regular chlamydia tests, a CDC study finds.
That means more than 9 million young American women don’t know whether they’ve been infected, study leader Karen Hoover, MD, MPH, said in a teleconference from this week’s National STD Prevention Conference in Minneapolis.
And the odds of being infected are pretty high: Chlamydia is the most common STD, as well as the most common reportable infection in the U.S.
PSA Test Cuts Prostate Cancer Deaths — at a Cost
by Daniel J. DeNoon
European PSA Study: Screen 936 Men, Save 1 Cancer Death
March 14, 2012 — The odds of dying from prostate cancer are 21% lower 11 years after men are offered routine screening with the controversial PSA blood test, European researchers find.
Those odds go down 29% if you only count men who actually got screened in the huge European Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer, or ERSPC. The study enrolled 182,160 men ages 50 to 74 in eight European countries.
The findings strengthen confidence in earlier results reported in 2009, says study leader Fritz H. Schroder, MD, PhD, professor of urology at the Netherlands’ Erasmus University.
1 Sugary Drink a Day May Raise Heart Risk
Study: Men Who Drank 1 Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Daily Had 20% Higher Risk of Heart Disease Than Non-Drinkers
March 12, 2012 — Just one sugar-sweetened drink a day may be enough to raise a man’s risk for heart disease, a new study suggests.
Men who drank just one sugary drink a day had a 20% higher risk of heart disease than did non-drinkers, says researcher Frank Hu, MD, PhD, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health.
Can Less Red Meat Add Up to a Longer Life?
by Brenda Goodman, MA
Study Ties Red Meat to a Higher Risk of Death From Heart Disease and Cancer
March 12, 2012 — People who eat less red meat may live longer than people who regularly eat burgers, steaks, and processed foods like bacon, hot dogs, and sausage, a new study shows.
For the study, Harvard researchers delved into the diets of more than 120,000 men and women who are taking part in the long-running Health Professionals Follow-up Study and the Nurses’ Health Study.
Cool Hands May Help People Exercise Longer
by Denise Mann
Hand-Cooling Device Lets People Feel More Comfortable When ExercisingMarch 13, 2012 — Cool hands, healthy heart?
A new study shows that cool hands may allow you to exercise for longer periods of time.
Obese women who placed their hands in a cooling device while exercising, such as walking on a treadmill, were able to outlast their counterparts whose held a lukewarm device. The cooling device used was the AVAcore CoreControl device, which cools the palms and pulls heat from the body.
5 Dietary Patterns Most Americans Fit Into
by Jennifer Warner
Study: Race and Region Often Affect Dietary Pattern a Person Follows
March 13, 2012 — Your race, age, and where you live may influence what you eat, for better and for worse.
A new study shows most American diets fall into one of five major patterns:
Southern: Fried, processed meats and sugar-sweetened beverages
Traditional: Chinese and Mexican food, pasta dishes, pizza, soup, and other mixed dishes including frozen or take-out meals
Healthy: Mostly fruits, vegetables, and grains
Sweets: Large amounts of sweet snacks and desserts
Alcohol: Proteins, alcohol, and salads
Schools Can Say No to ‘Pink Slime’ Ground Beef
by Jennifer Warner
USDA to Offer Schools a Choice in Ground Beef Products
March 16, 2012 — “Pink slime” may soon be off the menu at many schools.
The USDA says it will offer school lunch program participants a choice between purchasing ground beef with or without the controversial product known as “lean finely textured beef” by the meat industry and “pink slime” by its opponents.
The product is a filler created by combining beef trimmings, heating them to remove most of the fat, and treating them with ammonia hydroxide gas to kill potentially dangerous bacteria like E. coli and salmonella.
White Rice Linked to Diabetes Risk
by Denise Mann
Study: Eating White Rice Regularly Raises Diabetes Risk
March 15, 2012 — Eating white rice regularly, as is commonly done in many Asian countries, may increase risk for developing type 2 diabetes, a new study shows.
Researchers looked at data from four studies: two in Asian countries (China and Japan) and two in Western countries (the U.S. and Australia). All participants were diabetes-free when the studies began.
Dietary Cadmium, Breast Cancer Link?
by Kathleen Doheny
Highest Exposure Levels Linked to 21% Increased Risk, but More Study Needed, Researchers Say
March 15, 2012 — Exposure to high levels of dietary cadmium may boost the risk of breast cancer, according to new research.
Cadmium is a metal commonly found in the environment. It is also found in many farm fertilizers. From fertilizers, it can work its way into food. It is found in breads, cereals, potatoes, root crops, and vegetables.
“It’s been known for some time that cadmium is toxic and, in certain forms, carcinogenic,” says Bettina Julin, a doctoral student at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm.
Recent Comments