Welcome to the Stars Hollow Health and Fitness News 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.
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I’ve learned a lot about making sorbets from Jacquy Pfeiffer, the founder and dean of student affairs at the French Pastry School in Chicago. He taught me to use a small amount of corn syrup – about 5 percent of the weight of the fruit – to prevent the sorbet from developing ice crystals. A very small amount of honey will also work. I asked him what the least sugar I could get away with is, and he said it depends on the fruit, but as a general rule he uses 15 to 20 percent sugar. I decided to factor the corn syrup and honey into that weight, and my sorbets were beautiful, with great texture.
If you want to use less sugar, the solution for frozen fruit ices would be to make granitas, which by definition have ice crystals. When you make a granita, you freeze the blended fruit mixture in a pan, scraping it with a fork at 30-minute intervals as ice crystals begin to develop around the edges, until it is all frozen but not in a solid block. Any of this week’s recipes can be made as granitas with less sugar.
~Marthe Rose Shulman~
You can use yellow or green melon for this as long as it’s really ripe and sweet.
Rose water, found in Middle Eastern markets, adds nuance to this smooth sorbet.
Infused with wine and spices, this is a sophisticated frozen dessert.
What this sorbet lacks in visual appeal it makes up for in flavor.
Little sugar is needed for this dish if your watermelon is juicy and sweet.
New Devices Improve Diabetes Control
by Salynn Boyles
Insulin Pump, Shots Equally Effective, but Pump Plus Monitor Is Best
July 9, 2012 — By combining insulin pumps with continuous blood sugar sensors, people with diabetes get better blood sugar control than those using finger-stick testing and insulin shots, new research suggests.
The findings come from an analysis of studies comparing new technologies to traditional methods for monitoring and controlling blood sugar.
The studies find that old-fashioned insulin injections control blood sugar just as well as insulin pumps. But most studies find that people get better results by combining the pumps with new blood sugar-monitoring devices.
Stress Management May Prevent MS Brain Lesions
by Salynn Boyles
Multiple Sclerosis Patients Had Fewer New Brain Lesions During Treatment
July 11, 2012 — Teaching MS patients how to deal with stress can improve their quality of life — and may also prevent or slow down formation of new brain lesions, according to a new study.
Patients with multiple sclerosis who attended stress management therapy sessions for six months had fewer new brain lesions from disease flare-ups and slower disease progression during their treatment, Northwestern University researcher David C. Mohr, PhD, and colleagues found.
The findings, published in the July 11 issue of the journal Neurology, add to evidence that stress management can slow MS disease activity.
College Football Players’ Concussion Rates Double
by Cari Nierenberg
Study: New NCAA Rules and Under-Reporting Linked With Jump in Athletes’ Head Injuries
July 12, 2012 — Concussion rates in college football players have doubled since new rules were put in place to help manage the number of head injuries, a new study shows.
Researchers found that the number of concussions reported by players at three different Division 1 college football programs went from 23 head injuries in the season before new NCAA concussion rules went into effect in 2010 to 42 during the next season.
The increase in the number of concussions is not simply that more athletes are getting hurt playing football, which may increase their risk of brain injuries as they get older. Another explanation might be improved awareness of the problem and that symptoms from these head injuries were previously under-recognized.
Electric Fans May Be Risky in Extreme Heat
by Salynn Boyles
More Study Needed to Prove Safety, Review Suggests
July 12, 2012 — Already this summer much of the nation has faced record setting, triple-digit heat, and it’s only mid-July.
Now, as heat waves become more common, a new report questions the safety of a long-relied-upon method for staying cool on sweltering days: the electric fan.
While the review found little evidence of health harms linked to the use of electric fans among people without air conditioning, researchers concluded that better studies are needed to fully understand their impact during heat waves.
“The main implication of this review is that quality research is needed to resolve the ongoing uncertainty about the benefits and harms of using electric fans during heat waves,” Katie Carmichael of the U.K.’s Health Protection Agency (HPA) said in a news briefing.
H1N1 Flu Shot Appears Safe During Pregnancy
by Denise Mann
But Shot May Slightly Increase Risk for Guillian-Barre Syndrome in People 6 Months or Older
July 10, 2012 — New research brings reassuring news for women who received the swine flu vaccine while pregnant during the H1N1 flu pandemic of 2009.
Infants born in Denmark whose moms got the H1N1 shot were no more likely to have major birth defects or to be born too early than infants whose moms did not get the vaccine during their pregnancies.
But a second, related study found that Canadians aged 6 months or older who received the H1N1 vaccine were at a slightly higher risk for developing Guillain-Barre syndrome during the two months following the shot.
Can Weight Loss Cool Hot Flashes?
by Kathleen Doheny
Women Who Lost Weight on Low-Fat Diet Had Fewer or No Hot Flashes, Researchers Find
July 11, 2012 — Losing excess weight by eating a low-fat diet filled with vegetables, fruits, and whole grains appears to help reduce or eliminate menopausal symptoms, according to new research.
“Women who lost weight on a low-fat diet reduced hot flashes and night sweats,” says researcher Bette J. Caan, DrPH, senior research scientist at the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research.
Even some women who followed the diet and didn’t lose weight reported fewer menopausal symptoms, Caan tells WebMD, although she says that could be a chance finding.
Moderate Drinking May Help Older Women’s Bones
by Kathleen Doheny
Study: Women Who Drink Moderately as Part of a Healthy Diet May Have Bone Benefit
July 11, 2012 — Women who drink alcohol moderately may be doing their bones a favor, new research suggests.
“Moderate alcohol as a component of a healthy lifestyle that includes a balanced diet and physical activity may lower the risk of osteoporosis,” researcher Urszula Iwaniec, PhD, associate professor at Oregon State University, tells WebMD.
Preterm Birth Rates and Infant Death Rates Drop
by Denise Mann
Federal Report Shows No Change in Rates of Childhood Asthma, Obesity
July 13, 2012 — The U.S. preterm birth rate dropped for the fourth year in a row, according to a new federal report.
In 2010, 12% of infants were born before 37 weeks, down from 12.8% in 2006.
Babies born too early are at higher risk for many long-term health and developmental problems. This decline was primarily seen among infants delivered late preterm or between 34 to 36 weeks of pregnancy.
Breastfeeding Fights Obesity
by Jennifer Warner
1% Change in Weight for Each 6 Months of Breastfeeding
July 10, 2012 — Breastfeeding may help women keep their weight in check and make them less likely to become obese as they get older.
A large new study shows postmenopausal women who breastfed for at least six months had a lower body mass index (BMI) than those who did not, regardless of how many children they had.
The longer women breastfed, the bigger the benefits.
Many Babies Healthier in Homes With Dogs
by Daniel J. DeNoon
Fewer Colds, Ear Infections in Infants With Dogs (Cats Help, Too)
July 9, 2012 — Babies in homes with dogs have fewer colds, fewer ear infections, and need fewer antibiotics in their first year of life than babies raised in pet-free homes, Finnish researchers find.
Homes with cats are healthier for babies, too, but not to the same extent as those with dogs, note researchers Eija Bergroth, MD, of Finland’s Kuopio University Hospital, and colleagues.
“The strongest effect was seen with dog contacts. We do not know why it was stronger than with cat contacts,” Bergroth tells WebMD. “It might have something to do with dirt brought inside by the dogs, especially since the strongest protective effect was seen with children living in houses where dogs spent a lot of time outside.”
PG-13 Movie Smoking Prompts Teens to Smoke
by Jennifer Warner
Watching Smoking in Both PG-13 and R-Rated Movies Linked to Teen Smoking
July 9, 2012 — Watching movie stars smoking on the big screen makes teens more likely to start smoking themselves, regardless of whether the movie is rated R or PG-13.
A new study suggests it’s the cigarette smoking itself in movies that affects teenage smoking habits, rather than other adult behaviors that go with it.
Researchers found that on-screen smoking in movies rated R and PG-13 had a comparable impact on making teens more likely to smoke.
Gene May Protect Against Alzheimer’s Disease
by Denise Mann
Results Provide Boost for Drugs in the Pipeline Targeting the Gene
A new study shows that researchers might be on the right path to someday make it happen. New research has identified a genetic mutation that may protect against both Alzheimer’s disease and age-related declines in thinking and memory. And future drug treatments already in the pipeline may help prevent against both.
Amyloid protein plaques in the brain are seen in people with Alzheimer’s disease. A gene for amyloid-beta precursor protein (APP) plays a key role in the formation of these plaques. Researchers from Reykjavik, Iceland, found that a mutation in this gene may help protect against Alzheimer’s disease and age-related mental decline.
Descent Into Alzheimer’s Detailed
by Daniel J. DeNoon
Alzheimer’s Timeline Starts 25 Years Before Severe Dementia
July 11, 2012 — Data from people with a rare form of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease offer a detailed look at each ominous step of the descent into severe Alzheimer’s dementia.
Only 1% of people with Alzheimer’s disease get the early-onset form. But the new findings strongly suggest that the relentless progression of Alzheimer’s disease is the same in patients with the much more common “sporadic” form of the illness.
“A series of changes begins in the brain decades before the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease are noticed by patients or families,” study leader Randall Bateman, MD, of Washington University, said in a news release. “This cascade of events may provide a timeline for symptom onset.”
Sugar Substitutes Can Lead to Weight Loss
by Kathleen Doheny
Non-Sugar Sweeteners May Help Control Weight and Blood Sugar — if You Don’t Compensate
July 9, 2012 — Substituting other sweeteners for sugars may help people lose weight and help people with diabetes control blood sugar, according to a new joint statement issued by the American Heart Association and the American Diabetes Association.
“When you use these non-nutritive sweeteners smartly, they will help you cut back on sugar and calories,” says Christopher Gardner, PhD, who chaired the writing group for the joint statement.
Cranberries Combat Urinary Tract Infections
by Jennifer Warner
Daily Dose of Cranberries May Prevent UTIs
July 9, 2012 — Grandma’s advice may be true after all. Cranberries, long touted as a folk remedy to combat urinary tract infections, may help curb urinary tract infections (UTIs).
A new study confirms that cranberry juice and other cranberry products can help prevent UTIs in some people.
But it may take more than a glass of cranberry juice in the morning to do the trick, and cranberries may benefit some people more than others.
Sitting Too Much May Shave Years Off Our Lives
by Denise Mann
Sitting Less Than 3 Hours a Day May Add 2 Years on to Our Lives
July 9, 2012 — Sitting too much is a serious health threat, a new study suggests.
But keeping “down time” to less than three hours a day might make us live an extra two years. And cutting TV viewing — which most of us do while sitting — to less than two hours every day might extend life by almost 1.4 years.
The new findings appear in the online journal BMJ Open.
Diet Secret: Small Pieces of Food More Filling
by Daniel J. DeNoon
College Students, Rats Eat Less When Food Is in Small Pieces
July 10, 2012 — Call it the cut-up-food-diet: We feel full faster, and eat less later, when our food is served in small pieces.
It works in both college students and lab rats, according to a study by Devina Wadhera and colleagues at Arizona State University.
“Cutting up energy-dense foods into smaller pieces may be beneficial to dieters who wish to make their meal more satiating while also maintaining portion control,” Wadhera says in a news release.
[Food Journal: Write It Down, Shed More Pounds Food Journal: Write It Down, Shed More Pounds
Food Journals Help Dieters Lose Weight, Study Shows]
by Salynn Boyles
Food Journals Help Dieters Lose Weight, Study Shows
July 13, 2012 — If you want to lose weight, you need to eat less — and if you want to eat less, it helps to write it down.
When researchers studied the eating behaviors of female dieters they found that two of the most important tools linked to successful weight loss were a pen and notebook.
Women who kept food journals and consistently wrote down the foods they ate lost more weight than women who didn’t.
Skipping meals and eating out frequently, especially at lunch, led to less weight loss.
Researcher Anne McTiernan, MD, PhD, says based on the study results, the number one piece of advice someone should follow if they want to lose weight is, “Keep a food journal.”
“It’s about accountability, knowing what you’re eating and how much, and how that all adds up compared with your calorie goal for losing weight,” she tells WebMD.
The study appears in the latest issue of the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
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