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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You always see celery listed as an ingredient in tonic juices and blender drinks. It has long been used in Chinese medicine to help control high blood pressure, which makes sense because it contains phytochemicals called phthalides that reduce stress hormones and work to relax the muscle walls in arteries, increasing blood flow. The vegetable is an excellent source of Vitamins K and C, and a very good source of potassium, folate, dietary fiber, molybdenum, manganese, and Vitamin B6. Another bonus attribute – it is very low in calories. However, it is on the high side as far as sodium goes.
~Martha Rose Shulman~
A way to serve celery as a side dish, or as a topping for grains or pasta.
Lentil, Celery and Tomato Minestrone
With extra celery, traditional minestrone soup takes on a whole new layer of flavor.
Celery and Radish Salad With Gorgonzola
Use the delicate hearts of celery for this light and delicious salad.
Celery Risotto With Dandelion Greens or Kale
Celery contrasts nicely with the rice in this aromatic risott
Puréed Broccoli and Celery Soup
A broccoli soup with an added dimension of flavor.
Alcohol and a Good Night’s Sleep Don’t Mix
by Denise Mann, WebMD Health News
Jan. 22, 2013 — Think a nightcap may help you get a better night’s sleep?
Think again.
A new review of 27 studies shows that alcohol does not improve sleep quality. According to the findings, alcohol does allow healthy people to fall asleep quicker and sleep more deeply for a while, but it reduces rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.
And the more you drink before bed, the more pronounced these effects. REM sleep happens about 90 minutes after we fall asleep. It’s the stage of sleep when people dream, and it’s thought to be restorative. Disruptions in REM sleep may cause daytime drowsiness, poor concentration, and rob you of needed ZZZs.
People With Egg Allergy Can Safely Get Flu Shot: Experts
by WebMD News from HealthDay
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 23 (HealthDay News) — Flu vaccination is safe for children and adults with an egg allergy, according to new research that is especially timely in light of the current widespread flu.
“The influenza vaccine is grown in chicken eggs; therefore, it contains trace amounts of egg allergen,” Dr. James Sublett, chairman of the public relations committee at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, said in a college news release. [..]
A study published in the December 2012 issue of the journal Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology concluded that flu vaccine contains such a low amount of egg protein that it won’t cause an allergic reaction in children with an egg allergy.
Migraine Triggers May Not Always Trigger Migraines
by Matt McMillen, WebMD Health News
Jan. 23, 2013 — Worrying about what may trigger a migraine attack adds to the discomfort of many people with migraines. But according to a new study from Denmark, much of that worry may be unfounded.
The researchers studied the effect of light and exercise — both commonly believed by patients to trigger migraine with aura — and demonstrated that neither caused attacks in most of the people enrolled in the study.
“There are a lot of things about headache and migraine that are accepted as true but that remain untested,” neurologist Peter Goadsby, MD, Dsc, says of triggers. “The results of this study may surprise some patients.”
Smokers Die About a Decade Earlier on Average
by Salynn Boyles, WebMD Health News
Jan. 23, 2013 — Women who smoke are now just as likely to die of lung cancer and other smoking-related diseases as men — and smokers of both sexes die, on average, about a decade earlier than non-smokers.
These were among the findings from two major studies examining death rate trends among smokers published in The New England Journal of Medicine.
“The studies highlight the fact that cigarette smoking remains a leading cause of death in the U.S.,” says Steven A. Schroeder, MD, who directs the Smoking Cessation Leadership Center at the University of California, San Francisco.
Are Those Who Multitask Most the Worst at It?
by Kathleen Doheny, WebMD Health News
Jan. 24, 2013 — Next time you see a driver talking on the cell phone and looking confident, you might want to change lanes.
People who often talk on cell phones while driving may think they are experts at such multitasking, but they are typically not, says researcher David Strayer, PhD, professor of psychology at the University of Utah.
In this case, Strayer and his colleagues found practice does not make perfect, or even close to it.
Aspirin Linked to Blinding Eye Disease
by Brenda Goodman, MA, WebMD Health News
Jan. 22, 2013 — Regular aspirin users are more likely to develop the “wet” form of age-related macular degeneration compared to people who rarely or never take the drug, a new study shows.
Aspirin is one of the most widely used drugs in the world. Millions of people with heart disease take a daily low dose of aspirin in hopes of preventing heart attacks and stroke. It’s also used to ease pain.
Macular degeneration is a leading cause of blindness in older adults, and it is on the rise. The “wet” form accounts for only about 10% to 15% of cases, but it progresses more rapidly and is more likely to lead to vision loss than the “dry” form.
Flu Continues to Wane, but Deaths Still Epidemic
by Robert Lowes, Medscape Medical News
Jan. 25, 2012 — Flu activity continues to fall in the U.S. even as the death toll, which lags behind the infection rate, continues to rise, according to the CDC.
Through the third week of 2013 ending on Jan. 19, the percentage of deaths attributed to flu and pneumonia in 122 cities rose to 9.8% from 8.3% the week before, according to the CDC’s latest report on this flu season. This again passes the epidemic threshold for such deaths, which is 7.3%.
So far, 37 of those deaths are children.
New Strain of Norovirus Spreading Quickly in U.S.
by Salynn Boyles, WebMD Health News
Jan. 24, 2013 — The flu is not the only highly contagious disease raging this winter.
A new strain of norovirus is causing intestinal illness outbreaks across the country, the CDC confirmed today.
Norovirus is often to blame when large numbers of people get sick on cruise ships or in schools, nursing homes, and other places where people live, work, or play in close quarters.
CDC officials also reported a rise in outbreaks of sickness caused by drinking raw milk.
The findings appear in the Jan. 25 issue of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
FDA OKs First OTC Remedy for Overactive Bladder
by Kathleen Doheny, WebMD Health New
Jan. 25, 2013 — The FDA has approved Oxytrol for Women, the first over-the-counter treatment for overactive bladder in women 18 and older.
The condition affects more than 20 million American women, according to Merck, the drug’s manufacturer.
Oxytrol helps relax the overactive bladder muscle that leads to symptoms such as the sudden need to urinate and leaking of urine.
It will still only be available in prescription form for men.
Experts: Common Women’s Condition Needs a New Name
by Brenda Goodman, MA, WebMD Health News
Jan. 24, 2013 — What’s in a name? If it’s polycystic ovary syndrome, a lot of confusion, says a panel of experts convened by the NIH — and they’re calling for a change.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrine disorders, affecting about 1 in 10 women in the U.S. It’s also a major cause of infertility. But as doctors have learned more about the complex condition, they’ve changed the way it’s diagnosed. As a result, a woman doesn’t necessarily have to have polycystic ovaries to have PCOS.
What’s more, for many women, the consequences of the disease extend beyond the ovaries. Recent research suggests PCOS may set women up for a variety of long-term health problems, including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart attacks, and perhaps some kinds of cancers.
Hearing Loss Linked to Mental Decline in Elderly
by Salynn Boyles, WebMD Health News
an. 22, 2013 — Hearing loss and mental decline are two common conditions of aging, and now a new study finds that they may be related.
Older people with hearing deficits were more likely than those with normal hearing to develop problems with memory and thinking over the course of the study.
On average, the study participants with hearing issues had significant mental impairments three years earlier than those without them.
Eat Too Much While Watching TV? Try Taking Smaller Bites
by WebMD News from HealthDay
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 23 (HealthDay News) — Ever find yourself wolfing down snacks as you’re watching your favorite sitcom? Studies have shown that people eat more when distracted by TV or other pastimes.
A new study finds, however, that there may be a simple way to slow down food intake in these situations: take smaller bites.
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