Welcome to the Health and Fitness NewsWelcome 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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Apricots are an early summer fruit, and their short season is now. They’re worth buying, for the purposes of both taste and nutrition, only when you can find them ripe. You don’t want them so ripe that they bruise as soon as you put them into a bag – they should be slightly firm to the touch, as apricots ripen from the inside out – but if they were picked green they will have little flavor, and they’ll have that mealy texture that describes a bad apricot.
The fact that 95 percent of the apricots grown in the United States are from California doesn’t mean that you can’t find good ones that were picked at the right time if you live elsewhere. Whole Foods watches the crops carefully and sells all of the terrific varieties, like Blenheims, that we find out here in California in our farmers’ markets. I’m lucky to live in Southern California, where the apricot season is longer than in other parts of the state (mid-May to mid-August; it ends in mid-July in Northern California), so I’ve already had some time to work on this year’s apricot recipes.
~Martha Rose Shulman~
A delicious combination of earthy/nutty crepes and sweet and tangy apricots.
Apricot Crumble With Oatmeal Topping
A topping prepared ahead of time means this satisfying dessert takes only 20 minutes to bake.
Pan-Cooked Chicken Scaloppine With Spiced Roasted Apricots
Roasted apricots go well with savory dishes like these chicken breasts, or your vegetarian favorite.
Soufflé Omelet With Apricot Sauce
Beaten egg whites keep this Cointreau-spiked dessert omelet light and airy.
Simple, rustic tarts show off peak-season fruit.
2 Million Deaths a Year Due to Air Pollution?
by Mary Elizabeth Dallas, HealthDay Reporter
Rises in ozone caused by humans mostly to blame, researchers say
July 12 (HealthDay News) — Air pollution claims more than 2 million lives worldwide every year, according to a new study.
And roughly 470,000 deaths occur each year due to increases in ozone caused by humans, the study authors said.
On the other hand, climate change only has a minimal effect on air pollution and rising death rates, the authors concluded.
Researchers from the University of North Carolina estimated that about 2.1 million people die as a result of a surge in fine particulate matter air pollution. These tiny air particles can penetrate deep into the lungs and cause cancer and other respiratory illnesses.
After ACL Surgery, Another Knee Injury Likely?
by Robert Preidt, HealthDay Reporter
Athletes who return to sports should take precautions, researcher advises
July 11 (HealthDay News) — Athletes who have anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction surgery are six times more likely to suffer another ACL injury within two years than someone who has never had such an injury, a new study finds.
An ACL injury is a common type of knee injury in athletes.
Experimental Melanoma Vaccine Shows Promise
by Steven Reinberg, HealthDay Reporter
‘Personalized immunotherapy’ may one day treat late-stage skin cancer
July 11 (HealthDay News) — Six of seven advanced melanoma patients had a positive response to an experimental vaccine, a finding that shows promise for personalized skin cancer treatment, researchers report.
The vaccine also slowed tumor progression in three of the patients, according to the investigators at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
U.S. Lagging Other Countries on Many Health Measures
by Brenda Goodman, HealthDay Reporter
Report finds some gains, but also many areas where Americans’ health is slipping
July 10 (HealthDay News) — Life expectancy has increased in the United States over the last two decades, but Americans are also spending more of their lives in poor health, a sweeping new study finds.
And despite being the biggest spender on health care in the world, the United States lags behind many other prosperous countries in the leading causes of premature death, including heart disease, violence, traffic accidents and diabetes.
Type 1 Diabetes: Animal-to-Human Cell Transplants?
by Robert Preidt, HealthDay Reporter
Researchers working with rodents say they’re one step closer
July 12 (HealthDay News) — U.S. scientists who successfully transplanted insulin-producing islet cells from rats to mice say it is the first step toward animal-to-human transplant of islet cells for people with type 1 diabetes.
The researchers at Northwestern Medicine in Illinois developed a method that prevented the mice from rejecting the rats’ islet cells without the use of drugs to suppress their immune system.
The study was published online July 12 in the journal Diabetes.
Heart Dangers of Low Vitamin D Levels May Vary
by Denise Mann, HealthDay Reporter
Study found whites, Asians more affected than blacks, Hispanics
July 9 (HealthDay News) — The heart risks of having low levels of vitamin D may hinge on what race or ethnicity you are, new research suggests.
Specifically, the team of scientists found it might increase heart disease risk among white or Chinese individuals, but it does not seem to pose any cardiovascular danger to black or Hispanic adults.
Listeria Outbreak Prompts Cheese Recall
by Robert Preidt, HealthDay Reporter
1 person dead, 4 sickened; source seems to be Wisconsin company, CDC says
July 8 (HealthDay News) — A recent listeria outbreak that caused one death and sickened four other people seems to be linked to cheeses made by a Wisconsin firm, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports.
An investigation by federal, state and local health agencies indicates that Les Freres, Petit Frere, and Petit Frere with Truffles cheeses made by Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese Company of Waterloo are the likely sources of the outbreak, the CDC said.
FDA Proposes New Limit for Arsenic in Apple Juice
By HealthDay Reporters, HealthDay Reporter
Move follows release of studies last fall showing worrisome amounts of the toxin in many brands
July 12 (HealthDay News) — A new limit on the level of arsenic allowed in apple juice was proposed Friday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The move comes after a year of pressure from consumer groups concerned about the contaminant’s effect on children.
The new standard would limit the amount of arsenic in apple juice to the same maximum level permitted in drinking water, 10 parts per billon, the agency said in a statement. Apple juice containing higher levels of arsenic could be removed from the market and companies could face legal action in those cases.
The FDA will accept comments on the new draft regulation for 60 days before making the new arsenic limit official.
Back in November, a study in Consumer Reports found many apple and grape juice samples were tainted with arsenic.
Most Statin Users Won’t Have Major Side Effects
by Serena Gordon, HealthDay Reporter
However, large review found 9 percent higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes
July 9 (HealthDay News) — Statins — the widely used cholesterol-lowering drugs — have few serious side effects, although they do slightly raise the risk of type 2 diabetes, according to a large new evidence review.
In the analysis of 135 previous studies, which included nearly 250,000 people combined, researchers found that the drugs simvastatin (Zocor) and pravastatin (Pravachol) had the fewest side effects in this class of medications. They also found that lower doses produced fewer side effects in general.
Your Internet Medical Search Isn’t Private: Study
by Steven Reinberg, HealthDay Reporter
Companies track and sell the information, researcher says
July 8 (HealthDay News) — Searching the Internet for medical information may leave behind a lucrative trail for profit-makers, a new study says.
When patients go online to look up a specific condition, the websites often sell that search information to companies that target ads to individual users. Or maybe they’ll use the secretly obtained knowledge for something more sinister, the study contended.
“We should be a little worried,” said study author Dr. Marco Huesch, an assistant professor at the Sol Price School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California, in Los Angeles.
West Nile Spraying Safe in Short Term: Study
by Dennis Thompson, HealthDay Reporter
California researchers found Sacramento County residents had no immediate health problems after pesticide was applied
July 11 (HealthDay News) — California residents apparently suffered no immediate ill health effects from aerial pesticide spraying intended to prevent the spread of West Nile virus in Sacramento County in 2005, a new study shows.
Researchers found no increase in emergency-room visits for ailments linked to aerial spraying, including respiratory, gastrointestinal, skin, eye or neurological conditions, said study author Dr. Estella Geraghty, an associate professor of clinical internal medicine at the University of California, Davis.
“The good news is that the aerial application of pyrethrin does not appear to increase emergency-room visits for any kind of complaint,” Geraghty said.
Many Docs Don’t Follow HPV/Pap Test Guidelines: Study
by Robert Preidt, HealthDay Reporter
Too few vaccines recommended, and too many cervical cancer tests done, survey finds
July 9 (HealthDay News) — Too few doctors follow U.S. guidelines for human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and cervical cancer screening, according to a new study.
A survey of 366 obstetricians-gynecologists in the United States found that less than one-third of them vaccinate eligible patients against HPV and only half follow cervical cancer prevention guidelines.
Vaccination against HPV — which can cause cervical cancer — is recommended for females aged 11 to 26 years.
Month of Conception and Odds of Premature Birth
by Alan Mozes, HealthDay Reporter
Mom’s exposure to flu during third trimester appears to be a key risk factor, researchers say
July 8 (HealthDay News) — What time of year a baby is conceived may raise the chances of a premature birth, new research suggests.
Investigators found that children conceived during the month of May faced a 10 percent increase in risk relative compared to babies conceived at other times of the year.
The study authors believe that may be a function of the expectant mother’s increased exposure to the seasonal flu during January and February, exactly when a baby conceived in May would be nearing term.
Too Much Fish Oil Might Boost Prostate Cancer Risk
by Steven Reinberg, HealthDay Reporter
Often-fatal aggressive disease of particular concern
July 10 (HealthDay News) — Eating a lot of oily fish or taking potent fish oil supplements may increase a man’s risk of developing prostate cancer, new research suggests.
Moreover, marine sources of omega-3 fatty acids may also raise the risk for aggressive prostate cancer, according to the study by scientists at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle.
Many Men Plan to Ignore PSA Test Guideline: Survey
by Randy Dotinga, HealthDay Reporter
Most say they’ll still have the prostate cancer screen, despite expert panel’s recommendation
July 9 (HealthDay News) — Most older American men plan to get screened for prostate cancer despite a recent recommendation that many should just skip the controversial PSA test, a new survey suggests.
The authors of a report about the survey don’t reveal which side of the debate they’re on, although they do write that new PSA test research suggests that its “harms outweigh the benefits.”
Soy Won’t Prevent Prostate Cancer’s Return: Study
by Steven Reinberg, HealthDay Reporter
But an expert says findings are inconclusive
July 9 (HealthDay News) — Soy supplements don’t prevent a recurrence of prostate cancer after surgical removal of the prostate, a new small study finds.
Many men with prostate cancer try soy products, but there is no hard evidence that they thwart a return of the disease, the researchers said.
“If one eats soy every day after surgery for prostate cancer, one does not reduce the risk of recurrence,” said the study’s lead researcher, Dr. Maarten Bosland, a professor of pathology at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Later Clamping of Umbilical Cord Benefits Newborns: Study
by WebMD News from HealthDay
A new study adds to growing evidence suggesting that doctors clamp umbilical cords too soon after a baby’s birth.
Doctors routinely clamp and sever the umbilical cord less than a minute after birth, a practice believed to lower the risk of severe bleeding in the mother.
But this new study found that delaying clamping for at least a minute after birth allows more time for blood to move from the placenta and helps boost iron stores and hemoglobin levels in newborns, without increasing the risks to mothers, The New York Times reported.
5 Things Kids Should Tell Their Asthma Doctor
by Robert Preidt, HealthDay Reporter
Experts list key topics to discuss for optimum care
July 10 (HealthDay News) — Children, not their parents, should do most of the talking about their asthma symptoms when seeing an allergist, according to a new study.
Researchers looked at about 80 children with asthma and their parents. Although parents can provide useful information, it’s important for allergists to ask both parents and children about symptoms, activity limitations and use of medications to better understand and treat the child’s asthma, the researchers found.
The importance of listening to children with asthma is highlighted by the fact that they report having a better quality of life in terms of activity limitations than their parents believe, according to the study, which was published in the July issue of the journal Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.
Irregular Bedtimes May Sap Kids’ Brainpower
by Robert Preidt, HealthDay Reporter
Study found that the longer children go to sleep at different times each night, the lower their scores on thinking tests
July 9 (HealthDay News) — Going to bed at different times every night appears to reduce children’s brainpower, a new British study suggests.
The research included 11,000 children in the United Kingdom whose family routines, including bedtimes, were recorded when they were aged 3, 5 and 7. At age 7, the children were given tests to assess their math and reading skills and spatial awareness.
Irregular bedtimes were most common at age 3, when around one in five children went to bed at varying times. By the age of 7, more than half the children went to bed regularly between 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.
Nearly Half of Infants Have Flat Spot on Head: Study
by Amy Norton, HealthDay Reporter
But researcher stresses importance of still having babies sleep on their back to prevent SIDS
July 8 (HealthDay News) — Putting babies on their backs to sleep has sharply cut the rate of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), but it has also left nearly half of infants with a flattened heads, a new Canadian study estimates.
Researchers found that 47 percent of 440 2-month-olds having routine check-ups had what doctors call positional plagiocephaly — where the back or one side of the head has a flat spot. It develops when infants spend a lot of time with the head resting in the same position against a flat surface.
Flat spots are a cosmetic issue — not a medical problem — experts stressed, and parents should keep putting their infants on their backs to sleep.
Today’s 90-Somethings Sharper Than Predecessors?
by Robert Preidt, HealthDay Reporter
Danish study compared mental abilities of seniors born in 1905 and 1915
July 11 (HealthDay News) — People in their 90s today are mentally sharper than those who were in their 90s a decade ago, a new study contends.
The Danish researchers compared 2,262 people who were born in 1905 and still alive in 1998 (aged 92 to 93) with 1,584 people who were born in 1915 and still alive in 2010 (aged 94 to 95).
Appearing online July 11 in The Lancet, the study “challenges speculations that the improving longevity is the result of the survival of very frail and disabled elderly people,” study leader Professor Kaare Christensen, at the University of Southern Denmark, said in a journal news release.
Cancer Patients Less Likely to Get Alzheimer’s?
by Alan Mozes, HealthDay Reporter
Risk for malignancy was also lower in seniors with Alzheimer’s, researchers report
July 10 (HealthDay News) — Gaining insight into two big health concerns, Italian researchers have found that seniors with cancer have a lower risk for Alzheimer’s disease and vice versa.
Studying more than 200,000 older adults in northern Italy, the research team concluded that cancer patients bear a 35 percent lower risk for developing Alzheimer’s, while people with Alzheimer’s have nearly half the risk of getting cancer compared to the general population.
The investigators suggested that the findings could help guide researchers toward better treatments for both illnesses over the long term.
Exercise Up in U.S., but So Is Obesity: Report
by Steven Reinberg, HealthDay Reporter
Food control is the missing link, experts say
July 10 (HealthDay News) — Although Americans are exercising more, the obesity epidemic continues to expand, University of Washington researchers report.
Their nine-year study of data from two U.S. health surveys suggests that physical activity alone is not enough to combat the problem.
“While physical activity has improved noticeably in most counties, obesity has also continued to rise in nearly all counties,” said lead researcher Laura Dwyer-Lindgren, from the university’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation.
Could Artificial Sweeteners Cause Weight Gain?
by Brenda Goodman, HealthDay Reporter
Researcher says evidence suggests they may, but industry rep disagrees
uly 10 (HealthDay News) — Artificial sweeteners appear to disturb the body’s ability to count calories and, as a result, diet foods and drinks may wind up encouraging weight gain rather than weight loss, an expert contends.
These sweeteners may also increase the risk of health problems like heart disease and diabetes, some evidence suggests.
In an opinion piece published July 10 in the journal Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism, Susan Swithers, a professor of behavioral neuroscience at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., rounded up recent research on artificial sweeteners.
Commonly used sweeteners include sucralose, aspartame and saccharin, among others.
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