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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When a grain is not the main ingredient in a salad you appreciate it for its texture and for the nutty flavor it contributes to the dish. Authentic Middle Eastern tabouli, for example, is a parsley salad to which a small amount of fine bulgur adds a bit of substance. I made a tabouli of sorts this week with lots of parsley and a little bit of barley, and I made a kale salad with a little bit of quinoa added. Both of these I served as side dishes or starters.
~Martha Rose Shulman~
The kale is the main ingredient here, with quinoa adding texture and bulk.
Brown Rice and Farro Salad With Roasted Pepper, Basil, Arugula and Feta
Roasted pepper and a vinaigrette dressing infuse a chewy, savory mix of rice and farro.
Parsley Salad With Barley, Dill and Hazelnuts
This lemony salad is enriched with a small amount of barley and toasted hazelnuts.
Raw and Cooked Tomato and Herb Salad With Couscous and Sorghum
In this salad, two types of couscous show off summer’s tomato bounty.
Bulgur Salad With Greens, Barberries and Yogurt
Barberries are a tart dried fruit that add an interesting flavor to this salad.
New Defibrillator Works Without Wires Touching Heart
by Steven Reinberg, HealthDay
Device is more durable, making it an alternative for younger patients, researchers say
Aug. 26 (HealthDay News) — A new implantable defibrillator accurately detects abnormal heart rhythms and shocks the heart back into normal rhythm, yet has no wires touching the heart, new research shows.
The device, called a subcutaneous implantable cardiac defibrillator (S-ICD), is placed under the patient’s skin and has a wire under the skin along the left side of the breast bone.
Scientists Grow ‘Model Brain’ From Stem Cells
by Brenda Goodman, HealthDay
The tiny ‘organoids’ have many of the same tissues as nine-week-old fetal brains
Aug. 28 (HealthDay News) — In another milestone for regenerative medicine, Austrian scientists report they have turned stem cells into a collection of tissues that resembles the beginnings of the human brain.
The tiny organoids, as the researchers call them, grow to around 4 millimeters in size. They have many of the same specialized regions that are seen in fetal brains around nine weeks into development.
Though these baby brains aren’t likely to ever work as replacement parts, they are useful for understanding brain development, and where and how it can go awry.
Prescription Sleep Aids Common Choice for Insomnia
by Steven Reinberg, HealthDay
More than 8.5 million adults reported using them, CDC researchers found
Aug. 29 (HealthDay News) — About 4 percent of American adults — more than 8.5 million people — have used a prescription sleep aid in the past month, and the use increases with age, U.S. health officials reported Thursday.
In addition, more women (5 percent) than men (3.1 percent) over the age of 20 take these drugs, and those with higher education levels are more likely to use them, the researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found.
Migraines Linked to Changes in Brain Structure
by Serena Gordon, HealthDay
MRI findings in study should not cause concern to patients, experts say
Aug. 28 (HealthDay News) — People with migraines — either with or without an aura preceding the headache — show changes in the structure of their brains on imaging tests, researchers say.
A new review of previous research shows that people who have migraines have abnormalities in the brain’s white matter, lesions that resemble previous strokes, and changes in the volume of areas of their brains.
New Drug Combo Helps Hard-to-Treat Hepatitis C
by Amy Norton, HealthDay
NIH study focused largely on black patients, who haven’t fared as well with current treatments
Aug. 27 (HealthDay News) — Combining an old drug with an experimental one may cure many cases of hard-to-treat hepatitis C — without the harsh side effects of the standard regimen, a U.S. government study finds.
Experts said the study, reported in the Aug. 28 Journal of the American Medical Association, is an important research step. It focused on patients who often do not respond well to the current hepatitis C drug regimen because they already had liver damage, harbored a particularly stubborn strain of the virus or had other “unfavorable treatment characteristics.”
Tylenol to Come With New Warning
Aug. 30, 2013 — Caps on bottles of the popular pain reliever Tylenol that are sold in the United States will soon come with warnings alerting consumers to the potential for liver failure and even death, the Associated Press reported Thursday.
The warning will state that Tylenol’s active ingredient is acetaminophen, the nation’s leading cause of sudden liver failure. The new cap is designed to alert consumers who may not read similar warnings that already appear in small print on the product’s label, the AP said.
Some Antibiotics Linked to Serious Nerve Damage
by Kelli Miller, WebMD Health News
Aug. 27, 2013 — The FDA is strengthening its warning that a popular class of antibiotics, called fluoroquinolones, may cause sudden, serious, and potentially permanent nerve damage called peripheral neuropathy.
Fluoroquinolones are antibiotics that are commonly used to treat a variety of illnesses such as respiratory and urinary tract infections. These medicines include ciprofloxacin (Cipro), gemifloxacin (Factive), levofloxacin (Levaquin), moxifloxacin (Avelox), norfloxacin (Noroxin), and ofloxacin (Floxin). More than 23 million patients received a prescription for one of them in 2011.
HPV Vaccination Rates Among Teens Still Lagging: CDC
by Steven Reinberg, HealthDay
Doctors need to suggest it when recommending other vaccines for teens, researchers say
Aug. 29 (HealthDay News) — Not enough teens are getting the vaccine that protects against the human papillomavirus (HPV), and doctors’ reluctance to recommend it may be part of the reason why, U.S. health officials reported Thursday.
Although the tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccination rate has risen to 84.6 percent of teens, only 20.8 percent of boys and 53.8 percent of girls have had a least one dose of the HPV vaccine, according to the report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
New Hope for Early Detection of Ovarian Cancer
by Brenda Goodman, HealthDay
Blood test combined with ultrasound exam may help doctors catch the ‘silent killer’ early
Aug. 26 (HealthDay News) — A simple blood test combined with an ultrasound exam may help doctors catch ovarian cancer while it’s still treatable, a new study shows.
Ovarian cancer is a silent killer. It strikes with few, if any, symptoms. By the time a woman knows she has it, the cancer is often advanced and the outlook grim.
This new study “is a ray of excitement,” said researcher Dr. Karen Lu, a professor of gynecologic oncology at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. “The important message is that this shouldn’t change clinical practice right now. We don’t have enough data.”
Anti-Fungal Drug Not Tied to Most Birth Defects: Study
by Steven Reinberg, HealthDay
But experts may still avoid prescribing fluconazole for pregnant women since it’s still linked to a rare heart defect
Aug 28 (HealthDay News) — Although some reports have shown that high doses of the anti-fungal drug fluconazole (Diflucan) may raise the risk of birth defects, a new Danish review finds that more commonly prescribed lower doses of the medicine do not carry the same dangers.
Yet, in spite of this reassurance, experts may remain reluctant to prescribe the drug for expectant mothers who have yeast infections, since it is still linked to an increased risk of a rare congenital heart problem called tetralogy of Fallot.
Most Medications OK During Breast-Feeding
by Brenda Goodman, HealthDay
Mothers may be able to take needed drugs while nursing
Aug. 26 (HealthDay News) — Most breast-feeding moms can safely take the medications and vaccines they need, without fear they’ll harm a nursing infant, according to a new report from a leading group of U.S. pediatricians.
The report, from the American Academy of Pediatrics in consultation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, describes proposed changes to drug labels. The new labels would replace the current “Nursing Mothers” section with a heading called “Lactation,” which would give much more detailed information about a drug’s transfer to breast milk and potential to harm a breast-fed baby.
In Showdowns Between Sexes, Male Ego Bruises Easily
by Dennis Thompson, HealthDay
When wives or girlfriends succeed, men’s self-esteem sags, study contends
Aug. 30 (HealthDay News) — Men tend to feel worse about themselves when their wives or girlfriends succeed, with their self-esteem sagging rather than basking in the glory of their partners’ accomplishments.
That’s the conclusion of a study published online recently in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
Stomach Bug Vaccine for Infants Protects Community
by Steven Reinberg, HealthDay
Lower hospitalization rates for rotavirus infection seen in all age groups, researchers report
Aug. 27 (HealthDay News) — Vaccinating babies against rotavirus also protects older children and adults against infection with the stomach bug, a new study shows.
Since 2008, the vaccine has prevented up to 50,000 hospitalizations for rotavirus each year among children under the age of 5, according to researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Simple Strategies Aren’t Always Enough for Bedwetting
by Kathleen Doheny, HealthDay
In tougher cases, alarms or medications may be the answer, experts say
Aug. 27 (HealthDay News) — While techniques such as fluid restriction can help some children who have problems with bedwetting, alarms and medications are more effective, a new study finds.
“Simple behavioral therapies such as rewarding the child for dry nights or taking the child to the toilet during the night can sometimes help with bedwetting, and is better than doing nothing,” said study leader Dr. Patrina Caldwell, a pediatrician at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead and senior lecturer at the University of Sydney, in Australia.
Hundreds of Thousands of Teens Use Pot, Alcohol Each Day: Report
by HealthDay staff, HealthDay
‘Too many young people are still at risk,’ U.S. health official says
Aug. 29 (HealthDay News) — Despite recent gains against substance abuse by American teens, hundreds of thousands of them use marijuana and alcohol on a given day, U.S. health officials reported Thursday.
On a typical day, an estimated 881,684 kids aged 12 to 17 smoke cigarettes, 646,707 use marijuana and 457,672 drink alcohol, according to a report by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
Babies May Remember Words Heard Before Birth
by Randy Dotinga, HealthDay
Study found repeated exposure to a ‘pseudoword’ during late stages of pregnancy led infant’s brains to react to it
Aug. 26 (HealthDay News) — If you feel like talking to your fetus in the womb, a new study suggests you should: The research finds that babies develop a memory of words they hear frequently before they are born.
“We believe this shows how well the brain at this age adapts to sounds. It is a sign of very early language learning, or adaptation to the sounds they heard,” said study co-author Minna Huotilainen, a docent at the University of Helsinki’s Finnish Center of Excellence in Interdisciplinary Music Research. “A newborn baby is not an empty canvas, but has already learned how his or her mother and other family members speak.”
Stuttering May Not Cause Emotional Woes in Kids
by Amy Norton, HealthDay
Research also suggests many of these children actually have advanced language skills
Aug. 26 (HealthDay News) — Preschoolers who stutter typically do not suffer emotional or social problems because of it, and even tend to have stronger language skills than their peers, a new study suggests.
Researchers said the findings offer reassurance to parents, but also stressed that the study looked at averages. So, some young children who stutter may have emotional difficulties, such as being shy or withdrawn.
Should Everyone Over 65 Take a Statin?
by Steven Reinberg, HealthDay
Even seniors without known cardiovascular disease may benefit, study suggests, but expert opinions vary
Aug. 28 (HealthDay News) — Men and women over 65 who are at risk for cardiovascular disease but don’t have any known heart problems might benefit from cholesterol-lowering drugs, a new study suggests.
The researchers said statins such as Crestor and Lipitor can reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke, although they don’t seem to prevent death from cardiovascular disease or other causes over the short term.
Middle-Aged Health Behavior a Matter of Degrees
by Mary Elizabeth Dallas, HealthDay
When medical conditions arose, study found college-educated people were more apt to change their lifestyles
Aug. 29 (HealthDay News) — Middle-aged Americans with a college degree are more likely to make healthy lifestyle changes when confronted with a health problem than those who dropped out of college or never went, new research finds.
The way in which people respond to new medical conditions could affect their health in the future, cautioned the author of the study published in the September issue of the Journal of Health and Social Behavior.
Brain Protein Is a Key to ‘Senior Moments’
by Dennis Thompson, HealthDay
Age-related forgetfulness is caused by protein deficiency, scientists studying humans and mice say
Aug. 28 (HealthDay News) — A protein in the brain could hold the key to reversing the age-related memory loss that causes “senior moments” of forgetfulness, Columbia University researchers report.
Deficiency of a protein called RbAp48 in the hippocampus appears to significantly contribute to the memory loss that creeps up on you as you age, said study co-author Dr. Scott Small, director of the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at the university.
Mellow Music May Help Stave Off Road Rage
by Robert Preidt, HealthDay
The sooner you tune in, the better, study finds
Aug. 30 (HealthDay News) — A quick switch to mellow music in the car may make you a safer driver, researchers say.
Promptly changing to soothing music is the most effective way to calm down while driving in stressful conditions that could trigger road rage, found the study published in the Aug. 30 issue of the journal Ergonomics.
Your Gut Bacteria May Predict Your Obesity Risk
by Randy Dotinga, HealthDay
Studies also found that high-fiber, low-fat diet can change bacteria makeup for the better
Aug. 28 (HealthDay News) — Bacteria in people’s digestive systems — gut germs — seem to affect whether they become overweight or obese, and new research sheds more light on why that might be.
The findings, from an international team of scientists, also suggest that a diet heavy in fiber could change the makeup of these germs, possibly making it easier for people to shed pounds.
“We know gut bacteria affect health and obesity, but we don’t know exactly how,” said Dusko Ehrlich, a co-author of the two new studies and coordinator of the International Human Microbiome Standards project.
Broccoli Could Help Fight Arthritis
by Peter Russell, WebMD Health News
Aug. 28, 2013 — A compound found in broccoli could help prevent or slow the progress of the most common form of arthritis.
Osteoarthritis is a joint disease caused by the breakdown of cartilage and bone in joints. It most often affects the hands, feet, spine, hips, and knees. The main symptoms are pain and stiffness.
New research in mice shows that the compound sulforaphane slows down the destruction of cartilage in joints.
Eating cruciferous vegetables such as Brussels sprouts and cabbage, and particularly broccoli, releases sulforaphane.
Glass of Wine a Day May Ward Off Depression
by Steven Reinberg, HealthDay
But, moderate drinking might also just be sign of normal social life, researchers add
Aug. 30 (HealthDay News) — In the same way that a little wine may be good for the heart, it might also help avoid depression, a Spanish study suggests.
So while drinking a lot of wine or other alcohol may be a sign of depression or other mental health problems, alcohol in moderation may benefit mental health, the study authors contend.
Whole Fruits Tied to Lower Diabetes Risk
by Randy Dotinga, HealthDay
But fruit juices appeared to raise risk for type 2 disease in long-term study
Aug. 30 (HealthDay News) — It’s no secret that fruit is good for you. But what kind? A new study links whole fruits — especially blueberries, grapes and apples — to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, but suggests that fruit juices may actually raise the risk.
The design of the study, however, doesn’t allow it to prove that whole fruits or fruit juices directly affect the risk of diabetes.
Fast-Food Ads Aimed at Kids Focus on Toys, Not Food
by Mary Elizabeth Dallas, HealthDay
Almost 70 percent include free toys or other giveaways, study says
Aug. 29 (HealthDay News) — Unlike fast-food advertisements geared toward adults, which feature burgers and fries, those targeting children focus more on free toys, movie tie-ins and other giveaways, according to a new study.
In light of their findings, researchers called for more regulation of fast-food marketing to children.
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