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.
Follow us on Twitter @StarsHollowGzt
Whether you enjoy your broccoli raw or cooked, you will benefit from its many nutrients. In addition to the sulfur-containing phytonutrients that all members of the brassica family contain, broccoli is a good source of the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, which have been shown to protect the eyes against macular degeneration. It is also an excellent source of vitamins C, A, K, folate, and fiber, and a very good source of manganese, tryptophan, potassium, b-vitamins, magnesium, omega 3’s, iron, calcium, zinc, and vitamin E.
Slice the raw broccoli very thin for this delicious salad.
Broccoli Stem and Red Pepper Slaw
Broccoli stems are too often an afterthought. Use them in this delicious salad so they don’t go to waste.
Roasted Broccoli With Tahini Garlic Sauce
Broccoli florets remain crisp after roasting and go wonderfully with a classic and irresistible tahini garlic sauce.
Noodle Bowl With Broccoli and Smoked Trout
A filling but light meal in a bowl that works with fish or tofu.
Savory Bread Pudding With Broccoli and Goat Cheese
A comforting gratin starring steamed broccoli.
Blood Test for Pancreatic Cancer Shows Promise
By Alan Mozes HealthDay
But the screen is meant only for people already at high risk for the deadly illness, experts say
Oct. 25 (HealthDay News) — Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal tumor types because it’s too often diagnosed in a later, advanced stage. But a new study suggests that a simple blood test might help spot the disease earlier.
The study is described as small and preliminary, and investigators cautioned that the initial findings will need to be confirmed in larger trials.
Some Improvement Seen in U.S. Cholesterol Levels
By Steven Reinberg HealthDay
However, total cholesterol remains too high and screening rates too low, experts say
Oct. 24 (HealthDay News) — Americans’ levels of “good” cholesterol are improving, but total cholesterol levels haven’t changed one way or the other in the past few years, U.S. health officials reported Thursday.
Meanwhile, the nation’s screening rates for cholesterol have stalled, according to the new analysis from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Stroke Affecting Younger People Worldwide: Study
By Robert Preidt HealthDay
Preventive measures urgently needed to reverse this trend, researchers say
Oct. 24 (HealthDay News) — Stroke rates among young and middle-aged people worldwide are increasing and these groups now account for nearly one-third of all strokes, according to a new study.
The analysis of data gathered between 1990 and 2010 found that the number of strokes among people aged 20 to 64 rose 25 percent during that time, and that this age group now accounts for 31 percent of the total number of strokes, compared with 25 percent before 1990.
More than 83,000 people aged 20 and younger suffer a stroke each year and account for 0.5 percent of all strokes worldwide, according to the study published Oct. 23 in The Lancet.
Lower Blood Sugar Levels May Aid Memory: Study
By Robert Preidt HealthDay
Blood glucose levels on the higher end of the normal range linked to poorer results on memory test
Oct. 23 (HealthDay News) — Higher blood sugar levels may increase the risk of memory problems, even in people who have blood sugar (glucose) levels within the normal range, a new study suggests.
The study included 141 people, average age 63, who did not have diabetes or pre-diabetes — which is sometimes called impaired glucose tolerance. The study did not include people who were overweight, who drank more than three-and-a-half servings of alcohol a day, or had been diagnosed with memory and thinking problems.
Removable ‘Gut Sleeve’ a Future Weight-Loss Tool?
By Barbara Bronson Gray HealthDay
Study of experimental procedure showed promise in rats
Oct. 23 (HealthDay News) — People struggling with severe obesity are increasingly turning to bariatric, or weight-loss, surgery. But the procedure is invasive, irreversible and not without risks. A new study conducted on rats describes a nonsurgical approach using an experimental “gut sleeve” procedure.
It’s hoped that if the procedure eventually works in humans, it may provide a more effective and less expensive alternative to weight-loss surgery, and reduce related health problems.
First Windpipe Transplant Holding Up: Report
By Mary Elizabeth Dallas HealthDay
Five years after surgery, recipient enjoys normal life, researchers say
Oct. 23 (HealthDay News) — Five years ago, researchers performed the first successful transplant of a tissue-engineered airway on a 30-year-old Colombian woman. Today, she’s still doing well, according to a new follow-up report on the surgery.
The woman who received the engineered section of windpipe has not experienced a rejection of the implanted airway, the researchers said.
Your Flu Shot May Also Help Your Heart
By Serena Gordon HealthDay
Study found one-third lower risk of problems including heart attacks in vaccinated people
Oct. 22 (HealthDay News) — If avoiding an achy, feverish week or so laid up with the flu doesn’t motivate you to get a flu shot, a new study linking flu shots to a lower incidence of heart disease might persuade you to roll up your sleeve.
People in the study who got flu shots were one-third less likely to have heart issues, such as heart failure or a heart attack, compared to those who opted against vaccination. The flu shot was associated with an even greater reduction of heart problems if someone had heart disease to start with, according to the study.
Weight-Loss Surgery Seems to Beat Diet and Exercise
By Serena Gordon HealthDay
Study finds surgery more effective at least two years out
Oct. 22 (HealthDay News) — For people who have a lot of weight to lose, weight-loss surgery appears more effective than diet and exercise, a new review suggests.
The one caveat to this study, however, is that the results only include two years of data, so the long-term outcomes are still unknown. This type of study, called a meta-analysis, attempts to uncover a common thread in a number of previous studies.
Obese Patients With Pancreatic Cancer Have Shorter Survival, Study Finds
By Steven Reinberg HealthDay
Reasons for link are unclear, but might involve inflammatory issues or differences in treatment
Oct. 22 (HealthDay News) — A diagnosis of pancreatic cancer usually carries with it a poor prognosis, and the news may be even worse for those who are obese: It could mean dying two to three months sooner than pancreatic cancer patients of normal weight, new research shows.
Prior studies have tied obesity to a higher chance of getting pancreatic cancer, but the new study asked whether the disease affects the tumor’s aggressiveness and the patient’s overall survival.
Researchers Report Progress With Growing Hair
By Randy Dotinga HealthDay
But experts note the findings are preliminary, don’t amount to cure for baldness yet
Oct. 21 (HealthDay News) — There’s new hope for anyone who’s bald or balding: Researchers report they’re getting closer to the goal of cloning hair cells and coaxing them to grow hair once they’re replanted in the scalp.
“We’ve been able to overcome the first block,” said study co-author Angela Christiano, a professor of dermatology and genetics & development at the Center for Human Genetics at Columbia University’s College of Physicians & Surgeons in New York City.
Breast Milk Bought Online May Contain Harmful Germs
By Brenda Goodman HealthDay
Nearly three-quarters of samples from an Internet milk-sharing site contained microbes that could make a baby sick
Oct. 21 (HealthDay News) — Even after working with several nursing experts, first-time mom Katie Sweet wasn’t able to make enough of her own breast milk to feed her newborn daughter.
And she said her baby just didn’t do well on formula.
“Honestly, my daughter is a completely different girl on breast milk. She has less stomach issues, she sleeps better and seems more alert,” said Sweet, an insurance agent in Grand Junction, Colo.
Halloween Contact Lenses Can Be Horror Story
By Robert Preidt HealthDay
FDA experts say users risk corneal scratches, even blindness from these products
FDA is warning consumers that if they plan to buy decorative contact lenses for Halloween, there are potential risks of which they need to be aware.
Decorative contact lenses are not cosmetics or over-the-counter products, the agency said. They are regulated medical devices and outlets that advertise them as cosmetics or sell them without a prescription are breaking the law.
As with regular contact lenses, one size does not fit all eyes, the FDA said. That’s why eye doctors must measure each eye to properly fit the lenses and evaluate how your eye responds to contact lens wear.
FDA Urges Tighter Controls on Certain Painkillers
By Dennis Thompson HealthDay
Large supplies of often-abused drugs such as Vicodin should be harder to obtain, agency says
Oct. 24 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has recommended tighter controls on prescriptions for painkillers such as Vicodin and Lortab that contain the powerful narcotic hydrocodone.
The change will cut in half the number of refills that patients can get before seeing their doctor to get a new prescription, the agency said Thursday.
Patients also will have to take a prescription to their pharmacy to have it filled, rather than have a doctor call it in.
Flu Season Off to Slow Start . . .
By Steven Reinberg HealthDay
. . . But U.S. health officials expect outbreaks to pick up in next several weeks and recommend vaccination
Oct. 23 (HealthDay News) — The 16-day federal government shutdown earlier this month hindered the ability of U.S. health officials to monitor flu activity around the country.
Turns out, there wasn’t much to monitor because there haven’t been many outbreaks of the infectious disease so far this fall, officials said.
But that could change at a moment’s notice, noted the health officials, who are fond of saying that the only thing predictable about the flu is its unpredictability.
Child ‘Cured’ of HIV Remains Free of Virus: ReportBy Dennis Thompson HealthDay
By Dennis Thompson HealthDay
Treatment started shortly after birth seems to have kept virus from getting a foothold in her immune system
Oct. 23 (HealthDay News) — A 3-year-old Mississippi girl apparently cured of HIV infection by aggressive treatment right after her birth remains free of the virus, her doctors report.
Early treatment with a combination of potent antiretroviral drugs appears to have kept the virus from successfully establishing a reservoir in the child’s system, said immunologist Dr. Katherine Luzuriaga, of the University of Massachusetts Medical School, who is part of the research team tracking the case.
Doctors are hesitant to declare the child fully cured, but in a case update reported in the Oct. 24 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine they said that no actively replicating HIV has been found in her system by even the most sensitive tests available. The girl stopped taking HIV medication when she was 18 months old.
Ob/Gyns Change Pregnancy Length Definitions
New definitions of preterm and full term pregnancies have been released by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
Until now, a baby was considered preterm if born before 37 weeks of pregnancy and full term if born anytime from 37 to 42 weeks, the Associated Press reported.
The new definitions are: early term, between 37 weeks and 38 weeks 6 days; full term, between 39 weeks and 40 weeks 6 days; late term, the 41st week; post term, after 42 weeks. On average, a pregnancy lasts 40 weeks.
The updated classifications were published Tuesday in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Men May Stroll a Little Slower Down Lovers’ Lane
By Robert Preidt HealthDay
Study found males decreased their speed when walking beside a romantic partner
Oct. 24 (HealthDay News) — Love may not only be blind and make the heart beat faster, it might also make a man’s feet move more slowly, a new study finds.
Men only slowed their walking speed when they were ambling with a female romantic partner — not when they were with other women.
This being a scientific study, the researchers added that the phenomenon might have evolutionary roots in an attempt by mobile couples to help preserve the female’s fertility.
Kids Who Exercise More May Get Better Grades
By Kathleen Doheny HealthDay
U.K. study looked at math, science and English performance
Oct. 21 (HealthDay News) — Getting regular daily exercise of moderate to vigorous intensity may also boost students’ academic performance, according to a new U.K. study.
The more intense the exercise, the greater the impact on English, math and science test results, the study authors found. However, they couldn’t explain the precise causes behind the connection.
Kids With ADHD Often Prone to Bowel Problems: Study
By Steven Reinberg HealthDay
Bodily cues often overlooked, experts say
Oct. 21 (HealthDay News) — Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are significantly more likely to suffer from chronic constipation and fecal incontinence than kids without the neurobehavioral condition, a new study says.
The study of more than 700,000 children found that constipation nearly tripled and fecal incontinence increased six-fold among kids with ADHD.
Kids With Head Injuries May Be Prone to Depression
By Amy Norton HealthDay
Study found they were more likely to be diagnosed with mood disorder, but reason for link is unclear
Oct. 25 (HealthDay News) — Children who’ve suffered a concussion or other head injury seem to have a much higher-than-average rate of depression, a new study finds.
Using data from a U.S. health survey, researchers found that children and teenagers who’d ever sustained a brain injury were much more likely to have ever been diagnosed with depression.
Common BP Drugs Tied to Lower Risk of Alzheimer’s
By Mary Elizabeth Dallas HealthDay
Since some classes of meds had the effect but others didn’t, more than just blood pressure may be at work
Oct. 24 (HealthDay News) — People who take certain commonly used blood pressure medications have a significantly lower risk for Alzheimer’s disease than those who don’t, a new study suggests.
Although it remains unclear exactly how drugs such as ACE inhibitors or diuretics might protect the brain, researchers say these new findings could lead to a better understanding of Alzheimer’s and new treatments to slow or delay the progression of the memory-robbing disease.
Being Web-Savvy Tied to Better Health in Seniors
By Mary Elizabeth Dallas HealthDay
Nonusers were less likely to exercise, eat a healthy diet or get colon cancer screening
Oct. 22 (HealthDay News) — Older men and women who use the Internet frequently are more likely to have a lifestyle that includes many cancer-preventive behaviors, according to a new study.
Compared to their peers who don’t use the Internet, online aficionados were screened for colorectal cancer more often and were more likely to be physically active, eat a healthy diet and smoke less. Researchers also found that the more time older adults spent on the Internet, the more likely they were to engage in these healthy behaviors.
The study appeared Oct. 22 in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
Could a Good Night’s Sleep Guard Against Alzheimer’s?
By Steven Reinberg HealthDay
Study found that older people who got more sleep had less of the disease’s hallmark plaques in their brains
Oct. 21 (HealthDay News) — Older people who get less sleep or poor sleep may have more of the plaque that is suggestive of Alzheimer’s disease in their brains, a new study indicates.
“There is a link between sleep and the amount of [beta] amyloid in the brain,” said lead researcher Adam Spira, an assistant professor in the department of mental health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Longer Detox for Prescription Pain Med Addiction
By Robert Preidt HealthDay
Small study compared varying treatment periods used with opioid-dependent patients
Oct. 23 (HealthDay News) — A longer period of detoxification may be more effective for people being treated for addiction to prescription painkillers called opioids, according to a small new study.
Abuse of prescription opioids such as oxycodone, hydrocodone and hydromorphone is a major public health problem in the United States. The new 12-week study, which included 70 people undergoing outpatient treatment for opioid addiction, was published online Oct. 23 in the journal JAMA Psychiatry.
Recent Comments