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
Stir-fries always require a certain amount of time for ingredient prep, as there are aromatics to mince, seasonings to measure, vegetables to chop. But all the time is on the front end – the actual cooking is done in under 20 minutes, usually well under. All of the dishes I made this week made great leftovers; I enjoyed them for dinner one day, lunch the next.
~Martha Rose Shulman~
Paper-thin sliced beets contribute crunch and color to this comforting stir-fry.
Stir-Fried Brown Rice With Red Chard and Carrots
A colorful stir-fry with a variety of textures.
Stir-Fried Rice and Black Quinoa With Cabbage, Red Pepper and Greens
The texture, flavor and look of black quinoa make for an interesting dish.
Stir-Fried Soba Noodles With Shiitakes and Baby Broccoli
The nutty flavor of buckwheat noodles adds a delicious dimension to this unconventional stir-fry.
Healthy Choice Chicken Noodle Soup Recalled
Feb. 6, 2014 — Nearly 55,000 pounds of chicken noodle soup products are being recalled by ConAgra Foods because the labels do not alert consumers that they contain wheat and eggs, which can cause allergic reactions in some people.
The recall covers 14-ounce bowls of “Healthy Choice Chicken with Rice” soup that has the establishment number “P-770” inside the USDA Mark of Inspection and a “Best By” date of “JUN092015” on the bottom of the bowl, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service said.
Subway Restaurants to Remove Chemical From Bread
Feb. 7, 2014 — A chemical called azodicarbonamide will be removed from bread used in Subway sandwich shops, according to the company.
This week, popular food blogger Vani Hari started a petition asking Subway to stop using the ingredient. The operator of FoodBabe.com said Subway uses azodicarbonamide in its bread “as a bleaching agent,” and noted that the chemical is also used to make yoga mats and shoe rubber, the Associated Press reported.
Avoid Antibiotics in Pill Form for ‘Swimmer’s Ear’
By Randy Dotinga, HealthDay
Instead, use antibacterial or antibiotic eardrops, experts advise
Feb. 3, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Anyone who’s ever contracted “swimmer’s ear” knows how painful the infection can be.
Now, updated expert guidelines stress that the condition is best managed by antibiotics or antibacterials given as eardrops rather than by antibiotics in pill form.
The panel at the American Academy of Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery Foundation recommends that patients be treated with antibiotic eardrops, but only if necessary.
CVS Caremark to Stop Selling Tobacco Products
By HealthDay staff, Healthday
Says sale of cigarettes is inconsistent with a pharmacy’s mission
Feb. 5, 2014 (HealthDay News) — The national drug store chain CVS Caremark said Wednesday that it’s phasing out the sale of tobacco products at its more than 7,600 stores across the United States.
The company said cigarettes, cigars and chewing tobacco will no longer be available at any of the stores by Oct. 1.
CVS said it’s making the move because selling tobacco products isn’t in keeping with a pharmacy’s mission of helping to protect people’s health. It said it’s the first national pharmacy chain to halt the sale of tobacco products.
Fatal Car Crashes Involving Pot Use Have Tripled in U.S., Study Finds
By Dennis Thompson, HealthDay
Researchers note that increase included men and women, and all age groups
Feb. 4, 2014 (HealthDay News) — The legalization of marijuana is an idea that is gaining momentum in the United States, but there may be a dark side to pot becoming more commonplace, a new study suggests.
Fatal crashes involving marijuana use tripled during the previous decade, fueling some of the overall increase in drugged-driving traffic deaths, researchers from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health report.
BP, Cholesterol, & Brain Health With Diabetes
By E.J. Mundell, HealthDay
Study found no effect, but longer-term trials may be needed to see a benefit, experts add
Feb. 4, 2014 (HealthDay News) — It’s well known that having type 2 diabetes can increase a person’s chances of impaired memory and thinking. But a new study suggests that intensive treatment of blood pressure and cholesterol levels in people with diabetes won’t help lower that risk.
“The finding that intensive blood pressure lowering did not impact [mental] decline in patients with diabetes seems to be consistent with recent trials in patients with diabetes that [showed that] lower is not necessarily better,” said one expert, Dr. Kevin Marzo, chief of cardiology at Winthrop-University Hospital in Mineola, N.Y. Marzo was not involved in the new research.
High BP in Young Adults, Heart Trouble Later?
By Amy Norton, HealthDay
25-year study tied even slight rise in early adulthood to future risk of clogged arteries
Feb. 4, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Twenty-somethings with even mildly elevated blood pressure may face an increased risk of clogged heart arteries by middle age, a long-term U.S. study finds.
The study, which tracked nearly 4,700 people, found that even “pre-hypertension” in young adulthood was linked to a higher risk of calcium buildup in the heart arteries 25 years later.
Experts said the findings send a message to young adults: Know your blood pressure numbers and, if needed, change your lifestyle to get them in the normal range.
Early Promise for a Blood Thinner Without the Bleeding Risk
By Amy Norton, HealthDay
Animal study suggests an antibody might provide safer protection against clots
Feb. 5, 2014 (HealthDay News) — An experimental drug appears to prevent dangerous blood clots, without raising the risk of excessive bleeding — at least in animals.
Scientists found that an injectable antibody protected rabbits from developing blood clots but didn’t cause bleeding complications — a potential side effect of all current anti-clotting drugs.
The findings, reported Feb. 5 in the journal Science Translational Medicine, are only an initial step.
IV Vitamin C Boosts Chemo’s Cancer-Fighting Power?
By Dennis Thompson, HealthDay
Lab study found it also left healthy cells unharmed, but experts say more research needed
Feb. 5, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Large doses of intravenous vitamin C have the potential to boost chemotherapy’s ability to kill cancer cells, according to new laboratory research involving human cells and mice.
Vitamin C delivered directly to human and mouse ovarian cancer cells helped kill off those cells while leaving normal cells unharmed, University of Kansas researchers report.
Smartphone Use for Business at Night Not So Smart?
By Alan Mozes, HealthDay
Late evening use disrupts sleep and may hurt productivity, study suggests
Feb. 7, 2014 (HealthDay News) — As smartphones have become the must-have technology for millions of Americans, the opportunity to call, text or email is often just an arm’s length away — day or night.
But new research cautions that using smartphones to attend to work after hours can actually disrupt sleep and undermine overall productivity, leaving workers tired and unfocused during the day.
New Weight-Loss Surgery May Not Ease Heartburn
By Brenda Goodman HealthDay
Study finds sleeve gastrectomy often doesn’t relieve acid reflux, and sometimes makes it worse
Feb. 5, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Obese people who are considering weight-loss surgery should choose their procedure carefully if they hope to be free of chronic heartburn, a new study suggests.
The study of nearly 39,000 patients found that while traditional gastric bypass procedures reduced heartburn and acid reflux symptoms in most sufferers, a newer procedure — called a laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy — was largely unhelpful for those who already had gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD. What’s more, about 1 in 11 people who didn’t have GERD before sleeve gastrectomy developed the condition after their procedure.
The study was published Feb. 5 in the journal JAMA Surgery.
Pill Camera to Check Colon Approved by FDA
Feb. 5, 2014 — A pill camera that’s swallowed to enable doctors to check the large intestine for early signs of colon cancer has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The PillCam Colon, which was approved for use in patients who’ve had an incomplete colonoscopy, contains a battery-powered camera that takes photos of the intestinal tract over eight hours, the Associated Press reported.
The photos are transmitted to a recording device worn by the patient and later examined by the doctor.
Cancer Cases to Rise to 22 Million a Year
Feb. 3, 2014 — There will be 22 million new cases of cancer worldwide every year within the next two decades, according to an International Agency for Research on Cancer report released Monday.
The cancer arm of the World Health Organization said there were about 14 million new cases of cancer in 2012, but forecast that the annual number of new cases would rise sharply due to an aging global population and more cancers in developing nations, the Associated Press reported.
At-Home Stool Test for Colon Cancer
By Amy Norton, HealthDay
Review of 19 studies found the exam spotted the disease about 79 percent of the time
Feb. 3, 2014 (HealthDay News) — A newer type of test that looks for hidden blood in the stool is an effective way to screen for colon cancer, a research review suggests.
The tests, called fecal immunochemical tests (FITs), are done at home and detect tiny amounts of blood in the stool — a possible sign of colon cancer. In the new review, researchers found that across 19 studies, FITs caught more than three-quarters of colon tumors, and were very good at ruling out the cancer.
Experts said the findings give “reassurance” that an already commonly used test performs well.
Many U.S. Adults Not Getting Key Vaccines: CDC
By Margaret Farley Steele, HealthDay
Little progress seen beyond shingles, HPV and Tdap vaccinations, researchers report
Feb. 6, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Many U.S. adults are skipping recommended vaccinations that could protect them from serious or life-threatening diseases, according to figures released by federal health officials Thursday.
Modest increases were seen for Tdap vaccinations, which prevent whooping cough, from 2011 to 2012, according to the report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More seniors also got vaccinated against shingles, while HPV vaccinations picked up slightly among young women hoping to avoid cervical cancer.
Home Births Tied to Higher Infant Death Rates
By Steven Reinberg, HealthDay
Analysis of midwife-assisted deliveries suggests non-hospital setting, rather than practitioner type, is key factor
Feb. 3, 2014 (HealthDay News) — The number of pregnant women who elect to deliver their baby at home is increasing, but home delivery can lead to problems, researchers say.
The risk of a baby dying is nearly four times higher when delivered by a midwife at home than by a midwife in a hospital, according to a new study.
“Home birth is more dangerous,” said lead author Dr. Amos Grunebaum, a professor of clinical obstetrics and gynecology at Cornell University’s Weill Cornell Medical College.
These births don’t have the advantage of a hospital delivery, where immediate critical care is available if a complication arises, he said.
Babies Born to Moms Over 35 & Birth Defect Risk
By Randy Dotinga, HealthDay
Study finding is specific to physical anomalies that are unrelated to chromosomes, researchers say
Feb. 3, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Women in their late 30s or 40s are often told that the odds of delivering a baby with a birth defect rises with age.
But a new study suggests that the opposite may be true when it comes to certain types of physical abnormalities.
The study found that women aged 35 and older face a lower risk of having children with birth defects known as major congenital malformations — physical defects that are not caused by abnormalities in chromosomes.
Expanded DNA Testing for Breast Cancer
By Kathleen Doheny, HealthDay
Researchers were able to pinpoint specific therapies for some women in study
Feb. 6, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Testing the entire genetic makeup — or all the DNA — of tumor cells from women with advanced breast cancer may help identify patients who could be helped by specific treatments, according to new research.
The approach is considered the wave of the future by both the French researchers who conducted the study and U.S. experts.
Daily Aspirin May Guard Against Ovarian Cancer
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Study of almost 20,000 women found the drug lowered risk by 20 percent
Feb. 6, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Taking aspirin every day might lower a woman’s risk of developing ovarian cancer by one-fifth, a new study suggests.
Researchers from the U.S. National Cancer Institute analyzed data from 12 studies that involved nearly 8,000 women with ovarian cancer and close to 12,000 women without the disease to determine how the use of aspirin, other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and acetaminophen (Tylenol) affected the risk of ovarian cancer.
Running vs. Walking for Breast Cancer Survivors
By Kathleen Doheny, HealthDay
Runners were less likely than walkers to die of the disease during nine-year study, but the findings aren’t foolproof
Feb. 7, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Exercise has long been credited with both reducing the risk of breast cancer and surviving the disease.
Now a new study suggests, but doesn’t prove, that breast cancer survivors who run have an even greater survival edge than those who walk.
“Exercise per se lowers the risk of breast cancer death, but, more importantly, we found a difference between walkers and runners,” said study author Paul Williams, a staff scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in Berkeley, Calif.
New Guidelines Aim to Lower Stroke Risk in Women
By Mary Brophy Marcus, HealthDay
Pregnancy, childbirth, female hormones can all influence lifelong risk, experts say
Feb. 6, 2014 (HealthDay News) — For the first time, guidelines have been created to help prevent stroke in women.
The author of the new guidelines, published online Feb. 6 and in the May print issue of the journal Stroke, said women share a lot of stroke risk factors with men — namely high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking and obesity — but they also have a set of unique concerns that need to be addressed.
Low Vitamin D, Risk for Birth Complication?
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Preeclampsia occurs when blood pressure suddenly rises, experts explain
Feb. 4, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Vitamin D deficiency during the first 26 weeks of pregnancy may raise an expectant mother’s risk of developing a severe form of high blood pressure called preeclampsia, a new study suggests.
In what they termed one of the largest studies to date on the link, researchers analyzed vitamin D levels in blood samples from 700 pregnant women who later developed preeclampsia and 3,000 pregnant women who did not develop the potentially life-threatening condition.
Expectant Mothers’ Colds May Affect Baby
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Exposures in womb might raise risk of asthma, allergies in childhood, study suggests
Feb. 4, 2014 (HealthDay News) — The more colds and other viral infections a woman has during pregnancy, the more likely her child is to have asthma, researchers report.
The new study included 513 pregnant women in Germany and their 526 babies. The mothers completed questionnaires during pregnancy, when the children were 3 months old, 12 months old and every year until the children reached age 5.
NSAIDs Won’t Raise Miscarriage Risk: Study
By Serena Gordon, HealthDay
However, NSAIDs should not be taken in third trimester of pregnancy, authors advise
Feb. 3, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Pain relievers from the class of medications known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) won’t increase a pregnant woman’s risk of miscarriage, according to a new study.
Over-the-counter NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB) and naproxen (Aleve), didn’t affect the risk of pregnancy loss, Israeli researchers found.
“We did not find an increased risk of miscarriage among women who took those drugs during the first trimester of pregnancy, although we did find an increased risk after the use of indomethacin,” said lead author Dr. Sharon Daniel, a pediatric intern at Soroka Medical Center, in Beersheba, Israel.
FDA Will Review Safety of Testosterone Therapy
By Kathleen Doheny, HealthDay
Agency pointed to recent studies citing possible heightened heart risk tied to the treatments
Feb. 2, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Spurred by a recent report that popular testosterone treatments might raise men’s heart risk, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says it now plans a review of the therapies’ safety.
“FDA is investigating the risk of stroke, heart attack and death in men taking FDA-approved testosterone products,” the agency said in a statement released late Friday.
“We have been monitoring this risk and decided to reassess this safety issue based on the recent publication of two separate studies that each suggested an increased risk of cardiovascular events among groups of men prescribed testosterone therapy,” the agency added.
Testosterone therapy has been widely advertised as a way to help aging men improve low sex drive and reclaim diminished energy.
Blood Sugar Monitoring System OK’d for Children
By Scott Roberts, HealthDay
However, device didn’t perform as well in kids as in adults, FDA says
Feb. 4, 2014 (HealthDay News) — U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of the Dexcom G4 Platinum Continuous Monitoring System has been expanded to include children with diabetes aged 2 years to 17 years, the agency said.
Previously approved for adults only, the device constantly monitors the user’s blood sugar, checking for dangerously high or low levels, the FDA said in a news release. An estimated 25.8 million people in the United States — including 215,000 under age 20 — have diabetes.
U.S. Teens Eat Too Much Salt, Hiking Obesity Risk
By Alan Mozes, HealthDay
Researchers found that kids consume at least twice the recommended daily amounts
Feb. 3, 2014 (HealthDay News) — American teens are taking in as much dietary salt as adults, far exceeding guidelines on healthy limits for daily consumption, new research warns.
The investigation tracked the week-long eating habits of more than 760 black and white high school kids. It found that, on average, teens now ingest a whopping 3,280 milligrams (mg) of sodium (salt) every day.
That amounts to more than double the uppermost recommended level of 1,500 mg of sodium per day set forth by the American Heart Association.
Parents of Obese Children Underestimate Weight?
By Dennis Thompson, HealthDay
And parents of normal-weight kids often think they’re too thin, review found
Feb. 3, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Half the parents of overweight or obese children don’t think their kids have a weight problem, a new analysis reveals.
A review of 69 previous studies found that nearly 51 percent of parents with overweight or obese children tended to underestimate their child’s excess weight.
“They thought their children were of normal weight when their children’s BMI indicated that they are either overweight or obese,” said Dr. Rachel Thornton, a clinical pediatrician and assistant professor of pediatrics at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
More Pesticides Linked to Parkinson’s Risk
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Study also found that genes affect the level of risk
eb. 3, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Researchers say they’ve identified a number of common pesticides that increase the risk of Parkinson’s disease, and that they’ve also discovered that people’s genes can affect their level of risk.
In a previous study, the University of California, Los Angeles team found that exposure to a banned pesticide called benomyl increases the risk of Parkinson’s. In this new study, the researchers said they identified 11 other pesticides that increase that risk.
Added Sugar in Diet Tied to Death Risk
By Dennis Thompson, HealthDay
Sugar can be ‘hidden’ in savory foods as well as desserts and soda, experts note
Feb. 3, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Doctors have long thought extra sugar in a person’s diet is harmful to heart health because it promotes chronic conditions such as obesity and diabetes.
But the added sugar Americans consume as part of their daily diet can — on its own, regardless of other health problems — more than double the risk of death from heart disease, a new study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found.
The average American diet contains enough added sugar to increase the risk of heart-related death by nearly 20 percent, the researchers said.
Avoid Sports Injuries: Tips From an Olympic Doctor
By Carol Peckham, Medscape Medical News
Editor’s Note: Gloria Beim, MD, is the Team USA chief medical officer (CMO) for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. This is the third Olympics she has served in and her first as CMO. She was the team physician for cycling and tae kwon do in the Athens 2004 Summer Olympics and was venue medical director and team physician for Team USA at the London 2012 Summer Olympics. Beim is the founder of Alpine Orthopaedics in Colorado. She is also an author, most recently of The Female Athlete’s Body Book: How to Prevent and Treat Sports Injuries in Women and Girls.
Could Low-Fat Yogurt Help Ward Off Diabetes?
By Steven Reinberg HealthDay
British study also found reduced risk with other fermented dairy products
Feb. 5, 2014 (HealthDay News) — People looking to avoid type 2 diabetes might want to increase the amount of yogurt they eat, a new study by British researchers suggests.
According to the results, eating yogurt could reduce the risk of developing diabetes by 28 percent, compared to not eating any yogurt. Additionally, eating some other fermented dairy products, such as low-fat cheeses, could cut the risk by 24 percent.
Want to Keep Weight Off? Weekday Meals May Be Key
By Dennis Thompson, HealthDay
Study found most people weighed more after weekend, but those who cut back during week were thinner
Feb. 6, 2014 (HealthDay News) — People trying to lose weight should pay close attention to what they eat during the week, and not worry as much about enjoying themselves during the weekend, a new study suggests.
Nearly everyone gradually loses weight during the week and then gains it back over the weekend, a team of American and Finnish researchers reported.
“Almost to a person, we weigh the most Sunday night and we weigh the least Friday morning,” said study co-author Brian Wansink, a professor of consumer behavior at Cornell University and author of the book Slim By Design.
Recent Comments