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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Chicken ‘Piccata’ With Chard or Beet Greens
Pound chicken breasts thin, to about 1/4 inch. This way, you can get a good two servings, if not more, out of each boneless, skinless breast.
Lemon and Garlic Chicken With Spiced Spinach
When you add the rinsed spinach to the pan after cooking the chicken it will wilt in the liquid left on the leaves after washing, and it will deglaze the pan at the same time.
Lemon and Garlic Chicken With Cherry Tomatoes
This is a summery dish to make in the middle of a cold winter (or early spring), but you can find decent cherry tomatoes even now, from Florida or from Mexico.
Soy-Ginger Chicken With Asian Greens or Arugula
Serve these spicy pan-cooked pounded chicken breasts over a mound of pungent wild arugula or Asian salad greens.
Lemon and Garlic Chicken With Mushrooms
In this Provençal rendition of pan-cooked chicken breasts, the mushrooms take on an added dimension of flavor as they deglaze the pan with the help of one of their favorite partners, dry white wine.
Source: Martha Rose Shulman, New York Times Recipes for Health
FDA Panel Recommends At-Home Colon Cancer Test
By Alan Mozes, HealthDay
DNA analysis of stool boosts accuracy rate of Cologuard to more than 90 percent, researchers say
March 28, 2014 (HealthDay News) — A panel of U.S. Food and Drug Administration experts on Thursday unanimously recommended approval of a new at-home stool test that screens for colorectal cancer with more than 90 percent accuracy.
The 10-member committee said the benefits of Exact Science Corp.’s Cologuard test outweigh its risks, the Associated Press reported. The FDA is not obligated to follow its panels’ recommendations, but usually does.
The panel’s blessing comes on the heels of a study published earlier this month that found Cologuard had a very high accuracy rate in spotting colon cancer.
Warning About Skin Cancer ‘Treatments’ Sold Online
By Alan Mozes, HealthDay
Scarring, more disease recurrence seen when patients use unproven skin salves
March 25, 2014 (HealthDay News) — The vast majority of patients with skin cancer or moles who self-medicate with alternative “treatments” they find online are courting danger, new research contends.
The finding is based on an analysis of past cases in which patients sought out unsupervised do-it-yourself cures via the Internet.
Patients who turned to certain salves often ended up with scarring or extensive tissue damage, researchers found. And for those with skin cancer, these unproven treatments led to worse results in terms of cancer recurrence or cure than routinely seen in standard medical practice, the study authors said.
Nicotine ‘E-Liquids’ a Health Threat: Experts
March 25, 2014 — A potent, liquid form of nicotine poses a serious and potentially deadly threat, but is sold legally in stores across the United States and online.
The so-called “e-liquids” — which are the key ingredients in e-cigarettes — are extracted from tobacco and enhanced with flavorings, colorings and various chemicals, The New York Times reported.
The liquids, which come in small bottles that people keep on hand in order to refill their e-cigarettes, are not regulated by the federal government.
Rashes From Wipes, Liquid Soaps on the Rise
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Culprit is a widely used chemical preservative, skin doctor says
March 23, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Allergic skin reactions to a preservative used in pre-moistened wipes and liquid soaps are on the increase, a doctor says.
“In the last two or three years, we’ve suddenly seen a big increase in people with this type of allergy,” Dr. Matthew Zirwas, director of the contact dermatitis center at Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center, said in a center news release. “For some patients, their rash has been unexplained and going on for years.”
Many Don’t Understand ‘Obamacare,’ Survey Finds
By Amy Norton, HealthDay
‘Navigators’ can help walk people through enrollment process, experts say
March 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) — As the deadline looms for Americans to enroll in “Obamacare” this year, a new study finds that many people — especially the uninsured and those with lower incomes — know little about the new health care law, known as the Affordable Care Act.
Most significantly, researchers found, Americans show little understanding of the cornerstone of the reform — the online marketplaces, or “exchanges,” that have been set up to help people shop for an insurance plan, and find out if they’re eligible for Medicaid or subsidies to help pay for their health insurance.
Overall, half of the 6,000 U.S. adults surveyed did not even know what an exchange was, and among the uninsured, a full 64 percent didn’t know. In addition, over 40 percent of survey respondents did not know what an insurance deductible was, including nearly 60 percent of the uninsured.
Experts were concerned by the findings, reported in the March 24 online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. But they were not shocked.
Slight Drop in Rate of Advanced Cancers, CDC Says
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Number of cases where tumors have spread beyond origins declined, but experts say more can be done
March 27, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Rates of invasive cancers in the United States fell slightly from 2009 to 2010, and widespread adoption of colon cancer screening and other measures could push those rates even lower, a federal government study says.
Invasive cancers are tougher-to-treat, advanced tumors that spread from their original location to surrounding tissue.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report, rates of these advanced cancers dropped from 459 per 100,000 people in 2009 to 446 per 100,000 people in 2010. Overall, in 2010 there were more than 745,300 cases of invasive cancers in men and more than 711,000 cases in women.
Marriage Does Help the Heart, Study Finds
By Kathleen Doheny, HealthDay
Researchers compared cardiovascular disease rates in more than 3 million Americans
March 28, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Marriage is good for the heart, yet another study has found.
Married partners don’t just have a lower risk of heart problems, the researchers said. They also have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease affecting the legs, neck or abdominal areas.
“We found that being married was associated with lower risks of cardiovascular disease in general,” said study researcher Dr. Carlos Alviar, a cardiology fellow at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City.
Alviar is scheduled to present the findings Saturday at the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology, in Washington, D.C.
Smoking May Dull Ability to Sense Bitter Tastes
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Buildup of tobacco chemicals could hamper regeneration of taste buds, researcher says
March 27, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Coffee’s full taste might be lost on smokers and former smokers, a new study suggests.
Researchers in France found that smokers and former smokers were less able to detect bitter tastes than nonsmokers. They theorized that it’s the result of exposure to toxic tobacco chemicals, although they didn’t establish a direct cause-and-effect relationship.
Tragedies Do Cause Broken Hearts, Study Suggests
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Cases of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy — or ‘broken heart syndrome’ — jumped in Vermont, Missouri following natural disasters
March 27, 2014 (HealthDay News) — The stress of natural disasters can break people’s hearts, according to a new study.
Researchers found dramatic rises in “broken heart syndrome” in Vermont after a huge storm ravaged the state and in Missouri after a massive tornado.
People with broken heart syndrome — formally called Takotsubo cardiomyopathy — suffer a temporary enlargement and weakening of the heart. The condition is often triggered by extreme emotional or physical stress, such as losing a loved one or being in a traffic crash.
Doctors Really Do Raise Your Blood Pressure
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Study indicates that long-suspected ‘white coat effect’ is real
March 26, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Patients’ blood pressure readings are notably higher when they’re taken by a doctor than by a nurse, a new study finds.
This link between doctors and higher blood pressure readings is known as the “white coat effect,” and is believed to be the result of patients being more nervous when examined by a physician.
This effect has been noted in a number of previous studies, but this new paper is the first to confirm it, according to the study authors.
Smartphone App May Help People Overcome Alcoholism
By Dennis Thompson, HealthDay
Study found more abstinence, less ‘risky’ drinking among A-CHESS users
March 26, 2014 (HealthDay News) — A smartphone application, or “app,” designed to tackle addiction has helped recovering alcoholics stay sober or reduce their risky drinking, a new clinical trial reports.
Participants using the A-CHESS app were 65 percent more likely to abstain from drinking in the year following their release from a treatment center, compared to others who left the center without support from the app, researchers found.
CT Scans Might Help Diagnose Gout in Some Cases
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
But, standard needle aspiration testing usually effective, study authors report
March 26, 2014 (HealthDay News) — CT scans can help detect gout that’s been missed by the current standard testing method, a new study suggests.
Gout is a common and painful form of arthritis caused by a buildup of uric acid in the body. The standard test — called needle aspiration — involves taking fluid or tissue samples from a gout-affected joint and checking them for uric acid crystals.
This test usually detects gout in patients, but not always.
Medical Marijuana’s Legalization and Crime Rates
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Nationwide data helps inform debate as restrictions on pot use continue to ease, researchers say
March 26, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Legalization of medical marijuana does not lead to increased crime, and may even be tied to lower rates of offenses such as assault and murder, a new study suggests.
The findings challenge claims by opponents that legalizing medical marijuana would lead to higher crime rates, the University of Texas at Dallas researchers said.
They analyzed crime rates in all 50 states between 1990 and 2006. During that time, 11 states legalized medical marijuana: Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.
Electrical Brain Stimulation for Fibromyalgia
By Steven Reinberg, HealthDay
Small French study saw improvement in people’s mood, quality of life
March 26, 2014 (HealthDay News) — By using magnetic brain stimulation on patients with fibromyalgia, French researchers say they were able to improve some of the patients’ symptoms.
Specifically, the technique, called transcranial magnetic stimulation, raised quality of life and emotional and social well-being among patients suffering from the condition, the researchers found in a small study.
Link Between MS Drug Tysabri & Rare Brain Disease
By Brenda Goodman, HealthDay
Researchers report drug mobilizes a kind of cell easily infected by a virus that attacks the brain
March 25, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Researchers report that they think they have figured out why patients who take the multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri face a high risk of developing a rare, and sometimes fatal, brain infection.
A common virus that can cause the brain disease progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) likes to infect and hide in certain blood cells that are triggered to mobilize by Tysabri, the study authors explained. Even more troubling, the researchers discovered that current tests may be missing some who harbor the virus.
Low Back Pain Leading Cause of Disability: Study
By Serena Gordon, HealthDay
Nearly 10 percent of people are affected, researchers find
March 25, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Low back pain causes more disability than nearly 300 other conditions worldwide, according to new research, and nearly one in 10 people across the globe suffers from an aching lower back.
A second study, which looked at the condition in specific types of jobs, found that low back pain is responsible for about a third of work-related disability.
Medical Marijuana Pills May Ease Some MS Symptoms
By Maureen Salamon, HealthDay
Researchers also found some evidence to support use of other alternative therapies
March 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Medical marijuana pills and sprays might ease the symptoms of multiple sclerosis, but most other alternative therapies do little to lessen the pain and muscle rigidity that often accompanies the disease, according to new guidelines.
To reach that conclusion, an expert panel from the American Academy of Neurology reviewed more than 40 years of research on alternative medicine treatments for multiple sclerosis (MS).
E-Cigarettes Won’t Help You Quit, Study Finds
By Steven Reinberg, HealthDay
But research design was flawed, critic says
March 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Contrary to some advertising claims, electronic cigarettes don’t help people quit or cut down on smoking, a new study says.
Users of e-cigarettes inhale vaporized nicotine but not tobacco smoke. The unregulated devices have been marketed as smoking-cessation tools, but studies to date have been inconclusive on that score, the study noted.
Spring Allergy Outlook
By Matt McMillen, WebMD Health News
March 27, 2014 — A bitterly cold winter followed by a sudden spring warm-up might spell massive misery if you have allergies.
“When pollen has been held up by cold weather, you can get a flood of pollen as the weather warms up,” says allergy researcher Kraig Jacobson, MD. “And that may indeed be happening now.”
Allergy season is already well underway in parts of the Midwest, where many states have experienced some of the most brutal winters in history. Reports of extremely high pollen counts are already coming in from Kansas and Oklahoma, where one expert predicts a “super bloom” of pollen as temperatures rise suddenly.
Forecasts, clearly, are not one-size-fits-all. How bad the allergy season will be depends on where you are.
648,000 Got Hospital-Related Infections in 2011
By Dennis Thompson, HealthDay
Specific source of dangerous germs still unclear in about half of cases
March 26, 2014 (HealthDay News) — About one of every 25 U.S. hospital patients contracts an infection during their stay, and doctors can’t say for certain why half those infections occur, according to a new study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Researchers estimate that in 2011 about 648,000 Americans developed an infection while hospitalized, or about 4 percent of all inpatients. About 75,000 of those patients died while in the hospital.
About half of the infections resulted from surgery or through use of a medical device such as a ventilator or a catheter, the study reports. These causes of hospital infection are well known and efforts are underway to combat them.
The other half are infections with no clear cause, researchers said.
Air Pollution Claimed 7 Million Lives in 2012: WHO
March 27, 2014 — Air pollution killed about seven million people worldwide in 2012, and more than half of those deaths were caused by indoor smoke from cook stoves, a World Health Organization report says.
The U.N. health agency said that heart disease, stroke, lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were the leading causes of air pollution-related deaths, CNN reported.
Smoking Bans Linked to Drop in Premature Births
By Mary Elizabeth Dallas, HealthDay
Smoke-free policies offer health benefits for people of all ages, study authors say
March 28, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Bans on smoking in public places and the workplace in North America and Europe are linked to a 10 percent drop in premature births and the number of children going to the hospital for an asthma flare-up, according to a new study.
The study authors said this positive trend occurred within one year of smoke-free policies being put into effect. They added that their findings show smoking bans have significant health benefits for both adults and children.
The study was published online March 28 in the journal The Lancet.
Stress May Diminish a Woman’s Fertility, Study Suggests
By Mary Brophy Marcus, HealthDay
First U.S. review to show a possible link between stress and how long it takes to get pregnant
The authors of the study wanted to investigate the relationship between stress and infertility. So they looked at levels of an enzyme linked with stress in the saliva of women who were trying to get pregnant.
They also tracked the women’s ability to conceive over a 12-month period.
Targeted Radiation for Advanced Breast Cancer
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Therapy kills small vessels that feed liver tumors linked to breast cancer’s spread
March 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) — A minimally invasive treatment that delivers radiation directly to tumors may slow progression of breast cancer that has spread to the liver, a new study suggests.
The treatment is called yttrium 90 (Y-90) radioembolization. Doctors insert a catheter through a tiny cut in the groin and guide it into the artery that supplies the liver. Radiation-emitting micro beads are then sent through the catheter and float out to kill small blood vessels that feed the tumor.
New Enlarged Prostate Therapy: Fewer Side Effects?
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
‘Embolization’ limits prostate’s blood supply, but experts say more research is needed
March 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) — A new noninvasive procedure may bring long-term relief from symptoms caused by an enlarged prostate, a new study suggests.
As men age, the prostate gland grows larger and may begin to press on the urethra. Enlarged prostate affects more than half of men by age 60 and causes symptoms such as frequent urination, weak urine stream and a persistent feeling of having to urinate.
Surgery is the standard treatment for the condition, but can cause complications such as sexual dysfunction and impotence, experts note.
U.S. Autism Estimates Rise by 30 Percent for Kids
By Dennis Thompson, HealthDay
Researchers say increase could be due to better diagnosis of the developmental disorder
March 27, 2014 (HealthDay News) — One in 68 American children is now diagnosed with autism or a related disorder, federal health officials reported Thursday.
That’s a 30 percent increase from just two years ago when the estimate was one in 88 children, according to a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“The number of children identified with autism continues to rise,” said Coleen Boyle, director of the CDC’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities.
Many Kids May Have High Cholesterol
By Dennis Thompson, HealthDay
Abnormal levels seen in 1 of 3 children, possibly raising future heart disease risk, researcher says
March 28, 2014 (HealthDay News) — About one of three Texas kids screened for cholesterol between the ages of 9 and 11 had borderline or high cholesterol, potentially placing them at greater risk for future cardiovascular disease, a new study has found.
Obese kids were more likely to have abnormal cholesterol levels, but a large percentage of normal-weight children also had borderline or high cholesterol, said lead investigator Dr. Thomas Seery, a pediatric cardiologist at Texas Children’s Hospital and an assistant professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine, in Houston.
More Signs Autism May Originate During Pregnancy
By Amy Norton, HealthDay
Brain-tissue samples show differences linked to prenatal development
March 26, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Children with autism show key “patches of disorganization” in the outer layers of the brain, according to a new study said to offer more evidence that the developmental disorder begins in the womb.
Experts have long believed autism involves disruptions in typical brain development, going back to pregnancy. The new study, reported online March 27 in the New England Journal of Medicine, offers more direct evidence of such early origins.
Toddlers Who Sleep Less May Eat MoreBy Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Short sleepers might be at greater risk for obesity, study suggests
March 25, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Toddlers who get too little sleep tend to eat more and are at increased risk for obesity, a new study indicates.
The study included children in over 1,300 British families who had their sleep measured when they were 16 months old and their diet checked when they were 21 months old.
Those who slept less than 10 hours a day consumed about 10 percent more calories than those who slept more than 13 hours, according to the study in the International Journal of Obesity.
Jury Still Out on Routine Dementia Screening for Seniors
By Steven Reinberg, HealthDay
Panel says benefits unproven, but Alzheimer’s experts say early detection is important
March 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) — There’s not yet enough evidence to support screening all older adults for dementia or a less severe condition called “mild cognitive impairment,” according to a statement released Monday by the influential U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.
Mild cognitive impairment is a type of mental decline that does not interfere with activities of daily life.
Weight-Loss Surgery Cuts Risk for Heart Attack, Death: Study
By Mary Elizabeth Dallas, HealthDay
People who are obese and at risk for heart disease should consider surgery, researchers say
March 28, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Weight-loss surgery, such as gastric banding, can dramatically reduce the rate of heart attacks and deaths among people who are obese, a new study shows.
Researchers in the United Kingdom said their findings suggest that obese people at high risk for heart disease should seriously consider undergoing this type of procedure to lose weight.
The researchers also said their study is the first comprehensive review of weight-loss surgery — known as bariatric surgery — on heart disease, stroke and death.
Underweight Even Deadlier Than Overweight, Study Says
By Alan Mozes, HealthDay
Death risk nearly doubled for excessively thin people
March 28, 2014 (HealthDay News) — It’s said you can never be too rich or too thin, but new research suggests otherwise. People who are clinically underweight face an even higher risk for dying than obese individuals, the study shows.
Compared to normal-weight folks, the excessively thin have nearly twice the risk of death, researchers concluded after reviewing more than 50 prior studies.
Cholesterol Levels May Spike During Winter Months
By Dennis Thompson, HealthDay
Tendency to eat more, exercise less when it’s cold and snowy outside may explain trend
March 27, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Here’s something that’s sure to alarm the millions of Americans who have braved the fiercest, longest winter in recent memory: A new study shows that your cholesterol levels fluctuate seasonally and are at their worst during cold winter months.
The research, which included 2.8 million adults, brings to stark light the potential effects of comfort food and bad weather on a person’s health during the winter.
Mediterranean Diet Combats Diabetes, Study Says
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
It’s especially beneficial to those at risk of heart disease, researcher contends
March 27, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Adhering to a so-called Mediterranean diet may reduce your risk of diabetes, especially if you’re at high risk for heart disease.
That’s the finding of researchers who reviewed 19 studies that included more than 162,000 people in different countries for an average of 5.5 years.
The analysis revealed that a Mediterranean diet — which is rich in fish, nuts, vegetables and fruits — was associated with a 21 percent lower risk of diabetes compared with other eating patterns.
Exercise Affects Men’s, Women’s Hearts Differently?
By Steven Reinberg, HealthDay
Finding might have implications for standard cardiac testing, experts say
March 27, 2014 (HealthDay News) — The formula doctors use to evaluate treadmill stress tests, and thereby assess heart health, doesn’t account for important differences between men and women, a new study contends.
A revised formula would better determine peak exercise rate, or the maximum number of heart beats per minute, for each sex, the researchers said.
“Exercise physiology has been known to differ for men and women of different ages,” said Dr. Gregg Fonarow, associate chief of cardiology at the University of California, Los Angeles, and spokesman for the American Heart Association.
‘Grazing’ vs. Standards Meals for Weight Loss
By Kathleen Doheny, HealthDay
Daily calories, not how often you eat, are what matter, study finds
March 27, 2014 (HealthDay News) — For weight loss, some swear by “grazing” — eating several small meals throughout the day — instead of eating fewer meals at more traditional mealtimes.
Now, a small study comparing both approaches finds it doesn’t matter which tactic you use, as long as you reduce total calories.
Women who ate five meals on one test day and two regular meals on another (consuming the same total calories each day) burned the same amount of calories both days, researchers found.
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