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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I come back to burgers in this column every year or two. My quest for good vegetarian burgers has nothing to do with wanting to create something that resembles a hamburger or turkey burger. Why try to mimic meat? Rather, my vegetarian cooking is about produce, which, it turns out, can be the foundation for a great burger.
One difficulty I’ve experienced with vegetable-based burgers has been getting the right consistency, so that they hold together when you brown them. The solution to this occasional problem came in the form of some incredible patties that the chef Suvir Saran demonstrated this spring at the “Healthy Kitchens, Healthy Lives” conference at the Culinary Institute of America in the Napa Valley. He used farro, sweet potatoes, mushrooms and peanuts in his burgers, and they were flawless.
~Martha Rose Shulman~
These spicy burgers are a striking green from the spinach.
Suvir Saran’s Mushroom and Farro Burger
Potatoes, roasted and mashed, are the binder for these hearty patties
Mollie Katzen-Inspired Potato and Broccoli Burgers
These patties are coated in ground walnuts and include finely chopped broccoli.
Potato and Pea Patties With Indian Spices
Whole spices give these burgers amazing flavor and texture.
Sweet Potato, Quinoa, Spinach and Red Lentil Burger
These burgers have a Mediterranean flavor, with feta and mint in the mix.
Injuries From Swallowed Magnets on Rise in Kids
By Mary Elizabeth Dallas, HealthDay
Small, spherical magnetic sets introduced in 2009 tied to more cases and worse outcomes
May 16, 2014 (HealthDay News) — As the number of new and stronger magnet toys being sold has increased, so has the number of kids who have suffered serious injuries after swallowing a magnet, according to new research.
In some cases, magnet ingestions can be fatal, experts warn.
Researchers cautioned that in addition to toy standards, labeling requirements, safety advisories and product recalls, efforts to educate parents and children on the dangers of magnetic toys and novelty items such as fake piercings should continue.
In conducting the study, researchers examined magnetic ingestion trends at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada’s largest children’s hospital. The investigators analyzed over 2,700 emergency room visits for foreign body ingestion that occurred from April 2002 through December 2012.
FDA: Start Sleep Drug Lunesta at Lower Dose
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Agency points to studies showing daytime drowsiness that could interfere with driving
May 15, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Some users of the popular sleep medicine Lunesta remain too drowsy for safety during the day, and the recommended starting dose for the medicine should be lowered, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Thursday.
In a statement, the agency said it took the action due to studies showing that levels of Lunesta (eszopiclone) in some patients may remain high enough in the morning to interfere with driving and other activities that require them to be mentally alert.
This impairment can occur even if patients feel fully awake, the FDA said.
CDC Urges Anti-HIV Pill for People at High Risk
By E.J. Mundell, HealthDa
Targeted groups include people with an infected partner or those who don’t practice safe sex
May 14, 2014 (HealthDay News) — People deemed to be at high risk for contracting HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, should take anti-HIV medicines that seem to cut transmission risk, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Wednesday.
If used consistently, this approach, called pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), has been shown to reduce HIV infection rates in prior studies by as much as 90 percent, the CDC noted.
“HIV infection is preventable, yet every year we see some 50,000 new HIV infections in the United States,” CDC director Dr. Tom Frieden said in a news release from the agency. “PrEP, used along with other prevention strategies, has the potential to help at-risk individuals protect themselves and reduce new HIV infections in the United States.”
Using Internet, Apps to Manage BP Has Dangers: Study
By Amy Norton, HealthDay
Researchers find measurement errors, misleading information
May 16, 2014 (HealthDay News) — People who turn to the Internet or iPhone apps for help in controlling their blood pressure may be led astray in some cases, two preliminary studies suggest.
In one study, researchers who did a sweep of YouTube videos on high blood pressure found that one-third offered “misleading” information. Most often, that meant the video advocated supplements or other alternative therapies that haven’t been scientifically proven to lower blood pressure.
Medicare Reverses Denial Of Costly Treatment For Hepatitis C Patient
By Richard Knox, Kaiser Health News
In a statement, Medicare officials indicate that the new policy will apply broadly to hepatitis C patients whose doctors prescribe the combined use of the two drugs because they meet certain criteria laid out in January by the Infectious Diseases Society of America and the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. Those guidelines recommend the combined use of the two drugs in patients with advanced liver disease who have failed to be cured by earlier drug regimens – even though the FDA has not yet approved the combination.
Medicare officials say that beneficiaries “are required to have access to needed therapies” if they have demonstrated “medical necessity” and have “medically accepted indications” for the treatment.
Migraines Linked to Increased Risk of ‘Silent Strokes’
By Mary Elizabeth Dallas, HealthDay
Treating migraines might reduce stroke risk, researchers suggest
May 15, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Older people who have migraines may be twice as likely to have “silent strokes,” according to a new study.
Silent strokes are symptomless brain injuries caused by a blood clot that disrupts blood flow to the brain. Researchers cautioned that these brain injuries are a risk factor for future strokes.
“I do not believe migraine sufferers should worry, as the risk of ischemic stroke in people with migraine is considered small,” the study’s lead author, Dr. Teshamae Monteith, said in a news release from the American Heart Association. Monteith is an assistant professor of clinical neurology and chief of the headache division at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
Prescription Drug Use Continues to Climb in U.S.
By Dennis Thompson, HealthDay
CDC report says most common medications are for heart disease and high cholesterol
May 14, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Prescription drugs are playing an increasingly larger role in U.S. life, with nearly half of all Americans taking one or more medications.
Among adults, the most common prescription drugs are for cardiovascular disease and high cholesterol.
Those are two of several key findings in the federal government’s annual comprehensive report on the nation’s health that was released Wednesday.
The relationship between Americans and their prescriptions is complex, according to the report produced by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Stepped-Up Screening Would Uncover More Lung Cancers
By Dennis Thompson, HealthDay
But the scans and follow-up care would be expensive
May 14, 2014 (HealthDay News) — New screening guidelines for lung cancer could save tens of thousands of lives, but the CT scans involved will be costly, a new study has found.
Projections show that implementing the guidelines will detect nearly 55,000 more lung cancer cases during a five-year period, most of which would be potentially curable early stage cancers.
Adults With Autism at Risk for Many Health Problems
By Maureen Salamon, HealthDay
Research shows rates of mental, physical problems higher in these patients than among other adults
May 14, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Autism apparently isn’t a stand-alone disorder, with new research revealing that adults with autism often face a host of mental and physical illnesses.
Kaiser Permanente researchers found that nearly all medical conditions are significantly more common in adults with autism spectrum disorders than those without, ranging from depression to gastrointestinal problems to obesity. Notably, however, adults with autism are much less likely to smoke or use alcohol than other adults, and cancer rates are similar.
Several Meds Can Help People Quit Drinking: Study
By Steven Reinberg, HealthDay
But these drugs are rarely prescribed for people who abuse alcohol, experts say
May 13, 2014 (HealthDay News) — A new review finds that several drugs can help curb the desire to drink alcohol, but the researchers note that these medications are rarely prescribed.
Acamprosate (Campral) and naltrexone (Revia), along with support from groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous or psychological counseling, can be useful tools to help people stay away from alcohol, the review authors report.
“Most people with alcohol use disorders aren’t getting any treatment, and only about 10 percent are getting a medication as part of their treatment,” said lead researcher Dr. Daniel Jonas, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
This May Aid People With Diabetes After Heart Attack
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Study suggests tight blood sugar control ups survival, but recent medical advances may also play role
May 13, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Intensive insulin therapy may boost survival in people with type 2 diabetes who’ve suffered a heart attack, a new study suggests.
Swedish researchers tracked outcomes for up to 20 years for 620 people with diabetes who were treated in hospital after a heart attack.
Some patients received intensive insulin treatment, which involved insulin-glucose infusion for at least 24 hours, followed by insulin injections four times a day for at least three months. Others received standard blood sugar-lowering therapy in which they were given occasional insulin shots for a year.
Drug May Help Lower Bad Cholesterol Beyond Statins
By Dennis Thompson, HealthDay
Injectable therapy shows promise in global trial but more study needed, researchers say
May 13, 2014 (HealthDay News) — A new injectable drug can further knock down cholesterol levels in people who take cholesterol-busting statin medications, according to the results of a global trial.
People taking the new therapy alongside statins enjoyed a 63 percent to 75 percent decrease in their “bad” (LDL) cholesterol levels, on top of the reduction caused by the traditional statin medications, researchers reported. The findings are published in the May 14 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
[Workplace Solvents and Long-Term Memory Problems ]
By Randy Dotinga, HealthDay
Study of French retirees shows those exposed even decades ago scored worse on tests
May 12, 2014 (HealthDay News) — A new study of French power company retirees finds that those who were exposed to solvents and benzene on the job — even decades earlier — were more likely to score poorly on memory and thinking tests.
The findings don’t directly confirm that the chemicals harmed the mental powers of the former workers, and it was not clear if those with more thinking problems face more issues getting through their day-to-day lives.
But the research does point to potential harm from the chemicals, said study lead author Erika Sabbath, a research fellow with the Harvard School of Public Health. “The people who have been highly exposed tend to perform worse or be slower on certain cognitive tasks than unexposed people,” she noted.
Can Doing the Dishes Save a Young Marriage?
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Newlyweds who share expectations about household chores will have happier unions, researchers say
May 10, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Newlywed couples who have similar expectations for dividing household chores are more likely to have longer-lasting marriages, a new study suggests.
University of Illinois researchers looked at 220 heterosexual newlywed couples, and discovered that the wives who believed in equal sharing of housework were much happier if their husbands shared their outlook.
Among couples who divided household chores in traditional ways, similarities in belief and behavior didn’t seem to have as much impact on satisfaction with a marriage, according to the research, which was published online recently in the journal Sex Roles.
Hospital Workers Who Treated MERS Patient Fall IllBy Steven Reinberg and Dennis Thompson, HealthDay
Testing for the potentially fatal respiratory infection is underway, officials say
May 13, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Two Florida hospital workers who helped treat a man with the second diagnosed case of MERS in the United States have developed respiratory symptoms, according to published reports.
The workers are being tested to see if they may have caught the potentially fatal virus from the man, hospital officials said.
One of the cases probably isn’t MERS because the worker started experiencing symptoms just one day after treating the 44-year-old patient. The incubation period for MERS is typically five days, NBC News reported Tuesday.
“We want to be extra cautious,” said Dr. Antonio Crespo, infectious disease specialist and chief quality officer for the P. Phillips Hospital in Orlando. “These two people were in contact with the patient without a mask.”
Ohio Measles Outbreak Largest Since Mid-1990s
WebMD News from HealthDay
May 14, 2014 — A measles outbreak in Ohio has reached 68 cases, making it the largest outbreak in any state since 1996, when Utah had more than 100 cases, according to health officials.
Measles is a growing concern in the United States, which could end up having the worst year since home-grown measles outbreaks were eradicated in 2000, USA Today reported.
As of Friday, there had been 187 cases nationwide, which is close to last year’s total of 189, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. California has had 59 cases so far this year.
MERS FAQ: What You Need to Know
By Kathleen Doheny, WebMD Health News
May 5, 2014 — The deadly respiratory virus known as MERS is now in the U.S.
The virus, which first surfaced in Saudi Arabia in 2012, has mostly been found in the Middle East. It is a close cousin of the deadly SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) virus that infected more than 8,000 people worldwide in 2003, killing 774. Unlike SARS, MERS does not appear to spread that easily from person to person.
Here are answers to the most frequently asked questions about MERS.
Obesity May Raise Breast Cancer Death Risk for Some
By Kathleen Doheny, HealthDay
Study found younger, obese patients with estrogen receptor-positive disease were more likely to die
May 15, 2014 (HealthDay News) — A new study suggests that obesity may raise the risk of dying from early stage breast cancer for some women.
Obese women who had not yet gone through menopause and who had a form of the disease known as estrogen receptor-positive (ER-positive) were more likely than others to die of the disease, according to an analysis of the results of 70 clinical trials.
Those women were 34 percent more likely to die of their breast cancer, the researchers found. However, obesity had little effect on breast cancer death risk among postmenopausal women with ER-positive disease or among women with ER-negative breast cancer.
Could a Blood Test Predict Breast Cancer’s Return?
By Barbara Bronson Gray, HealthDay
Study suggests routine sample might provide information critical to treatment
May 15, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Imagine using a blood test to give you the odds your breast cancer will return. A new German study brings that possibility a step closer.
Researchers have found it may be possible to look for “markers” of cancer cells in routine blood samples and use them to better gauge whether early breast cancer will progress.
The blood test looks for circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in patients with breast cancer. While conclusive data about their relevance has been established for breast cancer that has spread, the CTC test has not been proven to be predictive in early breast cancer, the researchers noted.
Early Menopause Linked to Heart Failure Risk
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Association was even stronger among women who had a history of smoking, researchers say
May 14, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Early menopause may increase a woman’s risk for heart failure later in life, especially if she is a smoker, a new study suggests.
Researchers analyzed data from more than 22,000 older women in Sweden. Those who experienced early menopause (ages 40 to 45) were 40 percent more likely to suffer heart failure than those who went through menopause in the normal age range of 50 to 54, the investigators found.
For every one-year increase in the age a woman began menopause, there was a 2 percent lower risk of heart failure, according to the study in the May 14 online edition of the journal Menopause, which is published by the North American Menopause Society (NAMS).
Lung Cancer Not on Many Women’s Radar: Survey
By Amy Norton, HealthDay
Although lung cancer is biggest cancer killer, women believe breast cancer is a bigger concern
May 13, 2014 (HealthDay News) — U.S. women still see breast cancer as a bigger killer than lung cancer, despite the fact that lung cancer kills more Americans each year — women and men — than any other cancer.
That’s one of the findings from a new American Lung Association (ALA) survey of over 1,000 adult U.S. women.
The poll also found that many women may not appreciate the lung cancer risk to nonsmokers. And few were aware of just how deadly lung cancer remains, in a time of major progress against some other cancers.
According to Alana Burns, vice president of the ALA’s Signature Cause Campaign, the poor survival rate may be one reason that lung cancer is not on women’s radar.
U.S. Cervical Cancer Rates Higher Than Thought
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Rates highest in women 65 to 69, and black women, say researchers using revised data
May 12, 2014 (HealthDay News) — A new study finds that cervical cancer rates in the United States are much higher than previously reported, especially among women in their 60s and black women.
Previous studies had estimated that the U.S. cervical cancer rate was about 12 cases per 100,000 women, that the highest rates were in women between ages 40 and 44 and that they then leveled off.
But those estimates included women who had hysterectomies, in which the cervix was removed. For the new study, researchers excluded this group of women, because they were no longer at risk, and then concluded that the overall rate of cervical cancer was 18.6 cases per 100,000 women. They also found that the incidence rose steadily with age and peaked at ages 65 to 69.
Sperm, Semen Defects May Be Tied to Shorter Lives
By Dennis Thompson, HealthDay
Men with 2 or more defects have more than double the risk of dying early, study suggests
May 16, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Men rendered infertile due to defects in their semen and sperm are more likely to die early than men with normal semen, new research suggests.
Over a period of about eight years, men with two or more abnormalities in their semen had a risk of death that was more than double that of men with healthy semen, researchers reported in the May 16 online issue of Human Reproduction.
Link Between Early Antibiotic Use & Asthma Probed
By Randy Dotinga, HealthDay
Infants given these meds may have both poor immunity and genetic risk for asthma, findings suggest
May 15, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Children treated with antibiotics in their first year of life may face more than twice the risk of developing asthma later in life.
However, the drugs themselves may not be at fault, researchers note.
Instead, scientists believe that an impaired immune system and genetic variations could explain why these kids face a higher likelihood of developing asthma.
The study, reported online May 15 in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, also didn’t find any link between early use of antibiotics and development of allergic diseases. This rebuts a theory that antibiotics boost the risk of allergic asthma by disrupting the development of a child’s immune system, the study authors noted.
Concussion Rates Double Among High School Athletes
By Kathleen Doheny, HealthDay
Experts say rise likely reflects increased awareness, more legislation about concussions
May 15, 2014 (HealthDay News) — The rate of concussions in U.S. high school athletes more than doubled between 2005 and 2012, new research shows.
The trend probably reflects an increased awareness and more legislation governing concussions in student athletes, and not more danger in sports, the study authors noted.
“The bottom line is that rates have gone up,” said lead researcher Dr. Joseph Rosenthal, an assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Ohio State University. “We don’t know the exact reason. This was an observational study, so I can’t say for sure, but I believe what is explaining the increase is the increased awareness, not that sports are more dangerous. It’s just that the concussions are being recognized more, which is good news.”
The study was published recently in The American Journal of Sports Medicine.
Early Repetitive Behaviors May Signal Autism Risk
By Amy Norton, HealthDay
Research in siblings of children with autism may give parents a way to spot signs of the disorder earlier
May 14, 2014 (HealthDay News) — There may be a simple way to help spot signs of autism early on in siblings of children with the disorder, new research suggests.
The study, which included 184 children at high risk of autism, found that those who developed the disorder typically started showing some “red flags” as early as 12 months of age.
Specifically, they had an unusually high rate of repetitive behaviors, such as flapping their hands or arms, rocking back and forth, or focusing obsessively on one toy.
Some amount of repetitive behavior is normal for babies, said lead researcher Jason Wolff, an assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Kids’ Concussion Symptoms Can Linger After Injury
By Steven Reinberg, HealthDay
Emotional symptoms may last for weeks, researchers report
May 12, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Kids who suffer a concussion can have lingering effects long after the physical symptoms fade away, U.S. researchers report.
In a study from the emergency medicine division at Boston Children’s Hospital, doctors found that, while headache, dizziness and blurry vision can appear right after a concussion, emotional and mental symptoms, such as irritability and frustration, show up much later and stay longer.
Purposeful Life Might Be a Longer Life
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Those who had activities, people they cared about were more likely to be alive at end of 14-year study
May 15, 2014 (HealthDay News) — You may live longer if you feel you have a purpose in life, a new study suggests.
Researchers analyzed data from more than 6,000 people who were asked if they felt they had a purpose in life and about their relations with others. The participants were then followed for 14 years. During that time, about 9 percent of them died.
Those who died during the follow-up had reported feeling less purpose in life and having fewer positive relationships than the survivors, according to the study published recently in the journal Psychological Science.
Could Certain Antidepressants Slow Alzheimer’s?
By Randy Dotinga, HealthDay
Early study suggests Celexa, and other drugs in its class, might help, but many questions remain
May 14, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Preliminary research suggests that the commonly used antidepressant Celexa, and perhaps other drugs in its class, may temporarily lower levels of a protein that clogs the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease.
It’s too early to know if the medication — or the drugs that are similar to it — could play a role in the prevention of the devastating brain-robbing disease. The authors of the new study only looked at the effects of a large dose of the drug for less than two days, and only healthy younger people took part in the research.
App for Bipolar Disorder Being Tested
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Smartphone device uses voice analysis for early warning, researchers report
May 12, 2014 (HealthDay News) — A smartphone app that uses voice analysis to detect mood changes in people with bipolar disorder is being tested by researchers.
Bipolar disorder is a mental illness that causes extreme emotional highs and lows. It affects millions of people worldwide and can have serious consequences, including suicide.
The app showed promise in early tests with a small group of patients, according to a University of Michigan research team, and if further testing confirms its usefulness, the app could be used to detect subtle voice changes that give an early warning about mood changes to people with bipolar disorder and their health care providers.
The app automatically analyzes users’ voices during smartphone calls and does so without infringing on anyone’s privacy, according to the team.
There May Be Such a Thing as ‘Too Much Exercise’
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Research suggests that moderate activity might be best for people with pre-existing heart disease
May 14, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Is there a limit to the benefits of exercise? Two studies suggest that, for certain people, keeping to a moderate physical activity regimen may be best for heart health.
One study found that a schedule of intense workouts actually boosted the risk of death from heart attack or stroke in older people with pre-existing heart disease, while the other found that young men who did a lot of endurance exercise were at higher risk for heart rhythm problems later in life.
However, one expert unconnected to the studies stressed that, on the whole, exercise is good medicine.
Diabetes: 2 Large Meals Better Than 6 Small?
By Nicky Broyd, WebMD Health News
The study looked at 54 patients, 29 men and 25 women. All were taking oral medications for diabetes. The patients were between 30 and 70 years old and were divided into two groups of 27. They were asked to follow one of two restricted-calorie diets for 12 weeks. After completing one diet, they switched to the other, again for 12 weeks.
Each diet contained 500 calories fewer than the recommended daily amount. One included six small meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner, and three small snacks. The other included two large meals: breakfast eaten between 6 and 10 a.m., and lunch between noon and 4 p.m.
The diets had the same calories and nutrients.
Walking Could Be Key Step Against Kidney Disease
By Robert Preidtm HealthDay
The more patients walked, the less their odds for early death or need for dialysis, study found
May 15, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Kidney patients may make real strides against death or disability by routinely walking, a new study shows.
Reporting online May 15 in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, Taiwanese researchers found that regular walks helped kidney disease patients live longer, and also cut the odds they’d need dialysis or a kidney transplant.
Resveratrol in Red Wine Not Such a Health-Booster?
By Steven Reinberg, HealthDay
Substance doesn’t seem to protect people from heart disease, cancer, study says
May 12, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Resveratrol — a substance found in red wine, grapes and chocolate — may not add years to your life, and it doesn’t appear to reduce the risk for heart disease or cancer either, according to new research.
“When it comes to diet, health and aging, things are not simple and probably do not boil down to one single substance, such as resveratrol,” said study lead researcher Dr. Richard Semba, a professor of ophthalmology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore.
The findings also cast doubt about taking resveratrol supplements, he said.
“Perhaps it brings us back again to rather tried and true advice of diet — Mediterranean-style — and regular aerobic exercise for healthy aging,” said Semba.
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