Welcome to the Stars Hollow Gazette‘s 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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Fish can be challenging. We’re told to eat it twice a week because it’s such a lean, high-protein, high-omega-3 animal, but we’re also told to avoid certain fish like swordfish and large tuna because of high mercury content, other types like Atlantic cod (or what’s left of it) because of overfishing and farmed salmon because of ecological considerations.
But it’s worth it to become friendly with different types of fish, not just the farmed salmon found in every supermarket. If you seek a fishmonger that has a reputation for sustainably caught or raised, fresh seafood, you’ll be on the right track. Broaden your repertoire; think sardines, petrale sole and Pacific cod.
If you use a whole fish, you can use the bones to make a fish stock for poaching. But fillets can also be poached in a lighter broth. They are rubbed with a Middle Eastern spice mix.
Cold Steamed Petrale Sole with Uncooked Tomato Sauce
A perfect dish for summer tomatoes. It works well with two uncooked sauce options: one sweeter, one mintier.
Salmon or Tuna Carpaccio with Wasabi Sauce
Sushi-grade salmon or ahi tuna will work nicely for this easy, delicate dish, and you don’t even have to be a whiz with a knife to make it.
Sardines in Vinegar (Escabeche)
This dish combines a recipe learned in Provençe with a recipe from Spain. The escabeche highlights sardines and saffron.
Veracruzana Vinegar-Bathed Shrimp
Summary: The cuisine of the state of Veracruz in Mexico has much in common with Spain’s, including this spicy cousin of the Spanish escabeche. The dish calls for a mild vinegar.
Faster Drug Approvals Linked to Safety Issues
By Larry Hand, Medscape Medical News
Aug. 14, 2014 — In the years since the FDA sped up its drug-approval process, the rate of black box warnings on prescription drugs, as well drug withdrawals, has increased, according to an article in the August issue of Health Affairs. The agency imposes black box warnings to highlight side effects that could be disabling or life-threatening.
Cassie Frank, MD, an instructor of medicine at Cambridge Health Alliance in Massachusetts, and colleagues looked at the history of 748 new drugs approved by the FDA between 1975 and 2009.
Some Respiratory Diseases Tied to Lung Cancer Risk
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Chronic bronchitis, emphysema and pneumonia linked to risk in study, but not asthma, tuberculosis
Aug. 15, 2014 (HealthDay News) — As the death toll in the West Africa Ebola outbreak passes 1,000, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning against products sold online that claim to treat the deadly disease or prevent infection.
Since the start of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, the FDA has received a number of consumer complaints about bogus products, the agency said in a statement released Thursday.
However, “there are no approved vaccines, drugs, or investigational products specifically for Ebola available for purchase on the Internet,” the FDA said.
Some Respiratory Diseases Tied to Lung Cancer Risk
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Chronic bronchitis, emphysema and pneumonia linked to risk in study, but not asthma, tuberculosis
Aug. 15, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Three common respiratory diseases seem to be associated with an increased risk of lung cancer, researchers report.
The investigators analyzed data from seven studies that included more than 25,000 people and found that chronic bronchitis, emphysema and pneumonia were linked with a greater risk of developing lung cancer.
Having asthma or tuberculosis was not associated with a higher lung cancer risk, according to the study published in the Aug. 15 issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
Choose Wrinkle Treatments Wisely, FDA Advises
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Scarring, allergic reactions and vision problems among possible side effects
Aug. 14, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Injectable dermal fillers are widely used by people seeking to smooth out wrinkles, but it’s important to know the risks of these products before using them, a U.S. government expert says.
Dermal fillers use a variety of materials to treat facial wrinkles. Most of these products are temporary and last for about six months or more. Only one permanent wrinkle filler is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Dermal fillers are not approved for use anywhere else but on the face.
Employees Benefit From Natural Light, Study Finds
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Sunshine-exposed workers slept better, had better quality of life, researchers say
Aug. 14, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Natural light during the work day may benefit employees by improving their sleep and quality of life, according to a new study.
“There is increasing evidence that exposure to light, during the day — particularly in the morning — is beneficial to your health via its effects on mood, alertness and metabolism,” study senior author Dr. Phyllis Zee, professor of neurology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, said in a university news release.
Many Shift Workers Use Drugs to Sleep: Study
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
But questions about benefits, risks of these medications linger, review author notes
Aug. 13, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Many shift workers take drugs to sleep or stay awake despite lingering questions about their benefits and risks, researchers report.
The study authors analyzed the findings of 15 clinical trials that included a total of 718 people. Nine of the trials found that the over-the-counter hormone drug melatonin helped shift workers sleep about 24 minutes longer during the night or day, but did not help them get to sleep quicker.
One study looked at the hypnotic drug zopiclone, and found that it was no more effective than an inactive placebo at helping shift workers sleep during the day.
FDA Approves New Kind of Insomnia Drug
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Belsomra acts on brain chemical that regulates sleep-wake cycle
Aug. 13, 2014 (HealthDay News) — A new prescription insomnia drug that’s the first of its kind was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday.
Belsomra (suvorexant) tablets are approved to treat patients with insomnia, which means they have difficulty falling and staying asleep.
The new sleep drug is called an orexin receptor antagonist and it works by altering the action of the brain chemical orexin, which helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle and also helps keep people awake.
Tick Bites Linked to Red Meat Allergy
WebMD News from HealthDay
Aug. 13, 2014 — Bites from a certain type of tick can make people allergic to red meat, according to experts.
As Lone Star ticks have spread from the Southwest to the East Coast of the United States, the number of people suffering an allergic reaction after eating red meat has increased, CBS News reported.
However, many doctors and patients are unaware of this growing problem.
After Heart Attack, More Exercise Not Always Better
By Kathleen Doheny, HealthDay
Excessive walking, running may lose protective effect
Aug. 12, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Heart attack survivors are encouraged to exercise regularly to improve their cardiac health, but new research suggests there’s a point of diminishing returns.
“More isn’t always better,” said study researcher Paul Williams, staff scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in Berkeley, Calif.
Sigmoidoscopy Cuts Risk of Colon Cancer Death: Study
By Amy Norton, HealthDay
But experts note most Americans get colonoscopies instead
Aug. 12, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Colon cancer screening done by sigmoidoscopy — a less invasive, cheaper alternative to colonoscopy — does cut people’s risk of developing or dying from the disease, a new clinical trial finds.
Experts said the study, conducted in Norway and reported in the Aug. 13 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, confirms the value of sigmoidoscopy screening.
40% of Americans Will Develop Diabetes: CDC
By Dennis Thompson, HealthDay
Rates for black women and Hispanics even higher at 50 percent
Aug. 12, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Approximately two out of every five Americans will develop type 2 diabetes at some point during their adult lives, according to new U.S. government estimates.
The ongoing diabetes and obesity epidemics have combined with ever-increasing human lifespans to increase lifetime risk of type 2 diabetes to about 40 percent for both men and women, said lead study author Edward Gregg, chief of the epidemiology and statistics branch in the division of diabetes translation at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Donor-Lung Preservation Device Approved
By Scott Roberts, HealthDay
Technology may lead to more transplants, FDA says
Aug. 12, 2014 (HealthDay News) — The XVIVO Perfusion System has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to help preserve donor lungs that ultimately may be used for transplant, the agency said Tuesday in a news release.
The device is expected to be used to preserve lungs that initially may not meet transplant criteria but could be used after doctors have been given more time to evaluate the organ, the agency said.
What’s the Best Way to Brush Your Teeth?
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Expert advice is ‘unacceptably inconsistent,’ study finds
Aug. 12, 2014 (HealthDay News) — If you’re unsure about the best way to brush your teeth, you’re unlikely to get much help from experts.
Dental associations and toothpaste and toothbrush companies don’t agree on the most effective method to brush teeth, and their advice is “unacceptably inconsistent,” a new study says.
AFib May Pose Risks for Surgery Patients
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
People with atrial fibrillation have higher odds for stroke after an operation, study finds
Aug. 12, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Surgery patients who have the irregular heartbeat known as atrial fibrillation may be at heightened risk of stroke for months after their operation, a new study finds.
Atrial fibrillation affects more than 33 million people worldwide, and doctors have long known that people with the heart rhythm disorder have a three-fold higher risk of stroke.
Obese More Likely to Survive This Serious Infection
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Researchers aren’t sure why extra weight seemed protective for sepsis
Aug. 12, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Obese seniors are more likely to survive a life-threatening bloodstream infection called sepsis than those who are at a normal weight, according to a new study.
The results are surprising because obesity often leads to worse, not better, health outcomes. The study also raises new questions about how obesity affects the body’s response to infection, the University of Michigan researchers said.
U.S. Lung Cancer Rates Falling Overall, Study Finds
By Steven Reinberg, HealthDay
Yet certain types of lung malignancies are still on the rise
Aug. 11, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Overall lung cancer rates are dropping, according to a new analysis of nearly a half million Americans with lung cancer. But, the news wasn’t all good — the study also found that the rates of certain types of lung cancer are increasing, according to researchers from the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI).
Over nearly three decades, the overall lung cancer rate has dropped approximately 12 percent, said the study’s lead author Denise Riedel Lewis, an epidemiologist at the NCI.
Heart Med Digoxin Tied to Higher Death Risk in Some
By Steven Reinberg, HealthDay
Increase seen in people with certain abnormal heart rhythms, study finds
Aug. 11, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Digoxin, a drug that’s been used to treat heart problems for about 200 years, might increase the risk of dying in certain patients.
New research suggests that for people who have a particular type of irregular heart rhythm, called atrial fibrillation, taking the drug digoxin may increase the risk of dying by more than 20 percent.
Highly Accurate At-Home Colon Cancer Test Approved
By Alan Mozes, HealthDay
DNA analysis of stool boosts accuracy rate of Cologuard to more than 90 percent, researchers say
Aug. 11, 2014 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday approved a new at-home, DNA-based stool test that screens for colorectal cancer with more than 90 percent accuracy.
The decision was based on an FDA panel’s unanimous decision in March that the benefits of Exact Sciences Corp.’s Cologuard test outweighed its risks.
Lupus Patients Face High Rehospitalization Rates
By Tara Haelle, HealthDay
Drugs that suppress the immune system make it harder to fight infection, study says
Aug. 11, 2014 (HealthDay News) — One in six hospitalized lupus patients requires readmission to the hospital within a month after discharge, according to a new study.
While patients’ disease severity contributed to readmission rates, other population differences suggest hospitals might be able to reduce rehospitalizations through better discharge plans and by addressing disparities in health care, said Dr. Jinoos Yazdany, lead researcher and associate professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco.
Employees Benefit From Natural Light, Study Finds
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Sunshine-exposed workers slept better, had better quality of life, researchers say
Aug. 14, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Natural light during the work day may benefit employees by improving their sleep and quality of life, according to a new study.
“There is increasing evidence that exposure to light, during the day — particularly in the morning — is beneficial to your health via its effects on mood, alertness and metabolism,” study senior author Dr. Phyllis Zee, professor of neurology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, said in a university news release.
accine Shows Promise Against Mosquito-Borne Virus
By Steven Reinberg, HealthDay
Volunteers developed antibodies to chikungunya in first human trial, but shot for public use 5 years away, researcher says
Aug. 14, 2014 (HealthDay News) — An experimental vaccine to protect people from the mosquito-borne chikungunya virus has shown promise in its first human trial.
“This vaccine was safe and well-tolerated, and we believe that this vaccine makes a type of antibody that is effective against chikungunya,” said trial leader Dr. Julie Ledgerwood, chief of the clinical trials program at the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Currently, there are no vaccines or drugs to treat this debilitating infection, which causes fever and intensely painful, severe arthritis.
CDC Commits More Than 400 Staffers to Fight Ebola
By EJ Mundell, HealthDay
55 are deployed in West Africa now, others are working from the U.S.
Aug. 13, 2014 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has 55 staffers already in Ebola-hit areas of West Africa helping to fight the current outbreak, the agency said Wednesday.
Another 350 U.S.-based CDC personnel are working on other aspects of the health crisis, agency officials said.
Women’s Vitamin D Levels Play Role in IVF Success?
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Small study suggests deficiency in the nutrient might impair fertility
Aug. 14, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Vitamin D deficiency may lower a woman’s chances of getting pregnant through in vitro fertilization (IVF), a small study suggests.
Researchers in Italy compared the success of IVF in 154 women with vitamin D deficiency against that of 181 women with sufficient levels of vitamin D.
Those with sufficient vitamin D levels were twice as likely to get pregnant as those with vitamin D deficiency, the team reported Aug. 14 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism
Women with sufficient levels of vitamin D were also more likely to have better-quality embryos and had a greater likelihood of an embryo implanting in the uterus, the study found.
These May Cut Risk of Breast Cancer Return in Obese
By Kathleen Doheny, HealthDay
Experts think anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin might help cancer treatments work better
Aug. 14, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Obese women who have battled breast cancer might halve their chances of a recurrence if they take aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) regularly, new research suggests.
The researchers followed 440 breast cancer survivors — most of them past menopause and overweight or obese — who were diagnosed between 1987 and 2011. The women had estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer, which requires the hormone estrogen to grow.
Fewer Unmarried Women Having Children, CDC Reports
By Steven Reinberg, HealthDay
Declines seen in every age group except for those over 35
Aug. 13, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Fewer unmarried American women are having babies, with the notable exception of those who are over 35, federal health officials reported Wednesday.
Births outside of marriage continued a slight decline in 2013, accounting for 40.6 percent of all births, according to a report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Exercise May Cut Breast Cancer Risk in Older Women
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
But the effect quickly fades once workouts stop, researchers noted
Aug. 11, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Older women intent on keeping breast cancer at bay may want to start and maintain a regular exercise regimen, a new study shows.
The researchers found that regular physical activity cuts the odds of breast cancer in postmenopausal women, but that protection disappears if women stop exercising.
One expert wasn’t surprised by the findings.
Common Antibacterials and Growth of Fetus
By Dennis Thompson, HealthDay
Triclosan, triclocarban found in mothers’ urine, umbilical cord blood, may disrupt hormones
Aug. 10, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Many pregnant women and their unborn children are being exposed to antibacterial compounds that may be linked to developmental and reproductive issues, a new small study suggests.
The antibacterial triclosan appeared in the urine of every woman tested in the study, and triclocarban, another antibacterial chemical, appeared in more than 85 percent of the urine samples, the researchers report.
Potentially worse, triclosan also showed up in more than half the samples of umbilical cord blood taken from the mothers, indicating that the chemical is reaching some fetuses.
Common Chemicals May Lower Testosterone Levels, Study Finds
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Phthalates, found in plastics and personal care products, may disrupt sexual development, experts say
Aug. 14, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Exposure to certain chemicals commonly found in plastics and other products is associated with lower levels of testosterone in men, women and children, a new study says.
Testosterone is the main sex hormone in men, but it is also involved in a variety of functions in both men and women, including brain function, bone density, physical growth, strength and heart health.
Sperm’s ‘Shield’ Might Play Role in Fertility
By Randy Dotinga, HealthDay
Boosting levels of key protein could make a difference for some men, researchers suggest
Aug. 13, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Preliminary new research points to the possibility that some infertile men could benefit from boosting a protein shield that protects sperm cells from germs.
While it’s too early to know if the research will lead to any new treatments, one infertility expert said that any treatment would most likely be applied only to sperm used in the process of in-vitro fertilization.
Children, Growth Hormone, & Possible Risk Later
By Barbara Bronson Gray, HealthDay
Parents should discuss pros and cons of treatment with their child’s doctor, researchers suggest
Aug. 13, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Children who are prescribed human growth hormone may be at greater risk of a stroke in early adulthood than their peers are, a new study suggests.
While the study raises important questions about the safety of human growth hormone treatments, the study’s French researchers encouraged parents to discuss the pros and cons of treatment with their child’s physician.
Preemies’ Thinking Skills Catch Up by Adolescence?
By Barbara Bronson Gray HealthDay
Study hints at the importance of nutrition and a stimulating home environment
Aug. 12, 2014 (HealthDay News) — A new Australian study offers some potentially reassuring news to parents of preemies who are worried about their child’s intellectual development: By adolescence, many of these infants appear to catch up to classmates who weren’t born early.
But some U.S. experts said the findings may be overly optimistic because only the healthiest premature babies were studied.
Malnutrition Threatens Many Seniors Seen at ERs
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Depression, dental problems, difficulty buying groceries among most common reasons, study finds
Aug. 13, 2014 (HealthDay News) — More than half of American seniors seen at emergency departments are either malnourished or at risk for malnutrition, a new study reveals.
Among ER patients aged 65 and older, 16 percent were malnourished and 60 percent were either malnourished or at risk for malnutrition. Of those who were malnourished, more than three-quarters said they had not been previously diagnosed with malnutrition, the study authors found.
Nearly 1 in 5 Americans Has at Least 1 Soda a Day
By E.J. Mundell, HealthDay
Of 18 states surveyed, Mississippi had highest rate with 32 percent of adults downing a daily soda
Nearly 1 in 5 Americans Has at Least 1 Soda a Day Aug. 14, 2014 (HealthDay News) — A new survey of American adults across 18 states finds 17 percent drinking at least one sugary soda per day, with rates varying widely across states.
For example, while about 12 percent of people in New York state or Hawaii downed one or more non-diet sodas each day, that number jumped to 30 and 32 percent in Tennessee and Mississippi, respectively.
The report, from researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, also found high levels of sweetened fruit drink consumption, with close to 12 percent of adults downing at least one serving daily.
Of 18 states surveyed, Mississippi had highest rate with 32 percent of adults downing a daily soda
Studies Question Need to Watch Your Salt
By Brenda Goodman, MA, WebMD Health News
Aug. 14, 2014 — Worried about your salt intake? You may not need to be.
A trio of studies has given us a clearer picture of the relationship between salt and heart health.
Although we’ve been told for years to watch our salt, experts say new research questions that.
“You don’t need to be freaking out about salt,” says Suzanne Oparil, MD, a cardiologist and blood pressure expert at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Why? Two of the new studies found that for most people — especially those younger than 55 and those who don’t have high blood pressure — there’s a sweet spot for sodium in the range of 3,000 to 6,000 milligrams a day. As long as sodium intake stays in that range, there seems to be little impact on the heart or blood pressure, those studies found.
Can Acidic Drinks Damage Kids’ Teeth Permanently?
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Some sodas, juices and sports drinks may harm young smiles
Aug. 11, 2014 (HealthDay News) — High acidity levels in soft drinks, fruit juice and sports beverages pose a threat to youngsters’ teeth, a new study reports.
“Our research has shown that permanent damage to the tooth enamel will occur within the first 30 seconds of high acidity coming into contact with the teeth. This is an important finding and it suggests that such drinks are best avoided,” study corresponding author Dr. Sarbin Ranjitkar, of the Craniofacial Biology Research Group at the University of Adelaide in Australia, said in a university news release.
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