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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I love turkey sandwiches as much as the next person, but this year I have some other plans for my leftover meat: soup, salad and a stir-fry. Even better, these dishes will also serve as vehicles for other leftovers. [..]
Light is the theme here. That’s what we want after Thanksgiving, as we head into the holidays.
~Martha Rose Shulman~
Modeled after a classic Greek egg lemon soup, this is one of many light, comforting soups that make a nice home for leftover turkey
This is not your classic Waldorf salad, which is traditionally a mélange of apples, celery, raisins, walnuts and grapes in a thick mayonnaise-based dressing.
Stir-Fried Turkey and Brussels Sprouts
A stir-fry is always a great way to use a little bit of leftover meat with a lot of vegetables.
Garlic Broth With Basmati Rice, Turkey and Squash
This is the kind of soup you can whip up on a whim if you have garlic on hand and either summer or winter squash.
Shredded turkey stands in for the usual beef, while gravy, thinned out to make it brothlike, replaces the jus for dipping.
A Warning on Nutmeg
By Deborah Blum, New York Times
In these early days of the holiday season, as cooks begin sifting through recipes rich in spice and sugar, consider this small warning from toxicologists: Measure your nutmeg carefully.
Very carefully.
Of all the well-loved seasonal spices, nutmeg stands out for its long and slightly twisted history. In the Middle Ages, it was used to end unwanted pregnancies. More recently, desperate prisoners embraced it as a rather miserable drug substitute. So, on occasion, have teenagers, some of whom wound up at poison control centers.
‘Boxed Warning’ Added to Fibroid Removal Devices
By Dennis Thompson, HealthDay
Risk of spreading unsuspected cancers prompted new warnings, agency says
Nov. 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday announced that new “boxed warning” labels will be added to devices called laparoscopic power morcellators, which are used to grind up uterine fibroid growths.
The warning labels follow a recommendation issued in July by an FDA advisory panel that stated there’s no way to guarantee surgical morcellation wouldn’t increase the risk of spreading cancer to other parts of a woman’s body.
U.S. Adult Smoking Rate Drops to New Low: CDC
By Steven Reinberg, HealthDay
But certain groups, such as those below poverty level, are lighting up more
Nov. 26, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Fewer American adults are smoking cigarettes than ever, health officials said.
In fact, the rate of cigarette smoking has dropped from about 21 percent in 2005 to 18 percent in 2013. That means the number of cigarette smokers dropped from 45.1 million to 42.1 million, despite the increasing population, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Harm From Baseball Concussions May Linger: Study
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Batting skills often worse than normal after players return to sport
Nov. 26, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Even after they’re cleared to play following a concussion, baseball players’ batting skills are worse than normal, which suggests they may not be fully recovered, a new study suggests.
“Although players who sustain a concussion may be symptom-free and cleared by MLB [Major League Baseball] protocol to return to play, the residual effects of concussion on the complex motor skills required for batting may still be a problem,” said principal investigator Dr. Jeffrey Bazarian, an associate professor of emergency medicine at the University of Rochester in New York.
FDA Panel: Continue Steroid Shots for Back Pain
By Steven Reinberg, HealthDay
Experts decided against backing any new warning label for controversial injections
Nov. 25, 2014 (HealthDay News) — An expert advisory panel to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration decided on Tuesday not to recommend the agency issue a strong warning against the general use of steroid injections for back pain.
The shots are commonly used to treat back pain, but they have never been approved for this use by the FDA, and whether their risks outweigh their benefits has long been a matter of debate.
Tuesday’s vote, from the FDA’s Anesthetic and Analgesic Drug Products Advisory Committee, essentially leaves the continued use of steroid shots for back pain largely unchanged.
Could Heartburn Drugs Upset Your ‘Good’ Gut Bugs?
By Randy Dotinga, HealthDay
Study suggests class of meds upset healthy balance of bacteria in the gut
Nov. 25, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Heartburn drugs such as Prilosec and Nexium may disrupt the makeup of bacteria in the digestive system, potentially boosting the risk of infections and other problems, a small new study suggests.
The research doesn’t confirm that these changes make it more likely users will become ill, and study authors aren’t recommending that anyone stop taking the so-called proton pump inhibitors.
Most Americans With HIV Don’t Have It Under Control
By Dennis Thompson, HealthDay
U.S. experts cite indifference, lack of access to care
Nov. 25, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Fewer than one-third of Americans living with HIV had the virus under control in 2011, with many either not receiving regular medical care or unaware they carry the virus, a new U.S. study finds.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study estimates that 70 percent of the 1.2 million Americans living with HIV in 2011 did not have their virus under control, even though combination drug therapies can effectively suppress the virus before it can develop into full-blown AIDS.
Researchers Find Stem Cells That Regenerate Nails
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Normal function helps with growth, but if nail is damaged, cells focus on repair
Nov. 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Researchers have discovered the stem cells that allow your nails to grow back after you lose them.
Using mouse nail cells, University of Southern California scientists identified stem cells that can perform two roles. In normal conditions, the stem cells assist in the growth of both the nails and nearby skin. However, if a nail is damaged or destroyed, the stem cells focus exclusively on nail repair, according to the study.
Obese Employees Miss More Work, Study Finds
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Additional missed days cost U.S. economy more than $8 billion a year, researchers report
Nov. 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Obese Americans are absent from work more often than their normal-weight colleagues, and these absences cost the U.S. economy more than $8 billion a year, a new study shows.
Researchers found that obese workers miss an average of between one and two more work days a year than normal-weight workers. However, employees who were overweight, but not obese, did not have a higher number of work absences.
Early Trial Promising for Ebola Vaccine
By Dennis Thompson, HealthDay
Injections appear safe, but one expert is betting on a different approach
Nov. 26, 2014 (HealthDay News) — An experimental Ebola vaccine appears to be safe and produces an immune system response that could protect people against the deadly virus, according to early clinical trial results reported by the U.S. National Institutes of Health.
The success of the phase I clinical trial for the vaccine paves the way for field-testing it in the Ebola-stricken West African nations of Liberia and Sierra Leone as early as January, said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Acetaminophen in Pregnancy: No Kids’ Asthma Link
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Once childhood respiratory illnesses were factored out, the pain relievers had little impact, researchers say
Nov. 26, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Taking acetaminophen, best known as Tylenol, during pregnancy or giving it to young children does not raise the risk of childhood asthma, a new study finds.
Concerns have been raised that the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy and/or early in a child’s life may be associated with the development of asthma.
New Device May Make Mammograms More Comfortable
By Kathleen Doheny, HealthDay
Less pain was reported in study, while image quality was still preserved, researcher says
Nov. 25, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Dutch researchers have developed a device that may reduce the discomfort many women feel during a mammogram while preserving the quality of the image.
Breast compression is necessary in mammography for imaging purposes, but it can be painful. The new device displays the average pressure during compression, so the pressure can be adjusted and standardized, which reduces pain, according to the researchers.
Steer Clear of Cold Meds for Babies, FDA Advises
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Drugs carry serious risks, and most infants, toddlers recover with rest and extra care
Nov. 26, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Most babies and young children don’t need medicines if they have a cold, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says.
Over-the-counter (OTC) cold and cough medicine should not be given to children younger than 2 because they could cause serious and potentially deadly side effects, the agency warned.
Brain Abnormality Spotted in Many SIDS Babies
By Steven Reinberg, HealthDay
But finding is too preliminary to say it causes the deadly condition, experts say
Nov. 25, 2014 (HealthDay News) — A brain abnormality may be responsible for more than 40 percent of deaths from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), a new study suggests.
The abnormality is in the hippocampus, a part of the brain that influences breathing, heart rate and body temperature. This abnormality may disrupt the brain’s control of breathing and heart rate during sleep or during brief waking that happens during the night, the researchers report.
Early Puberty May Up Depression Risk in Teens
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Researchers find odds raised in both boys and girls developing sooner than peers
Nov. 25, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Youngsters who enter puberty early are at increased risk for depression, a new study suggests.
Early puberty was linked with a number of factors associated with depression, such as poor self-image and high anxiety levels, according to the researchers. Early puberty was also linked to social problems, such as conflict with family and peers, and having friends who were prone to getting into trouble, the study found.
Anxiety, Sleep Meds and Teen Drug Abuse Risk
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Study finds illicit drug use more likely after their prescribed medications run out
Nov. 25, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Teens prescribed anti-anxiety or sleep medications are much more likely to abuse those drugs than other teens, a new study warns.
The findings show the need to conduct substance abuse assessments on teenagers before prescribing these drugs to them, the researchers said.
Eczema Cases Rising Among U.S. Children: Report
By Amy Norton, HealthDay
For most, proper skin care and topical treatments help, experts say
Nov. 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) — A growing number of children are being diagnosed with the allergic skin condition eczema — but it can usually be eased with topical treatments, according to a new report.
Eczema is a chronic condition that usually starts in childhood, and causes patches of skin to become dry, inflamed and often intensely itchy.
And, studies have shown, eczema seems to be on the rise.
Most Seniors Could Use Statins Under New Guidelines
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Many eligible for cholesterol-lowering drugs based on age alone, study finds
Nov. 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Most older Americans qualify for treatment with cholesterol-lowering statins under new guidelines intended to reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke, a new study shows.
Guidelines for the treatment of blood cholesterol released late last year by the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association target people most likely to benefit from taking statins such as Zocor (simvastatin) and Crestor (rosuvastatin).
Too Few Americans Undergo Dementia Screening
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
More than half of people with the condition never had a thinking/memory test, study found
Nov. 26, 2014 (HealthDay News) — More than half of Americans with dementia have never undergone screening of their thinking and memory skills, a new study suggests.
As reported online Nov. 26 in Neurology, “approximately 1.8 million Americans over the age of 70 with dementia have never had an evaluation of their cognitive [mental] abilities,” study author Dr. Vikas Kotagal, of the University of Michigan Health System in Ann Arbor, said in a journal news release.
The finding is important because “early evaluation and identification of people with dementia may help them receive care earlier,” he said.
Weight Could Influence Rheumatoid Arthritis Relief
By Alex Kramer, HealthDay
Study finds overweight people are less likely to have remission
Nov. 26, 2014 (HealthDay News) — People with rheumatoid arthritis may be more likely to achieve remission if they maintain a healthy body weight, according to new research.
The study found that those who were heaviest had almost 65 percent reduced odds of disease remission. Being underweight also lowered the odds of remission.
“Medication for rheumatoid arthritis is not as effective on the overweight population,” said Dr. Susan Goodman, the study’s lead author and a rheumatologist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.
Obesity Tied to Half a Million Cancers Worldwide
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Largest number of obesity-related cancers diagnosed in North America and Europe, researchers report Nov. 26, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Obesity is associated with close to 500,000 new cancer cases worldwide each year, and nearly two-thirds of obesity-related cancers occur in North America and Europe, a new report shows.
The analysis of data from 184 countries showed that excess weight was associated with 345,000 (5.4 percent) of new cancers in women in 2012, and 136,000 (1.9 percent) of new cancers in men in 2012.
Daily Physical Activity May Lower Parkinson’s Risk
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Six hours a week of household chores or commuting seem protective, study finds
Nov. 25, 2014 (HealthDay News) — A moderate amount of physical activity in your daily life may reduce your risk of Parkinson’s disease, according to a new study.
“We found that a medium level of daily total physical activity is associated with a lower risk of Parkinson’s disease,” study author Karin Wirdefeldt, of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, said in a news release from the journal that published her study, Brain: A Journal of Neurology.
FDA Announces New Calorie Rules for Restaurants
By Matt Sloane, WebMD Health News
Nov. 25, 2014 — The FDA announced new rules Tuesday that require chain restaurants and vending machine operators to post calories for food and drinks on their menus.
The rules, which have been in the works since the Affordable Care Act was signed into law in 2010, apply to restaurants that have more than 20 locations nationwide.
Yogurt Every Day May Help Keep Diabetes Away
By Kathleen Doheny, HealthDay
Study found modest effect against the disease, but experts say overall healthy diet is still best approach
Nov. 25, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Eating a serving a day of yogurt may lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, new research suggests.
“The data we have gathered show that yogurt consumption can have significant benefit in reducing the risk of diabetes,” said senior study author Dr. Frank Hu, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard School of Public Health, in Boston. “It’s not a huge effect, about an 18 percent reduction [in risk].”
Kids’ Bag Lunches Not Meeting Nutrition Guidelines
By Amy Norton, HealthDay
Second study found that providing classroom breakfast didn’t improve grades, though longer-term studies are needed
Nov. 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) — The lunches children bring from home may be less healthy than the school cafeteria offerings, a new study suggests.
Researchers found that for kids in one Texas school district, bag lunches typically had more salt and fewer fruits, vegetables and whole grains, compared with standards set for school cafeterias.
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