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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Grilling clams and mussels gives them a smokiness you can’t get inside on your stove. Use hardwood charcoal if you can; it gives the best, smokiest flavor. [..]
And don’t forget to pour the heady pan juices on top of the shellfish; dunking grilled bread into that garlicky pool may be the best part of the dish.
Outbreak Linked to This in Mexican Cilantro Fields
July 28, 2015 — An outbreak of cyclosporiasis in Texas has been linked to human feces and toilet paper found in cilantro growing fields in Puebla, Mexico, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says.
As a result, Mexican cilantro is being detained at the border and products from Puebla cannot enter the U.S. without inspections and certification, NBC News reported.
So far, there have been 205 cases of cyclosporiasis in the Texas outbreak. Last year, there were 200 cases of cyclosporiasis in Texas during an outbreak also linked to cilantro from Puebla.
Antidepressant, Blood Thinner Name Mix-Up Warning
WebMD News from HealthDay
July 30, 2015 — Confusion between the names of the antidepressant Brintellix (vortioxetine) and the anti-blood clotting medication Brilinta (ticagrelor) has led to the wrong medication being prescribed or dispensed, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says.
While no patients have used the wrong medication, reports of prescribing and dispensing errors are still being received by the FDA.
Doctors can reduce the risk of name confusion by including the generic name of the medication on prescriptions in addition to the brand name, along with the indication for their use.
Four Kroger Brand Spices Recalled
July 28, 2015 — Four Kroger brand spices have been recalled by the grocery chain due to possible salmonella contamination.
The recall includes Kroger Ground Cinnamon, Kroger Garlic Powder, Kroger Coarse Ground Black Pepper and Kroger Bac’n Buds, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported.
The four products were made on the same equipment in the same facility. Food and Drug Administration testing detected salmonella in a sample of Kroger Garlic Powder from a store in North Augusta, S.C.
New Drug Lowers Levels of Triglycerides: Study
By Steven Reinberg, HealthDay
But it’s not yet ready for standard care
July 29, 2015 (HealthDay News) — An experimental drug dramatically lowers blood levels of potentially harmful triglycerides, a new study finds.
Triglycerides are a type of blood fat created by the food you eat. At very high levels, they can cause heart problems and pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas.
Drug May Ease Passage When Kidney Stone Strikes
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Tamsulosin is especially helpful with larger stones, while smaller ones may pass on their own, study finds
July 29, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Kidney stones can quickly cause extreme pain, and passing the stones is the immediate goal for patients.
Now, a new study finds that the drug tamsulosin (Flomax) can boost the passage of large kidney stones, but not small ones.
“Small stones usually pass on their own, so it’s not too surprising that drug therapy did not help in this study,” said Dr. Warren Bromberg, chief of urology at Northern Westchester Hospital in Mt. Kisco, N.Y.
Drinking May Ease Fibromyalgia Pain; Doctors Wary
By Maureen Salamon, HealthDay
U.S. specialists say alcohol is the wrong approach
July 30, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Moderate to heavy drinking might cut the likelihood of disability for people with chronic widespread pain such as that related to fibromyalgia, new Scottish research suggests.
But U.S. pain specialists say consuming alcohol is the wrong approach to coping with disabling pain.
Stem Cell Tactic Shows Promise for Heart Failure
By Amy Norton, HealthDay
Approach is ‘simpler and probably safer’ than earlier attempts, expert says
July 30, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A new method for delivering stem cells to damaged heart muscle has shown early promise in treating severe heart failure, researchers report.
In a preliminary study, they found the tactic was safe and feasible for the 48 heart failure patients they treated. And after a year, the patients showed a modest improvement in the heart’s pumping ability, on average.
Device Gets Legs Moving After Spinal Cord Injury
By Mary Elizabeth Dallas, HealthDay
Device compares favorably to surgically implanted option, researchers say
July 31, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A noninvasive procedure might help people with paralysis move their legs without the need for surgery or implanted devices, new research suggests.
The treatment approach is called transcutaneous stimulation, where a device delivers an electrical current to the spine through electrodes placed on the outside of the lower back.
Drones Might Fly Blood Samples to Clinics
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Machines could be used for medical testing in remote areas
July 30, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Drones can be used to transport blood samples short distances, a new study finds.
Johns Hopkins University researchers found that common and routine blood tests were not affected when blood samples spent up to 40 minutes traveling on hobby-sized drones.
FDA Approves ‘Belly Balloon’ Weight Loss Device
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Inflated with sterile solution and kept in stomach for no more than 6 months, it makes people feel full
July 29, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Obese Americans struggling to shed pounds have a new weight-loss option: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday approved a temporary, implanted balloon device to treat obesity.
The ReShape Integrated Dual Balloon System (ReShape Dual Balloon) works by taking up space in the stomach and causing a feeling of being full. People would typically use the device for no longer than six months, the FDA explained in a news release.
New Way to Predict Lung Cancer Risk Suggested
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
They focused on telomere length, discovered association
July 29, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Scientists may some day predict lung cancer risk by examining the telomeres that protect your DNA.
People with long telomeres are at increased risk for lung cancer but not other types of cancer, the researchers found.
Telomeres are protective caps of DNA that prevent damage to the ends of chromosomes. Telomere length naturally shortens with cell division.
Jealousy Can Drive Some to Problem Drinking: Study
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Researchers say findings could help identify people at risk for alcholism
July 28, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Intense jealousy may trigger drinking problems, a new study suggests.
The researchers found that those whose self-esteem was dependent on their relationships were more likely to turn to alcohol if they became jealous. However, the study did not prove that jealousy caused drinking.
But the findings might help identify people at risk for alcoholism, according to the authors of the study, which will be published in the October issue of the journal Addictive Behaviors.
Doctors Do First Double Hand Transplant in a Child
By Dennis Thompson, HealthDay
Boy, 8, lost limbs because of severe infection
July 28, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A young Baltimore boy has two new transplanted hands to replace ones he lost to amputation five years ago, his doctors announced Tuesday.
Zion Harvey, 8, became the recipient of the world’s first double hand transplant performed on a child, following 10 hours of surgery by a 40-person team in early July at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Zion already can move and flex his new thumbs and fingers, and is taking part in rehab to regain further dexterity, said Dr. Scott Levin, chair of orthopaedic surgery at Penn Medicine and director of the hospital’s hand transplantation program.
[Standing All Day at Work May Take Toll on Health www.webmd.com/back-pain/news/20150728/standing-all-day-at-work-it-may-take-toll-on-health]
By Alan Mozes, HealthDay
Experiencing lower-limb muscle fatigue daily may have long-term consequences, study suggests
July 28, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Desk jobs aren’t good for your health, but working on your feet could spell trouble, too, researchers say.
Standing five hours a day contributes to significant and prolonged lower-limb muscle fatigue, a small study concluded. This may raise your risk for long-term back pain and musculoskeletal disorders.
Big Swings in Blood Pressure Could Spell Trouble
By Steven Reinberg, HealthDay
Wide fluctuations between doctor visits tied to raised odds of heart disease, early death, study says
July 27, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Wide blood pressure fluctuations may signal an increased risk of heart disease and early death, researchers say.
The large study of people taking blood pressure medication found that variations of more than 14 mm Hg in systolic blood pressure readings between doctor visits was linked to a 25 percent increased risk of heart failure. Systolic blood pressure is the top number in a blood pressure reading.
Low-Nicotine Cigs Won’t Necessarily Help Quitting
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Study finds two years of less addicting tobacco didn’t increase quit rates
July 25, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Low-nicotine cigarettes alone don’t help smokers quit over the long term, a new study finds.
“We don’t know that very low-nicotine cigarettes will not reduce nicotine dependence, but progressively reducing nicotine content of cigarettes in the way that we did, without other means of supporting smokers, did not produce the desired results,” study leader Dr. Neal Benowitz, a professor in the departments of medicine and bioengineering and therapeutic sciences at the University of California, San Francisco, said in a university news release.
WHO: Effective Ebola Vaccine May Be Here
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Initial trials in Guinea show 100 percent effectiveness, larger trials are planned, WHO says
July 31, 2015 (HealthDay News) — An experimental Ebola vaccine appears highly effective against the deadly infectious disease, according to an interim analysis of findings from a clinical trial being conducted in the West African nation of Guinea.
So far, the vaccine has been 100 percent effective in individuals, the United Nation’s World Health Organization (WHO) said in a news release on Friday.
First Pregnancy Weight and Complications Next Time
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Risk remains even for women who get to a healthy size, researchers say
July 28, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Women with an unhealthy weight in a first pregnancy could be at greater risk for complications in their next pregnancy — even if they’re at a good weight, a new study finds.
Most American women are not at a healthy weight when they first become pregnant, meaning their body mass index (BMI) is higher or lower than ideal, researchers say. It is more common for them to have a high BMI than a low one. BMI is an estimate of body fat based on height and weight.
Kidney Stones, Osteoporosis Not Linked for Women
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
But one stone increases odds for more, study found
July 28, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Kidney or bladder stones do not increase a postmenopausal woman’s risk of osteoporosis, a new study finds.
“We know in men that if you have a kidney stone, you are more likely to have osteoporosis,” said corresponding author Dr. Laura Carbone, chief of rheumatology at the Medical College of Georgia, in Augusta.
There Might Be 5 Kinds of Prostate Cancer
By Peter Russell, WebMD Health News
July 31, 2015 — Scientists in the U.K. say there are five distinct types of prostate cancer, and they’ve found a way to distinguish between them.
They say the research could lead to better treatment, because doctors would be able to know which tumors are more likely to grow and spread.
The team, from the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute and Addenbrooke’s Hospital, studied samples of healthy and cancerous prostate tissue from more than 250 men. To group the tumors into five distinct types, they looked for abnormal chromosomes and measured the activity of 100 different genes linked to prostate cancer.
Teens Using E-Cigs More Prone to Take Up Smoking
By Amy Norton, HealthDay
Experts want greater regulation of these nicotine-containing products
July 27, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Teenagers who use electronic cigarettes may be more likely to smoke the real thing, new research suggests.
The study, which included almost 2,100 California high school students, found that one-quarter had ever “vaped” (tried e-cigarettes). Ten percent of the teens were currently using e-cigarettes. And those current users were much more likely than their peers to also smoke cigarettes. One-third of e-cigarette users also smoked tobacco cigarettes, versus 1 percent of kids who’d never vaped.
New Moms Often Get Poor Advice on Baby Care: Study
By Tara Haelle, HealthDay
Tips from family or media can run counter to expert guidelines on vaccines, breast-feeding
July 27, 2015 (HealthDay News) — New mothers get conflicting advice from medical professionals, family members and the media when it comes to key parenting topics, a recent study found.
And that advice often goes against American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommendations for breast-feeding, vaccines, pacifier use and infant sleep, researchers say.
Too Few U.S. Teens Getting HPV Vaccine: CDC
By Dennis Thompson, HealthDay
4 out of 10 girls, 6 out of 10 boys haven’t started series that helps prevent some cancers, survey finds
July 30, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Most boys and a large portion of girls in the United States have not received even a single dose of the cancer-preventing human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, even though some slow progress has been made, federal researchers report.
Four out of 10 girls and six out of 10 boys, aged 13 to 17, have not started the recommended HPV vaccine series, leaving them vulnerable to developing a wide array of cancers, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Too Much of This Tied to Poor Teen Mental Health
By Alan Mozes, HealthDay
Study found those on social media sites more than 2 hours a day were more likely to have problems
July 31, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Teens who frequently use social media are more likely to say they struggle with mental health concerns that are not being addressed, new Canadian research reveals.
At issue is the amount of time adolescents spend browsing and posting on sites such as Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
Autism Care Costs Could Hit $500 Billion by 2025
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Researchers stress need for research to find better interventions, treatments, to lower future spending
July 29, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The annual cost of caring for Americans with autism might reach $500 billion by 2025, a new study estimates, with outside estimates approaching $1 trillion.
Health economists at the University of California, Davis, analyzed national data and concluded that costs will range from $162 billion to $367 billion in 2015, with $268 billion being their best estimate.
Nasal Balloon Can Treat Youngsters for ‘Glue Ear’
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
For kids with a common hearing problem, procedure may be an alternative to antibiotics, drainage tubes
July 27, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A simple procedure using what’s known as a “nasal balloon” can treat hearing loss in children with a common middle-ear problem, preventing unnecessary and ineffective treatment with antibiotics, according to a new study.
Many young children develop a condition in which the middle ear fills with thick fluid — so-called “glue ear.” Often, children have no symptoms and parents seek medical help only when they notice that youngsters have hearing problems.
1 in 3 Seniors With Diabetes Has It Controlled
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels key to managing disease, experts say
July 30, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Only one-third of American seniors with diabetes have their disease under control, a new study finds.
“This research gives us a good picture of diabetes control in older adults and gets us thinking about what it means that older Americans are not meeting clinical targets and how we should address this from a public health perspective,” study leader Elizabeth Selvin, a professor of epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, said in a school news release.
Older Smokers With Migraines and Added Stroke Risk
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Study finds no increased risk among nonsmokers
July 30, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Older smokers who experience migraines appear to be at increased risk of stroke, a new study suggests.
The study included nearly 1,300 people, average age 68, who suffered migraine headaches with and without aura. Migraine with aura is a migraine that’s preceded or accompanied by visual effects such as flashes of light or blind spots, or by tingling in the hands or face.
Moderate Coffee Drinking and Seniors’ Brain Health
By EJ Mundell, HealthDay
But those who upped daily intake actually had higher odds for a precursor to dementia, researchers say
July 31, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A study of more than 1,400 Italian seniors finds links between patterns of coffee consumption and their risk for “mild cognitive impairment” — declines in memory and thinking that are often a precursor to dementia.
The study could only point to associations, not cause-and-effect, the investigators said. But prior research has suggested that caffeine might impact neurological health.
Heart Disease, Alzheimer’s Share Risk Factors
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Study finds diabetes, smoking and obesity also affect brain areas tied in memory
July 28, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Some risk factors for heart disease may also be linked with Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia, a new study reports.
“We already know that vascular risk factors damage the brain and can result in cognitive [mental] impairment,” study lead author Dr. Kevin King said in a news release from the journal Radiology.
High Blood Sugar May Boost Alzheimer’s Risk
By Steven Reinberg, HealthDay
Insulin resistance can inhibit signaling between brain cells and affect memory, study suggests
July 27, 2015 (HealthDay News) — High blood sugar associated with prediabetes may increase the risk for Alzheimer’s disease, a new study suggests.
Researchers found that insulin resistance — higher-than-normal levels of blood sugar that often precede type 2 diabetes — was related to poorer performance on memory tests taken by late-middle-age adults.
Risks of Taking St. John’s Wort for Depression
By Amy Norton, HealthDay
Herbal remedy isn’t regulated, and can have side effects and serious drug interactions
July 29, 2015 (HealthDay News) — St. John’s wort is a popular herbal therapy for depression, but a new Australian study highlights the fact that “natural” does not always equal “safe.”
Using reports filed with Australia’s drug safety agency, the researchers found that adverse reactions to St. John’s wort were similar to those reported for the antidepressant fluoxetine — better known by the brand name Prozac.
Job Stress Might Make You Sick: Study
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
High levels linked to more leave for mental health problems
July 30, 2015 (HealthDay News) — High levels of job stress may increase the risk of sick leave due to mental health disorders, a new study suggests.
Researchers analyzed data from nearly 12,000 workers in Sweden. Over five years, about 8 percent of the workers took mental health sick leave. Three-quarters of those who took mental health sick leave were women.
Expert Panel Recommends Depression Questionnaire
By Dennis Thompson, HealthDay
Form could be filled out during visit to family doctor, and patient could be referred for follow-up care
July 27, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Part of your next visit to your family doctor’s office should be spent filling out a questionnaire to assess whether you’re suffering from depression, an influential panel of preventive medicine experts recommends.
What’s more, people concerned that they might be depressed could download an appropriate questionnaire online, fill it out ahead of time and hand it over to their doctor for evaluation, the panel added.
Does Facebook Lead Young Women to Dangerous Diets?
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Risk is highest for those who use social media site to compare themselves to friends, study finds
July 27, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A new study provides insight into how Facebook use by young women can lead to poor body image and risky dieting.
The study included 128 college-aged women who completed an online survey about their eating habits and their emotional connection to Facebook — such as how much time they spent on the social networking site and number of Facebook friends — and whether they compared their bodies to friends’ bodies in online photos.
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