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’ve long been aware of the term “probiotics” (is there anybody who watches television who hasn’t seen Jamie Lee Curtis touting them in those old ads for Activia yogurt?), the beneficial microbes in our guts, and also in fermented foods like miso and kimchi, that some experts believe play a significant role in gut health and in keeping our immune system robust. But I’d never heard the word “prebiotics” until I attended a talk by the Stanford nutritionist Jo Ann Hattner, who has written (with Susan Anderes) an interesting guide called “Gut Insight: Probiotics and Prebiotics for Digestive Health and Well-Being.”
~Martha Rose Shulman~
An economical dip that is a cross between hummus and the classic Middle Eastern dip called silq bil tahina
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Spring Vegetable Stew With Artichokes and Fennel
The inspiration for this dish is a Sicilian stew called fritteda that can be served with pasta or other grains as a main course.
Baked Frittata With Yogurt, Chard and Green Garlic
A spin on the Provençal chard omelet called truccha, good to eat hot, warm or cold.
This dish in a bowl mixes sweet and bitter edges.
Stir-Fried Baby Turnips With Spring Onions, Green Garlic and Tofu
Juicy springtime ginger, onions and green garlic elevate this stir-fry featuring baby turnips and their bitter greens.
Daily Aspirin Regimen Not Safe for Everyone: FDA
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
It may cause more harm than good in those who have not experienced heart problems or stroke
May 6, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Taking an aspirin a day can help prevent heart attack and stroke in people who have suffered such health crises in the past, but not in people who have never had heart problems, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
“Since the 1990s, clinical data have shown that in people who have experienced a heart attack, stroke or who have a disease of the blood vessels in the heart, a daily low dose of aspirin can help prevent a reoccurrence,” Dr. Robert Temple, deputy director for clinical science at the FDA, said in an agency news release.
E-Cigarette Vapor’s Potentially Harmful Particles
By Dennis Thompson, HealthDay
Raises concerns about safety of e-cig chemicals, but industry representative says they’re safe
May 7, 2014 (HealthDay News) — E-cigarettes may not be as harmless as they initially seemed. New research suggests that e-cigarette vapor produces tiny particles that users suck deep into their lungs, potentially causing or worsening respiratory diseases.
The particles are of comparable size to those contained in cigarette smoke, and as many as 40 percent of them reach the deepest part of the lungs when inhaled, said Jonathan Thornburg, lead investigator and a senior research engineer at RTI International, a North Carolina research institute.
Young Blood Boosts Brains of Old Mice
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
The discovery might have implications for aging humans, study authors suggest
May 5, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Lending credence to the old saying that there’s nothing like young blood, a new study found that the brains of old mice were recharged when they were injected with blood from young mice.
If this approach works in people, it could be used to give a boost to aging brains or lead to new ways to treat Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia, according to researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine.
Asthma Linked to Bone Loss in Study
By Randy Dotinga, HealthDay
Reason for connection isn’t clear, experts say
May 7, 2014 (HealthDay News) — People with asthma could be at higher risk of bone loss, new research suggests.
But it’s not clear how the two conditions might be related.
“We know prolonged use of corticosteroids in the treatment of asthma is a risk factor of osteoporosis, but we haven’t had definite data showing the relationship between asthma itself and bone loss,” study author Dr. Jae-Woo Jung said in a news release from the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI).
Weight-Loss Surgery May Help Prevent AFib
By Maureen Salamon, HealthDay
So-called ‘bariatric’ procedures appear to cut risk of atrial fibrillation, researchers report
May 8, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Weight-loss surgery not only helps obese people drop pounds, but it may also prevent the dangerous heart rhythm disorder known as atrial fibrillation, according to new research.
Scientists from the Mayo Clinic found that significantly fewer patients who underwent weight-loss surgery, also known as “bariatric” surgery, developed atrial fibrillation — a rapid and irregular heartbeat — than those who didn’t have weight-loss surgery. Atrial fibrillation affects more than 2.7 million American adults.
Is Your Brain Overheating? Try Yawning
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Study offers up new theory on why people yawn
May 8, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Everyone does it, but just why people yawn has remained a mystery. Now, a new study suggests that yawning might help cool an overheated brain.
Austrian researchers found that the amount of yawning folks do varies with air temperature, with the practice becoming not so common as outside temperatures get either very hot or very cold.
In the study, a team led by Jorg Massen of the University of Vienna tracked yawning among people who were walking outside in Vienna, Austria, during summer and winter. The researchers then compared those results to those of an identical experiment conducted in Arizona.
MERS Can Be Transmitted From Camel to Human: Study
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Vienna virologists report finding coronavirus almost identical in both from same region
May 6, 2014 (HealthDay News) — New research has confirmed that camels can transmit the deadly MERS virus to people.
Virologists at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna, Austria, found that the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome viruses in camels and people in the same geographical region are almost genetically identical, according to the study.
The study, published in the journal Eurosurveillance, also showed that MERS levels were especially high in camels’ eyes and noses, and the researchers believe that people are most likely to be infected through contact with these sites, especially nasal discharge.
MERS FAQ: What You Need to Know
By Kathleen Doheny, WebMD Health News
The First U.S. Case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Has Been Diagnosed
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.
Could a Few Beers a Week Cut a Woman’s RA Risk?
By Kathleen Doheny, HealthDay
Study finds the brew is helpful, but drinking too much is never warranted, experts say
May 7, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Having a beer a few times a week might help women avoid painful rheumatoid arthritis, a new study suggests.
The disease, which affects women more than men, is a form of arthritis linked to immune system dysfunction. According to the Arthritis Foundation, over 1.5 million Americans suffer from the disease, which typically begins in the 20s or 30s.
However, “long-term, moderate alcohol drinking may reduce future rheumatoid arthritis development” in women, said lead researcher Dr. Bing Lu, an assistant professor of medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, in Boston.
Premature Menopause May Affect Women’s Brains
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Greater declines in memory and mental function seen in women with premature menopause: study
May 9, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Premature menopause may increase a woman’s risk of mental decline later in life, according to a new study.
Compared to those who began menopause after age 50, women with premature menopause were 40 percent more likely to do poorly on verbal and visual memory tests, the study found. They also had a 35 percent higher risk of decline in psychomotor speed (coordination between the brain and the muscles that brings about movement) and overall mental function.
More Women Delaying First Pregnancy: CDC
By Barbara Bronson Gray, HealthDay
First births to women 35 and older have increased dramatically over last 40 years
May 9, 2014 (HealthDay News) — New U.S. government data confirms the trend: the average age when women have their first babies continues to increase.
For the last four decades, women, on average, have been having first babies later in life than ever before. In 2012, the latest year for which data are available, there were more than nine times as many first births to women 35 and older than there were 40 years ago. Among younger women — those under 30, and, particularly, those under 20 years old — first births have actually declined.
Treatments for Women With Poor Leg Circulation
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Minimally invasive procedures to open arteries work for both sexes, study finds
May 7, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Minimally invasive treatment for narrowing of the arteries in the legs, hands and feet is as effective in women as in men.
That’s the main finding from a study that looked at the effects of artery-opening treatments such as angioplasty and stent placement in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD). PAD is a condition where fat deposits build up in arteries outside of the heart, such as those that supply blood to the arms, legs and feet.
Mom-to-Be’s TV Habits May Affect Child’s Weight
By Kathleen Doheny, HealthDay
Watching during mealtime, infant feedings may set stage for childhood obesity
May 6, 2014 (HealthDay News) — When an expectant mom regularly eats her meals in front of the TV, chances are she’ll continue that habit during her baby’s feedings, a new study shows.
That’s a concern because infants who watch mealtime TV likely become young children who watch TV while eating. And previous research suggests that youngsters who spend a lot of time in front of the TV, especially during mealtime, are at risk of becoming overweight or obese, the researchers noted.
Older Infertile Couples and In Vitro Fertilization
By Dennis Thompson, HealthDay
Other fertility treatments less likely to result in pregnancy, birth for women over 38, researchers say
May 6, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Middle-aged couples who want to have a baby but are having trouble conceiving should go straight to in vitro fertilization (IVF), skipping other types of fertility treatment, a new clinical trial recommends.
Researchers found that women aged 38 and older were more than twice as likely to become pregnant through IVF within their first two cycles of treatment than if they used oral or injectable fertility drugs. They also were twice as likely to have a successful birth from that pregnancy.
Syphilis Cases Climbing Among Gay Men: CDC
By Steven Reinberg, HealthDay
Rates have more than doubled since 2000, health officials report
May 9, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Syphilis has returned with a vengeance to the gay community, U.S. health officials reported Friday.
Cases of the sexually transmitted disease, once almost eliminated in the United States, have more than doubled among gay and bisexual men since the year 2000, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Based on data from the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System reported as of April 28, 2014, U.S. health officials found there were 5.3 cases of primary and secondary syphilis per 100,000 people in 2013 compared to 2.1 cases per 100,000 in 2000.
Minority Kids With Autism and Trouble With Walking
By Amy Norton, HealthDay
Phenomenon occurs twice as often in black children, 1.5 times more in Hispanics than in whites: study
May 6, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Minority children with autism are more likely to have lost critical developmental skills, such as walking or talking, than are white children, according to a new study.
The phenomenon, called developmental regression, occurs when children have reached milestones such as saying words and walking, and then those skills suddenly vanish. The new research found that the odds of developmental regression were twice as high for black children and 1.5 times higher for Hispanic children than they were for white youngsters.
Kids With ADHD May Also Have Family Troubles
By Randy Dotinga, HealthDay
Study found they were more likely to come from homes affected by poverty, divorce, substance abuse
May 6, 2014 (HealthDay News) — New research indicates that children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder may be more likely to be part of families that are affected by poverty, divorce, neighborhood violence and substance abuse.
“Our findings suggest that children with ADHD experience significantly higher rates of trauma than those without ADHD,” study author Dr. Nicole Brown said in a news release from the American Academy of Pediatrics. “Providers may focus on ADHD as the primary diagnosis and overlook the possible presence of a trauma history, which may impact treatment.”
Viagra, Cialis for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy?
By Steven Reinberg, HealthDay
Small study finds impotence drugs improved blood flow to muscles in boys with the progressive disease
May 7, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Drugs normally prescribed to treat erectile dysfunction in adult males may help boys who have a muscle disease called Duchenne muscular dystrophy, according to a new study.
In the small study including just 10 boys with the disease, researchers found that the popular drugs Viagra and Cialis improved blood flow to the boys’ weakened muscles.
“Boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy have a blood flow abnormality — delivery of blood and oxygen to their muscles — that does not increase the way it should during mild exercise,” said lead researcher Dr. Ronald Victor, the associate director of the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute in Los Angeles.
Docs Should Give Toddlers Fluoride Treatments: Panel
By Steven Reinberg, HealthDay
Expert panel says primary care physicians should help in effort to prevent cavities in young children
May 6, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Primary care doctors should start playing a more prominent role in dental care for children, according to new recommendations from the influential U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.
Specifically, the task force suggested Monday that primary care physicians prescribe oral fluoride supplementation, such as drops, tablets or lozenges, for children 6 months and older whose water supply doesn’t have enough fluoride.
“In addition, we are recommending that infants and children should have fluoride varnish applied to their teeth when baby teeth appear, and that primary care clinicians can do that,” said task force chairman Dr. Michael LeFevre.
This Propels Asian-American Kids to Head of Class
By Amy Norton, HealthDay
Reading, math tests showed little difference in innate abilities compared to whites, other minorities
May 5, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Asian-American students have a reputation as high achievers, and a new study suggests their success comes mainly from hard work rather than innate ability.
It’s well known that compared with white students, Asian-American kids tend to get higher grades, do better on standardized tests and are more likely to go to college — including elite universities.
“What we’ve lacked is an explanation,” said Amy Hsin, the lead researcher on the new study and an assistant professor of sociology at Queens College, City University of New York.
Brain Stimulation Shows Promise Against Alzheimer’s
By Randy Dotinga, HealthDay
German pilot study found four of six patients kept, improved their memories one year later
May 6, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Four of six Alzheimer’s patients responded to deep brain stimulation in a pilot study, German researchers report.
Meanwhile, 42 Alzheimer’s patients in the United States and Canada have been enrolled in the largest study to date to examine the use of deep brain stimulation to treat the disease.
There are caveats about the research, even though deep brain stimulation is already used as a treatment for Parkinson’s disease.
Most People Have Unwanted Thoughts, International Study Finds
By Randy Dotinga, HealthDay
Difference for people with OCD is how they react, experts say
May 9, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Do you ever feel a bit tortured by the idea that you left the iron on or caught a dread disease in that dirty restroom? Ever have a random thought about hurting someone even though you’re not a violent person?
You’re far from alone.
A new study reports that many college students around the world routinely have these kinds of “intrusive” worries — even if they don’t have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Americans More Self-Interested Than Ever, Study Finds
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Look at State of the Union addresses since 1790 found egotism rising during 20th century
May 9, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Americans’ focus on themselves has been steadily rising since the turn of the 20th century, according to a new study.
University of Michigan researchers assessed self-interest (egotism) in the United States by using a special software program to analyze presidential State of the Union addresses from 1790 through 2012. In each of the speeches, the program measured the number of words that related to self-interest and those linked with concern for others.
Egotism was relatively low in the United States shortly after the country declared independence from Great Britain, the study found.
Frequent Arguments Might Be the Death of You
By Steven Reinberg, HealthDay
Social stress seems to increase the risk for an early demise
May 8, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Arguing and worrying over family problems may lead to an increased risk of dying in middle age, Danish researchers report.
Conflicts with family, friends and neighbors posed the greatest risk. Those most at risk are men and people out of work, the researchers noted.
“Stressful social relations in private life are associated with a two- to three-times increased risk of dying,” said lead researcher Dr. Rikke Lund, an associate professor in the department of public health at the University of Copenhagen.
“Worries and demands from partners and children, and conflicts in general, seem the most important risk factors,” she said.
Could Rising Carbon Dioxide Levels Strip Foods of Some Nutrients?
By Alan Mozes, HealthDay
Study suggests significant decline in amounts of zinc, iron as CO2 becomes more abundant in the atmosphere
May 7, 2014 (HealthDay News) — As carbon dioxide levels continue to rise around the globe, a new food investigation contends that many of the world’s crops will lose vital nutrients.
The new analysis looks at how nutrients found in staple foods, such as wheat, rice, maize, sorghum, soybeans and field peas, hold up when exposed to the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) that’s expected to be in the atmosphere by the year 2050.
Fruits and Veggies May Lower Stroke Risk
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Aim for at least four to five a day, experts advise
May 8, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Regularly eating fruits and vegetables may reduce your stroke risk, according to a new review of worldwide research.
Stroke risk declined by 32 percent for every 200 grams of fruit consumed each day, and by 11 percent for every 200 grams of daily vegetables, according to the findings published in the journal Stroke.
“Improving diet and lifestyle is critical for heart and stroke risk reduction in the general population,” senior study author Dr. Yan Qu, director of the intensive care unit at Qingdao Municipal Hospital in China, said in a news release provided by the American Heart Association.
40 Isn’t Too Old To Start Intensive Exercise
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Similar heart benefits seen in those who began endurance workouts before 30 or after 40
May 9, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Men who begin endurance exercise after age 40 may get similar long-term heart benefits as those who start training before age 30, new research finds.
The study included 40 healthy men, between the ages of 55 and 70, who had no heart disease risk factors. Ten of the men had never exercised for more than two hours a week. The remaining 30 had exercised for at least seven hours a week for more than five years, either beginning before age 30 or after age 40. Their regular exercise involved either cycling or running.
Could Energy Drinks Be Wrong Choice for Some Teens?
By Brenda Goodman, HealthDay
Unhealthy behaviors may be more common in those who consume the beverages, research suggests
May 6, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Teens who regularly drink energy and sports drinks tend to engage in some unhealthy behaviors, new research suggests.
“Kids who are consuming energy drinks are more likely to smoke, they’re more likely to try other illicit substances, they’re more likely to drink alcohol. It’s uncertain why there’s this association but, certainly, the pattern is there,” said Cecile Marczinski, an associate professor of psychological science at Northern Kentucky University.
Marczinski has studied the health effects of energy drinks, but was not involved in the new research. She added that several other recent studies have produced similar findings.
Sustained Workouts May Help Aging Hearts
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Researchers found improvements in seniors’ ‘heart rate variability’ that might reduce heart attack risk
May 5, 2014 (HealthDay News) — When it comes to exercise, reaching “retirement age” is no time to slow down: Seniors who maintain or boost their physical activity levels are less likely to suffer a heart attack, a new study suggests.
Exercise improves the electrical well-being of their hearts and reduces the risk of heart rhythm problems, the researchers explained.
They examined heart monitor data collected from 985 older adults, average age 71, over five years. The more physical activity the participants did, the better their heart rate variability, according to the findings appearing May 5 in the journal Circulation.
Exercise Could Help Disabled People, But…
By Steven Reinberg, HealthDay
Lack of workouts increases the risk of chronic diseases, experts say
May 6, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Half of the 21 million Americans who have a disability don’t exercise, and that lack of exercise is jeopardizing their health, federal officials reported Tuesday.
Among these 11 million inactive adults are people who have difficulty walking or climbing stairs, have problems hearing or seeing, or have trouble concentrating, remembering or making decisions, officials said.
Many of these disabled adults are able to exercise, but don’t do so regularly or at all, Ileana Arias, principal deputy director at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said during a news conference.
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