Welcome to the Stars Hollow Health and Fitness 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.
Vegetable Casseroles for Frigid Nights
This week’s gratins are made with a couple of pounds of a cooked vegetable, seasoned and bound with eggs, milk and a small amount of cheese. (In Provence, rice is also used to help bind the mixture.) Gratins are a great way to use both fresh and leftover cooked vegetables. . . .
Casseroles need not contain eggs or dairy products. And baked beans, exceptionally creamy after their long simmer in the oven, can be made into perfect vegan fare. Add vegetables of your choice and you’ll have a perfect one-dish meal.
Mushroom and Greens Gratin
Cabbage and Red Pepper Gratin
Slow-Baked Beans With Kale
Beets, Spiced Quinoa and Yogurt
Potato and Chard Stalk Gratin
General Medicine/Family Medical
Implantable Pumps Help Some Regain Heart Function
Study Shows Benefits of LVADs in Helping Patients Recover Heart Function
Jan. 31, 2011 — An implantable pump that assists with the work of a weakened heart may, in rare cases, help some people recover a significant amount of heart function, a new study shows.
The new review, which is published in the Feb. 8 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, summarizes international research on recipients of left ventricular assist devices, or LVADs, including1,092 LVAD patients enrolled in a government-funded registry.
New Antibiotic Fights C. diff Infections
Study Shows Fidaxomicin Helps Treat Recurrent C. diff Infections
Feb. 2, 2011 — A new antibiotic, fidaxomicin, is as effective as vancomycin in curing C. diff (Clostridium difficile) infections and may be better at reducing recurrences, new research shows.
”A cure — that means getting over the diarrhea — was the same for both, about 90%,” says researcher Sherwood Gorbach, MD, chief medical officer at Optimer Pharmaceuticals, which funded the study. “However, for recurrences there was a 45% reduction with fidaxomicin [over vancomycin].”
Many in U.S. Get Unneeded Heart Screening Tests
Survey Suggests Healthy Americans Get Tests That Could Expose Them to Unnecessary Risks
Feb. 3, 2011 — When it comes to heart screening tests, healthy Americans may be a little too test-happy, according to a recent survey conducted by Consumer Reports.
In July 2010, Consumer Reports polled 8,056 of its subscribers, ages 40 to 60, who had seen a doctor in the last 12 months and were free of any heart-related condition that might warrant heart-specific screening tests.
Obesity Is Up; Hypertension, Cholesterol Down
Studies Show a Mix of Good News and Bad in Global Trends on Heart Risk Factors
Feb. 3, 2011 — Obesity rates across the globe have nearly doubled since 1980, but there have been slight declines in high blood pressure and high cholesterol, two major risk factors for heart disease and stroke, according to three new studies in The Lancet.
Shingles Myth Busted: It Does Come Back
Return of Painful Shingles Attack Not Unusual
Feb. 4, 2011 — People unlucky enough to suffer a painful shingles attack had one consolation: the belief it would never happen again.
Now that comforting belief has been shattered. A new study shows that shingles is at least as likely to strike a person who’s already had one bout of the disease as one who has never had it.
Cosmetic Surgery May Also Treat Migraines
Study Shows Surgery to Get Rid of Wrinkles Has Benefits for Migraine Relief
Feb. 3, 2011 — A surgical technique that has evolved from a cosmetic procedure that smoothes forehead wrinkles may offer lasting relief from frequent or severe migraine headaches, a new study shows.
The study followed 69 patients after they had surgery to deactivate muscle and nerve trigger points in places like the forehead, temple, nose, and back of the neck.
After five years, surgeons reported that 88% of study participants had less frequent or severe migraines.
Rheumatoid Arthritis Drugs Are Underused
Study Shows RA Drugs Known as DMARDs Aren’t Prescribed as Aggressively as They Should
Feb. 1, 2011 — Widely available drugs that are recommended early in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis are not being prescribed nearly as much as they could be.
That’s the conclusion of a new study that says effective medicines called disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) are not being used as aggressively as called for under accepted medical guidelines.
Complementary and Alternative Medicine on the Rise
Study Shows More Americans Are Using CAM; High Cost of Conventional Care Is a Factor
Feb. 1, 2011 — More Americans are turning to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), including those who have trouble meeting the cost of conventional care, a study shows.
“The rising cost of health care is outpacing inflation and salaries, and there’s a good possibility that that is linked to increasing CAM use,” says study researcher Dejun Su, PhD, a sociologist at the University of Texas – Pan American.
The study of CAM trends is published in the Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved.
Americans Don’t Do Enough to Cut Hypertension, Cholesterol
CDC Report Finds Many in U.S. Need to Do More for High Blood Pressure and Cholesterol
Feb. 1, 2011 — The CDC says in a new report that about two-thirds of adults in the U.S. who have high cholesterol levels and about half who have high blood pressure are not being treated as effectively as they could be, unnecessarily raising their risk of stroke or heart attacks.
More than 80% of people whose blood pressure or LDL “bad” cholesterol is not under control have either private or public health insurance, the CDC says.
This means that for many people, having the financial means to receive medical treatment is not sufficient to achieve blood pressure and LDL cholesterol goals, the CDC says in its Feb. 1 issue of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Gastric Bypass Surgery May Help the Heart
Study Shows Heart Function Improves in Obese Patients Who Had Gastric Bypass Surgery
an. 31, 2011 — Severely obese patients who have gastric bypass surgery can expect obesity-related heart abnormalities to stabilize or partially reverse, new research suggests.
”The cardiac size and function were restored toward normal in the people who got the gastric bypass surgery,” says researcher Sheldon Litwin, MD, chief of cardiology at the Medical College of Georgia.
Will Cancer Spread? New Test May Tell
Errant Protein Marks Tumors That Metastasize
Feb. 1, 2011 — A new test appears to predict whether or not cancer will spread to other parts of the body.
The test is a long way from doctors’ offices. But in early studies, it has about a 90% success rate in predicting whether a cancer will spread within two years.
The new test is based on an errant protein found in cancers that metastasize — that is, send out tumor cells that travel to distant parts of the body where they grow into new tumors. The protein is called CPE-deltaN, says senior investigator Y. Peng Loh, PhD.
Study: African-Americans Live Longer After Stroke
Survival May Not Predict Quality of Care, Researchers Say
Jan. 31, 2011 — New research suggests that African-Americans have a better survival rate than whites after hospitalization for stroke, but the study raises more questions than it answers about the impact of treatment decisions on outcomes and the meaning of stroke mortality statistics, investigators say.
Using data from a statewide hospital registry, researchers examined survival among all stroke patients treated in New York state in 2005 and 2006.
Head Injury Risks Linger
Increased Risk of Death After Head Injury May Persist for Years
Jan. 31, 2011 — Head injuries may raise the risk of death for years after the initial injury, according to a new study.
Researchers found people who suffered a head injury were nearly three times more likely to die from any cause within 13 years after the injury than other healthy adults, regardless of the severity of the initial injury.
Skip the MRI for Low Back Pain?
New Guidelines Suggest Imaging Tests May Not Be Needed for All Patients
Jan. 31, 2011 — Immediate imaging with X-rays, CT scans, or MRIs for patients with acute low back pain is not recommended for all patients, according to new guidelines by the American College of Physicians.
The guidelines, which appear in the Feb. 1 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine, suggest that such imaging tests are appropriate for people with low back pain that may be due to cancer, infection, nerve damage, or pain that worsens despite initial treatment.
Warnings/Alerts/Guidelines
Cancer Drug Avastin Linked to Death Risk
Study Shows Risk of Dying Higher With Avastin Than Chemo Alone; Drugmaker Criticizes Study’s Methods
Feb. 1, 2011 — Patients treated with Avastin, a top-selling cancer medication, appear to have a 50% increased risk of dying from treatment-related adverse events compared to the use of chemotherapy alone, a new research review finds.
Rare Form of Stroke Affects Young People
CVT, Which Often Affects Pregnant Women and Young Adults, More Common Than Previously Thought
Women’s Health
Breast Cancer Survivors May Face Early Hip Fracture Risk
Report Raises Questions About Breast Cancer Treatment Risk
Feb. 2, 2011 — Breast cancer survivors may have an increased risk for hip fractures years earlier than other women even when they don’t have osteoporosis, a new report suggests.
Researchers say the combination of chemotherapy and other treatments such as aromatase inhibitors can lead to rapid bone weakening that may not be easily identified with bone mineral density testing.
Artificial Pancreas Could Help Pregnant Diabetic Women
Study: Artificial Pancreas Makes Pregnancy Safer for Women With Type 1 Diabetes
Jan. 31, 2011 — For the first time, research has successfully demonstrated the potential benefits of an artificial pancreas in pregnant women with type 1 diabetes. It’s hoped the development, funded by Diabetes UK, could drastically reduce cases of stillbirth and mortality rates among pregnant women with the condition.
Stroke History of Moms Predicts Risk for Daughters
Study Suggests Daughters at Risk for Heart Attack and Stroke
Feb. 1, 2011 — The daughters of women who suffer strokes may be at increased risk of having a heart attack and also at increased risk of stroke, new research indicates.
British researchers say it appears that inheriting vascular disease, specifically coronary artery disease and cerebrovascular disease, may be sex specific.
Female heart patients were found in a study of 2,200 people to be more likely to have mothers who had suffered a stroke than fathers who had.
Men’s Health
HPV Shot Prevents Genital Warts in Boys and Men
Study Adds to Debate Over Vaccination of Males for Prevention of HPV Infection
Feb. 2, 2011 — The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine can help stave off genital warts in boys and men, according to a new study in the Feb. 3 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Pediatric Health
Tonsil Removal May Lead to Weight Gain
Study Finds Greater Than Expected Weight Gain in Kids After Tonsillectomy
Feb. 1, 2011 — Children who have their tonsils removed tend to gain weight after the surgery, according to an analysis of studies conducted over the past four decades.
Tonsillectomy is one of the most commonly performed surgeries in kids, with more than half a million children in the U.S. having either their tonsils or their tonsils and adenoids removed each year.
Updated Vaccine Schedule for Children, Teens
Annual Revision Addresses Whooping Cough, Influenza, Pneumococcal Vaccines
Feb. 1, 2011 — An updated vaccine schedule for children and teens is out from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
“Parents should be aware that the vaccine schedule is updated every year,” Cody Meissner, MD, a consultant to the AAP’s Committee on Infectious Disease who helped update the new schedule, tells WebMD.
Working Long Hours May Hurt High School Students
Study: High School Students Working More Than 20 Hours a Week May See Decline in Behavior, Academic Expectations
Feb. 4, 2011 — Working long hours while in high school may have a negative effect on students’ performance as well as behavior, according to a new study.
Researchers say the results contradict several recent studies that suggested no negative effects of working more than 20 hours a week on high school students’ performance or behavior.
Family Meals Linked to Improved Asthma in Kids
Study Shows Eating With the Family Has Health Benefits for Children With Asthma
Feb. 4, 2011 — Eating together at family meals may be an especially healthy habit for children with asthma.
A new study suggests children with asthma who spend quality time with their families by eating together are healthier than those who eat alone, while watching TV, or while others are busy chatting or texting on cell phones.
Cold Virus May Trigger Type 1 Diabetes
Children With Diabetes 10 Times More Likely to Have Enterovirus Infection
Feb. 3, 2011 — A common cold virus could trigger type 1 diabetes in at-risk children, a new research review suggests.
The finding could help explain a dramatic rise in diabetes incidence among very young children, and could even lead to better ways to prevent and treat the disease, researchers say.
Aging
Metabolic Syndrome Linked to Memory Loss
Study Shows People With Metabolic Syndrome May Be at Higher Risk for Memory Loss
Feb. 2, 2011 — Older people with large waistlines, high blood pressure, and other risk factors for a condition called metabolic syndrome may be at greater peril for experiencing memory loss, a new French study suggests.
Metabolic syndrome is a common condition characterized by a cluster of symptoms that can include high blood pressure, too much weight around the waist, elevated blood sugar levels, low levels of HDL “good” cholesterol, and high levels of tryglycerides, a type of unhealthy fat found in the blood.
New Genetic Clues to Parkinson’s Disease
Researchers Identify Genetic Variants That May Be Linked to Parkinson’s
Feb. 1, 2011 — A new set of genetic variants has been implicated in the search for genetic risk factors that could lead to the development of Parkinson’s disease.
Researchers say six genetic factors that apparently affect the neurological disease have been previously identified. But in a new study, the researchers say they have now identified five more of the variants.
The research, a collaboration of investigators in the U.S., U.K., Germany, France, the Netherlands, and Iceland, is published online in the Feb. 2 issue of The Lancet.
Exercise May Slow Age-Related Memory Loss
Study Suggests Moderate Exercise Has Benefits for Brain Health of Older Adults
Jan. 31, 2011 — Staying active as an older adult may keep both the body and the brain in shape.
A new study suggests moderate aerobic exercise may slow or even reverse age-related memory loss in older adults by increasing the size of the hippocampus, a part of the brain that assists in forming memories.
Nutrition/Diet/Fitness
New U.S. Dietary Guidelines: What Not to Eat
Guidelines Call for Less Salt, Fats, and Fast Food and More Seafood, Lowfat Dairy, and Fruits and Veggies
Jan. 31, 2011 — For the first time, new U.S. dietary guidelines do more than tell us what’s good for us: They spell out how to avoid specific foods and lifestyle choices that make us fat and sick.
As a case in point, here’s a phrase you’ll be hearing a lot: Get off your SoFAS. In addition to getting more exercise, that means to avoid extra calories from Solid Fats and Added Sugars.
Simple Steps to Prevent Common Cancers
Report Suggests That Healthy Diet and Physical Fitness Can Prevent Many Cancer Cases
Feb. 3, 2011 — About a third of some of the most common forms of cancer could be prevented through healthy diet, physical fitness, and limiting alcohol intake, the American Institute for Cancer Research and the World Cancer Research Fund say in a new report.
1-Minute Sideline Test Predicts Concussions
After Blow to Head, Eye Test Tells Whether Player Should Stay in Game
Feb. 4, 2011 — Should Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers have stayed in a crucial playoff game after taking a violent blow to the head?
A Super Bowl berth was the ultimate outcome. But had Rodgers taken a new one-minute concussion test on the sidelines, his coaches would have known whether he was at risk of a far worse outcome: serious brain damage.
Study: ADHD Diet Helps Reduce Symptoms
Avoiding Certain Foods May Cut Symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Kids
Feb. 3, 2011 — Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) should be offered a special ADHD diet to see if eliminating certain foods might reduce their symptoms, Dutch researchers say.
The diet studied, known as the restricted elimination diet (RED), can work, the researchers say, because they believe ADHD symptoms in some children might be affected by eating specific foods.
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