Welcome to the Health and Fitness News, a weekly diary which is cross-posted from The Stars Hollow Gazette. It is 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.
Tomatoes à la Provence
This is the first summer in a long time that I haven't had a tomato garden. My garden needed a rest, and my plan was to work on my annual tomato piece for Recipes for Health during the two weeks I spent in Provence, where my love affair with Mediterranean cuisine began. It was an easy assignment. Summer cooking here revolves around tomatoes, squash and eggplant, and these ingredients pretty much dominated my market baskets.
When I started going to Provence more than 30 years ago, the tomatoes were superior to anything I could find in the States. Now that's not the case, thanks to our wonderful farmers' markets, which offer a wider variety of these nutrient-dense vegetables than any French market I visited this summer. An added benefit is that in American markets you are much more likely
~Martha Rose Shulman~
Pain Catalan With Extra Tomatoes and Goat Cheese
This dish is inspired by the Catalan signature dish, but mustard takes the place of the traditional raw garlic.
Provençal Tomato and Squash Gratin
Tomatoes do double duty here, forming a sauce and decorating the top of the dish.
Rainbow Trout Baked in Foil With Tomatoes, Garlic and Thyme
Cooked in packets, this savory fish dish can be assembled well ahead of time and baked at the last minute.
Tomato, Squash and Eggplant Tian
A tian takes a little time to assemble, but you'll be rewarded with a beautiful presentation of summer's bounty.
Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart
Dijon mustard spread on the pastry dough before baking adds even more French flavor to this dish.
General Medicine/Family Medical
Daily Aspirin May Reduce Risk of Cancer Death
by Kathleen Doheny
New Study Finds Less Risk Reduction Than Previous Research
Aug. 12, 2012 -- Daily aspirin use, long recommended for people at high risk of heart attack, may also reduce the risk of dying from cancer, according to new research.
The benefit, however, may not be as great as believed, says researcher Eric Jacobs, PhD, of the American Cancer Society.
A previous study by others found daily aspirin reduced cancer death risk by 37%. "In our analysis, daily aspirin use was associated with about a 16% lower risk of dying from cancer overall," Jacobs says.
Blood Type May Impact Heart Risk
by Salynn Boyles
Type O Appears Protective; Type AB Linked to Increased Risk
Higher BPA Levels, More Heart Disease?
by kathleen Doheny
Researchers Find Higher BPA Levels Linked With Narrower Arteries; Industry Says Study Proves Nothing
Aug. 15, 2012 -- People who have higher levels of the chemical bisphenol A (BPA) in their urine may be more likely to have narrowing of their coronary arteries, a new study shows.
BPA has been used for more than 40 years in food packaging, metal food and beverage can liners, and many other products. Nearly everyone has detectable levels of BPA, says researcher David Melzer, MD, PhD, professor of epidemiology and public health at England's University of Exeter.
Melzer's new study shows an association between urinary BPA levels and the width of the coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart.
Warnings/Alerts/Guidelines
FDA: Codeine May Be Risky for Kids After Surgery
by Kathleen Doheny
Parents Should Watch for Overdose Warning Signs
Aug. 15, 2012 -- The FDA today issued a warning about the risks of prescription pain relievers with codeine in children.
The drugs are often given to treat pain after surgery to remove the tonsils or adenoids.
The FDA codeine warning comes after three children died and one had a life-threatening reaction after taking the medicine.
Codeine is converted to morphine in the body. However, some people metabolize it so rapidly that they have higher-than-normal levels of morphine in their blood.
If those levels become too high, overdose and death can occur.
If a child is prescribed codeine-containing medicine, the FDA urges doctors to use the lowest effective dose for the shortest time possible.
Seasonal Flu/Other Epidemics/Disasters
71 New Cases of H3N2v Swine Flu
by Daniel J. DeNoon
More Cases in Ohio and Indiana; Mich., Wisc., Pa., and W.V. See First Cases
Aug. 17, 2012 -- There are 71 new cases in the ongoing outbreak of H3N2v swine flu, bringing the U.S. total to 224 cases since July 2012.
Ohio had 41 new cases, bringing its total to 72. Indiana had 18 new cases for a total of 138. Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia saw their first cases. Illinois, where there had been one previous case, reported two new cases.
Every case investigated so far has involved contact with pigs. Although there were a few cases of limited person-to-person spread last year, that hasn't yet happened this year.
"A key thing we are looking for is whether the virus is spreading from person to person," CDC flu expert Joseph Bresee, MD, said in a news release. "That kind of change would affect our risk assessment. So far, we are not seeing that and we are looking carefully."
New West Nile Threat: Kidney Disease
by Daniel J. DeNoon
Even Without Symptoms, West Nile Virus May Lead to Lasting Infection of the Kidneys
Aug. 17, 2012 -- Early in this year's West Nile virus season, the death toll is at 29 and rising. There have been about 700 illnesses reported so far, more than 400 of them serious meningitis or encephalitis.
It's an unusually severe West Nile season -- and now there's new evidence that the virus itself may be unusually dangerous. The new threat: kidney disease years after infection.
Eight in 10 people infected with West Nile virus don't get sick. At least not right away. A new study finds that even in people who never had serious West Nile symptoms, the virus can burrow deep into the body. Years later, this persistent infection often leads to kidney disease that gets worse and worse over time.
As many as 9% of people who have mild or no initial symptoms may have persistent West Nile virus infection, says Baylor University West Nile expert Kristy O. Murray, PhD, DVM.
CDC: All Baby Boomers Should Get Tested for Hepatitis C
by Denise Mann
New Move Could Identify More Than 800,000 People With Hepatitis C
Aug. 16, 2012 -- Effective immediately, all U.S. baby boomers should get a one-time blood test for the hepatitis C virus, the CDC says.
One in 30 baby boomers born between 1945 through 1965 has been infected with hepatitis C, and most have no clue. Hepatitis C can go undetected without symptoms, but slowly causes serious liver diseases, including liver cancer. It is also the leading cause of liver transplants in the U.S.
"Three-quarters of all hepatitis C infections and three-quarters of hepatitis C deaths occur in baby boomers," CDC Director Thomas R. Frieden, MD, MPH, said today during a conference call with reporters. "Baby boomers are five times more likely to have Hepatitis C than other adult Americans."
Women's Health
Excess Weight, Diabetes Raise Risk of Big Babies
by Kathleen Doheny
Even Overweight Women Without Gestational Diabetes at Risk of Delivering Large Babies, Researchers Found
Aug. 14, 2012 -- Women who are overweight or obese at the start of pregnancy are much more likely than healthy-weight women to deliver large babies, according to new research.
That's true, the researchers found, even if the women did not develop gestational diabetes, a known risk factor for delivering large babies.
In the past, researchers have focused on gestational diabetes -- diabetes that develops during pregnancy -- as a risk factor for having a large baby, says researcher Mary Helen Black, PhD, a research scientist at Kaiser Permanente's Southern California Department of Research and Evaluation.
Men's Health
Progress Toward Male Birth Control Pill?
by Salynn Boyles
Pill Would Inhibit Sperm Production, but It May Not Be Available for Several More Years
Aug. 16, 2012 -- The promise of a safe and effective birth control pill for men has long eluded scientists, but a new approach could change that.
Researchers have identified a small molecule compound that inhibits sperm production, and they say it could lead to the first non-hormonal, easily reversible male contraceptive since the introduction of the condom centuries ago.
So far, it's only been tested in mice. In early studies, mice treated with the molecule had lower sperm counts than untreated mice, and their sperm were slower swimmers.
The treatment effectively rendered the mice infertile without affecting their desire to mate, says researcher James Bradner, MD, of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
Walnuts May Improve Sperm Quality in Healthy Men
by Rita Ruben
Researchers Now Want to See Whether Walnuts Can Help Men With Fertility Issues Become Fathers
Aug. 15, 2012 -- If you aspire to fatherhood, it might not hurt to go a little nuts. Walnuts, that is.
Eating 2.5 ounces of walnuts a day -- a little more than half a cup -- for 12 weeks improved sperm quality in healthy young men, researchers report. Their study is part of a growing body of evidence that men's dietary and lifestyle choices might affect their fertility.
Can Prostate Cancer Screening Improve Men's Lives?
by Daniel J. DeNoon
PSA Test: Overall Gain in Quality-of-Life Years May Not Apply to Individual Men
Aug. 15, 2012 -- A European study suggests that men who undergo PSA prostate cancer screening will gain years of high-quality life.
But it's not quite that simple.
Those extra years of high-quality life showed up across big groups of screened men. Individual men may get different results -- especially if screening-associated risks such as impotence and incontinence bother them more than the possible benefit of a life free of prostate cancer.
Whether to get a PSA test is a tricky decision.
Pediatric Health
Snoring Tots May Be at Risk for Behavior Problems
by Denise Mann
Study Shows Link Between Snoring and Hyperactivity, Attention Problems, and Depression
Aug. 13, 2012 -- Preschool-aged kids who snore loudly on a regular basis may be at a greater risk for behavioral problems, a study shows.
The behavioral issues include hyperactivity, attention problems, and depression.
The study is published in Pediatrics.
In the study, 9% of 249 children snored loudly two or more times a week when they were ages 2 and 3. These kids were more likely to have behavior issues at age 3 than kids who didn't snore or who snored at age 2 or age 3, but not both.
Breastfeeding, however, may help protect kids from snoring and possibly its negative impact on behavior.
When Do U.S. Youths Start Oral Sex, Intercourse?
by Daniel J. DeNoon
New CDC Data on Timing of Oral Sex, Intercourse in Teens and Early 20s
Aug. 16, 2012 -- Which do teens do first: oral sex or sexual intercourse? Do teens use oral sex to delay first intercourse?
New CDC data put numbers on how many young Americans in their teens and early 20s have oral sex with opposite-sex partners -- and when they do it. The numbers come from 6,346 in-depth, computer-assisted interviews with 15- to 24-year-olds conducted from July 2007 to June 2010 as part of the National Survey of Family Growth.
The numbers show that young teens vary widely in their heterosexual behavior.
Aging
Cocoa May Sharpen Aging Brain
by Denise Mann
Cocoa-Rich Drink May Help Brain Health in Older People
Aug. 13, 2012 -- Drinking a cocoa-rich beverage every day may help brain health in older adults, a new study shows.
The study, published in Hypertension, included 90 elderly people who already had mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which can include difficulty with memory, language, thinking, or judgment.
Mental Health
PTSD Treatment and Couples Therapy Go Hand in Hand
by Matt McMillen
New Study Finds Combined Treatment Effective
Aug. 14, 2012 -- For people with posttraumatic stress disorder, going to couples counseling with their partner may ease their PTSD symptoms -- and help their relationship, a new study shows.
The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, used a specialized form of couples therapy called cognitive-based conjoint therapy (CBCT). It showed positive results compared to no therapy at all.
The key may be having your partner there. "PTSD patients don't do as well in individualized therapy," says researcher Candice Monson, PhD, of Ryerson University in Toronto. "Social support emerges as the most robust factor that encourages recovery."
Nutrition/Diet/Fitness
School Food Laws Help Kids Lose Weight
by Jennifer Warner
Children in States With Laws Limiting Unhealthy Foods in Schools Less Likely to Be Obese
Aug. 13, 2012 -- As children get ready to head back to school, a new study shows that state laws about foods sold at schools may affect kids' weight.
The study, published in Pediatrics, shows that children are less likely to become or remain overweight if they live in states that have laws limiting the availability of unhealthy foods at school.
The study focuses on foods and drinks sold to students at school snack bars and vending machines.
The researchers say the results should have major implications for federal and state lawmakers as they implement policies targeting childhood obesity.
Yo-Yo Dieters Don't Necessarily Lack Willpower
by Rita Ruben
Study Finds Yo-Yo Dieters Can Stick to a Weight-Loss Diet and Exercise Program, but Can They Keep the Pounds Off?
Aug. 17, 2012 -- Even if the pounds you shed have crept back once again, you shouldn't toss out your skinny jeans, new research suggests.
A study of postmenopausal women found that yo-yo dieters are just as likely to stick with a diet and/or exercise program as those whose weight hasn't bounced around over the years.
Researchers call it "weight cycling." You may know it as yo-yo dieting.
By either name, it's been linked to unfavorable effects on body composition, metabolic rate, immune function, and body esteem, according to the researchers.
More Self-Control as a Child, Lower BMI as Adult?
by Denise Mann
Are Kids Who Can Resist Temptation Less Likely to Be Overweight Adults?
Aug. 16, 2012 -- Children who show self-control in the face of temptation may be less likely to have weight problems as adults.
In a study published in the Journal of Pediatrics, 4-year-olds participated in a test measuring self-control between 1968 and 1974. Kids were asked to choose between an immediate small food reward (for example, one marshmallow) or to wait for an unspecified time for an even bigger treat -- two marshmallows.
According to the study, being able to wait it out was linked to lower body mass index as adults 30 years later. For each minute they delayed reaching for the tasty treat as children, there was a 0.2-point decrease in their body mass index as adults. At follow-up, 24% of 164 participants were overweight and 9% were obese.