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.
For Flavor and Versatility, Add Bulgur
It comes in four different grades - fine (#1), medium (#2), coarse (#3), and very coarse (#4)- and each type lends itself to a particular kind of dish. In the Middle East pilafs are made with medium, coarse, and very coarse bulgur. Tabbouleh and kibbe are made with fine bulgur. In my kitchen I use the medium grind for a delicious breakfast porridge that has the flavor of a hearty cream of wheat, and I add it to breads and other baked goods. Coarse bulgur goes into pilafs and soups, casseroles and stuffed vegetables.
I don't know if bulgur is going to be the next quinoa - probably not, as these days so many people shun wheat. But if I had to choose one over the other for flavor and versatility, I'd go with bulgur. One thing it has going for it is that it can be reconstituted without cooking, though you can also cook it in boiling water (the grains will be a little fluffier if you do). As for the nutritional profile, whereas quinoa has a little more protein (4 grams per 100 grams of grain compared with bulgur's 3), bulgur is less caloric (83 calories per 100 grams compared with quinoa's 120), higher in fiber (4 grams versus 3), slightly lower in carbohydrates (19 grams compared with 21) and sodium (5 mg compared with 7).
~Martha Rose Shulman~
Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread With Bulgur
A quick and easy bread with a rich and nutty taste.
Bulgur, Spinach and Tomato Casserole
A simple, satisfying casserole with spinach and Middle Eastern-inflected tomato sauce.
Winter Tomato Soup With Bulgur
A thick, satisfying winter soup.
Bulgur Maple Porridge
A delicious and healthy morning meal.
Bulgur Bowl With Spinach, Mushrooms and Middle Eastern Nut and Spice Seasoning
A simple skillet supper with a savory mixture of mushrooms and spinach.
General Medicine/Family Medical
Insomnia Linked to Future Heart Failure
by Shelley Wood, Medscape Medical New
March 6, 2013 -- Insomnia symptoms in middle age are strongly linked to the later development of heart failure, a large Norwegian study shows.
The analysis, which considered more than 54,000 men and women, linked insomnia symptoms and heart failure, even in people who had never had a heart problem. The study does not show cause and effect, though.
Cholesterol Levels May Vary By Season
bySteven Reinberg, HealthDay Reporter
Brazilian study doesn't necessarily mean that heart attack or stroke risk rises in winter
March 7 (HealthDay News) -- Cholesterol levels increase with winter's arrival and drop again as warmer weather returns, a new study by Brazilian researchers suggests.
"In the winter, people should be careful with their cholesterol levels," said lead researcher Dr. Filipe Moura, a doctoral student at the State University of Campinas.
Whether these changes in cholesterol are putting patients at risk for heart attacks or stroke isn't clear, Moura said. It's a complex picture and these changes might have a role, but there are many other factors, he added.
TV Ads for Statins May Drive Overtreatment
by Robert Preidt, HealthDay Reporter
But viewers who might benefit aren't the ones asking for prescriptions, study suggests
March 8 (HealthDay News) -- Television ads for cholesterol-lowering statin drugs may lead to overdiagnosis of high cholesterol and overtreatment with the drugs, according to a new study.
The research found that patients' visits with doctors to ask about statins advertised on TV often lead to prescriptions for the drugs.
Diabetes Cost the U.S. $245 Billion in 2012
by Miriam E. Tucker, Medscape Medical News
March 8, 2013 (Washington, D.C.) -- Diabetes cost the United States an estimated $245 billion in 2012, according to a new analysis from the American Diabetes Association (ADA).
The report is an update to the ADA's last cost report issued in 2007. It looks at the use of health resources and lost productivity due to diabetes, as well as costs incurred by people with diabetes in the U.S.
The findings, to be published in the April 2013 issue of Diabetes Care, were released at a press briefing on Capitol Hill.
Violent Behavior in Many Adult Sleepwalkers: Study
by Kathleen Doheny, HealthDay Reporter
Those with disorder risk injury, fatigue and other health problems, researchers report
FRIDAY, March 8 (HealthDay News) -- Adults don't always outgrow sleepwalking, and among those who don't, 58 percent may become violent and sometimes injure either themselves or their sleeping partner, a new study shows.
Not only that, these sleepwalkers suffer a host of health problems during their waking hours, the researchers noted.
Tooth Loss Linked to Higher Risk for Heart Disease
by Robert Preidt, HealthDay Reporter
Reason for link between teeth, gums and heart health is still unclear, researcher says
March 7 (HealthDay News) -- For adults, losing teeth is bad enough, but tooth loss is also associated with several risk factors for heart disease, a large international study suggests.
These heart disease-related risk factors include diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure and smoking.
Vision Loss and Depression May Be Linked
by Robert Preidt, HealthDay Reporter
Better recognition of mental health issues warranted, expert says
March 7 (HealthDay News) -- People with depression are more likely to have self-reported vision loss, according to a new study.
Researchers analyzed data from more than 10,000 adults aged 20 and older who took part in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2005 and 2008.
Brain May Treat Wheelchair as Part of the Body
by Randy Dotinga, HealthDay Reporter
March 6 (HealthDay News) -- The brains of disabled people adjust to a wheelchair and treat it as an extension of their body, essentially replacing limbs that don't function properly anymore, new research suggests.
The findings provide more insight into how the brain compensates when it uses tools like a wheelchair, or even something as simple as a hammer or toothbrush, said study lead author Mariella Pazzaglia, an assistant professor at the Sapienza University of Rome, in Italy.
Brain Scans May Spot Memory Issues in MS Patients
by Denise Mann, HealthDay Reporter
March 6 (HealthDay News) -- Besides problems with gait and vision, people who have multiple sclerosis often complain they have trouble remembering things, and now new research may explain why.
According to a small study from the Netherlands, people with MS who report memory and thinking problems have more extensive damage to the white matter in their brains than their counterparts with MS who don't report such problems.
Eye-Tracking Tool Might Quickly Spot Stroke
by Amanda Gardner, HealthDay Reporter
March 5 (HealthDay News) -- The key to correctly diagnosing when a case of dizziness is just vertigo or a life-threatening stroke may be surprisingly simple: a pair of goggles that measures eye movement at the bedside in as little as one minute, a new study contends.
"This is the first study demonstrating that we can accurately discriminate strokes and non-strokes using this device," said Dr. David Newman-Toker, lead author of a paper on the technique that is published in the April issue of the journal Stroke.
Colonoscopy May Cut Advanced Cancer Risk by 70%
by Barbara Bronson Gray, HealthDay Reporter
March 4 (HealthDay News) -- A new study finds that getting screening colonoscopies may reduce the risk of developing advanced colon cancer.
In average-risk people, screening colonoscopies were associated with a 70 percent reduction in risk for new, late-stage colon cancer, including hard-to-detect cancers on the right side of the colon. Advanced colon cancer is the least curable form.
Drugs May Help Relieve Restless Legs Syndrome
by Steven Reinberg, HealthDay Reporter
March 4 (HealthDay News) -- People suffering from restless legs syndrome may find some relief by taking one of several drugs approved to treat the condition, a new review confirms.
The medications, which include Requip (ropinirole), levodopa, Neurontin (gabapentin) and Lyrica (pregabalin), appear to reduce symptoms of the syndrome in more than 60 percent of patients, researchers report. The first two drugs raise dopamine levels in the body, and the last two drugs reduce the amount of calcium reaching brain cells and trigger the production of other chemicals that help reduce pain. Dopamine is a brain chemical that regulates movement and mood.
Combo Inhaler May Be Better for Some With Asthma
by Steven Reinberg, HealthDay Reporter
March 4 (HealthDay News) -- Asthma patients typically use two inhaled drugs -- one a fast-acting "rescue inhaler" to stem attacks and another long-lasting one to prevent them.
However, combining both in one inhaler may be best for some patients, two new studies suggest.
Patients with moderate to severe asthma who used a combination inhaler had fewer attacks than those on two separate inhalers, researchers report. Both studies tested the so-called SMART (single maintenance and reliever therapy) protocol.
Warnings/Alerts/Guidelines
Tuna Recalled Over Loose Seals
by Lisa Habib, WebMD Health News
March 7, 2013 -- Bumble Bee Foods and Chicken of the Sea are recalling some of their tuna because the cans might not be sealed tightly.
If you have 5-ounce cans of Bumble Bee or Brunswick Chunk White Albacore or Chunk Light Tuna, or the 5-ounce can of Chicken of the Sea Chunk White Albacore Tuna in Water, you should throw them away, the companies say.
The loose seals or seams could allow the tuna to be contaminated, although neither company has reports of any illnesses related to the products.
FDA Panel: Long-Used Osteoporosis Drug Too Risky
by Fran Lowry, Medscape Medical News
March 7, 2013 -- An FDA panel voted to stop recommending calcitonin salmon for the treatment of osteoporosis in women who are at least five years past menopause.
The committee voted 12-9 against continued marketing of the drug, citing lack of benefit and concerns about a cancer risk.
Calcitonin salmon has been used by women for years to treat osteoporosis.
'Nightmare' Bacteria Spreading in U.S. Hospitals,
by Steven Reinberg, HealthDay Reporter
March 5 (HealthDay News) -- A "nightmare" bacteria that is resistant to powerful antibiotics and kills half of those it infects has surfaced in nearly 200 U.S. hospitals and nursing homes, federal health officials reported Tuesday.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 4 percent of U.S. hospitals and 18 percent of nursing homes had treated at least one patient with the bacteria, called Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), within the first six months of 2012.
Seasonal Flu/Other Epidemics/Disasters
Shifting Temps May Prime You for Spring Allergies
by Brenda Goodman, MA, WebMD Health News
March 5, 2013 -- Spring allergy season is again off to an early start in many parts of the country, and doctors say there are some signs it may be even more miserable than usual this year.
Last year was the fourth warmest winter on record, with consistently mild temperatures. That led to record-breaking pollen counts that struck about a month earlier than normal in some places.
Women's Health
Women's Life Span Declining in Many Parts of U.S
by Linda Roach. Medscape Medical News
March 7, 2013 -- A 15-year analysis of death trends in the U.S. surprised health researchers by revealing a widespread increase in premature deaths among women, especially in the Western and Southern regions of the nation.
"We ... were actually shocked to see that female [death] rates were worsening in more than 42 percent of counties," says researcher David Kindig, MD, PhD, professor emeritus of population health sciences at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, in a prepared statement.
Petroleum Jelly Tied to Vaginal Infection Risk
by Amy Norton,, HealthDay Reporter
Use of such products doubled odds of bacterial vaginosis, researchers find
March 8 (HealthDay News) -- Women who use petroleum jelly vaginally may put themselves at risk of a common infection called bacterial vaginosis, a small study suggests.
Prior studies have linked douching to ill effects, including bacterial vaginosis, and an increased risk of sexually transmitted diseases and pelvic inflammatory disease. But little research has been conducted on the possible effects of other products some women use vaginally, said Joelle Brown, a researcher at the University of California, San Francisco, who led the new study.
Motherhood May Spur Obsessive-Compulsive Behavior
by Robert Preidt, HealthDay Reporter
March 5 (HealthDay News) -- New mothers have a much higher rate of obsessive-compulsive symptoms than other people and these symptoms center on their baby's well-being, a new study indicates.
For example, a new mother may constantly worry and check to see if her baby is still breathing; she may obsess about germs and whether she's properly sterilized the baby's bottles and then wash or rewash them; or she may be unduly concerned about injuring her baby, according to the study authors.
Pediatric Health
Childhood ADHD Often Persists Into Adulthood
by Megan Brooks, Medscape Medical News
March 4, 2013 -- Nearly 30% of children with ADHD continue to struggle with the condition as adults, and some may develop other mental health issues, commit suicide, or end up in jail, a new study shows.
"We suffer from the misconception that ADHD is just an annoying childhood disorder that's overtreated," researcher William Barbaresi, MD, of Boston Children's Hospital, says in a prepared statement. "This couldn't be further from the truth. We need to have a chronic-disease approach to ADHD as we do for diabetes. The system of care has to be designed for the long haul."
The study is published in Pediatrics.
Aging
Checklist Predicts if You'll Be Alive in 10 Years
by Amy Norton, HealthDay Reporter
March 5 (HealthDay News) -- A simple checklist could help doctors estimate whether an older patient will be alive 10 years from now, according to a new study.
Researchers hope the findings, reported in the March 6 Journal of the American Medical Association, will help older adults and their doctors come to better decisions on health care.
Mental Health
Hospital Pet Programs Unleash Healing Powers
by Medscape Medical News
March 8, 2013 -- A small but growing number of U.S. hospitals are expanding their visitation policies to allow supervised visits from furry family members.
Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, one of the latest hospitals to adopt a visiting policy for pets, had its first patient-owned pet visit in February. Sadie the dachshund climbed onto the lap of her owner, Bernadette Slesinski-Evans, who from her hospital bed happily let her dog lick her face.
Nutrition/Diet/Fitness
Salty Diet May Help Trigger Multiple Sclerosis, RA
by Barbara Bronson Gray, HealthDay Reporter
March 6 (HealthDay News) -- Eating lots of foods loaded with salt may do more than raise your blood pressure: Researchers report that it could also contribute to the development of autoimmune diseases, where the body's immune system mistakenly mounts an attack upon some part of the body.
Three new studies suggest salt may be a prime suspect in a wide range of autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS), psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis (arthritis of the spine).
Processed Meat May Play a Part in Early Death: Study
by Steven Reinberg, HealthDay Reporter
It found those who ate the most increased their risk of dying prematurely by 44 percent
March 6 (HealthDay News) -- Grilled hot dogs and sausages may be tasty treats at ball games and picnics, but a new study of nearly 450,000 people finds that eating too much processed meat might shave years off your life.
Those who ate the most processed meat increased their risk of dying early by 44 percent. In broader terms, if people ate less processed meat, the number of premature deaths overall would drop by almost 3 percent, Swiss researchers reported.