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.
A Cherry Jubilee
Fresh cherries, particularly the ubiquitous Bing variety as well as Hartlands and Early Black, which are sold at many farmers' markets, are very high in anthocyanins, those inflammation-reducing nutrients that are present in many red, purple and blue fruits and vegetables. It's always a good idea to let cherries dominate our fruit purchases at this time of year, because this is the only time of year when we can get locally grown cherries. And this phytonutrient-rich fruit begins to lose its antioxidant potential soon after it is picked, reports Jo Robinson in the recently published "Eating on the Wild Side."
~Martha Rose Shulman~
Arugula, Cherry and Goat Cheese Salad
This was inspired by a dish billed as "Cherries and Goat Cheese" on the menu at Westside Tavern in Los Angeles.
Farro Pilaf With Balsamic Cherries
The tart cherries in this grain dish would also be a nice accompaniment to meats.
Purslane Salad With Cherries and Feta
Cherries add a nice contrast to this salad's Greek flavors.
Cherry and Apricot Clafoutis
Two peak-season fruits collaborate in this classic dessert.
Yogurt Parfaits With Cherries and Pistachios
Yogurt parfaits are easy to make, and they make great desserts and snacks.
General Medicine/Family Medical
New Insulin Pump Cuts Odds of Overnight Hypoglycemia
by Steven Reinberg, HealthDay Reporter
Sensor device may ease patient fear of dangerously low blood sugar levels during sleep, experts say
June 22 (HealthDay News) -- A new sensor attached to an insulin pump helps prevent dangerously low blood sugar levels in patients with type 1 diabetes while they sleep, a new study finds.
The new pump automatically stops delivering insulin when the sensor finds blood sugar levels have reached a pre-set low level, and it reduced overnight episodes of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) by a third, the researchers report.
Aspirin's Anti-Colon Cancer Effect May Depend on Genes
by Robert Preidt, HealthDay Reporter
Tumors with a key mutation seemed unaffected by daily use of the drug, study found
June 25 (HealthDay News) -- Numerous studies have found that daily low-dose aspirin might help shield against colon cancer. But new research suggests that gene mutations found in different colon tumors may influence that relationship.
This study of data from more than 127,000 people in the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study in the United States found that the benefits of aspirin used were affected by mutation of a gene called BRAF.
Brain Injury May Raise Stroke Risk
by Barbara Bronson Gray, HealthDay Reporter
Study of more than 1 million people found link but not cause and effect
June 26 (HealthDay News) -- People who have a traumatic brain injury may be more likely to suffer a stroke, a large new study suggests.
And while the chances of having a stroke are still small, incurring a traumatic brain injury (TBI) may be as big a risk factor as is high blood pressure, said study author Dr. James Burke.
Drug Combo May Reduce Risk of Second Stroke: Study
by Steven Reinberg, HealthDay Reporter
After small or mini-stroke, aspirin plus Plavix tied to lower odds of another event
June 26 (HealthDay News) -- After suffering a stroke or a mini-stroke, patients are usually given aspirin to prevent clots that can cause another stroke. Now a new study suggests that adding the drug Plavix (clopidogrel) to the mix can reduce the risk of a second stroke by nearly a third over aspirin alone.
Both drugs target clotting agents in the blood, called platelets, preventing them from grouping together and forming clots. The drug combination is commonly used after a heart attack, but until now there hasn't been enough data to suggest it would work in stroke or mini-stroke, officially known as a transient ischemic attack (TIA).
Vaccine May Stop Immune Attack in Type 1 Diabetes
by Serena Gordon, HealthDay Reporter
Early trial found it boosts insulin production, appears safe
June 26 (HealthDay News) -- A new type of vaccine may stop the autoimmune attack that occurs in people with type 1 diabetes, researchers report.
Although an initial trial of the vaccine wasn't able to free anyone from their daily insulin injections, it did boost insulin production, which could help prevent some of type 1 diabetes' most devastating complications.
Stressed? Maybe You Should Have Your Heart Checked
by Steven Reinberg, HealthDay Reporter
Those who thought pressure was affecting their health twice as likely to suffer heart attack, study says
June 27 (HealthDay News) -- People who think stress is affecting their health may be setting themselves up for a heart attack, a new study contends.
The researchers found that these people had double the risk of a heart attack compared with people who didn't think stress was harming their health.
"People's perceptions about the impact of stress on their health are likely to be correct," said study author Hermann Nabi, a senior research associate at the Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Population Health at INSERM in Villejuif, France.
Migraine Sufferers Face Significant Stigma: Study
by Kathleen Doheny, HealthDay Reporter
Equal to that for epilepsy, panic disorder, researchers say, with impact of the disability discounted
June 27 (HealthDay News) -- Those who get migraines have to deal not only with the pain, which can be disabling, but the stigma caused by others who tend to discount the impact of the debilitating headaches, a new study shows.
"We were able to validate that people who have migraine are not mistaken that they feel they are stigmatized," said lead researcher Dr. Robert Shapiro, a professor of neurological sciences at the University of Vermont College of Medicine. "We have found those perceptions are well-grounded, and that the stigma that people with migraine experience is of a similar magnitude to the stigma people with epilepsy and panic attack experience," he noted.
Acute Migraines: A Possible Risk of Poor Treatment
by Robert Preidt, HealthDay Reporter
Study compared patients to see who made the jump to frequent headaches within year
June 28 (HealthDay News) -- People who receive inadequate treatment for acute migraine headaches are more likely to develop chronic migraines, according to a new study.
Researchers looked at data from more than 4,600 people with episodic migraines (14 or fewer migraine days per month) and found that 48 percent of them received poor or very poor treatment.
Migraine Doctors in Short Supply Across U.S.
by Robert Preidt, HealthDay Reporter
Only 416 specialists available nationwide, study found
June 28 (HealthDay News) -- There are too few migraine headache specialists in the United States, a new study finds.
Migraines affect about 36 million Americans over age 12 (more than 11 percent of the population). That's more than the number affected by asthma and diabetes combined. However, only 416 specialists nationwide are certified by the United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties to diagnose and treat migraine, according to researchers.
Injuries From Ocean Waves More Common Than Thought
by Robert Preidt, HealthDay Reporter
Shallow surf can pose real risks, Delaware study finds
une 23 (HealthDay News) -- A study out of Delaware suggests that injuries to beachgoers caused by ocean waves are more common and severe than previously suspected, and people need to be aware of the ocean's power -- even in shallow water.
To keep safe, it's important to swim at beaches with lifeguards, ask them about surf conditions and never turn your back to the waves, one study author suggested.
Over the past three summers, more than 1,100 ocean-wave-related injuries that required emergency room treatment were reported among Delaware beachgoers. The injuries ranged from sprains and strains to broken bones, blunt organ trauma and neck fractures. There were three deaths.
Warnings/Alerts/Guidelines
Baby Aspirin Recalled After Acetaminophen Discovery
by WebMD News from HealthDay
More than 16,000 bottles of baby aspirin are being recalled by Advance Pharmaceutical Inc. after one of the bottles was found to be filled with acetaminophen pills.
The recall covers 120-pill bottles labeled to contain 81-milligram aspirin pills. The bottle discovered by a CVS pharmacist contained 500-mg acetaminophen pills, ABC News reported.
How Safe Is Your Local Beach?
by Barbara Bronson Gray, HealthDay Reporter
Report card rates cleanest and most contaminated beaches across U.S.
June 26 (HealthDay News) -- If you're not careful, you may bring something other than sand and wet swimsuits home from a day at the beach this summer.
Released Wednesday, the report card on more than 3,000 of the nation's beaches shows that the water can put swimmers at risk for catching a range of bacterial and viral illnesses.
"There's a silent and invisible danger," said Steve Fleischli, director of the water program at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), which produces the yearly report.
Cell Phone 'Distracted Walking' Can Be Dangerous
by Randy Dotinga, HealthDay Reporter
Talking, texting users aren't looking out for dangers, study finds
June 25 (HealthDay News) -- Pedestrians are becoming more likely to be injured while using their cellphones and an estimated 1,500 were treated in U.S. emergency rooms in 2010 as a result, a new study finds.
It's impossible to know how many of the injuries could have been avoided if pedestrians weren't using their cellphones. The study also doesn't determine whether the injuries are on the rise simply because more people are using cellphones.
Whatever the case, study author Jack Nasar said the findings show that cellphone use isn't just a danger to drivers. It's also a hazard to those who are only strolling.
Women's Health
Women on HRT Helped by Extra Calcium, Vitamin D?
by Serena Gordon, HealthDay Reporter
Study found hip fracture rate was 57 percent lower in those also taking supplements
June 26 (HealthDay News) -- Although there has been significant debate about whether calcium and vitamin D supplements are beneficial for older women, new research suggests that the answer may be yes for those who are taking hormone replacement therapy.
Women using HRT who also took daily supplements of calcium and vitamin D saw a 40 percent reduction in their rate of hip fractures compared to women who took placebo supplements, according to the study.
C-Sections in U.S. Stable After 12-Year Rise: CDC
by Steven Reinberg, HealthDay Reporter
Guidelines discouraging early elective deliveries may have helped
June 27 (HealthDay News) -- Cesarean deliveries in the United States have leveled off for the first time in 12 years, although they still account for almost one-third of live births, U.S. health officials report.
"It's about time," said Dr. Mitchell Maiman, chairman of obstetrics and gynecology at Staten Island University Hospital in New York City, who was not involved in the report.
U.S. Women Delay Motherhood
by Steven Reinberg, HealthDay Reporter
Preterm births, low birth weight babies declined in 2011, report says
June 28 (HealthDay News) -- As American women continue to delay parenthood, rates of teenage births and births for women in their early 20s are at all-time lows, federal health officials reported Friday.
U.S. women have their first baby at age 25.6 on average, according to 2011 figures released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This is up slightly from 2010 and significantly older than the 1970 average of 21.4 years.
Births to girls 15 to 19 declined 8 percent between 2010 and 2011, and births to women 20 to 24 years old dropped 3 percent to a record low, the CDC report stated.
'Three-Parent' IVF Technique Set for Approval
by Peter Russell, WebMD Health News
June 28, 2013 -- The U.K. could become the first country to approve a cutting-edge in vitro fertilization (IVF) technique to prevent babies from being born with certain rare, crippling genetic disorders.
The technique produces embryos containing DNA from three people to help prevent serious mitochondrial diseases that are passed on from mother to child.
The government will publish proposed regulations later this year.
Migraine With Aura May Be Linked to All Stroke Types
by Robert Preidt, HealthDay Reporter
Study of women identifies important risk factor
June 26 (HealthDay News) -- Women who have migraine headaches with aura are at increased risk for stroke, a new study indicates.
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 hand or face.
A study of almost 28,000 women in the United States found those who had migraine with aura were at greater risk for all types of strokes, according to the researchers, who are scheduled to present the findings Wednesday at a meeting of the International Headache Congress in Boston.
Men's Health
Young Men Less Likely to Survive Melanoma Than Women: Study
by Robert Preidt, HealthDay Reporter
White males made up about 40 percent of deadly skin cancer patients, but more than 63 percent of deaths
June 26 (HealthDay News) -- White male teens and young adults are more likely to die of melanoma skin cancer than their female counterparts, a new study finds.
Researchers looked at data from more than 26,000 white patients, aged 15 to 39, in the United States who were diagnosed with melanoma between 1989 and 2009 and followed for an average of seven and a half years.
Pediatric Health
Minority Kids Less Likely to Get ADHD Diagnosis?
by Brenda Goodman, HealthDay Reporter
Finding points to possible disparities in care
June 24 (HealthDay News) -- Minority children are significantly less likely than their white peers to be diagnosed or treated for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), new research shows.
The study, which is published online June 24 and in the July print issue of the journal Pediatrics, followed more than 17,000 children across the nation from kindergarten to eighth grade. Researchers regularly asked parents if their children had been diagnosed with ADHD.
Kids' Sinusitis Might Not Need Antibiotics
by Dennis Thompson, HealthDay Reporter
Doctors can 'watch and wait' for an additional 3 days
June 24 (HealthDay News) -- Doctors don't have to automatically prescribe an antibiotic to treat children who appear to have acute sinus infections, according to new guidelines issued by a leading group of pediatricians.
Instead, they can take a "watch and wait" approach if it appears the infection might clear on its own, according to the new American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines.
Aging
est All Baby Boomers for Hepatitis C: Experts
by Steven Reinberg, HealthDay Reporter
This generation has highest rate of infection, likely contracted decades ago
June 24 (HealthDay News) -- All adults born between 1945 and 1965 -- the baby boom generation -- should be screened for the hepatitis C virus along with injection-drug users and anyone transfused before 1992, according to new recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.
The guidelines, released Monday, mirror recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and provide a long-awaited policy from the task force, an independent panel of experts.
Mental Health
PTSD May Raise Heart Risks for Vietnam Vets
by Robert Preidt, HealthDay Reporter
Study found those who suffered disorder were more likely to run into heart trouble, even after accounting for lifestyle factors
June 28 (HealthDay News) -- Vietnam veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are much more likely to develop heart disease, a new study finds.
Researchers looked at 562 middle-aged male twins (340 identical and 222 fraternal) who were veterans of the Vietnam War, and found that nearly 23 percent of the vets with PTSD had heart disease, compared with about 9 percent of the vets without PTSD.
Nutrition/Diet/Fitness
Exercise Alone May Help Those With Type 2 Diabetes
by Robert Preidt, HealthDay Reporter
Small study found it helped even if no other lifestyle changes were made
June 25 (HealthDay News) -- Exercise benefits people with type 2 diabetes even if they don't make any other lifestyle or diet changes, a new study says.
Dutch researchers conducted MRI exams of 12 patients with diabetes before and after they did six months of moderate-intensity exercise. Each week, the participants, who were an average age of 46, exercised between three and a half and six hours a week during two endurance and two resistance training sessions.
The six-month exercise program ended with a 12-day trekking expedition, according to the study published online in the journal Radiology.
Brain Scans Suggest 'Food Addiction' Might Be Real
by Robert Preidt, HealthDay Reporter
Certain carbohydrates seemed to activate neurological centers focused on reward, study found
June 26 (HealthDay News) -- New brain scan research supports the notion that some people have a food "addiction," with foods like white bread or potatoes helping to spur their craving to eat.
Researchers used functional ("real time") MRI to observe the brain activity of 12 overweight or obese men during the crucial four hours after they ate a meal, a period that experts say influences eating behavior during the next meal.
Night Owls May Pack on More Pounds
by Dennis Thompson, HealthDay Reporter
Study found they ate worst foods late at night, long after sound sleepers had hit the sack
June 28 (HealthDay News) -- Night owls are more likely to gain weight than people who get good sleep because they tend to graze the kitchen for junk food in the wee hours of the morning, a new study suggests.
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania found that people who were kept up until 4 a.m. in a sleep lab ate more than 550 additional calories during the late-night hours.
Focus on Health, Not Fat, in Food Talks With Kids
by Denise Mann, HealthDay Reporter
Teens whose parents harped about weight gain tended to have more unhealthy eating behaviors, study shows
June 24 (HealthDay News) -- There's a right way and a wrong way to persuade your adolescent to eat healthy and help avoid obesity, a new study suggests.
Pointedly connecting food with fatness or talking about needed weight loss is the wrong way and could even encourage unhealthy eating habits, researchers report.
Instead, discussions that focus on simply eating healthfully are less likely to send kids down this road, a new study shows.