Need to Boost Your Memory? Then Get Your Zzzz’s

THURSDAY, Dec. 31, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A good night’s sleep can help you remember new faces and names, researchers report.

The researchers showed 20 photos of faces with matching names to 14 volunteers in their 20s. Twelve hours later, participants were shown the photos again and asked if the faces and names matched.

The test was done twice — once after the participants had slept for up to eight hours and once with a period of regular day activities in between. After sleeping, the participants correctly matched 12 percent more of the faces and names.

How long or how deeply volunteers slept did not influence their ability to match faces and names. But, more research is needed to find out if these factors are important, according to the authors of the study published recently in the journal Neurobiology of Learning and Memory.

“We know that many different kinds of memories are improved with sleep. While a couple of studies have looked at how naps might affect our ability to learn new faces and names, no previous studies have looked at the impact of a full night of sleep in between learning and being tested,” corresponding author Jeanne Duffy said in a news release from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. Duffy is an associate neuroscientist in the hospital’s division of sleep and circadian disorders.

“We found that when participants were given the opportunity to have a full night’s sleep, their ability to correctly identify the name associated with a face — and their confidence in their answers — significantly improved,” she said.

The findings suggest that getting a good night’s sleep after learning new things may help people retain more of that new information, according to the researchers. This study looked at young adults, but the authors want to conduct similar studies in people of all ages, including older adults.

“Sleep is important for learning new information. As people get older, they are more likely to develop sleep disruptions and sleep disorders, which may in turn cause memory issues,” Duffy said. “By addressing issues with sleep, we may be able to affect people’s ability to learn things at all different ages.”

More information

The U.S. National Institutes of Health has more about sleep and memory.

---

from Health News / Tips & Trends / Celebrity Health http://ift.tt/1P3pLpA

Researchers ID Areas of Western U.S. With Risk of Plague

THURSDAY, Dec. 31, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Parts of central Colorado, north-central New Mexico and southwestern and northeastern California have the highest risk for human exposure to plague, new research suggests.

The scientists said their findings, which are based on cases of plague reported in both wild and domestic animals between 2000 and 2015, could help public health officials better monitor the infection, which can be deadly in humans.

In recent years, seven human plague cases have been reported, on average, each year, affecting people of all ages. Half of reported cases involved people between the ages of 12 and 45, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“The findings can be used by public health agencies to target specific areas for enhanced plague surveillance within areas and counties predicted to be at high risk, as well as by other research teams to direct the sampling of local wildlife populations for the identification of Yersinia pestis in wild animals that find themselves in close proximity to humans and human developed landscapes,” said researcher Michael Walsh. An assistant professor of epidemiology and biostatistics with the School of Public Health at SUNY Downstate in New York, his comments appeared in a university news release.

Plague was introduced into the United States in 1900, according to the CDC. Rat-infested steamships sailing from affected areas brought the disease, which is caused by Yersinia pestis bacteria found in rodents and their fleas.

The last urban plague epidemic in the United States occurred in Los Angeles in 1924 and 1925. After that outbreak, plague spread from urban rats to rural rodent species. This caused plague to become entrenched in many areas of the western United States. Most human cases have been reported in rural areas of northern New Mexico, northern Arizona and southern Colorado; and in California, southern Oregon and far western Nevada, the researchers said.

The transmission of plague from animals to people is less common than it was a century ago. But, those living in the western United States are still at risk for the disease, according to the study published recently in the journal PeerJ.

The researchers pinpointed the regions at high risk for human exposure to plague using a formula that took several factors into account. Factors included climate, altitude, land cover and the presence of a rodent known as the North American deermouse (Peromyscus maniculatus), which is known to carry the disease.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides more information on plague.

---

from Health News / Tips & Trends / Celebrity Health http://ift.tt/1PzUmhi

Families of Critically Ill Patients Need Extra Support, Too

THURSDAY, Dec. 31, 2015 (HealthDay News) — When a loved one is admitted to a hospital intensive care unit (ICU), family members need support, too.

“Families are totally unprepared for a sudden injury and overwhelmed when it is a very serious injury. Families need a road map to guide them through their worst moments, and that is my job,” said Kelly McElligott, a clinical social worker in the burn center at Loyola University Health System in Maywood, Ill.

Each year, roughly 2.1 million patients are transferred from an emergency room to an intensive care unit, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

McElligott described several ways people can deal with the sudden hospitalization of a critically ill loved one, including:

• Take care of yourself. “If you do not take care of yourself, you cannot take care of someone else,” she said. “Many family members, especially parents, feel they need to be at the hospital 24/7 with their loved one. Everyone needs to take time to eat, sleep, exercise and be with other people in the outside world.”
• Continue to live. “Life does not stop because someone is in the hospital. Other family members need attention and support also,” McElligott said in a Loyola news release. “Mom and Dad need to be role models more than ever at this time. The hospital team can help support and guide them. And they can feel strengthened and confident to continue to guide their families.”
• Let others help. “Friends, relatives, colleagues and others will offer assistance and it is critical to accept help. For example, coming home to a clean house and a meal in the refrigerator is very convenient and also comforting,” McElligott said. “Usually there are outgoing neighbors or colleagues who will serve as primary contacts to relieve the burden. People feel better when they have something to do; let them help and everyone will benefit.” Online programs, including those that coordinate meals, errands and communication with family members, can also help.
• Ask questions. “No individual could know what to expect when a severe injury occurs,” McElligott said. “That’s what medical professionals are for.” Write down questions or concerns as they occur to you, and take notes while meeting with doctors or other health professionals. “The more you know, the less you will fear.”
• Be open about your experience. “Reach out to people for support by sharing your experience or what you have witnessed. Often, this will help reduce anxiety and build confidence,” McElligott said. “Getting feedback from others also can be reassuring and supportive.”
• Find peer support. Others who have had similar experiences can help people understand that it’s still possible to laugh, socialize and enjoy life. “People are very resilient,” McElligott said. “The transformations that happen once the shock wears off are amazing.”

More information

The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses provides insight on what to expect when a loved one is critically ill.

---

from Health News / Tips & Trends / Celebrity Health http://ift.tt/1JMd3tF

4 Ways Your Workout Should Change After You Turn 40

Photo: Getty Images

There’s no getting around biology: with the passage of time, we all become a little stiffer, squishier, wobblier. But that said, the 40-something you can be as strong as ever. This is the message behind Fitness After 40 ($19; amazon.com), a practical guide by orthopedic surgeon and mobility specialist Vonda Wright, MD. The trick, she says, is exercising smarter. Below we’ve pulled four tips from the pages of her book that every active woman should take to heart.

RELATED: 20 Health Mistakes You Need to Stop Making Before You Turn 40

Work on your flexibility every day

 As we age, our tendons and muscles tend to get tighter, and our risk of injury—tendinitis, in particular—goes up, says Dr. Wright, who directs the Performance and Research Initiative for Masters Athletes at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. She compares stiff connective tissues to dried-out rubber bands. One hard tug and the brittle material tears apart. This is why you need to stretch daily, she says.

One of her favorite techniques: foam rolling. “Essentially the log of hard foam serves as a rolling pin to break up small adhesions and scar tissues, thereby increasing blood flow to problem areas,” she writes in her book. “Foam rolling first thing in the morning (after a hot shower) leaves you limber for the rest of the day.”

Dr. Wright is also a big believer in dynamic stretching and warm-ups, which involve slow, controlled movements (like shoulder rolls and sumo squats) rather than static stretches (the grab-your-ankle-and-hold-for-30-seconds kind).

“Flexibility is so easy to ignore,” she writes, but it’s essential if you want to stay active. Mornings too crazy for yet another task? Stretch on your lunch break, she suggests, or in the evening while you watch TV.

RELATED: 8 Best Foam Rollers to Ease Your Aches

Use your muscles—or you’ll lose ’em

It’s sad but true. Between your 25^th birthday and your 50^th, you could lose up to 10% of your muscle mass, Dr. Wright explains. Then over the next 30 years, you could lose another 45%. And it gets worse: Lost muscle is typically replaced by fat. “This fat makes us bigger all around because a pound of fat takes up 18% more room on our frame than a pound of fat,” she writes.

But it doesn’t have to be that way! You can prevent muscle loss by using your muscles. As the years go by, strength training becomes increasingly important, she says. Although by “strength training,” Dr. Wright doesn’t mean what you might think….

Step away from the weight machines

“Most of us grew up in an era when ‘strengthening our quadriceps’ meant sitting on a leg press machine and pushing a sled of weight up a slope,” Dr. Wright says in the book. But have you ever pushed a sled uphill with your legs in real life? Probably not.

She wants you to train your muscles the way you actually use them—and build what’s called functional strength. For example, in real life you use your quads in coordination with your hamstrings, butt and core to pick up kids, climb stairs, and load Ikea furniture in the car. So skip the leg press and do squats and lunges instead. (For more functional moves, check out this circuit from celebrity trainer Juliet Kaska.)

RELATED: 10-Minute Moves For Strength, Speed and Agility

Work balance exercises into your regular routine

Stand on one leg like a stork. Really, give it a try right now… Tougher than you expected? We often don’t realize our balance is going until we’re toppling over, says Dr. Wright. Part of the problem is that with age, the neuromuscular connections that help keep us upright slowly decline. But the good news? Those nerve pathways “can be entirely reclaimed by specific daily attention,” Dr. Wright assures. She suggests taking up tai chi, Pilates, or yoga, all of which can improve stability; or adding balance moves (like side leg raises and toe raises) to your usual workout. And every day, practice that stork impersonation while you brush your teeth.

from Health News / Tips & Trends / Celebrity Health http://ift.tt/1Uirgny

Can You Really Be Allergic to Wi-Fi?

I’ve read that people claim to be allergic to Wi-Fi. Is this a real thing?

The answer is still up for debate, but the World Health Organization did acknowledge this phenomenon—referred to as electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS)—many years ago. It’s described as the physical reactions (including heart palpitations, fatigue and nausea) some people claim to have when they’re exposed to electromagnetic radiation, emitted by devices such as cell phones and computers, as well as wireless Internet routers. However, many doctors and experts are still far from convinced that it’s a valid health concern.

RELATED: 6 Ways Your Mobile Devices Are Hurting Your Body

It’s true that people who are worried that they’re suffering from EHS experience real discomfort. But the symptoms that are typically associated with EHS are nonspecific, and there’s been scant evidence linking them directly to electromagnetic field exposure. Some research suggests that the physical complaints may be caused by fear and anxiety about having this condition—not the actual radiation.

RELATED: 14 Reasons You’re Always Tired

If you’re concerned that something within your home or work environment might be behind a reaction you’re having, you should always ask your doctor about it. But until we have more long-term scientific study to back up the diagnosis of EHS, I wouldn’t chuck your smartphone out the window just yet.

Health‘s medical editor, Roshini Rajapaksa, MD, is associate professor of medicine at the NYU School of Medicine and co-founder of Tula Skincare.

from Health News / Tips & Trends / Celebrity Health http://ift.tt/1NXrhK0

Asthma May Be Linked to Shingles Risk

THURSDAY, Dec. 31, 2015 (HealthDay News) — People who suffer from asthma may be more likely to develop the painful skin condition known as shingles, a new study suggests.

The finding builds on previous research that suggested a link between childhood asthma and shingles risk.

“Asthma represents one of the five most burdensome chronic diseases in the U.S., affecting up to 17 percent of the population,” said study author Dr. Young Juhn, a general academic pediatrician and asthma epidemiologist at the Mayo Clinic Children’s Research Center in Rochester, Minn.

“The effect of asthma on the risk of infection or immune dysfunction might very well go beyond the airways,” Juhn said in a Mayo news release.

The researchers analyzed the medical records of patients with suspected cases of shingles. They identified 371 people (average age 67) with the condition. Those patients were compared to 742 people who didn’t have shingles.

Of the 371 shingles cases, 23 percent of the patients had asthma. However, just 15 percent of the people who didn’t have shingles had asthma, the researchers found. People with asthma had a roughly 70 percent higher risk for shingles than people without asthma, the researchers reported in the Dec. 28 issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

However, the study did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship between asthma and shingles.

Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, was also associated with a higher risk of shingles. Shingles occurred at a rate of 12 percent in patients with eczema, compared to 8 percent of those in the control group, the researchers said.

It’s unclear why asthma and eczema might be linked to an increased risk for shingles. But, the researchers suggested that asthma might help trigger the reactivation of the virus that causes shingles.

“As asthma is an unrecognized risk factor for zoster [shingles] in adults, consideration should be given to immunizing adults aged 50 years and older with asthma or atopic dermatitis as a target group for zoster [shingles] vaccination,” Juhn said.

Since 2006, there has been a shingles vaccine available in the United States that lowers the risk of shingles by about 50 percent. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends all adults get the vaccine when they reach the age of 60.

Shingles affects nearly 1 million Americans every year, according to the study authors. The condition is particularly prevalent among older adults.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides more information on shingles.

---

from Health News / Tips & Trends / Celebrity Health http://ift.tt/1P2Dq08

Could Football Practices Without Helmets Help Prevent Concussions?

By Randy Dotinga
HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, Dec. 31, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A new strategy to prevent concussions on the football field that seems counterintuitive may actually work, a new study suggests.

Instead of shielding the head with increasing layers of padding, researchers think they can reduce head impacts by having players temporarily practice without helmets. That approach seems to encourage players to avoid using their heads as weapons, the researchers added.

“We’ve found a way to decrease the number of impacts in the sport of football,” said study author Erik Swartz, chair of kinesiology at the University of New Hampshire. “It’s natural. By doing these drills without helmets, we take advantage of their [players’] vulnerability when their heads aren’t protected. They’ll naturally keep their heads out of contact.”

The new study into this strategy is tiny and has its limitations, an expert pointed out. And, due to its design, the study can’t prove that more helmet-less practice time reduces head impacts over a season. More research is necessary to know whether helmet-less practices can really help protect football players in general, let alone whether it’s appropriate for various levels — from flag football for kids to the professionals in the National Football League.

The study appears in the January issue of the Journal of Athletic Training.

Concussions in sports have garnered increasing attention recently. The focus has come amid greater awareness about devastating and even deadly head injuries to football players at all levels.

The new Will Smith movie, Concussion, deals with the dangers of football-related head injuries in pro football.

As helmets have become more sophisticated, researchers like Swartz fear players feel free to take more risks because they believe they’re protected against injury.

“It provides a false sense of security,” he said. “You can sustain a lighter magnitude impact for multiple times, and it doesn’t hurt. So you’re less careful with your head when it’s protected.”

In the new study, researchers randomly split 50 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division 1 football players from the University of New Hampshire into two groups of 25. One group practiced as normal with helmets, while the other spent five minutes once or twice a week doing tackling drills without helmets or shoulder pads.

Researchers studied data from sensors the players wore on their skin. The study revealed that those who went through the helmet-less practices had 30 percent fewer head impacts over the season compared to those who practiced with helmets. Overall, those who took part in the helmet-less program had about 10 impacts, while the others had about 14, the study authors said.

Swartz believes that players who practice without helmets develop “motor memory” skills that carry into games. Essentially, the players and their bodies learn how to avoid head injuries. “They’re keeping their head out of contact,” he said.

The approach may work for young football players and perhaps even the pros, Swartz said. But, he doesn’t expect that helmets will disappear from football unless there’s a radical rethinking of the sport.

Anthony Kontos is research director of the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program and an associate professor of orthopedic surgery at the University of Pittsburgh. He called the study interesting, but cautioned that it has weaknesses.

Among other things, he said, it was small and didn’t report on concussions among the players. Nor, he said, did it make clear whether players benefited from the new practice routine itself or from not wearing helmets. It’s also possible, he said, that those who took part in the helmet-less practices focused more on head safety.

Whatever the case, he said, it’s still important to teach players about safe tackling. “They will have fewer impacts to the head by tucking the head away from the tackle,” he said.

Study author Swartz said researchers are seeking a grant to test the helmet-free strategy in high school football, because kids are especially vulnerable to brain injury.

More information

For more about concussions in football, visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

---

from Health News / Tips & Trends / Celebrity Health http://ift.tt/1P2DsoO

6 Running Tips to Keep You Safe This Winter

Photo: Getty Images

If you prefer exercising indoors, your workout routine may not be affected by colder months. But for runners who’d rather pound the pavement than log miles on a treadmill, there are some serious safety factors to consider when the temperature drops. We’re all for exercising in the great outdoors come rain, shine, or snow. But to make sure we’re staying as smart as we are fit, we spoke with running coach Jenny Hadfield to get her expert tips on running safely all winter long.

RELATED: 15 Running Tips You Need to Know

Dress for the occasion

When running in the cold, your first instinct is probably to bundle up in every piece of workout clothing you own. But before going overboard with layers, pause and consider your outfit choice. Aim to dress for temperatures 15-20 degrees warmer than the current weather to account for your body heat, advises Hadfield. “You should feel chilled when you walk out the door,” she says. “If you’re toasty, head back in and remove a layer.” She recommends putting together a winter running wardrobe that includes a shell jacket, long sleeve tech shirt, tech tights, gloves, wicking socks, and a hat or headband.

Keep all eyes on you

Between limited daylight hours and snowy conditions, it can be hard for cars to see you during winter runs. That’s when reflective gear becomes essential. Hadfield recommends investing in a few pieces of reflective and bright running apparel. If you don’t want to splurge on new clothes, at least consider adding a reflective vest or small strobelight to your attire.

RELATED: 10 Winter Health Myths, Busted

Stay sure-footed

“Regular running shoes can do the trick on dry winter days,” says Hadfield. “But when the snow and slush strikes, consider going with a GORE-TEX version to keep your feet dry.” She also recommends wearing a traction device like Yak Trax to keep you from taking a nasty tumble in the snow.

Switch-up your stride

Another way to stay upright and smiling during your winter run is to adjust your form. On snowy days, Hadfield advises shortening your stride and keeping your feet low to the ground. “You will run more efficiently and reduce the risk of slipping, falling or straining muscles,” she says. When it’s possible, run through fresh snow over packed, and always keep an eye out for sneaky ice-covered obstacles.

Run like the wind

Start your run by bravely facing the wind head-on. While this isn’t the most pleasant way to begin your trek, you’ll avoid getting chilled by a headwind on the way home, says Hadfield. Take this as an opportunity to mix up your usual running route, and have fun exploring new parts of the neighborhood.

RELATED: 20 Habits That Make You Miserable Every Winter

Don’t be too cool

“Although it’s possible to run in sub-zero temperatures, when the weather gets extreme, it’s best to take it indoors to get a safe and quality workout,” says Hadfield. So even if you’re not a fan of the treadmill, under certain conditions like extreme wind chill or during a blizzard or snowstorm, it’s logically a better choice.  A treadmill workout reduces the risk of slipping on ice or straining a muscle when tensing in cold weather.

Whether you decide to stay inside or brave the chilly outdoors, these tips will help keep you safe and (mostly) warm during your winter workout.

 

from Health News / Tips & Trends / Celebrity Health http://ift.tt/1OmY3Ia

5 Old-Time Diseases That Are Making a Comeback

Photo: Getty Images

Measles, tuberculosis… bubonic plague?! If headlines about old-time diseases on the comeback have you worried, you’re not alone. Here’s what you need to know to stay safe (and sane) amid recent outbreaks.

Plague

Think this notorious killer died with the Middle Ages? The disease actually persists in parts of Africa, Asia, and South America. And there have been 16 reported cases of plague, with four deaths, in the United States this past year. Most recently, a 16-year-old girl from Oregon was sickened and hospitalized after apparently being bitten by a flea on a hunting trip.

You can get plague from fleas that have carried the Yersinia pestis bacteria from an infected rodent, or by handling an infected animal, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Bubonic plague is the most common form in the U.S., while pneumonic plague (affecting the lungs) and septicemic plague (affecting the blood) are less prevalent but more serious. Symptoms of bubonic plague include fever, chills, headache, and swollen lymph glands.

RELATED: 15 Diseases Doctors Often Miss

The good news is that plague is extremely rare, has a very low risk of person-to-person transmission, and can be effectively treated with antibiotics, explains Michael Phillips, MD, Associate Director of the Division of Infectious Diseases in the Department of Medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center. (The bad news is that plague can be fatal if treatment isn’t started within 24 hours of the arrival of symptoms.) To stay safe, avoid contact with wild rodents (that means squirrels and chipmunks, in addition to rats), steer clear of dead critters, and call your doctor if you develop any symptoms after being exposed to fleas or rodents, particularly in western states, where U.S. cases tend to occur. “While we can expect to see occasional cases in parts of America, it’s highly unlikely that there would be a wide-scale outbreak,” says Dr. Phillips. “As long as you’re not mucking around where you might come up against mice and fleas, you don’t have to worry.”

Mumps

Once a common illness among children and young adults, cases of mumps in the US have dropped by 99% since a vaccine was introduced in 1967. But occurrences crop up, particularly among close-knit communities. The CDC reports that there have been 688 reported cases of mumps in the US in 2015, including small outbreaks at universities in Pennsylvania, Iowa, and Wisconsin. In 2014, there was a mini-outbreak among professional hockey players.

The virus that causes mumps is spread in close quarters (think college dorms or locker rooms) via coughing, sneezing, talking, or sharing cups or eating utensils. Symptoms of mumps include fatigue, fever, head and muscle aches, and loss of appetite, followed by puffy cheeks caused by swelling of the salivary glands. There is no treatment, but most people recover fully in a few weeks. Complications are rare, but can include hearing loss, meningitis, and inflammation of the testicles or ovaries.

RELATED: 12 Facts You Should Know About Ovarian Cysts

The only way to prevent the mumps (aside from avoiding people with it) is to get the MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine. Though usually administered to kids, you can get the vaccine at any time. It’s not foolproof (two doses are 88% effective at preventing the disease, per the CDC), and its protection can wear off over time, but it’s vastly better to get the shot than not. Booster doses are often recommended during outbreaks.

Measles

Like mumps, measles was once widespread: in its heyday, nearly every American child got the disease before they turned 15, and an estimated 400 to 500 Americans died from it each year, according to the CDC. Widespread adoption of the vaccine in the 1960s, however, led to the elimination of the disease from the U.S. in 2000.

Not so fast: measles has made a troubling comeback of late, with a spike of 667 cases reported in 2014, and another 189 in 2015. Many of this year’s cases stemmed from an outbreak at two Disney theme parks in California.

The virus that causes measles is spread via coughing and sneezing, and is so contagious that 90% of non-immune people near someone infected will get it, according to the CDC. “It travels like a gas through the air,” says Dr. Phillips, making it “the ultimate transmissible infection.” Symptoms of measles include fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and a rash that typically begins at the hairline and spreads downward across the body. Complications can include diarrhea and ear infections, and in rare cases, life-threatening pneumonia and encephalitis.

There is no treatment, which makes vaccination imperative. Experts have attributed the recent surge to lax vaccination habits; in some cases, unvaccinated people may have picked up the bug overseas and spread it to communities of unvaccinated people. Two doses of the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing the disease; it’s particularly important to get vaccinated if you’re traveling internationally. “Prevention is the hallmark,” says Dr. Phillips. “If we develop pockets of under-vaccinated people and start having enough transmission, even those individuals who are vaccinated will be at risk.”

RELATED: Adult Vaccines: What You Need and When

Tuberculosis

Leading up to the 1882 discovery of the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis, this scourge killed one out of every seven people living in the United States and Europe. Antibiotics have dramatically reduced its deadliness, particularly in the US, and as recently as the 1990s it was believed that tuberculosis could be eliminated from the world by 2025, according to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. But it persists, killing between 2 and 3 million people globally each year. Though most Americans don’t consider TB a threat, it’s showing signs of a resurgence: there were 9,421 reported US cases of TB in 2014, according to the CDC, and 555 deaths in 2013 (the last year for which data are available). Recent cases include three teachers at a New York City elementary school, a San Antonio high school student, and another high school student outside of San Diego.

TB is caused when Mycobacterium tuberculosis attacks the lungs. It’s spread through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks (though not by shaking hands, kissing, or sharing food, drink, or toothbrushes). People with compromised immune systems are especially vulnerable. Symptoms of TB include a cough that lasts three weeks or longer, often producing blood, as well as fatigue, fever and weight loss.

“Many cases we’re seeing involve folks who were infected years before, were asymptomatic, and then the disease reactivates later in life,” explains Dr. Phillips.

The good news is that TB is curable with treatment, though several different antibiotics must be taken over 6 to 12 months. To stay safe, avoid contact with TB patients, particularly in crowded, enclosed environments. If you think you may have been exposed to someone with TB, see your doctor immediately for testing and possible treatment.

TB is scary enough on its own, but health professionals are particularly worried about the rise of antibiotic-resistant TB throughout the world. “We’re seeing more and more cases that are multi-drug-resistant, which means it requires a second or a third line therapy to treat,” says Dr. Phillips. “We have to think globally about this one: helping to prevent cases overseas and working on new drug development can only help keep us safe domestically.”

Scarlet fever

Largely forgotten over the past century thanks to the rise of antibiotics, this bacterial infection is perhaps best known for the role it plays in the classic children’s book The Velveteen Rabbit. (When the young protagonist comes down with scarlet fever, all his toys, including his beloved rabbit, must be destroyed, on doctor’s orders.)

Researchers have recently been tracing scarlet fever’s comeback in Asia (with more than 5,000 cases over the past five years in Hong Kong and 100,000 in China) and the United Kingdom (roughly 12,000 cases over the past year).

RELATED: The 20 Biggest Lessons We Learned About Our Health in 2015

Caused by the same type of bacteria behind strep throat (Streptococcus), scarlet fever commonly afflicts children ages 5 to 12, and shares many symptoms with strep (fever, sore throat, headache, nausea), along with a red, sandpapery rash that appears on the chest and neck and may spread across the body. Like strep, scarlet fever can be diagnosed via a throat swab or throat culture, and can be effectively treated with antibiotics. Researchers are concerned, however, that newer outbreaks may be related to antibiotic resistance, which can make scarlet fever harder to knock out with drugs.

To stay safe, avoid contact with infected people (the disease spreads via sneezes or coughs), wash your hands regularly (as you would to ward off any communicable disease), and seek treatment as soon as symptoms develop. “It’s easily transmitted in group settings,” says Dr. Phillips, “so there is the risk that when a toxigenic strain moves into a community, it would spread rapidly.”

from Health News / Tips & Trends / Celebrity Health http://ift.tt/1MIDQa3

Drowsy Drivers Pose Risks to Others, Themselves

THURSDAY, Dec. 31, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Hitting the road for a New Year’s gathering? Crossing the highway rumble strip is a sign that you’re too sleepy to drive, researchers report.

Sleepiness affects your ability to make decisions, and ignoring a rumble strip could make you prone to a deadly crash, they added.

“Pulling over and taking a 15-20 minute nap or drinking a double shot of coffee have been found to be the most effective ways of increasing driver alertness and reducing sleepiness,” study author Chris Watling, of Queensland University of Technology’s Centre for Accident Research & Road Safety-Queensland in Australia, said in a university news release.

Researchers from Queensland, the Stress Research Institute of Stockholm University and the Swedish Road and Transport Research Institute observed 36 people during a 90-minute simulated driving session.

“What we found was the first rumble strip hit reduced sleepiness, but repeated hits did not increase alertness, demonstrating sleepiness levels were linked to a greater probability of hitting a rumble strip,” Watling said in a Queensland University news release.

Previous studies found rumble strips help prevent car accidents but are not a foolproof solution for sleepy driving, the study published recently in the Journal of Sleep Research said.

The findings suggest that sleepiness increases over the duration of a drive, Watling said. “It is very possible that a driver will run off the road despite the presence of rumble strips if they ignore an early rumble strip hit and decide to continue driving when highly sleepy.”

The study authors recommend that drivers build in time for breaks to manage fatigue on long road trips. Drivers should also take a break if they notice signs of sleepiness such as yawning, blinking more often and shifting positions in the seat.

The researchers noted that trouble concentrating and difficulty keeping the eyes open are signs of more extreme sleepiness.

“Ideally, drivers should stop driving and use a sleepiness countermeasure after noticing some of the early signs of sleepiness,” Watling said.

The researchers said there are a number of actions drivers can take to avoid drowsy driving:

• Get enough sleep the night before a long drive.
• Take driving breaks.
• Pull over and take a 15- to 20-minute nap during a long trip.
• Drink a caffeinated beverage.

Many drivers believe that opening the car windows, turning up the radio or blasting the air conditioner will help them stay awake, but the researchers said these strategies do not help people stay alert.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides more information on drowsy driving.

---

from Health News / Tips & Trends / Celebrity Health http://ift.tt/1TrWIQm

Too Often, CPAP Is Only Sleep Apnea Treatment Offered

By Tara Haelle
HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, Dec. 31, 2015 (HealthDay News) — More than half of those diagnosed with sleep apnea fail to stick with the standard treatment for the condition, the CPAP mask, a new study says.

And most aren’t given additional options or referred to a specialist, even when they can’t tolerate the first treatment.

Obstructive sleep apnea is a common breathing disorder in which a person frequently stops or slows their breathing during sleep. The standard treatment is continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP. A CPAP mask pushes air into the person’s airways while they sleep.

“The most striking thing about our study is that this is the first study to look at how many patients are using CPAP after a diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea,” said corresponding author Dr. Alan Kominsky, an assistant professor of surgery at Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.

“The surprising finding was just how few patients were referred to other providers once CPAP failed,” he said.

The findings were published recently in the journal Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery.

Obstructive sleep apnea probably affects between 5 percent and 7 percent of the U.S. population, the researchers said. The condition is usually diagnosed during a sleep study that measures how many times someone stops breathing (apnea) or has shallow breathing with a drop in blood oxygen (hypopnea) for at least 10 seconds during each hour of sleep.

The study authors reviewed the medical records of just over 600 people. All of them had been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea after a sleep study and were immediately prescribed CPAP.

Just 42 percent began using CPAP regularly as directed. Only about a third of the remaining people who weren’t using CPAP were referred to a specialist to help them manage their sleep apnea.

Dr. Michael Thorpy, director of the Sleep-Wake Disorders Center at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City, said this reflects the difficulty of having patients use CPAP. “It is not an easy treatment for a lot of patients to sleep with a machine at night, and it requires some work and effort to get patients to become compliant,” he said.

Thorpy, who was not involved in the study, found it surprising how few patients in the study were referred to a sleep specialist from the start.

“The thing that strikes me is that they have a pattern of primary care physicians referring the patients to sleep studies, but here [at Montefiore], everybody is seen by a sleep specialist,” Thorpy said. “It’s difficult to get patients to use CPAP, but we work with patients to get the right mask and the right fit and to get the CPAP working for them.”

Sleep centers may have higher rates of people using CPAP because they have sleep specialists working with patients, Thorpy said. “It’s not just a matter of diagnosing a person with sleep apnea and giving them a prescription for a machine and expecting them to use it,” he said.

Respiratory therapists or other care providers can help work with patients or discuss alternatives if a patient is having trouble with CPAP, Kominsky said.

For some, CPAP is the only appropriate treatment, but others may have additional options, including dental devices and surgery, Kominsky said. Dental devices are best for those with mild to moderate sleep apnea, he said.

“Sometimes the problem is reluctance, and a visit with a surgeon to explore the other options will convince the patient to get over their initial refusal to use CPAP,” Kominsky said.

Untreated obstructive sleep apnea increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and diabetes, as well as memory and thinking trouble, Kominsky said.

More information

For more about sleep disorders, visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

---

from Health News / Tips & Trends / Celebrity Health http://ift.tt/1TrWIQe

4 Healthy (and Surprisingly Cheap) Things to Buy at Trader Joe’s

Study Links Home Births to Slightly Higher Infant Death Risk

By Randy Dotinga
HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 30, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Babies born outside of a hospital are more likely to be stillborn, or to die within a year of birth, a new Oregon study suggests.

However, the risk of death in both groups was small. The study found nearly four deaths for every 1,000 babies born outside of a hospital compared to approximately two deaths for every 1,000 deliveries that occurred in a hospital.

“There is a small risk of serious complications that are best dealt with in hospital. They’re rare but the risk is not zero,” said study co-author Dr. Aaron Caughey, chair of obstetrics and gynecology at Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine. “The tradeoff is, in the hospital, you lose control over your birth experience.”

It’s important to note, however, that the study wasn’t designed to prove a cause-and-effect relationship between infant deaths and out-of-hospital deliveries. The study only showed a link between these factors.

The study appears in the Dec. 31 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

The findings provide expectant parents with “numbers that give them a rational basis for planning about where they want to have their baby,” said Dr. Michael Greene, chief of obstetrics at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, who co-wrote a commentary accompanying the study.

Parents should consider “what’s important to them and how much risk they’re willing to tolerate,” he said.

While the extra likelihood of death in the study may seem high, Greene added, “risk is in the eyes of the beholder. There are people who will see those risks and perceive them as acceptable in order to avoid the interventions that they really don’t want to be subjected to.”

In the United States, births not in a hospital are still extremely rare, accounting for fewer than 1 percent of births, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. But the numbers have been growing amid more support for old-fashioned births outside a hospital, the study authors said.

The study examined statistics from nearly 80,000 births that occurred in Oregon from 2012 and 2013. Oregon requires extensive information to be included on birth certificates.

Just over 3,200 women planned to deliver at home or at a stand-alone birthing center. The researchers compared these women to those who had planned to give birth at a hospital — almost 76,000 women.

The investigators found that 94 percent of births outside a hospital were unassisted vaginal deliveries compared to 72 percent in a hospital. The researchers also noted a decreased use of obstetrical procedures — such as induction of labor and cesarean delivery — with home births.

“Maybe we’re using these interventions more frequently than we need to,” Caughey said.

Other research into the safety of home births has been mixed. Earlier this month, a study from Canada suggested that home birth is about as safe for babies as hospital birth. However, midwives are regulated more strictly in Canada than in the United States, and the study only looked at births that were attended by midwives and considered to be low-risk.

Greene pointed to another recent study — this one from the Netherlands — that suggested a similar increased risk for out-of-hospital births as the new American study.

What should mothers do if they want to give birth outside a hospital?

Both Greene and Caughey agreed that midwives are crucial, and they said it’s important to have good communication with a hospital in case an emergency occurs.

“In theory, one way of improving the safety of out-of-hospital births is to make sure the midwives have a formal backup structure with a designated physician at a nearby hospital so the mother can transfer if things start to go badly,” Greene said.

According to Caughey, better communication would also reduce friction that occurs when hospitals “only see the complications” and haven’t had a chance to develop a trusting relationship with midwives. “It’s about building those relationships so they’ll be welcomed when they come in with their patient,” he said.

More information

For more about home births, visit the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

---

from Health News / Tips & Trends / Celebrity Health http://ift.tt/1R98PT6

Here’s Why You Eat More When You Drink

Photo: Getty Images

Snacking after drinking is not an uncommon habit, and new research sheds light on why people may eat more after drinking alcohol.

Excess drinking and weight gain have been linked in the past. Some researchers speculate alcohol may influence cravings, but in a new study published in the journal Health Psychology, researchers suggest that alcohol impairs inhibitory control, which leads people to eat more.

The researchers randomly assigned 60 undergraduate women to either drink a mixed beverage of vodka and diet lemonade, or a diet lemonade that had a vodka mist sprayed on the top of the glass so the women would believe there was alcohol in their drink. After drinking their beverages, the women were asked to fill out a food craving questionnaire and complete a challenging task. In the task, the words blue, red, yellow and green appeared in a different color. For example, the word “red” was written in the color yellow. The women were asked to say out loud what color the words were printed in.

After that, the women were given chocolate chip cookies and were told they can eat as much or as little as they wanted.

The women who drank alcohol performed worse in the task compared to the women in the placebo group, and they ate more cookies. The researchers suggest that the reason the women ate more calories was because their inhibitory control was impaired (as measured by the color task).

Interestingly, the women in the study who were considered more restrained eaters (people limiting how much they eat to lose or maintain their weight) were not affected by the alcohol. “One explanation for this is that highly restrained eaters put considerably more effort into resisting food,” the authors write.

The study size was small and more research is needed, but the study authors conclude that alcohol may be linked with weight gain because the women’s self-control was lessened, not because they experienced heightened cravings. “These findings highlight the role of alcohol consumption as a contributor to weight gain and suggest that further research into the role of restraint in alcohol-induced food consumption is needed,” the study authors write.

Keep that in mind this New Year’s Eve.

This article originally appeared on Time.com.

from Health News / Tips & Trends / Celebrity Health http://ift.tt/1VqhXmE

Drinking Water Pipes Full of ‘Good’ Bacteria

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 30, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Drinking water pipes and water treatment plants host an ecosystem of “good bacteria” that help purify the water, Swedish researchers say.

Thousands of species of beneficial bacteria form a thin coating called a biofilm in water treatment plants and on the inside of water pipes. These bacteria play a much greater role in providing clean drinking water than previously thought, the researchers explained.

“A previously completely unknown ecosystem has revealed itself to us. Formerly, you could hardly see any bacteria at all and now, thanks to techniques such as massive DNA sequencing and flow cytometry, we suddenly see eighty thousand bacteria per milliliter in drinking water,” said Catherine Paul, an applied microbiology and water resources engineering researcher at Lund University.

The presence of good bacteria in drinking water systems is “similar to what happens in our bodies. Our intestines are full of bacteria, and most the time when we are healthy, they help us digest our food and fight illness,” Paul said in a university news release.

The study, published recently in the journal Microbes and Environments, could prove useful when water systems are updated and improved.

“The hope is that we eventually may be able to control the composition and quality of water in the water supply to steer the growth of ‘good’ bacteria that can help purify the water even more efficiently than today,” Paul said.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about drinking water.

---

from Health News / Tips & Trends / Celebrity Health http://ift.tt/22yX65z