The Best Plant-Based Sources of Protein

In some circles meat is king when it comes to high-protein eating (just ask any Paleo dieter), but animal foods are not the only way to get this muscle-building nutrient. Plant proteins such as beans, whole grains, fruit, nuts, and seeds have many benefits: In addition to offering up lots of digestion-helping fiber, they may help lower your risk of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. But you may wonder how much protein you’re getting from these different varieties. Not all are equal providers: A cup of raw broccoli, for instance, contains about two grams protein, while one ounce of almonds has six grams protein. Three ounces of firm tofu offers about eight grams protein, or 14 to 17 percent of your daily need.

Proteins in food provide amino acids, which the body uses as building blocks for other proteins—such as muscle and the collagen that holds your skin together. Food proteins can contain up to 20 amino acids, and the liver is able to produce all but nine of these. The remaining 11 are essential, meaning they must come from food sources. Without them, the body’s cells will take apart their own proteins to secure the missing amino acids—eventually degrading the body’s muscles and organs.

When a protein contains all the essential amino acids—as is the case with animal proteins and a small set of plant proteins including soy (edamame, tofu, tempeh, soy milk and soy nuts), quinoa, amaranth, chia, and hemp—it’s known as a complete protein. When it doesn’t, it’s an incomplete protein, as is the case with other plant proteins such as beans and nuts.

While one plant protein may be deficient in an amino acid or two, another plant protein may balance it out. For example, legumes (such as beans) offer isoleucine and lysine but are low in methionine and tryptophan—all essential amino acids. Grains (such as rice) contain the opposite balance of nutrients. You don’t need to eat these complementary proteins together at one meal, rather in the same day. “A person doesn’t have to be concerned whether every bite of protein is complete,” says Keri Gans, R.D., a dietitian in New York City and author of The Small Change Diet. “Rather, consume a wide variety of foods daily and you will be sure to eat all your amino acids.” Also be watchful that you’re eating a protein source with every meal, which will help assure that you’re getting the amino acids you need.

If you’re not familiar with plant proteins, start slowly. “Have one meal a week that’s totally plant-based,” suggests Gans. “For example, join the Meatless Monday crusade. Every Monday, create a meal featuring plant-based protein. Swap out the beef burger and try a veggie burger for dinner, or for lunch go with a hummus and veggie wrap.”

Here are more ideas for getting started, featuring the five complete plant proteins:

Edamame (17 grams protein per cup)

Soy beans are an excellent protein source and contain 11 to 13 percent of your daily need for immunity-helping vitamin C. Plus, eating soy daily can slightly lower “bad” LDL cholesterol.

Prepare it: Heat and lightly salt as a snack; add to a cold pasta salad or a stir-fry; puree in a dip with avocado, lemon juice and olive oil; make Sonima’s edamame and quionoa burgers.

Hemp seeds (10 grams protein per ounce)

Hemp seeds are an excellent source of the minerals magnesium and zinc, both important for immunity.

Prepare it: Use as a salad, pasta, or stir-fry topper; add a handful to a smoothie (blend in or sprinkle on)

Amaranth (9 grams protein per cup)

Each grain of amaranth consists of between five and nine percent oil. Phytosterols are present in this oil and are known for their cholesterol-lowering properties. A common variety of amaranth grown in the U.S. has the highest levels of these phytosterols.

Prepare it: Cook in a pilaf; pop in a dry, hot skillet while stirring with a wooden spoon and eat in lieu of popcorn or use in place of croutons on a salad

Quinoa (8 grams protein per cup)

This grain-like seed is a good source of satiating fiber—and it provides 7 percent of your daily need for potassium, which may help control blood pressure.

Prepare it: Add to soup; use as a stuffing for roasted bell peppers; chill and mix into a salad; mix with sweet potatoes and bake into quinoa cakes topped with a salad.

Chia seeds (5 grams protein per ounce)

When the seeds become wet, their fiber forms a gel and expands. This gel helps keep you fuller for longer and may also prevent constipation. Just one ounce of these nutty brown or black seeds provides 26 to 39 percent of your daily fiber need.

Prepare it: Mix into yogurt or oatmeal; make a pudding by soaking in almond or hemp milk for about 20 minutes, then sweetening with honey or agave

More From Sonima.com

Try a Free Online Yoga Class at Sonima

Understanding the Science and Controversy of GMOs

Green Goddess Pizza with Fresh Peas & Feta

The Inquiry and Practice of Advanced Asana

Sonima.com is a new wellness website dedicated to helping people improve their lives through yoga, workouts, guided meditations, healthy recipes, pain prevention techniques, and life advice. Our balanced approach to wellness integrates traditional wisdom and modern insights to support vibrant and meaningful living.

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

4 True Lower-Body Blasters to Tone Your Legs, Butt, and Thighs

It takes more than just healthy eating to change your lower body. That’s because when we lose pounds, we tend to shed the weight from our face, arms and stomach, not our bottom and thighs. To get firm, lean legs and a lifted bum (think Jennifer Lopez), you need targeted exercises, like my sculptors in the graphic below. This move mix ensures that you’re not making the mistake of overdeveloping your quads; if you do, your body will start to look out of balance.

Don’t be fooled into thinking squats and lunges are all it takes to whip your lower half into top form. You need to engage the muscles above the waist, too. These exercises tackle those tough-to-reach muscles that suck in your stomach, boost your backside, and sculpt your thighs. Go through the series six times a week, adding in 30 to 60 minutes of cardio, to start seeing a difference this month.

For maximum toning, do all the moves on one side first, then repeat on the other.

RELATED:

4 Ways to Get Awesome Arms

4 Booty-Boosting Butt Exercises

4 Exercises to Tone Your Hips and Thighs

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

6 Weird Things That Boost Your Fertility

Photo: Getty Images

If you are trying to get pregnant (or thinking about it), you’re probably familiar with the standard advice: Maintain a healthy weight. Go easy on the coffee and booze. And avoid stress (if only!). But there are a handful of other things that may help boost your baby-making odds—from changing your sushi order to mixing up your workouts. Read on for six tips to consider.

RELATED: 15 Factors That Affect a Woman’s Fertility

Cut back on long-distance runs

“Exercise is a good thing,” says James Grifo, MD, PhD, the program director of the NYU Langone Fertility Center. “But it’s like anything else: If you cross the red line, you’re going to burn out your engine.” In his book, The Whole Life Fertility Plan ($26, amazon.com), he points to a large Danish study published in 2012 that found that normal-weight women who did vigorous workouts (such as running, swimming, or fast cycling) for at least five hours a week experienced a delay getting pregnant. The researchers also found that women who stuck to low-key exercise (think brisk walking or leisurely cycling) had slightly higher odds of conceiving. Dr. Grifo recommends seeking balance and moderation: “Vary your routine with cardio and light weights, yoga, and Pilates-type workouts,” he suggests. “And here and there, give yourself a day off.”

Skip the spicy tuna rolls

And avoid eating other large predatory fish, like swordfish, mackerel, and shark. Ocean-dwellers at the top of the food chain tend to have high levels of mercury contamination. “And an accumulation of mercury in the bloodstream over time has been associated with infertility,” says Shruti Malik, MD, an ob-gyn at Shady Grove Fertility Center in Fair Oaks, Va. “I tell women who are trying to conceive to avoid or limit consumption of those fish.”

RELATED: 10 Ways to Boost Your Odds of Getting Pregnant

Make breakfast your biggest meal

A 2013 study published in Clinical Science found that eating a hearty a.m. meal may improve fertility for some women who have irregular periods. The Israeli researchers recruited 60 women with polycystic ovary syndrome, a hormone imbalance that affects up to 10 percent of women of childbearing age, and interferes with the development and release eggs. The study subjects were divided into two groups: One group had a little more than half their daily calories (980) at breakfast, and the other consumed the same amount at dinner. After three months, the “breakfast group” had a much higher rate of ovulating women.

Go beyond missionary

There’s a myth that doing the deed with your partner on top will result in optimal sperm placement. Nonsense, Dr. Malik says. “There’s no evidence that position has any effect on fertility.” So go ahead and try whatever positions feel right. What really matters is when you do it, and how often, Dr. Malik says. During your fertile window—the five days leading up to ovulation plus the day of ovulation—she recommends having sex every one to two days. (“Sometimes daily intercourse can be stressful,” she explains.) The last two to three days of that window offer your greatest odds of getting pregnant. Worried about predicting the dates? An ovulation predictor kit might be helpful, Dr. Malik says. (A month’s supply of test sticks costs around $20.)

Switch your lube

Some popular brands (including KY Jelly) may actually impede your efforts, says Dr. Malik. “Certain components of water-based lubricants can make it more difficult for sperm to make their way into the cervical canal,” she explains. A better option: Pre-seed, a product designed to mimic natural fluids for couples who are trying to conceive ($19, amazon.com). Or if you prefer a more natural lube, try mineral oil, Dr. Malik says.

Sleep in total darkness

You know that artificial light at night—like the glow from your iPad or TV screen, even a streetlamp outside—can mess with the quality of your Z’s. But it could interfere with your ability to conceive, as well, according to a review of studies published in the journal Fertility and Sterility. Late-night light exposure suppresses production of the sleep hormone melatonin—which also happens to play a key role in protecting a woman’s eggs from corrosive free radicals, especially during ovulation. Even turning on a bathroom light could impact melatonin levels, study author Russel J. Reiter, PhD, told LiveScience. “If women are trying to get pregnant, [they should] maintain at least eight hours of a dark period at night,” he urged.

RELATED: What Pregnancy Does to Your Health

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

Seniors Often Underestimate Their Frailty, Study Finds

MONDAY, Aug. 31, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Many American seniors seen at emergency departments overestimate their mobility, according to a recent study.

Researchers asked seniors who visited an ER to get out of bed, walk 10 feet and return to bed. The investigators found that almost one-quarter of these patients inaccurately assessed their ability to complete these tasks.

Of those who said they could do the tasks without assistance, 12 percent required some help or were unwilling to complete the tasks. Of those who said they could do the tasks without a cane or walker, 48 percent required some help or were unable to complete the tasks, the investigators found.

Of the seniors who said they could do the tasks with some assistance from another person, 24 percent were unable to do so even with someone helping them, the study revealed.

The findings were published online recently in the journal Annals of Emergency Medicine.

“Ensuring that older adults discharged from the emergency department are able to safely function in their home environment is important because those who are unable to function safely at home are at risk for falls and return ER visits,” lead author Dr. Timothy Platts-Mills, of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, said in a news release from the American College of Emergency Physicians.

Each year, 20 million people aged 65 and older visit emergency departments in the United States, the researchers said. That number is expected to rise as baby boomers continue to age.

Platts-Mills said ER doctors are experts in deciding who can go home and who needs to stay in the hospital. But, sometimes they make these decisions based on what patients say instead of a direct assessment of ability.

“Our results suggest that patient statements are sometimes inaccurate, and, particularly for older adults who need some assistance, directly observing the patient’s ambulation can be informative. Of course being able to move around isn’t the only determinant of whether an older adult can be safely sent home, but it is a critical piece of information and it’s good to get it right,” he concluded.

More information

The AGS Foundation for Health in Aging has more about seniors and mobility problems.

---

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

7 Things Oliver Sacks Taught Us About the Brain—and Life

Credit: Getty Images

 

Oliver Sacks, MD, the neurologist who wrote so eloquently about the many maladies of the mind and the patients affected by them, died yesterday at age 82 from a rare eye cancer that had spread to his liver. In his essays and 13 books, Dr. Sacks helped us understand the mysteries of the human condition, through compelling case histories of men and women living with glitches in their brains. (Dr. Sacks himself struggled with face blindness.) In memory of the “poet laureate” of medicine, here are a few of his most moving missives on life, death, and everything in between.

On the inner workings of the brain

“The brain is more than an assemblage of autonomous modules, each crucial for a specific mental function. Every one of these functionally specialized areas must interact with dozens or hundreds of others, their total integration creating something like a vastly complicated orchestra with thousands of instruments, an orchestra that conducts itself, with an ever-changing score and repertoire.” ―The Mind’s Eye, 2010

RELATED: Alzheimer’s Disease Condition Center

On neurological disorders

“In examining disease, we gain wisdom about anatomy and physiology and biology. In examining the person with disease, we gain wisdom about life.”—The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales, 1985

On the “norm”

“People will make a life in their own terms, whether they are deaf or colorblind or autistic or whatever. And their world will be quite as rich and interesting and full as our world.” —Interview with the Associated Press, 2008

On the healing power of music

“I have seen deeply demented patients weep or shiver as they listen to music they have never heard before, and I think that they can experience the entire range of feelings the rest of us can, and that dementia, at least at these times, is no bar to emotional depth. Once one has seen such responses, one knows that there is still a self to be called upon, even if music and only music, can do the calling.” —Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain, 2007

RELATED: 8 Ways Sex Affects Your Brain

On aging

“One has had a long experience of life, not only one’s own life, but others’, too. One has seen triumphs and tragedies, booms and busts, revolutions and wars, great achievements and deep ambiguities, too. One has seen grand theories rise, only to be toppled by stubborn facts. One is more conscious of transience and, perhaps, of beauty. At 80, one can take a long view and have a vivid, lived sense of history not possible at an earlier age.” —The New York Times, 2013

On the transience of life

“A few weeks ago, in the country, far from the lights of the city, I saw the entire sky ‘powdered with stars’ (in Milton’s words); such a sky, I imagined, could be seen only on high, dry plateaus like that of Atacama in Chile (where some of the world’s most powerful telescopes are). It was this celestial splendor that suddenly made me realize how little time, how little life, I had left. My sense of the heavens’ beauty, of eternity, was inseparably mixed for me with a sense of transience—and death.” —The New York Times, 2015

On dying

“When people die, they cannot be replaced. They leave holes that cannot be filled, for it is the fate—the genetic and neural fate —of every human to be a unique individual, to find his own path, to live his own life, to die his own death.

“I cannot pretend I am without fear. But my predominant feeling is one of gratitude. I have loved and been loved; I have been given much and I have given something in return; I have read and traveled and thought and written. I have had an intercourse with the world, the special intercourse of writers and readers.

“Above all, I have been a sentient being, a thinking animal, on this beautiful planet, and that in itself has been an enormous privilege and adventure.” — The New York Times, 2015

RELATED: 11 Secrets of People Who’ve Lived to 100

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

Women Who Breast-Feed Less Likely to Have MS Relapse: Study

By Kathleen Doheny
HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Aug. 31, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Breast-feeding exclusively for at least two months may help new mothers with multiple sclerosis (MS) lower their risk of relapse, new research suggests.

Exclusive breast-feeding, without supplementing, seems to be key, the researchers said.

“We found that women with MS who breast-fed exclusively had a significantly lower relapse risk than women who did not breast-feed at all or breast-fed some but not exclusively,” said study author Dr. Kerstin Hellwig, a researcher at Ruhr-University Bochum in Germany.

The study is published online Aug. 31 in JAMA Neurology.

In MS, the immune system attacks the central nervous system, including the myelin that surrounds nerve fibers and the nerve fibers themselves, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Symptoms vary, but can include weakness, fatigue and numbness and tingling of extremities. MS can be mild, moderate or severe and debilitating, according to the society.

Experts know that about 20 percent to 30 percent of women with MS have a relapse within the first three or four months after giving birth, according to background information in the study. However, studies about whether breast-feeding reduces that risk have produced conflicting results, with some finding a benefit and others not, the current study authors noted.

Hellwig and her team followed just over 200 pregnant women in the period after pregnancy. Data was collected from 2008 to 2012.

All of the women had the relapsing-remitting form of MS, in which the disease waxes and wanes. About 85 percent of those diagnosed with MS are initially diagnosed as having this form of the disease, according to the NMSS.

The researchers followed the women for a year after giving birth. About 60 percent intended to breast-feed only for at least two months; the others breast-fed partially or not at all.

About 38 percent of those who didn’t breast-feed exclusively or at all had a relapse within six months of childbirth. But just 24 percent of those who did breast-feed exclusively for two months had a relapse in the six months after giving birth, the study found.

After the women who breast-fed exclusively added supplemental feedings to their baby’s diet, the relapse rates between groups became similar, Hellwig said.

While the study found a link between breast-feeding and MS relapse rates, it did not prove a causal connection.

“Clearly breast-feeding is not harmful and therefore most women with MS should be supported if they choose to breast-feed exclusively since it clearly does not increase the risk of postpartum relapse,” she said.

As to why it may reduce risk, the researchers speculated that hormonal changes during breast-feeding leading to a lack of ovulation may be key. It’s known that women with MS are less likely to get a diagnosis during non-ovulating times, such as childhood or after menopause, the researchers said.

The study findings appear to be good news for women with MS who want to breast-feed, said Kathleen Costello, vice president of healthcare access for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

“The decision to breast-feed is one made by the individual and her family based upon numerous considerations,” Costello said. “One [consideration] that I’ve typically noted is the worry that breast-feeding could negatively impact the MS disease process. This study suggests that exclusive breast-feeding does not appear to increase the risk of having a postpartum MS relapse and may have a modest benefit in reducing that risk.”

More information

To learn more about relapsing-remitting MS, see National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

---

from Health News / Tips & Trends / Celebrity Health http://ift.tt/1N5ppCX

Could Lots of Coffee Up Heart Risks for Young Adults With High Blood Pressure?

MONDAY, Aug. 31, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Bad news for young coffee lovers: Gulping down lots of your favorite pick-me-up might raise your risk of heart attack if you’ve already got high blood pressure, a new study suggests.

Italian investigators looked at 12 years of heart health data for a group of about 1,200 adults ages 18 to 45. This type of study design means the research could only point to an association, not cause and effect.

But experts said the findings might be worth bearing in mind.

“Although some limitations exist with this type of study, this association — especially in heavier coffee drinkers — cannot be totally discounted,” said one U.S. expert, cardiologist Dr. David Friedman.

“Patients with known heart disease who are at elevated risk should limit their intake of daily caffeine products,” said Friedman, who is chief of heart failure services at North Shore-LIJ’s Franklin Hospital in Valley Stream, N.Y.

The new research was presented Saturday in London at the annual meeting of the European Society of Cardiology. Experts note that findings presented at medical meetings are typically considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

The new study was led by Dr. Lucio Mos, a cardiologist at Hospital of San Daniele del Friuli in Udine, Italy. His team tracked about 1,200 young adults with untreated stage 1 high blood pressure. That means they had systolic blood pressure (the top number of a reading) between 140 and 159 mm Hg and/or diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) between 90 and 99 mm Hg.

Over 12 years, there were 60 heart or circulation-related events — incidents such as heart attacks or strokes — among the participants. About 80 percent were heart attacks, while the others included strokes, peripheral artery disease (poor circulation in the legs) and kidney failure.

Compared to those who didn’t drink coffee, the risk of these events was four times higher among the heavy coffee drinkers and three times higher in moderate coffee drinkers.

Moderate coffee drinking was defined as one to three cups of the caffeinated beverage per day, while “heavy” consumption was defined as four or more cups daily.

Drinking coffee also increased the risk of “prediabetes” — a precursor to type 2 diabetes — in some of the participants. This risk is linked to factors such as genetics and being overweight and obese, according to the study.

In a meeting news release, Mos acknowledged that “there is controversy surrounding the long-term cardiovascular and metabolic effects of coffee consumption in patients with hypertension.”

He believes the new findings point to a “linear” relationship between coffee drinking and heart risks in younger adults with high blood pressure, meaning that the risks rise along with the amount of coffee consumed.

As to why that might be so, Mos said that it could be linked to coffee’s effects on blood pressure and/or blood sugar.

For his part, Friedman said that differences in each person’s processing of caffeine might play a role, too. “There was an association [in the study] with those patients having higher risk of development of heart problems who were also seen to be so-called ‘slow caffeine metabolizers,'” he said.

Dr. Kevin Marzo is chief of cardiology at Winthrop-University Hospital in Mineola, N.Y. He said that “the health effects of coffee have been controversial, with some studies suggesting benefit, and some, like the most recent in young hypertensive adults, showing potential harm by raising blood pressure.”

He believes that, based on the findings, “physicians may want to encourage a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise, good nutrition and keeping the coffee consumption to less than three cups per day” in younger adults with high blood pressure.

More information

The U.S. National Institutes of Health explains how to reduce heart risks.

---

from Health News / Tips & Trends / Celebrity Health http://ift.tt/1VsUGB3

Too Little Sleep May Quadruple Your Risk for Colds: Study

By Alan Mozes
HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Aug. 31, 2015 (HealthDay News) — When you’re run down from lack of sleep, you really are more apt to catch a cold, a new study finds.

Investigators exposed 164 adults to a cold virus, and found better-rested folks more likely to resist infection.

Those who slept fewer than six hours a night were more than four times as likely to catch a cold as those who got more than seven hours’ shuteye.

“The role that sleep has on the immune system is well-established, though not completely understood,” said study lead author Aric Prather, an assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco.

The study doesn’t prove that insufficient sleep actually causes you to catch a cold. But it builds on prior investigations that have linked bad sleep habits to a weakened immune system and a potentially higher risk for developing an array of chronic illnesses.

Prather noted that animal and patient investigations have shown that “when an otherwise healthy person is (temporarily) deprived of an entire night of sleep, we see fairly robust changes in things like which types of immune cells are circulating in the blood and what types of chemical messengers are released from cells that aid in immune system communication.”

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has expressed concern about an “epidemic” of insufficient sleep, the study authors noted. They also point to a recent National Sleep Foundation survey indicating that, on average, 20 percent of Americans get less than six hours of sleep a day.

Participants in this study were healthy Pittsburgh residents ages 18 to 55. All took part in a two-month health screening process between 2007 and 2011.

In the week leading up to their exposure to the cold virus, researchers monitored participants’ usual sleep patterns. Afterward, all were quarantined in a hotel for five days and given nasal drops containing a cold virus.

The result: Cold risk was 4.2 times greater for those who slept fewer than six hours a night, and 4.5 times greater for anyone grabbing five hours or less of slumber a night, when compared with those getting more than seven hours a night.

The findings held up even after accounting for factors such as time of year, weight and obesity status, income, education background, self-declared stress levels, smoking status, exercise routines and drinking habits, the researchers said.

They added that their findings, published in the September issue of Sleep, are based on strong science, given that they tracked existing bedtime patterns, rather than artificially withheld sleep.

Mary Carskadon, a professor of psychiatry and human behavior with Brown University Alpert Medical School in Providence, R.I., expressed little surprise with the findings.

“This is a confirmatory study of other studies that have been moving our thinking in this direction,” she said. “Short sleep has been linked to a greater risk for cancer and other more chronic conditions, and consistently shorter sleep has clearly been associated with a higher likelihood of illness.”

However, no study to date “has yet spoken to the mechanism behind this,” said Carskadon, who is also a sleep researcher at E.P. Bradley Hospital in East Providence, R.I.

“So even though we know good sleep is part of a healthy lifestyle, we don’t know if it’s actually protective,” she added. “In other words, is longer sleep protective or is shorter sleep just exposing vulnerabilities? It’s a chicken-and-egg thing that we just can’t answer yet.”

More information

There’s more on good sleep at the U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

---

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

Too Much TV Time Tied to Higher Odds for Blood Clot in Lung: Study

MONDAY, Aug. 31, 2015 (HealthDay News) — People who sit around watching TV for hours on end may raise their risk for a sudden and deadly blockage of a lung artery, new research reveals.

Called a pulmonary embolism, the condition is described by study author Toru Shirakawa as “a serious, sometimes fatal, lung-related vascular disease characterized by sudden onset of symptoms such as chest pain or difficulty breathing.

“[And] the disease is caused by obstruction of the pulmonary arteries by blood clots, generally formed in the leg vessels,” he explained in a news release by the European Society of Cardiology. Shirakawa is a public health research fellow in the department of social medicine at Osaka University in Japan.

Researchers have long noticed that a clot risk appears to be higher among cancer patients and among those taking oral contraceptives. But increased risk has perhaps most often been associated with those who have to lie down or sit for long periods, such as those on cramped, long-haul flights. This particular risk has given rise to a nickname for the condition: “economy class syndrome.”

But now an 18-year-long study involving more than 86,000 people suggests that folks who watch TV for five hours or more a day may also face a significantly elevated risk.

Investigators saw that habitual and prolonged TV viewing doubles the risk for a fatal pulmonary embolism, compared to someone who watches less than 2.5 hours of TV per day.

Shirakawa was to present the findings Monday in London at the annual meeting of the European Society of Cardiology. Research presented at medical meetings is considered preliminary because it is has not gone through a peer-review process.

Study participants ranged in age from 40 to 79. Between 1988 and 1990, they completed questionnaires regarding their TV-viewing habits, and all fatalities were subsequently tracked until 2009.

After accounting for age, gender, blood pressure, diabetes status, smoking and drinking history, height and weight, and exercise routines, the investigators saw that extended TV viewing was linked to higher embolism risk.

When the study team focused solely on those under age 60, the risk went up exponentially, with five hours of TV a day linked to a six times greater risk, compared with those watching 2.5 hours daily. Those under 60 who watched between 2.5 and five hours daily saw their risk triple.

While the researchers found a link between TV watching and embolism risk, the study didn’t prove a cause-and-effect relationship.

“Leg immobility during television viewing may in part explain the finding,” Shirakawa said. “To prevent the occurrence of pulmonary embolism, we recommend the same preventive behavior used against economy class syndrome. That is, take a break, stand up and walk around during the television viewing. Drinking water for preventing dehydration is also important.”

More information

There’s more on pulmonary embolism at the U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

---

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

Many Teens With Chronic Illnesses Use Alcohol, Pot

By Emily Willingham
HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Aug. 31, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Teens with chronic diseases such as asthma and juvenile arthritis have to manage their health carefully, yet many of them have had alcohol or smoked marijuana in the last year, a new study shows.

“That was surprising to us,” said study first author Elissa Weitzman, assistant professor of pediatrics at Boston Children’s Hospital, about the findings. “We thought having a chronic illness might be protective, to some extent, given the potential for near-term serious health harm and the high value youth place on staying healthy.”

But, she added, “While it’s tempting to think that these youth are somehow immune from typical adolescent risk behaviors, they are not. They are exposed to marketing, promotion, peer behaviors, and like their peers, [they] are looking to have fun, fit in and ‘escape.’ “

The study was published online Aug. 31 in the journal Pediatrics.

For their analysis, Weitzman and her colleagues conducted a survey of just over 400 students. They were 9 to 18 years old, and the average age was about 15. All had a chronic disease, including asthma, cystic fibrosis, type 1 diabetes, juvenile arthritis, or inflammatory bowel disease. The participants completed the electronic survey during a visit to one of their specialist physicians.

A large portion of the children in the study, 75 percent, were white. Almost three quarters reported having a parent with a college degree.

Most of the children — 82 percent — were in high school. The researchers found that more than a third of the high school students with chronic disease had consumed alcohol in the past year. A fifth of the high schoolers had used marijuana in the last 12 months, the study found.

The teens who consumed alcohol were more likely than the nondrinkers to have missed or skipped taking their medications for their condition, the researchers said.

Alcohol has the potential to affect lab test results, and can interact negatively with medications, the researchers said. But nearly two-thirds of the children reported not knowing whether alcohol use can interfere with the effectiveness of lab test results. Almost half didn’t know if alcohol could interfere with the effects of their medications.

“I think that the big take-home is if we can help educate them, we may be able to improve their compliance with their meds,” said Dr. Ruchi Gupta, an associate professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago. “There needs to be an open, honest discussion about what they need to do to manage their disease, and the role that alcohol or marijuana or any substance can play in the effectiveness of their medication or how it’s helping them,” she added.

Weitzman echoed that advice. “We have found that youth really want to understand these risks and are looking for information to be delivered to them as part of their care,” she said. “They are specifically interested in how alcohol and other substances can affect them and their disease.”

The study authors wrote that these rates of alcohol and marijuana use are similar to those in the general population of healthy teens. One difference is that boys in the general population usually have a higher risk than girls for alcohol consumption, the study found. The new study found no effect of gender or ethnicity on the risk of alcohol or marijuana use.

When the authors looked at mental health status and substance use, they found that binge drinking was associated with a positive mental health status. That’s possibly because students who binge drink are enjoying social time with peers, the researchers suggested.

In other words, chronic illnesses don’t keep teens from acting like teens. “I think in general, in the populations of teens they’re looking at, this is a huge time for risk-taking,” said Gupta. “So this is a time when they are experimenting, thinking that they’re indestructible.”

Weitzman said the study authors also “are investigating whether this group of youth is also using substances to address symptoms of their conditions, side effects of their medications, or to ‘treat’ anxiety or depression, all factors that could play a role” in their behaviors. “Understanding these issues is vital to supporting these youth who face unique hurdles.”

More information

For prevention tips, see the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence.

---

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

Cold Weather May Up Risk of Stroke, Severe Heart Attack for Some

MONDAY, Aug. 31, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The onset of cold weather is clearly a bummer for beach lovers, but two new studies suggest that it may actually pose health risks for some.

One investigation, out of Taiwan, has identified a link between cold weather and a heightened risk of stroke for patients with atrial fibrillation, a common problem where the heart beats irregularly.

The finding is based on comparisons of daily temperature records in six regions of Taiwan between 2000 and 2011 and the incidence of ischemic stroke among almost 290,000 patients. Ischemic stroke, the most common type, occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted.

“Our study shows a clear association between temperature and risk of ischaemic stroke in patients with AF,” said Dr. Tze-Fan Chao in a news release from the European Society of Cardiology. Chao is a cardiologist at Taipei Veterans General Hospital and National Yang-Ming University in Taiwan.

The concern: cold weather might promote blood clot formation in the left atrium of the heart, thereby boosting stroke risk among these patients.

The analysis revealed stroke risk rose by 10 percent in spring and nearly 20 percent in winter, as compared with summertime risk.

But the study did not prove that cold weather causes stroke risk to rise.

A second study, out of Canada, found that cold weather increased the risk for the most severe type of heart attack.

Led by researchers from the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, that investigation found that with every 20-degree Fahrenheit drop in temperature, the risk for experiencing a very severe type of heart attack known as an ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) went up by 7 percent.

“We demonstrated that there is a clear relationship between daily temperature and the risk of STEMI,” study author Dr. Shuangbo Liu, an adult cardiology resident, noted in a university news release. However, the study did not prove that drops in temperature caused heart attack risk to increase.

STEMI heart attacks, the study authors noted, usually result when plaques rupture within coronary arteries. As heart attacks go, they pose the highest risk of death.

“Daily temperature can predict STEMI risk one or two days before it happens,” Liu said. “These findings create an opportunity for future research studies to examine whether there are treatment strategies that can temper the effects of climate on the risk of heart attacks.”

Both Liu and Chao presented their respective findings Saturday at the European Society of Cardiology annual meeting in London. Studies presented at medical meetings are typically considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed medical journal.

More information

There’s more on STEMI risk at the American Heart Association.

There’s more on atrial fibrillation at the American Heart Association.

---

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

Wireless Pacemaker Shows Promise in Early Trial

MONDAY, Aug. 31, 2015 (HealthDay News) –A tiny, wireless heart pacemaker showed promise in early tests and could offer an alternative to conventional, wired pacemakers, researchers report.

Experts say, however, there are still some safety concerns with the new device.

The wireless pacemaker is attached to the heart using a catheter inserted through a leg. Traditional pacemakers use a generator and wires, and they require surgery to be implanted.

The study included 526 patients, average age nearly 76, in the United States, Canada and Australia. During the first six months of use, the wireless pacemaker showed “good safety and reliable function,” according to lead investigator Dr. Vivek Reddy, of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, and colleagues.

The study, presented Sunday at the European Society of Cardiology annual meeting in London and published simultaneously in the New England Journal of Medicine, was funded by device maker St. Jude Medical Inc., and Reddy has received consulting fees from the company.

After six months, nearly 7 percent of patients in the study had complications connected to the device. About 10 percent of patients with conventional pacemakers have complications, according to the Associated Press.

However, a clinical trial of the wireless pacemaker in Europe was stopped two times last year and again earlier this year after a number of complications occurred. In one case, the pacemaker came loose and lodged in the artery leading to the patient’s lungs, the AP reported.

The wireless pacemaker is approved in Europe, and the results of this new study will likely be submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Medtronic makes a similar pacemaker that is also available in Europe, the news service reported.

The new device costs at least twice as much as a conventional pacemaker and lacks some functions that are standard on conventional devices, according to the AP reported.

“It can’t monitor patients remotely, so they have to go to the hospital for checks,” Dr. Jagmeet Singh, a spokesman for the American College of Cardiology, explained to the AP.

More information

The U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has more about pacemakers.

---

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

I Tried an Ultrasound Wand for My Face

Photo: Courtesy of MIMI/Instagram @jenu_biosciences

Let’s face it; we’ll try anything to up our skin care routine. Whether it’s the latest serum, trending ingredient, or mask—we’re there. So when I heard about JeNu, an ultrasound wand you can use at home that increases the absorption of your skin care by threefold, I knew I had to try.

As a 20-something, anti-aging isn’t a concern of mine yet. But if you’re looking to take your retinol or eye cream to the next level without resorting to Botox, this is it. So how exactly does it work? The wand sends 365,000 pulses of ultrasound energy per second through your skin, essentially vibrating your products into your skin more effectively than your fingers ever could.

To use, simply place a pearl-sized amount of conducting gel ($28, jenu.com) onto the wand, turn it on, and move the wand in small, circular motions on one area of your face. Because it really is magic, the wand automatically shuts off after one minute, making timing truly effortless.

Photo: Courtesy of MIMIchatter.com

The first time I tried the product, I checked my imagination at the door and sheepishly went for my cheeks, but the sky is the limit. You can use the JeNu Ultrasonic Infuser basically anywhere. If you’re concerned about fine lines and wrinkles, concentrate on your under eyes, lips, and forehead. After just a few uses, I can honestly say my skin feels smoother and more hydrated.

If you do the math, adding three to five minutes to your nightly routine is well worth tripling the absorption and effectiveness of your favorite products you already rely on. And if I’m being completely honest, I not only feel legit—like I’m giving myself my very own at-home spa treatment—but I know I’m doing good when I use it.

The JeNu Ultrasonic Infuser retails for $249 and is available at Jenu.com.

This article originally appeared on MIMIchatter.com.

More from MIMI:

Why I Finally Started Washing my Face… at Age 23

Here’s Every Moisturizer You Need to Be Using Based on Your Age

MIMI Chatter is an endless stream of beauty content. We bring together the must-knows and the how-tos from your favorite sites, beauty influencers, our editors, and YOU.

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