Mumps cases at a 10-year high, colleges hard hit

Health officials are asking some colleges to tell students to get a third mumps vaccine for extra protection

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/mumps-cases-10-year-high-college-outbreaks-vaccination/

A Lengthy, Stable Marriage May Boost Stroke Survival

Lifelong singles fared the worst, study finds

From: http://www.webmd.com/stroke/news/20161214/a-lengthy-stable-marriage-may-boost-stroke-survival?src=RSS_PUBLIC

How much artificial trans fat is still in our food?

I felt guilty. I looked like any other health-conscious customer in the grocery store, perusing Nutrition Facts labels. But I was really there to hunt down a dangerous ingredient on store shelves called artificial trans fat. It’s the worst type of fat in our food supply — so bad, in fact, that the FDA is essentially banning it in processed food starting in 2018.

But that’s a long way off. How much artificial trans fat is on store shelves today?

The fuss about the fat

Artificial trans fats come from partially hydrogenated oils, which are made by a process using hydrogen gas to turn liquid vegetable oils into solids. The fats extend a food’s shelf life and improve flavor and texture. That’s made them a mainstay for decades in processed foods like margarines, crackers, cookies, corn chips, and pastries.

We didn’t know the fats were bad for us until the 1970s, when studies began linking them to heart disease. Today we know that trans fats increase “bad” LDL cholesterol, decrease “good” HDL cholesterol, raise the risk of blood clots, and boost inflammation — all of which increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.

But it wasn’t until 2006 that the FDA required food makers to start listing trans fats on Nutrition Facts labels.

The hidden fat

Listing the amount of trans fats on a label doesn’t always make them visible, however. “The FDA doesn’t require trans fat to be listed until there’s a half gram or more per serving, so the label may show zero grams of trans fat, even if a serving contains almost half a gram,” says Kathy McManus, director of the Department of Nutrition at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

The trick to finding trans fats: read the ingredient lists on Nutrition Facts labels. If partially hydrogenated oil is among the ingredients, you’ll know the food contains trans fat, even if the label states that a serving has zero grams of trans fat.

My mission

In stealth mode, I picked up package after package. Sure enough, most nutrition labels listed zero grams of trans fat, even when partially hydrogenated oils were clearly listed in the ingredients. And I found many kinds partially hydrogenated oils — soybean, coconut, cottonseed, corn, and canola.

There were the usual foods with trans fat: sugary breakfast cereals, refrigerated dough for biscuits and pastries, cake and brownie mixes, soft-baked chocolate cookies, ready-to-use frosting, granola bars, microwave popcorn, coffee creamer, vegetable shortening, cereals, soup, salad dressing, dips, sauce mixes, peanut butter, taco shells, cocoa mix, and even low-fat ice cream.

But some trans-fatty foods surprised me: fancy frozen fish fillets (potato-crusted cod), coffee drink mixes (double mocha cappuccino), and seasoned Italian breadcrumbs (although I should have expected that, since it’s a bread product).

I was also surprised by what I didn’t find. There weren’t as many products with partially hydrogenated oils as I expected. In some cases, I had to look at dozens of types of products to find partially hydrogenated oils. In other cases, I couldn’t find any partially hydrogenated oils where I knew they once existed (in canned soup, for example).

That ousting of oils is the result of food makers addressing consumer demand to remove trans fats, or getting on board with the FDA program early, since the end for trans fats in processed foods is coming.

Avoiding trans fats

Partially hydrogenated oils won’t go away until the middle of 2018, so we still have to be vigilant about consuming them. They’re out there, although you’re more likely to spot them in ingredient lists rather than trans fat listings. And even if the product contains less than half a gram of trans fat, it’s still bad for you. “No amount of trans fat is acceptable, from a health standpoint,” says McManus. And it’s worse, she points out, if you have a little bit of trans fat in a lot of products; it adds up.

And life without trans fat is healthier. Based on FDA estimates, researchers at the CDC report it is possible that eliminating trans fats in the diet may prevent as many as 10,000 to 20,000 heart attacks and 3,000 to 7,000 deaths from heart disease each year.

So by all means, avoid foods with partially hydrogenated oils. Go on your own fact-finding mission in the grocery store, read those nutrition labels, and let us know what you find; no stealth mode required.

The post How much artificial trans fat is still in our food? appeared first on Harvard Health Blog.

From: Heidi Godman http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/how-much-artificial-trans-fat-is-still-in-our-food-2016121410859

Stay fit and healthy — without breaking a sweat

From: http://www.mayoclinic.org/stay-fit-and-healthy-without-breaking-a-sweat/art-20270843

5 do's and don'ts for staying motivated

From: http://www.mayoclinic.org/5-dos-and-donts-for-staying-motivated/art-20270835

To stay fit, embrace the power of play

From: http://www.mayoclinic.org/to-stay-fit-embrace-the-power-of-play/art-20267209

Abortion not harmful to women’s mental health, study shows

New research tracked women's emotional and mental health for five years after they either went through with an abortion or were turned away

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/abortion-not-harmful-to-womens-mental-health-study-shows/

Happiness and a longer life may go hand in hand

A new study finds older people who feel happier about their lives are more likely to live longer. CBS News' Teri Okita reports.

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/happiness-and-a-longer-life-may-go-hand-in-hand/

Obama administration bars states from defunding Planned Parenthood

Final rule from Health and Human Services says that states cannot deny funding to clinics for reasons unrelated to their ability to provide basic family planning services

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/obama-administration-bars-states-from-defunding-planned-parenthood/

NYC 'Zombie' Outbreak Shows Dangers of Synthetic Drug

Up to 85 times more potent than real marijuana, study says

From: http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/news/20161214/nyc-zombie-outbreak-highlights-dangers-of-synthetic-drug?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Zika Birth Defects More Far-Reaching Than Thought

Studies found greater prevalence than believed, more neurological problems cropping up months after birth

From: http://www.webmd.com/news/20161214/birth-defects-from-zika-more-far-reaching-than-thought?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Holiday Tips for Children With Autism

These tips can help your loved one stay calm amid the holiday chaos.

From: http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/features/holiday-tips-for-children-with-autism?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Why happier people actually seem to live longer

New study adds to the evidence that a positive outlook​ on life is relevant to your future health

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/happiness-aging-seniors-longer-life/

Cimzia Does Not Affect Breast Milk – IBD in the News

From: Mayo Clinic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfOvnVGRBr0

Powdered Milk Foods Recall: Possible Salmonella

Powdered Milk Foods Recall: Possible Salmonella

From: http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/food-poisoning/news/20161214/powdered-milk-recall?src=RSS_PUBLIC

When Your Diagnosis of Celiac Disease is in Question - Celiac Disease in the News

From: Mayo Clinic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_PuPkraBjo

Smartphones, Tablets and Weight Gain in Teens

Study found obesity risk up 43 percent if kids used screen devices more than 5 hours a day

From: http://www.webmd.com/parenting/news/20161214/smartphones-tablets-and-weight-gain-in-teens?src=RSS_PUBLIC

USDA Invests $74 Million for Affordable Rural Rental Housing in 2016 as 20-Year Program Eclipses $1 Billion Mark

HOLLY SPRINGS, N.C., Dec. 14, 2016 - U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Rural Housing Service Administrator Tony Hernandez today visited North Carolina to tour a USDA-funded rental complex and highlight two decades of USDA investments and partnerships to build and renovate affordable rural rental housing for families across the country.

From: http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentid=2016/12/0262.xml&contentidonly=true

USDA Announces Farmer Fair Practices Rules - Clarifications for Industry & Protections for Farmers

WASHINGTON, Dec. 14, 2016 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) today announced updated regulations to protect the rights of farmers. The Farmer Fair Practices Rules target the most harmful practices hurting farmers and clearly outlines common sense protections to restore fairness and reduce the burden for farmers seeking justice under the Packers and Stockyards Act.

From: http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentid=2016/12/0263.xml&contentidonly=true

To stay fit, embrace the power of play

From: http://www.mayoclinic.org/to-stay-fit-embrace-the-power-of-play/art-20267209

Stay fit and healthy — without breaking a sweat

From: http://www.mayoclinic.org/stay-fit-and-healthy-without-breaking-a-sweat/art-20270843

5 do's and don'ts for staying motivated

From: http://www.mayoclinic.org/5-dos-and-donts-for-staying-motivated/art-20270835

Tainted peanut butter case ends in $11 million penalty

Peanut butter contaminated with salmonella made hundreds sick; now its maker will pay largest criminal food safety fine ever

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/peter-pan-peanut-butter-tainted-with-salmonella-case-11-million-penalty/

Menopause Side Effect: Shortness of Breath?

New research suggests lung function can decline significantly

From: http://www.webmd.com/menopause/news/20161213/another-menopause-side-effect-shortness-of-breath?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Obama Signs Sweeping Health Care Bill Into Law

21st Century Cures Act includes intiatives to boost mental, physical health

From: http://www.webmd.com/health-insurance/20161213/obama-signs-sweeping-health-care-bill-into-law?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Study Shows How Zika Attacks Infant Brain

Virus can copy itself thousands of times, persist for more than 7 months

From: http://www.webmd.com/news/20161213/study-shows-how-zika-attacks-infant-brain?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Immunotherapy Drug Promising Against Lung Cancer

Tecentriq extended survival by several months for patients with advanced disease, study found

From: http://www.webmd.com/lung-cancer/news/20161213/immune-focused-drug-shows-promise-against-lung-cancer?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Criminal charges filed in alleged healthcare scam

We are learning new details about the scope of an alleged fraud scheme that cost tax payers billions of dollars. The Justice Department says former NFL player Monty Grow made roughly $20 million in kickbacks from a compounding pharmacy in Florida. The payment was allegedly part of a scam against a health insurance program that covered members of the military. Jim Axelrod reports.

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/criminal-charges-filed-in-alleged-healthcare-scam/

Mayo Clinic Minute: The Mayo Clinic Diet's new tools

From: Mayo Clinic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TS54P42GK8Y

USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack Portrait Unveiling

From: USDA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zExkVw-rxIQ

How much artificial trans fat is still in our food?

I felt guilty. I looked like any other health-conscious customer in the grocery store, perusing Nutrition Facts labels. But I was really there to hunt down a dangerous ingredient on store shelves called artificial trans fat. It’s the worst type of fat in our food supply — so bad, in fact, that the FDA is essentially banning it in processed food starting in 2018.

But that’s a long way off. How much artificial trans fat is on store shelves today?

The fuss about the fat

Artificial trans fats come from partially hydrogenated oils, which are made by a process using hydrogen gas to turn liquid vegetable oils into solids. The fats extend a food’s shelf life and improve flavor and texture. That’s made them a mainstay for decades in processed foods like margarines, crackers, cookies, corn chips, and pastries.

We didn’t know the fats were bad for us until the 1970s, when studies began linking them to heart disease. Today we know that trans fats increase “bad” LDL cholesterol, decrease “good” HDL cholesterol, raise the risk of blood clots, and boost inflammation — all of which increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.

But it wasn’t until 2006 that the FDA required food makers to start listing trans fats on Nutrition Facts labels.

The hidden fat

Listing the amount of trans fats on a label doesn’t always make them visible, however. “The FDA doesn’t require trans fat to be listed until there’s a half gram or more per serving, so the label may show zero grams of trans fat, even if a serving contains almost half a gram,” says Kathy McManus, director of the Department of Nutrition at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

The trick to finding trans fats: read the ingredient lists on Nutrition Facts labels. If partially hydrogenated oil is among the ingredients, you’ll know the food contains trans fat, even if the label states that a serving has zero grams of trans fat.

My mission

In stealth mode, I picked up package after package. Sure enough, most nutrition labels listed zero grams of trans fat, even when partially hydrogenated oils were clearly listed in the ingredients. And I found many kinds partially hydrogenated oils — soybean, coconut, cottonseed, corn, and canola.

There were the usual foods with trans fat: sugary breakfast cereals, refrigerated dough for biscuits and pastries, cake and brownie mixes, soft-baked chocolate cookies, ready-to-use frosting, granola bars, microwave popcorn, coffee creamer, vegetable shortening, cereals, soup, salad dressing, dips, sauce mixes, peanut butter, taco shells, cocoa mix, and even low-fat ice cream.

But some trans-fatty foods surprised me: fancy frozen fish fillets (potato-crusted cod), coffee drink mixes (double mocha cappuccino), and seasoned Italian breadcrumbs (although I should have expected that, since it’s a bread product).

I was also surprised by what I didn’t find. There weren’t as many products with partially hydrogenated oils as I expected. In some cases, I had to look at dozens of types of products to find partially hydrogenated oils. In other cases, I couldn’t find any partially hydrogenated oils where I knew they once existed (in canned soup, for example).

That ousting of oils is the result of food makers addressing consumer demand to remove trans fats, or getting on board with the FDA program early, since the end for trans fats in processed foods is coming.

Avoiding trans fats

Partially hydrogenated oils won’t go away until the middle of 2018, so we still have to be vigilant about consuming them. They’re out there, although you’re more likely to spot them in ingredient lists rather than trans fat listings. And even if the product contains less than half a gram of trans fat, it’s still bad for you. “No amount of trans fat is acceptable, from a health standpoint,” says McManus. And it’s worse, she points out, if you have a little bit of trans fat in a lot of products; it adds up.

And life without trans fat is healthier. Based on FDA estimates, researchers at the CDC report it is possible that eliminating trans fats in the diet may prevent as many as 10,000 to 20,000 heart attacks and 3,000 to 7,000 deaths from heart disease each year.

So by all means, avoid foods with partially hydrogenated oils. Go on your own fact-finding mission in the grocery store, read those nutrition labels, and let us know what you find; no stealth mode required.

The post How much artificial trans fat is still in our food? appeared first on Harvard Health Blog.

From: Heidi Godman http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/how-much-artificial-trans-fat-is-still-in-our-food-2016121410859

Full impact of devastated health services in north-eastern Nigeria revealed by WHO report

Full impact of devastated health services in north-eastern Nigeria revealed by WHO report

From: http://www.who.int/entity/mediacentre/news/releases/2016/north-east-nigeria/en/index.html

WHO steps up response in Aleppo and demands that health personnel be protected

Conditions in Aleppo continue to deteriorate as thousands of people flee violence. WHO alongside UN and other partners, is working to provide care in the midst of conflict and to assist internally displaced people (IDPs). The Organization strongly urges all parties to the conflict in Syria to abide by international humanitarian law and protect civilians trapped in the conflict. In particular, WHO demands that all patients and health workers, facilities and vehicles be protected from violence during times of conflict.

WHO has delivered 12 medical shipments of life-saving medicines and medical supplies to the stricken city, sufficient to treat more than 290 000 patients. The medical supplies distributed to 11 public hospitals and 23 primary health care centres, include trauma and surgical supplies, hygiene kits, IV fluids, antibiotics, chronic disease, psychotropic and paediatric medicines, as well as other essential medical equipment.

From: http://www.who.int/entity/mediacentre/news/statements/2016/aleppo-response-syria/en/index.html

The 3 kinds of toys that really help your child

Follow me on Twitter @drClaire

Every holiday season, parents are inundated with ads for toys that will make their child happier, smarter and more successful. They usually involve the latest technology, make noises or are unique in some other way — and are often expensive. Or, they are spin-offs from the latest movie or the latest edition of a popular video game.

As a pediatrician, the ads make me sad — because they are rarely for toys that actually help children be happier, smarter, or more successful. Based on what we know about child health and development, here are the three kinds of toys I wish all parents would give their children.

Toys that require imagination — and that can be used in lots of different ways. The toy should be what gets things started; the rest should be up to the child. Children need to learn to think things through, come up with ideas, and be creative. In the days of video games and Lego sets that are meant to make only one thing, this is getting lost — and it can have all sorts of implications for how children learn and think.

Here are some examples of toys that spur creativity and imagination:

• blocks (plain wooden ones are great), or building sets that can build lots of different things
• materials for writing, drawing, and painting — with lots of blank paper. You can buy blank books or blank comic books instead of pads of paper for older children.
• dollhouses — the simpler the better — with people to go inside them (for both girls and boys).
• cars, boats, airplanes—simple, non-electronic ones. If you buy tracks, buy ones that can be rearranged. Consider getting a playmat of a town that the cars can drive around.
• a play kitchen (add an apron and chef’s hat)
• Dress up clothes — simple things, like capes, robes, wizard’s hats, cowboy hats

If your first reaction is that your child would be bored by these, then all the more reason to buy them. As odd as it sounds, children need to be bored, because boredom breeds creativity. If they are constantly entertained, they will never learn to entertain themselves — and they will miss out on important opportunities to create and explore.

Toys that encourage interaction — especially with their parents and caregivers. One thing we have learned about child development, especially with small children, is that the “serve and return” interactions between children and adults are crucial for building connections in the brain. They are also crucial for building relationships, and strong parent-child relationships make all the difference in the emotional health of children. Building that foundation in childhood also really pays off when they become teens, as a strong relationship with a parent makes them less likely to have sex early or get into trouble.

So buy toys that you can share with your child. Many of the examples above can offer shared experiences; for example, you can play restaurant with your child, or build blocks with them. Here are some other ideas:

• Games! Whether it’s Checkers or a board game, games can be a great way to play together. There are a myriad of games out there for every age group; doing a “best family board games” Google search will get you lots of suggestions.
• a model you can build together (make sure your child can do it too, so it’s not just you), or something else you make together
• a tent — either a big one to camp in together, or a smaller one that you can use in the living room and hang out in together
• walkie-talkies

Toys that get your child moving. Not only is exercise important for your child’s health, the exercise habits started in childhood can last a lifetime. So wrap up a few that will encourage exercise! Some examples:

• a ball (soccer ball, baseball, basketball) with something to use it with (like a bat, mitt or basket).
• jump ropes
• roller skates or ice skates
• a scooter or bike (remember to pick up a helmet, too)

If you get moving with them, all the better.

The post The 3 kinds of toys that really help your child appeared first on Harvard Health Blog.

From: Claire McCarthy, MD http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/3-kinds-toys-really-help-child-2016121310853

WHO: James Chau shares his personal experience of depression

From: World Health Organization http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jo0NHx2MIk8