03/23/17

Thursday, March 23, 2017

For whites across America, "deaths of despair" are rising

Alcoholism, drug addiction and suicide are driving up mortality rates for less-educated whites

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/for-whites-across-america-deaths-of-despair-are-rising/

New vaccine could prevent thousands of childhood deaths

A new study shows the vaccine is safe and effective against a deadly diarrheal disease that kills hundreds of children per day

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/rotavirus-vaccine-could-prevent-thousands-of-childhood-deaths/

From coast to coast: Africa unites to tackle threat of polio

More than 190 000 polio vaccinators in 13 countries across west and central Africa will immunize more than 116 million children over the next week, to tackle the last remaining stronghold of polio on the continent.

From: http://www.who.int/entity/mediacentre/news/releases/2017/africa-tackles-polio/en/index.html

Deadline approaches for Norton Ross award nominations

The ADA is accepting nominations for the 2017 Norton M. Ross Award for Excellence in Clinical Research.

From: http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2017-archive/march/deadline-approaches-for-ada-norton-ross-award

Former ADA President Harris dies

Dr. Jack Harris, who served as ADA president from 1992-93, died March 13. He was 85.

From: http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2017-archive/march/former-ada-president-harris-dies

Health care bill vote - latest developments

The House is expected to vote Thursday night on a Republican bill to replace Obamacare, but right now, GOP leaders are still trying to secure the votes needed to pass it

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/health-care-bill-vote-latest-developments/

Curious toddlers tragic victims of opioid epidemic

The number of children under the age of 5 who die after swallowing opioids has steadily climbed over the last decade

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/curious-toddlers-victims-of-opioid-epidemic/

Common sciatica pain drug no better than placebo

New study looked at the effectiveness of Lyrica in patients with acute sciatica causing low back and leg pain

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/low-back-pain-sciatica-drug-lyrica-pregabalin-no-better-than-placebo/

"Eraser challenge" social media dare dangerous to kids

So-called game can lead to burns, infections and scarring, warn doctors

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/eraser-challenge-social-media-dare-dangerous-to-kids/

Making Mayo's Recipes: Cracked Wheat Chili

From: Mayo Clinic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWx1B2Tz4to

5 habits that foster weight loss

Let’s face it: the hardest part about losing weight isn’t about knowing what to eat. You’ve heard it a thousand times: eat lots of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean protein. The real challenge is changing your habits to make those healthy choices part of your everyday routine without feeling too deprived.

Dr. George L. Blackburn, who directs the Center for Nutrition Medicine at Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, has treated countless overweight and obese people over his 40-plus-year career. The following are five proven strategies that many of his patients have found helpful toward their goal of lasting weight loss:

1. Make time to prepare healthy meals. Home-cooked food tends to be far lower in calories, fat, salt, and sugar than restaurant food and most processed food. But it takes time and effort to choose recipes, go to the store, and cook. Take a close look at your weekly schedule to see if you can carve out a few hours to devote to meal planning and shopping, which is more than half the battle, says Dr. Blackburn. It could be on Sunday afternoon or in 15- to 30-minute increments throughout the week.

To save time in the kitchen, take advantage of pre-cut vegetables and cooked whole grains (like brown rice) from the salad bar or freezer case. And stock up on easy, wholesome snacks like fruit, nuts, and low-fat cheese sticks.

2. Eat slowly. The next time you sit down for a meal, set a timer (maybe the one on your kitchen stove or smartphone) for 20 minutes. That’s about how long it takes the “I’m full” message sent by the gut hormones and stretch receptors in your stomach to reach your brain, explains Dr. Blackburn. “If you can spend a full 20 minutes between your first bite and your last, you’ll feel satisfied but not stuffed.” Eat too quickly and you’re more likely to overeat. Tips for stretching out your mealtime include chewing each bite a little longer than usual, setting down your fork between each bite, and taking frequent sips of water during your meal.

3. Eat evenly sized meals, beginning with breakfast. Most people tend to eat a small breakfast (or none at all), a medium-sized lunch, and a large dinner. But you may be better off spreading out your calories more evenly throughout the day. For one thing, a small or nonexistent breakfast can leave you ravenous by lunchtime, which may lead you to overeat. A morning meal also helps rev up your metabolism for the day, stimulating enzymes that help you burn fat. What’s more, eating at least 450 calories per meal can help you avoid hunger between meals, says Dr. Blackburn. If you eat a light supper (and avoid grazing late into the night; see tip 4), you may eat fewer calories overall — and actually be hungry for breakfast.

4. Don’t skimp on sleep. When you burn the midnight oil, you’re probably not also burning calories, but instead consuming too many. Many studies have linked shorter sleep duration with a higher risk of being overweight or obese. A recent review article suggests why: people who sleep fewer than six hours a night tend to have irregular eating habits — including more frequent, smaller, energy-dense, and highly palatable snacks (read: fatty, sugary foods like chips, cookies, and ice cream).

5. Weigh yourself often. If you don’t already have one, get a digital scale. Hang a calendar and pen above it, right at eye level, as a reminder to record your weight every day. Doing so only takes a few seconds and will keep you heading in the right direction. Most people find it difficult or tedious to track their calories, both from the foods they eat and those they burn via exercise. But a daily weigh-in tells you all you need to know — and the scale doesn’t lie. Also, research shows that people who weigh themselves often are more likely to lose weight and keep it off.

The post 5 habits that foster weight loss appeared first on Harvard Health Blog.

From: Julie Corliss http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/5-habits-foster-weight-loss-2017032311214

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