04/24/17

Monday, April 24, 2017

How to make Haven's Kitchen carrot cookies

Haven's Kitchen carrot cookies aren't just delicious -- they also use up leftover carrot scraps to reduce food waste. Culinary director David Mawhinney shows us how to make them.

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/how-to-make-havens-kitchen-carrot-cookies/

Culinary world gets creative to cut food waste

A new movement is underway to repurpose leftover ingredients and keep food out of landfills

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/culinary-world-gets-creative-in-reducing-food-landfill-waste/

College dispenses morning-after pill in vending machine

The vending machine sells Plan B pills for $30 a box

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/college-dispenses-morning-after-pill-in-vending-machine/

Waist Size, Not Weight, May be Key to Life Span

Even those who aren't overweight are at risk of death if they've got a paunch, researchers report

From: http://www.webmd.com/diet/obesity/news/20170424/waist-size-not-weight-may-be-key-to-life-span?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Common Food Nutrient Tied to Risky Blood Clotting

Gut bacteria reacts to compound in eggs and meat to produce chemical that ups heart disease risk, study says

From: http://www.webmd.com/dvt/news/20170424/common-food-nutrient-tied-to-risky-blood-clotting?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Infectious Diseases A-Z: The fight against antibiotic resistance

From: Mayo Clinic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fI-Vfqac3KQ

Man initially denied lung transplant for pot use dies

Riley Hancey received a double lung transplant last month, after first being denied the life-saving procedure last year when he tested positive for marijuana

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/man-denied-lung-transplant-for-pot-use-dies/

Simple spring slow cooker recipes from Chowhound

Your slow cooker isn't just for winter soups and stews. You can also make a variety of lighter spring meals with the trusty kitchen staple

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/five-simple-spring-slow-cooker-recipes-from-chowhound/

Walk Your Way to Better Brain Health?

Impact of the foot provides a boost to blood flow, study says

From: http://www.webmd.com/brain/news/20170424/walk-your-way-to-better-brain-health?src=RSS_PUBLIC

4 Things to Know About ACA Repeal and Diabetes

Over the past several months, all eyes have been on Congress and the White House, as debate has swirled around the repeal and replacement of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). As advocates for the nearly 116 million Americans living with or at risk for diabetes, we at the American Diabetes Association^® are committed to protecting access to adequate and affordable health care for everyone no matter his or her health status, income, age or employment.

As you may have seen in the news, members of Congress returned home for their annual spring recess without passing legislation in the House of Representatives to repeal and replace the ACA. However, Congress returns to Washington on April 25 and a new vote on ACA repeal could happen within their first week in session.

If you or a loved one is affected by diabetes, here’s what you should know:

1. How it began.
Since December 2016, we have continuously urged Congress to not repeal the ACA without replacing it simultaneously with an alternative plan that does not result in a loss of coverage or benefits for people with, or at risk for, diabetes.

In March, lawmakers introduced the American Health Care Act (AHCA). We were deeply concerned by this legislation, which would repeal key provisions of the ACA and lead to massive losses in coverage for millions of Americans, particularly those who are covered under Medicaid. After the legislation was posted, we sent a letter to the congressional committees considering the bill to express our serious concerns with the proposal.

Further confirming our worries, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO)—an agency that provides nonpartisan analysis on legislation—estimated that the AHCA would cause 24 million people to lose coverage over the next decade. The AHCA would also repeal the Prevention and Public Health Fund, which provides funding for innovative prevention initiatives like the National Diabetes Prevention Program. Repeal of the Prevention Fund would be a drastic step backward for type 2 diabetes prevention.

Despite our serious concerns, the congressional committees moved forward in early March with passing the legislation and recommending a floor vote in the House of Representatives.

2. How the AHCA evolved and changed.
Before it was scheduled for a vote, further last-minute changes were made to the AHCA. Unfortunately, these changes made the bill even worse, gutting key protections for those with diabetes. An amendment to change essential health benefits—which would put people with diabetes at risk of being unable to access the care and services necessary to manage their disease—was accepted.

Another amendment was introduced that would drastically scale back the community rating rule, which stops insurers from raising premiums in certain locations based on a person’s age, gender or health status. Rolling back this rule would give insurers the ability to charge people with diabetes more money for coverage, further undermining the ACA’s ban on discriminatory cost increases for people with pre-existing health conditions.

3. How we raised our voices on Capitol Hill.
Upon review of the AHCA, we determined it would negatively impact people with or at risk for diabetes. Prior to the scheduled floor vote, we moved quickly to alert members of Congress to our concerns and to activate our diabetes advocates. This included sending a letter to all members of the House of Representatives urging a NO vote on the AHCA, and sending an action alert to our advocates urging them to contact their members of Congress to also demand a NO vote. We also partnered with fellow health advocacy groups in a joint effort to urge Congress not to move forward with this legislation.

Then, on the day the AHCA was to be voted on, we issued a statement urging opposition to the bill and expressing grave concerns with the late-hour elimination of key patient protections.

On March 24, the House of Representatives moved forward with consideration of the bill, debating for several hours on the House floor. However, right before a vote was scheduled to occur, the consideration was abruptly postponed and the vote was canceled. It was evident that the bill did not have enough supporters to pass the House.

4. What happens next.
It may have appeared at first that efforts to repeal the ACA were over, and that the law would stay on the books. However, there have been signals in recent days that Congress will again attempt to vote on legislation to repeal and replace the ACA. Congressional leaders have said they are still working to hash out an agreement that could include major cuts to Medicaid coverage and benefits. President Trump also recently said that he wants another shot at health care reform before moving on to other issues.

While the ACA is not perfect, it is imperative that our leaders in Congress do their due diligence. We’re talking about the health and wellbeing of all Americans—present and future-—and we must ensure that any reform efforts do not roll back the clock to a time when people with diabetes could be denied health care coverage or forced to pay exorbitant premiums.

This is why you, our diabetes advocates, should continue to raise your voices and reach out to your representatives in Congress. Tell them what access to reliable, affordable care means to you.

If you haven’t already, please sign up to become an advocate, and contact your member of Congress to urge them to protect health care for people with or at risk for diabetes—and all Americans.

Save

From: American Diabetes Association http://diabetesstopshere.org/2017/04/24/aca-repeal-and-diabetes/

Frozen Hash Brown Recall Due to Golf Ball Parts

From: http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/food-poisoning/news/20170424/health-highlights-april-24-2017?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Local dentists back fluoridation around the U.S.

Community water fluoridation was on the minds of city councils and voters this spring, with some choosing to back the public health measure and others disregarding it.

From: http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2017-archive/april/local-dentists-back-fluoridation-around-the-us

Death of a sibling may impact surviving child's lifespan

New research finds increased risk of death for individuals who lost a brother or sister during childhood

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/death-of-a-sibling-during-childhood-can-have-devastating-consequences/

Have kids, live longer?

Follow me on Twitter @RobShmerling

File this one under “Interesting… but so what?”

A new research study finds that people who have had at least one child are more likely to live a bit longer than people who are childless. Some of the news coverage I’ve seen on this story might be making more of this than it should:

Parenthood can help you live longer in older age

Is parenthood an elixir for longevity?

Being a parent makes you live longer

Have scientists discovered the elixir of youth?

None of these reflects the findings of this study accurately. And just how could parenthood be an elixir anyway?

In any study finding a link between two things, it’s important to keep straight the difference between “association” (the observation that two things occurred together) and “causation” (in which one thing directly causes the other thing to happen). This was a study noting an association between parenthood and longer life. It did not prove that parenthood causes longer life — not even close. So, headlines suggesting it did are provocative at best (just to get your attention) and misleading at worst.

What did the study find?

Researchers collected data on everyone born in Sweden between 1911 and 1925 — more than 1.4 million people — and found that, as compared with childless individuals, those who had kids:

Had a slightly longer life expectancy. By age 60, life expectancy was two years longer for men and 1.5 years longer for women.
Lived longer well into advanced age. By age 80, life expectancy was still longer: nine months longer for men and seven months longer for women.
Had a longer life expectancy regardless of the gender of their kids, and regardless of whether the parents were married.

Are these results what you would have expected? You might have thought that parents wouldn’t live as long as those who are childless because parents must endure the inevitable emotional and financial stress of childrearing.

Why should parenthood come with longer life expectancy?

Considering the results of this study, the logical question is, why?

From previous studies and the authors’ speculation, a number of explanations can be offered up:

People with children tend to have more social interactions (for example, with other parents) than childless people, and higher social contact has long been linked to longer life.
Children help support their parents in old age. Childless individuals don’t have that advantage.
Parents may have healthier habits — less smoking, more physical activity, better diets — than those who are childless.

A combination of these or other factors may account for the findings. None of them was specifically studied in this latest research.

Interesting… but, so what?

This new study invites speculation about why parenthood might be accompanied by a longer lifespan and whether it’s true everywhere (rather than reflecting something unique about people born in Sweden in the early 1900s).

But the observations in this research may be more than just interesting. If the reasons parents live longer is that they have more social interaction and receive support from their kids as they age, perhaps we should treat social isolation and childlessness in advanced age as threats to health. Perhaps childless adults should be encouraged to pursue activities that promote social interaction (such as volunteering or joining an exercise group). The expansion of programs that provide support to the isolated elderly could help shrink the gap in longevity between those who have had kids and those who have not.

The post Have kids, live longer? appeared first on Harvard Health Blog.

From: Robert H. Shmerling, MD http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/have-kids-live-longer-2017042411562

150-Year-Old Drug May Help Parkinson's Patients

Study finds apomorphine cuts the time until levodopa kicks in for those with advanced disease

From: http://www.webmd.com/parkinsons-disease/news/20170421/150-year-old-drug-may-shorten-off-time-for-parkinsons-patients?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Frito-Lay Recalls Jalapeno Chips

Frito-Lay is voluntarily recalling some of its Jalapeno Flavored Lay’s Kettle Cooked potato chips and Jalapeno Flavored Miss Vickie’s Kettle Cooked potato chips because salmonella may be in the seasoning.

From: http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/food-poisoning/news/20170424/frito-lay-recalls-jalapeno-chips?src=RSS_PUBLIC

From: http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2017-archive/may

These 5 Preventable Conditions Shorten Lives

Obesity steals the most years of all, researchers say

From: http://www.webmd.com/diabetes/news/20170424/the-top-5-conditions-that-shorten-americans-lives----and-are-preventable?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Prostate Cancer Screening: Earlier for Black Men?

New study suggests the disease progresses faster for them

From: http://www.webmd.com/prostate-cancer/news/20170424/should-prostate-cancer-screening-start-earlier-for-black-men?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Committee members overseeing the development of national dental licensure exam appointed

The Association announced April 7 the eight members of a new steering committee tasked with overseeing the development and implementation of an Objective Structured Clinical Examination for dental licensure purposes.

From: http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2017-archive/april/committee-members-overseeing-the-development-of-national-dental-licensure-exam-appointed

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