Weekly Gravy « Weekly Gravy

All Sauce from Weekly Gravy:

Some standard health tips are timeless, aren’t they? The basics of living a healthy life don’t really change. Get lots of sleep and rest, exercise, and nutrient rich food. Manage stressors and symptoms. But as basic as those rules can be, it is still hard to practice them consistently. What’s more, wellness is more about enhancing your life than following rules. As a new year dawns, UCLA Health experts share some of their most practical and not-always-obvious feel-good advice. Here, seven smart tips from seven different health and wellness experts. 1. Keep Doing the Good-for-You Things You Already Do “Most of what people can do to have a healthy 2025 is not much different than what they could do to have a healthy 2024: exercise; don’t smoke; drink alcohol in moderation, if at all; stay engaged; and keep your mind stimulated. Be decent in every interaction and seek optimism every day. You may not find something to rejoice about but you may find something meaningful that may help others and yourself.” — Dr. David B. Reuben, geriatrician. 2. Honor and Nurture Your Feet “Our feet take a pounding every day, but most of us don’t take care of our feet. Give yourself a foot massage. It’s a simple, easy thing that anyone can do – very low cost, low investment and high yield. There is a whole body of knowledge about… read on > read on >

Wondering which popular diet will help you shed extra weight in a healthy way this year? The Mediterranean diet tops the best diet categories in the U.S. News & World Report 2025 edition. According to the report, the eating style that refers to the traditional eating habits of the people who live in the countries that border the Mediterranean Sea, is the most highly-rated diet across most categories. Despite having the word “diet” is in its name, it’s not one particular branded diet, but more of a broad eating pattern. It is heart-healthy and proven to be helpful in reducing risk factors that can potentially lead to obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Each year, a panel of medical and nutrition experts works with U.S. News & World Report to review a wide range of eating plans and flag the ones they find to be have the best healthy eating options. “This year, the “Best Diets’ updated rating evaluation system reflects the diverse needs and goals of individuals, considering factors beyond weight loss,” according to Gretel Schueller, managing editor of health at U.S. News. Looking beyond basic weight loss, this year’s report considers overall well-being, chronic disease prevention and special needs. U.S. News added 12 new Best Diets categories for evaluation, all focused on specific health and lifestyle needs, according to a news release. For… read on > read on >

Some brain cells are more susceptible to the ravages of aging than others, a new mouse study has found. These results could shed new light on why people’s risk for dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and other brain disorders increase with age, researchers said in a study published Jan. 1 in the journal Nature. “Aging is the most important risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease and many other devastating brain disorders. These results provide a highly detailed map for which brain cells may be most affected by aging,” Dr. Richard Hodes, director of the National Institute on Aging, said in an NIA news release. “This new map may fundamentally alter the way scientists think about how aging affects the brain and also provide a guide for developing new treatments for aging-related brain diseases,” Hodes added. Using advanced genetic analysis, researchers compared individual cells in the brains of 2-month-old “young” and 18-month-old “senior” mice. Specifically, they looked at the genetic activity of cell types located in 16 different regions constituting 35% of the total volume of the mouse brains. Researchers found that aging tends to decrease activity in genes associated with brain cells. For example, aging reduced development of newborn neurons in at least three different parts of the brain — including neurons associated with learning and memory. On the other hand, aging also increased the activity of genes… read on > read on >

It’s not fun for folks to admit to their doctor that they’re a couch potato. But such a frank talk could help protect against chronic disease, a new study says. People with the highest levels of physical activity have a lower risk of 19 different chronic health problems, researchers reported recently in the journal Preventing Chronic Disease. Those who got at least 150 minutes a week of moderate to vigorous exercise were less likely to develop heart disease, cancer, lung problems, diabetes, and a range of other debilitating ailments, researchers found. On the other hand, folks who got little to no exercise had more risk of chronic disease, results show. Based on these findings, researchers recommend that doctors ask patients about their physical activity, and provide encouragement to those who need to get more exercise. “In our health care environment, there’s no easy pathway for a doctor to be reimbursed for helping patients become more physically active,” senior researcher Lucas Carr, an associate professor of health and human physiology with the University of Iowa, said in a news release. “And so, for these patients, many of whom report insufficient activity, we need options to easily connect them with supportive services like exercise prescriptions and/or community health specialists,” Carr continued. Most U.S. hospitals and health systems don’t bother asking patients about physical activity, researchers said in… read on > read on >

Not sure what’s causing your child’s asthma? A new quick-and-easy nasal swab test for kids can diagnose the specific immune system drivers behind their asthma, potentially opening the door to better treatments, researchers say. The test diagnoses a child’s asthma subtype, also called an endotype. “Because asthma is a highly variable disease with different endotypes, which are driven by different immune cells and respond differently to treatments, the first step toward better therapies is accurate diagnosis of endotype,” senior researcher Dr. Juan Celedon, chief of pulmonary medicine at the UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, said in a news release from the hospital. Asthma is the most common chronic disease of childhood, affecting about 1 in every 10 kids, according to the National Institutes of Health. Traditionally, doctors classify asthma into different subtypes based on the immune cells that are causing inflammation that chokes off airways. There’s T2-high driven by T helper 2 cells, T17-high driven by T helper 17 cells, and low-low in which neither type of cell appears to be the cause. Precisely diagnosing an asthma subtype involves putting a kid under anesthesia and taking a small sample of lung tissue, which is then subjected to genetic analysis, researchers said. That procedure is so invasive that it’s just not worth it for kids with milder asthma, so doctors instead must guess asthma subtype based… read on > read on >

Considering a New Year’s resolution to quit smoking? New research might provide all the motivation you need: Each cigarette could shorten your life by up to 22 minutes, researchers say. The findings, published Dec. 29, 2024, in the journal Addiction, were based on mortality data from British smokers and suggest that smoking a pack of 20 cigarettes a day can cost someone nearly seven hours of life. “The time they’re losing is time that they could be spending with their loved ones in fairly good health,” said Dr. Sarah Jackson, lead author and principal research fellow at University College London’s Alcohol and Tobacco Research Group. The research shows that smoking tends to erode healthy middle years of life, rather than just the later years often spent in poorer health. The research, which was commissioned by the UK Department for Health and Social Care, includes mortality data on men from the British Doctors Study and data on women from the Million Women Study, a news release says. The studies found that lifelong smokers lost an average of 10 years of life compared with nonsmokers. “In terms of regaining this life lost, it’s complicated,” Jackson said. “These studies have shown that people who quit at a very young age — so by their 20s or early 30s — tend to have a similar life expectancy to people… read on > read on >

Weight loss tops many folks’ list of New Years resolutions, and lots of people are turning to cutting-edge weight-loss drugs like Ozempic to help them drop excess pounds. These drugs, called glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), work in several different ways to help people lose weight, gain control over their blood sugar levels, and improve their heart health, a new study published in the journal Cureus says. GLP-1 drugs mimic a hormone secreted by the small intestine when people eat food. The drugs initially were approved as a treatment for type 2 diabetes because they help lower blood sugar levels. But subsequent studies found that GLP-1 drugs also help people lose weight. The new study noted the different means by which GLP-1 drugs act upon the body. Specifically, these drugs: Increase insulin production, which lowers blood sugar Delay digestion in the stomach, reducing hunger levels Send signals to the brain indicating that a person has eaten enough and feels full Promote the breakdown of cholesterol in the bloodstream, reducing a person’s heart risk Lower blood pressure by inhibiting inflammation in the blood vessels Reduce blood sugar production in the liver, protecting the organ from potential scarring “All these emerging benefits have made GLP-1 RAs an important pharmacological drug,” concluded the research team led by senior researcher Dr. Zahra Nazir with the Combined Military Hospital… read on > read on >

Eczema can be maddening, causing thick, scaly patches of dry skin that itch like the devil. There’s no cure for the skin condition, but a new study shows that self-guided talk therapy can help a person deal with the itching. Online self-guided cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) that teaches patients how to respond to their itching is as effective as psychologist-led therapy in reducing eczema symptoms, researchers reported recently in the journal JAMA Dermatology. “Self-guided internet CBT proved to be an effective option for reducing symptoms and improving quality of life, while requiring fewer healthcare resources,” investigator Dorian Kern, a doctoral student at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, said in a news release from the institute. Cognitive behavioral therapy teaches people how to respond to physical and mental health problems. In CBT, patients figure out which unhelpful behaviors or patterns of thinking are exacerbating their problems, and learn better ways to respond. CBT typically involves a person hashing out their issues with a therapist, but in this case the therapy is delivered online via a computer program, researchers said. A person guides their own eczema-related therapy, using the online program to teach themselves mindfulness and proper ways to respond to itching. For example, scratching might feel good in the moment but can cause eczema to grow worse. CBT might help teach a person with eczema to… read on > read on >

If you’re a mom right now, you are likely tearing your hair out as you juggle the sizable scheduling demands of the holiday season. Maybe you feel like you are carrying the load alone. New research suggests you are not imagining things, and that it happens all year long to many moms. The study, published recently in the Journal of Marriage & Family, reveals that mothers overwhelmingly carry this “mental load.” What is mental load? It boils down to the thinking needed to keep family life running smoothly. This includes scheduling, planning and organizing tasks. Exactly how much of this responsibility do moms assume? Researchers found that mothers take on seven in 10 of all household mental load tasks. These tasks range from planning meals and arranging activities to managing household finances. “This kind of work is often unseen, but it matters, said researcher Dr. Ana Catalano Weeks, a political scientist in the Department of Politics, Languages & international Studies at the University of Bath in England. “It can lead to stress, burnout and even impact women’s careers. In many cases, resentment can build, creating strain between couples. We hope our research sparks conversations about sharing the mental load more fairly — something that benefits everyone.” In the study, her team analyzed data from 3,000 U.S. parents, measuring the share of common mental load tasks… read on > read on >

Norovirus, a highly contagious stomach bug, is surging across the United States this winter, according to the latest data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The data shows 91 outbreaks of norovirus during the week of Dec. 5, a sharp rise from the 69 outbreaks recorded the previous week. For context, the first week of December has typically seen a maximum of 65 outbreaks in recent years. Often called the “stomach flu,” norovirus causes sudden vomiting, diarrhea, and other gastrointestinal symptoms. Outbreaks tend to occur in crowded settings such as nursing homes, schools, jails, and cruise ships. The report comes after a recent outbreak that infected over 300 individuals onboard three different cruise ships earlier this month. Norovirus spreads rapidly through direct contact with infected individuals or contaminated food, water, or surfaces. Sharing food, drinks, or utensils with someone infected can also transmit the virus. Symptoms usually appear 12 to 48 hours after exposure and last for one to three days. While most people recover fully, dehydration from vomiting and diarrhea can be dangerous, particularly for young children, older adults, and those with weakened immune systems. The best defense against norovirus is frequent and thorough handwashing with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds, especially before meals. Disinfecting surfaces with household cleaners can also reduce the risk of infection.… read on > read on >

Weekly Gravy

Look Good – Feel Good – Feed Good

A little about: Weekly Gravy

All Sauce from Weekly Gravy:

7 Surprising Ways to Make 2025 Healthy

These Are Some of the Best Diets for 2025, Report Says

Some Brain Cells Change with Age, Some Don’t: Study

More Activity, Less Risk: Tell Your MD How Much You Move

Fast, Easy Nasal Swab Helps Diagnose Asthma Type in Kids

Every Cigarette Smoked Could Cost You 22 Minutes of Life, Research Says

How do GLP-1s Boost Weight Loss, Heart Health?

Who Knew Talk Therapy Could Ease Symptoms of this Skin Problem?

Moms Take on 70% of ‘Mental Load’ for Household Tasks: Study

Norovirus Cases Are Up in Pockets of the U.S.