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It’s no secret: The standard American diet is at the root of the obesity epidemic and many of its associated diseases. But why is American food so unhealthy? It’s not just that Americans eat too much, which they do, but it’s also what they eat that’s unhealthy: fat, sugar, salt and ultra-processed foods. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the average American diet consists of excess salt, saturated fat, refined grains, calories from solid fats and added sugars. Americans also eat fewer vegetables, fruits, whole grains, dairy products and oils than recommended. Nearly 42% of American adults are obese, statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show. One reason may be that healthy foods are often more expensive than packaged foods. Packaged foods tend to have higher amounts of salt, refined grains, sugar and unhealthy oils not recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The CDC notes that high blood pressure and high cholesterol caused by consuming too much salt are the leading causes of heart disease and stroke. Current guidelines recommend getting less than 2,300 milligrams (mg) of salt a day, but most Americans consume more than 3,400 mg a day, on average. The culprit? More than 70% of the salt that Americans eat comes from packaged, processed, store-bought and restaurant foods, the CDC says. “Ultra-processed foods are designed to… read on > read on >

A Texas-based education initiative has found that enrolling children in poor communities in gardening and cooking classes may help boost their long-term health. Called “Texas Sprouts,” the program covered one full academic year and exposed elementary school children in 16 low-income schools access to outdoor gardening instruction, nutrition information and cooking lessons. Parents were offered similar classes. The end result? Among the kids, there was a notable post-class drop in the risk for becoming pre-diabetic and diabetic, as measured by lower blood sugar levels, and lower “bad” cholesterol levels. “We know that diets high in added sugar, specifically sugar-sweetened beverages, are linked to higher risk of type 2 diabetes in children, teens and adults,” explained study author Jaimie Davis, an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Texas at Austin. “We wanted to design and evaluate an intervention that taught kids to garden and cook in a school setting [focused] on diet, obesity and type 2 diabetes risk factors,” she noted. The goal, said Davis, was to influence dietary habits by “essentially teaching kids where their food comes from and how to grow and cook with it.” The idea is that “if kids have ownership and autonomy over what they eat, they are more likely to have increased preference for that food and this preference can last a lifetime,” she added. All of the… read on > read on >

A common eating plan with a catchy acronym — the DASH diet — is designed to help you lower your blood pressure, but exactly what can you eat while on it? The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet has been around for almost 25 years and it’s still one of the top diets recommended for overall good health and heart disease prevention. One recent study of the DASH diet published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found “some of the strongest evidence that diet directly impacts cardiac damage, and our findings show that dietary interventions can improve cardiovascular risk factors in a relatively short time period,” study author Dr. Stephen Juraschek, an assistant professor of medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) and Harvard Medical School, in Boston, said at the time. Juraschek added that the DASH diet reinforces the importance of a low-sodium diet rich in fruits, veggies and whole grains. What is the DASH diet? DASH was originally created to help with high blood pressure, based on studies sponsored by the U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). It is a list of daily and weekly nutritional goals, rather than a specific meal plan, according to the NHLBI. Comprised of eating vegetables, fruits and whole grains, fat-free and low-fat dairy products, fish, poultry, beans, nuts and vegetable… read on > read on >

While U.S. veterans are already eligible for emergency suicidal crisis care, starting Tuesday they can get it for free. Care available at any VA facility or any private facility will include up to 30 days of inpatient or crisis residential care, the Department of Veteran’s Affairs announced Friday. It will also include up to 90 days of follow-up outpatient care and ambulance rides to hospitals. The veterans will not need to be enrolled in the VA system. “Veterans in suicidal crisis can now receive the free, world-class emergency health care they deserve — no matter where they need it, when they need it or whether they’re enrolled in VA care,” VA Secretary Denis McDonough said in an agency news release. “This expansion of care will save veterans’ lives, and there’s nothing more important than that.” The change will affect more than 18 million veterans, about twice as many as are enrolled in VA medical care, NBC News reported. This change was required by the Veterans Comprehensive Prevention, Access to Care, and Treatment (COMPACT) Act of 2020. “I am thrilled by Secretary McDonough’s announcement,” Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., former chair and now ranking member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, told NBC News. “This new benefit removes cost from the equation when veterans are at imminent risk of self-harm and allows them to access lifesaving… read on > read on >

Hundreds of rural hospitals across the United States are teetering on the edge of closure, with their financial status increasingly in peril, a new report reveals. More than 200 rural hospitals are at immediate risk of closure because they aren’t making enough money to cover the rising cost of providing care, and their low financial reserves leave them little margin for error, the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform report states. Overall, more than 600 rural hospitals — nearly 30% of rural hospitals nationwide — are at risk of closing in the near future, according to the report. “Costs have been increasing significantly and payments, particularly from commercial insurance plans, have not increased correspondingly with that,” said Harold Miller, president and CEO of the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform (CHQPR). “And the small hospitals don’t have the kinds of financial reserves to be able to cover the losses.” The COVID-19 pandemic actually provided temporary relief to cash-strapped hospitals, thanks to federal grants that helped keep them open and serving patients. More than 150 rural hospitals nationwide closed between 2005 and 2019, the CHQPR report noted. Another 19 shut down in 2020, more than any year in the previous decade. But only six more closed in 2021 and 2022, because of the financial assistance hospitals received while the pandemic raged. Now that federal… read on > read on >

People suffering from depression or anxiety may be able to help themselves by helping others — even in small ways, researchers report. In a recent study of 122 people with depression or anxiety symptoms, those who started fitting small acts of kindness into their day showed an improvement in their symptoms. And when it came to boosting feelings of social connectedness, those kind gestures worked even better than two techniques used in standard “talk therapy,” the study found. Experts said the findings point to the power of simply being kind — possibly because it helps people with mental health symptoms get out of their own heads, even temporarily. “When you have these symptoms, you can become preoccupied with your own suffering — understandably,” said David Cregg, one of the researchers on the study. So intentionally focusing on others’ well-being, and choosing to support them in some small way, can free people from that mindset for a while, according to Cregg. He conducted the study as part of his PhD dissertation at Ohio State University, and is now a clinical psychologist with the South Texas Veterans Health Care System. Past research has shown that acts of kindness — writing a supportive note to a friend or buying someone a cup of coffee — can not only make the recipient feel good, but also be a boon… read on > read on >

Cannabis use in U.S. states where recreational use is legal could be contributing to children’s asthma, according to new research. A study found increases in asthma in teens where cannabis is legal, compared to states where it remains banned for medicinal and recreational use. The study also found increased asthma in children in some minority and ethnic groups. “Our findings suggest that state-level cannabis policy could have downstream impacts on children’s respiratory health,” said study first author Renee Goodwin, an adjunct associate professor at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. Cannabis use on the rise among adults with children in the home, particularly in states that have legalized it for medical or recreational use, she noted. “Exposure to secondhand smoke is a key risk factor for asthma among children,” Goodwin said in a university news release. “This study offers a critical first step in identifying a key children’s health concern emerging in the context of rapid, ongoing changes in cannabis policy that are unaccompanied by clinical or public health guidelines for parents.” Researchers used data from the 2011-2019 National Survey on Children’s Health. It offers a snapshot of the physical and mental health of non-institutionalized U.S. children through age 17. Nationwide, they found a statistically significant drop in pediatric asthma between 2011-2012 and 2016-2017. They saw no decline since then. Asthma rose slightly… read on > read on >

Winter may feel like a time for hibernation, but it’s important for seniors to safely keep up their hobbies and physical activity in the cold weather. “It’s important to get outside as much as possible, whether it’s temperate or even if it’s colder, as long as it’s safe to do so,” said Dr. Angela Catic, an associate professor in the Center on Aging at Baylor College of Medicine, in Houston. “If it’s cold, bundling up and getting outside is good for your spirit and good for you physically,” she said in a Baylor news release. Continue walking, biking or being in nature, Catic suggested, while being cautious of snow or icy conditions. But don’t pick up a new active sport like skiing or snowboarding, unless that was already a hobby, she cautioned. Here are some of her tips: If you typically garden outside, grow some indoor plants in the winter. Plan for the upcoming growing season by perusing gardening catalogs and making a springtime plan. Explore indoor activities, such as reading, doing puzzles, playing games, crafting or knitting. Go to concerts, visit museums and take road trips. If the thought of picking up a new hobby post-retirement seems daunting, reflect on activities you enjoyed in the past before you were focused on work. Check out adult education programs in your area. They may offer a… read on > read on >

As Americans struggle to eat better, plant-based diets have become the rage, but exactly what are those and how hard are they to follow? A growing number of people have turned to plant-based eating, as evidenced by the fact that the plant-based foods market increased by 29% in recent years, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Still, even though the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine says there are many health benefits to plant-based eating patterns, making the switch from consuming a diet rich in meat to one that centers on plants can be a challenge. What is a plant-based diet? “When we talk about a whole foods, plant-based diet, we mean the majority (at least 80% to 90%) of the food should be unprocessed plant-based foods — things like legumes, fruits, vegetables, seeds, whole grains and nuts,” Dr. Urvi Shah, a hematologist oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, said in a recent blog post. “Some people may end up eating minimal amounts of processed plant foods or animal-based foods like dairy or meat occasionally, but not on a regular basis,” she added. Fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy, seeds, fish and meat that contain a variety of micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) and macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates and fat) should be included in a plant-based diet, according to a perspective published in the journal Advances in… read on > read on >

Water weight. It’s the bane of dieters looking to lose pounds, causing bloating, puffiness and disappointment when stepping on a scale. While a full 60% of your body is water, sometimes too much water is retained. That can make losing weight frustrating because it may seem like you aren’t actually losing weight. Varying water levels can make a person’s weight fluctuate by 2 to 4 pounds in just one day. The amount of water your body contains is a function of your body’s composition, sex and age, but eating can cause you to retain a few extra pounds of water. This extra water is fluid the kidneys would normally purge from the body. “Most of our weight is water,” said Dr. Gabe Neal, a family medicine physician and clinical assistant professor at the Texas A&M College of Medicine. “It’s the heaviest thing in our body besides our bones, and it is one of the first to go when you start losing weight.” So the question is, how do you lose water weight? The MIDSS (Measurement Instrument Database for the Social Sciences) has some advice. Why do you retain water? There are lots of reasons, including too much salt or carbs, menstrual hormones and dehydration. “Water, when used efficiently, goes all over our bodies,” Neal said recently. “We want it to go to our arteries, veins,… read on > read on >

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All Sauce from Weekly Gravy:

Why Is American Food So Unhealthy?

Elementary School Kids Get Healthier When Gardening Is on Curriculum

What Is the Heart-Healthy DASH Diet?

VA Announces Plan to Give Free Care to Any Vet in Suicide Crisis

Hundreds of Hospitals Could Close Across Rural America

Acts of Kindness Could Be Natural Antidepressants

When States Legalize Marijuana, Teens’ Asthma Rates Rise

Seniors, Make This Winter an Active & Healthy One

Plant-Based Diets: What Are They, and How Do You Start?

Water Weight: How to Lose It for Good