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As Americans pay tribute to all veterans who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces Monday, new research suggests that how comrades died can affect levels of grief among soldiers who served in Afghanistan and Iraq. “Our goal was to better understand how combat veterans experience the deaths of their military comrades in battle or by suicide, and what factors predict the nature and level of their grief,” said study senior author Roxane Cohen Silver. She is a professor of psychological science, public health and medicine at the University of California, Irvine. More than 5,400 U.S. military personnel have died in combat since the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq began in 2001 and 2003, respectively, according to the latest casualty report from the U.S. Department of Defense. And a 2017 Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America survey found that 58% of respondents said they knew a veteran who had died by suicide, and 65% knew a veteran who had attempted suicide. The study included hundreds of veterans of the two wars and discovered that a number of factors influence grief over the loss of comrades. Suicide death is unexpected and can make acceptance of the loss more difficult, the findings showed, while combat death was described as expected and heroic, and can help make it easier to accept the loss. Bonds forged in combat intensify… read on >

Vaping isn’t necessarily better for your heart health than smoking tobacco, a pair of new studies argue. They report that use of e-cigarettes negatively affects risk factors for heart disease in ways similar to traditional tobacco cigarettes: Levels of bad cholesterol and triglycerides are elevated in people who use e-cigarettes, according to results from the first study. E-cigarette users also experience a decrease in blood flow to the heart muscle, the second study says. “People are making the assumption if they switch from cigarettes to e-cigarettes, their risk will be substantially reduced of cardiovascular disease,” said Dr. Rose Marie Robertson, deputy chief science and medical officer for the American Heart Association, and co-author of the first study. “That’s not necessarily the case.” Both studies are to be presented Monday at the American Heart Association’s annual meeting, in Philadelphia. Research presented at meetings is typically considered preliminary. For the first study, researchers evaluated 476 healthy adults who took no daily heart medications to see how smoking might affect their cholesterol levels. Of these participants, 285 were tobacco cigarette smokers, 45 were e-cigarette smokers, 52 were “dual users” who smoke and vape, and 94 were nonsmokers. All tobacco users — including vapers — had higher total cholesterol levels, as well as higher levels of triglycerides and “bad” LDL cholesterol, the study found. Researchers said they found the… read on >

Nearly nine in 10 American adults lose sleep to binge watch TV, a new survey finds. The more than 2,000 U.S. adults who took part in the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) poll in September ranked sleep as their second-highest priority, with family being first. But despite considering sleep important, 88% said they’d stayed up late to watch multiple episodes of a TV show or streaming series. The rate was highest (95%) among 18- to 44-year-olds. Many also delay bedtime to play video games, read and watch sports, the survey revealed. “It’s encouraging that Americans rank sleep as one of their highest priorities, but choosing to binge on entertainment at night instead of sleeping has serious ramifications,” AASM president Dr. Kelly Carden said in an academy news release. Younger adults (aged 18 to 34) were more likely than those 35 and older to have stayed up late to play video games (72% versus 38%), and men were more likely to do so than women (59% versus 42%). Two-thirds of respondents said they’d lost sleep to read. Women were more likely to do so than men (71% versus 61%), the survey found. Nearly 60% of adults lost sleep to watch sports, including 75% of men and 45% of women. Adults between 25 and 54 years of age were more likely than those in other age… read on >

Taking vitamin D and fish oil supplements won’t prevent kidney disease in people with type 2 diabetes, a new study finds. Many diabetics use the supplements, hoping they will have a positive effect on their kidneys and heart, the researchers said. “We wanted this study to clarify whether these supplements have any real kidney benefit in adults with diabetes. Even if it’s not the result we hoped for, closing a chapter is useful for patients and clinicians and researchers alike,” said lead author Dr. Ian de Boer. He is a professor of medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine, in Seattle. The researchers hoped the supplements would be beneficial because animal studies and lab experiments had suggested that anti-inflammatory and other properties in these supplements might prevent or slow progression of kidney disease in people with type 2 diabetes. And in humans, other research has found a link between kidney problems and low levels of vitamin D and diets lacking fish. For the study, which was part of the nationwide Vitamin D and Omega-3 Trial (VITAL), the researchers looked at kidney function in more than 1,300 people with type 2 diabetes. Study participants were randomly assigned to get vitamin D and fish oil supplements; vitamin D and a fish oil placebo; fish oil and a vitamin D placebo; or two placebos. Over five… read on >

Imagine that your doctor could predict your risk of kidney disease in the next five years with a simple calculation. Researchers from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore report they have done just that. “With the risk equations that we’ve developed, physicians should be able to determine with high accuracy who will or won’t develop chronic kidney disease in the next few years — and our analyses suggest that they can maintain that accuracy in a variety of clinical settings globally,” researcher Dr. Josef Coresh said in a university news release. He’s a professor in the department of epidemiology at the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Hopkins. This new calculation uses a mix of factors that include age, high blood pressure and diabetes to predict if someone is likely to develop chronic kidney disease. The calculator should help doctors identify patients who are most at risk for kidney disease and would benefit the most from early treatment, they said. Although chronic kidney disease is a progressive condition, its progression can be slowed or stopped if caught early, the researchers noted. In the study, Coresh’s team used data on more than 5 million people from 28 countries. Using that data, they developed an equation using known chronic kidney disease risk factors that doctors could use to predict which patients are likely to develop chronic kidney disease.… read on >

Speaking outside the White House on Friday, President Donald Trump said his administration plans to raise the U.S. federal legal age to buy e-cigarettes from 18 to 21. That’s just one plank in the administration’s new plan to curb youth vaping, Trump told reporters. “We have to take care of our kids, most importantly, so we’re going to have an age limit of 21 or so,” the Associated Press reported. The White House’s proposed move is not the first in the United States: About a third of states have already raised their sales age to 21. But federal law still puts the age at 18. Back in September, President Trump announced that the White House would propose a ban on all flavored e-cigarette products as well. Flavored vapes are thought to be especially attractive to kids and teens. However, the absence of such an announcement on Friday has some experts worried that Trump might not come through with that move, the AP said. Trump’s statement to reporters was somewhat vague. “We’re talking about the age, we’re talking about flavors, we’re also talking about keeping people working — there are some pretty good aspects,” he said. And in a separate White House event on Friday, Trump adviser Joe Grogan seemed to offer a softer stance on vaping. He called e-cigarettes are “a viable alternative to combustible… read on >

Just because your upper arms are temporarily hidden under sweaters and jackets doesn’t mean you should neglect them. Here’s how to tone them with weights for better definition now and when they’re fully back in view. Hammer Curls: These are an effective variation of the bicep curl. Stand straight, a dumbbell in each hand, arms at your sides, wrists facing inward. Without moving your upper arms, raise the dumbbells until the ends closest to you touch the fronts of your shoulders. Hold briefly, then slowly lower the weights to the start position. If lifting both arms simultaneously is too difficult, do this exercise with alternating arms. Alternating Hammer Curls: This advanced variation of the Hammer Curl is done in the basic plank position. Get on all fours. If you’re strong, extend your legs straight behind you, with toes flexed. If not, keep your knees bent on the floor. Arms should be straight, but rather than having palms flat, each hand holds a dumbbell flat on the floor. Contract your abs and keep your upper body straight as you press your bodyweight onto your left hand. Now raise the weight in your right hand until the end closest to you touches the front of your shoulder. You’re moving only your forearm and keeping your right elbow close to your right side. Lower with control to the… read on >

Want to get more fish in your diet with a lot more flavor? This two-step technique yields a crispy outside and flaky fish within. Cooking fish in a skillet is a fast and flavorful way to prepare this healthy, low-calorie protein. The trick to searing fish and getting a crisp top is to start with a light dusting of flour. This alternative to breading also saves a lot of calories. Then, to get the same type of crunch without deep-frying, give your filets a short blast in the oven. If you’ve shied away from cod in the past, it’s time to try it again. It’s a high-protein, low-fat fish, and a good source of B12 and niacin. Crispy Cod With Spinach 2 tablespoons gluten-free or whole-wheat flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 teaspoon paprika 3 tablespoons grapeseed or safflower oil 2 6-ounce cod filets Cooking spray 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 pound baby spinach 1 tablespoon butter Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place flour on a plate and mix with salt, black pepper and paprika. Dip filets into flour mixture and transfer to another plate. Add the oil to an oven-safe skillet and warm over medium-high heat for about 1 minute. Add the filets and cook, without turning, for 4 to 5 minutes until crispy. Flip the filets in the pan and… read on >

FRIDAY, Nov. 8, 2019 (American Heart Association News) — Washington Heights, a historic neighborhood on Chicago’s far South Side, faces the modern-day challenge of boosting health, education and economic opportunities for its residents. At the forefront of this revitalization effort is The Endeleo Institute, and its success stories are multiplying. “Endeleo” is a Swahili term for progress and growth. The nonprofit aims to create a culture of health and rejuvenate the neighborhood’s 2-mile West 95th Street corridor by partnering with health organizations, institutions, local government and businesses to push community improvement projects forward. On one end of that corridor is the Carter G. Woodson Regional Library. Endeleo recently helped spearhead its restoration and worked to make it a hub for health information, creating a state-of-the-art space for all ages to congregate. “Dementia and Alzheimer’s were running rampant in our community,” said Melvin Thompson, executive director of Endeleo, the community development arm of Trinity United Church of Christ. Washington Heights’ population is predominantly African American, a group about twice as likely to have Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias compared with their white counterparts. Brain health is connected to heart health, Thompson said, and Endeleo works to promote cardiovascular wellness, too. The library, home to the largest African American history and literature collection in the Midwest, was refurbished with $9 million in government funding. It reopened in… read on >

Mass shootings, health care and the 2020 presidential election are significant causes of stress for American adults, a new survey finds. The poll of more than 3,600 U.S. adults found that 71% of them said mass shootings are a major source of stress, an increase from 62% in 2018. Hispanics were most likely to say mass shootings are a significant source of stress (84%), followed by blacks (79%), Asians (77%), Native Americans (71%) and whites (66%). Health care is a significant cause of stress for 69% of the respondents. Among the 47% who experience stress about health care at least sometimes, the cost of health care is the most common source of that stress (64%). Adults with private insurance (71%) were more likely than those with public insurance (53%) to say the cost of health care causes them stress. Overall, 55% worry that they won’t be able to pay for health care services they may need in the future, according to this year’s Stress in America survey from the American Psychological Association (APA). The online survey, conducted by The Harris Poll, also found that 56% of respondents have significant stress about the 2020 presidential election, an increase from 52% in the period before the 2016 election. Stress related to climate change rose to 56% this year from 51% last year. Stress associated with widespread sexual… read on >

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All Sauce from Weekly Gravy:

Veterans Often Hit Hard by Deaths of Fellow Soldiers

Think Vaping Is Heathier for Your Heart Than Smoking? Think Again

TV Binges, Video Games, Books and Sports Taking Toll on Sleep

Supplements Don’t Prevent Kidney Disease in Type 2 Diabetics

New Tool Predicts Odds of Kidney Disease

Trump Administration Wants to Raise Age to Buy E-Cigs to 21

The Essential Upper Arm Shape-Up

A Tasty and Nutritious Way to Prepare Fish

AHA News: On Chicago’s South Side, Revitalization Aims for ‘Culture of Health’

Survey Shows Americans Feel Stressed