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Checklist: What You Need to Know About Coronavirus

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The coronavirus that has rapidly infected nearly 6,000 people in China is spreading across the globe, with five cases confirmed in the United States. The death toll in China so far has topped 130. Here’s what else you should know about the new coronavirus, called 2019-nCoV, which originated in the city of Wuhan: “This is a new virus that has not been previously identified in humans,” said Debra Chew, a former epidemic officer at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “It belongs to a large family of viruses called coronaviruses. These viruses can cause respiratory illnesses such as the common cold, and more severe illnesses such as the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) or the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS),” Chew said. “Currently, a lot is unknown about the Wuhan coronavirus, but the CDC and the World Health Organization are actively investigating to learn more about this virus, the way it spreads and its severity of illness,” added Chew, a professor at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School Should Americans be concerned? “While any new virus is a serious public health concern, the immediate health risk to the American public is deemed low at this point,” said Chew. “The virus is thought to have some limited person-to-person spread, and the CDC and WHO are conducting ongoing investigations to learn more about the degree of…  read on >

Eating Out: A Recipe for Poor Nutrition, Study Finds

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Whether you’re stopping at a casual fast-food place or sitting down to eat in a full-service restaurant, eating out is an easy way to fill up when you’re hungry. But those meals may not deliver much nutritional value, a new study suggests. The researchers found that 70% of fast-food meals consumed in the United States were of poor nutritional value. For full-service restaurants, around half of the meals were of poor nutritional value. Less than 0.1% of the restaurant meals analyzed during the entire study period — 2003 to 2016 — were considered to be of ideal nutritional quality. “On any given day, nearly one-third of American adults eat at a full-service restaurant, and nearly half at a fast-food restaurant. The nutritional quality of most of these meals is poor and almost none are ideal, and this is true for both quick-serve and full-service restaurants,” said senior study author Dariush Mozaffarian. He’s dean of the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University in Boston. “Today, more American adults are sick than are healthy, and much of this is due to diet-related illness. Looking for healthier restaurant options should be a priority for all Americans,” he added. Over the past 30 years, American meals have largely shifted away from meals prepared at home to restaurant meals, the study authors said. Today, the typical…  read on >

Health Tip: Preventing Ankle Sprains

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(HealthDay News) — Ankle sprains can occur when the ankle is rolled, twisted or turned the wrong way, says Mayo Clinic. Pain, tenderness and swelling are typical symptoms of a sprained ankle. To help prevent ankle sprains, Mayo Clinic suggests: Warm up before exercising or playing sports. Be careful when walking, running or working on an uneven surface. Use a support brace or tape on a weak or previously injured ankle. Wear shoes that fit well. Minimize wearing high heels. Don’t participate in activities you are not conditioned for. Keep your muscles strong and flexible. Practice stability training and balance exercises.

Americans Toss Out Nearly a Third of Food at Home

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Before you throw any leftovers away, heed new research that suggests the choice could hit you right in your pocketbook. It turns out that almost one-third of food in American households goes to waste, costing each household thousands of dollars a year, researchers report. “Our findings are consistent with previous studies, which have shown that 30% to 40% of the total food supply in the United States goes uneaten — and that means that resources used to produce the uneaten food, including land, energy, water and labor, are wasted as well,” said study author Edward Jaenicke. He’s a professor of agricultural economics in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences. Jaenicke and his team analyzed data from 4,000 households that participated in a U.S. Department of Agriculture survey and found that, on average, about one-third of the food they obtained was wasted. Nationwide, the cost of wasted food could total $240 billion a year. Divided by the nearly 128.6 million households in the United States, that works out to about $1,866 for the average household. “Based on our estimation, the average American household wastes 31.9% of the food it acquires,” Jaenicke said in a university news release. “More than two-thirds of households in our study have food-waste estimates of between 20% and 50%. However, even the least wasteful household wastes 8.7% of the food it acquires.”…  read on >

Health Tip: What to Know About Turmeric

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(HealthDay News) — Turmeric has been used across the globe for many health conditions, such as pain, fatigue, breathing issues and rheumatism, says the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. It mentions this information about turmeric: Long-term turmeric use may cause gastrointestinal problems. There isn’t enough evidence that turmeric helps reduce inflammation. Preliminary studies show that turmeric could be helpful in controlling knee pain and skin irritation. The center says you should always inform your healthcare provider about any alternative health approaches you use.

Many Americans in the Dark About Eye Health

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Though good vision is critical, a new survey finds that most folks fall short when it comes to knowledge about eye diseases. The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) commissioned the online survey of more than 3,500 U.S. adults aged 18 and older. While the survey found that 81% said they’re knowledgeable about vision health, only 19% knew the three main causes of blindness in the United States: glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration and diabetic eye disease. Only 47% knew that vision loss and blindness don’t affect all people equally, and just 37% knew that people don’t always have symptoms before they lose their vision to eye diseases. In addition, less than half (47%) knew that because it adapts to vision loss, the brain can make it difficult to know if you are losing your vision. “Far too often, we witness the consequences of patients entering the ophthalmologist’s office too late to avoid severe vision loss,” AAO president Dr. Anne Coleman said in an academy news release. “In 2020, we want all Americans to have clear vision when it comes to eye health. That starts with educating yourself about eye diseases and visiting an ophthalmologist,” she said. Healthy adults should see an ophthalmologist for a baseline eye exam by age 40 and have their eyes checked every year or two at age 65 or older, the AAO…  read on >

How to Avoid a Breakout When You Work Out

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While working out might boost your health and mood, it also might cause your skin to break out. But don’t kick your New Year’s resolutions to the curb just yet, because dermatologists say that exercise-induced acne can be prevented. Experts from the American Academy of Dermatology explained that hitting the gym can cause oil, dirt and bacteria to build up on your skin and lead to acne. Practicing good hygiene before, during and after your workouts is the key to keeping your skin glowing, the doctors advised. “While exercise itself doesn’t cause acne, the skin care habits you maintain around your workouts can significantly impact your skin,” said dermatologist Dr. Elizabeth Bahar Houshmand. “Since germs thrive at the gym, it’s important to maintain good hygiene while working out to prevent clogged pores and the spread of harmful bacteria.” To keep your skin acne-free after exercising, Houshmand recommends: Choose clean, loose-fitting clothes that don’t rub against your skin. Take any makeup off before working out. Apply sunscreen on exposed skin when exercising outside. Pat sweat off your body with a towel during your workout. Clean shared equipment before using it. Shower with warm water immediately after working out. Change into clean clothes after showering. “Keep in mind that acne can have many causes, including genetics, hormones, stress and medications,” Houshmand said in an academy news release.…  read on >

Many of America’s Most Critical Workers Are Short on Their Zzzs

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More than one-third of working Americans don’t get enough sleep, and the problem is greatest among the police, the military, health care workers and truckers, researchers report. Their analysis of data from more than 150,000 employed adults between 2010 and 2018 also found that the rate of inadequate sleep (7 hours or less) rose from about 31% to nearly 36% during that time. “Inadequate sleep is associated with mild to severe physical and mental health problems, injury, loss of productivity, and premature mortality,” said study author Jagdish Khubchandani, a health science professor at Ball State University in Indiana. “This is a significant finding because the U.S. is currently witnessing high rates of chronic diseases across all ages, and many of these diseases are related to sleep problems,” Khubchandani said in a university news release. In 2018, professions with the highest levels of poor sleep included the police and military (50%), health care support occupations (45%), transport and material moving (41%), and production occupations (41%). Among men, those who reported getting 7 hours or less of sleep a night rose from 30.5% in 2010 to 35.5% in 2018. Among women, that rate rose from 31.2% to 35.8%. From 2010 to 2018, the largest increases in sleep deprivation were reported by men, multiracial adults, older adults, those living in the western United States, and widowed, divorced, or…  read on >

Health Tip: Warning Signs of Drowsy Driving

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(HealthDay News) — Drowsy driving was responsible for more than 72,000 vehicle crashes in 2013, according to the most recent statistics available from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Drowsiness slows your reaction time, affects your ability to make good decisions and distracts from the road. The CDC mentions these possible warning signs of drowsy driving: Yawning or blinking frequently. Difficulty remembering the past few miles driven. Missing your exit. Drifting from your lane. Going over a rumble strip on the side of the road.

Health Tip: Healthy Eating for Vegetarians

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(HealthDay News) — With the right amount and variety of foods to meet your nutritional needs, a vegetarian diet can be healthy, says the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The USDA provides healthy eating advice for vegetarians: Think about protein. Incorporate beans, nuts or soy products into your diet. Add calcium. Aside from dairy products, there are many other calcium-fortified foods. Get enough vitamin B12. If you do not eat any animal products, consider a B12 supplement. Check current dietary guidelines to ensure you’re getting the nutrients you need.