(HealthDay News) — A helmet can prevent someone from a serious head injury, says the New York State Department of Health. Some states even require people, especially children, to wear helmets while biking or skateboarding. The Department of Health encourages parents to: Select a helmet that meets Consumer Product Safety Commission standards. Make sure your child wears a helmet appropriate for his or her sport. Buy a helmet that fits your child. Replace a helmet that has been involved in an accident.
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Health Tip: Preventing Ringworm
(HealthDay News) — Ringworm is a fungal infection that gets its name from the red circular rash that develops. The inside of the ring typically is clear or scaly. People who use public lockers and showers, athletes and people with weak immune systems are especially at risk. To prevent the infection, Mayo Clinic suggests: Wash your hands often. Don’t wear thick clothing in warm, humid weather. Avoid infected animals. Don’t share personal items.
How to Exercise on ‘Rest and Recovery’ Days
Taking a day off from a favorite exercise doesn’t mean spending the time sitting on the couch. In fact, getting some R&R has a special meaning when it comes to exercise: Rest and recovery. Recovery is everything that happens after the end of one workout and before the start of the next. Whether you’re talking about taking a day off after every strength-training session to build muscles or taking a day off once a week from your usual cardio workout, you still want to engage in physical activity, just at a different pace, one without the challenge of intense training. Experts at the American Council on Exercise say moving is important, because it boosts blood circulation, and that brings nutrients to your muscles for recovery and growth. While a set recovery time is needed after every strength-training workout, with 48 to 72 hours between sessions being typical, recovery after other types of workouts, like high-intensity training or endurance training for a marathon, is much more individualized. Listen to your body to know when to take a break. For many people, it’s feeling more soreness than usual. For some, it may be after every three-to-five days of consecutive, strenuous workouts. Remember: If a workout causes soreness that lasts for several days, your workouts are too intense. Training should get you to the point where recovery time… read on >
The Top 5 Fruits to Add to Your Diet
Ounce for ounce and calorie for calorie, leafy greens and other types of vegetables are the hands-down favorites for delivering on nutrients. But many fruits should also have a place at the table. Researchers looked at the most nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables to see which provided meaningful amounts of B vitamins including thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate, B6 and B12, vitamins C and K, iron, fiber and protein. Most of the top spots on their ranked list of powerhouse fruits — those most strongly associated with reducing the risk of chronic diseases — were various citrus fruits with one popular berry mixed in. The Top 5 Nutrient-Dense Fruits Lemons Strawberries Oranges Limes Pink and red grapefruit As terrific as blueberries are considered, blackberries were actually the next fruit on the list, followed by white grapefruit. Now this isn’t to say that blueberries, which many studies rank very high for antioxidants and other healthful compounds, shouldn’t be on your shopping list along with raspberries. Eating fruits in a rainbow of colors gets you the widest variety of nutrients and phyto-nutrients — those hard-to-duplicate compounds that go beyond vitamins and minerals. It’s also important to pay attention to a fruit’s ripeness. Studies show that ripe fruits, including all berries, offer more antioxidants than fruits that are not quite ready. Based on that criteria, strawberries topped the list, followed… read on >
Low Birth Weight Babies a Worldwide Problem
More than 20 million babies are born across the globe weighing far less than they should, and the problem isn’t limited to low-income countries, new research shows. In 2015, nearly three-quarters of infants with low birth weight (less than 5.5 pounds) were born in Southern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. But low birth weights persist in high-income countries in Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand, where there have been virtually no reductions in low birth weight rates since 2000. To come to those conclusions, the researchers analyzed data on 281 million births in 148 countries. In 2012, all 195 member states of the World Health Organization committed to a 30% reduction in low birth weight rates by 2025. This study found that worldwide rates of low birth weight fell from 17.5% in 2000 to 14.6% in 2015. But that 1.2% annual decline fell well short of the target annual reduction rate of 2.7%, the study authors said. The findings were published May 15 in The Lancet Global Health. The researchers called for more investment and action by all nations to speed up progress on reducing the global rate of low birth weight. “Despite clear commitments, our estimates indicate that national governments are doing too little to reduce low birth weight,” said study author Dr. Hannah Blencowe, from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine,… read on >
Sudoku, Crosswords Could Make Your Brain Years Younger
Mornings spent figuring out Sudoku or finessing a crossword could spell better health for aging brains, researchers say. In a study of over 19,000 British adults aged 50 and over who were tracked for 25 years, the habit of doing word or number puzzles seemed to help keep minds nimble over time. “We’ve found that the more regularly people engage with puzzles such as crosswords and Sudoku, the sharper their performance is across a range of tasks assessing memory, attention and reasoning,” said research leader Dr. Anne Corbett, of the University of Exeter Medical School. “The improvements are particularly clear in the speed and accuracy of their performance,” she added in a university news release. “In some areas, the improvement was quite dramatic — on measures of problem-solving, people who regularly do these puzzles performed equivalent to an average of eight years younger compared to those who don’t.” Does that translate to protection against Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia? The study “can’t say” at this point, Corbett said, “but this research supports previous findings that indicate regular use of word and number puzzles helps keep our brains working better for longer.” The study was conducted online. Participants were assessed each year, and they were asked how often they did word and number puzzles. They were also given a series of tests measuring attention, reasoning… read on >
Health Tip: Treating a Charley Horse
(HealthDay News) — “Charley horse” is another name for a muscle spasm or cramp of the leg. When a muscle cramps, it contracts involuntarily and does not relax. To treat a charley horse, MedlinePlus suggests: Stop activity. Try stretching and massaging the muscle. Use heat to relax the muscle initially, then ice after. If the muscle is still sore, use anti-inflammatory medicine to ease the pain. After treatment, MedlinePlus recommends speaking with your doctor to help prevent the cramp from coming back.
Glucosamine Joint Pain Supplement Could Help the Heart
(HealthDay News) — Glucosamine has long been used as a supplement to help ease the joint pain of arthritis, but new research suggests its anti-inflammatory properties might also lower heart disease risk. The finding stems from a lifestyle survey involving more than 466,000 British men and women. None had been diagnosed with heart disease when they were first polled between 2006 and 2010. Nearly one in five said they had been taking glucosamine. After an average tracking period of seven years, taking the supplement was associated with a 15% lower risk for heart disease overall. Though a cause-and-effect link was not proven, glucosamine was also tied to a drop of between 9% and 22% for experiencing coronary heart disease, stroke, and/or a heart disease-related death. “Glucosamine is an amino sugar, and a natural compound found in cartilage, which is the tough tissue that cushions joints,” explained study author Dr. Lu Qi. He is director of the Tulane University Obesity Research Center, in New Orleans. “To my knowledge, people take glucosamine mainly through supplements, and therefore, not in significant quantities through diet.” As to his team’s findings, Qi described the association as “moderate, but significant.” “I am a bit surprised but not very much, because previous studies from humans or animals have shown that glucosamine may have protective effects on inflammation, which is a risk factor… read on >
The Handy Tool for Healthy Chips
Want chips that deliver great taste without the typical additives in most packaged varieties? Then a food dehydrator is the kitchen appliance for you. At its core, a food dehydrator is a great way to preserve foods. Because it removes a food’s water content, mold and bacteria can’t grow. Dried fruits and vegetables make great on-the-go snacks that can be prepared days in advance. Two caveats: It is important to realize that dried foods are more calorie-dense than the original, so keep portions small to avoid weight gain. Also, the dehydrating process does remove some of a food’s natural nutrients, typically vitamins A and C, so make these up elsewhere in your diet. When choosing a home model food dehydrator, keep in mind the amount of counterspace you can devote to it if you plan to keep it out. The taller the unit and the more trays it has, the more food you can dry at once. Making vegetable chips with zucchini and carrots in a dehydrator lets you skip unhealthy sugar, salt and saturated fat while still feeding your munch-and-crunch cravings. They also have fewer calories than dried fruits. Zesty Zucchini and Carrot Chips 2 large zucchini, thinly sliced 4 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs of your choice 1 teaspoon… read on >
Thriving in a Multi-Generational Home
If you’re part of a multi-generational home, you’re in good company. The number of Americans living with two or more adult generations of one family rose during the last recession and has grown to an all-time high during the recovery. More than 64 million Americans live in a multi-generational home, according to a census analysis by the Pew Research Center. About half of such households include two generations, while almost 27 million more have three — such as grandparents, parents and grandchildren. That’s a lot of opinions to have under one roof. Here are suggestions to help make such living arrangements emotionally healthy and even rewarding for everyone. First, establish ground rules for all aspects of communal life, from how to handle disagreements to who puts out the trash. Write up and post a list of responsibilities that takes into account each family member’s strengths and abilities. Next, create a spreadsheet for family expenses such as monthly bills and weekly food shopping, and what every person’s contributions are. This should include everything from gas for the car to internet and wireless services if everyone is on a shared family plan (great for saving money). Depending on each person’s financial circumstances, the amounts might not always be divided equally, but there will be fewer money arguments if there’s a family-wide consensus about what’s fair. For harmony,… read on >