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With childhood obesity rates high, many studies have investigated lifestyle factors that can make a difference — which ones increase the risk and which ones reduce it. Beyond diet, a lack of sleep has been linked to weight gain both in adults and children, so it’s important that kids get enough shuteye, even with their — and your — busy schedules. Since a child’s wake-up time is usually determined by when school or day care starts and can’t be easily altered, an earlier bedtime is needed to ensure kids get the sleep they need, according to research published in The Journal of Pediatrics. After following nearly 1,000 kids from birth to age 15, researchers found that attention to sleep needs to start in the preschool years. For instance, 4-year-olds who went to sleep before 8 p.m. cut their obesity risk in half compared to those who went to sleep after 9 p.m. This simple lifestyle modification can make a lifelong health difference. Understandably, this is easier said than done when one or both parents work late, which can delay dinner and evening activities. So parents might need to make compromises or adjustments at least on weeknights when there’s less opportunity for family time. Given the link between sleep and a healthy weight, plus its many other benefits for kids’ well-being, setting that 8 p.m. bedtime… read on >

For all of those men who view a mustache as a largely ornamental addition to their masculine appearance, a new study reveals it can also guard against lip cancer. “Mustaches seem to protect the lip the same way that hair protects the scalp,” explained study author Dr. Daniel Aires. He is director of dermatology with the University of Kansas Health System. “While this makes intuitive sense, it had not been tested before.” To do just that, Aires and his team examined 200 male patients who had already been diagnosed with a precancerous condition known as actinic keratosis on the head or face. “Actinic keratosis is a scaly spot on the skin that can develop into a dangerous cancer called squamous cell carcinoma,” Aires explained. “Since lip skin is so thin, lip actinic keratoses can invade and become deadly faster than actinic keratoses elsewhere on the skin.” Roughly 3 million Americans are diagnosed with actinic keratosis each year, he noted, accounting for one of every seven dermatology visits. But, “likely many more go undiagnosed and untreated, since studies estimate that more than 10% of adults have actinic keratosis,” he added. Nearly 60 of the men in the study had a long history of sporting substantial “sheltering” mustaches, meaning mustaches that are at least 9 millimeters thick (about a third of an inch). In the end, Aires… read on >

Cannabidiol (CBD) has been receiving a lot of attention lately as a potential treatment for everything from epilepsy to anxiety. Now, researchers report it might also help curb the cravings that come with opioid addiction. Like marijuana, CBD comes from the cannabis plant. Unlike pot, it does not produce a high. The study included 42 men and women with a history of heroin abuse who were not current users. Heroin is an illegal opioid. Other opioids include powerful prescription painkillers such as oxycodone (OxyContin). For the study, participants received either an oral CBD solution or an inactive placebo and then were shown videos that contained neutral and drug-related cues. Neutral cues included relaxing scenarios such as scenes of nature, while drug-related cues included scenes of IV drug use and heroin-related items such as syringes, rubber ties and packets of powder. The researchers found that, compared to a placebo, CBD reduced drug cue-induced craving and anxiety in the participants. “Our findings indicate that CBD holds significant promise for treating individuals with heroin use disorder,” said first author Yasmin Hurd. She is director of the Addiction Institute at Mount Sinai in New York City. “A successful non-opioid medication would add significantly to the existing addiction medication toolbox to help reduce the growing death toll, enormous health care costs, and treatment limitations imposed by stringent government regulations amid… read on >

The guidelines to eat more vegetables are clear, and eating 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. But whether you’re at the farmers’ market or choosing a side dish at a restaurant, are some vegetables better than others? A research study set out to rank the best “powerhouse” vegetables (and fruits) — those most strongly associated with reducing the risk for chronic diseases. Forty-seven vegetables were ranked based on percentages of 17 known nutrients in a 100-calorie serving. Nutrients included vitamins A, C, D, E, K and many of the B vitamins, along with the minerals calcium, potassium, iron and zinc, plus fiber and even protein. The Top 5 Vegetables Watercress Chinese cabbage Chard Beet greens Spinach You might be surprised to read that watercress, often used as a mere garnish, ranked No. 1. Think of this pleasantly peppery green as the perfect base for your salads or a great “bed” on which to serve a protein, like a broiled chicken breast. The cruciferous veggie Chinese cabbage (you might know it as Napa cabbage) took the second spot. It makes a great coleslaw or health salad and can also be made into fermented, probiotic-rich kimchi. The leafy greens chard, beet greens and spinach round out the top five, but there’s… read on >

There’s a lot you can learn from your elders, starting with the results of a multi-year study of exercise and brain health in seniors. Researchers from Columbia University and the University of Miami compared results of two sets of brain scans and tests measuring memory and thinking skills in 876 seniors. The tests were done five years apart. The investigators found a greater mental decline for those who reported low-activity exercises, such as light walking and yoga, compared to those with high-activity levels and exercises like running and cardio workouts. The difference was equal to 10 years of brain aging, and that was after taking into account other factors that can influence brain health, such as excess weight, high blood pressure, smoking and drinking, according to the findings published in the journal Neurology. Researchers are also learning about the brain benefits of cardio exercise from lab studies — those done on animals. One study found that sustained aerobic activity — such as daily jogging for several miles at a moderate pace — can encourage the growth of new brain cells, even later in life. Research into which specific cardio activities are best for each of the sexes is ongoing, so there’s still more to learn. In the future, the goal is to learn more about how to individualize exercise for brain health. This isn’t to… read on >

(HealthDay News) –Bed bugs hitchhike from place to place by traveling on furniture, bedding, luggage and more. The small nuisances live on the blood of animals or humans and can be quite resilient, says the Environmental Protection Agency. To help prevent bed bugs in your home, the EPA suggests: Check secondhand furniture for bed bugs before bringing it home. Use protective covers to encase mattresses and box springs. Reduce clutter in your home to reduce hiding places. Be vigilant when using shared laundry facilities. Vacuum frequently.

(HealthDay News) — Many American kids don’t don helmets when biking, skateboarding and riding scooters, a troubling new poll finds. Among more than 1,300 parents surveyed, 18% said their kids never wear helmets while biking, 58% said their kids don’t wear helmets while skateboarding, and 61% said their children don’t wear helmets when riding scooters, according to the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health at the University of Michigan. “Helmets are vital to preventing head injuries in case a child falls or is struck by a car,” said University of Michigan pediatrician Dr. Gary Freed. “It is very concerning that so many children ride bikes and other non-motorized wheeled vehicles without ever using helmets.” In 2015 alone, more than 426,000 children went to an emergency room with injuries from these activities. The researchers found that 93% of parents said their children give cars the right of way and 82% said their children stop at stop signs. But most said their child doesn’t use hand signals or walk their bike across crosswalks. “Our report suggests that families should take more precautions to ensure children are safe, including wearing helmets and understanding safety in the streets,” Freed said in a university news release. Most parents said their child rode their bikes on sidewalks (73%) or in parks or on trails (59%). But 42% said… read on >

Just a few extra pounds during adolescence may translate into higher odds for heart disease in adulthood, a new study of young men suggests. It included about 1.7 million Swedish men who began military service at ages 18 or 19 between 1969 and 2005. They were followed for up to 46 years. During the follow-up, nearly 4,500 were diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, an uncommon heart muscle condition that can lead to heart failure. Average age at diagnosis was 45.5 years. Men who were lean as teens (body mass index, or BMI, below 20) had a low risk of cardiomyopathy. But risk steadily rose with increased weight, even among men who were on the high end of normal BMI (22.5 to 25) as teens. BMI is an estimate of body fat based on weight and height. A BMI of 30 or more is considered obese: For example, a 5-foot-10-inch man who weighs 209 pounds has a BMI of 30. There are several types of cardiomyopathy. In dilated cardiomyopathy, the heart muscle becomes weak and can’t pump blood efficiently. In hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, it becomes stiff and the heart can’t fill with blood properly. Men who had a BMI of 35 and over in their teens (someone 5-foot-10 who weighs 245 or more) were eight times more likely to develop dilated cardiomyopathy than those who were lean in their… read on >

Parents often fret when their teen drivers get behind the wheel, but parents of teens with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may now have added worries. A new study found that teens with ADHD are significantly more likely to get into a car crash than their peers. During the first month a teen with ADHD is driving, the risk of an auto accident is 62% higher than for other teens. And over four years, the risk of an alcohol-related crash is roughly two times higher for drivers with ADHD. Teens with ADHD are also more likely to get traffic tickets and engage in risky behaviors, such as not wearing a seatbelt, using electronics behind the wheel and driving too fast, the new research found. “Teen drivers with ADHD are at an elevated risk for motor vehicle crashes, and the risk is particularly elevated in the first month of licensure, regardless of when they got licensed. Parents shouldn’t assume that delaying licensure will lower their teen’s risk,” said study author Allison Curry. She’s a senior scientist at the Center for Injury Research and Prevention at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. ADHD is common in childhood and usually persists into adolescence, the study authors said. Symptoms include hyperactive behavior, inattention and impulsivity. Many of the skills needed for driving are impaired in teens with ADHD. The study included nearly 15,000… read on >

Whether you have a dedicated space in an outdoor garden or just a few buckets on a small patio, there’s nothing quite like having your own herb garden for giving your cooking fresh flavor boosts. But what if you live in an apartment or in a cold climate that can’t sustain outdoor herbs in the winter? The answer is to create an indoor herb garden, even if it’s a small selection grown on a windowsill. Here’s how to get started. First, decide on your herbs. Pick the ones you’ll use most often, and buy from a reputable nursery or garden center. Because growing from seeds can be hit or miss, use started plants. Check growing instructions on the label or insert that comes with each plant to see how much water it needs. This will help you group your herbs appropriately. Rosemary, for one, likes drier conditions, so it won’t mix well in the same planter with basil, which likes more water and fertilizer. Now, select your planters. Window boxes should be about double the size of the containers the herbs came in. A hanging window box is great for a tight space. Whatever the style, make sure there’s a drainage hole in the bottom and a pan to catch any excess water. Replant. To repot your herbs, fill your planters halfway with potting soil.… read on >

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All Sauce from Weekly Gravy:

Earlier Bedtimes Help Kids Fight Obesity

Mustaches Are More Than Just Manly, They Guard Against Sun’s Rays

Could CBD Treat Opioid Addiction?

The Top 5 Veggies to Add to Your Diet

The Best Exercises for Brain Health

Health Tip: Bed Bug Protection

1 in 5 Kids Don’t Strap on Helmets Before Biking

Heavy Teen Boys May Face Higher Heart Disease Risk as Adults

Crash Risk Much Higher for Teen Drivers With ADHD

Essentials for Growing Tasty Herbs on Your Windowsill