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A new research review published in the BMJ has added to the debate over the merits of breakfast. It has long been regarded as “the most important meal of the day” — and probably still is for growing children — but what about adults who are trying to lose weight? The theory has been that eating breakfast headed off rebound eating later in the day and into the night. But the new review found that, for weight loss, eating breakfast tended to slow dieting results and could even lead to consuming more calories later in the day. Delaying the first meal seems to keep the body in the fat-burning mode set in motion once you stop eating the night before. Having a daily 16-hour food gap is what can speed weight loss. Contrast this with the findings of an earlier study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, comparing breakfast eaters to breakfast skippers. All were women between the ages of 18 and 45. That study found both diet and mood differences between the two groups. Though everyone ate the same number of calories, the breakfast eaters scored higher in diet quality, getting more whole grains, fruits and key nutrients like folate, calcium and potassium. The breakfast skippers ate more saturated fat and sugar, especially at night, and these empty calories… read on >

(HealthDay News) — A runny nose usually starts when your child’s cold is on the mend, says the American Academy of Family Physicians. Mucus from a runny nose helps wash the cold virus out of the nose and sinuses. After a few days, the mucus may change to a white or yellow color, then to green. A runny nose usually does not need to be treated. However, a cool mist vaporizer or over-the-counter decongestant medicine may help. The AAFP suggests checking with your child’s doctor to see which medicines are okay.

A common type of skin bacteria may put young children with severe eczema at increased risk for food allergies, British researchers report. This type of bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus, is found in the nose and skin of healthy people, but it’s more common in people with the skin condition eczema, especially those with severe cases. This study found that young children with severe eczema who are infected with staph make more of an antibody called IgE against peanut, egg and milk. That indicates they are allergic to each of those foods. These children were also more likely to have an egg allergy at 5 or 6 years of age than children without staph, according to the team from King’s College London. The finding is “significant as most children with egg allergy usually outgrow this at an earlier age,” said lead author Dr. Olympia Tsilochristou, a clinical research fellow and allergy specialist. “We do not know yet the exact mechanisms that lead from eczema to food allergy; however, our results suggest that the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus could be an important factor contributing to this outcome,” Tsilochristou added in a college news release. The study did not prove cause and effect and only found an association. The findings add to those from a previous study, of infants at high risk for peanut allergy. In that study, children fed… read on >

When a heart attack occurs, delaying treatment by even a few minutes could be deadly. But many people wait hours after symptoms set in to get care — either because they feel mentally “frozen” and unable to act, or because they’re slow to recognize the seriousness of the situation, a new survey reveals. The finding stems from a look at how 300 Swedish patients reacted while having a heart attack. “The patients who waited more than 12 hours seeking medical care when having symptoms perceived an inability to act,” said study lead author Carolin Nymark. These patients often described feeling as if they had “lost control over themselves.” Others said they felt unable to take any action because they didn’t know how to react or what to do. Nymark works in the department of neurobiology at Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm. She and her colleagues reported their findings online May 27 in the European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing. The researchers said that heart attack symptoms can show up as several forms of moderate-to-severe discomfort, including chest pain, or pain affecting the throat, neck, back, stomach and/or shoulders for 15 minutes or more. Nausea, cold sweat, weakness and shortness of breath may also set in, along with a sense of foreboding, fear or powerlessness. “Another red flag is feeling you have no power to act on… read on >

Heart failure is a common ailment afflicting older Americans, and many take drugs called diuretics to rid the body of excess fluid buildup that can impede breathing. Now, a team of Brazilian researchers say that, in some cases, it’s safe for patients with stable heart failure to stop taking diuretic drugs. “Patients don’t like using diuretics because they feel they have to stay at home to use the bathroom and they get cramps,” noted study principal investigator Dr. Luis Rohde, of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul in Porto Alegre, Brazil. “Patients would welcome being able to stop this medication,” he said, and the new study suggests it can often be done safely. One U.S. expert who reviewed the new findings stressed that diuretics are key to heart failure care. “Congestive heart failure is one of the most common chronic ailments in the United States, characterized primarily by volume (fluid) overload,” explained Dr. Mohammed Imam. In heart failure, a damaged or weakened heart fails to pump blood as efficiently as it should. “The mainstay of treatment for decades have been diuretics,” said Imam, who directs cardiothoracic surgery at The Heart Institute at Staten Island University Hospital in New York City. Diuretics help patients with heart failure reduce excess fluids that can cause shortness of breath, swollen legs, coughing and weight gain. However, the… read on >

From cappuccinos to cold brew, coffee is a morning must for many Americans, but is it healthy and how much is too much? A University of South Australia study suggests a couple of cups to start your day probably won’t hurt — and may even be good for you. But drinking six or more cups of coffee a day can increase your risk of heart disease by up to 22%, the researchers found. About one in four deaths in the United States is due to heart disease, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. That’s why Elina Hypponen and Ang Zhou of the Australian Center for Precision Health in Adelaide set out to discover the point when too much caffeine causes high blood pressure, a key heart disease risk factor. The tipping point: Six 8-ounce cups — each containing 75 milligrams (mg) of caffeine. “Knowing the limits of what’s good for you and what’s not is imperative,” Hypponen said in a university news release. “Overindulge and your health will pay for it,” she added. For the study, the researchers used a U.K. database of more than 300,000 adults, aged 37 to 73, to explore how the caffeine-metabolizing gene (CYP1A2) affected people’s ability to process caffeine and their risk for heart disease. The investigators… read on >

Want to be part of the movement to limit food waste of all kinds? One tasty way is to get the most from all your citrus fruits by using the zest, the brightly colored top layer of peel. Tangy citrus zest is a natural antioxidant. It’s also a “free” food, because it has practically zero calories, yet is full of flavor thanks to the natural oils that give grapefruit, oranges, lemons and others their strong scents. Unlike the underlying white pith, the zest is not bitter. The best way to zest? Pick up an inexpensive super-slim microplane. The tiny grater holes create a fine zest when you run the fruit along its length. They stay sharp, plus the tool is dishwasher safe (though a quick rinse might be all it needs after use). Choose organic citrus to avoid ingesting any pesticides that can linger on the peel. Wash the whole fruit under cold running water, then carefully shave off the fragrant skin, stopping short of the pith. Mix zest with olive oil and minced garlic for a savory, fresh-tasting marinade for chicken. Make flavored cooking oil by stirring citrus zest into a beaker of extra-virgin olive oil. Use zest to enhance baked goods — cut the sugar in traditional recipes by half, then add a teaspoon of zest to add unique flavor. Zest is also… read on >

Vaping is gaining a foothold in an unlikely population: New research shows a growing number of cancer patients are using electronic cigarettes. “The gradual but steady increase is quite striking,” said study author Dr. Nina Sanford, an assistant professor of radiation oncology at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. “The high prevalence of e-cigarette use among younger cancer patients and survivors is concerning.” E-cigarette use by cancer patients rose from 8.5% in 2014 to nearly 11% in 2017, according to the analysis of federal government data on more than 13,000 patients. Among patients younger than 50, the rate of use rose from 23% in 2014 to 27% in 2017. Use of conventional cigarettes by cancer patients remained stable between 2014 and 2017, according to Sanford. There is little known about e-cigarette use among cancer patients, she added. “Because e-cigarettes are relatively new, we don’t have the long-term data on their side effects yet,” Sanford said in a medical center news release. It’s known that conventional cigarettes can impair healing from surgery and radiation therapy, so it’s possible that e-cigarettes may cause similar problems, she noted. Sanford said patients often ask about e-cigarettes, and she advises them to avoid all kinds of smoking or vaping. “I don’t encourage it, but I also am honest that the jury is still out on what the long-term effects of… read on >

Brittle bones are often seen as a woman’s health issue, but low bone mass may be more common among middle-aged men than generally thought, a small study suggests. The research, of 173 adults aged 35 to 50, found that men and women were equally likely to have low bone mass in the hip. It was found in 28% of men and 26% of women. Those study participants, the researchers said, had osteopenia, or lower-than-normal bone density. In some cases, it progresses to osteoporosis — the brittle-bone disease that makes people vulnerable to fractures. The fact that osteopenia was just as common in men came as a surprise, said researcher Allison Ford, a professor of health and exercise science at the University of Mississippi. Full-blown osteoporosis is clearly more common in women. About one-quarter of U.S. women aged 65 and up have the condition in the hip or lower spine, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That compares with about 5% of men the same age. But, Ford said, the new findings suggest low bone density might be more common in middle-aged men than appreciated. “Low bone mineral density and osteoporosis affect men,” she said. “They should not be overlooked.” Ford suggested men take steps to help ensure their bones stay healthy — including eating a well-balanced diet with enough calcium, getting… read on >

If you’ve ever wondered why emotional distress causes stomach cramps or a mad dash to the bathroom, know that there’s a direct line of communication that runs from your brain to your digestive tract. It’s called the enteric nervous system, and it can have a powerful effect. For instance, when you feel nervous or threatened, digestion can slow or stop so that your body can focus on functions with higher priority — and that might result in cramps or diarrhea. This is a hallmark of the condition called irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS. The brain-gut connection works in both directions. For example, having a digestive condition can make you anxious or cause emotional distress. Plus, that anxiety can then worsen your digestive symptoms. Researchers recently found a connection between depression and the absence of certain good gut bacteria — they can’t yet say which comes first, but it’s clear that there’s some type of relationship. If your gut reacts negatively to emotions and it’s affecting your life, talk to your doctor. Find out if you have a digestive issue that’s causing physical as well as emotional stress, such as IBS, and take steps to treat it. These may involve changes to your diet and other lifestyle habits. Know that the answer doesn’t always have to include drug therapy. To master anxiety regardless of its source,… read on >

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All Sauce from Weekly Gravy:

What’s the Deal With Breakfast?

Health Tip: Your Child’s Runny Nose

Why Some Kids With Eczema Are at Higher Allergy Risk

Many Feel ‘Frozen’ When Heart Attack Strikes

Many Heart Failure Patients Might Safely Reduce Use of Diuretics

How Much Coffee Is Too Much?

Getting Zesty With Citrus Fruits

Cancer Patients Vaping in Growing Numbers

Many Middle-Aged Men May Have Signs of Thinning Bones

Could You Have a Sensitive Gut?