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Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer vacation — a season of potato salad, ice cream and, if you’re not careful, unwanted weight gain. But it is possible to avoid packing on the pounds. Just hop on the scale every day, researchers suggest. The new study included 111 U.S. adults, who weighed themselves every day from mid-November 2017 to early January 2018 and received feedback on their weight changes. The participants either maintained or lost weight during that end-of-year holiday season. A “control group” of adults who did not do daily self-weighing gained weight, according to the study published in the June issue of the journal Obesity. Other than being told to try to maintain their weight, the self-weighers received no instructions on how to achieve that goal. That meant they had to decide for themselves how to manage their weight. “Maybe they exercise a little bit more the next day (after seeing a weight increase) or they watch what they are eating more carefully,” study author Jamie Cooper said in a journal news release. “The subjects self-select how they are going to modify their behavior, which can be effective because we know that interventions are not one-size-fits-all.” Cooper is an associate professor of foods and nutrition at the University of Georgia, in Athens. The study findings support something known as discrepancy theories of… read on >

Sunscreen is a real key to protecting your skin from the sun and preventing skin cancer, but are you using it correctly? Santa Monica-based dermatologist Dr. Tanya Kormeili thinks not. A recent American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) found “only about a third of Americans are reapplying their sunscreen every two hours while outside. Since sunscreen wears off, incorrect usage leaves you unprotected and susceptible to skin cancer,” Kormeili said in an AAD news release. She outlined other common sunscreen mistakes and how to avoid them. First, read the sunscreen labels. You should choose sunscreens that are broad-spectrum, water-resistant and have an SPF of 30 or higher. Second, most people apply only one-quarter to one-half of the recommended amount of sunscreen. To fully cover their body, most adults need about 1 ounce of sunscreen, or enough to fill a shot glass. Apply enough sunscreen to cover all skin that isn’t covered by clothing. Apply it 15 minutes before going outdoors, and reapply every two hours while outdoors or after swimming or sweating. Third, only 20% of Americans apply sunscreen on cloudy days, but the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays go through clouds. Apply sunscreen every time you go outside, even under clouds. Another mistake is using old sunscreen. Sunscreens are required to retain their original strength for at least three years. Throw out your sunscreen if… read on >

Water polo players appear to face similar head injury risks as athletes in better-known sports, a new study FINDS. “For years, water polo’s head trauma risks have been downplayed or overshadowed by football-related brain injuries,” said study co-author James Hicks. “Our data quantifies the extent of the problem and sets the stage for additional research and possible rule changes or protective gear to improve water polo safety,” Hicks added. He is chairman of the department of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of California, Irvine. “People who’ve never seen a game may not realize how physical it is,” Hicks said in a university news release. “Head-butts and elbows. Balls flying up to 50 miles per hour.” And while no concussions were diagnosed among players in the study, the force of the head blows was “similar to those observed in collegiate soccer, another sport that is commonly studied for the risks associated with repeated head impact exposure,” he added. For the study, Hicks and his colleagues tracked several dozen players in Division 1 NCAA Men’s Water Polo over three seasons. The players wore caps embedded with electronic sensors. Overall, the researchers counted an average of 18 head hits per game. Offensive players were far more likely to get hit in the head than players in defensive and transition positions (60%, 23% and 17%, respectively), the… read on >

Do you worry a lot? Besides the anxiety it’s causing you emotionally, it can threaten your health. Whether you worry over actual problems or the fear of future ones, it interferes with sleep and quality of life. And, according to research done at Case Western Reserve University, it can be so intrusive that it harms your important relationships, too. Here’s what you can do to ease your worries and protect your mental and physical health. Take action for true concerns. For instance, if you’re worried about money for retirement, learn more about investments. Work with a certified financial planner to help you meet goals. If you’re nervous about a health condition or an upcoming medical test, bone up on the procedure, experts at the University of California, Berkeley, suggest. Don’t be afraid to ask your medical providers questions so you understand what you’ve read and how it applies to you. On the other hand, if you find that you look for things to worry about and can’t seem to shake the bad habit, try to lose yourself in exercise. Physical activity boosts mood and improves health — that’s one less worry right there. You might also investigate mindfulness, a technique that teaches you to live in the moment and not worry about “what ifs.” There are self-help approaches to try on your own, or you… read on >

Arthritis in the knees can strike people as young as 45, with symptoms severe enough to limit activities and harm quality of life. What can be done about it? First, know that inactivity isn’t the answer. You need to move, so try low-impact exercises like walking and swimming. Researchers are also looking at possible benefits from interval training rather than continuous workouts. If you’re overweight, research has shown that diet, along with exercise, can reduce pain and improve function. Studies on the popular supplement glucosamine have yielded conflicting results over the years, but one explanation for the mixed findings has to do with the different formulas that were used. Success in Europe and other parts of the world was found with a daily 1,500-milligram dose of patented crystalline glucosamine, according to the International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases. Acupuncture helps some people find relief, as does daily do-it-yourself acupressure — using just your fingertips on the painful areas. More invasive procedures, like injections of corticosteroids or hyaluronic acid, have limited benefits and possible side effects. And knee surgery, often suggested to “wash out” debris inside the joint, does not seem to result in significant pain relief, better function or greater benefits than conservative strategies like exercise therapy. One helpful suggestion came from an analysis of studies involving exercise among people with knee and other joint pain… read on >

The popular weed killer Roundup might be linked to liver disease, a new study suggests. A group of patients suffering from liver disease had elevated urine levels of glyphosate, the primary weed-killing ingredient in Roundup, according to researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). “We found those patients who had more severe disease had higher levels of [glyphosate] excretion, which means they had higher levels of exposure, presumably through their diet,” said lead researcher Paul Mills. He is director of UCSD’s Center of Excellence for Research and Training in Integrative Health. Until now, debate regarding the health effects of glyphosate has largely centered on fears that the chemical causes cancer. Earlier this month, a California jury awarded $2 million to a couple who said long-term exposure to Roundup caused them to develop the same type of cancer — non-Hodgkin lymphoma — four years apart. That happened days after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a draft conclusion that glyphosate poses “no risks to public health” and “is not likely to be carcinogenic for humans.” Dr. Kenneth Spaeth is chief of occupational and environmental medicine at Northwell Health in Great Neck, N.Y. He said that the UCSD study findings regarding liver disease raise “a whole other area of potential reason to have concern about this product and its widespread use globally.” Glyphosate is… read on >

It’s a simple concept, but new research reinforces the idea: Teens with type 1 diabetes benefit when they feel their concerns have been heard. Teens with type 1 diabetes may experience anger, frustration and anxiety if they haven’t met their treatment goals. Their parents and health care providers may also feel frustrated and may blame the teen. But the new study suggests that interventions designed to improve diabetes-related care and communication could improve a teen’s diabetes self-management. “The biggest thing people don’t understand about living with type 1 diabetes is that patients become physicians essentially, and doctors and staff become consultants,” said the study’s lead author, Dr. Harold Starkman. He’s the director of pediatric endocrinology at the BD Diabetes Center at Atlantic Health System’s Goryeb Children’s Hospital in Morristown, N.J. “Families and teens who have type 1 diabetes have the responsibility of caring for diabetes all the time. They have to figure out how much insulin they need, what to eat, count the carbohydrates in the food, consider the impact of diabetes,” he explained. Most teens are trying to do the best they can, but it’s a lot of responsibility, he said. And, it’s frustrating to ask for help when you’re a teenager. “Normally, teens need to separate from their parents and move on, but for teens with type 1 diabetes, diabetes is a tether,”… read on >

Your unhealthy eating habits could increase your risk of cancer as much as drinking alcohol can, new research reports. The Tufts University study found that poor diets cause about the same number of cancer cases as alcohol consumption does in the United States. The researchers said their modeling study estimated that dietary factors may have accounted for over 80,000 of the new invasive cancer cases reported in 2015, or about 5% of that year’s total among U.S. adults. Alcohol was associated with 4% to 6% of cases, overweight and obesity with 7% to 8% of cases, and physical inactivity with 2% to 3%, the study authors noted. The study also found that poor diet was linked with 38% of colorectal cancer cases, and with nearly 26% of mouth, pharynx and larynx cancers reported in 2015 in the United States. In actual numbers, in 2015, poor diet was associated with over 52,200 colorectal cancer cases; over 14,400 mouth, pharynx and larynx cancers; nearly 3,200 uterine cancers; just over 3,000 cases of breast cancer in postmenopausal women; 2,000 kidney cancers; nearly 1,600 stomach cancers; and 1,000 liver cancers. The investigators also looked at specific eating habits linked with cancer risk. Low intake of whole grains was associated with the largest number and proportion of diet-related cancer cases, followed by low levels of dairy products, eating lots of… read on >

What and when you eat certain foods can boost how you feel at different times during the day. When it comes to meal planning, timing is everything. Important for anyone trying to lose weight, research shows that having a high-protein breakfast — that means 35 grams’ worth — can keep your appetite in check for the entire day. It may even help you avoid evening snacking. Options with that amount of protein include a very generous cup-and-a-half of Greek yogurt; an omelet prepared with one egg and three egg whites and filled with ricotta or cottage cheese; or a less conventional breakfast of four ounces of chicken breast or six ounces of canned salmon. A lot has been written about what to eat before and after workouts. Choosing the right foods at the appropriate times can boost your stamina and quicken recovery time. Current thinking is to have a small meal with carbs and protein one to three hours before you exercise, and then a snack 15 to 20 minutes afterward to replenish energy stores and help muscles grow. Pre-Exercise Fuel Choices Peanut butter and banana or PBJ sandwich Fruit slices with nut butter Greek yogurt or oatmeal and berries Handful of raisins and nuts Post-Exercise Fuel Choices Whole-grain wrap with turkey Low-fat chocolate milk Low-fat milk and fruit smoothie One study found that having… read on >

If you love quick breads but crave a healthier treat, this lighter take on Grandma’s traditional recipe serves up a lemony lift. And because it calls for whole grains, dried fruit and nuts, it’s packed with goodness. Quick breads are great because they’re fast to put together, no kneading necessary. The lemon in this recipe not only flavors the bread, but also tenderizes the whole-grain flours. Using a mix of whole-grain flours — whole wheat and oat — gives a broader range of nutrients. Lemony Quick Bread Non-stick cooking spray 3/4 cup oat flour 3/4 cup whole-wheat flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup coconut oil 1/2 cup honey 2 eggs 1 lemon, zested and juiced 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts or pecans 1/2 cup raisins or dried cherries Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 1-pound loaf pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, stir the flours, baking soda and salt. In another large bowl, combine the oil and the honey, then stir in the egg, lemon zest and juice, and vanilla. Add in the flour mixture in two batches, mixing just until incorporated. Don’t overmix — there will be some dry spots. Add the nuts and dried fruit. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and transfer the batter to the loaf pan. Smooth the top… read on >

Weekly Gravy

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All Sauce from Weekly Gravy:

How to Prevent Sneaky Summer Weight Gain

Does Your Sunscreen Work for You?

Water Polo Study Highlights Head Injury Risk

Worry Less for Better Health

Got Knee Pain? What You Need to Know About Alternatives to Surgery

Roundup Linked to Human Liver Damage: Study

Open Communication Helps Teens Manage Type 1 Diabetes

Poor Diet Might Raise Your Cancer Risk

Eating to Reach Health Goals

Try This Whole-Grain Lemony Quick Bread