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In states where marijuana is legal, teens smoking pot and then getting behind the wheel of a car is common, a new study finds. “There’s a general public zeitgeist that marijuana is a pretty safe drug,” said study co-author Darin Erickson, an associate professor at the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health. “In actuality, there hasn’t been a lot of research regarding how marijuana is used, its safety or its harms,” he added in a university news release. For the study, Erickson and his team surveyed 50 local enforcement agencies in Colorado and Washington state in 2016 and 2017 to find out if underage marijuana use (under 21) and marijuana-impaired driving are problems in their cities. In addition, the researchers asked about the types of enforcement used to tackle those problems, and the resources available to do so. All of the agencies said that underage use is somewhat or very common, and most said that marijuana-impaired driving is somewhat or very common. Thirty percent said they conducted enforcement targeting underage use or possession or marijuana, and 20 percent said they conducted underage compliance checks at licensed stores, with a higher rate in Colorado (32 percent) than Washington (8 percent), the findings showed. One local enforcement agency in each state specifically targeted marijuana-impaired driving, according to the study published recently in the International Journal of… read on >

Forget the mellow slacker image — pot smoking might actually make men more potent. Men who’ve smoked marijuana appear to have significantly higher sperm concentrations than those who’ve never given it a try, a new study reports. There’s also a potential link between pot use and testosterone, said senior researcher Dr. Jorge Chavarro. He’s an associate professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston. “With increasing use of marijuana, there was a positive association with serum testosterone levels,” Chavarro said. “More marijuana, higher testosterone levels.” Couples shouldn’t start smoking pot to improve their chances of conception, however. This was an observational study, and it’s entirely possible that the link between pot and male fertility might run in the opposite direction, Chavarro said. “We know that men with higher testosterone levels tend to engage in risk-tasking behaviors. The higher your testosterone, the more likely you are to do risky stuff,” like frequent pot smoking, Chavarro said. Chavarro and his team set out to study the possible effects of pot smoking on male reproduction by observing 662 men enrolled at the Massachusetts General Hospital Fertility Center in Boston between 2000 and 2017. Semen samples were taken from all of the men, and 317 provided blood samples that were analyzed for reproductive hormones. The men also filled out a questionnaire… read on >

(HealthDay News) — When a person in his or her teens is depressed, there may be different warning signs than those shown by people older or younger, the American Academy of Family Physicians says. Here is the academy’s list of depression symptoms that typically affect teens: Trouble focusing, or showing signs of anxiousness. Anger, and frequent loss of temper. Changes in appetite. Not wanting to go to school or participate in social activities. Complaints of feeling sick. Showing less confidence, or feeling that they can’t do anything correctly.

Every five years, the U.S. government updates its dietary guidelines based in part on new research, but always with the goal of disease prevention. The 2015-2020 guidelines stress the need to shift to healthier foods and beverages. Although research links vegetables and fruits to a lower risk of many chronic illnesses and suggests they may protect against some cancers, roughly 3 out of 4 Americans still don’t get enough. While more than half of Americans eat the recommended amounts (or more) of grains and protein, not enough are making healthier choices like whole rather than refined grains, a step that may reduce heart disease risk and help with weight control. What to Eat: A variety of vegetables: dark green, red and orange, legumes and some starchy ones. Fruits, especially eaten whole. Grains, with at least half whole grains. No-fat or low-fat dairy, including milk, yogurt, cheese and/or fortified soy beverages. A variety of protein, including seafood, lean meats and poultry, eggs, nuts, seeds and soy products. Plant-based oils. Most people eat too many added sugars, saturated fats and salt, and need to cut back. The prior guideline to limit cholesterol to 300 milligrams a day has been left out, because dietary cholesterol, found in animal-based foods, is no longer seen as affecting blood cholesterol. But foods that are higher in cholesterol, like fatty meat and… read on >

“140/90” had long been the line in the sand for getting high blood pressure under control. But in 2017, leading medical organizations lowered the definitions of normal, elevated and high blood pressure with the idea that starting treatment at lower “high” levels can better reduce heart attacks and strokes. This dramatically added to the number of people diagnosed with high blood pressure and redefined goals for those with the condition. Blood Pressure by the Numbers: Normal: Less than 120/80 mm Hg on both numbers. (The top number is the systolic pressure, which measures pressure when your heart beats; the bottom number is the diastolic pressure, which is when your heart is at rest, between beats.) Elevated: A systolic reading of 120-129 and a diastolic reading of less than 80 mm Hg. High blood pressure stage 1: A systolic reading of 130-139 or a diastolic reading of 80-89 mm Hg. High blood pressure stage 2: A systolic reading of 140 or higher, or a diastolic reading of 90 or higher mm Hg. Crisis level needing immediate attention: A systolic reading above 180 and/or a diastolic reading above 120 mm Hg. As part of the new guidelines, the target measurement for high blood pressure patients with existing heart disease was trimmed to less than 130/80 mm Hg. That guideline also applies to people with a 10 percent… read on >

Bouncing around at a trampoline park can be great fun, but a new study warns it can also be an invitation to sprains, strains and broken bones. Nationwide, more than 100,000 emergency room visits were related to trampoline injuries in 2014, according to the latest data from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Injuries that occur at a jump park are typically more severe than those that happen on a home trampoline. “Emergency room visits, hospitalizations and surgical interventions are not uncommon in children and adults due to jump park-related injuries,” said lead researcher Dr. Ryan Voskuil, an orthopedic surgeon at the University of Tennessee Health Center in Chattanooga. Several factors contribute to the danger, Voskuil said. Jump park trampolines have a stronger bounce than home ones, he noted, and parks place obstacles around the trampolines to make the experience more exciting. Trampolines at parks also are interconnected and can have different slopes. Finally, many people jumping at the same time increases the chance of collisions. “Similar to a skateboard park or bicycle park, these parks incorporate games, obstacles and various geometric configurations,” Voskuil said. “It’s just like any sport you participate in, except I think, it’s substantially more dangerous.” For the study, his team looked at 439 trampoline injuries reported over two years. While more injuries occurred on home trampolines (66 percent), more than… read on >

Research consistently tells you just how important exercise is for health. It can help head off heart disease, stroke, diabetes and many types of cancer, including breast and colon cancers. A report published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that another important prevention factor for an even wider group of cancers is having a body mass index (BMI) below 25. BMI is a measure of body fat that takes into account a person’s height and weight. A low BMI means you have less fat on your body. The report also showed that health risks can be up to 50 percent higher if you’re overweight (with a BMI between 25 and 29.9) — and up to 80 percent higher if you’re obese (with a BMI of 30 and over). Indeed, a high BMI may be to blame for nearly 4 percent of all cancer cases, according to another study, published in The Lancet Oncology. There’s no doubt that diet and exercise work together to lower BMI. Besides cutting calories, to lose weight you need at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity most days of the week, and 60 to 90 minutes a day to maintain a loss. But don’t stop there. Other research has found that the more exercise you do, the more you can reduce your risk for many diseases. Indeed, people… read on >

For nutrient-dense foods that are low in calories, it’s hard to beat berries. But it’s also hard to pay what they cost out of season. Frozen berries are a healthy freezer staple that taste as good as fresh, and are a lot more budget-friendly. Raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and cranberries (they’re not just for cranberry sauce) are all superfoods — low in calories and high in fiber, vitamins and powerful antioxidants, which give them their brilliant colors. Berries defrost in minutes and make a great topping for yogurt and oatmeal, and the perfect base for smoothies (toss them into the blender without defrosting). They’re also excellent for making sweet treats, like these fast raspberry chocolate fudge pops, a lower-sugar version of the frosty indulgence. If you don’t have a set of ice-pop molds, almost any shape of silicone mold with a half-cup capacity will work. Or simply use small paper cups. Raspberry Fudge Pops 2 cups water 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup Stevia or other sugar-free sweetener 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup frozen raspberries, divided 1 tablespoon slivered almonds, optional In a large saucepan, combine water, cocoa powder and both sweeteners. Stir with a large whisk to dissolve the cocoa as you bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer two to three minutes until smooth… read on >

(HealthDay News) — Exfoliation is the process of removing dead cells from the outer layer of the skin. People typically exfoliate because it may improve the skin’s appearance. But according to the American Academy of Dermatology, if it is not done properly, exfoliation can do more harm than good. The academy suggests how to prevent skin damage while exfoliating: Chose an exfoliation method that suits your skin. People with dry, oily and darker skin may all need to use different methods. Be gentle when you exfoliate. Follow with a good moisturizer. Exfoliate according to a schedule that works best for your skin.

One way to get better medical care and more value for your health care dollars is to find yourself a primary care provider, researchers say. For the study, researchers analyzed data from more than 70,000 U.S. adults who took part in a Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Of those, more than 49,000 had a primary care doctor and about 21,000 did not. Adults with primary care were more likely to receive high-value cancer screenings, such as colonoscopy or mammography (78 percent with primary care versus 67 percent without). They also received more diagnostic and preventive tests, such as flu vaccination and blood pressure checks. Patients with primary care were also more likely to receive counseling, especially to help them quit smoking, the investigators found. “If you have a primary care relationship, you have a better experience with care, better access to care, and a 10 percent increase in things like high-value cancer screening, diabetes care and counseling,” said the study’s corresponding author, Dr. David Levine. He’s a physician investigator in the division of general internal medicine and primary care at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, in Boston. The study findings suggest that a primary care-first approach could improve U.S. health care, Levine said in a hospital news release. However, the researchers also found that both groups of patients had similar rates of low-value care. For example, inappropriate… read on >

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All Sauce from Weekly Gravy:

Where Marijuana Is Legal, Many Teens Drive While High

Could a Little Pot Smoking Actually Raise Men’s Fertility?

Health Tip: Recognizing Signs of Depression in Teens

Update Dietary Guidelines for a Healthier You

Rethinking Blood Pressure Readings

Bouncing From ‘Jump Park’ Trampolines Into the ER

Exercise Your Right to Fight Disease

Frozen Berries: Just as Flavorful at a Better Price

Health Tip: Exfoliate at Home

Patients With Primary Care Docs May Get Better Health Care