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Much research has explored the mental and physical health benefits of maintaining social contacts well into later life. Studies also show that maintaining sexual health can have profound benefits that may include slowing down the aging process. Besides the exercise value of sex, research has found that sexual pleasure and intimacy may help ease everyday aches and pains, with effects that can last for a few days. Having frequent sex can boost your mood and even lead to a better outlook when you’re at work the next day — increasing both your job satisfaction and engagement. Add heart health to the list. A study of men in their 50s published in the American Journal of Cardiology found that having sex at least twice a week was associated with a 45% lower risk of heart disease compared to less frequent sex. It also showed that low sexual frequency may be linked to erectile dysfunction. A separate study found that quality rather than quantity seems to protect women from heart disease in later life. Other research has linked sex to some surprising benefits, such as boosting immune function. Though it might not seem like something you’d want to engage in during a migraine or cluster headache, a study published in Cephalalgia found that it can bring about partial or even total pain relief. And, last but not… read on >

While taking vitamins may be fine for teens and young adults, supplements for weight loss, muscle-building and added energy may trigger severe medical problems, new research suggests. Regulations to keep these potentially harmful products out of the hands of young people are urgently needed, the study authors said. “The [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] has issued countless warnings about supplements sold for weight loss, muscle-building or sport performance, sexual function and energy, and we know these products are widely marketed to and used by young people,” said lead author Flora Or. She is a researcher with Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s Strategic Training Initiative for the Prevention of Eating Disorders, in Boston. For the study, Or’s team looked at FDA reports of medical problems associated with these supplements among people aged 25 and younger between January 2004 and April 2015. The investigators compared these reports with reports made for vitamins. In all, nearly 1,000 incidents were reported, of which 40% involved a severe medical problem, including hospitalization and death, the researchers said. Weight-loss, muscle-building and energy supplements were linked with an almost three times greater risk of severe medical problems compared with vitamins, the findings showed. In addition, supplements sold to boost sexual function and clean the colon were tied to about twice the risk of a medical problem. According to researcher S.… read on >

Extremely tiny bits of plastic: They’re in your food and drink, and even in the air around you. Now, new research calculates that the average American consumes more than 70,000 particles of these “microplastics” every year — and even that’s likely an underestimation, the scientists noted. Your microplastic intake might be even higher if you choose products that have more plastics involved in their processing or packaging — including bottled water, the research team said. Just how harmful is all this plastic in your body? That’s still unclear, said one expert unconnected to the new study. “It’s certainly concerning,” said Dr. Kenneth Spaeth, chief of occupational and environmental medicine at Northwell Health in Great Neck, N.Y. “I think the best we can say is perhaps there’s minimal harm here, but I think there is a possibility the harm could be extensive.” Other recent studies have shed light on the ubiquity of microplastics in people’s bodies. For example, one report out of Austria found that the average human stool sample contained at least 20 bits of microplastic. In another study, microplastic was found in 90% of samples of common table salt. However, it’s tough to accurately calculate the amount of plastic people consume, noted the lead author of the new study, Kieran Cox. That’s because the 26 studies used in the evidence review involved food sources… read on >

(HealthDay News) — Liver spots are flat, dark areas of pigment that appear on the skin — often on areas exposed to the sun. The likelihood of getting such spots tends to rise as we age, says MedlinePlus. Common after age 40, the painless spots typically appear on the face, forearms or shoulders. While not dangerous to your health, they may resemble signs of skin cancer, and should be evaluated by a health care professional, MedlinePlus advises.

Are you in the mood to mix up something sinful, but don’t want to wreck your healthy eating plans? Use a stand mixer to do the heavy blending and whipping for three better-for-you treats. Do-ahead pizza dough: To get more whole grains into your diet, use whole-wheat pastry flour instead of white flour. It’s a lighter version of whole wheat that’s perfect for baking. In the stand mixer, blend 3 cups of whole-wheat pastry flour, 2-1/2 teaspoons of yeast, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1-1/2 cups of warm water. Let the dough rise for an hour. Then cut into four equal portions and freeze. Frozen yogurt: For a protein-rich way to curb an ice cream craving, in the stand mixer blend 2 cups fresh berries with 2 teaspoons honey, 2 cups plain 2% Greek yogurt and 2 tablespoons chocolate chips. Transfer to a container and freeze for about four hours. Chocolate chip cookies: Here’s an easy way to turn that all-American favorite into a healthier whole-grain treat with half the butter and half the sugar. Lighter Chocolate Cookies 1 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup unsalted butter 2 eggs 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1-1/4 cups white whole wheat or whole-wheat pastry flour 1 cup oats 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup 70% cocoa chocolate chips Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Combine sugar and… read on >

Whether it comes from demands at home, a slow commute or monthly bills, it’s hard to escape stress. Beyond affecting your mood, it can play havoc with your health, from lost sleep and stress-eating to weight gain and heart disease. Fortunately, you can take steps to counter all these negatives. A simple solution is a 20-minute daily break to practice relaxation in a tranquil spot away from annoyances. But when time is in short supply, you can still do a five-minute de-stress to refresh and refocus. Here are five effective ideas: Breathe with focus: Put all your concentration on taking long, deep breaths. Watch your belly expand as you inhale and contract as you exhale. Meditate: Build on focused breathing by silently repeating a mantra, which can be just a sound, one word or a short, life-affirming phrase of your choice. Exercise: Tap into the power of mood-boosting endorphins by spending a few minutes moving. You don’t even have to leave your office — just close the door and try walking or running in place at your desk. Or get the mind-body benefits of yoga with a simple move like the Tree Pose: Standing straight, bend your right knee out to the side to place the sole of your right foot against the inner thigh of your left leg. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds,… read on >

Sudden withdrawal from coffee and cigarettes can trigger symptoms that mimic serious disease, leading to unnecessary tests in hospital intensive care units, a new review concludes. “Nicotine and caffeine are some of the most commonly used and highly addictive substances in modern society, but they are often overlooked as a potential source of significant withdrawal symptoms when abruptly discontinued in ICU,” said review leader Dr. Maya Belitova. She’s an associate professor at Queen Giovanna University Hospital in Sofia, Bulgaria. Belitova noted withdrawal symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, headaches and delirium, can last for up to two weeks. “These symptoms resemble conditions such as meningitis, encephalitis and intracranial hemorrhage — this may confuse clinical diagnosis and result in unnecessary tests which can cause patient harm, cost a lot of money, and waste time,” she said in a European Society of Anesthesiology news release. Belitova and her team reviewed 12 studies that examined withdrawal symptoms and treatment in 483 adult ICU patients. They found that nicotine withdrawal substantially increased agitation (64% for smokers versus 32% for non-smokers), and related displacement of tracheal tube and intravenous lines (14% for smokers versus 3% for non-smokers). The researchers also found that nicotine substitution therapy contributed to a severe confusion and disorientation dubbed “ICU delirium.” It’s associated with prolonged intubation, a longer hospital stay and increased risk of death. The study also… read on >

Being an Instagram influencer isn’t always a good thing. New research found that vulnerable young people who see online posts of self-harm — like cutting — may copy those destructive behaviors. Almost one-third of teens and young adults who reported seeing self-harm posts on Instagram said they had performed the same or similar self-harming behavior afterwards. Seeing these images online “normalizes” the behavior, according study senior author Dan Romer. He’s research director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania. “Vulnerable kids think, ‘Well, maybe that’s something I should consider doing,’” he said. Romer noted that this problem goes beyond just Instagram. “Kids who don’t have mental health problems wouldn’t repeatedly self-harm. It’s vulnerable kids trying to relieve their distress,” he explained. But he added that this study indicates that these types of social media posts can be harmful to teens and young adults. The researchers initially became concerned about the potential effects of self-harm posts after a British father said his 14-year-old daughter had looked at explicit self-harming images on Instagram before killing herself. The social media site has since said that graphic depictions of self-harm aren’t allowed in posts. Self-harm typically refers to cutting, but can include other behaviors such as burning, hitting or head-banging. Self-harm isn’t usually suicidal, but people who engage in self-harm are at increased risk for… read on >

(HealthDay News) — From climbing on the playground to playing in a soccer game, children are prone to getting minor cuts and wounds to the mouth. Most of these injuries can be handled with simple first aid, says the University of Rochester Medical Center. Although most are easy to care for, mouth injuries can be avoided. To prevent mouth injuries, the school encourages parents to: Teach children never to walk or run with an object in the mouth. Teach children not to suck or chew on hard, sharp or pointed objects. Have your child wear a mouthguard for any sport that poses a threat of injury.

More American women under age 65 have been diagnosed sooner and treated earlier for ovarian cancer since the Affordable Care Act went into effect in 2010, new research shows. And, more women received treatment within 30 days of diagnosis, improving their survival odds, the researchers said. For the study, the investigators analyzed data from the U.S. National Cancer Database. They compared nearly 36,000 women who were diagnosed and treated between 2004 and 2009, with more than 37,000 women diagnosed and treated between 2011 and 2014. Women in both groups were between 21 and 64 years of age. A similar number of seniors with ovarian cancer was used as a control group, because those women had access to Medicare and were much less likely to be uninsured before or after introduction of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. Compared with the control group, there was a 1.7% gain in early-stage diagnosis and a 1.6% improvement in treatment within 30 days of diagnosis among younger women since 2010, the findings showed. The greatest gains were among women who got public insurance after the Affordable Care Act was introduced. These women had a 2.5% gain in early-stage diagnosis and timely treatment compared with the control group. The improvements were seen regardless of race, income or level of education. While a 1.7% improvement in early diagnosis may… read on >

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All Sauce from Weekly Gravy:

The Lifelong Health Benefits of Intimacy

Many Dietary Supplements Dangerous for Teens

Average American Ingests 70,000 Bits of Microplastic Each Year

Health Tip: Understanding Liver Spots

Sweet, Healthier Treats From Your Stand Mixer

A 5-Minute Recipe for Stress Relief

Caffeine, Nicotine Withdrawal Can Cause Problems in the ICU: Study

Instagram ‘Self-Harm’ Posts Give Rise to Copycat Behavior

Health Tip: Avoid Mouth Injuries in Children

Obamacare May Have Boosted Fight Against Ovarian Cancer