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Kids who don’t drink water take in nearly 100 more calories from sugary drinks every day than those who do, according to a recent Penn State study. About one-fifth of children fall into the no-water group. But a multi-year experiment in the New York City public schools involving more than 1 million students found that installing water dispensers in school can change that. Having dispensers increases the amount of water the kids drink, decreases purchases of sugary chocolate milk and the number of sodas and juices brought to school, and helps prevent excess weight in both boys and girls. But it’s not enough to simply tell kids to give up soda and other sugary drinks and have water instead. It needs to be easier for kids to make this choice. Parents can follow these steps from Children’s Hospital Colorado to encourage kids to choose water. Make drinking water more fun by adding frozen berries or grapes to a clear reusable water bottle designed for small hands. Freeze small bottles of water to pack in their afterschool sports bag. The water will thaw during the day, yet still be cold and refreshing when they reach for it. Let your kids keep the deposit money when you recycle store-bought bottled water containers. When eating out, choose water as the beverage — you’ll not only save calories, but… read on >

About two-thirds of Americans have taken steps to cut back on salt, according to the International Food Information Council Foundation. This often starts with comparing labels and choosing foods — from soups to canned veggies — with less sodium. Here are four more steps that you can take to reduce your salt intake. You know that processed red meats and lunch meat of all kinds are loaded with salt, but also be aware of less obvious sources, like packaged breads. If you have toast at breakfast, a sandwich at lunch and a roll at dinner, all that salt will add up. Prepared and packaged dinners can be high in salt, especially pizza, chicken nuggets and many ethnic foods, the American Heart Association warns. The same goes for poultry that’s been “pre-basted” or injected with a sodium solution. Make more food from scratch. Restaurants, and fast-food establishments in particular, add a lot of salt and sodium-based flavor enhancers to foods. When you do the cooking, you control the salt. Besides herbs, use spices to add flavor. Try various pepper-based ones like ancho and chipotle chilies and paprika. Using garlic and onions adds sweetness and depth. Just beware of spice blends with hidden salt, like taco seasoning — look for no- and low-salt varieties. Track your salt intake on the same app or website that you use… read on >

A face-lift for Father’s Day, anyone? It could happen: A new report finds many more men are taking advantage of the same plastic surgeries that have long been associated with women. The midlife decision by men to try a face-lift or other procedure has been nicknamed the “Daddy-Do-Over” — referencing the “Mommy Makeover” for women. Whatever it’s called, “men are embracing the idea of surgery more than before,” said Dr. Alan Matarasso, president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). He stressed that the average man approaching or in middle age might have different reasons for wanting a nip or a tuck, compared to his female peers. “Obviously, men don’t go through the same physical changes that women experience during pregnancy and post-pregnancy, but their lifestyle does change, which can impact their appearance,” Matarasso said in a society news release. “Diet and exercise patterns fluctuate, and they don’t sleep as much,” he added. “Men notice their body changes due to aging and parenting, and it starts to look completely different in their 30s and 40s. That is the point of a Daddy-Do-Over.” In fact, according to the ASPS, more than 1 million men had cosmetic surgery in 2018, a 29% increase since 2000. Like women, men are typically getting body contouring and facial procedures to enhance their physique and keep the dreaded “dad bod”… read on >

When eating healthy becomes an around-the-clock obsession, it could be a sign of trouble. An extreme preoccupation with clean eating is an eating order called orthorexia nervosa. Though less well-known than anorexia nervosa or bulimia — and not as well-documented — a new study review says orthorexia can also have serious emotional and physical consequences. “Orthorexia is really more than just healthy eating,” said review co-author Jennifer Mills, an associate professor of health at York University in Toronto. “It’s healthy eating taken to the extreme, where it’s starting to cause problems for people in their lives and starting to feel quite out of control.” The review of published research from around the world on the disorder was recently published in the journal Appetite. Mills and her colleague Sarah McComb looked at risk factors and links between orthorexia and other mental disorders. Orthorexia, unlike some other eating disorders, is not yet recognized in the standard psychiatric manuals. Healthy eating to the extreme No clear line divides healthy eating from orthorexia’s extreme eating. The foods someone with orthorexia might avoid are the same as those someone with healthy habits might avoid — such as preservatives, anything artificial, salt, sugar, fat, dairy, other animal products, genetically modified foods or those that aren’t organic. It boils down to whether avoiding foods leads to obsession — excessive time and energy… read on >

(HealthDay News) — Millions of Americans use online dating services. When meeting someone first met online in person, it’s important to keep some precautions in mind, says the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network. RAINN urges online daters to: Video chat prior to meeting in person. Tell a friend where you’re going. Meet in a public place. Have your own transportation. Trust your instincts. If you feel uncomfortable during the date, seek help. A waiter or bartender can create a distraction, call police or help you get a safe ride home.

Despite its vibrant green and red stalks, rhubarb might be one of the most overlooked plants in the garden. An acquired taste, it looks like celery and has a tart tang, yet is used in many dessert recipes, from compote to pie. As with cranberries, rhubarb needs quite a bit of sweetness to appeal to the palate. It’s often paired with strawberries to cut down on the amount of sugar needed. Why should it be on your menu? Rhubarb is an excellent source of vitamin C, lutein and calcium. It’s also very low in calories with just 11 calories per stalk. So if you’ve never had it before, it’s time to give it a try. You’re likely to find rhubarb at farmers’ markets as well as in the produce section of your favorite store. When shopping for rhubarb, look for brightly colored, firm and straight stalks. Important: Only the stalks are edible. Even if cooked, the leafy tops have a toxin that’s poisonous. If still attached, leaves shouldn’t look wilted. Cut them off and throw them away once home. Then wash the stalks and place in the fridge for up to a week. One simple way to sample rhubarb is to cook it the way you would apples for applesauce. Classic Rhubarb “Sauce” 1 pound rhubarb, trimmed 2 tablespoons honey Water as needed Cut the… read on >

Getting your upper arms in shape is a worthy ambition in any season, and the triceps are the muscles to target for a sleek look. Toning them can be a challenge, but the “triceps extension” and variations of this key strength training move make up the core of an effective training routine. For the basic triceps extension, lie flat on a mat with knees bent and hip-width apart or on a weight bench with feet flat on the floor in front of you. Hold the ends of a dumbbell or the handles of a weighted ball with both hands. Lift arms straight up to the ceiling. From this position, and without moving the upper arms, bend elbows to bring the weight toward your forehead until arms make a 90-degree angle. With control, straighten arms. Repeat. For the first variation, from the same starting position, hold a dumbbell in each hand. Raise arms straight up to the ceiling, with palms facing away from you. Again, moving only your forearms, bend elbows until upper arms and forearms make a 90-degree angle. With control, straighten arms, but before you lower them again, rotate your wrists so that palms are facing you as you lower your forearms. Straighten arms and continue to reverse the position of your wrists with each rep. For the second variation, from the same starting… read on >

Radiation treatment for lung cancer can help extend lives, but it might also raise a patient’s odds for heart attacks and heart failure, a new study shows. Many patients may have no choice but to accept the risk: For about half of people diagnosed with the number one cancer killer, radiation remains the only viable treatment, the research team noted. “This is alarming data — to think that one in 10 of the patients I’m treating for this type of cancer will go on to have a heart attack or other major cardiac event,” senior author Dr. Raymond Mak, a thoracic radiation oncologist at the Brigham and Woman’s Hospital in Boston, said in a hospital news release. “These cardiac events are happening earlier and more often than previously thought,” he added. “More patients are living long enough to experience this risk of cardiac toxicity. We need to start paying attention to this and working together with cardiologists to help these patients.” One expert unconnected to the study agreed that patients face heart risks, but in many cases it’s tough to tease out why. “Although the radiation that we give to patients for lung cancer is of course directed mainly at their tumor, there may be overlap in the beams of radiation that affect the heart,” explained Dr. Adam Lackey. He directs thoracic surgery at Staten… read on >

Everyone experiences anxious moments now and then. But for those with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), the worry is frequent and overwhelming, often interfering with everyday activities. Now, a small study suggests that these burdensome feelings can be quelled with a little heart-pumping activity. The study found that just a half hour of vigorous exercise might do the trick. For the study, 35 young adults with suspected but undiagnosed GAD (subclinical GAD) ran on a treadmill for 30 minutes at high intensity, then spent 30 minutes sitting. They completed questionnaires on their feelings of worry, anxiety, energy and fatigue before and after each session. Both men and women emerged less anxious and worried and more energetic after the workout. For women, the improvements were even stronger. Nearly 7 million adults in the United States have GAD, with women more likely to be affected. But only about 40% get treatment for it, and research has focused on alternative therapies. Researchers said their study is the first to show positive effects for young men with subclinical GAD. The findings support previous research about the benefits of exercise for women with GAD. “Several plausible mechanisms have been suggested” to explain the anxiety-easing benefits of exercise, said study lead author Matthew Herring, a lecturer in sport, exercise and performance psychology at the University of Limerick in Ireland. These reasons include… read on >

Is that second serving of steak or extra strip of bacon worth shaving time off your life? That’s a question researchers want you to ponder, because their new study finds the more red and processed meat you eat, the greater the odds of cutting your life short. People who increased their red meat intake by just half a serving a day boosted their risk of dying over the next eight years by 10%, the study authors said. And the type of meat made a difference, the investigators found. Eating a half serving more of processed meats like hot dogs and salami was tied to a 13% higher risk of dying early, while more unprocessed meat increased the risk 9%. “When people reduce their consumption of red meat and add other sources of protein, they have a lower risk of mortality,” said lead researcher Dr. Frank Hu. Hu is chair of the nutrition department at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston. The good news: Cutting down on red meat and adding vegetables, eggs, dairy, seeds, whole grains, nuts, fish and chicken to your diet will add years to your life, he said. The study found that replacing one serving of red meat with fish every day over eight years was tied to a 17% lower risk of death over the next eight… read on >

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All Sauce from Weekly Gravy:

A Simple Way to Help Prevent Child Obesity

5 Easy Ways to Cut Back Your Salt Intake

‘Daddy-Do-Overs’: Men Increasingly Getting Plastic Surgery

When Healthy Eating Turns Into a Dangerous Obsession

Health Tip: Precautions for Online Dating

Why You Should Try Rhubarb

How to Get the Jiggle Out: 3 Exercises to Tone Your Upper Arms

‘Double-Edged Sword’: Lung Cancer Radiation Rx May Raise Heart Attack Risk

Workouts: A Prescription to Ease Severe Chronic Anxiety?

Eating More Red Meat May Shorten Your Life