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Do you get distracted easily or find that it’s getting harder to stay focused on a task at hand or retain new information? These issues can happen to anyone, though they may seem to be more troublesome with advancing age. But concentration is an ability that you can improve with a few simple “study skills.” For instance, when someone is talking to you, look at the person and listen closely. If you missed something that was said, ask him or her to repeat it or to speak more slowly. Then to imprint the information on your brain, repeat it back. Stop multitasking. You might think you’re being more productive, but chances are you’re not doing each task as well as if you were focused on just one at a time, according to experts at Harvard University. Also try to avoid interruptions. For example, if a co-worker asks you something while you’re in the middle of a task, ask if he or she can wait until you’re finished. Don’t even answer the phone until you’re done — let voicemail take the call. While originally designed for students, anyone can benefit from these three specific techniques created by researchers at Kansas State University: Use a mantra to help you refocus. When you notice that your thoughts are wandering, say to yourself something like the phrase “be here… read on >

Teens spend countless hours glued to their phones and tablets, continually posting to social media, but British researchers report that might not be as terrible as many parents may think. It appears that teens who are less satisfied with their lives do tend to spend more time on Snapchat, Instagram and the like, but the link between life satisfaction and time spent on social media was “trivial,” the research found. “The previous literature was based almost entirely on correlations with no means to dissociate whether social media use leads to changes in life satisfaction or changes in life satisfaction influence social media use,” explained researcher Amy Orben, a lecturer in psychology at the University of Oxford. But by applying new modeling methods to an eight-year survey of households in the United Kingdom, the researchers were able to tease out data that gave them a better understanding of the effect of social media. The survey looked at how much time teens spent on social media during a normal school day and compared this with their life satisfaction ratings. The researchers did find lower life satisfaction increased the time spent on social media, while less time on social media was tied to higher life satisfaction. This finding was stronger among girls than boys, but even so, the connection was tenuous, they noted. Co-lead author Andrew Przybylski, director… read on >

A fainting-related fall that caused nerve damage in his right hand could explain why Leonardo da Vinci’s painting skills declined later in life, a new paper suggests. The report, published as the world marks the 500th anniversary of the artist’s death, contradicts the common belief that da Vinci’s difficulties stemmed from a stroke. To arrive at that conclusion, the report authors compared a drawing of an elderly da Vinci with an engraving of the artist and inventor when he was younger. They also studied a biography of da Vinci. The drawing shows da Vinci’s right arm in folds of clothing as if in a bandage, with his right hand suspended in a stiff, contracted position, according to the paper published May 3 in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine. “Rather than depicting the typical clenched hand seen in post-stroke muscular spasticity, the picture suggests an alternative diagnosis such as ulnar palsy, commonly known as claw hand,” study co-author Dr. Davide Lazzeri said in a journal news release. Lazzeri is a plastic surgeon at the Villa Salaria Clinic in Rome. Based on the drawings, he said it’s likely that the ulnar palsy was caused by injury to the right limb when da Vinci fell after fainting. The ulnar nerve runs from the shoulder to little finger. It manages nearly all of the hand muscles… read on >

Pesto is a delicious and fast pasta sauce. Because it can be made in advance and served cold, it’s also a perfect do-ahead dish. The nuts used in traditional pesto are healthful, but whether almonds, walnuts or pine nuts, you may not always want the extra calories they pack in. There are some great variations that are just as flavorful. One variation is to use green peas, a great high-fiber food, in place of the nuts. They’re available fresh — shell them yourself — in warm weather months, but you can keep bags of frozen peas in your freezer and make this pesto year-round. If you want more of a protein boost, use shelled edamame — young green soy beans, typically available frozen. They’re denser than peas, so when blending them, you’ll need to add a few more tablespoons of water to get the right consistency. If basil is out of season or too expensive, you can substitute other herbs, such as parsley or even cilantro. No matter what pesto ingredients you decide on, boost nutrition by replacing white pasta with a whole grain variety. There are many choices beyond whole wheat. Pastas made from spelt or quinoa are tasty and toothy so you won’t miss the mouthfeel of your usual boxed spaghetti. Pea Pesto 14-ounce box of any whole grain pasta 2 cups green… read on >

A major medical group has issued new guidance on detecting and treating the leading cause of death in pregnant women and new mothers in the United States. Heart disease accounts for 26.5% of pregnancy-related deaths, and rates are highest among black women and those with low incomes. On Friday, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) responded with new guidelines on screening, diagnosis and management of heart disease. “Most of these deaths are preventable, but we are missing opportunities to identify risk factors prior to pregnancy and there are often delays in recognizing symptoms during pregnancy and postpartum, particularly for black women,” ACOG President Dr. Lisa Hollier said in an organization news release. While pre-existing conditions play a part in the death toll, acquired heart conditions can develop silently during or after pregnancy. A heart muscle disease called peripartum cardiomyopathy is the leading cause of death in expectant mothers, accounting for 23% of deaths late in pregnancy, according to ACOG. The new practice guidelines are the work of a Hollier-led task force aimed at lowering heart disease-related deaths during and after pregnancy. “The new guidance clearly delineates between common signs and symptoms of normal pregnancy versus those that are abnormal and indicative of underlying cardiovascular disease,” Hollier said. “As clinicians, we need to be adept at distinguishing between the two if we’re going to… read on >

(HealthDay News) — Buyer beware: When it comes to testosterone supplements, men should know a new study finds there is precious little evidence to support claims they will boost testosterone levels, sex drive, strength and overall energy. To come to this conclusion, the researchers first broke down 50 testosterone supplements into their component parts. The investigators then searched through a comprehensive scientific publication database for any solid proof that the supplements can do what the companies who make them say they can do. But only 12% of the products contained any ingredient shown to provide some testosterone-related benefit in human trials. And nearly half (48%) contained ingredients that studies found could have negative impacts. “In general, I’m not anti-supplements,” noted study author Dr. Mary Samplaski. “I have a lot of patients who take them. But the FDA [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] says very clearly that these products should not claim to treat medical conditions. And 90% of these testosterone supplements do make such claims. So I was just really curious what the scientific support was for the claims being made.” Samplaski said, “What we found is that in the vast majority of cases there was no evidence to show that any of the ingredients in these testosterone supplements were effective in any way.” The upshot, she said, is that “people should understand that just… read on >

When men with prostate cancer have to take drugs that block the testosterone fueling their tumors, they can suffer a host of side effects that include impotence, bone loss, heart trouble and obesity. But new research uncovers yet another possible downside to the treatment: These men may be at greater risk for dementia. For any type of dementia, that risk increased 17%; for Alzheimer’s disease, it increased 23%, the researchers said. Common side effects of so-called androgen-deprivation therapy include hot flashes, unstable mood, trouble sleeping, headaches, high blood sugar, allergic reactions and impotence. “Androgen-deprivation therapy may not only cause physical changes — such as osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease or obesity — but may also cause changes in cognition,” said researcher Dr. Karl Tully, a research fellow at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. But Tully cautioned that this study cannot prove that such hormone therapy caused dementia, only that the two are associated. The investigators also found that men on this type of therapy had a 10% greater risk of seeking psychiatric services. The risk for dementia increased as the length of therapy increased, the researchers noted. Men on androgen-deprivation therapy for six months had a 25% increased risk for any kind of dementia and a 37% increased risk for Alzheimer’s, the findings showed. Being on hormone therapy longer than six months increased the risk for… read on >

Many children deal with chronic health issues — but it doesn’t mean they can’t enjoy life as much as other kids, a new study finds. Researchers found that among more than 1,200 5- to 9-year-olds, those with some of the most common childhood ills were no less happy with their lives than other kids. They said the findings highlight an important point: Kids aren’t “defined” by their medical issues. “This can help broaden our perspective of what ‘health’ is,” said lead researcher Courtney Blackwell, a research assistant professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago. “Just because a child has a medical condition,” she said, “that doesn’t mean they’re ‘unhealthy.’ “ The caveat, Blackwell said, is that the study focused on kids with certain common conditions, such as asthma, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and digestive disorders. It did not include kids with more debilitating diseases that require intense care. If it had, the findings would probably be different, according to Rose Alvarez-Salvat, a child psychologist at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami. She was not involved with the research, but reviewed the study. Alvarez-Salvat works with kids who have medical conditions like type 1 diabetes, cystic fibrosis, cancer and hemophilia. Those complex disorders, which require daily management, can lead to anxiety and depression for some kids, she said. “They have a very different… read on >

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All Sauce from Weekly Gravy:

Three Ways to Improve Focus and Concentration

All That Twitter, Snapchat May Not Be Bad for Teens

New Theory Sheds Light on Leonardo da Vinci’s Artistic Decline

A Tasty Twist on Pasta and Pesto

The Surprising Lead Cause of Death for Pregnant Women

Testosterone Supplements Not All They’re Cracked Up to Be

Does Hormone Therapy for Prostate Cancer Raise Dementia Risk?

Many Kids With Chronic Illness Are Still Happy: Study

New Theory Sheds Light on Leonardo da Vinci’s Artistic Decline

Testosterone Supplements Not All They’re Cracked Up to Be