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Reducing stress could cut your risk of allergy and asthma symptoms during the holidays. “Studies show stress can cause a number of negative health effects, including causing more symptoms for allergy and asthma sufferers,” said Dr. Todd Mahr, president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. “It makes sense that if you want to make your holidays more fun and less challenging, you might focus on ways to bring peace and wellness to your household,” Mahr added in a college news release. The college offers some other tips for controlling asthma and allergy symptoms over the holidays: Exercise can help reduce stress, but exercising in cold weather may make asthma symptoms worse. If you have symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, tightness in your chest or shortness of breath when you exercise in cold weather, you may have undiagnosed asthma. If you have asthma, warm up with gentle exercises for about 15 minutes before you start more intense exercise. Cover your mouth and nose with a scarf or face mask when you exercise in cold weather. Take your recommended asthma medicines. Another option is to move your workouts indoors when the outside temperature falls below freezing. Scented candles and wood-burning fireplaces can trigger allergy and asthma symptoms. Consider flameless candles and an electric fireplace instead. If you or a family member has food allergies,… read on >

Winter can be hard on your skin, but you can take steps to keep it soft and supple, dermatologists say. “When the weather changes, your skin care products should, too. For most of us, dry skin makes an appearance in the winter due to changes in temperature and humidity, so you need to think about appropriate skin care formulations,” said Dr. Rajani Katta. She’s a clinical professor of dermatology with the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Katta and her colleague, Dr. Megan Rogge, an assistant professor of dermatology at the university, offered these tips to protect your skin: Choose thick skin creams over watery lotions. “Lotions are the least moisturizing, because they have such a high quantity of water. Creams are a better choice for those with dry skin,” Katta said in a university news release. Use sunblock. Rogge explained that “even when the temperature drops, the sun’s rays can still emit powerful ultraviolet radiation. If you’re close to snow or water, those UV rays can be even more potent due to the reflective surfaces, which makes wearing protection paramount.” Don’t take long, hot showers. “Many of us love to linger longer in steaming hot showers, particularly when it’s cold outside. These feel great, especially when your skin is itchy,” Rogge added. “But this can actually damage your skin barrier, and also… read on >

Calcium is best known as a building block of strong bones, and studies show that getting it from the source — milk — is more effective than supplements. Nutritionists also are learning that it has another important role that’s especially beneficial for dieters. Research has found that calcium can help suppress appetite and even lower your intake at the next meal, as well as help you retain muscle mass while losing fat. While other research has found that whole milk has health benefits after all, if you’re trying to cut calories to lose weight, reach for low-fat and non-fat milk. There are many ways besides drinking a glass of milk to get this rich store of calcium into your diet. Try using low-fat milk instead of water when making hot cereals such as oatmeal. Add low-fat milk to soups, vegetable purees and casseroles to make them creamy and flavorful without actual cream. Mix up your own chocolate milk by vigorously stirring unsweetened cocoa powder, sugar substitute and a dash of cayenne for spiciness into non-fat milk. Microwave for 30 seconds for hot chocolate. Need an afternoon pick-me-up? Have a non-fat hot or iced latte. For a nightcap, add a dash of vanilla and cinnamon to hot non-fat milk for a silky alternative to herbal tea. Of course, milk makes a great base for many smoothie… read on >

Diabetes has been tied to a number of complications such as kidney disease, but new research has found that older people with type 2 diabetes can also have more difficulties with thinking and memory. During a five-year study, participants with diabetes showed a decline in verbal memory and fluency. Using MRI scans, researchers saw that the participants’ brains were smaller at the start of the study — but the rates of decline in brain size did not differ over the years the patients were followed. The investigators didn’t find a connection between brain size and the thinking and memory troubles. “Although memory and executive function [thinking and planning skills] declined at a greater rate in people with type 2 diabetes, this was not explained by a decline in brain volume,” said study author Michele Callisaya, a research fellow at the University of Tasmania. Callisaya said the researchers were surprised by this finding. They expected that decreased brain volume would have been more common in people who were having memory and thinking issues. But she added that it’s possible over a longer time, a relationship between these factors might become evident. And, she added, “The overall message is that type 2 diabetes affects brain function.” Past research has found that having diabetes might double a person’s risk of dementia, the researchers said. Although previous studies have… read on >

(HealthDay News) — Diets that stress calorie restriction versus those that stress fasting seem to be all the rage. But what’s the difference? With a calorie-restriction diet, you reduce the number of calories you typically consume in a day. This type of diet should allow you to cut calories without depriving your body of essential nutrients, the U.S. National Institute on Aging says. With a fasting diet, on the other hand, you limit food or stop eating altogether during periods of the day. Since there’s less time for eating, you’re actually limiting calories at the same time, the agency notes. In research studies, rodents and other animals were given 10 percent to 40 percent fewer calories than usual but provided with all necessary nutrients. Many lived longer and had lower rates of several diseases, notably cancer, the agency says. Not every study showed these same benefits, the institute says, noting that more research is needed.

(HealthDay News) — Of course, you should quit smoking. But poor diet, being overweight and not getting enough exercise also are risk factors for developing cancer, the American Cancer Society says. Being overweight or obese raises your risk of cancers of the breast, colon, esophagus, pancreas and kidney, the cancer society warns. When it comes to food, the cancer society suggests eating smaller portions of high-calorie foods; eating fruits, veggies and legumes over other types of food; and avoiding unnecessary sugars and saturated fats. Watching what you eat will help control your weight, as will getting enough exercise. The society cites guidelines recommending at least 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise, or 75 minutes per week of vigorous exercise.

Just as there are diet plateaus, you can hit the wall with exercise, too — no longer seeing results from your efforts and then losing motivation. According to the experts at the American Council on Exercise, a plateau is often a sign that your body has adapted to the specific workout you’re doing and needs a new stimulus to move to the next level. So the first step is to shake up your routine. For instance, if you’ve been steadily walking on a flat treadmill, add an incline. If you walk outdoors, switch to hiking. Also, engage other muscles by alternating with another type of cardio workout than your norm. However, make sure that cardio isn’t the only type of fitness activity you’re doing. If you haven’t stepped up to strength training, it’s time to tackle it. Keep in mind that lifting weights isn’t your only option — you can train with weightless resistance bands or even your own bodyweight (think push-ups and chin-ups). But if it’s your weight training routine that’s stalled, it could be time to switch to heavier weights, more complex lifts or even higher-tension resistance bands. As counterintuitive as it might sound, too much training can backfire and prevent progression. Also, be sure that you’re allowing enough recovery time between strength training sessions. That means at least two days, the time… read on >

Mom was right when she said no swimming for an hour after lunch. Even though it takes energy to work out, it’s important that exercise doesn’t interfere with digestion. Like Goldilocks, you need just the right amount of food. Eat too much and you might feel sluggish rather than energized. Eat too little, and you may not have the stamina to work out effectively. Experts suggest that your pre-workout fueling be personalized to your needs, such as how long your workout will be and whether you’re restricting calories to lose weight. Timing is also very important. If you’ve eaten a full meal, you should wait 3 to 4 hours before exercising. Remember that a healthy meal includes carbs such as whole grains or legumes, non-starchy vegetables, fruit, lean protein like chicken, tofu or fish, and some healthy fat. If you’re trying to lose weight, fill half your plate with vegetables and fruit and a quarter each with lean protein and whole grains or legumes rather than white potatoes or pasta. Fueling Timetable: If eating a large meal: Eat at least 3 to 4 hours before exercise. If eating a small meal: Eat 2 to 3 hours before exercise. If eating a snack: Eat 1 hour before exercise. Of course, it’s not always possible to perfectly time meals to exercise, especially if you train first thing… read on >

People seeking more satisfaction in their later years might find sex is the spice of life, new research suggests. For the study, researchers analyzed survey data from nearly 6,900 older adults, average age 65, in England. The investigators found that those who said they’d had any type of sexual activity in the previous 12 months had higher life enjoyment scores than those who weren’t sexually active. Among women, kissing, petting and fondling more often, as well as feeling emotionally close to their partner during sex, was associated with a higher enjoyment of life. But there was not a significant association between sexual intercourse and enjoyment of life. Among men, satisfaction with their sex life and how often they had sexual intercourse was associated with greater enjoyment of life. “The findings of our study suggest that it may be beneficial for physicians to query geriatric patients about their sexual activity and offer help for sexual difficulties, such as problems with erections, as sexual activity helps older people live more fulfilling lives,” said study co-leader Lee Smith. He is a reader in exercise medicine at Anglia Ruskin University in England. “Previous research has suggested that frequent sexual intercourse is associated with a range of benefits for psychological and physiological well-being, such as improved quality of life and mental health, and lower risk of certain cancers and fatal… read on >

Whether it’s the stress of choosing the right gift, drinking and eating too much, or fighting with relatives about politics, the holidays can be hard on your heart. In fact, new research from Sweden found the odds of a heart attack jump nearly 40 percent on Christmas Eve. “Traditional holidays were associated with increased risk of heart attack. The risk overall during Christmas/New Year’s was 15 percent higher than a regular December day,” said study senior author Dr. David Erlinge. He’s the head of the office of cardiology at Skane University Hospital in Lund. Erlinge noted that the 15-year study of more than 300,000 heart attack patients suggested that the risk was highest at 10 p.m. on Christmas Eve. But the study did not prove that the holiday actually caused heart attack risk to rise, only that there seemed to be an association. In Sweden, Christmas Eve is the most important day of the holidays, and is typically celebrated with immediate family, the researchers noted. The festivities continue on Christmas Day and again on Boxing Day, Dec. 26. New Year’s Eve in Sweden is usually spent with friends. As in the United States, the holiday generally involves eating heavily and drinking alcohol to excess. The study found that the risk of heart attack wasn’t higher on New Year’s Eve, but it did go up by… read on >

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All Sauce from Weekly Gravy:

Don’t Let Holiday Season Stress Worsen Your Allergies, Asthma

Save Your Skin From the Ravages of Cold Weather

The Lowdown on Low-Fat Milk (It’s All Good)

Does Diabetes Damage Brain Health?

Health Tip: Comparing Different Diets

Health Tip: How Diet and Exercise Affect Cancer Risk

Surmounting That Fitness Plateau

The Right Way to Fuel Up Before Workouts

Intimacy: The Elusive Fountain of Youth?

Holidays Hike Heart Attack Risk