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To support your hip joints, you need to strengthen the muscles that support them. This can help prevent or relieve hip pain and guard against injury. Appropriate exercises target muscles of the thighs and the glutes. Here are three to add to your fitness regimen. Note: Before conditioning, always warm up with five to 10 minutes of easy exercise, like walking or riding a stationary bike. Hip abduction exercises primarily work the outer thighs. Lie on your left side, top leg straight but not locked, bottom leg bent. Slowly raise the straight leg to make a 45-degree angle with the floor. Hold for five seconds, then slowly lower. Do three sets of eight to 12 reps, then switch sides and repeat. Hip adduction exercises primarily work the inner thighs. Lie on your left side with both legs straight. Cross your top leg over the lower leg, placing the foot flat on the floor. Raise the lower leg six to eight inches off the floor, hold for five seconds, and then slowly lower. Do three sets of eight to 12 reps, then switch sides and repeat. Prone hip extensions primarily work the glutes. Lie flat on your stomach on a firm surface and place a pillow under your hips. Bend your right leg so that your calf makes a 90-degree angle with your thigh (the sole… read on >

Nearly all TV food ads aimed at Hispanic and black children in the United States are for unhealthy products, a new report claims. In 2017, black teens saw more than twice as many ads for unhealthy food products as white teens, researchers found. “Food companies have introduced healthier products and established corporate responsibility programs to support health and wellness among their customers, but this study shows that they continue to spend 8 of 10 TV advertising dollars on fast food, candy, sugary drinks and unhealthy snacks, with even more advertising for these products targeted to black and Hispanic youth,” report lead author Jennifer Harris said in a University of Connecticut news release. Harris is director of marketing initiatives at the university’s Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity. In the report released Tuesday, researchers analyzed advertising by 32 major restaurant, food and beverage companies that spent at least $100 million or more on advertising to U.S. children and teens in 2017. They were part of the Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative, a voluntary program that sets standards for food advertising aimed at children younger than 12. Fast food, candy, sugary drinks and unhealthy snacks accounted for 86 percent of food ad spending on black-targeted TV programming, and 82 percent of ad spending on Spanish-language TV, the researchers found. Of the nearly $11 billion spent… read on >

Take a stand for a longer life. Researchers say even a few extra minutes off the sofa each day can add years to your life span. “If you have a job or lifestyle that involves a lot of sitting, you can lower your risk of early death by moving more often, for as long as you want and as your ability allows — whether that means taking an hour-long high-intensity spin class or choosing lower-intensity activities, like walking,” said study lead author Keith Diaz. He’s assistant professor of behavioral medicine at Columbia University in New York City. The new study involved nearly 8,000 American adults, aged 45 and older. Each wore physical activity monitors for at least four days as part of research conducted between 2009 and 2013. The investigators then tracked deaths among the participants until 2017. The results: People who replaced just 30 minutes of sitting per day with low-intensity physical activity lowered their risk of an early death by 17 percent, according to the study published online Jan. 14 in the American Journal of Epidemiology. More intense exercise reaped even bigger rewards, the researchers said. For example, swapping a half-hour per day of sitting for moderate-to-vigorous exercise cut the risk of early death by 35 percent. And even just a minute or two of added physical activity was beneficial, the findings showed.… read on >

(HealthDay News) — TVs and computers are part of everyday life, but the American Academy of Pediatrics urges caution about overuse of digital devices. They should never take the place of face-to-face time with family and friends, the academy says. The AAP suggests how to manage screen use at home: Set limits on media use and be aware of which software and apps your children are using, which sites they are visiting and what they are doing online. Encourage unplugged playtime. Screen time shouldn’t always bealone time. By watching with your children, you can encourage social interactions, bonding and learning. Be a good role model.Teach good manners online, and limit your screen time. Appreciate the value of face-to-face communication. Create tech-free zones during mealtimes, family and social gatherings. Don’t allow devices at night, to help kidsavoid the temptation to use them when they should be sleeping. Do research on any apps that your kids use to monitor quality and appropriateness. Warn children about privacy and the dangers of predators and sexting.

If you have children, you know how important it is to keep up with their immunization schedule. But getting vaccines and booster shots is vital throughout adulthood as well. The most common adult shot is the yearly flu vaccine, recommended for just about every adult. Some fight three flu strains, others, four. However, there’s more to do. You might not realize that you should have a tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis (or Tdap) booster every 10 years. Pertussis, better known as whooping cough, has been making a comeback because not enough people have been getting re-immunized. And if you didn’t have chickenpox or the varicella vaccine as a child, you’re a candidate for the two-dose immunization. Other recommended vaccines: Women up to age 26 should have the HPV vaccine; it’s given to men up to age 21, and under some circumstances, up to 26. The newest version protects against nine types of the human papillomavirus, the ones most heavily associated with cancers, such as cervical cancer. Depending on your age and the type of measles-mumps-rubella vaccine you were given as a child, you might be a candidate for a two-dose MMR vaccination. Some other shots are specifically intended for people age 50 and over, such as the zoster vaccines, designed to help you avoid shingles, a very painful reactivation of chickenpox virus. Those 65 and older are encouraged to… read on >

Getting kids to try new foods can become a daily showdown. One promising approach: expose babies early on to varied tastes and textures. Researchers in Brisbane, Australia, found that food experiences when just 14 months old can influence the eating habits that children will exhibit at age 3. And introducing a variety of fruits and vegetables and other types of foods early on is key to a better diet quality later on. The result: A child who eats more than just chicken fingers and cheese sticks. For the purpose of the study, the children were exposed to 55 different food items. The researchers found that having a great number of vegetables, fruits and other foods at age 14 months predicted more varied food preferences, higher food intake and less fussiness when the children’s eating habits were re-evaluated at 3.7 years of age. Babies can start eating solid food at about 6 months. Once they reach this milestone, don’t hesitate to offer a wide variety of healthy foods in a variety of textures. Ask your pediatrician for guidelines if you’re unsure of the best foods or how to prepare them. Your baby may already show a preference for one or two foods, but don’t let his or her responses deter you — keep introducing others. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, it can take up… read on >

The number of parks, libraries and natural resources in the state where you reside might have a great deal to do with how happy you are. New research suggests that Americans who live where more money is spent on these “public goods” are happier than their counterparts in other states. “Public goods are things you can’t exclude people from using — and one person using them doesn’t stop another from doing so,” explained study author Patrick Flavin. He’s an associate professor of political science at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. “They’re typically not profitable to produce in the private market, so if the government doesn’t provide them, they will either be under-provided or not at all,” he added in a university news release. Other types of public goods include highways and police protection, the researchers said. In the study, Flavin and his colleagues analyzed data on more than 26,000 Americans’ self-reported levels of happiness collected between 1976 and 2006. While the study only found an association between happiness and public goods, higher spending on these goods make communities “more livable, with more amenities,” Flavin said. “If roads are completed and kept up, so that people aren’t stuck in traffic, they have more time to do things they enjoy doing. Large parks are social spaces — and one clear finding of happiness studies is that people… read on >

Two-thirds of gay fathers have felt the pain of social stigma, and they have encountered that stigma most often in religious settings, a new survey shows. “We were not surprised that stigma is still experienced by gay fathers,” said study author Dr. Ellen Perrin. “But we did not expect so much stigma to be experienced in religious settings.” In an anonymous survey of 732 American gay fathers spread across 47 states, researchers found that 63.5 percent said they had been shamed, hurt, excluded or made to feel uncomfortable in the prior year. Nearly one in five said their children had at times shied away from socializing out of anxiety that they would also encounter social stigma. The survey also found that more than one-third of gay dads came up against social stigma at religious gatherings, making it the most common place where they were made to feel uncomfortable or shunned as parents. Perrin, a professor of developmental-behavioral pediatrics with the Floating Hospital for Children and Tufts University’s School of Medicine in Boston, stressed the findings were solely a snapshot of how stigma plays out among today’s gay fathers. Nor would she venture a guess as to whether the degree of stigma being experienced by gay fathers today is also felt by lesbian parents. “In general, some people think that there is more stigma about gay… read on >

When children are having suicidal thoughts, their parents may often be in the dark, a new study shows. The study included more than 5,000 kids, aged 11 to 17, and one parent for each child. Researchers found that among the children, 8 percent said they had contemplated suicide at some time. But only half of their parents were aware of it. The same gap showed up when researchers looked at the issue from a different angle: Around 8 percent of parents said their child had ever thought about suicide. Almost half the time, the child denied it, according to findings published online Jan. 14 in Pediatrics. It all points to a “pretty substantial disagreement” between parents’ and kids’ reports, said study leader Jason Jones, a research scientist at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. In cases where parents are unaware of their child’s struggles, one reason may simply be that the signs were not obvious, according to Jones. “It’s often difficult to know what’s going on in someone else’s mind,” he said. That’s not to say there are no warning signs of suicide risk, Jones pointed out. Some of those red flags include withdrawal from friends, family and activities; sleeping too much or too little; irritable or aggressive behavior; and giving away possessions, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Still, it can be tough for… read on >

Skiing, snowboarding, skating and sledding are great ways to have winter fun, but be sure to take steps to reduce your risk of injuries, experts say. In 2017, U.S. emergency departments, doctors’ offices and clinics treated: 68,809 people for skiing-related injuries, 54,349 people for snowboard-related injuries, 52,308 people for ice skating-related injuries, and 4,499 people for toboggan-related injuries, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. “Overexerting yourself on the slopes can lead to injuries ending your run for the season,” said Dr. Lori Reed, a spokesperson for American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). “Individuals are at an increased risk of injuries such as sprains, strains, dislocations and fractures due to exhaustion,” Reed said in an academy news release. “You can prevent these by staying in good physical condition year-round and listening to your body. Don’t push your body when you are in pain or too tired.” Here are winter sports safety tips from the AAOS: Stay in shape and condition muscles before starting winter sports. Warm up thoroughly before an activity. Cold muscles, tendons and ligaments are at increased risk for injury. Drink plenty of water before, during and after activities. Wear several layers of light, loose and water- and wind-resistant clothing. Layering allows you to adapt to your body’s changing temperature. Wear footwear that keeps your feet warm and dry, and has good… read on >

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All Sauce from Weekly Gravy:

3 Conditioning Exercises to Support Your Hips

Junk Food Ads Target Minority Kids: Study

Want to Live Longer? Just Sit a Bit Less Each Day

Health Tip: Managing Your Family’s Digital Life

Vaccines: Not Just for Kids

Baby Steps Head Off a Fussy Eater

Happiness High in States With Lots of Parks, Libraries

Gay Dads and Their Kids Still Face Social Shaming

Parents Often Unaware of Kids’ Suicidal Thoughts

Play It Safe With Winter Sports