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Osteoporosis is a threat to many women, especially after menopause. But the lead up to weak, brittle bones can start much earlier in life. When bone density drops but isn’t yet at the level of osteoporosis, it’s called osteopenia. Osteopenia affects more than 33 million Americans over age 50, men and women, while 10 million have osteoporosis. Yet the DEXA scan, the painless X-ray-based test that measures bone density, isn’t recommended for women until age 65, when they may need bone-building drugs to avoid fractures. For men, the prevalence of osteoporosis doesn’t increase with age until 80, but even then, there are no screening guidelines. So, what’s the answer? Cost versus benefit is one reason insurers don’t universally cover the scan for women under 65. But you may be a candidate for earlier testing if you broke a bone after age 45, are losing height, are developing a slumped or hunched posture, or have sudden, unexplained back pain. If you’re healthy but have concerns about bone health or risk factors for osteoporosis, you can talk to your doctor about earlier testing. Factors that can increase your fracture risk include your height and weight — very thin women are at greater risk. Not getting enough exercise, smoking, drinking alcohol, a family history of osteoporosis or having a parent who broke a hip are others. Having a… read on >

For decades, U.S. doctors have battled the long hours and demanding schedules that often lead to “burnout.” But a new study brings welcome news, showing a slight decline in the numbers of physicians dealing with the issue. In the third of a series of studies, researchers surveyed more than 5,400 doctors nationwide and found that 44 percent reported at least one symptom of burnout in 2017, compared with about 54 percent in 2014 and nearly 46 percent in 2011. The researchers also surveyed workers in other fields and found that levels of burnout remained the same, about 28 percent. “Physicians remain at increased risk for burnout relative to workers in other fields, but there is some good news,” lead author Dr. Tait Shanafelt, director of Stanford University’s WellMD Center, said in a school news release. “For the first time, we’re seeing improvement in the prevalence of burnout symptoms in physicians nationally.” Not all the news was good, however. Declines in burnout symptoms among doctors were not seen across all specialties. Levels among obstetrics and gynecology, general surgery and some other specialties did not fall significantly in 2017, the findings showed. The researchers also found a steady increase in the percentage of doctors screening positive for depression: just over 38 percent in 2011; nearly 40 percent in 2014; and almost 42 percent in 2017. In addition,… read on >

(HealthDay News) — Vitamin B12 helps keep the body’s nerve and blood cells healthy, and assists in making DNA, the U.S. National Institutes of Health says. The agency provides this additional information: Vitamin B12 is naturally found in a wide range of animal foods and is added to some fortified foods. B12 is a component of almost all multivitamins. A prescription form of B12 is available for those with a deficiency. Most people get enough B12 in the foods that they eat. About 1.5 percent to 15 percent of people are deficient, typically because they have trouble absorbing it. If you do not get enough B12, it can cause fatigue, weakness, weight loss, numbness of the hands and feet, problems with balance, confusion, poor memory and soreness.

Fast-food restaurants get a bad rap for menus chockful of high-fat, high-salt foods with little nutrition. But are fast casual and sit-down chains better? The answer may surprise you. A University of South Carolina study looked at the calories in lunch and dinner entrees and found that fast-casual dishes had, on average, 200 more calories than fast-food ones — 760 compared to 560. Menus at fast-casual restaurants also have more high-calorie options to tempt you. But the study didn’t look at whether these higher calorie choices are healthier. For instance, a whole-wheat roll might have more calories than a fast-food white burger bun, but it could also have more nutrients. Researchers at Drexel University and the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia focused on both nutrients and calories of 2,600 menu items served at local full-service restaurant chains. They found that choices in general were high in saturated fat and sodium, not to mention calories. Almost one-third of the entrees had more salt than you should eat in an entire day. Only one-fifth had the minimum amount of all-important fiber. Another concern raised by this study centered on the symbols restaurants use to label some dishes as “healthy.” Since there are no national guidelines that restaurants must follow in order to put a generic heart, for example, next to a menu item, it can be hard… read on >

Have you been neglecting your calves? Many people forget about these important muscles when doing strength training. These exercises will add definition and help protect against some lower leg injuries. Start with seated calf raises. Sit on a chair or bench with feet flat on the floor. Lift your right heel as high as you can, pressing toes into the floor and flexing your calf muscles, then slowly lower your heel. Do this 12 to 15 times, then repeat with your left heel. Build to two sets of 15 reps with each leg. To increase your range of motion, place a block in front of your feet and position the ball of your foot on the block for the calf raises. To add resistance, place a weight cuff around the working thigh, about 3 inches from the knee. Now move to standing calf raises. Stand behind a sturdy chair, holding it for balance if necessary. With feet shoulder width apart, slowly rise up on your toes as you tighten your abs. Keep your back and knees straight. Hold briefly, then slowly lower heels to the floor. Build up to two sets of 12 to 15 reps. To increase the challenge, hold dumbbells at your sides, palms facing inward as you do the exercise. For another variation, lift your left foot off the floor while doing… read on >

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 20, 2019 —Dense root vegetables such as sweet potatoes and parsnips benefit from roasting. They sweeten as they cook, making for healthy comfort food during cold winter months. Follow these general steps for any hard vegetables: Start by cutting them into uniform pieces, so they’ll roast and brown evenly. (Otherwise, you can end up with either burnt or undercooked pieces.) Next, toss the vegetables in a healthy cooking oil like olive oil, and sprinkle lightly with salt, which helps to bring out their sweetness. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking. Then spread the vegetables evenly so that all pieces will brown at the same rate. Roast in a preheated 400-degree oven for about 45 minutes or until tender. The high temperature is key to bringing out the sweet flavor — plus it gets dinner on the table faster. Serve roasted veggies as a side dish instead of pasta or white rice with your favorite protein like chicken, or blend with broth for this fast and rich-tasting soup to take the chill off a cold evening. Roasted Vegetable Soup 2 sweet potatoes 4 parsnips 4 carrots 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1/4 teaspoon salt 32 ounces low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel and cut the vegetables into 1-inch cubes. Toss with the olive oil and… read on >

(HealthDay News) — There are plenty of ways to encourage kids to eat more fruits and vegetables, the U.S. Department of Agriculture says. Here are the agency’s suggestions: Create smoothies with fat-free or low-fat yogurt with fruit pieces and crushed ice. Use fresh, frozen, canned or even overripe fruit, such as bananas, berries, peaches or pineapple. Let your kids dip fruit and vegetables in a dip. Make fun kabobs resembling caterpillars by assembling chunks of melon, apple, orange and pear on skewers. For a raw veggie version, use zucchini, cucumber, squash, sweet peppers or tomatoes. Make personal pizzas with whole-wheat English muffins, bagels or pita bread as the crust. Add tomato sauce, low-fat cheese and cut-up vegetables or fruit for toppings. Assemble a fruity peanut butterfly by using carrot sticks or celery for the body and attaching wings made of thinly sliced apples with peanut butter. Decorate with halved grapes or dried fruit. Freeze fruits for a fun and refreshing treat during summer. Make “bugs on a log” by using celery, cucumber or carrot sticks as the log, and add peanut butter. Then top with dried fruit such as raisins, cranberries or cherries. Make homemade trail mix with dried apples, pineapple, cherries, apricots or raisins. Make a potato person by decorating half a baked potato. Use vegetables such as sliced cherry tomatoes or peas, and… read on >

Everyone needs some salt to help maintain the body’s balance of fluids. But too much salt may cause you to retain fluids and raise your blood pressure, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns. About 75 percent of the salt you consume is from processed foods, the FDA says. The agency offers these tips to lower salt intake: Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. Eat foods that are rich in potassium, including leafy green veggies and bananas. Potassium can help lessen the effects of sodium on blood pressure. Season food with herbs and spices, instead of salt. Opt for unsalted snacks. Read food labels and select foods low in sodium.

As excited as you are that your teen’s going to college, it’s normal to have mixed emotions, such as anxiety, sadness and possibly depression. It’s even normal to feel envious that his or her life is just beginning while yours is on the wane. For most parents, this rush of emotions will pass, but both generations might have to work to ease the transition, especially if your child is also experiencing a mix of joy and apprehension, which often manifests as bickering with mom and dad. Parents will need to loosen the reins and acknowledge that their child is his or her own person and may not see eye-to-eye with them on everything anymore. Realize that this is a natural progression in their development, not a rejection of you or an end to your closeness. And take comfort in the fact that most college students still care more about what mom and dad think than they let on. Coping Strategies at a Glance Have a plan for staying in touch. Explore new challenges of your own. Start to reconnect with old friends. Get support from different sources. One way to ease anxiety is to agree upfront on how often you’ll communicate, such as once a week, and how you’ll do it. Video chats are great for bridging a physical distance. Texts can be brief and… read on >

A half-hour of morning exercise can help control blood pressure in overweight and obese people for the entire day, a new study finds. And for women in particular, adding frequent short breaks from sitting through the day can offer additional benefit, the Australian researchers said. “For both men and women, the magnitude of reduction in average systolic blood pressure following exercise and breaks in sitting approached what might be expected from antihypertensive medication,” said lead author Michael Wheeler. “However, this reduction was greater for women,” he added. Wheeler is a member of the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute in Melbourne. The research involved 67 people between the ages of 55 and 80 who did three different laboratory sessions, in random order, separated by at least six days. Those sessions included: uninterrupted sitting for eight hours; one hour of sitting prior to 30 minutes of walking on a treadmill at a moderate pace, followed by 6.5 hours of prolonged sitting; and one hour of sitting prior to 30 minutes on the treadmill, followed by sitting that was interrupted every 30 minutes with three minutes of light-intensity walking for 6.5 hours. Average systolic (top number) and diastolic (lower number) blood pressure was reduced among both men and women who took part in morning exercise, compared to when they did not exercise. There was an additional benefit —… read on >

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All Sauce from Weekly Gravy:

What’s the Right Age to Test for Osteoporosis?

Fewer U.S. Doctor Are Facing Burnout

Health Tip: Understanding Vitamin B12

Fast Food Versus Fast Casual — Which Has More Calories?

Smart Steps for Stronger Calves

Roasted Root Veggies Make a Hearty Winter Soup

Health Tip: 10 Ways to Encourage Kids to Eat Healthier

Health Tip: Eat Less Salt

Head Off the Blues When Your Teen Heads to College

Brief Morning Exercise Helps Ease Blood Pressure Throughout the Day