Health/Fitness « Weekly Gravy

Many football fans fondly remember Rick Arrington as the Philadelphia Eagles’ quarterback from 1970 to 1973, but his daughter’s memories are tainted by years spent watching her dad suffer from late-stage chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). A degenerative brain disease found in athletes, military veterans and others with a history of repetitive brain trauma, CTE causes depression, suicidal thoughts, aggression and mood swings. Eventually, folks have problems with thinking and memory, and may ultimately develop dementia. Repeated blows to the head — even if they don’t cause concussions — are considered the main risk factor for CTE. Speaking about her father’s illness for the first time at a recent benefit for the Concussion Legacy Foundation, sportscaster Jill Arrington said she no longer enjoys watching football. “When I see players’ heads collide on the field, I see my dad’s face begging me through tears to end his misery. I see the strongest man I have ever known struggle to sleep for months on end … and unable to make a simple cellphone call,” she told the crowd. Though he had no history of concussions, Arrington said her dad suffered with CTE for more than 35 years. “His life was cut short by the sport he loved,” she lamented. Researchers at the Boston University CTE Center recently announced that they have now diagnosed CTE in the brains of… read on > read on >

Add high blood pressure to the list of problems associated with concussions among former pro football players. Researchers at Harvard University’s Football Players Health Study linked a history of concussions to elevated risk for high blood pressure among ex-NFL players. The results suggest that treating former athletes who have both high blood pressure and a history of concussions could help protect them against heart, blood vessel and mental (cognitive) decline. “If players, families, and physicians are aware of the cardiovascular effects of head injury, we have a better chance of protecting both their cardiovascular health and long-term cognitive health,” study author Rachel Grashow said in a Harvard news release. She is director of epidemiological research initiatives for the Football Players Health Study. Grashow headed up the new study with Dr. Aaron Baggish, professor of medicine at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland and senior faculty member at the Football Players Health Study. The findings are based on a survey of more than 4,000 former National Football League players looking at various aspects of players’ health across their life span. Most research on mental decline in former pro football players has focused on neurodegeneration caused directly by repeated concussions, Grashow said. But heart disease is the leading cause of death and disability among former football players and Americans in general. And high blood pressure is the… read on > read on >

The U.S. flu season is expected to extend into spring, and experts say it’s not too late to get a flu shot. Last year’s flu season was mild, but this season has already seen triple the number of flu-related deaths in the United States. “Even a minor respiratory virus can be hard on someone with lung disease, and the flu is especially challenging,” said Dr. Albert Rizzo, chief medical officer for the American Lung Association. “We want to reiterate that not only should people with any chronic illness get a flu shot, but their loved ones and friends should also protect them by getting the flu vaccine. It’s imperative that we slow the spread of the flu this year as much as possible to continue to decrease the number of cases and hospitalizations, and to protect our most vulnerable loved ones,” Rizzo said in a news release from the American Heart Association, American Lung Association and American Diabetes Association. The flu can cause serious complications for people who have chronic health conditions, leading to hospitalization and potentially death. About 90% of people hospitalized for flu have at least one underlying medical condition, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These can include heart disease, history of stroke, type 1 or type 2 diabetes, obesity and chronic lung disease, such as asthma, cystic… read on > read on >

People who get COVID-19 are at risk for long-term health consequences, but a healthy lifestyle may protect against long COVID, a new study suggests. Women who maintained six healthy habits — a healthy weight, didn’t smoke, exercised regularly, slept and ate well, and drank alcohol in moderation — cut their risk of long COVID by about 50%, compared with women without those healthy habits, researchers found. “If all people adhere to all six healthy lifestyle factors in our cohort, 36% of long COVID could have been avoided,” said lead author Dr. Siwen Wang, a research fellow at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. “Also, those with a healthier pre-infection lifestyle had a 30% lower risk of having symptoms that interfere with their daily life,” she added. One possible explanation, Wang said, is that an unhealthy lifestyle increases the odds of chronic inflammation and immune system problems. Both have been tied to an increased risk of long COVID. This study, however, can’t prove that a healthy lifestyle actually lowers the odds of developing long COVID, only that there is an association between the two. “There is also evidence that people with an unhealthy lifestyle sometimes develop autoantibodies and blood clotting issues that have been associated with increased risk of long COVID,” Wang said. “But more studies are definitely needed to understand how a healthy… read on > read on >

Vitamin D supplements are typically used to guard against bone loss and fractures, but new research offers up another possibility: For folks with pre-diabetes, they may help lower the chances of a full diabetes diagnosis. Across three clinical trials, investigators found that vitamin D supplements were modestly effective in curbing the risk of pre-diabetes progressing to type 2 diabetes. Over three years, just under 23% of study patients using vitamin D developed diabetes, versus 25% of those given placebo pills. On average, the study found, supplements lowered the risk of progressing to type 2 diabetes by 15%. “It’s pretty clear vitamin D has a moderate effect on reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes, if you’re at high risk,” said lead researcher Dr. Anastassios Pittas, of Tufts Medical Center, in Boston. The findings do not apply to people at average risk of the disease, he stressed, and it’s still unclear what the optimal dose of vitamin D is for people with pre-diabetes. Plus, Pittas said, no supplement would be a replacement for lifestyle changes, including a healthy diet and regular exercise. “We don’t want the message to be, take a pill and you won’t need to do the hard work of changing your diet and exercising,” Pittas said. Type 2 diabetes arises when the body’s cells no longer properly respond to the hormone insulin, which… read on > read on >

It’s a little safer to get into the water: Unprovoked shark attacks dropped to a 10-year low worldwide in 2022, shark watchers say. A total of 57 unprovoked bites occurred in 2022, tying with 2020 for the fewest number of reported incidents during the last 10 years, according to the University of Florida’s International Shark Attack File. Of those attacks, five were fatal — down from nine deaths in 2021 and 10 in 2020. Since 2013, there have been an average 74 unprovoked bites a year, researchers say. The 2020 low likely was related to COVID-19 travel restrictions and beach closures, which resulted in fewer encounters between humans and sharks, researchers said. Declining shark populations are one likely cause of the low numbers of bites in 2022, researchers said. “Generally speaking, the number of sharks in the world’s oceans has decreased, which may have contributed to recent lulls,” said Gavin Naylor, director of the Florida Museum of Natural History’s Florida Program for Shark Research. “It’s likely that fatalities are down because some areas have recently implemented rigorous beach safety protocols, especially in Australia,” Naylor said in a museum news release. The United States had the most bites, with Florida reporting more bites than anywhere else in the world. None of Florida’s 16 unprovoked bites were fatal, but two resulted in amputations. Long Island also experienced… read on > read on >

A new study shows the importance of the messenger when trying to encourage people to get their COVID-19 vaccines. People who know someone who was sickened by the virus or who died from it were twice as likely to get their own vaccinations, researchers report. “This study shows that the messenger matters more than the message: Hearing about the experiences of a trusted person, such as a friend or a family member, can be more effective than vaccine mandates,” said lead author Saurabh Kalra, a doctoral student at the Rutgers School of Public Health in New Brunswick, N.J. “A corollary to this finding is that an influential public figure whom people admire and trust can adversely impact public health if they share misinformation such as the disease is harmless or the vaccines are harmful or unnecessary,” he said in a Rutgers news release. The researchers surveyed just over 1,100 people who were eligible for the vaccine from April 7 to April 12, 2021. They asked whether each person knew family members or friends who had recovered, were still sick or had died from COVID-19. They also asked about COVID vaccination. Certain categories of people were more likely to have received an initial vaccine dose within four months of the emergency use authorization for the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines. These included essential workers, people with… read on > read on >

After living with disabling low back pain for nearly 30 years, Dennis Bassett, 64, finally has a new lease on life. The Hempstead, N.Y., native injured his back in the 1980s when helping a friend. He tried everything to relieve his back pain, from self-medication, acupuncture, and chiropractor work to steroid injections, physical therapy and exercise. “My back only got worse,” recalled the retired real estate professional. “Some days, I could barely make it into the house and up my stairs.” But that was then. Everything changed a few months ago after his doctor suggested a new procedure that involves implanting a muscle-stimulating device called the ReActiv8 into his lower back to activate a dormant and withering core muscle. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave its nod to the device in June 2020. The father of six underwent the procedure at Lenox Health Greenwich Village in New York City several months ago. Now, he is considering moving down South and starting a trucking business. “I feel good enough that I can take a chance,” he said. “I can walk upstairs, sit down and stand up with no problem. I thought, ‘this is too good to be true.’” But when this procedure is paired with the right patient, it’s not too good to be true, said Bassett’s surgeon, Dr. Kiran Vishal Patel, director of pain… read on > read on >

Researchers have uncovered groundbreaking evidence that pharmacies in tourist areas of Northern Mexico are selling counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, heroin and methamphetamines. The pills, mainly sold to U.S. tourists without a prescription, were passed off as controlled substances, including oxycodone, percocet and Adderall, the study found. This could add to the already high number of overdose deaths from these drugs in the United States and Mexico, U.S.-based researchers said. “These counterfeit pills represent a serious overdose risk to buyers who think they are getting a known quantity of a weaker drug,” said senior study author Chelsea Shover. She is an assistant professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). About 68% of 40 pharmacies studied in four cities in Northern Mexico had at least one controlled substance for sale without a prescription, the researchers found. These were sold in either bottles or as individual pills. The investigators found counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, heroin and/or methamphetamine from 11 pharmacies. Nine pill samples sold as Adderall contained methamphetamine. Eight sold as oxycodone contained fentanyl. Three sold as oxycodone had heroin in them. “It is not possible to distinguish counterfeit medications based on appearance, because identically appearing authentic and counterfeit versions are often sold in close geographic proximity,” the researchers reported. “Nevertheless, U.S. tourist drug consumers may be more trusting… read on > read on >

Winter’s icy beauty can also be dangerous. An orthopedic expert offers some tips for avoiding serious injuries on slippery ground or hazards hidden by snow. “When people have injuries during the winter, it commonly involves tripping over an object or slipping on ice,” said Dr. Richard Samade, an assistant professor of orthopedic surgery who specializes in hand and upper extremity surgery at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. “To protect themselves from greater injuries, people will instinctively stretch their hand and arm out to break their fall,” Samade said in a center news release. “Unfortunately, this leads to a decelerating force concentrated through the wrist, forearm and elbow that often leads to injury in the small bones of those areas.” Staying alert and aware of surroundings can help. People should take note of dark patches on pavement that may be iced over, Samade advised. Wear appropriate footwear with good traction, he said. If you use a walker or cane, consider having someone walk with you in case you lose your balance. Of course, it’s important to stay safe year-round. Pay attention to what’s ahead of you while walking rather than texting or looking down at a phone screen, Samade suggested. Use corrective lenses or walking aids if poor vision, chronic conditions and medication have increased your fall risk. In warmer months, outdoor work and recreational… read on > read on >