Health/Fitness « Weekly Gravy

Here’s a compelling reason to keep those dreaded appointments with your dentist: New research suggests that red, tender or bleeding gums could trigger high blood pressure. In a review of 81 studies that included more than 250,000 people, U.K. scientists found that those who had moderate to severe gum disease (periodontitis) had a 22% increased risk for high blood pressure, and those with severe gum disease had a 49% higher risk. “Oral health is closely linked to general health,” explained researcher Dr. Francesco D’Aiuto, head of the periodontology unit at University College London’s Eastman Dental Institute. “Looking after your teeth and gums is often neglected, but [it] should be as important as managing other general health risks,” he added. Among people with periodontitis, systolic pressure (top number) was 4.5 mm Hg higher and diastolic pressure (bottom number) was 2 mm Hg higher, on average, than people without gum disease, the researchers found. In five of the studies analyzed, researchers found that blood pressure dropped when periodontitis was treated. Blood pressure also dropped in patients treated for gum disease who didn’t have hypertension, they added. But whether treating periodontitis really is the cause of a drop in blood pressure isn’t certain, D’Aiuto said, since the study did not prove a cause-and-effect link. “Bad brushing and bacteria accumulation around teeth causes gum bleeding and disease, but also… read on >

Here’s a good reason to encourage your teenager to play more than one sport: New research finds kids who concentrate on only one sport may be at risk for stress fractures, tendinitis and knee injuries. “It’s wonderful for a child to love a sport and to want to engage in it, but we must keep in mind the number of hours spent playing,” said study author Alison Field, a professor of epidemiology and pediatrics at Brown University. “They add up pretty quickly.” The findings are a result of following more than 10,000 older children throughout the United States. The bottom line is that kids who do the most hours of intense activity per week, and that happens to be those focusing on a single sport, are the most likely to be injured. Field hopes that coaches, parents and doctors urge children to engage in less intense, less specialized training. The best advice is that kids should spend only a moderate amount of time in vigorous physical activity. If they have to specialize, they should replace some training with different types of exercise, such as yoga and conditioning, she suggested. The risk for injury differed for girls and boys. For girls, no sport stood out as being extra risky. Specializing, however, increased girls’ risk of injury by about 30%. Specialization did not significantly increase boys’ risk… read on >

(HealthDay News) — Influenza, commonly known as the flu, is a potentially serious disease that can lead to hospitalization and death, says the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. An annual seasonal flu shot is the best way to protect against the disease. The CDC offers these facts on the seasonal flu vaccine: Seasonal flu vaccine protects against the type of flu that’s predicted to be most common. Any licensed, age-appropriate flu vaccine is recommended. Everyone 6 months or older should get a flu vaccine, with few exceptions. People with severe, life-threatening allergies to the vaccine should not be given the shot. The vaccine takes about two weeks to begin working. It is possible, although less likely, to get the flu despite receiving the vaccine.

(HealthDay News) — Eyestrain occurs when your eyes get tired from intense use, says Mayo Clinic. Usually, eyestrain is not serious and goes away once you rest your eyes or make lifestyle changes. To reduce eyestrain, Mayo suggests: Blink often to refresh your eyes. Take breaks. Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Adjust lighting to reduce glare on your computer monitor. Enlarge type on your screen for easier reading. Adjust the contrast and brightness of electronics to a comfortable level.

When you get the urge for a snack, you might not think that a slice of turkey can have the same lip-smacking effect as a handful of chips. But scientists have known for some time that protein is the most efficient nutrient for not only quickly satisfying hunger, but also for keeping you feeling satisfied longer than other foods. Part of the explanation is the longer time it takes to digest protein and its ability to keep your blood sugar level steady. This, in turn, prevents the kind of cravings that seem to kick in soon after you finish, say, a jelly doughnut. Recent research done at the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom has found that there’s even more to this than we thought. Apart from your digestive system, the brain is also a key player in why protein is so satisfying. Receptors in the area of your brain that controls weight quickly respond to the amino acids in certain high-protein foods and send out the message that your hunger has been satisfied. It’s all part of a chain reaction that starts when certain taste buds are activated by protein’s savory flavor, often referred to as umami — the so-called fifth taste after salty, sour, sweet and bitter. Two amino acids in particular elicit the fast response — arginine, which is not one… read on >

Eddie Sullivan, 17, woke up on a Tuesday and found that his chest hurt every time he took a breath. He’d spent that July weekend nauseous with a fever, and the day before doctors had diagnosed him with pneumonia, remembers his mom, Geri Sullivan. “As the day went on, his chest pain became more severe and his breathing became more labored,” said Sullivan, 54, of Delaware County, Pa. “He commented more than once that it felt like he was only able to get enough air out of one lung.” They couldn’t know it at the time, but Eddie was one of 530 people across 38 states who’ve experienced severe lung injuries related to vaping. Eddie is on the mend now, but at one point doctors considered putting him on a ventilator — a prospect that terrified his mom, who lost his father when the boy was just 1 year old. “I really felt like my world was going to crash down again, when I heard those words that he might be put on a ventilator,” Sullivan recalled. Federal health officials are still piecing together exactly what happens in these cases of vaping-related lung injury, but experts said Eddie’s case follows a pattern that appears to be emerging. First signs Many patients first experience gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea, vomiting and diarrhea prior to their respiratory symptoms,… read on >

(HealthDay News) — Bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchial tube lining, says Mayo Clinic. People who have bronchitis often cough up thick, discolored mucus. Though complications are rare, bronchitis can lead to pneumonia in some people. To help prevent bronchitis, Mayo suggests: Avoid cigarette smoke. Get vaccinated for flu. Wash your hands regularly. Mayo also reminds people to wear a surgical mask if they have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

(HealthDay News) — Snoring occurs when the upper airways become narrow, says Harvard Medical School. As a result, airflow is disrupted, making tissues vibrate and produce the snoring noise. To help alleviate snoring, Harvard Medical school suggests: Reduce alcohol consumption. Lose excess weight. Rinse stuffy sinuses with saline before bed. Use allergy medication or a humidifier. Sleep on your side. Quit smoking.

(HealthDay News) — Color blindness is a vision deficiency that affects the perception of color, says the National Eye Institute. People with color blindness aren’t aware of differences among colors that may be obvious to those with normal vision. Sometimes, people who have color blindness aren’t aware of their condition unless they’re tested. Simple everyday tasks like selecting ripe fruit or deciphering traffic lights can pose challenges. Since color blindness can go undetected for some time, it’s important to have children, especially boys, tested if there is a family history of the condition. There is no cure for color blindness. However, there are lenses, aids and smartphone apps available to help those who are color blind.

If you’re overweight but have dodged chronic health issues like high cholesterol and high blood pressure, you might not think that losing weight is a priority. But an analysis of five years of records on 3.5 million people — underweight, normal weight, overweight and obese — has found reason for concern. The researchers discovered that even if people didn’t have any metabolic diseases at the start of the record-keeping, those who were obese were more likely than those of normal weight to develop health issues as time went on. Those health issues include coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, heart failure and peripheral vascular disease (a circulation disorder that affects blood vessels beyond the brain and heart). But no one is completely immune to health problems. Researchers also found that being at a normal weight doesn’t necessarily eliminate all risk for metabolic abnormalities, like high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. Indeed, 10% of those at a normal weight had at least one metabolic issue. Also, no matter what your weight, the more of those health markers you have, the greater your chances of a heart event, like an attack. This research underscores the importance of getting regular health screenings and knowing your numbers: cholesterol (total, HDL and LDL) and triglycerides; blood pressure (systolic and diastolic); and blood sugar. Then you can work with your health… read on >