Health/Fitness « Weekly Gravy

Do you get distracted easily or find that it’s getting harder to stay focused on a task at hand or retain new information? These issues can happen to anyone, though they may seem to be more troublesome with advancing age. But concentration is an ability that you can improve with a few simple “study skills.” For instance, when someone is talking to you, look at the person and listen closely. If you missed something that was said, ask him or her to repeat it or to speak more slowly. Then to imprint the information on your brain, repeat it back. Stop multitasking. You might think you’re being more productive, but chances are you’re not doing each task as well as if you were focused on just one at a time, according to experts at Harvard University. Also try to avoid interruptions. For example, if a co-worker asks you something while you’re in the middle of a task, ask if he or she can wait until you’re finished. Don’t even answer the phone until you’re done — let voicemail take the call. While originally designed for students, anyone can benefit from these three specific techniques created by researchers at Kansas State University: Use a mantra to help you refocus. When you notice that your thoughts are wandering, say to yourself something like the phrase “be here… read on >

(HealthDay News) — Cuts are openings in the skin and can be deep, smooth or jagged. Minor cuts may be treated at home, says MedlinePlus. However, in some instances you should contact a medical professional. Call 911 if: Bleeding is severe or cannot be stopped. The person cannot feel the injured area. The person is seriously injured. Call your doctor if: The wound is large or deep. The person has been bitten by a person or animal. The cut was caused by a rusty object. The wound shows signs of infection.

Profoundly obese people are prone to an irregular heartbeat known as atrial fibrillation, but new research suggests that weight-loss surgery can improve the odds that a procedure to restore a normal heart rhythm will work. When atrial fibrillation, or a-fib, cannot be controlled by medications, a procedure called ablation can help. It targets the nerves in the heart where atrial fibrillation occurs. By electrically burning these areas, the heartbeat may return to normal. “Bariatric [weight-loss] surgery before ablation was associated with a threefold reduction in atrial fibrillation recurrence rates,” said researcher Dr. Eoin Donnellan, a fellow in cardiology at the Cleveland Clinic. Both obesity and a-fib are at epidemic proportions in the United States, and both can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, the researchers said. As many as one in five cases of a-fib are related to obesity, and obesity has been identified as a risk factor for the heart condition, the researchers noted. Some patients who have weight-loss surgery may see their a-fib stop on its own or can have it controlled with medication, Donnellan said. But for many, ablation may be the best way to cure it. Although ablation has become a common procedure to treat a-fib, obese patients are more likely to have their abnormal heartbeat return after the procedure, he said. “While previously, morbidly obese patients with atrial fibrillation that… read on >

Bucking a longstanding upward trend, new data shows that the percentage of Americans taking any prescription drug has fallen slightly over the past decade. Still, nearly half — 45.8% — of Americans said they took at least one prescription medicine over the past month, according to a national survey conducted in 2015-2016. That’s a slight dip from the 48.3% of Americans — children and adults — who reported taking a prescribed drug in the same survey conducted in 2007-2008, according to a team from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). The drop in prescription use reverses a trend that had persisted since the 1990s, the study authors said. It’s not clear why fewer Americans are taking prescription meds now than a decade before, although the researchers cite a possible “decline in the use of inappropriate or ineffective therapies.” The new statistics showed that males were less likely to be taking prescription meds than females (41.5% versus 50%, respectively). But the gender divide varied greatly, depending on age group. For example, among children under the age of 12, boys (22%) were more likely to take a prescription drug than girls (nearly 14%), a trend driven largely by use of drugs for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). But by the time people reached adulthood (ages 20 to 59), women were more… read on >

Many children deal with chronic health issues — but it doesn’t mean they can’t enjoy life as much as other kids, a new study finds. Researchers found that among more than 1,200 5- to 9-year-olds, those with some of the most common childhood ills were no less happy with their lives than other kids. They said the findings highlight an important point: Kids aren’t “defined” by their medical issues. “This can help broaden our perspective of what ‘health’ is,” said lead researcher Courtney Blackwell, a research assistant professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago. “Just because a child has a medical condition,” she said, “that doesn’t mean they’re ‘unhealthy.’ “ The caveat, Blackwell said, is that the study focused on kids with certain common conditions, such as asthma, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and digestive disorders. It did not include kids with more debilitating diseases that require intense care. If it had, the findings would probably be different, according to Rose Alvarez-Salvat, a child psychologist at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami. She was not involved with the research, but reviewed the study. Alvarez-Salvat works with kids who have medical conditions like type 1 diabetes, cystic fibrosis, cancer and hemophilia. Those complex disorders, which require daily management, can lead to anxiety and depression for some kids, she said. “They have a very different… read on >

(HealthDay News) — Buyer beware: When it comes to testosterone supplements, men should know a new study finds there is precious little evidence to support claims they will boost testosterone levels, sex drive, strength and overall energy. To come to this conclusion, the researchers first broke down 50 testosterone supplements into their component parts. The investigators then searched through a comprehensive scientific publication database for any solid proof that the supplements can do what the companies who make them say they can do. But only 12% of the products contained any ingredient shown to provide some testosterone-related benefit in human trials. And nearly half (48%) contained ingredients that studies found could have negative impacts. “In general, I’m not anti-supplements,” noted study author Dr. Mary Samplaski. “I have a lot of patients who take them. But the FDA [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] says very clearly that these products should not claim to treat medical conditions. And 90% of these testosterone supplements do make such claims. So I was just really curious what the scientific support was for the claims being made.” Samplaski said, “What we found is that in the vast majority of cases there was no evidence to show that any of the ingredients in these testosterone supplements were effective in any way.” The upshot, she said, is that “people should understand that just… read on >

Want a quick brain boost? A morning session of exercise and short walks throughout the day provide a number of brain benefits for older adults, a new study says. The findings show that people should avoid uninterrupted sitting to maintain good mental function throughout the day. The study also indicates that moderate-intensity exercise such as brisk walking should be encouraged to maintain brain health, according to researcher Michael Wheeler. “Relatively simple changes to your daily routine could have a significant benefit to your cognitive health. [The study] also reveals that one day we may be able to do specific types of exercise to enhance specific cognitive skills such as memory or learning,” Wheeler added. He’s a doctoral student at the University of Western Australia’s Heart and Diabetes Institute. The study included more than 65 men and women, aged 55 to 80, in Australia. The researchers examined how moderate-intensity exercise on a treadmill in the morning with and without 3-minute walking breaks during an 8-hour day of extended sitting affected different kinds of mental function. Decision-making throughout the day was improved when the participants did the morning exercise session, compared with uninterrupted sitting, according to the study. It also found that the morning bout of exercise combined with a number of short light-intensity walking breaks throughout the day led to improvements in short-term memory, compared with… read on >

In the ABCs of vitamins, B12 is often overlooked. But it’s essential for the making of nerve and red blood cells, as well as DNA along with many other body processes. Adults and teens need just 2.4 micrograms a day, but you can fall short even on this small amount. You’re at particular risk of a B12 deficiency if you’re a vegetarian because animal foods, like meat and dairy, are the only foods that deliver it. If you have a health problem that affects nutrient absorption, like Crohn’s disease, have had bariatric surgery or take certain medications, you also run the risk. So do people over 50 because of changes in stomach acids. Common medications that can affect your body’s B12 levels: PPIs such as omeprazole (Prilosec) and lansoprazole (Prevacid), used for treating heartburn or GERD. H2 receptor antagonists such as famotidine (Pepcid) and ranitidine (Zantac), also used for treating those and other conditions. Metformin, the diabetes drug. A deficiency can develop slowly over time or come on rather fast. Possible warning signs include emotional or thinking problems, fatigue, weakness, weight loss, constipation, and numbness or tingling in hands and feet. These can also be symptoms of many other conditions, but it takes only a blood test to diagnose a B12 deficiency. If you don’t eat animal-based foods, you can boost B12 with fortified soy… read on >

Even if they never use a condom during sex, gay men whose HIV is undetectable due to ongoing antiretroviral treatment cannot infect their male partner, new research reveals. “Whether men who are in monogamous relationships in these circumstances chose to use or not to use condoms is up to them, but there is no need to do so to prevent HIV transmission to the negative partner,” said the new study’s lead author, Dr. Alison Rodger. She’s a professor of infectious diseases with the Institute for Global Health at University College London in England. Rodger said the study provides “conclusive evidence” that the risk of transmission through sex is zero when virus levels are fully suppressed by antiretroviral therapy (ART). An earlier phase of the study proved the same was true for heterosexual couples. The finding — from the largest investigation of its kind — lends support to a public health campaign launched in 2016 by more than 850 HIV organizations in 96 countries. Known as the “U=U Campaign,” it stands for “undetectable equals untransmittable.” The new study, published May 2 in the online edition of The Lancet, spanned 14 countries and eight years. It included nearly 1,000 gay couples, each with one HIV-positive man and one without the virus. On average, HIV-positive partners said they had been on ART for four years prior to the… read on >

(HealthDay News) — Visiting a gynecologist is important for women to maintain reproductive and sexual health. Most females should begin seeing a gynecologist at the age of 21, or earlier if they are sexually active, says the University of California at Santa Barbara. Women should expect the following at a gynecologist visit: Taking basic measurements, such as weight and blood pressure. Being asked questions about sexual history and menstrual cycles. Getting a physical examination of the breasts and genitals. Feelings of anxiety are normal, but doctors encourage patients not to worry. These exams are common procedures for doctors, and are typically quick and painless, the school says.