Health/Fitness « Weekly Gravy

In many U.S. states, teenagers who send “sext” messages to each other can be prosecuted as child pornographers — and that should end, researchers argue. Many states have recently passed laws that specifically address teen sexting — exempting it, to varying degrees, from longstanding child pornography statutes. But in 23 states, those outdated laws still apply to teenagers who willingly send sexual messages to each other. The penalty is up to 20 years in prison and a lifetime as a registered sex offender, according to Dr. Victor Strasburger, of the University of New Mexico, in Albuquerque. Writing in the May issue of the journal Pediatrics, he and his colleagues contend that it’s time for all states to revisit their child pornography laws. Consensual teen-to-teen sexting should be addressed by parents, schools and health providers — not the criminal justice system, they said. “I absolutely agree,” said Elizabeth Englander, a professor of psychology at Bridgewater State University in Massachusetts. “This needs to be treated as a developmental and educational issue.” Englander, who also directs the Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center at Bridgewater, studies kids’ technology use — including issues like sexting and cyberbullying. It’s no secret that teenagers today are attached to their devices. In the United States, 95% of teens own or have access to a smartphone, according to Strasburger’s team. So, it’s also no surprise… read on >

Many people are plagued by self-criticism, that inner voice that questions every decision and every move. It can keep you from reaching goals and erode self-confidence. And when it happens during intimacy, it can ruin your sex life and your relationship. No topic is taboo for the inner critic’s scrutiny — your attractiveness or your attraction to your partner, your sexual needs, your performance, and all these aspects of your partner as well. These thoughts can start before the first moment of intimacy and escalate to the point where your mind is not on your partner when lovemaking, but caught up in destructive thoughts. Experts say that to challenge your inner critic, you should first write down all these thoughts in detail, but do so in the second person to distance yourself from them. The next step is harder, but effective: Verbalize these thoughts with your partner. By voicing them, rather than letting them fester in your head, you can both put them in perspective and, together, debunk them. You might start by explaining that self-doubt is keeping you from feeling a close bond during intimacy, and then share your doubts and fears. Be gentle if any of your thoughts directly concern your partner, such as his or her ability to satisfy you. You might each use this opportunity to talk about what gives you… read on >

(HealthDay News) — The brain and other organs rely on vitamin B12 to function properly. For most adults, the recommended B12 dose is more than 2.4 micrograms, says the Office of Dietary Supplements. Vitamin B12 is naturally found in a variety of animal products and is especially high in fish like trout, salmon and tuna. Other sources of B12 include chicken, eggs, cheese, yogurt, milk and beef.

(HealthDay News) — Three primary types of thermometers are on the market for consumers. Digital thermometers record body temperature through electric heat sensors. They can be used in the rectum, mouth or under the armpit. However, armpit temperatures are typically least accurate. Digital ear thermometers use infrared scanners to measure the ear canal temperature. Earwax or an abnormal ear canal can interfere with the accuracy. Temporal artery thermometers also use infrared scanners, measuring the forehead’s temporal artery temperature. These thermometers can be used even while a child is sleeping. Digital pacifier thermometers, fever strips and mercury thermometers are not recommended, advises Mayo Clinic.

(HealthDay News) — A baby’s first fever can be scary for parents. However, most fevers are relatively harmless, says MedlinePlus. When treating your child’s fever, MedlinePlus suggests: Do not bundle up a child, even if the child has the chills. Use acetaminophen or ibuprofen to lower fever. Never give aspirin to children. Bathe your child in lukewarm water. If a newborn has a fever of more than 100.4 degrees F, contact a doctor without delay.

Mindlessly switching from your smartphone to other media devices and back again might lead to added pounds, scientists say. A small, new study found that heavy-duty media multitaskers also tended to be heavier, weight-wise. It’s possible that these devices are actually changing the brain, theorized lead author Richard Lopez, a postdoctoral fellow in psychology at Rice University in Houston. In terms of weight, that could mean less self-control when fattening foods are at hand. For their study, Lopez and his colleagues had 132 students, aged 18 to 23, answer questions about how much they multitasked and how distractible they were. Certain questions — such as, do you feel the urge to check your phone while you’re talking to someone else? — were designed to detect compulsive or inappropriate cellphone use. The researchers found that study participants with higher scores on the questionnaire tended to weigh more than those with lower scores, suggesting a possible link between the two. Next, Lopez’s team had 72 of the students undergo an MRI brain scan while they were shown a serious of pictures. Images of delicious, fattening foods were mixed in with the images. When the food images were viewed, activity increased in the part of the brain linked to food temptation, the findings showed. These participants, who also tended to have more body fat, spent more time at… read on >

Almost one in five multiple sclerosis patients may be misdiagnosed with the autoimmune disease, according to a new study. Of 241 previously diagnosed multiple sclerosis (MS) patients referred to two major Los Angeles medical centers for treatment, nearly 18% did not actually have the autoimmune disease, the researchers found. Those patients spent an average of nearly four years being treated for MS before receiving a correct diagnosis, the study authors said. “I’ve seen patients suffering side effects from the medication they were taking for a disease they didn’t have,” said study leader Dr. Marwa Kaisey, from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. “Meanwhile, they weren’t getting treatment for what they did have. The cost to the patient is huge — medically, psychologically, financially,” Kaisey said in a Cedars-Sinai news release. The most common correct diagnosis among the patients misdiagnosed with MS was migraine (16%), followed by radiologically isolated syndrome, a condition in which patients do not experience symptoms of MS even though their imaging tests look similar to those of MS patients. Other diagnoses included nerve damage and a disorder of the vertebrae called spondylopathy, the findings showed. Among the patients misdiagnosed with MS, 72% had been prescribed MS treatments. Of those, 48% received therapies that can carry the risk of a viral infection-caused disease in the white matter of the brain (progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy).… read on >

Sunscreen may do double duty when you’re outside on a summer day, keeping you cool as it protects your skin from the sun’s harmful rays. New research suggests how: When unprotected skin is exposed to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays, skin cells typically see a drop in levels of nitric oxide. This compound helps the skin’s small blood vessels to relax and widen. Reduced nitric oxide results in a reduction in blood flow to the skin, which can throw a person’s body temperature out of whack. But applying SPF-50 sunscreen can halt that chain of events, the researchers said. “When sunscreen was applied to the skin before ultraviolet light exposure during the current study, it completely protected against the negative effects of ultraviolet light on nitric oxide and skin blood vessel function,” explained study author S. Tony Wolf. He is a Ph.D. candidate in exercise physiology and a predoctoral research fellow at the Center for Healthy Aging at Penn State University. Wolf and his colleagues presented their findings this week at a meeting of the American Physiological Society, in Orlando, Fla. Such research is considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal. To test how well sunscreen protects against heat stress, investigators enlisted 13 healthy adults aged 24 and older. All were described as having light to medium skin tones. For the study, total UV… read on >

Are you neglecting or even unaware of the muscles in your back? If so, you’re putting yourself at risk. The trapezius is the diamond-shaped muscle that runs from neck to middle back and from shoulder to shoulder across the back. The latissimus dorsi — or “lats” — are the large back muscles that run from either side of the spine to your waist. Here are two strength-training exercises that will help you develop these muscles for better upper body fitness. Important: Start with a weight that allows you to complete at least eight reps with proper form, perhaps as low as 2-pound dumbbells. Build up to 10 to 15 reps for one complete set, and progress from one to three complete sets before increasing the weight. Never jerk the weights — controlled, steady movement is what brings results. Standing dumbbell rows target the trapezius muscles as well as the upper arms and shoulders. Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart, with a weight in each hand. Your elbows should be slightly bent, the dumbbells touching the fronts of your thighs, palms facing your body. As you exhale, use a slow, controlled movement to lift the weights straight up by bending the elbows up and out to bring the weights to shoulder level. Hold for a second, then inhale as you lower your arms to the starting position.… read on >

Vitamin D is the healthy “sunshine” vitamin, but it can have a dark side, one Canadian man discovered. A team of Toronto physicians reported on the case of a 54-year-old man who developed kidney damage after taking extremely high doses of vitamin D. It’s a cautionary tale for consumers, medical experts say. “Although vitamin D toxicity is rare owing to a large therapeutic range, its widespread availability in various over-the-counter formulations may pose a substantial risk to uninformed patients,” said study co-author Dr. Bourne Auguste. He’s a clinical fellow in home dialysis at Toronto General Hospital and the University of Toronto. As reported April 8 in the CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal), the man was seen by doctors after he returned from a holiday in Southeast Asia, where he spent much of his time sunbathing. Vitamin D is naturally synthesized by the skin upon contact with sunlight. Testing showed that the man had elevated blood levels of creatinine, a marker for kidney damage or malfunction. The patient was then referred to a kidney specialist and underwent further testing. Doctors learned that the man had been prescribed high doses of vitamin D by a naturopath — even though he did not have vitamin D deficiency and no history of bone loss. Over 30 months, the man had taken eight to 12 drops of vitamin D —… read on >