Health/Fitness « Weekly Gravy

Teen boys who are unfit and/or obese have higher odds for chronic disease and disability as adults, according to a large Swedish study. Researchers followed more than 1 million boys for an average of 28 years, starting when they were 16 to 19 years of age. Those who were inactive, obese or both as teens were more likely to receive medical disability pensions as adults. The pensions are granted in some countries to working-aged adults who are unable to work due to chronic illness or injury. “Cardiorespiratory fitness and obesity already in adolescence is strongly related to later health,” said lead researcher Pontus Henriksson, a registered dietitian at the Karolinska Institute in Huddinge, Sweden. His team cautioned that this study does not prove that being unfit or obese as a teenager causes disabilities in adulthood, only that the two appear to be related. This association, however, is important because many teens are less fit and weigh more than previous generations, Henriksson said. The study also provides more evidence for the relevance of fitness and obesity in adolescence as markers of future health. Morbidly obese men were at greatest risk, the study found. Henriksson and his colleagues also found that compared with being unfit, being moderately or highly fit was related to a reduced risk for disability, whether one was obese or not. Common disabilities associated… read on >

Children who have surgery for a broken elbow may be overprescribed potentially addictive opioid painkillers, a new study finds. Overprescription includes giving kids too many opioids when they are sent home — raising the risk that any leftover meds will be “diverted” for illicit use. “This study suggests that orthopedic surgeons really need to think about our current prescribing practices and how we can help decrease the potential for overprescription and opioid diversion,” said study author Dr. Apurva Shah. He’s an orthopedic surgeon at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. The study included 81 patients, average age about 6 years, who had surgery for the most common type of elbow fracture in children. On average, they took only 24 percent of prescribed opioid painkillers. Opioids include drugs such as OxyContin and Vicodin. Eighteen patients did not take any opioid medications after they left the hospital, and 18 took over-the-counter (OTC) pain medications such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Only 11 patients were taking any type of pain medication 10 days after surgery. By day 14, six patients were taking OTC pain medications, and by day 21, only four still used them, according to the study. The finding that patients used an average of less than 25 percent of prescribed opioid medications suggests the potential risk of opioid overprescribing, which contributes to the nation’s opioid epidemic. For example,… read on >

(HealthDay News) — As we age, so does our skin. With that comes wrinkles and age spots. While wrinkle creams, eye serums and other products can diminish signs of aging, the most effective anti-aging plan begins with healthy skin habits, the American Academy of Dermatology says. The academy offers this advice: Protect your skin from the sun by seeking shade, covering your skin and wearing sunscreen every day. Never use a tanning bed. Apply moisturizer daily. Wash your face twice a day with a mild cleanser and warm water. Quit smoking. Eat healthier foods. Get plenty of sleep.

Even if you think you can go to work when you have a cold or flu, you need to think about others, an infectious disease expert says. “I see a lot of patients whose jobs and stress make them feel torn between staying home and going in when they’re sick,” said Dr. Robin Wigmore. She is a primary care physician and infectious disease specialist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. “But viral infections like the common cold and flu are contagious. It’s important to consider your co-workers’ health as well,” Wigmore said in a medical center news release. To make an informed decision, first consider how long you’ve been feeling ill. “You are most contagious in the first 48 hours of a viral illness,” Wigmore explained. “This is often even before you begin feeling symptoms.” This means you should stay home at the first sign of symptoms. That will avoid spreading your illness and allow you to rest, stay hydrated and take care of yourself. Ask yourself if your symptoms are contagious. Viruses can be passed through the air by coughing or sneezing, and some cold and flu germs can survive on surfaces such as countertops, doorknobs and phones for up to 24 hours. “As a general rule, if you have a wet cough, a runny nose, fevers or aches, you should probably… read on >

Young children with autism are more than twice as likely to have sleep problems than typical kids or those with other developmental delays, a new study reports. Several factors profoundly affect the sleep of 2- to 5-year-olds with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), said lead researcher Dr. Ann Reynolds. They are more likely to resist their bedtime, have trouble getting to sleep, suffer from anxiety regarding sleep, wake up in the middle of the night, and experience night terrors. “It was very clear that kids with features of autism have more sleep issues,” said Reynolds, an associate professor of developmental pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Aurora. “For almost all categories, there was a difference between ASD kids and the general population.” It was already known that kids with autism struggle with sleep. Studies have consistently found that more than half of them and possibly as many as 4 in 5 have at least one chronic sleep problem, according to Autism Speaks. Reynolds and her team decided to delve deeper into the issue, to see which sleep problems appeared to be more affected by the symptoms of autism. They also wanted to compare kids with ASD to average children and to those who have other disorders that cause developmental delay. Researchers recruited almost 2,000 children between the ages of 2 and 5… read on >

(HealthDay News) — Taking care of a significant wound helps prevent infection and minimize scaring, the Nemours Foundation says. The foundation suggests how to care for a wound at home: Keep the wound covered with a clean dressing until it stops producing fluid. Wait an average of four days after surgery before showering. Ask your doctor for a specific time to wait. Do not soak in the bathtub or swim until your next doctor visit. Don’t let pets get close to a wound. Do not pick or scratch a scab.

For nutrient-dense foods that are low in calories, it’s hard to beat berries. But it’s also hard to pay what they cost out of season. Frozen berries are a healthy freezer staple that taste as good as fresh, and are a lot more budget-friendly. Raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and cranberries (they’re not just for cranberry sauce) are all superfoods — low in calories and high in fiber, vitamins and powerful antioxidants, which give them their brilliant colors. Berries defrost in minutes and make a great topping for yogurt and oatmeal, and the perfect base for smoothies (toss them into the blender without defrosting). They’re also excellent for making sweet treats, like these fast raspberry chocolate fudge pops, a lower-sugar version of the frosty indulgence. If you don’t have a set of ice-pop molds, almost any shape of silicone mold with a half-cup capacity will work. Or simply use small paper cups. Raspberry Fudge Pops 2 cups water 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup Stevia or other sugar-free sweetener 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup frozen raspberries, divided 1 tablespoon slivered almonds, optional In a large saucepan, combine water, cocoa powder and both sweeteners. Stir with a large whisk to dissolve the cocoa as you bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer two to three minutes until smooth… read on >

Bouncing around at a trampoline park can be great fun, but a new study warns it can also be an invitation to sprains, strains and broken bones. Nationwide, more than 100,000 emergency room visits were related to trampoline injuries in 2014, according to the latest data from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Injuries that occur at a jump park are typically more severe than those that happen on a home trampoline. “Emergency room visits, hospitalizations and surgical interventions are not uncommon in children and adults due to jump park-related injuries,” said lead researcher Dr. Ryan Voskuil, an orthopedic surgeon at the University of Tennessee Health Center in Chattanooga. Several factors contribute to the danger, Voskuil said. Jump park trampolines have a stronger bounce than home ones, he noted, and parks place obstacles around the trampolines to make the experience more exciting. Trampolines at parks also are interconnected and can have different slopes. Finally, many people jumping at the same time increases the chance of collisions. “Similar to a skateboard park or bicycle park, these parks incorporate games, obstacles and various geometric configurations,” Voskuil said. “It’s just like any sport you participate in, except I think, it’s substantially more dangerous.” For the study, his team looked at 439 trampoline injuries reported over two years. While more injuries occurred on home trampolines (66 percent), more than… read on >

Forget the mellow slacker image — pot smoking might actually make men more potent. Men who’ve smoked marijuana appear to have significantly higher sperm concentrations than those who’ve never given it a try, a new study reports. There’s also a potential link between pot use and testosterone, said senior researcher Dr. Jorge Chavarro. He’s an associate professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston. “With increasing use of marijuana, there was a positive association with serum testosterone levels,” Chavarro said. “More marijuana, higher testosterone levels.” Couples shouldn’t start smoking pot to improve their chances of conception, however. This was an observational study, and it’s entirely possible that the link between pot and male fertility might run in the opposite direction, Chavarro said. “We know that men with higher testosterone levels tend to engage in risk-tasking behaviors. The higher your testosterone, the more likely you are to do risky stuff,” like frequent pot smoking, Chavarro said. Chavarro and his team set out to study the possible effects of pot smoking on male reproduction by observing 662 men enrolled at the Massachusetts General Hospital Fertility Center in Boston between 2000 and 2017. Semen samples were taken from all of the men, and 317 provided blood samples that were analyzed for reproductive hormones. The men also filled out a questionnaire… read on >

Two out of every three people will experience a shoulder injury or problem at some point in their lives. One reason: When it comes to training, the anterior, or front, deltoid muscle gets almost all the attention, while the medial and posterior deltoids get the cold shoulder. For a study sponsored by the American Council on Exercise, scientists from the University of Wisconsin La Crosse evaluated popular shoulder exercises to see which were most effective. Popular Deltoid Strength-Training Exercises Barbell upright row Battling ropes Bent-arm lateral raise, great for the medial deltoids Cable diagonal raises Dips Dumbbell front raise Dumbbell shoulder press, tops in training for the anterior deltoids Push-ups Seated rear lateral raise, excellent for the posterior deltoids 45-degree incline row, excellent for the medial and posterior deltoids While no single exercise can work all three parts, start building a shoulder workout with two that target most of the muscles. Build up to three sets of eight to 15 reps each. At first, you may only be able to lift very light dumbbells, but with consistency, you’ll develop strength over time. When you can complete three full sets, it’s time to increase your weight. For the seated rear lateral raise, sit on the edge of a bench, feet flat on the floor, a dumbbell next to each foot. Bend over to bring your torso… read on >