Health/Fitness « Weekly Gravy

Exploring Europe, taking an African safari, going on a trip to the tropics: In many cases, vaccines are needed for travel, and that’s doubly true for children. According to pediatrician Dr. Lauren Nguyen, researching what vaccines are needed and preparing well before your family’s departure is crucial. “I tell my families that it’s best to come in about six weeks prior to international travel,” said Nguyen, who’s based in Torrance, Calif. and is affiliated with the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Care Network. Meet with your child’s pediatrician to review travel plans, figure out what vaccines are required or recommended based on your travel destination and arrange to get any shots needed. That consultation is probably best done with an in-person visit, not a phone call, Nguyen noted. Not sure what shots the country you’re visiting requires? Head to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Travelers’ Health website for up to date info for countries worldwide. “The CDC website tells you about any current outbreaks, as well as the recommended vaccines for that country,” Nguyen said in a hospital news release. Besides any special vaccines required by the country you’re visiting, make sure your child is up to date on routine shots for seasonal infections like COVID, flu and RSV. Planning ahead is crucial because many vaccines require multiple doses given weeks apart, Nguyen noted.… read on > read on >

Summertime is primetime for the great outdoors, but that can mean new hazards for your eyes, one expert warned. Simple steps can help cut the risk, said ophthalmologist Dr. Masih Ahmed, an assistant professor of ophthalmology at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Out in the sun This one has an easy fix: Sunglasses. According to Ahmed, strong sunlight can lead to what’s known as pterygium, growths within the eye and UV (ultraviolet) light has been linked to upped risks for early cataracts, worsened macular degeneration and even cancer of the eyelid. In a Baylor news release, he said that “when choosing the right sunglasses, make sure the lenses are 100% UV blocking, ideally wrapping around the face to avoid light protruding from the sides. UV-blocking sunglasses with full coverage over the eyes is key.” Polarized lenses can also help, since they help cut down on glare — especially useful when you’re out on the water. Sunscreen and your eyes The American Cancer Society currently recommends a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher, reapplied at least every 2 hours. Wearing hats and long-sleeved shirts can also help, and seek out shade if possible. “In warm temperatures where sweating is inevitable, find a sunscreen that does not run when you sweat to avoid getting it into the eyes,” according to Ahmed. “If sunscreen gets… read on > read on >

In half of American homes containing a loaded gun, that gun is kept unsecured and ready for potential use, often with children in the home, new research shows. The finding is especially troubling given the link between gun accessibility and accidental child deaths, as well as rising rates of gun-related suicides in the United States, researchers said. “The presence of a firearm in the home has been associated with an increased risk for firearm homicide and suicide among household members,” wrote a team of researchers led by Norah Friar. She’s an investigator with the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Violence Prevention. In the research, Friar’s team used federal survey data to track rates of gun ownership and storage practices in households in eight states: Alaska, California, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio and Oklahoma. They found widely varying rates of guns being kept in the home — from 18.4% of households surveyed in California to about 39% in Oklahoma and more than half (50.6%) of homes in Alaska. In most of the eight states surveyed, more than a third of homes that contained a gun also had children living in the home. In Alaska, that number rose to more than half. Guns that are unloaded and securely locked away pose little threat to children. But that wasn’t the case in… read on > read on >

The two top officers of a telehealth company that began to distribute ADHD drugs widely during the pandemic have been charged with health care fraud, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Thursday. The arrests will likely worsen ongoing shortages of Adderall and another ADHD medications, Vyvanse, experts said. “There are a lot of people who are going to be struggling without consistent medication,” Margaret Sibley, an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, told the New York Times. In announcing the charges, the Justice Department said the chief executive and the clinical president of the California-based telehealth company Done Global Inc. are accused of participating in a scheme to distribute Adderall and other stimulants for ADHD to patients who did not need the medications, and to bill insurers for these drugs. “These defendants exploited the COVID-19 pandemic to develop and carry out a $100 million scheme to defraud taxpayers and provide easy access to Adderall and other stimulants for no legitimate medical purpose,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a news release. Done was one of several telehealth companies that became popular during pandemic lockdowns in 2020, when the government relaxed restrictions for online prescriptions for controlled substances such as Adderall, the Times reported. In its indictment, the Justice Department claimed that Ruthia He, Done’s chief executive, and David Brody,… read on > read on >

Robot-guided radiation therapy can improve treatment for age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of vision loss and blindness among American seniors, a new study shows. Precisely targeted radiation treatment reduced by a quarter the number of routine injections needed to treat wet-type age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the most advanced and serious form of the disorder, researchers reported June 11 in The Lancet journal. “With this purpose-built robotic system, we can be incredibly precise, using overlapping beams of radiation to treat a very small lesion in the back of the eye,” said lead researcher Timothy Jackson, a consultant ophthalmic surgeon at King’s College Hospital in London. Wet AMD occurs when new, abnormal blood vessels grow under the retina. These vessels leak blood and other fluid, causing scarring of the macula — the center of the retina — and rapid vision loss. Standard treatment for wet AMD involves injections of drugs that inhibit the growth of new blood vessels in the eye. Most patients require an injection every one to three months to keep fluid from building up, researchers said. “Patients generally accept that they need to have eye injections to help preserve their vision, but frequent hospital attendance and repeated eye injections isn’t something they enjoy,” Jackson said in a King’s College news release. In the new therapy, the eye is treated once using three beams… read on > read on >

The number of people severely sickened after consuming mushroom edibles sold as Diamond Shruumz-brand Chocolate Bars, Cones or Gummies has risen, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday. As of Monday, “a total of 12 illnesses have been reported from eight states,” the FDA noted in an updated advisory. “All 12 people have reported seeking medical care; 10 have been hospitalized.” No deaths have been reported. Symptoms have included “seizures, central nervous system depression [loss of consciousness, confusion, sleepiness], agitation, abnormal heart rates, hyper/hypotension, nausea and vomiting,” the agency added. The Diamond Shruumz-brand mushroom edible products are being marketed online and at smoke/vape shops, legal CBD/THC shops and other retail outlets nationwide. The FDA is asking retailers to stop selling the products. The edibles pose a special danger to kids, the agency added. “This product may appeal to children and teenagers as it is marketed as a candy,” the FDA noted. “Parents and caregivers should consider discussing the information in this advisory with their children and take extra care to avoid this product being consumed by younger people.” Anyone who does become ill after consuming Diamond Shruumz-brand products should call the Poison Help Line at 800-222-1222 and let them know the product was consumed. More information Find out more about the dangers of edibles at the American Academy of Pediatrics. SOURCE: U.S. Food and… read on > read on >

A test used to gauge whether a college athlete has suffered a concussion is right only half the time and may be useless, new research finds. The test used by the NCAA, which oversees college sports, measures an athlete’s cognitive skills, and is one of three tests (symptoms and balance tests being the other two) that doctors use to identify concussion. “If you don’t do well on the cognitive exam, it suggests you have a concussion. But many people who are concussed do fine on the exam,” said study lead author Dr. Kimberly Harmon. She is a professor of family medicine and section head of sports medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Harmon said she was prompted to conduct the study by firsthand experience working on the sidelines as team physician for the UW Huskies. “Some people were concussed and they did well on the recall tests. Some people weren’t concussed and they didn’t do well. So I thought we should study it,” she explained in a UW news release. The test itself is one part of what’s known as the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT). In the cognitive skills section of SCAT, the patient is asked “orientation” questions (What day is it? What month is it?), then a memory test (recite back a list of words), then a concentration challenge (repeat… read on > read on >

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Monday that it has joined up with the Department of Justice and several other federal agencies to do more to stop the sale of illegal e-cigarettes in this country. In launching the newly created task force, the FDA aims “to coordinate and streamline efforts to bring all available criminal and civil tools to bear against the illegal distribution and sale of e-cigarettes responsible for nicotine addiction among American youth,” the agency said in a news release. “Enforcement against illegal e-cigarettes is a multi-pronged issue that necessitates a multi-pronged response,” Dr. Brian King, director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products, explained in the release. “This ‘All Government’ approach — including the creation of this new task force — will bring the collective resources and experience of the federal government to bear on this pressing public health issue.” Anti-smoking groups welcomed the news. “The creation of this task force can be an important step in preventing youth use of e-cigarettes, which are endangering the health and well-being of young people,” Yolonda Richardson, president and CEO of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said in a statement. “We encourage the Administration to take an aggressive approach in clearing the market of illegal e-cigarette products, which the public health community has been requesting consistently and most recently urged in a letter to… read on > read on >

Folks using a weight-loss drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy or Zepbound still have nutritional requirements for good health, even if they’re eating less. A new set of nutritional recommendations are expected to help people remain healthy even as they shed unwanted pounds, researchers say. The guidelines are meant “to equip clinicians with knowledge and tools to help support optimal nutritional and medical outcomes for their patients treated with anti-obesity medications,” researcher Lisa Neff, executive director of global medical affairs for Eli Lilly and Company, said in a news release. Eli Lilly makes Zepbound. The guidelines, crafted following an evidence review, call for women taking a weight-loss drug to eat between 1,200 to 1,500 calories a day. Men using the medication should eat 1,500 to 1,800 calories a day. A day’s food should include: More than 60 to 70 grams of protein. Recommended sources include beans, seafood, lean meat, poultry, low-fat dairy and eggs. Healthy carbohydrates constituting 45% to 65% of overall energy intake, with added sugars limited to less than 10% of intake. Whole grains, nuts and seeds, fruits, vegetables and dairy are recommended. Fats constituting between 20% and 35% of energy intake, with saturated fats limited to less than 10% of intake. Nuts, seeds, avocado, vegetable oil, fatty fish and seafood are recommended; avoid fried and high-fat foods due to gastro-intestinal effects associated with weight-loss… read on > read on >

Older adults who avoid surgery because they fear general anesthesia will cause thinking declines need not worry, researchers report. A study of more than 1,000 patients who had heart surgery at four hospitals in Canada found that the amount of anesthesia used did not affect the risk of delirium after surgery. Post-surgery delirium may contribute to cognitive decline. How much anesthesia to give requires striking a delicate balance between too much and little. About 1 in 1,000 people wake up during their surgery, unable to move or signal their pain or distress. This can cause lifelong emotional trauma. “The good news is that the distressing complication of intraoperative awareness can be more reliably prevented,” said senior study author Michael Avidan, head of anesthesiology at Washington University School of Medicine. “Anesthesia clinicians can now confidently administer a sufficient dose of general anesthesia, providing a margin of safety for unconsciousness, without being concerned that this will put their patients’ brains at risk.” The new study adds to other “compelling” evidence that higher doses are not toxic to the brain, he added in a university news release. Previous smaller studies have suggested that too much anesthesia could cause postoperative delirium, which affects about 25% of older patients after major surgery. Its hallmarks include confusion, altered attention, paranoia, memory loss, hallucinations and delusions. Though it is usually short-lived, this… read on > read on >