Lifestyle « Weekly Gravy

Consuming greater amounts of certain omega-3 fatty acids found in fish may reduce the risk of asthma in kids — but only those with a common gene variant, British researchers say. They focused on the long chain omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which are known to have anti-inflammatory properties. “Asthma is the most common chronic condition in childhood and we currently don’t know how to prevent it,” said study senior author Seif Shaheen, of Queen Mary University of London. “It is possible that a poor diet may increase the risk of developing asthma, but until now most studies have taken ‘snapshots’, measuring diet and asthma over a short period of time,” he said in a university news release. To find out if intake of omega-3s might matter, the researchers analyzed data on more than 4,500 Britons who were born in the 1990s and whose health has been tracked since birth. The researchers analyzed the association between intake of EPA and DHA from fish at 7 years of age and rates of newly diagnosed asthma in these kids as they reached 11 to 14 years of age. Overall, omega-3 intake from fish was not associated with asthma onset. But it did seem tied to a lower odds for asthma in a subgroup of children with a particular genetic makeup. The DNA… read on > read on >

Heart surgery can be stressful, but researchers may have found a way to reduce patients’ anxiety and postoperative pain — without any extra side effects. A team from the Netherlands found that the simple act of listening to music around the time of surgery may help patients as they recover. “This is a fascinating question for heart surgeons because we perform the most invasive procedures that require opening the chest, stopping the heart, using a heart-lung machine while we fix the heart, and then allowing the patient to return to life again,” said Dr. Harold Fernandez, a U.S. cardiac surgeon unconnected to the new study. “Undoubtedly, there is a significant amount of both anxiety and pain associated with these procedures,” said Fernandez, who is chief of cardiovascular and thoracic surgery at Northwell Health’s Sandra Atlas Bass Heart Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y. In the new research, published Jan. 25 in the online journal Open Heart, the Dutch team analyzed data from 16 studies looking at the effect of music on post-op care. The studies included almost 1,000 patients, and about 90% of the procedures involved coronary artery bypass grafts and/or heart valve replacement. A majority of the time the type of music used was relaxing and did not have strong rhythms or percussion, the researchers noted. The choice of music varied; sometimes it was from the… read on > read on >

Dry and chapped lips are common during the winter, but there are a number of things you can do to protect them, an expert says. “Cold, dry weather; sun damage; and frequently licking your lips are just some of the reasons your lips might feel dry and chapped this winter,” dermatologist Dr. Noëlle Sherber said in an American Academy of Dermatology news release. “Understanding these causes and anything else that might trigger your chapped lips goes a long way in preventing and treating them.” Sherber offered the following advice on preventing and treating dry, chapped lips: Use non-irritating lip products. Stick to lip balms, lipsticks and other lip products that contain ingredients like castor seed oil, ceramides, dimethicone or mineral oil. Choose products that are labeled “fragrance-free” and “hypoallergenic.” Avoid harsh ingredients. Camphor, menthol or eucalyptus can irritate your lips. If your lips burn, sting or tingle after using a lip product, stop using it. Refresh often. Apply your lip balm throughout the day and before you go to bed. If your lips are very dry and cracked, use a thick ointment, such as petroleum jelly. Ointment seals in moisture longer than waxes or oils. Protect your lips outdoors. Before going outside, apply a lip balm with an SPF of 30 or higher. Use a lip balm with titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide and reapply… read on > read on >

Current and former smokers are at risk for a lung disease called pulmonary fibrosis, but many aren’t aware of the threat, the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation says. There is no cure for the disease, which affects more than 200,000 Americans. A recent foundation survey found that more than 80% of smokers are unfamiliar with pulmonary fibrosis. This is a concerning statistic among a group disproportionately affected by the disease. Both smokers and nonsmokers have little awareness of the disease, and nearly 9 out of 10 Americans don’t know its symptoms: shortness of breath, a dry, chronic cough and fatigue. “Smokers are often aware that tobacco usage can lead to diseases such as lung cancer, COPD and emphysema, among others. However, as smokers experience chronic symptoms similar to those of PF, such as a dry, persistent cough, it is important they discuss PF with their doctors,” Dr. Amy Hajari Case said in a foundation news release. She’s senior medical adviser of education and awareness. It’s never too late to stop smoking, the foundation emphasized. Quitting smoking can increase overall health and quality of life at any age by reducing loss of core lung function over time and increasing lung capacity, which is crucial to maintaining a healthy blood oxygen level. Giving up the tobacco habit may also reduce inflammation of the airway, which can take months or… read on > read on >

Why does one person take a lot of risks and another proceed with more caution? Researchers came closer to that answer with a new study that shows risk-taking behavior may be related to characteristics in the brain. The study found there is no one risk area in the brain. Instead, there are many regions where anatomy is altered in people who take risks. Yet there is a connection between genes, lower levels of gray matter and risky behavior, researchers concluded. “People have different tendencies to engage in behavior that risks their health or that involve uncertainties about the future,” senior author Gideon Nave said in a University of Pennsylvania news release. He’s an assistant professor of marketing at the university’s Wharton School. The research team gathered brain scans and genetic data from more than 12,600 people of European ancestry and then from another 13,000 people. All were aged 40 to 69 and enrolled in the UK Biobank. Investigators used self-reported risky behaviors — smoking, drinking, sexual promiscuity and driving above the speed limit — to create an overall indicator of risk tolerance. They estimated the relationship between total gray matter volume across the brain and the risk-tolerance score. Higher risk tolerance was correlated with overall lower gray matter volume, researchers said, though only an association was seen. Gray matter carries out the basic functions of… read on > read on >