Lifestyle « Weekly Gravy

The hangover is bad enough. But for binge-drinking young people, embarrassing social media posts can be another headache. College students often show signs of social media “addiction” and can suffer significant consequences, according to the authors of a new study. “During these times when young students are feeling disinhibited by alcohol, they may be even more likely than usual to post inappropriate material without considering the future impact,” said lead researcher Natalie Ceballos. “In some cases, these sorts of mistakes have even influenced college admission and later job applications,” said Ceballos, an associate psychology professor at Texas State University. The study included 425 undergraduate students, ages 18 to 25. Compared with students who’d never gone on a drinking binge, binge drinkers were more likely to have made social media posts while drinking or drunk. Binge drinking was defined as having five or more drinks at one time for men and four or more for women. Binge drinkers were also more likely to use more social media platforms, to feel that social media was part of their identity, and to have experienced negative fallout from their social media use, something the researchers referred to as social media addiction. The study is published recently in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs. “These findings suggest that in terms of common brain reward mechanisms, perhaps when students… read on >

Who doesn’t crave a big bowl of spaghetti every now and then? But then comes the question of how to fit it into a smart diet plan. The answer is portion control. On average, one cup of cooked pasta has between 180 and 220 calories. But that number can change depending on how long you cook it: The more water it absorbs, the fewer calories it has by measure. Also, it’s very likely that you’re putting far more than one cup of pasta in your dinner bowl, and a near certainty that restaurant portions are up to three times the size of that suggested serving. For the most accurate count when you’re cooking at home, weigh the pasta dry and count 100 calories for each ounce you’re having. (Do choose whole grain pasta for its nutrients.) Depending on what you’ll add to it, you can generally have 2 to 3 ounces, which will cook up to a filling meal. (Be sure to make note of what that amount of pasta looks like when cooked so that you know how much to eat when facing a supersized plate at a restaurant.) The key rule, home and away, is to keep pasta dishes light. Skip sauces made with butter, cream and heavy amounts of cheese in favor of tomato sauces. Cherry tomato halves, chopped herbs and a… read on >

Jen Godfrey couldn’t shake the “deep cloud” that lingered even after she found an antidepressant she could tolerate. Then a string of stressors hit — five years of fertility treatment and an 80-pound weight gain during pregnancy that left her with persistent pain; a close relative’s suicide; another who went missing; and her own divorce. It was all too much for Godfrey, a recovering alcoholic with a family history of depression. “The life stuff just had a gravitational pull,” said the 44-year-old stay-at-home mom from Reno, Nev. “I just thought: I don’t drink, I’m a good friend, a good mother, a good spouse — I should be a lot happier.” Godfrey’s search for relief pointed her to an unapproved and costly treatment for depression — ketamine. An animal anesthetic best known as the addictive party drug “Special K,” ketamine was approved for use as a human anesthetic in 1970 and it’s often used in emergency care to sedate kids and patients with breathing problems. Low, intravenous doses have been found to boost mood and curb suicidal thoughts, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved it as a treatment for depression. And the American Psychiatric Association (APA) warns patients about the potential for abuse and the lack of large, long-term studies of its effectiveness. Even so, ketamine clinics like the one now treating… read on >

New research shows that marijuana causes genetic changes in sperm, though it’s not clear what effect those changes have, or if they’re passed on to a man’s children. But the scientists said their findings suggest that men trying to have children should consider avoiding marijuana. In experiments with rats and a study involving 24 men, the Duke University team found that tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) — the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana — affects genes in two major cellular pathways and alters DNA methylation, a process essential to normal development. “What we have found is that the effects of cannabis use on males and their reproductive health are not completely null, in that there’s something about cannabis use that affects the genetic profile in sperm,” said senior study author Scott Kollins. He is a professor in psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Duke. “We don’t yet know what that means, but the fact that more and more young males of child-bearing age have legal access to cannabis is something we should be thinking about,” Kollins said in a university news release. For the study, the researchers compared men who were regular marijuana users (at least weekly for the previous six months) with men who had not used marijuana in the past six months and not more than 10 times in their life. The higher the concentration of THC in… read on >

Does your typical afternoon snack leave you feeling unsatisfied and reaching for more? If your pick-me-up is a bag of salty chips or a chocolate bar, a better (and healthier) way to go is with a high-protein choice, according to research published in The Journal of Nutrition. Snacks can make or break your diet. They can be a bridge from one meal to the next, keeping hunger in check and keeping you from overeating at meals. But if you’re not careful, they can add unwanted and even excessive calories to your daily total. Studies show that people of normal-weight tend to choose healthy snacks, like protein, fruit or whole grains, while overweight people tend to choose snacks high in fat and sugar, often compounding their weight woes. The study, which involved teens, found that surprisingly good snacks are soy-based, high-protein choices — a perfect way to get more plant foods in your diet. When comparing the effects of a high-protein soy snack to a high-fat snack, the researchers found that eating soy protein improves appetite control and diet quality, and helps you feel more satisfied. It can also boost your mood and brain function. Soybeans are nutritionally unique — the only vegetable that offers complete protein, all nine essential amino acids needed for health. They’re rich in B vitamins, iron, calcium and omega-3 fatty acids.… read on >

(HealthDay News) — You can make green choices in everyday life, including during the holiday season, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. Simple activities such as recycling, reusing, walking, biking and conserving water are easy ways to make green decisions. Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, Americans throw out 25 percent more trash than other times during the year, the agency says. The CDC offers these “green” suggestions for the holidays: Decorate with things you will use year after year. Plant your holiday tree outside after the holidays, or dispose of it at a chipping facility. Limit holiday lights or use LED lights. Give durable gifts that are made from recycled materials, or look for locally made goods. Make gifts yourself by knitting or crafting. Give in ways that will support your community, such as by gifting tickets to a local show or museum. Wrap your gifts creatively by using old maps, sheet music, fabric scraps, etc.

In a finding that shows the obesity epidemic is far from over, new research reveals that most Americans have grown wider but not taller in the past two decades. Height measurements remained relatively stable during the past 20 years, even dropping slightly between 2015 and 2016 for some groups. But the weight, waist circumference and body mass index (BMI) of many kept increasing, new federal government data indicate. Only Asian-Americans and black men appeared to buck this trend. “The current report provides updated data on trends in weight, height, waist circumference, and BMI from 1999-2000 through 2015-2016, showing an increase of over 8 pounds in men and 7 pounds in women over this time period and overall, no increase in height,” said researchers from the National Center for Health Statistics, part of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As of 2016, the U.S. average weight for men was 198 pounds, while it was 170 pounds for women. Which groups fared the worst? White men and women, along with Mexican-Americans and black women, put on the most pounds, according to the report. Which groups did the best? Black men, whose weights leveled off between 2005 and 2016, and Asian-Americans, who saw no significant differences in the four body measures over the two decades. At the same time, there was little change in height among… read on >

Reducing stress could cut your risk of allergy and asthma symptoms during the holidays. “Studies show stress can cause a number of negative health effects, including causing more symptoms for allergy and asthma sufferers,” said Dr. Todd Mahr, president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. “It makes sense that if you want to make your holidays more fun and less challenging, you might focus on ways to bring peace and wellness to your household,” Mahr added in a college news release. The college offers some other tips for controlling asthma and allergy symptoms over the holidays: Exercise can help reduce stress, but exercising in cold weather may make asthma symptoms worse. If you have symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, tightness in your chest or shortness of breath when you exercise in cold weather, you may have undiagnosed asthma. If you have asthma, warm up with gentle exercises for about 15 minutes before you start more intense exercise. Cover your mouth and nose with a scarf or face mask when you exercise in cold weather. Take your recommended asthma medicines. Another option is to move your workouts indoors when the outside temperature falls below freezing. Scented candles and wood-burning fireplaces can trigger allergy and asthma symptoms. Consider flameless candles and an electric fireplace instead. If you or a family member has food allergies,… read on >

Vaping among American teenagers increased dramatically in 2018, with nearly two of every five high school seniors reporting they’ve tried an e-cigarette during the past year, a new survey reveals. There was a bit of good news in the report, with teens reporting decreased use of alcohol, tobacco and opioids. But the vaping trends remained troubling. About 37 percent of 12th graders said they’d vaped within the past 12 months, compared to about 28 percent in 2017, according to the latest Monitoring the Future survey. Vaping rates also increased by about one-third in younger teens, with about 18 percent of 8th graders and 32 percent of 10th graders reporting they’d tried e-cigarettes in 2018. “That’s a marked increase just over a one-year period,” said Dr. Wilson Compton, deputy director of the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse, which funds the survey. “In fact, the investigators pointed out this is the largest increase they’ve ever seen in a substance product by youth in America,” he noted. After alcohol, vaping is the second-most common form of substance use in the United States, the survey found. However, marijuana use remains steady among high schoolers, with nearly 6 percent of 12th graders reporting daily use. For the past two decades, daily use among high school seniors has hovered between 5 and 6.6 percent. “When we see rates of around… read on >

Doctors should screen women for depression during and after pregnancy, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says in an updated policy statement. Undiagnosed and untreated depression among pregnant women and new mothers can put a baby’s health at risk, and is one of the most common and costly pregnancy-related complications in the United States, according to the AAP. “When we are able to help a mother deal with her mental health, we are essentially reaching the whole family,” statement lead author Dr. Marian Earls said in an academy news release. “We hope to create a protective buffer for the baby while strengthening family relationships and well-being.” Between 15 percent and 20 percent of new mothers are affected by depression during pregnancy or in the year after giving birth, a problem now called “perinatal depression.” About 50 percent of women with perinatal depression are undiagnosed and untreated. This can hinder bonding and healthy attachment, skew a mother’s perception of her baby’s behavior, and impair her ability to keep her baby safe, researchers have found. Women should be screened for depression once during pregnancy and during the infant’s well visits at 1, 2, 4 and 6 months of age, according to the policy statement, which also encourages pediatricians to find support for patients with depression. Statement co-author Dr. Jason Rafferty said, “We know that postpartum depression can… read on >