Lifestyle « Weekly Gravy

Liver cancer cases in several developed countries have doubled in the past 25 years, due to the continuing obesity epidemic and a spike in hepatitis infections, new research suggests. Even worse, the sharp rise in liver cancer cases is starting to swamp the limited number of liver specialists in those nations, the researchers added. In the four countries — the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada — liver cancer is the only major cancer for which death rates are rising. “While the individual rates in these countries differ, the trends are the same,” said lead researcher Dr. Morris Sherman, from the University Health Network and the University of Toronto. “The prospects for surviving liver cancer are bleak, so our only hope is to intervene early and prevent the cancer happening in the first place or to find early curable cancers,” he added in a health network news release. Liver cancer incidence is highest in the United Kingdom (9.6 per 100,000 people), followed by 9.2 in the United States, 7.4 in Australia and 6.0 in Canada. The rankings are the same for liver cancer deaths. Cancer Research UK predicts a further 40 percent increase in liver cancer cases by 2035. “While the obesity epidemic is showing no signs of abating, we could make a huge impact on future liver cancer rates by investing more… read on >

As Americans, we’re making some headway in our efforts to improve the quality of our diet, but we’re far from ideal levels. Research shows that healthier eating prevented over a million premature deaths in the 13-year period from 1999 to 2012, along with 8.6 percent fewer heart disease cases, 1.3 percent fewer cancer cases, and 12.6 percent fewer type 2 diabetes cases. An index that measures diet quality increased from 40 to over 48, but that’s still a long way from the perfect score of 110. Also, most of the improvement came from just two steps — reducing consumption of trans fat (largely because of government action to ban it) and sugar-sweetened beverages. Little progress was made in most of the key components of a healthy diet. An analysis of data from the USDA Economic Research Service by the Pew Research Center found that while we’re eating more chicken and less beef, we’re also each consuming 36 pounds of cooking oil a year — three times the amount Americans ate 50 years ago. We’re also each eating on average 23 percent more calories than we were back then. It’s no wonder obesity rates are so high. And yet it only takes small changes to make a difference. For instance, one report found that what’s needed to turn the average diet into one that can reduce… read on >

A growing number of American men are having cosmetic surgery to improve their looks and increase their confidence, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons reports. More than 1.3 million cosmetic procedures were performed on U.S. men in 2017, according to the group. “For a lot of men, just having a procedure on an area of their body that they’re self-conscious about can really make a positive impact on how they see themselves,” Dr. Lorelei Grunwaldt, a plastic surgeon in Pittsburgh, said in a society news release. Over the past five years, there was a 23 percent increase in liposuction and a 12 percent increase in tummy tucks among men, and a 30 percent increase in male breast reductions, according to the society. Young men tend to focus more on enhancing their bodies, while older men have more minimally invasive facial procedures to look younger. In 2017, nearly 100,000 men had filler injections, a 99 percent increase since 2000, with a fourfold increase in Botox injections, the group said. Dr. Jeffrey Janis, president of the society, noted that it is important to have cosmetic procedures done by a board-certified surgeon. “The extensive training that these doctors go through gives them the versatility to offer their patients more choices so that each person receives the right procedures to meet their goals,” he said. More information The U.S.… read on >

(HealthDay News) — Wearing athletic shoes that don’t fit can lead to injury, pain and poor performance. The American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society suggests how to select the right shoes: Buy footwear from a specialty store, where the staff can offer advice and fit you for the right shoes. Try on shoes later in the day or after a workout, when your feet are larger. Try on shoes with the socks that you will wear during athletics. Make sure you can wiggle all of your toes inside the shoes. The shoes should be comfortable as soon as you try them on. Walk or run a few steps in the shoes to see if they are comfortable. The shoes should grip your heels firmly, preventing the heels from slipping while you run or walk. Replace shoes after 500 miles of running or 300 hours of aerobic activity.

If more Americans ate healthier diets, the nation could save tens of billions of dollars in health care costs for major problems such as heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, strokes, hip fractures and Alzheimer’s disease. That’s the conclusion of a new study in which researchers assessed different scenarios and determined that boosting the number of Americans with healthy eating habits could save between $21 billion and $135 billion a year in health care costs. The amounts varied depending on how many more people improved their eating patterns and the type of diet they followed, according to the researchers. The researchers suggested foods such as fish, nuts, fruits and olive oil as components of a healthful diet. The study is scheduled for presentation Sunday at the American Society for Nutrition annual meeting, in Boston. “We found that increasing adherence to healthy dietary patterns by even 20 percent at a population level has the potential to save more than $20 billion in both direct and indirect costs associated with 10 major health outcomes,” said study lead author Carolyn Scrafford, senior managing scientist at Exponent, a scientific consulting firm. “That’s a significant saving from what we believe is a realistic shift in diet quality,” she said in a society news release. “Our results suggest that it’s worthwhile to educate Americans on these dietary patterns and their components,… read on >

Studies show that depression is underreported. People aren’t getting the help they need, sometimes because they don’t know the warning signs or where to turn, or are embarrassed because of the stigma that can still surround mental health issues. But the numbers are too great to ignore. Up to 26 percent of U.S. women and up to 12 percent of men will experience major depression at some point in their lives. In any given year, that’s 16 million American adults. As many as one in 33 children and one in eight teens also struggle with depression — that’s 9 percent of kids aged 12 to 17 in any given year. And new research suggests these numbers may be even higher. It’s important to recognize signs of depression in yourself or a loved one, including a child, and to get help from a doctor. Signs of depression: Persistent sadness, anxiety or an “empty” feeling Hopelessness, guilt, worthlessness, helplessness Loss of interest in hobbies and favorite activities A lack of energy and persistent fatigue Difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisions Difficulty sleeping, early morning awakening or oversleeping Appetite and/or weight changes Restlessness or irritability Physical symptoms including pain Thoughts of death or contemplating suicide Take immediate action if you or a loved one is having suicidal thoughts. If you’re thinking of harming yourself or attempting suicide: Call 911… read on >

Many migraine sufferers skip recommended behavioral treatments, such as stress management and talk therapy, a new study finds. Lack of time, cost and skepticism are among the reasons why, said Dr. Mia Minen, director of research for NYU Langone’s headache division in New York City. Previous studies have shown that treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy, stress management, relaxation techniques and biofeedback may reduce migraine symptoms by 50 percent or more, Minen and her team said. (Biofeedback involves using a monitoring device to reduce muscle tension.) These treatments can cost less than medications and have long-term benefits for migraine reduction, the researchers noted. “Migraines can be debilitating, so it stands to reason that many patients would want to access a treatment that reduces symptoms by half. However, our research shows this is far from the case,” Minen said in an NYU news release. Migraine headaches affect about 36 million Americans. The moderate to severe throbbing headaches are often accompanied by nausea and/or vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sound. For the study, Minen and her colleagues looked at 53 migraine patients who were referred for behavioral treatment with a specially trained therapist. The patients were interviewed within three months of their initial appointment. Only 30 (57 percent) made an appointment for behavioral treatment. Patients who had previously seen a psychologist were more likely to begin… read on >

Millions of Americans may be getting the wrong treatment to prevent a heart attack or stroke, a new study suggests. Prescriptions for blood-thinning aspirin, cholesterol-lowering statins and blood pressure medications might be incorrect because a tool that estimates risk appears to be off by as much as 20 percent, Stanford University researchers reported. That means almost 12 million Americans could have the wrong medication, according to the team led by Dr. Sanjay Basu, an assistant professor of medicine. It appears medications are overprescribed in many cases. But for black patients, outdated risk calculations may actually underestimate risk, the study authors said. Risk estimate tools predict the likelihood of a future heart attack or stroke in the next 10 years. Doctors use these tools to help them decide what treatment a patient needs, if any at all. But these tools are only helpful if they’re accurate. There’s been concern that some of the statistical methods used to develop a commonly used risk estimate tool in 2013 may be prone to miscalculating risk. “What initially prompted us to do this study was a patient I had, an African-American gentleman who I thought was at pretty high risk for a heart attack or stroke. But when I put his information into the web calculator, it returned a bizarrely low-risk estimate,” explained Basu. When he looked into this issue,… read on >

(HealthDay News) — Your weight can be a strong indicator of your general health. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute says three weight calculations are good predictors of how healthy you are: body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and risk factors for diseases and conditions associated with obesity. BMI is calculated from your height and weight. The higher your BMI, the higher your risk for certain diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, gallstones, breathing problems and certain cancers, the agency says. If most fat is around your waist rather than at your hips, you’re at a higher risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes. This risk goes up with a waist size that is greater than 35 inches for women or greater than 40 inches for men, the agency says. To measure your waist, stand and place a tape measure around your middle, just above your hips. Measure your waist just after you breathe out. And along with being obese, certain conditions increase your risk of heart disease and other chronic medical problems. These factors include: High blood pressure. High LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. Low HDL (“good”) cholesterol. High triglycerides. High blood sugar. Family history of early heart disease. Insufficient exercise. Smoking.

Not every food you eat has to be low-calorie when you want to lose weight. There are many nutritious and tasty foods that can help you feel satisfied, rather than deprived, and that’s important when you’re facing calorie restrictions day in and day out. The key to including them is careful portion control. Nuts are heart-healthy, especially almonds, walnuts and hazelnuts, but they come in at about 180 calories per ounce, so make that your daily nut limit. You’ll often see a portion described as a “handful,” but that’s too subjective a way to measure them. Use a food scale. Sweet potatoes have 120 calories per half-cup, but when slow roasted, they don’t need any toppings, especially not butter, which could easily double the calories. These vitamin A powerhouses are filling and loaded with many other nutrients, making them a very worthy vegetable among starches. Yes, olive oil is a fat. However, it’s a mono-unsaturated fat, which won’t raise your cholesterol level — unlike saturated fats like butter and lard. Though it’s 120 calories per tablespoon, all you need is a drizzle of oil for salad dressing or to saute vegetables or a chicken breast. To be very judicious with your use, use an oil sprayer. Avocadoes are rich in a wide variety of nutrients and taste rich, too –important when you’re trying to eat… read on >