New Birth Control Pills Tied to Lower Cancer Risk
https://ift.tt/2NL43Cd By Mary Elizabeth Dallas HealthDay Reporter WEDNESDAY, Sept. 26, 2018 (HealthDay -- News) -- There's long been a connection between birth control pills and a reduced risk of ovarian cancer. Now, new research suggests that's true for the latest form of the drug, as well. Scientists say the protective effect of the newer pills -- which contain lower doses of estrogens and different progestogens -- rose over time and persisted for several years after women stopped taking them. "Based on our results, contemporary combined hormonal contraceptives are still associated with a reduced risk of ovarian cancer in women of reproductive age," conclude a team led byDr Lisa Iversen, a researcher at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. The study wasn't able to prove cause-and-effect. However, Iversen's group pointed to prior research that found that women who took the older forms of oral contraceptives tended to have a lower risk for ovarian cancer. But would the same benefit apply to newer pills, with different combinations and levels of hormones? To find out, the team examined the effects of newer hormonal contraceptives with combined hormones, as well as progestogen-only products, on the risk for ovarian cancer among young women. Overall, they tracked data on nearly 1.9 million Danish women between the ages of 15 and 49. The data came from national prescribing and cancer registers compiled between 1995 and 2014. The women were divided into three groups: those who never used hormonal birth control pills, those who currently use them or did so recently for up to one year, and former users who took the pills for more than a year. The study, published Sept. 26 in the BMJ, showed that 86 percent of the women took combined birth control pills. After factoring in the women's age and other variables, the researchers found that ovarian cancer was most prevalent among the women who had never used birth control pills. Also, the number of cases of ovarian cancer were dramatically lower among women who had used birth control pills that contained both estrogen and progestogen at some point. ContinuedA similar protective effect was not found among women who took pills that only contained progestogen. Overall, if the Pill does help prevent ovarian cancer, the study authors now estimate that use of the meds prevented 21 percent of ovarian cancers in this group of Danish women. One U.S. expert wasn't overly surprised by the findings. In prior studies, "patients who use oral contraceptives for extended periods of time have been found to have significantly lower ovarian cancer risks," said Dr. Jennifer Wu, an obstetrician/gynecologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. The new study just reaffirms that potential benefit for newer-generation pills, she said. Ovarian cancer is often not detected until it has spread, making it once of the deadliest cancers. That's why anything that might prevent the disease in the first place is so important, Wu said. "Ovarian cancer has such a delayed time to diagnosis and such poor long-term survival that prevention is essential," Wu said. So, "when counseling patients on birth control options, the reduction in ovarian cancer must be considered," she said. Health via WebMD Health https://www.webmd.com/ September 27, 2018 at 11:44AM
0 Comments
Can Too Much Screen Time Dumb Down Your Kid?
https://ift.tt/2QZlJrw WEDNESDAY, Sept. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- If you're worried that too much "screen time" could be sapping your child's intelligence, new research suggests you might be right. Kids with the sharpest intellects spent less than two hours a day on their cellphones, tablets and computers, coupled with 9 to 11 hours of sleep and at least an hour of physical activity, the study found. Unfortunately, very few U.S. children meet all three of these daily goals, said lead researcher Jeremy Walsh, a postdoctoral fellow with the CHEO Research Institute in Ottawa, Canada. "Only 5 percent of our sample met all three guidelines," Walsh said. About 41 percent met one of the guidelines and 25 percent met two, he continued. "That means 30 percent of our sample didn't meet any of the guidelines, which I think is a very important statistic to focus on," Walsh said. The study is based on data gathered from over 4,500 U.S. kids aged 8 to 11 between September 2016 and September 2017 as part of a new, federally funded 10-year study on brain development and child health. Walsh and his colleagues used the data to see if children are limiting their screen time while also getting enough sleep and exercise, based on Canadian guidelines published in 2016. Half of the children got the recommended 9 to 11 hours of sleep, 37 percent met the screen time guideline of less than two hours, and 18 percent got an hour or more of exercise. On average, the kids in the study spent 3.6 hours a day engaged in screen time. The study couldn't prove cause-and-effect, but the more individual recommendations a child met, the better their ability to think and reason. That's what the researchers found when they compared guideline adherence against performance on brain exercises ("cognition"). "For every additional recommendation met, children had significantly better cognition compared to those who did not meet any of the guidelines," Walsh said. Kids who met the sleep and screen time guidelines appeared to have the best intellects, followed by the kids who met just the screen time guidelines, the findings showed. Health via WebMD Health https://www.webmd.com/ September 27, 2018 at 11:37AM
Jillian Michaels Shares an Intense "Core Crusher" Circuit to Fire Up Your Abs
https://ift.tt/2xX2nui Jillian Michaels's sculpted abs speak for themselves; whether she's rocking a sports bra in the gym or a crop top on her Instagram, the trainer and fitness expert has a flat and toned tummy. Turns out, Jillian doesn't rely on crunches to get her abs to show. Instead, she mixes up her core workouts at the gym and gets creative with the equipment. In her latest Instagram video, Jillian took on the captain's chair to fire up her core and work her abs. She did a total of four moves, a mix of dips and hanging leg raises - all of which are pretty advanced. Unlike standard crunches, these moves challenge your strength and stability. Jillian recommended doing each move for 30 seconds in a row for a total of four rounds. If you're looking to mix up your ab routine, take on the captain's chair and get to work! Health via POPSUGAR Fitness https://ift.tt/2mWxwLI September 27, 2018 at 10:38AM
Does Eating Carbs at Night Make You Fat? This Comparison Photo Has the Answer
https://ift.tt/2NNHQDx Do you avoid eating carbs at or after dinner because you heard it'll make you gain weight? These comparison photos posted by online personal trainer Graeme Tomlinson (@thefitnesschef_ on Instagram) will set the record straight. It boils down to how much you eat, because remember that a moderate calorie deficit is what's necessary for weight loss. Registered dietitian Samantha Bartholomew of Fresh Communications shared with POPSUGAR that "it's important to think about overall quality and composition of the diet as opposed to timing of macronutrients." As long as you eat the right number of calories a day, including the appropriate amount of carbs, fats, and protein to support your goals, it doesn't matter what time you eat them. This is amazing news for the carb-lovers out there! Registered dietitians Stephanie Clarke and Willow Jarosh of C&J Nutrition agree and told POPSUGAR, "There's no reason to completely avoid carbohydrates at night." This is especially true for healthy, high-fiber sources of carbohydrates like whole grains and starchy veggies, such as Winter squash and potatoes. They provide important nutrients and fiber, which can help you feel more satisfied and contribute to weight loss - yes, even when you eat them at night. You just want to avoid the processed, refined carbs. Eating healthy carbs at night may even offer a few benefits. It can increase serotonin levels, which helps you have a restful night of sleep. Eating late-night carbs also reduces cortisol levels, which can make you feel less stressed and more relaxed. In a 2011 study, the group that ate carbs at dinner had greater weight loss and body fat reductions compared to those who spread out their carbs. Bring on the carbs! Related: Will Eating Carbs at Night Make Me Gain Weight? These Photos Have the Answer Including healthy complex carbs at or after dinner, Graeme added, "may prevent midday hunger," which can help you eat less at dinner and consume fewer daily calories. Carbs can also offer fuel for early morning workouts (we're looking at you, 6 a.m. run!). This isn't to say that you absolutely must eat carbs at night. Experiment with a couple weeks of eating carbs at night and a couple weeks without, and see what works for you and your goals. As long as you're hitting your calories and macros, you're on the right path. Health via POPSUGAR Fitness https://ift.tt/2mWxwLI September 27, 2018 at 10:18AM
80,000 Americans Died From Flu Last Year
https://ift.tt/2zzxluO Sept. 27, 2018 -- Influenza was deadlier last season than it has been for at least four decades, killing 80,000 Americans. So said the head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention late Tuesday in an interview with the Associated Press. As autumn brings another flu season, CDC director Dr. Robert Redfield told the AP that "I'd like to see more people get vaccinated." The agency recommends that everyone over the age of 6 months get the annual flu shot. Last year's flu season made headlines for its scope and severity, but the new number still surprised experts. "That's huge," Dr, William Schaffer, a vaccine expert at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, told the AP. He said that 80,000 deaths is more than double the number expected in a typical "bad" flu season. In recent years, the annual flu death toll has ranged from 12,000 to 56,000 deaths, the CDC said. The 2017-2018 flu season was made worse by two factors: strains that hit the very young and elderly especially hard, and a poor matchup between those strains and those in the flu vaccine. Still, even the relatively weak flu shot probably saved many lives, CDC experts say, so everyone should avail themselves of the shot again this season. The flu typically kills by triggering other deadly conditions such as pneumonia, stroke and heart attack. The most deadly flu season on record remains that of thew 1918 pandemic, when upwards of 500,000 Americans are thought to have died. As for the coming season, the CDC says that, so far, at least the circulating strain seems to be a milder one, and there are preliminary signs that the vaccine match is good. "We don't know what's going to happen, but we're seeing more encouraging signs than we were early last year," CDC flu expert Dr. Daniel Jernigan told the AP. Health via WebMD Health https://www.webmd.com/ September 27, 2018 at 09:51AM
Danielle Lost 50 Pounds in Just Over 1 Year Without Counting Calories or Carbs
https://ift.tt/2N3zimH It took one photo for Danielle Doan (@curlyfitmom on Instagram), age 36, to realize she needed to start taking better care of herself. She told POPSUGAR, "I started my weight-loss journey nine years ago after seeing a picture of myself at the beach with my children. I was wearing maternity clothes and my youngest was almost a year old. It really hit home. Something had to change." Keep reading to hear Danielle's inspiring story, and get the details about how she was able to drop 50 pounds in just over a year! Health via POPSUGAR Fitness https://ift.tt/2mWxwLI September 26, 2018 at 04:58PM
Stressed Out and Constantly Fighting a Headache? Here's How to Get Relief
https://ift.tt/2xPjfDq Stress is inevitable and yet so unfortunate to deal with - it can lead to a whole host of health problems and become dire if you ignore it. While there are many ways to manage stress, when it hits you in the form of extreme pain - like a headache - your go-to stress relievers often won't work. We asked the experts what these headaches are like, how to treat them, and how to prevent them from coming back, so you have everything you need to know the next time one strikes. Can Stress Actually Cause Headaches?Most definitely. Generally stress manifests as a tension headache. Robert Carson, M.D., Ph.D., a neurologist at Vanderbilt University and advisor to Remedy Review, told POPSUGAR that tension headaches "often start with a tightness in the back of the neck but then spread upwards to the head, giving a feeling of constant pressure, not unlike one's head being squished in a vice." Stress, like everything else about you, is very individual and can affect everyone differently. People who are prone to headaches are also more susceptible to having stress-induced headaches, according to Elizabeth Seng, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and head pain expert, who does research and teaches at Yeshiva University. "Stress is an interesting trigger: both increases in stress (like a project due at work) and decreases from high to low stress (like the first day of vacation) can trigger headache attacks," she said. How to Treat a Stress HeadacheUnfortunately, there's no one answer for treating headaches that result from stress. It might help you to remove the source of the stress, but not always, nor is that often feasible. Dr. Seng recommends treating the headaches with an over-the-counter medication like Excedrin Extra Strength. Ibuprofen or naproxen can also help, Dr. Carson noted, but he also suggests a variety of nonmedicinal remedies: "One of the most effective therapies for bad headaches is sleep," he said. "Physical treatments such as massage, ice packs, or warm heat (like a long shower or bubble bath) may benefit some. Acupuncture may be another option for some who don't fear needles." Both doctors agree, though, that if you're dealing with headaches on a very regular basis, your best course of action is seeing your doctor for help. He or she might be able to find a more precise source of the headaches and put you on a regimented treatment plan. How to Stop One Before It StartsOf course it's easier said than done to eliminate stress from your life. However, there are many ways to better manage your stress levels, including meditation and yoga. But you may also need to reevaluate how you think about stress. That includes identifying the things that cause you grief - this allows you to either remove them or at least be more mindful of them, explained Alex Tauberg, D.C., a sports chiropractor at Tauberg Chiropractic & Rehabilitation in Pittsburgh. "Not only does mindfulness reduce pain, but it also reduces the amount of stress," he said. But perhaps one of the simplest tools for managing your stress comes from Purandar Amin, author of Fearless Thinking, Stress-Free Living, who argues that stress is self-made. He told POPSUGAR that the best way to beat your stress is to retrain your thought process completely. When you feel yourself "beginning to create stress, you simply think, 'There's nothing I can do to change this moment in time, and I refuse to feed the stress over the situation,'" he said. While it's something that will absolutely take time to master, it's a worthwhile goal to learn to accept things as they are in an effort to reduce stress. But if you're still struggling to find balance and headaches are commonplace in your life, talk to your doctor. Health via POPSUGAR Fitness https://ift.tt/2mWxwLI September 26, 2018 at 04:38PM
New Therapy May Control HIV Without Daily Pills
https://ift.tt/2xSRZnB So they tested a combination of two bNAbs in people described as "elite controllers." They have HIV, but their immune systems are able to control the virus without drugs. In one study, the researchers treated 11 patients whose HIV was under control with standard medications. Tests had shown that all appeared sensitive to the two antibodies. The patients stopped their HIV medication. Then, over six weeks, they received three infusions of the antibodies. Overall, the virus remained suppressed in nine patients -- typically for 21 weeks, though two went to at least 30 weeks. Two of the 11 patients, however, were found to harbor HIV that was resistant to at least one of the antibodies. Their viral levels rose within 12 weeks of stopping their medication. That is a critical point, said Caskey. People have to be sensitive to the particular antibodies used in the therapy, and not everyone will be. In a second study, the researchers gave the antibody therapy to four patients who had detectable HIV in their blood. They found the treatment lowered those levels for up to three months. The studies were published separately Sept. 26 in the journals Nature and Nature Medicine. Dr. Melanie Thompson is chair of the HIV Medicine Association. She called the new findings "exciting," but also said much work remains. Larger, longer-term studies are needed to see how often the therapy should be given, and how well it works over time, said Thompson, who was not involved with the new studies. Practically speaking, Thompson noted, the current testing used to predict patients' sensitivity to the antibodies is fairly complex. "I think the testing will have to be refined and made more affordable," she said. As for side effects, Caskey's team said some patients had mild fatigue, but nothing more serious. "So far," Thompson said, "the safety profile of these antibodies has been excellent." Caskey pointed to another question for future studies: Can antibody therapies, over time, spur the immune system to produce its own HIV-fighting antibodies, possibly reducing the need for treatment? "The new frontiers in HIV research involve looking at longer-acting treatments," Thompson said. "Can we have long-term viral suppression with as little drug as possible?" The current studies were funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and other grant programs. Health via WebMD Health https://www.webmd.com/ September 26, 2018 at 04:32PM
CDC: Infants Born With Syphilis at 20-Year High
https://ift.tt/2Dwyqrl TUESDAY, Sept. 25, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- The number of newborns suffering from syphilis has nearly tripled in recent years, U.S. health officials reported Tuesday. Cases jumped from 362 in 2013 to 918 in 2017 -- the highest number in 20 years. Cases were seen in 37 states, mostly in the West and South. "We've been seeing increases in syphilis among women of reproductive age, and it's not surprising that we are seeing increases among pregnant women," said lead researcher Dr. Gail Bolan, director of the Division of STD Prevention at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There's no simple answer as to why these increases are occurring, she added. Syphilis has long been associated with poverty, drug addiction, homelessness and incarceration, Bolan said. In addition, where the health care system isn't trusted, syphilis increases, she noted. "It is these socioeconomic factors, where the fabric of our society is really fraying, and the women who are having babies with syphilis are really on the edge," Bolan said. The increase in infants with the disease echoes the increase in syphilis cases among women of childbearing age, the agency says. And syphilis is outpacing the increase of other sexually transmitted diseases in the country, the report found. The findings were published Sept. 25 in the CDC's Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance Report. Most women who give birth to babies infected with syphilis haven't received prenatal care, Bolan said. The law requires that all women be tested for syphilis at their first prenatal exam, she explained. Bolan also said that women at high risk for syphilis should be retested in the third trimester. When the disease is caught early, a simple shot of penicillin can cure both the mother and fetus, she said. Left untreated, an infected woman has an 80 percent chance of passing the infection to her infant, the CDC says. When a child is born with syphilis, it can be cured, but the risk of damage to organs that can lead to deafness and delayed development is already underway, Bolan said. Health via WebMD Health https://www.webmd.com/ September 26, 2018 at 01:49PM
CDC: Infants Born With Syphilis at 20-Year High
https://ift.tt/2zvtAqf Number of Infants Born With Syphilis Reaches 20-Year High: CDC
By Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter TUESDAY, Sept. 25, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- The number of newborns suffering from syphilis has nearly tripled in recent years, U.S. health officials reported Tuesday. Cases jumped from 362 in 2013 to 918 in 2017 -- the highest number in 20 years. Cases were seen in 37 states, mostly in the West and South. "We've been seeing increases in syphilis among women of reproductive age, and it's not surprising that we are seeing increases among pregnant women," said lead researcher Dr. Gail Bolan, director of the Division of STD Prevention at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There's no simple answer as to why these increases are occurring, she added. Syphilis has long been associated with poverty, drug addiction, homelessness and incarceration, Bolan said. In addition, where the health care system isn't trusted, syphilis increases, she noted. "It is these socioeconomic factors, where the fabric of our society is really fraying, and the women who are having babies with syphilis are really on the edge," Bolan said. The increase in infants with the disease echoes the increase in syphilis cases among women of childbearing age, the agency says. And syphilis is outpacing the increase of other sexually transmitted diseases in the country, the report found. The findings were published Sept. 25 in the CDC's Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance Report. Most women who give birth to babies infected with syphilis haven't received prenatal care, Bolan said. The law requires that all women be tested for syphilis at their first prenatal exam, she explained. Bolan also said that women at high risk for syphilis should be retested in the third trimester. When the disease is caught early, a simple shot of penicillin can cure both the mother and fetus, she said. Left untreated, an infected woman has an 80 percent chance of passing the infection to her infant, the CDC says. When a child is born with syphilis, it can be cured, but the risk of damage to organs that can lead to deafness and delayed development is already underway, Bolan said. Health via WebMD Health https://www.webmd.com/ September 26, 2018 at 12:59PM |
Archives
October 2020
Categories |