NFL Players at Higher Risk of Brain Diseases

Sept. 5, 2012 -- Former National Football League (NFL) players may have a higher risk of dying from diseases that damage brain cells.

Research has raised red flags about the health risks associated with cumulative blows to the head. Now a new study finds that pro football players are four times more likely to die with Alzheimer's or Lou Gehrig's disease (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS), compared to the general population.

The study looked at nearly 3,500 football players with five or more years in the NFL, playing from 1959-1988. There were a total of 334 deaths, including seven with Alzheimer’s and seven with ALS listed on their death certificates.

The new findings appear in the journal Neurology.

At greatest risk were NFL players who held “speed” positions, such as quarterback, running back, halfback, fullback, and tight end. These players were three times more likely to die from a brain-related disease than their teammates who played non-speed positions, such as defensive and offensive lineman.

Still, there's a lot of information the study can’t provide. For example, researchers did not have information on head injuries or concussions sustained by the players or knowledge about any other risks for these diseases.

The study also did not look at why football players may be at higher risk for dying from these brain diseases. The theory is that repeated blows to the head may start a process that results in one or more brain-damaging disorders in some people.

Past research has linked concussions to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a disorder that has symptoms similar to those of ALS, Alzheimer’s, or Parkinson’s disease. But it is not yet known if CTE develops independently or is the beginning signs of these diseases.

“There are probably other factors involved, such as other environmental exposures or genetic factors, but we are in the very early stages of knowing how those may be involved,” says researcher Everett Lehman, of the CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in Cincinnati.

More Adults Report Getting Cholesterol Tested

More Adults Report Getting Cholesterol Tested

Sept. 6, 2012 -- The number of adults who say they have had high cholesterol at some point in their lives has gone up, and that may not be a bad thing, according to the CDC.

A new survey of adults nationwide suggests that they are learning the importance of checking their cholesterol. This awareness, not new cases, is likely the reason the numbers have gone up, the report's authors write.

This may well be true. In a CDC report published earlier this year, researchers found that the overall level of high cholesterol among adults over 20 had dropped from 18% to 13% between 2000 and 2010.

High cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke.

The report drew on data from the Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), a telephone survey conducted by the CDC. More than 350,000 American adults take the survey each year. Questions about cholesterol are asked every two years.

In 2005, 72.7% of U.S. adults over 18 said they had had their cholesterol checked at least once in the previous five years. By 2009, that percentage had risen to 76%.

Among those who had been tested in 2005, a third of them reported being told they had high cholesterol at some point in their lives. Four years later, in 2009, 35% said their cholesterol was high or had been so in the past.

84.5% of Washington, D.C., adults said they had been tested for high cholesterol, compared to 67.7% of Idaho adults.Most states showed a big rise in testing between 2005 and 2009. Eastern states had generally higher rates of testing than Western states.94.7% of adults 65 and older said they had been tested, compared to 63.2% of adults ages 18 to 44.54.4% of adults 65 and older said they currently had or had had high cholesterol, compared to 23.7% of adults ages 18 to 44.More men reported high cholesterol than women: 37.5% vs. 32.6%.More Hispanics and Asian/Pacific Islanders reported high cholesterol than other groups (36.3% and 37.5%, respectively) -- 33.1% of African-Americans said they had or had had high cholesterol.New Mexico, at 30.5%, had the lowest percentage of adults reporting high cholesterol. Texas, at 38.8%, had the highest. About a third of all states showed an increasing number of adults who reported high cholesterol.

Finding high blood cholesterol early through testing is the first important step to treatment and lowering the risk for heart attack and stroke, the report’s authors write.

Public health experts, medical experts, and health educators should emphasize cholesterol testing, especially for young adults, men, Hispanics, and those with lower levels of education, they write.

Take 5: Diabetes

Our diabetes expert answers five questions about lifestyle and blood sugar control.By Christina Boufis
WebMD the Magazine - Feature

If you're one of the nearly 24 million Americans living with type 2 diabetes, you know your body has difficulty using or producing insulin. What can you do to manage the disease? We asked Jill Crandall, MD, professor of clinical medicine and director of the diabetes clinical trials unit at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, to debunk some myths and help you learn to live well.

Not really. It's a misconception that people with diabetes can never have a dish of ice cream. The diet we recommend for people with diabetes really isn't very different from the diet we recommend for everybody.

For most people, eating balanced meals of protein, carbohydrates, and modest amounts of unsaturated fat is the best approach. Large carb meals (pasta, bread, potatoes, rice) and concentrated sweets (fruit, fruit juice, cake) raise blood sugar, so it's best to eat those foods in moderation.

The plate method is often helpful: Think of dividing your dinner plate into three sections. Half the plate should be vegetables or salad, a fourth should be protein (for instance, meat or fish), and a fourth should be starch (such as rice or pasta, preferably whole grain).

We all know junk food like candy and donuts is not good for anybody. Junk food is especially problematic for people with diabetes because it tends to be high in carbohydrates and excess calories. But we try to stay away from saying there are certain things you can never have, because sometimes the idea of deprivation just makes foods all the more appealing.

If you know you want to have that piece of cake at the end of dinner, then don't eat any bread with dinner, or have a very small portion of rice.

Some people find frequent, small meals work for them -- they don't get too hungry, and their bodies can handle smaller amounts of carbs better. But others find they end up gaining weight this way -- the frequent meals may not be that small. However, skipping meals is probably not a good idea because people get hungry, then can't control their next meal very well.

Keeping a food diary, along with testing blood sugar before and after meals, is a good way to see the effect of particular foods on blood sugar level. The immediate feedback can be helpful.

And pay attention to portion sizes. Food labels are useful (they provide information about carbohydrate content as well as total calories), but the portion sizes they list are often unrealistically small (how many people eat half a muffin?). Although weighing food servings can be annoying, it might help train your eyes as to what a "6-ounce serving" of something really looks like.

Most US kindergartners get vaccines, risks remain

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota
by David Beasley, Last updated August 24, 2012

ATLANTA (Reuters) - Most U.S. kindergartners received the recommended vaccines for measles and other preventable diseases during the 2011-12 school year, but local clusters of unvaccinated children still pose a health risk, federal health officials said on Thursday.

More than 95 percent of kindergartners were vaccinated for diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis, polio and hepatitis B, meeting federal guidelines, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a new report.

The study found 94.8 percent of kindergartners had received the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine, and 93.2 percent got the recommended two doses of vaccine for chickenpox, slightly below the federal government's target levels of 95 percent or higher vaccination rates.

The study by the U.S. public health and safety agency, which included data from 47 states and the District of Columbia, found pockets where children had not been vaccinated or there was a low rate of coverage. The report did not specify where these clusters were located.

"Although statewide levels of vaccination coverage are at or very near target levels, locally low vaccination coverage for extremely transmissible diseases such as measles remains a threat to public health," the CDC said.

Last year, there were 17 outbreaks of measles and 222 measles cases in the United States, the highest since 1996, the CDC said.

Most of the cases involved unvaccinated patients who contracted measles in other countries, highlighting the importance of high vaccination rates among U.S. school children, said Dr. Melinda Wharton, deputy director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.

"It is of concern when we have these communities in the United States where there's enough people who have made this decision [not to vaccinate] that if the measles virus is imported from overseas, that it could actually spread and cause an outbreak," Wharton said.

All 50 states offer medical exemptions to vaccines, and some states provide religious and philosophical exemptions as well, Wharton said.

Exemptions increased slightly in 2011 from 2009, though exemption levels were low overall, the CDC said. Alaska had the highest exemption rate in 2011 at 7 percent, and Mississippi had the lowest at 0.1 percent.

Some parents who skip or delay vaccines for their children cite safety concerns, such as the belief of a link between vaccines and autism. The CDC says research has not uncovered a link between the two.

"Based on all the science that has been done to date, and there's been a lot of it, there's no evidence that vaccines are a causal factor," Wharton said.

SOURCE: http://1.usa.gov/R46Hco MMWR, August 23, 2012.

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The Truth About Prenatal Nutrition and Fitness

Eat for two when you're pregnant? Skip your workout? Our expert tells you what you need to know to stay healthy.By Christina Boufis
WebMD the Magazine - Feature

You've heard all kinds of things about what you should and shouldn't do to stay healthy and fit when you're pregnant. To separate fact from fiction, we asked our experts for their fitness and nutrition tips. As always, check with your doctor about which guidelines are right for you.

Eat for one. You need to add only about 300 calories a day to your diet, starting in the second trimester, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). "It's really not that much," says Anna Maria Siega-Riz, PhD, RD, professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the University of North Carolina's Gillings School of Global Public Health.

Take your vitamins. When you're pregnant, you need increased amounts of certain vitamins and minerals, such as folic acid and iron, says Siega-Riz. Prenatal supplements ensure you're getting the 400 to 800 micrograms of folic acid needed to help prevent neural tube birth defects like spina bifida, as well as extra iron for your increased blood volume.

Start exercising. "It's a myth that it's too late to begin exercising during pregnancy," says Marjorie Greenfield, MD, division director of General Obstetrics and Gynecology at University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland and author of The Working Woman's Pregnancy Book. And while it's probably not a good time to learn how to inline skate or play soccer, brisk walking is fine, she says.

ACOG recommends at least 30 minutes of exercise on most days of the week, which can help with everything from improving sleep to protecting against gestational diabetes. But whatever you do, "don't work out so hard you can't talk. Don't bang your tummy," Greenfield says. "As long as you follow the rules, do whatever [exercise] feels right to you," whether that's running, brisk walking, or swimming.

"But we don't recommend hot yoga," she adds. "Getting overheated is not good for you." No matter what exercise you're doing, "if you start feeling really hot, you have to stop."

Stay hydrated. While you don't need to down lots of extra water during pregnancy -- six to eight glasses a day is fine -- you do need to stay hydrated. Make sure you don't get dehydrated when exercising, says Greenfield.

And skip the sweetened drinks. "A lot of women don't realize that sweetened beverages -- juices, sweet teas, and Frappuccino-type coffee drinks -- have a lot of calories and added sugar," Siega-Riz says. "So it's really easy to gain weight."

Keep your balance. As you progress in your pregnancy, "you have to be cautious about things that involve balancing because your center of gravity is different and you may not adjust so quickly," Greenfield says. While you don't have to forgo bike riding, for example, you may have to go slower or adjust your workout.

Reader Tip

"My doctor told me the best medicine for swollen feet and ankles is a swimming pool. I have been going to the pool nearly every day." -- Beckie_33, WebMD community member

Find more articles, browse back issues, and read the current issue of "WebMD the Magazine."

How I Got My Husband to Love Rhubarb

Making rhubarb savory instead of sweet is what converted this author's husband. Try her recipe!By Monica Kass Rogers
WebMD the Magazine - Feature

Kim Ode's husband, John, isn't big on desserts. So this 57-year-old, Minneapolis-based reporter always assumed that's why he declined all the rhubarb pies and tortes she liked to make. But when she came home with the news that she'd be writing a book about rhubarb, "the truth came out," Ode laughs. "John just winced at the thought of all that rhubarb!"

His dislike for rhubarb was partly textural: Cooked rhubarb can be slightly viscous, stringy, and loose. But he also objected to the overly sweetened taste of rhubarb in desserts. On its own, rhubarb is extremely tart, Ode says, so rhubarb recipes usually pile on the sugar to compensate.

As Ode started testing recipes, she found that while it still took a little sweetness to tame rhubarb's pucker, the resulting pickles, sauces, and compotes were solidly in the savory camp, winning John over. His favorite? Shrimp in Kimonos, a seafood version of pigs-in-a-blanket in which shrimp is paired with a rhubarb-rosemary-ginger-onion compote in crisp-fried wonton bundles. "Even after a year full of every rhubarb recipe test imaginable, John tells me I can make that recipe for him any time," Ode says

Rhubarb Nutrition

Rhubarb's ruby red, pink, and green striped coloring makes it one of the prettiest garden sights from spring to fall. Nutritionally, rhubarb has a lot going for it, especially when it's not over-sugared in recipes. It's low in calories (a half cup raw has 15) and is a source of vitamin C as well as fiber -- one cup of cooked rhubarb has 2.2 grams, about the same as a slice of whole wheat bread. It also provides calcium, a respectable 105 milligrams per cup of raw rhubarb.

Studies show that eating rhubarb can help lower LDL or "bad"cholesterol because of its mix of soluble (8%) and insoluble (66%) fiber. One big caveat: Don't eat the leaves cooked or raw. They contain a toxic chemical you don't want in your rhubarb dishes.

Cool Rhubarb Fact

Although rhubarb is botanically classified as a vegetable, in 1947 the U.S. Customs Court in Buffalo, N.Y., ruled rhubarb was a fruit since that's how it was mainly used.

Rhubarb Recipe: A Side Dish to Grilled Meat

Rhubarb is good stewed into sauces, compotes, ketchups, and even "rhubarbecue" sauce. As a side for grilled meat, oven-crisp 2 slices nitrate-free bacon and blot with paper towels. Cook 1 medium chopped onion in a skillet with 1 tbsp bacon drippings until soft. Add 1 cup chopped rhubarb, 3 tbsp maple syrup, 1½ tbsp red wine vinegar, and a pinch of allspice and thyme. Simmer 5 minutes until soft. Mix with crumbled bacon and serve.

Find more articles, browse back issues, and read the current issue of "WebMD the Magazine."

Salmonella Outbreak Traced to Mexican Mangoes

Daniella Brand Mangoes Recalled in U.S.; 105 Sickened in 16 States

Aug. 31, 2012 -- An ongoing salmonella outbreak traced to mangoes has sickened at least 105 people in 16 states across the U.S.

There have been 25 hospitalizations but no deaths. People who fell ill after Aug. 6 may not have been reported. In Canada, where health authorities first identified the outbreak, there have also been several cases.

Splendid Products has recalled the mangoes, sold under the Daniella brand name. The recall applies only to mangoes with stickers bearing PLU numbers 3114, 4051, 4311, 4584, or 4959. These mangoes, and mangoes without stickers, should be thrown out.

The company says the recalled mangoes were sold at retail locations including Costco, Save Mart Supermarkets, Food 4 Less, Ralph’s, Topco stores, El Super, Kroger, Giant-Eagle, Stop & Shop, Aldi, and some Whole Foods stores. Other stores may have also carried the recalled product. The recalled mangoes were sold in the U.S. between July 12 and Aug. 29.

States reporting cases are California (80 cases), Delaware (1), Hawaii (3), Idaho (1), Illinois (1), Louisiana (1), Maine (1), Michigan (1), Montana (1), Nebraska (1), New Jersey (1), New York (3), Oregon (1), Texas (2), Washington (6), and Wisconsin (1).

The salmonella strain responsible for the outbreak, Salmonella Braenderup, usually causes two or three cases a month in the U.S.

The salmonella outbreak traced to mangoes is not linked to the ongoing salmonella outbreak traced to cantaloupe.

The cantaloupe outbreak, caused by a different salmonella strain (Salmonella Typhimurium), has now sickened at least 204 people in 22 states, with two known deaths. This week, 12 states reported 26 new cases.

CDC and FDA investigators have traced the outbreak to cantaloupe grown by Chamberlain Farms Produce Inc. of Owensville, Ind. The company recalled all of its cantaloupe and will not ship any new melons for the rest of this growing season.

Salmonella cases linked to cantaloupe occurred in Alabama (13 cases), Arkansas (5), California (2), Florida (1), Georgia (4), Illinois (24), Indiana (22), Iowa (8), Kentucky (63), Massachusetts (2), Michigan (6), Minnesota (5), Mississippi (5), Missouri (13), New Jersey (2), North Carolina (5), Ohio (5), Pennsylvania (2), South Carolina (3), Tennessee (8), Texas (2), and Wisconsin (4).

Within 12 to 72 hours of eating salmonella-contaminated food, most people get:

These symptoms usually last four days to a week. Most people recover without treatment, although the diarrhea may be so severe that a person needs hospital care.

Sometimes salmonella bacteria escape the gut and get into the bloodstream. From there, different parts of the body are infected. These infections can be fatal. Immediate treatment with antibiotics is needed.