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You make the call. You Could Live to 100 If You Can Pass This Test.

Strength exercise.

Views: 13

You make the call. You Could Live to 100 If You Can Pass This Test.

Lynn C. Allison. Author.

A simple test can help gauge longevity. Research published in the journal Clinical Interventions in Aging found that grip strength is “an indispensable biomarker for older adults.” Grip strength refers to the measure of force exerted by the hand and forearm muscles when gripping an object. It is a simple yet powerful indicator of overall muscle health, which can reflect the body’s physical condition.

Studies have shown that reduced grip strength is associated with frailty, decreased mobility, and a higher risk of falls among older adults. Furthermore, it can indicate underlying health conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, or neurological disorders, which often become more prevalent with age.

In a Canadian study, researchers examined the connection between grip strength and mortality in 140,000 adults. They found that poor hand grip strength was linked to a higher risk of heart disease, heart attack, stroke, and death.

Grip is also an indicator of cognitive and mental health. A 2022 study found that increased grip strength was associated with better cognitive function, less depression and anxiety, and higher life satisfaction.

Researchers have found that individuals with weaker grip strength are more likely to experience early mortality, slower recovery from illnesses, and a diminished quality of life. Conversely, those with stronger grip strength tend to enjoy longer, healthier lives.

The simplicity of the grip strength test using a dynameter makes it a convenient and cost-effective tool for assessing aging and longevity across diverse populations.

According to Eat This, Not That! you can test your grip strength at home, without the need for a dynameter, by simply squeezing a tennis ball. Researcher Joshua Davidson, of the University of Derby in England, developed this test.

Grab a tennis ball in one hand and squeeze for as long as you can before being fatigued. Try to squeeze the ball for 15 to 30 seconds. If you can perform this test successfully, it’s one measure that could predict you may live to 100, according to research.

But don’t lose heart if you didn’t pass the test. You can improve your grip strength, says GoodRx. Some of those moves might already be part of your fitness routine. For example, functional exercises –– such as deadlifts, woodchops, and pull-ups on a bar –– engage your hands and other muscle groups.

 

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Autoimmune Disease Raises Women’s Heart Risks.

Cedars-Sinai investigators are using AI to analyze images from a common heart test to identify signs of valve disease. Image by Getty.

Views: 12

Autoimmune Disease Raises Women’s Heart Risks.

woman with autoimmune disease holding hand
(Adobe Stock)

Women with common autoimmune inflammatory diseases are more likely than men to die from heart disease, a new study says.

Women with rheumatoid arthritis, lupus or systemic sclerosis have a 50% higher heart disease-related death rate than men, researchers reported May 5 in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.

“Our study highlights the significant burden of cardiovascular disease in patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases, which disproportionately affect women,” said senior researcher Dr. Heba Wassif, director of cardio-rheumatology at the Cleveland Clinic.

“It is critical to screen for and address cardiovascular risk factors early, at the time of diagnosis and periodically thereafter,” she said in a news release.

Women are two to three times more likely than men to develop rheumatoid arthritis, and about nine times more likely to develop lupus, researchers said in background notes.

Systemic sclerosis also is more common among women than men, researchers said. That autoimmune disease involves the tightening and hardening of skin, potentially affecting the digestive tract, blood vessels and internal organs.

For the study, researchers analyzed data for more than 127,000 heart disease-related deaths among more than 281,000 deaths associated with the three common autoimmune diseases between 1999 and 2020.

Overall, heart disease deaths declined for people with these autoimmune disorders, from 3.9 to 2.1 per 100,000 in women and from 1.7 to 1.2 per 100,000 in men between 1999 and 2020, results show.

However, the death rate remains higher among women compared to men, despite the overall reduction in deaths.

Stroke and clogged arteries were the main causes of heart-related death in autoimmune patients, and women died from both at higher rates than men.

Women also were more than twice as likely to die from irregular heart rhythms or cardiac arrest, researchers found.

People with rheumatoid arthritis had the highest heart-related death rate, results show.

“There is a common perception that people with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases primarily die from infections or kidney disease,” lead study author Dr. Issam Motairek, an internal medicine resident at Cleveland Clinic, said in a news release.

“However, our study revealed that one-third of deaths in this population were due to cardiovascular disease, highlighting the significant burden of heart disease in these patients,” he added.

“This study reinforces the need to investigate drivers of these disparities between women and men and how to improve treatment for patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases,” Motairek concluded.

 

© HealthDay

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The Cancers on the Rise in Adults Under 50.

Cancer at 50.

Views: 26

The Cancers on the Rise in Adults Under 50.

Cancer before age 50 is rare, but increasing, in the United States and researchers want to know why.

A new government study provides the most complete picture yet of early-onset cancers, finding that the largest increases are in breast, colorectal, kidney and uterine cancers. Scientists from the National Cancer Institute looked at data that included more than 2 million cancers diagnosed in people 15 to 49 years old between 2010 and 2019.

Of 33 cancer types, 14 cancers had increasing rates in at least one younger age group. About 63% of the early-onset cancers were among women.

“These kinds of patterns generally reflect something profound going on,” said Tim Rebbeck of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, who studies cancer risk and was not involved in the research. “We need to fund research that will help us understand.”

The findings were published Thursday in Cancer Discovery, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

The researchers compared cancer rates in 2019 to what would be expected based on 2010 rates.

Breast cancer made up the largest share of the excess cancers, with about 4,800 additional cases. There were 2,000 more colorectal cancers compared with what would be expected based on the 2010 rates. There were 1,800 more kidney cancers and 1,200 additional uterine cancers.

Reassuringly, death rates were not rising for most cancers in the young adult age groups, although increasing death rates were seen for colorectal, uterine and testicular cancers.

Explanations will take more research. The big databases used for the study don’t include information on risk factors or access to care. Theories abound and a big meeting is planned later this year to bring together experts in the area.

“Several of these cancer types are known to be associated with excess body weight and so one of the leading hypotheses is increasing rates of obesity,” said lead author Meredith Shiels of the National Cancer Institute.

Advances in cancer detection and changes in screening guidelines could be behind some early diagnoses.

For breast cancer, the trend toward women having a first child at older ages is a possible explanation. Pregnancy and breastfeeding are known to reduce risk.

This isn’t happening across the board. Cancer rates in people under 50 are going down for more than a dozen types of cancer, with the largest declines in lung and prostate cancers.

Cigarette smoking has been declining for decades, which likely accounts for the drop in lung cancer among younger adults.

The drop in prostate cancer is likely tied to updated guidelines discouraging routine PSA testing in younger men because of concerns about overtreatment.

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Footloose and Fancy free Monday.

Play the music.

Views: 20

Footloose and Fancy free Monday.

It’s Monday so let it fly. Play what ever moves and groves you. Yeah I’m an old rocker, but I do venture into other types of music. Lets see what ya got.

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Eat These Four Fruits to Sleep More Soundly.

Fruits that help you sleep

Views: 10

Eat These Four Fruits to Sleep More Soundly.

By Lynn C. Allison

According to the National Sleep Foundation, more than half of American adults do not get enough sleep and 82% wish they could get better sleep. Late-night snacking on low-fiber, high-fat foods such a dish of ice cream, a left-over slice of cheesecake, or a chocolate-covered donut may sound appealing, but they’re all associated with lighter, less restorative sleep. And although a glass of wine or beer before bed may make you feel sleepy initially, alcoholic drinks are known to cause disruption in sleep.

However, eating certain fruits before bedtime can significantly improve your sleep quality. Fruits like cherries, bananas, pineapples, and grapes contain natural compounds that help regulate sleep patterns.

• Tart cherries. According to mindbodygreen, tart cherry juice contains magnesium and some melatonin that promotes calm and boosts sleep. It also contains tryptophan, an amino acid that boosts melatonin, a hormone that your brain produces in response to darkness. Melatonin helps regulate your circadian rhythms (24-hour internal clock) and promotes sleep. Sip on 8 to 16 ounces of 10% tart cherry juice at night to reap the sleep-inducing benefits.

• Bananas. This common breakfast food is rich in tryptophan, which makes it an excellent bedtime snack. A study published in the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that people who ate a banana before bedtime had improved sleep quality. One medium banana also contains 32 milligrams of magnesium, which is known to promote relaxation.

• Pineapples. In a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, eating pineapple was found to boost melatonin levels by a whopping 266%. Have a few slices at least an hour before you go to bed or make a small smoothie with milk or yogurt. Dairy foods are also rich in tryptophan, which further promotes a good night’s sleep.

•Grapes. According to TODAY, naturally sweet and heart healthy grapes also contain melatonin to help regulate the body’s sleep-wake cycle. Instead of ending the evening with a sugary or rich treat, like ice cream or cake, try munching on a bunch of fresh grapes.

To make your snack more nutritionally balanced, you can pair the fruit with dairy or nuts. For example, have a glass of milk with your banana or make a peanut butter sandwich using grapes instead of jelly.

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AI Identifies Heart Valve Disease from Common Imaging Test.

Cedars-Sinai investigators are using AI to analyze images from a common heart test to identify signs of valve disease. Image by Getty.

Views: 17

AI Identifies Heart Valve Disease from Common Imaging Test.

Stephanie Cajigal
Senior Communications Specialist

An artificial intelligence (AI) program trained to review images from a common medical test can detect early signs of tricuspid heart valve disease and may help doctors diagnose and treat patients sooner, according to research from the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai.

The work builds upon research published last year showing that an AI program can detect disease in the heart’s mitral valve by analyzing ultrasound images of the heart. For this new study, published in JAMA Cardiology, investigators applied AI to identify tricuspid regurgitation, a condition in which the heart’s tricuspid valve doesn’t close fully when the heart contracts, causing blood to flow backward, which can result in heart failure.

David Ouyang, MD

David Ouyang, MD

“This AI program can augment cardiologists’ evaluation of echocardiograms, images from a screening and diagnostic test that many patients with heart disease symptoms would already be getting,” said David Ouyang, MD, a research scientist in the Smidt Heart Institute, an investigator in the Division of Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and senior author of the study. “By applying AI to echocardiograms, we can help clinicians more easily detect the signs of heart valve disease so that patients get the care they need as soon as possible.”

Investigators trained a deep-learning program to flag patterns of tricuspid regurgitation in 47,312 echocardiograms done at Cedars-Sinai between 2011 and 2021.

The program detected tricuspid regurgitation in patients and categorized cases as mild, moderate or severe. They then tested the program on echocardiograms that the AI program never saw before from additional patients who underwent echocardiography at Cedars-Sinai in 2022 and patients from Stanford Healthcare. The program predicted severity of tricuspid regurgitation with similar accuracy as cardiologists who evaluated echocardiograms and when compared with results from MRI images.

Sumeet Chugh, MD

Sumeet Chugh, MD

“Future studies will focus on obtaining even more specific information about valve disease, such as the volume of blood flowing backward through a valve, and predicting outcomes if patients undergo treatment for heart valve disease,” said first author Amey Vrudhula, MD, a research fellow at Cedars-Sinai.

Investigators in the Smidt Heart Institute are applying AI to a variety of cardiac imaging tests.

“A major advantage of AI algorithms is that they never get fatigued and have the capacity to identify valve abnormalities from large populations of patients, taking personalized cardiology to a whole different level,” said Sumeet Chugh, MD, director of the Division of Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and the Pauline and Harold Price Chair in Cardiac Electrophysiology Research.

Other Cedars-Sinai authors involved in the study include Amey Vrudhula, MD; Milos Vukadinovic, BS; Alan C. Kwan, MD; Daniel Berman, MD; Robert Siegel, MD; Susan Cheng, MD, MMSc, MPH.

Other authors include Christiane Haeffele, MD, and David Liang, MD, PhD.

 

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You make the call. Recalls are Rising: The Top 10 Riskiest Foods.

Not healthy?

Views: 25

You make the call. Recalls are Rising: The Top 10 Riskiest Foods.

If you are concerned by the number of food recalls in the news, you’re not alone. There was a 41% increase in food recalls in 2024 due to contamination with salmonella, E. coli, and listeria, according to the U.S Public Interest Research Group Education Fund.

In addition, confirmed cases of foodborne illness rose by 20% and related hospitalizations and deaths more than doubled, says Consumer Reports. Tens of millions of Americans suffer illness from foodborne bacteria every year reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Here are CR’s top 10 riskiest foods:

  1. Deli meat. The largest instance of foodborne illness caused by listeria in liverwurst in a Boar’s Head plant led to a recall of 7 million pounds of all types of cold cuts by the company. Boar’s Head announced it would no longer make liverwurst as a result. CR says that people at high risk for listeria infection — older people, pregnant women, or children under the age of 5 — should skip deli meat altogether unless it’s served piping hot to kill harmful bacteria. Prepacked cold cuts may be a safer option.
  2. Cucumbers. Whole cucumbers and sliced cucumbers were recalled in separate incidents in 2024. These vegetables can be contaminated by bacteria from animal waste in the soil or irrigation water. When buying any fruit or vegetables, select those with skins intact and not bruised or broken. Washing and peeling can reduce the bacteria but not eliminate it altogether, says CR.
  3. Raw milk and cheese. In 2024, unpasteurized products from Raw Farms were linked to salmonella and E. coli as well as bird flu. Raw milk tends to be at a higher risk for contamination due to the absence of pasteurization, which kills harmful bacteria. Consumers are advised to seek pasteurized alternatives to mitigate the risk of illness.
  4. Soft cheeses. A routine test detected listeria in cotija and queso fresco cheeses at Rizo-Lopez Foods. The company recalled these and other dairy products that were linked to illnesses across 11 states. Stick to hard cheeses unless you’re cooking the soft cheese in a recipe. Always wash your hands after handling soft cheese.
  5. Eggs. Several large recalls last year involved eggs contaminated with salmonella. Eggs were also in short supply because of fears of the spread of bird flu. According to the Food and Drug Administration, you should buy eggs only if sold from a refrigerator or refrigerated case. Open the carton and make sure that the eggs are clean and the shells are not cracked. Store promptly in a clean refrigerator at a temperature of 40°F or below. Cook eggs until both the yolk and the white are firm. For recipes that call for eggs that are raw or undercooked when the dish is served — like Caesar salad dressing and homemade ice cream — use either shell eggs that have been treated to destroy salmonella, by pasteurization or another approved method, or pasteurized egg products.
  6. Onions. Contaminated onions caused one death last year after many people were sickened by eating McDonald’s Quarter Pounders containing fresh, slivered onions. Buy fresh, whole onions and slice them yourself, discarding the first few layers that are most likely to be contaminated.
  7. Leafy greens. Many forms of produce in the U.S. are grown next to cattle farms where irrigation water can cause bacterial outbreaks. Last year, fresh spinach and romaine-iceberg mixes caused two E. coli outbreaks. Lower your risk of illness by buying hydroponic lettuce. When using whole heads discard outer leaves.
  8. Organic carrots. Grimmway Farms recalled organic bagged whole and baby carrots after they were connected to E. coli illnesses in 19 states. Here again, cooking is the safest way to protect yourself as washing and peeling can reduce bacteria but doesn’t remove all of it.
  9. Organic basil. Fresh herbs can also fall victim to soil contamination and packaged organic basil was linked to a salmonella outbreak in 14 states last year. Rinse herbs and use them in cooking rather than adding them raw to dishes.
  10. Cooked poultry and meat. Prepared foods go through a lot of processing before they hit the shelves, and each step increases the risk of contamination. Federal health officials found listeria in cooked poultry from BrucePac that lead to a massive recall of nearly 12 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry. Thoroughly heat all frozen foods and when buying packaged salads and sandwiches that contain meat make sure they’ve been refrigerated properly and keep them cold until you are ready to eat.

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You make the call. Alzheimer’s Signs Can Appear Prior To Middle Age.

You make the call

Views: 21

You make the call. Alzheimer’s Signs Can Appear Prior To Middle Age.

Risk factors for dementia could start taking their toll as early as a person’s 20s and 30s, a new study says.

Younger adults who carry known risks for dementia performed worse on memory and thinking tests between ages 24 and 44, researchers report in the May issue of the journal The Lancet: Regional Health Americas.

The findings lay the groundwork for early detection of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, researchers say.

This is the first study to look at risk factors of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in a large group of generally healthy younger adults, researchers say.

“Previously, research on Alzheimer’s disease risk factors has focused on individuals aged 50 and older,” lead researcher Allison Aiello, a professor of epidemiology at the Columbia University Aging Center, said in a news release.

These new results show that well-established risk factors and blood biomarkers for dementia appear to start affecting cognitive function even before middle age, Aiello said.

These risk factors include education level, gender, blood pressure, cholesterol, exercise and body mass index, a measure of body fat based on height and weight, results show. All these are measured using a Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Aging, and Incidence of Dementia (CAIDE) score.

Researchers also learned that certain Alzheimer’s risk factors are present and related to brain function in people in their 40s or earlier, Aiello added.

These include levels of proteins like amyloid beta and tau that form plaques and tangles in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s, along with heart health and immune biomarkers.

“Additionally, we learned that certain Alzheimer’s risk factors — such as cardiovascular health, ATN (amyloid, tau, neurodegeneration), and immune biomarkers — are present and related to cognition in individuals in their forties and even earlier,” Aiello said.

For the study, researchers analyzed data from two waves of a long-term study tracking the health of teenagers as they grow into adults. The study started in 1994-1995, and researchers looked at participants again as they hit ages 24-34 and again at 34-44.

In their early 20s and 30s, participants completed brain function tests of their memory and thinking. Scores on those tests were compared to the participants’ CAIDE score as they approached middle-age.

Results showed that the higher a person scored on CAIDE, the worse they performed on tests of thinking skills at 34 to 44 years old.

“Exploring the relationship between the CAIDE score and cognitive function in young adulthood and early midlife in the U.S., showed that significant associations with cardiovascular risk factors can be observed well before age 50,” Aiello explained.

Researchers also looked at blood tests from the study participants, and found that a combined amyloid/tau score called ATN was linked to people’s brain function prior to middle age.

“Our overall findings suggest that blood-based biomarkers associated with Alzheimer’s disease are linked to differences in cognitive function decades before clinical symptoms and impairments even appear, highlighting the importance of early prevention strategies across the life course,” Aiello said.

“Identifying the early pathways to Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive impairment before older age is critical to slowing the expected rise of Alzheimer’s disease in the coming decades,” she added.

© HealthDay

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Links from other sources. Music Uncategorized

Songs that have something to do with Tuesday.

We can dance. Or just listen.

Views: 22

Songs that have something to do with Tuesday.

You may be surprised to discover how many artists have composed songs that specifically mention Tuesday – and I’ve put together a list. 

These songs about Tuesday will help you get through the day, whether you’re driving to work or are lucky enough to be relaxing at home. 

They will help you unwind or sit with your feelings wherever Tuesday takes you.

 

 

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Pets May Boost Happiness as Much as Family, Friends.

Pets making you happy?

Views: 8

Pets May Boost Happiness as Much as Family, Friends.

Your cat might not do the dishes, and your dog probably can’t fix your Wi-Fi, but they could be making you just as happy as a spouse or best friend.

A new study found that having a furry friend may boost your overall life satisfaction as much as being married or regularly spending time with loved ones.

And it’s something researchers can actually put a price tag on. A team in the U.K. says the emotional value of owning a pet is worth as much £70,000, or about $90,000 a year in life satisfaction.

That’s a statistical measure they use to gauge the “implicit price” of otherwise intangible things — for example, the theoretical boost in income a person would get from having a spouse or regular meet-ups with friends.

The findings were published March 31 in the journal Social Indicators Research.

“First when I obtained the values I was surprised; I was thinking that is a lot of money even for me who loves (pets),” study co-author Adelina Gschwandtner, an economics professor at the University of Kent, told CNN.

“Most people claim that their pets are like friends or family members to them, so that is comparable,” she added.

“If pets are indeed like friends and family, why shouldn’t that measure be comparable to talking to friends and family once a week? You have your pet every day.”

Researchers compared their findings with other studies that used the same methods to calculate the value of being married or regularly meeting with loved ones.

The results? Pet ownership had a similar positive impact on overall well-being, CNN reported.

The team used data from a survey of 2,500 British households and a special tool called an “instrumental variables approach.”

This works by finding “a third variable which is correlated with … the pets but is not correlated with life satisfaction,” Gschwandtner said.

The findings suggest that pets may offer many of the same emotional benefits as human relationships. That’s why Gschwandtner believes policymakers should make it easier for people to have pets — for example by changing housing rules that limit them.

But not all experts agree that pets can fully replace human connections.

“We know that social support and emotional support are really key aspects of human-pet relationships that are also the same types of support we get from our human social connections. … While animals are connected to us in powerful ways, they are not the same as humans,” said Megan Mueller, a professor at Tufts University who studies human-animal relationships.

© HealthDay

 

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Spanakopita (Savory Greek Spinach Pie).

Good eating.

Views: 15

Spanakopita (Savory Greek Spinach Pie).

Spanakopita is a very popular, classic Greek recipe. It is a savory pie made with layers of crispy phyllo dough and filled with spinach and feta cheese. This comforting dish can be enjoyed as a vegetarian meal or as a side dish.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion (finely diced)
  • 2 pounds fresh spinach (rinsed, stems removed and chopped)
  • 2 teaspoons dried dill
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley (chopped)
  • 1 lemon (zested)
  • salt (to taste)
  • pepper (to taste)
  • 10 ounces feta cheese (crumbled)
  • 6 eggs (lightly beaten)
  • 16 ounce box phyllo dough (thawed)
  • 5 tablespoons butter (melted)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325°F.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and cook until softened and starting to just lightly brown, about 3-5 minutes.
    2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil,1 medium onion
  • Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted.
    2 pounds fresh spinach
  • Drain the spinach and onion mixture in a colander over the sink. Press the spinach to get as much of the liquid out of it as possible.
  • Return the spinach to the skillet and add the dill, parsley and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper.
    2 teaspoons dried dill,1/4 cup fresh parsley,1 lemon,salt,pepper
  • Cook until most of the liquid is gone, then stir in the feta cheese and eggs. Remove the skillet from the heat and set aside.
    6 eggs,10 ounces feta cheese
  • Open the pack of phyllo dough and lay it out on a countertop or sheet pan. Cover with a damp towel.
    16 ounce box phyllo dough
  • Melt the butter.
    5 tablespoons butter
  • Brush a very thin layer of butter onto the bottom and sides of a 9×13-inch baking dish.
  • Place one sheet of phyllo dough into the bottom of the pan. Brush with a very thin layer of the melted butter.
  • Repeat this process until approximately 3/4ths of the dough is used.
  • Evenly spread all of the spanakopita filling over the phyllo dough in the baking dish.
  • Layer the remaining phyllo dough over the top of the filling, using the same method of brushing each piece with a thin layer of butter until all of the dough is used.
  • Fold any excess dough under. Brush the top of the pie with butter and cut three slits to allow steam to escape while baking.
  • Bake for approximately 1 hour or until the dough is golden brown and the filling is hot.
  • Cut into 12 squares and serve.

 

 

 

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Blueberry French Toast Bake | Stuffed French Toast Recipe.

Good Stuff. Rada Cutlery

Views: 9

Blueberry French Toast Bake | Stuffed French Toast Recipe.

Make this incredible French toast casserole for a breakfast the whole family will love! This delightful take on classic French toast is loaded with fresh ingredients and heavenly cream cheese. It’s the perfect way to start the day and one your family will want again and again.

Ingredients you will need:

  • 1 lb. brioche or French bread, cubed
  • 2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, cubed
  • 2 C. fresh or frozen blueberries
  • 12 eggs
  • 2 C. milk
  • 1/3 C. honey or maple syrup
  • 2 t. vanilla
  • 1 C. sugar
  • 2 T. cornstarch
  • Directions
  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Cover the bottom of a 9″ x 13″ pan with half the bread cubes.
  • Top the bread cubes with cream cheese cubes.
  • Cover cream cheese cubes with remaining bread cubes.
  • Top bread cubes with 1 cup blueberries.
  • Make an egg mixture by combining eggs, milk, vanilla, and either honey or maple syrup. Coat the bread pieces with the egg mixture. Cover pan with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil, and bake another 30 minutes.
  • While the dish is baking, make your blueberry sauce. In a saucepan, bring 1 cup sugar, 2 T. cornstarch, and some cold water to a boil. Add 1 cup blueberries, drop the temperature, and simmer, stirring occasionally.
  • Serve and enjoy!

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You make the call. Medicare Advantage Squeezing Billions More From US Government.

Works for you or against you?

Views: 18

You make the call. Medicare Advantage Squeezing Billions More From US Government.

Medicare Advantage plans are squeezing billions out of the federal government by billing more for patient care, a new study says.

Medicare Advantage plans received an extra $33 billion in revenue from the feds in 2021 due to coding differences in billing compared to traditional Medicare, researchers reported April 7 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

About 42% of that excess revenue, nearly $14 billion, went to UnitedHealth Group alone – even though the Minneapolis-based insurer has a 27% share of Medicare Advantage beneficiaries, researchers said.

“Medicare Advantage plans are paid more for sicker members and less for healthier members,” wrote the research team led by Richard Kronick, a professor in the School of Public Health & Human Longevity Science at  the University of California-San Diego.

This provides “a strong incentive for Medicare Advantage plans to find and report as many diagnoses as they can legitimately support,” researchers wrote.

For the study, researchers studied billing data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) from 2015 to 2021, including 697 Medicare Advantage contracts offered by 193 different insurers.

Medicare Advantage plans are operated by private health insurance companies, while traditional Medicare is run by CMS.

Advantage plans offer all-in-one coverage, while people on traditional Medicare must juggle several different plans that cover hospital care, doctor services and prescription drugs.

However, people on Medicare Advantage typically must receive care from a more limited network of providers and they might need pre-authorization to see specialists, according to Consumer Reports.

Results show Medicare Advantage plans billed more persistently for diagnoses, with about 78% of patients having year-after-year illnesses compared to 72% in traditional Medicare.

Medicare Advantage plans also billed more often for new diagnoses, about 46% of the time compared to 33% for traditional Medicare.

This billing led to an estimated $33 billion in additional payments to Medicare Advantage plans in 2021.

For UnitedHealth Group, this billing resulted in an estimated $1,863 increase in revenue per member, substantially greater than the industry average of $1,220, researchers wrote.

The research team did raise the possibility that Medicare Advantage (MA) plans actually might be billing more accurately than traditional Medicare (TM), explaining this difference.

“However, the MA payment system is calibrated on diagnostic patterns in TM, and regardless of whether MA is overcoding or TM is undercoding, differential coding in MA results in greater payment overall and widely different levels of greater payment across MA insurers,” researchers wrote.

An accompanying editorial agreed that “it is well documented that the system’s reliance on diagnosis codes that insurers can influence for gain is responsible for tens of billions of dollars in payments to MA plans above what would be spent in traditional Medicare, adding to Medicare’s fiscal challenges.”

Unfortunately, any reform efforts likely will increase out-of-pocket costs for people on Medicare Advantage, according to the editorial written by Dr. J. Michael McWilliams, a professor of health care policy at Harvard Medical School.

“To the extent it is socially desirable to provide seniors with better coverage than the traditional benefit, policymakers must grapple with this tradeoff,” McWilliams wrote.

© HealthDay

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You make the call. Health Myths.

True or false.

Views: 21

You make the call. Health Myths.

doctor with surgical gloves holding sign that says "MYTHS"

By Lynn C. Allison

Old wives’ tales about health have been around for generations. Health myths persist because misinformation spreads easily, especially with the popularity of social media. Here is the truth about some of the most common health myths:

• Drink 8 glasses of water daily. According to WebMD, there is no need to count cups. People who drink when they are thirsty stay well-hydrated. In addition, fruit, vegetables, soup, and beverages such as juice, coffee, and tea all contribute to our daily hydration needs.

• Eggs cause heart disease. By now, it’s been pretty well established that eating eggs is good for you, as long as you don’t overdo it. According to Real Simple, all eggs are rich in protein, phosphorus, selenium, chlorine, iron, vitamin A and B vitamins. The B vitamins and choline found in eggs are beneficial to brain health. While eggs do contain cholesterol, experts say that dietary cholesterol does not significantly raise blood cholesterol levels enough to trigger heart disease in healthy people.

• You can catch a cold by being out in cold weather. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, contrary to popular belief, cold weather or feeling chilled doesn’t cause a cold. However, more colds do occur during the cold weather seasons because schools are in session, increasing the risk for exposure to the virus. People also stay indoors more when it’s cold and are in closer proximity to each other, making it easier to pass along germs. The low humidity of winter causes dry nasal passages, which are more susceptible to cold viruses.

• You need a daily multivitamin. You should get most of your daily nutrients from a well-rounded diet that includes lots of fruit, vegetables, nuts, healthy oils and whole grains. But if your doctor feels you are suffering from a deficiency, a vitamin supplement may be needed.

• You need to eat breakfast to lose weight. Not so, say experts from Cornell University who found that people who skipped breakfast didn’t overeat at lunch and dinner and, in fact, ate 400 fewer calories a day.

• Green mucus means infection. One study looked at green mucus samples from people with a cough and no other lung conditions. It found that only about 1 in 10 of those green mucus samples were caused by a bacterial infection. This means that most people with green mucus don’t have a bacterial infection. In short, mucus color alone isn’t a reliable way to say whether you need antibiotics, says GoodRx.

• Sugar makes kids hyper. While sugar isn’t good for children, research shows that it won’t cause them to act out or be unable to focus on their schoolwork.

• Toilet seats can pass along germs. According to WebMD, toilet seats are usually clean. It’s the doorknobs, handles and floors that can be covered with bacteria like E. coli, norovirus and the flu. Use paper towels to cover your hands when opening doors or touching handles and a hand sanitizer afterwards.

• Cracking joints triggers arthritis. While the sound of someone cracking their joints can be annoying, it does not cause arthritis. Experts at the Cleveland Clinic say one reason that your joints may make a cracking noise could be gas escaping from a synovial membrane, or a ligament or tendon passing over another ligament or tendon. However, if you feel regular or severe pain in your joints, seek medical help.

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Links from other sources. Medicine Reprints from other.

Antidepressants Linked to Sudden Cardiac Death.

How effective?

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Antidepressants Linked to Sudden Cardiac Death.

Antidepressants appear to increase people’s risk of sudden cardiac death, a new study says.

People taking the mood meds are more likely to die suddenly from heart problems, and their risk rises the longer they’re on the drugs, according to findings presented Monday in Vienna at a meeting of the European Society of Cardiology.

“Exposure time to antidepressants was associated with a higher risk of sudden cardiac death, and linked to how long the person had been exposed to antidepressants,” said lead researcher Jasmin Mujkanovic of Rigshospitalet Heart Center in Copenhagen.

“Those exposed for six years or more were at even more increased risk than those exposed for one to five years, when compared with people unexposed to antidepressants in the general population,” Mujkanovic said in a news release.

For the new study, researchers examined all deaths among adults in Denmark in 2010, looking for people taking andepressants and people who suffered sudden cardiac death.

Sudden cardiac death involves a person’s heart unexpectedly stopping due to some heart-related problem, researchers said in background notes.

Younger adults usually suffer sudden cardiac death due to heart disease or an electrical problem with the heart, while older people most often fall prey due to clogged arteries, researchers said.

Overall, people who’d been taking antidepressants for one to five years had a 56% increased risk of sudden cardiac death, and a more than doubled risk if they’d been taking the drugs for six or more years.

However, the risk posed by antidepressants appears to affect younger people more than older folks, researchers found.

Results show that younger adults 30 to 39 were three times more likely to suffer sudden cardiac death if they’d been taking antidepressants for one to five years, and five times more likely if they’d been on the drugs for six or more years.

Likewise, middle-aged folks 50 to 59 had a doubled risk from one to five years of antidepressant use and a quadrupled risk for six or more years on the meds.

And seniors 70 to 79 had an 83% increased risk for one to five years and a doubled risk for more than six years on the drugs, researchers report.

It’s not clear why antidepressants might increase a person’s risk of sudden cardiac death, Mujkanovic said.

“The increased risk of sudden cardiac death may be attributed to the potential adverse effects of the antidepressants,” Mujkanovic said. “However, the exposure time to antidepressants might also serve as a marker for more severe underlying illness. Additionally, the increase could be influenced by behavioral or lifestyle factors associated with depression, such as delayed healthcare seeking, and poor cardiovascular health. Further research is warranted.”

Findings presented at medical meetings should be considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

© HealthDay

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Life Links from other sources. Music

Songs About Women.

Listen to the music.

Views: 24

Songs About Women.

Songs celebrating women have long been a staple in music, capturing the myriad experiences, qualities, and emotions that women inspire. Exploring the best songs about women offers a playlist that spans genres and generations, highlighting the power, beauty, and complexity of female figures in our lives. These tracks resonate deeply, not just for their melodies and lyrics, but for the emotions they evoke and the stories they tell.

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Surprising Headache Triggers.

Causes of headache pain.

Views: 10

Surprising Headache Triggers.

By Lynn C. Allison.

According to Yale Medicine there probably is no malady more common than a headache. Statistics show that 20% of women and nearly 10% of men report experiencing a headache or migraine in the previous three months. While occasional headaches are not cause for alarm, the pain and discomfort can disrupt sleep, and interfere with work and daily life.  To avoid the negative effects of headaches, it is important to be aware of triggers, especially some of the lesser-known causes of headaches:

• Blurry vision. According to WebMD, headaches can develop when you try to focus on objects close to your face. This can be due to a genetically flat cornea or short eyeball, but the condition becomes more prevalent after the age of 40. Your optician or ophthalmologist can help with a prescription for eyeglasses, contact lenses or surgery.

• Tension in neck and shoulders. Spending hours hunched over a computer can cause stiffness in your neck and shoulders that brings on headaches. These tension headaches can be relieved by a hot shower, heating pad, or massage. Often over-the-counter medications can reduce the symptoms. Regular stretching and exercise can also help.

• Hunger. If you forgot to eat lunch, you may feel a headache coming on as the afternoon progresses. Keep snacks on hand to stave off low blood sugar levels that can cause headaches. A handful of mixed nuts, or apple slices with peanut butter are good choices.

• No morning coffee. If you skipped your usual morning cup of coffee, your head may start to throb. If you can’t get a cup of Joe, drinking green or black tea or eating some chocolate will help.

• Sex. In rare cases, headaches can be brought on by sexual activity, says the Mayo Clinic. People sometimes experience a sudden, severe headache just before or during orgasm. Most sex headaches are nothing to worry about but have your doctor check for problems with blood vessels that feed the brain.

• Cough headaches. Head pain may be triggered by coughing, sneezing, blowing your nose, laughing or singing. This type of straining may cause a primary headache, which is harmless and will get better without treatment. But if the headache persists, check with your doctor to rule out an underlying cause that could be serious.

• Swollen sinuses. This swelling behind your cheekbones and forehead causes pain that worsens when you bend over. Over-the-counter sinus medication can usually ease the suffering.

• Too much alcohol. Alcohol disturbs your sleep and could cause a throbbing headache the next morning. Make sure to hydrate with water, broth or sports drinks. Avoid taking acetaminophen, which is hard on your liver, especially when you’ve been drinking. If you suffer pounding headaches after sipping red wine, you are not alone. It turns out many people are affected by a flavanol found in red wine that can trigger a painful, pounding headache within 30 minutes to three hours after drinking.

Other causes for headaches include extreme exercise, eating food triggers, such as aged cheese and those that contain nitrates or MSG, or overdoing pain relievers.

In rare cases, a headache may signal something serious, such as a brain tumor. Call 911 if the pain is sudden and severe and you notice any of the following symptoms:

• Numbness or weakness on one side of the body.

• Confusion or garbled speech.

• Vision difficulties.

• Dizziness or loss of balance.

Lynn C. Allison,  is an award-winning medical journalist and author of more than 30 self-help books.

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Strokes From Neck Artery Tears Rising Fast.

Views: 18

Strokes From Neck Artery Tears Rising Fast.

 

Strokes caused by an artery tear are landing five times as many Americans in the hospital these days, a new study says.

Cervical artery dissection involves a small tear in the inner lining of an artery in the neck that supplies blood to the brain.

Blood can clot at the site of the tear. If the clot breaks loose, it can travel to the brain and cause a stroke.

Hospitalizations for this sort of stroke have increased nearly fivefold during the past 15 years, according to findings published April 2 in the journal Neurology.

“Cervical artery dissection is an important cause of stroke, especially in people under 50, so it is crucial to detect it right away,” senior researcher Dr. Shadi Yaghi, a vascular neurologist at Brown University in Providence, R.I., said in a news release.

“Strokes that are not fatal can lead to long-term disability, poor mental health and reduced quality of life,” he said. “Our research found a dramatic increase in the number of hospitalizations for cervical artery dissection, with rates rising steadily year over year.”

These sort of tears in the cervical artery are most often caused by a motor vehicle crash or other accident that causes neck strain, researchers said. However, activities as simple as heavy lifting has been known to cause a cervical artery tear in some people.

For the study, researchers analyzed 15 years of U.S. health data to identify more than 125,000 people hospitalized for cervical artery dissection.

Patients had an average age of 51, and just over half suffered a stroke from their artery tear, results show.

The number of artery tears increased about 10% a year on average, rising from 11 cases per million people in 2005 to 46 cases per million in 2019, results show.

Men and women were equally at risk for suffering an artery tear, but there were differences between races.

Cervical artery dissections increased by 16% a year on average among Hispanic people, compared to 13% for Black people, 12% for Asian people and 8% for white people.

Seniors also have become more prone to these tears, with an average annual increase of 12% among people 65 and older compared to 8% for people under 65, researchers said.

“Possible reasons for this nearly five-fold increase over 15 years include greater awareness of cervical artery dissection by health care professionals, better access to imaging to help identify it and an overall increase in this condition for which a cause has yet to be determined,” Yaghi said.

“Given the rising incidence of cervical artery dissection, our study underscores the importance of finding prevention strategies as well as new treatments to reduce the risk of stroke,” he added.

© HealthDay

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Food Links from other sources. Recipe

Greek Grilled Chicken Salad.

Good eating.

Views: 26

Greek Grilled Chicken Salad.

For a lighter lunch, toss together Greek Grilled Chicken Salad. Mediterranean ingredients like Feta cheese and Kalamata olives give this salad plenty of flavor.

 

Ingredients

  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 tsp. ground coriander
  • 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 2 romaine hearts, chopped
  • 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 2 avocados, sliced
  • 4 oz. crumbled Feta cheese
  • 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, halved

Instructions

  1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
  2. Season chicken evenly with coriander, oregano, salt and pepper. Grill for 14 to 17 minutes, turning halfway through. Let rest 5 minutes, then slice and set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together oil, red wine vinegar and parsley. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  4. Place lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, avocado, Feta and olives in a large bowl. Top with grilled chicken slices and drizzle with dressing.

 

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Musical Artists that flip your Bic.

Views: 31

Musical Artists that flip your BIC.

Joss Stone is someone who I just recently found. So play the songs of your favorites or someone you recently discovered.

 

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