Health Tip: If Your Child Gets Headaches

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(HealthDay News) -- If your child gets frequent headaches, you can help the pediatrician diagnose the problem by keeping a log of the child's symptoms.

The Nemours Foundation says the log should include:

The frequency and severity of headaches, when they started and ended, and any other symptoms that accompanied the headaches.Where the pain was felt, what it felt like (throbbing or dull, etc.), and changes in these headaches over time.Any recent injuries, identifiable headache triggers, current medications or previous medical problems.Your child's eating and sleeping habits.Your child's allergies and any family history of headaches.Any medication or activity that seems to help make the headaches go away.

-- Diana Kohnle Copyright © 2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

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Pregnant mothers can support the development of fetal Gut changes

THURSDAY, Aug. 2 HealthDay News)--obtain a change in the composition of intestinal microbes that normally would cause health problems such as weight and inflammation may actually be beneficial for the pregnant, according to the researchers.

In conducting the research, published in the Aug. 3 edition of the journal cell, scientists tested stool samples taken from 91 women in pregnancy. It appeared that the composition of intestinal microbes women changing in time, from the first quarter of their pregnancy at the third trimester.

"This is the first in-depth characterization of intestinal microbiota associated with pregnancy," study senior author, Ruth Ley, Cornell University, said in a news release. log "The findings suggest that our body have coevolved with the microbiota and can actually use them as a tool to help you change the metabolism of the mother--to promote the development of the fetus."

In the course of their pregnancy, intestinal microbes women became less "normal" and less varied. Researchers also found that the number of bacteria beneficial bacteria levels associated with rejected as the disease has increased. There was also evidence that inflammation increased during the pregnancies of women.

"Changes in intestinal microbes do not relate to diet, so we think that the immune system or the hormones play a role," Ley noted.

The researchers then passed the transfer of pregnant women healthy mouse intestinal bacteria. They found mice that received transfer of the bacteria from the third trimester got fatter and had higher levels of inflammation markers in blood sugar metabolism, and worse than the mice that received the first trimester of the micro-organism.

"By the third trimester, the microbiota may entail changes in metabolism," Lei said. "In the context of pregnancy, these changes in the mother are healthy metabolic because they promote the energy storage in fat tissue support and assistance of the fetus. Beyond the pregnancy, however, these changes may lead to the development of type 2 diabetes and other health problems. "

--Mary Elizabeth Dallas Copyright © 2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved. Source: cell, news release, Aug. 2, 2012

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Most Americans with Celiac disease do not understand: the test

THURSDAY, Aug. 2 HealthDay News)--new research suggests that the 1.4 million Americans have celiac disease, but do not know, while 1.6 million people are on a gluten-free diet for celiac disease--treatment--even though they may not be necessary.

The results, which estimates that 1.8 million Americans have celiac disease--autoimmune condition--indicate that the percentage of 78 patients do not always realize that they have the condition.

"This is proof that the disease is common in the United States," said co-author Dr. Joseph Murray, a gastroenterologist at the Mayo Clinic in the news release. "If you have one person to detect every five or six [who] are not very good job we're doing, celiac disease detection."

People with celiac disease have trouble sample of wheat, rye and barley. Gluten-free diet can help, but around 80% of the people on such a diet not recognized in celiac disease.

"There are many people on a gluten-free Diet and not clear what is the medical need for that," said Murray. "This important if someone thinks that they have celiac disease, that they be tested first before they go on a diet."

The researchers came to their conclusions by examining the results of tests of blood and establish a national test.

Celiac disease seems to be particularly common in the white race.

"Virtually all of the people we were non-Hispanic Caucasians," said co-author Dr. Alberto Rubio-Tapia, Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist, release news. But, he said, the results are head scratching because studies in Mexico had suggested that the disease celiac is common.

Research was partially funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the Centre for disease prevention and control.

Study appears in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, July 31.

--Randy Dotinga Copyright © 2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved. Source: Mayo Clinic, news release, 31 July 2012

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Modest weight loss can benefit long-term health

THURSDAY, Aug. 2 HealthDay News)--even modest weight loss can include the overweight and obese important health benefits worth a decade, according to new research.

Study included 3,000 people overweight impaired glucose tolerance--a condition of pre-diabetic--who demonstrated how to change their behavior instead of the recommended drugs.

Behavioral strategies used by participants to help them with everything turned on weight maintenance, reducing the amount they ate unhealthy food, kept in their home and increase their amount of physical activity.

Even modest weight loss--an average of 14 pounds--reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes by 58%. Weight loss and health benefits lasted for 10 years, even if the people regain the weight, "said study Author Rena Wing, a Professor of Psychiatry and human behavior at Brown University in Providence, R.I.

The test is scheduled for presentation Thursday at the American Psychological Association annual meeting in Orlando, Fla file.

"Help people find ways of changing their eating and activity behaviors and develop intervention other than medication to strengthen healthy lifestyles have made a huge difference in preventing one of the health problems in this country," Wing, who is also Director of the weight control and Diabetes Research Center at the Miriam Hospital in Providence, said in a news release.

"Weight loss of only 10 percent of body weight a person ... have also been shown the long-term impact on team sleep, sleep, hypertension and the quality of life and to release the decrease in mobility that occurs with age," she noted.

Wing is currently a study of 13 years 5000 people with type 2 diabetes to determine whether intensive behavioral intervention can reduce the risk of heart disease and heart.

"We want to show that behavior change not only creates healthier reduce risk factors for heart disease, but actually can make them live longer," she said.

Because the study was presented at the meeting of the medical data and conclusions should be seen as a preliminary to the time of publication in peer-reviewed Journal.

--Robert Preidt Copyright © 2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved. Source: American Psychological Association, news release, Aug. 2, 2012

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West Nile virus on rise in us: CDC

THURSDAY, Aug. 2 HealthDay News)--so far this year, State of 241 cases of West Nile virus, and four related deaths the UNITED STATES experiencing the largest collection in mosquito diseases since 2004, health officials report.

Eighty percent of these infections occurring in three Member States--Texas, Mississippi and Oklahoma--which have seen business earlier than usual. Overall, 42 States has detected a virus, West Nile virus to humans, birds or mosquitoes from 31 July, the Centre for disease prevention and control said Wednesday.

"It's not clear why we see more activity than in recent years," Dr. Marc Fischer, Arboviral Diseases Branch of the Agency's medical Schwartz, said in a news release, CDC. "Irrespective of the reason for the increase, people should be aware of the West Nile virus activity in their area and take action to protect themselves and their families."

Typically, the greatest risk of the infection with West Nile virus occurs from June to September, with cases peaking in mid-August. However, changes in the weather, the number of infected mosquitoes and human behavior can have all the effects when and where outbreaks of the virus, the CDC noted.

The best way to protect against West Nile virus is to avoid getting bitten by mosquitoes. CDC officials recommended the following protective measures:

Use insect Repellents when outside. Wear long sleeves and pants at dawn and dusk.Install or repair screens on Windows and doors.Use of air conditioning, where possible. Do not leave standing water outside in open containers, such as buckets, flowerpots, and kiddie pools.

People infected with West Nile virus can develop a fever, headache, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea, or a rash. In more extreme cases, the virus can lead to serious illness, such as neurologic core encephalitis (inflammation of the brain or surrounding tissues) or death. People older than 50 and with medical conditions such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease and organ transplants are at higher risk for serious disease.

Although most people with mild cases of the West Nile virus will recover on their own, the CDC recommends that anyone who develops symptoms of the disease should see their doctor immediately.

--Mary Elizabeth Dallas Copyright © 2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved. Source: U.S. centres for disease control and prevention, news release, Aug. 1, 2012

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Food Journal: Write It Down, Shed More Pounds

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Food Journals Help Dieters Lose Weight, Study Shows

By Salynn Boyles
WebMD Health News

Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD

July 13, 2012 -- If you want to lose weight, you need to eat less -- and if you want to eat less, it helps to write it down.

When researchers studied the eating behaviors of female dieters they found that two of the most important tools linked to successful weight loss were a pen and notebook.

Women who kept food journals and consistently wrote down the foods they ate lost more weight than women who didn't.

Skipping meals and eating out frequently, especially at lunch, led to less weight loss.

Researcher Anne McTiernan, MD, PhD, says based on the study results, the number one piece of advice someone should follow if they want to lose weight is, "Keep a food journal."

"It's about accountability, knowing what you're eating and how much, and how that all adds up compared with your calorie goal for losing weight," she tells WebMD.

The study appears in the latest issue of the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

The study included 123 previously inactive, overweight, postmenopausal women in Seattle enrolled in a weight loss study.

Over the course of a year, the women followed a restricted-calorie diet with the goal of achieving a 10% reduction in weight in six months. Half the women were put on an exercise program and the other half were not.

All the participants were asked to record the foods they ate daily in seven-day diaries provided weekly by dietician counselors.

During the study, the women also completed a series of questionnaires designed to assess their individual eating-related behaviors and strategies to achieve weight loss.

At the end of the year, both the diet-alone and diet-and-exercise groups had lost an average of 10% of their starting weight.

Among the specific findings:

Women who consistently filled out the food journals lost about 6 pounds more than those who didn't.Those who skipped meals lost an average of 8 fewer pounds than those who didn't.Women who ate in restaurants at lunch at least once a week lost an average of 5 pounds less than those who ate out less.

"Eating out may be a barrier for making healthful dietary changes because it usually means less individual control over ingredients and cooking methods, as well as larger portion sizes," the researchers wrote.

The study is not the first to find that keeping a food journal helps people shed pounds.

A 2008 study found that dieters who kept food diaries at least six days a week lost twice as much weight as those who kept the journals one day a week or less.

Keeping a food diary helps increase awareness of mindless, distracted eating, says nutritionist and diabetes educator Megrette Fletcher, RD, who is also co-founder of The Center for Mindful Eating.

"We know that when people keep food journals they are more aware of what they eat and in what quantities," she tells WebMD. "Whether the goal is to lose weight, keep diabetes under control, or just to avoid eating when you are not hungry, food journals can help."

Most experts recommend writing down the foods you eat as soon as you eat them, rather than waiting until the end of the day.

Some other tips:

It may also help to write down what you were doing when you were eating and how eating made you feel.Record your level of hunger along with the foods you eat.Be honest: Keeping a journal will do you no good if you only do it when you are being virtuous. Record the food slips along with the food triumphs.SOURCES: Kong, A. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, July 13, 2012. Anne McTiernan, MD, PhD, professor of epidemiology, University of Washington; researcher, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle. Megrette Fletcher, Med, RD, executive director, The Center for Mindful Eating. News release, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Hollis, J.F. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, August 2008.

©2012 WebMD, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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Quitting Smoking Does Mean Weight Gain for Many: Study

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TUESDAY, July 10 (HealthDay News) -- Most smokers who quit gain more weight than previously thought -- an average of about 8 to 11 pounds the first year, according to a new European study.

Most of this weight gain occurs within three months of kicking the habit, the researchers reported. But, they added, the benefits of quitting still outweigh any concerns over this slight rise on the scale.

In conducting the research, investigators from France and the United Kingdom examined 62 previous studies to evaluate weight fluctuations among smokers who quit successfully with and without the help of nicotine replacement therapy. The weight changes of the former smokers were assessed 12 months after they stopped smoking.

The study found that smokers who quit without the help of nicotine replacement therapy gained an average of about 2.5 pounds one month after quitting. At the two-month mark, they had gained about 5 pounds; at three months, they were up 6.5 pounds. By six months, they had gained about 9 pounds, and after 12 months, they were 10.5 pounds heavier.

The average weight gain was similar for those using nicotine replacement therapy, according to Henri-Jean Aubin, a professor of psychiatry and addiction medicine at Paul Brousse Hospital in Villejuif, France, and colleagues.

The researchers pointed out this weight gain is greater than the 6.5 pounds often quoted in handouts about smoking cessation. It's also more than the 5-pound weight gain limit many female smokers say they will tolerate in order to quit.

The findings reflect the average weight gain of the former smokers, but fluctuation in weight varied widely: 16 percent of the people who stopped smoking lost weight, while 13 percent had gained more than 22 pounds in the year after quitting.

The study, published in the July 10 online edition of the BMJ, concluded that previous research underestimated the amount of weight people will gain in the 12 months after they quit smoking.

"These data suggest that doctors might usefully give patients a range of expected weight gain," the study authors said in a journal news release.

-- Mary Elizabeth Dallas Copyright © 2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved. SOURCE: BMJ, news release, July 10, 2012

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