American Health Care Reporter

Questions about nutrition: Top 5 FAQs

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:00:50 PST

We thought we'd share five of the most frequently asked questions we get about nutrition and healthy eating. These represent what's hot on the topic of "you are what you eat."

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HOW DOES MENOPAUSE AFFECT SEX DRIVE?

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:46:32 PST

The loss of estrogen following menopause can lead to changes in a woman’s sexual functioning. Menopausal women may notice that they are not as easily aroused, and may be less sensitive to touching and stroking – which can result in decreased interest in sex. Further, the emotional changes that often accompany menopause can add to a woman’s loss of interest in sex and inability to become aroused.

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CMS seeks savings through changes in Medicaid drug payments

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 13:31:13 PST

The CMS said the federal and state governments would save about $17.7 billion over five years with adjustments to the way Medicaid pays for prescription drugs.

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Device makers urge coverage of weight-loss surgery

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 13:13:23 PST

Device manufacturers are pushing the U.S. government and health insurers to cover weight-loss surgery, an effort that could give millions more obese Americans access to the treatments.

Advocates say it will give obese patients a complete arsenal for fighting the condition that can spur a host of life-threatening illnesses and help save billions of dollars in healthcare costs for employers and the government.

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Exercise and cold weather: Tips to stay safe outdoors

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 09:05:59 PST

Dressing in layers, protecting your hands and feet, and paying attention to the forecast can help you stay safe and warm while exercising outdoors in cold weather.

So you don't like grinding out miles on the treadmill or power walking the malls, but you dread exercising during cold weather. Unfortunately, cold weather can discourage even the most motivated exercisers. And if you're not so motivated, it's all too easy to pack away your along with your warm-weather clothing.

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A Heart-Healthier Way to Eat Fried Food?

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 09:06:43 PST

A new study finds that consuming foods fried in olive or sunflower oils is not linked to an increased risk of heart disease or premature death.

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Mercury exposure reported among users of skin-lightening creams

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 08:50:03 PST

Mercury exposure has been reported among users of skin-lightening creams produced in Mexico, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

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Aged Garlic Extract Reduces Cold & Flu Symptoms

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 08:50:48 PST

The wisdom that comes only after many years of living and learning is generally a desirable by-product of the aging process. On the other hand, many of the physical changes that are a part of the equation are almost always unwelcome. A similar dynamic occurs in the maturation of food. A certain degree of ripeness is necessary in order for most fruits and vegetables to be edible. But if they’re left to ripen for too long, they’ll spoil. However, there are certain instances where prolonged aging of food can yield medicinal properties. One example is the unique aging process that (garlic) sometimes undergoes.

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Is it OK to exercise if I have a cold?

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:25:53 PST

Mild to moderate physical activity is usually OK if you have a garden-variety cold and no fever. Exercise may even help you feel better by opening your nasal passages and temporarily relieving nasal congestion.

As a general guide for exercise and illness, consider this:

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Medicare Advantage Is Living Up to Its Name

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:17:59 PST

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) recently released a report that reviewed 10 Medicare demonstrations designed with the intention of reducing spending and improving quality of care. Unfortunately, the demonstrations did not produce the desired results.

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Diabetes nutrition: Including sweets in your meal plan

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 18:05:40 PST

Diabetes nutrition focuses on healthy foods, but sweets aren't necessarily off-limits. Here's how to include sweets in your meal plan.

Diabetes nutrition focuses on healthy foods. But you can eat sweets once in a while without feeling guilty or interfering with your blood sugar control. The key to diabetes nutrition is moderation.

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Seniors & Providers Dread Obamacare Changes

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 17:48:47 PST

Medicare patient Ann Lorenz has relied on the advice and recommendations of her neurologist, Dr. Jeffrey English, since she was first diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease 13 years ago. So the dramatic changes coming to Medicare via the Affordable Care Act—and its potential to limit seniors’ access to care as doctors foresee dropping Medicare patients—already worry Lorenz.

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U.S. Obesity Rates Plateau Since ’00: CDC

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:25:25 PST

The prevalence of obesity in the U.S. largely leveled off over the last decade, even as some individual groups, such as boys from ages 6 to 19, saw increases, according to government data.

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Sex OK for Many Heart Patients, Docs Say

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 08:31:17 PST

Sexual activity generally isn't hazardous for people with cardiovascular disease, the American Heart Association says in a new statement.

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Drug could stop or reverse Alzheimer's

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 08:22:30 PST

Researchers from the University of Ulster believe a drug used to treat people with diabetes may hold the key to stopping, and even reversing, damage to the brain which leads to Alzheimer's disease.

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Lipitor sales level off after arrival of generics

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 07:24:23 PST

Sales of Lipitor, the top-selling drug in history, have leveled off after a steep plunge following the start of U.S. generic competition.

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Nutrition and healthy eating

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 07:20:01 PST

Healthy meals start with proper portion sizes

You're interested in having healthy meals at home and when you eat out. You have a good idea of what foods to choose for healthy meals. But do you have a good idea of portion sizes? Did you know that you're likely to eat more when you're presented with larger portions of food? How often does that happen? Most of the time.

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Good News About Red Wine

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 07:17:08 PST

What we choose to focus on, whether consciously or subconsciously, has a dramatic influence on our perceived quality of life. I’m frequently reminded of this truism when discussing diet and lifestyle considerations with clients, family and friends. From an evidence-based standpoint, certain activities and foods tend to promote health while others detract from it. In order to help someone achieve greater wellness, items need to be added to the “health promoting” column and subtracted from the “health risk” side. When I explain this straightforward concept, some view my recommended changes as difficult or restrictive. Others see the upside of my proposition: they can eat many foods they previously thought of as forbidden and they’ll feel much better for it. The information I share and the suggestions I make are the same. However, the way they’re interpreted makes all the difference in the world.

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Beta blockers: How do they affect exercise?

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:13:39 PST

My doctor recently prescribed a beta blocker to lower my blood pressure. Now, when I exercise, I have trouble getting my heart rate higher than 135. Is this normal?

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Using contrasting colors to reduce serving sizes and lose weight

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:08:20 PST

Choosing the right size and color of your bowls and plates could help you eat less, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research.

"The bigger your dinnerware, the bigger your portion. If you use larger plates, you could end up serving 9 percent to 31 percent more than you typically would," write authors Koert van Ittersum (Georgia Institute of Technology) and Brian Wansink (Cornell University). The average size of dinner plates has increased by almost 23 percent from since 1900, the authors point out, and eating only 50 more calories a day could result in a five-pound weight gain each year.

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Recipe makeovers: 5 ways to create healthy recipes

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:47:41 PST

Use these techniques to reduce the fat, calories and sodium in your favorite recipes.

Can you count your grandmother's beloved bread pudding as a healthy recipe? Scrumptious as it may be with 4 cups of whole milk, 1 stick of butter and 4 eggs, you probably wouldn't find it on a list of healthy recipes. But you don't have to remove it from your recipe box. Just modify that bread pudding with a few simple change-ups, and you've got another healthy recipe for your collection — not a fat and calorie disaster.

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Real Alternatives

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:19:36 PST

On any given day, countless patients make the decision to visit a health care professional who practices alternative medicine. Sometimes they do so as an adjunct to the care they’re already receiving from a conventionally trained physician. In other instances, they simply want something different. Hence the term “alternative medicine”. But not every alternative is created equally nor does it need to be administered or monitored exclusively by a holistic physician.

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Aspirin Therapy for Heart Disease, Stroke Prevention Not for Everyone

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:16:06 PST

Benefits and Risks of Aspirin Therapy Determined on Case-by-Case Basis

While some may benefit, for many others the benefits appear to be outweighed by an increased risk for potentially serious and even life-threatening bleeding, a new study shows.

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Obamacare Litigation: More “Golden” Reasons Why Justice Kagan May Need to Recuse Herself

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:08:09 PST

An internal memorandum from the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) reveals that Justice Elena Kagan “substantially participated” in a health care case in San Francisco in which the Justice Department argued over the effect of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). This raises grave new doubts about the appropriateness of Kagan’s participation as a justice in the Obamacare lawsuit scheduled to be heard by the Supreme Court in March.

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9 Amazing Benefits of Exercise

Sun, 15 Jan 2012 10:03:33 PST

Exercise is for more than just weight loss. From your nose to your toes, working out has many total-body benefits both inside and out.

If you want to lose weight and keep it off, you know that exercise should be an essential part of your routine. But more and more research is showing that working out can boost other aspects of your health as well. In fact, a new study in the journal Circulation found that exercise, even without weight loss, may lower death risk. What’s more, a regular fitness routine has been shown to do everything from cut cancer and stroke risk to build stronger muscles and bones to encourage better brain health and digestion. Here are 9 health reasons to break a sweat today.

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