Daily Health News Blog

 A team of scientists at Umeå University, in collaboration with colleagues in Melbourne, Australia, have found that television viewing and lack of exercise at age 16 is associated with the risk of developing metabolic syndrome at 43 years age. Metabolic syndrome is a name for the disorder of metabolism -- a combination of abdominal obesity, elevated blood lipids, hypertension and impaired glucose tolerance -- which provides for a significantly increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, stroke and cardiovascular disease. It has previously been shown that lack of physical activity increases the risk of metabolic syndrome. It is also known that low leisure-time physical activity, for example, how much time spent watching TV is linked to the risk of metabolic syndrome independent of exercise habits. The new research findings have now been able to show is that these relationships extend over a large part of life, specifically between 16 to 43 years of age. The study is published i

 Forget "slow and steady wins the race." A new study shows that, at least sometimes, the best way to conserve energy and reach your destination on time is to alternate between walking and running -- whether your goal is the bus stop or a marathon finish line. In the January 30, 2013 issue of the Journal of the Royal Society Interface , researchers examined how people budget their time as they travel on foot to reach a destination at a particular appointed time. The study found that when people have neither too much time nor too little time to reach their destination, they naturally switch back and forth between walking and running, which turns out to be the best strategy for saving energy. The study is the first of its kind not conducted on treadmills, and it supports the notion that the human body has an innate sense of how to vary speed to optimize energy when we're on the move in our natural environment. "We don't live our lives on a treadmill,"

A new study from Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researchers has found that red meat consumption is associated with an increased risk of total, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality. The results also showed that substituting other healthy protein sources, such as fish, poultry, nuts, and legumes, was associated with a lower risk of mortality. "Our study adds more evidence to the health risks of eating high amounts of red meat, which has been associated with type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers in other studies," said lead author An Pan, research fellow in the Department of Nutrition at HSPH. The researchers, including senior author Frank Hu, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at HSPH, and colleagues, prospectively observed 37,698 men from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study for up to 22 years and 83,644 women in the Nurses' Health Study for up to 28 years who were free of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer at bas

Wellness screenings can not only give you peace of mind, they can find potential threats at an early stage when treatment is most successful. * Eye Exams can spot degenerative conditions, and they can give you information about your overall health, says cardiologist Dr. Shyla High. The eyes are a window to your health and should be examined every year or two. * A skin exam by a dermatologist will check any suspicious moles using a special microscope. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime. Everyone from age 21 on should be tested, say dermatologists at the University of Minnesota. * For heart disease, the National Cholesterol Education Program recommends that individuals age 20 or older have a fasting lipoprotein profile done every few years. And your blood pressure should be checked periodically from age 18 on. At-home screenings and free drugstore testing machines can help. * Thyroid disease comes on graduall

When you decide to have a beer or a glass of wine, the number of calories involved may not even be on your mind. But those calories can add up fast.  * Men ages 20 to 39 consume the most alcoholic beverage calories, 174 calories a day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . * About 20 percent of men and 5 percent of women drink beer on any given day; 4 percent of men and 7 percent of women drink wine.  * Caloric intake from alcoholic beverages was slightly higher in people with the highest income levels.  * According to the University of Rochester, a 1.5-oz. shot of liquor has between 115 and 200 calories, compared to a 4-oz. glass of wine that has between 62 and 160.  A 12-oz. can of light beer, depending on the brand you choose, may have 100 calories or more. Regular beer has between 140 and 200 calories.

Home remedies for toenail fungus, or onychomycosis, abound, but unfortunately none of them actually work. To really treat nail fungus, you have to take a trip to your doctor. Toenail fungus -- characterized by discolored, thick and brittle nails -- is a common condition caused by an infection in the nail bed. The most effective treatments for toenail fungus are oral antifungal medications like itraconazole (Sporanox) and terbinafine (Lamisil), which are available by prescription and taken daily for three months. These medications work by killing the fungus at the nail root. People who have liver problems or congestive heart failure shouldn't take oral antifungal medications. In this case, your doctor may recommend ciclopirox (Penlac), a prescription anti-fungal topical lacquer that you use like nail polish. It's sometimes used for people whose toenail fungus is caught early and hasn't spread to the entire nail. However, topical therapy isn't as effective as or

(BPT) - With football and basketball season in full swing, it's the perfect time to invite family and friends over to root on the home team. Hosting a crowd-pleasing party can be simple with a little preparation. Score big with these simple game day entertaining tips. *Create a game plan. Organize the menu ahead of time so you're not scrambling to finish everything at the last minute. Tackle recipes that can be made prior to the big event, and prep any ingredients so they're ready to cook on the day of the party. *Block extra mess and stress. Finger foods are a great way to reduce utensil and dish use. Look to serve items that can be eaten in one bite, and set out napkins for party guests to use. *Score with decor. Print out team logos and glue or tape to cups. Purchase green or yellow felt fabric - green to evoke a football field, yellow to evoke the hardwood of a basketball court -- from the local craft store to use as a table cloth. Tie team-colored ribbon bows on