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Condensed from the American Heart Association News

Children are far more likely than adults to get headaches when having a stroke, a new study suggests.

“Stroke should be considered as a possible diagnosis in any child with a headache and additional symptoms of weakness or numbness (in the face, arm or leg) or changes in walking, talking or vision,” said Lori L. Billinghurst, M.D., M.Sc., clinical assistant professor of neurology at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. “Urgent brain imaging may be required to distinguish a migraine with aura from a stroke.”

Please read more…

Condensed from the CDC website

Protecting your preteen children from most of the cancers caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the thing to do. HPV is a very common virus that spreads between people when they have sexual contact with another person. About 14 million people, including teens, become infected with HPV each year. HPV infection can cause cervical, vaginal, and vulvar cancers in women and penile cancer in men. HPV can also cause anal cancer, throat cancer, and genital warts in both men and women.

The HPV vaccine is recommended for preteen boys and girls at age 11 or 12 so they are protected before ever being exposed to the virus. HPV vaccine also produces a higher immune response in preteens than in older adolescents.

HPV vaccination is a series of shots given over several months. The best way to remember to get your child all of the shots they need is to make an appointment for the remaining shots before you leave the doctor’s office or clinic.

HPV vaccines have been studied very carefully. These studies showed no serious safety concerns. Common, mild adverse events (side effects) reported during these studies include pain in the arm where the shot was given, fever, dizziness and nausea.

If your preteen hasn’t gotten the vaccine yet, talk to their doctor about getting it for them as soon as possible. This one is really important.

People who eat a high fiber diet are less likely to die of any cause, a study of nearly one million people has found.

The benefits of consuming fiber-rich foods have been known for decades, including lowering of blood cholesterol, blood pressure, blood glucose and insulin, and possibly reducing inflammation.
High-fiber foods may also make people feel full sooner, and for longer, which helps curb overeating and weight gain.
Eight studies showed a 10 percent drop in risk for any cause of death with each 10-gram per day increase in fiber intake. This can come from two servings of whole grain foods, such as breakfast cereal and two servings of fruit or vegetables. Read more

Michael Douglas

An article written by Deborah Kotze for the Boston Globe on June 10^th 2013 and condensed here, revealed that the HPV infection of throat cancer inflicted upon the actor Michael Douglas was a result of oral sex.

About 14,000 throat cancers are diagnosed every year in the US, and about 70 percent of those are related to HPV, the virus most known for causing cervical cancer and anal cancer.

Dr. Robert Haddad, chief of the center for head and neck surgery at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, said “most of these people never smoked, don’t have heavy alcohol use, and often have young children,” which makes it a particularly devastating diagnosis for couples.

Researchers haven’t determined the reason for the quick rise in HPV throat cancers, but it may have something to do with a shift in cultural norms toward more promiscuity when it comes to oral sex, or a genetic alteration in the virus that has enabled it to multiply and grow on oral tissue.

A study led by scientists at University College London, the Medical Research Council (MRC) and King’s College London Institute of Psychiatry found that people with an obesity-risk variant have higher levels of the ‘hunger hormone’, ghrelin, in their blood. This means they start to feel hungry again soon after eating a meal.

“At a therapeutic level this arms us with some important new insights to help in the fight against the obesity pandemic. For example, we know that ghrelin, our hunger hormone, can be reduced by exercise like running and cycling, or by eating a high-protein diet.

It’s a fascinating study. Read more

The childhood obesity rate has more than tripled over the past four decades.

News in Health from NIH tells us that the rates for new cases of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes in children and teens are rising. For type 1 diabetes, the rate rose more in males. For type 2 diabetes, the rate increased more in females.

KidsData.org reports that overweight and obese children are at higher risk for a range of health problems, including heart disease, stroke, asthma, and some types of cancer; they also are more likely to stay overweight
or obese as adults.

Many factors contribute to childhood obesity and being overweight. The rise has been attributed to changes in food environments that make non-nutritious “junk” food and beverages more available, affordable, and appealing; as well as social and environmental changes that have reduced physical activity among children, e.g., increased sedentary time with TV and computer use, less physical education, neighborhoods that do not promote walking or riding bikes, and decreased safe places for children to play, among other factors.

Image: Self chec Creative

If you think you’re increasing your knowledge of calorie counting, but your body seems to be disagreeing, here are six things you need to keep remembering before taking another bite:

Colors Count: About half of each meal should be fruits and vegetables. Not only are they low in calories, high in fiber, and filling, but a wide variety of produce provides nutrients that help stave off many diseases.

Read The Labels: What may sound healthy may be junk foods in disguise.

Eat Fiber. Found in fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains, fiber fills you up fast with fewer calories, and because it takes longer to eat and digest, it keeps you feeling satisfied longer.

Don’t Fear Fat. Read the difference between good and bad fat.

Watch Your Sugar Intake. You’ll get a sugar high and then low that can send your energy levels on a roller coaster ride, and set the stage for more craving down the line. Your best source of sugar is fresh fruit, which provides vitamins and minerals, along with fiber.

Chec The Ingredients. The ingredients list is usually printed below the Nutrition Facts panel on food labeling.

Chec The Order Of The Ingredients Listed. Ingredients that are listed first make up a greater percentage of the product, compared with the last ingredient listed.