Sitting more may raise heart disease risk in older women

Spending a lot of time sitting may increase heart disease risk among overweight and obese post-menopausal women, warns a study.

"Reducing sitting time improves glucose control and blood flow, and engaging in physical activities, even light-intensity daily life activities like cooking and shopping, show favourable associations with reduced mortality risk and prevention of heart disease and stroke," said lead study author Dorothy Sears, Professor of Nutrition at the Arizona State University College of Health Solutions in Phoenix, US.

In this study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, the researchers measured the sitting habits of older women and who were overweight or obese.

The study included a total of 518 women with an average age of 63 years and an average body mass index (BMI) of 31 kg/m2.

Study participants wore accelerometers on their right hip for up to 14 days, removing the devices only to sleep, shower or swim.

The accelerometers were used to track and record sitting and physical activity of the study participants throughout the day.

A single blood test, concurrent with accelerometer wear, measured blood sugar and insulin resistance.

Each additional hour of sitting time per day was linked with a more than 6 per cent higher fasting insulin and a more than 7 per cent increase in insulin resistance, the results showed.

Each additional 15 minutes in average sitting period was associated with a greater than 7 per cent higher fasting insulin and an almost 9 per cent increase in insulin resistance.

"We were surprised to observe such a strong negative link between the amount of time spent sitting and insulin resistance, and that this association was still strong after we accounted for exercise and obesity," Sears said.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     
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11 Health and Nutrition Myths Debunked in the 2010's

There are many reasons why myths and misconceptions occur. Scientific studies get misconstrued, misleading marketing ploys are created, and the result is a great number of confusing information about even the most serious and crucial of subjects - health and medicine. Luckily, a number of scientists and media outlets alike have made it their mission to clear some of the most dangerous and misleading health myths. To make a fresh and healthier start in the new decade, we shall discuss 11 of such myths in this article, all of which have been debunked during the 2010s.

1. Bottled Water Is Safer Than Tap Water
Staying hydrated is one of the best things you can do to maintain your health, but you have to remember that your body cannot distinguish between tap and bottled water, as both are equally hydrating. Of course, you have to make sure that the water in your tap is safe to use in cooking, and there is a wide range of filtering systems that assure that, even if your municipality isn't providing proper filtration.
However, the fact that the water you buy in bottles is somehow superior is a myth, with studies we covered in a previous article even suggesting that the opposite may actually be true since bottled water is often polluted with microplastics and harmful bacteria. Needless to say, bottled water also creates a great deal of plastic waste and is ridiculously overpriced, with an average American typically paying USD 1,400 annually on bottled water.

2. Using Antiperspirant Causes Cancer
There was a great deal of scaremongering in the past decade related to the use of antiperspirants, with some sources claiming that it can cause cancer, particularly breast cancer, despite the fact that there is no scientific evidence to prove that claim.
In fact, antiperspirants, unlike deodorants, are considered over-the-counter medications, at least in the United States, because they are designed to make your sweat glands stop producing sweat, and not simply masking odors. The FDA places strict regulations on what ingredients and quantities of such are permitted in antiperspirants, and many metals, such as mercury, a possible carcinogen, have been banned in the production of antiperspirants.

3. Carbs, Gluten or Fat Make You Gain Weight
It seems like the ingredient that is blamed for causing weight gain changes every year or so, with articles from the early 2010's claiming that fats and cholesterol are the source of all evil, but later in the decade, carbs and gluten have become the most demonized nutrients.
The truth is that neither of these ingredients is bad unless you have a condition that makes it bad for you, like Celiac-disease causing gluten intolerance. In fact, we need most of these nutrients in our diet to stay healthy, and it's the overconsumption of certain foods that can contribute to weight gain.

4. Brain Cells Can't Regrow
This myth maintains that every person is born with all of the brain cells they will ever have, and once some of them die, you will never be able to regrow them. This myth is fueled by early findings in patients with brain lesions and neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's, with patients not being able to regain memory, motor, and cognitive functions.
It wasn't until the past few years that this belief had slowly started to sound suspicious, as scientists started to note that several parts of our brains continue to grow and develop until our 20's, which would be impossible without the production of new brain cells - a process called neurogenesis. But the most convincing finding of new nerve cells being formed came in 2019 when scientists actually found that even the brains of elderly individuals and Alzheimer's patients continued growing new cells.

5. Activated Charcoal is the Key to Health and Beauty
This myth started in 2014 when an actress  proclaimed that activated charcoal juices are a digestive cleanser. In just a few years, this snowballed into a trend, with grocery and coffee shops selling charcoal drinks, activated charcoal being added to desserts and even toothpaste. Supposedly, the charcoal was supposed to improve your skin, increase your energy levels, make your teeth whiter and improve digestion.
Unfortunately, charcoal can do none of that, although it can have detoxifying effects in people suffering from serious poisoning or drug overdose, which is exactly how it's used in medicine. Charcoal does that by binding with the poison molecules, making them impossible for your body to absorb.
The problem is that charcoal binds to all the nutrients in your stomach, not only the poison, which means that it will also deprive you of the vitamins and other nutrients you ate that day, rendering that juice useless. It's could even cause vitamin and nutrient deficiencies if consumed regularly. Apart from that, charcoal can also bind to the medications you take orally and decrease their effectiveness.

6. You Need a Detox
Speaking of detoxifying, another popular myth of the past decade claims that you have toxins building up in your body that require you to go on a detox diet, a juice cleanse or whatnot to get rid of them. With the exception of the very few people suffering from food or other types of poisoning, no one actually has toxins building up in the body, or else you'd be in the hospital, explained Edzard Ernst, emeritus professor of complementary medicine at Exeter University in a 2014 interview with the Guardian.
In fact, a number of our organs, such as the liver, skin, even lungs work day and night to keep your body toxin-free. Of course, this means that by keeping these organs healthy, you are essentially boosting your body's detoxifying abilities, as we've explained at length in a previous article.

7. Sitting Is As Dangerous As Smoking
As catchy as this myth may sound, the dangers of a sedentary lifestyle can't possibly be compared in magnitude to the pervasive effects of smoking on the entire human body, and this is a scientific fact, as a whole international team of scientists compared and evaluated the effects of sitting and smoking on long-term health in 2018.
The results were published in the American Journal of Public Health, and Canadian, American and Australian researchers were involved in the study. The research concluded that sitting for more than 8 hours a day increased the risk of chronic diseases (cardiovascular issues and some cancers) and premature death by 10-20%.
Smoking, on the other hand, increased the risk of premature death by 180%, and more than doubled the risks of developing cardiovascular issues and a number of cancers. Needless to say, the health risks of sitting pale in comparison to those of smoking.

8. Cracking Your Knuckles and Joints Causes Arthritis
Contrary to popular belief, knuckle cracking does not contribute to arthritis development. According to Harvard Health, the "popping" a cracked knuckle makes is caused by tiny nitrogen bubbles bursting in the fluid that helps lubricate your joints called the synovial fluid, and should not be cause for concern.
Note, however, that knuckle cracking should be painless, and if you experience pain while stretching or cracking any of your joints, it can point to inflammation. But even if the joint cracking is painless, medical professionals recommend not to overdo it, as it can potentially cause reduced grip strength.

9. We Only Use 10% of Our Brains

This myth is nearly as old as neuroscience itself, as the first mentions of the 10% brain myth date back to the 1890's. The concept was popularized in 1936, when American writer and broadcaster Lowell Thomas announced in Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People the following, "Professor William James of Harvard used to say that the average man develops only ten percent of his latent mental ability".
More than a decade later, the myth still persists, although neuroimaging studies, namely fMRI studies that have become increasingly widespread in the past decade, have time and time debunked this myth. As a matter of fact, the majority of our brain is active all the time, which is one of the major problems when researchers study the brain since it's often difficult to isolate the brain areas that are responsible for a specific behavior.

10. A Piece of Gum Takes 7 Years To Digest If You Swallow It
Chewing gum can be blamed for many things, such as a high sugar content or digestive issues, but what it cannot do is stay in your stomach for 7 years. The base of chewing gum is made of plant-based materials that are indigestible for humans, and like any other things you can't digest, chewing gum just passes through your body.
Ingesting chewing gum is harmless in the vast majority of cases, and it only becomes a health hazard when it's consumed while stuck with other inedible materials, like metal objects, hair, etc., so keep chewing gum away from children.

11. Your Body Loses 50% of Heat Through the Head

Your body doesn't lose 50% of its heat through your head, but it doesn't mean that you should stop wearing hats in the winter. This myth likely comes from military experiments in the 1950s, with a US Army Field Manual even listing a 40-50% range. However, this question has been revisited in the 21st century, with recent research from the BMJ listing a much lower percentage, only about 7% of body heat, which is roughly proportional to the area of the body exposed when you're not wearing a hat.
So, it turns out that our head is no more special than any other body part in terms of its ability to lose heat, we just happen to wear hats a lot less than any other item of clothing.

this is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     
https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
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8 causes of swollen feet and ankles

Known as edema in medical jargon, swelling is a pretty common phenomenon. Especially in our feet and ankles, all thanks to gravity. It’s painful at times, and it gets pretty uncomfortable to walk too. What causes swelling though? Here are 8 causes of swollen feet and ankles:

Sitting or standing for long hours
One of the most common reasons for a swollen ankle is prolonged sitting or standing, especially if your job involves this. Steven Weinfeld, MD, and a foot and ankle surgeon from New York says, “When you move around, the muscles involved in that movement actually help pump fluid and blood to and from your limbs.” If your movement is restricted, blood tends to pool in the feet and ankles.

Pregnancy side effect
The body undergoes a lot of changes during pregnancy. And a typical change is swollen feet and ankles. The American Pregnancy Association explains that when a person is expecting, their body produces extra fluid and blood which soften the body, and help in expansion as the baby grows. Other causes of swollen feet in pregnancy include hormonal changes and pressure on veins.

Injury
According to Prevention, another common reason for swollen feet is injury. It could be anything, from a minor incident like your feet hitting a coffee table, to a major collision or spraining your ankle while running. Dr Weinfeld explained that the body sends extra blood to the injured area. “Not only does this bring healing cells, but also contributes to swelling in order to stiffen and immobilise the injured joint,” he said.

Infection
Chances are that if you have an untreated wound, the bacteria in your bloodstream can get into your joints too. The most noticeable signs of infection include redness, warmth and tenderness in the inflicted area.
Infants and older adults are the most vulnerable to septic arthritis. In septic arthritis, bacterial or fungal infections result in painful joint inflammation, coupled with fever and redness. Cellulitis, a skin condition can also result in swollen feet and ankles.

Possible lymphedema
Lymphedema refers to a condition when your lymph nodes get damaged or removed. This is mostly done as a part of cancer treatment. The body sends extra fluid which gets pooled to an extreme level. Signs of lymphedema include a tight feeling in arms or legs, hardening of skin, trouble sleeping among others.

Weight
Being overweight or obese can also cause swelling. Dr Weinfeld mentions two reasons for this. First, being overweight means there’s stress and pressure on your feet which results in fluid retention in those joints. Second, hormonal shifts can also cause fluid retention, as a result of extra hormones that get stored in extra fat cells.

Side effect of certain medications
Sometimes, certain medicines (Over-the-counter ones too) interact with your body in a complex way, causing swollen ankles and feet. “Certain medications can cause fluid retention. Some blood pressure medications, anti-inflammatory steroids, and even NSAIDs like Advil may have that effect,” Dr Weinfeld explained.

You might have arthritis
Arthritis is a very common condition that affects people (particularly older adults) all over the world. It essentially refers to joint inflammation, characterised by stiffness, swelling, tenderness, and pain in joints. “When I get an X-ray back and see that someone has bad ankle arthritis, it can certainly explain any swelling in the area,” Dr Weinfeld said.

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Sleeping for Long Hours During Pregnancy Linked to Stillbirths

Sleeping more than nine hours per night during pregnancy may be associated with late stillbirth, suggests a new study.
This is because blood pressure reaches its lowest point during sleep which has been linked with foetal growth problems, preterm birth, and stillbirth. 

The study,  explored how maternal sleep habits, including lengthy periods of sleep without waking more than once in the night, may be associated with foetal health independent of other risk factors.

Moreover, pregnant women often report waking up and getting up in the middle of the night.

Very disruptive sleep has also been associated with poor pregnancy outcomes, including growth restriction and preterm growth.

"Our findings add to research indicating that maternal sleep plays a role in foetal well being. Studies aiming to reduce stillbirths should consider maternal sleep as this is a potentially modifiable risk factor," said lead author.

"Understanding the role of maternal sleep may help us identify interventions that would put us in a better position to advise women," the author added.

For the study, the team involved 153 women who had experienced a late stillbirth (on or after 28 weeks of pregnancy) within the previous month and 480 women with an ongoing third-trimester pregnancy or who had recently delivered a live born baby during the same period.

Progress in reducing stillbirth deaths has been slow but stillbirth is an urgent global health issue that should be at the centre of more research programmes, the researchers noted.

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                                                                

 PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO  VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                           https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/                                                                                                                                                                             FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG-                                               
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