Don't Look at the Sun! Solar Eclipse Safety Tips

Credit: iStock

In the absence of cloud cover, a total solar eclipse will be visible on Monday, August 21 in a 70-mile wide band across the entire continental United States, from central Oregon through South Carolina. In a total solar eclipse, the moon moves in between the earth and the sun, completely blocking out the sun for a short period of time. Prior to the total eclipse, which will last about two minutes, and in other areas of the country, and other parts of North and Central America, a partial solar eclipse will be visible.

Ahead of this amazing event, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is warning that viewing a partial solar eclipse without proper eye protection even very briefly can cause permanent vision loss and blindness. Looking directly at the sun can damage the retinas, light-sensitive parts of the eye that transmit what we see to our brain. Retinal damage can occur without pain and, according to the CDC, it can take a few hours, or even days, for symptoms like an inability to see colors or loss of central vision to develop. Anyone who experiences vision changes after viewing the solar eclipse next week should contact an eye care professional immediately.

The only way to look directly at the sun safely when its not eclipsed or is partly eclipsed is with a special solar filter or a handheld solar viewer. Goggles, homemade filters, and dark sunglasses do not offer enough protection. Avoid looking at the sun through an unfiltered camera including a smartphone telescope, binoculars, or any other device. You can also make your own simple and inexpensive pinhole projector to safely view the eclipse, but be sure to follow instructions for making and using the projector carefully.

Sourced from: CDC

Published On: Aug 15th 2017

How a Low-Calorie Diet May Slow Aging

Credit: iStock

Previous research suggests that a lifelong low-calorie diet can boost longevity, but a new mouse study demonstrates, for the first time, how restricting calories may affect circadian rhythm and, in turn, the aging process. The study was conducted by researchers at the Center for Epigenetics & Metabolism at the University of California, Irvine, and the results were published in Cell.

According to the researchers, our circadian rhythm, or biological clock, changes as a result of aging, and these changes are based in part on the metabolism of energy within our cells. In a study involving 6-monthold and 18-month-old mice, the researchers determined that older cells process energy less efficiently than younger cells. But when a group of older mice were fed a diet with 30 percent fewer calories for a period of six months, the energy process was rejuvenated promoting healthy aging.

A companion study from the Barcelona Institute for Research in Biomedicine in Spain tested body clock function in stem cells collected from older and younger mice. This study confirmed that a low-calorie diet helps protect circadian rhythm function.

Sourced from: ScienceDaily

Published On: Aug 15th 2017

Binge-Watching TV? You May Not Sleep Well

Credit: iStock

Poor sleep quality, increased fatigue, and insomnia in young adults are associated with binge-watching television, according to researchers. Watching multiple episodes of the same television show in succession in one sitting, on a television, computer, or mobile device raises your level of cognitive alertness, which interferes with sleep.

The researchers, whose study was published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, looked at binge-watching and sleep habits in 423 young adults between 18 and 25. Study participants completed an online survey assessing their regular TV watching, binge-watching, sleep quality, fatigue, insomnia, and alertness before going to sleep. Average binge-watching lasted 3 hours and 8 minutes and three to four episodes.

Study results suggest that more than 80 percent of young adults identify as binge-watchers, and 20.2 percent binge-watch television at least a few times per week. Binge-watchers reported more fatigue and insomnia and higher levels of alertness before going to sleep than those who dont binge-watch television. The bingers were also 98 percent more likely to have poor sleep quality.

Sourced from: Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine

Published On: Aug 15th 2017

Continued here:
Don't Look at the Sun! Solar Eclipse Safety Tips - HealthCentral.com

Scientists have studied many foods and dietary components for possible associations with increasing or reducing cancer risk.

Credit: National Cancer Institute

Many studies have looked at the possibility that specific dietary components or nutrients are associated with increases or decreases in cancer risk. Studies of cancer cells in the laboratory and of animal models have sometimes provided evidence that isolated compounds may be carcinogenic (or have anticancer activity).

But with few exceptions, studies of human populations have not yet shown definitively that any dietary component causes or protects against cancer. Sometimes the results of epidemiologic studies that compare the diets of people with and without cancer have indicated that people with and without cancer differ in their intake of a particular dietary component.

However, these results show only that the dietary component is associated with a change in cancer risk, not that the dietary component is responsible for, or causes, the change in risk. For example, study participants with and without cancer could differ in other ways besides their diet, and it is possible that some other difference accounts for the difference in cancer.

When evidence emerges from an epidemiologic study that a dietary component is associated with a reduced risk of cancer, a randomized trial may be done to test this possibility. Random assignment to dietary groups ensures that any differences between people who have high and low intakes of a nutrient are due to the nutrient itself rather than to other undetected differences. (For ethical reasons, randomized studies are not generally done when evidence emerges that a dietary component may be associated with an increased risk of cancer.)

Scientists have studied many additives, nutrients, and other dietary components for possible associations with cancer risk. These include:

Excerpt from:
Risk Factors: Diet - National Cancer Institute

Diet, Medieval Latin Dieta, German Reichstag, legislature of the German empire, or Holy Roman Empire, from the 12th century to 1806.

In the Carolingian empire, meetings of the nobility and higher clergy were held during the royal progresses, or court journeys, as occasion arose, to make decisions affecting the good of the state. After 1100, definitively, the emperor called the Diet to meet in an imperial or episcopal city within the imperial frontiers. The members of the Diet were originally the princes, including bishops of princely status, but counts and barons were included later. After 1250 the representatives of imperial and episcopal cities were recognized as members of the Diet, and at this time the electoral princes, whose duty it was to elect the emperor, began to meet separately, a division formally confirmed in the Golden Bull of Charles IV (1356), which established the number of the electoral princes as seven. (See elector.)

Beginning in the 12th century the power of the emperor gradually declined; by 1489 the Diet was divided into three colleges that met separately: (1) the electoral college of seven lay and ecclesiastical princes presided over by the imperial chancellor, the archbishop of Mainz; (2) the college of the princes with 33 ecclesiastical princes and 61 lay princes, presided over by the archbishop of Salzburg or the archduke of Austria; (3) the college of the cities presided over by the representative of the city in which the Diet met. The college of cities was separated eventually into the Rhine and Swabian divisions, the former having 14 towns and the latter 37.

The decisions taken separately by the three colleges were combined in an agreed statement the text of which was sent to the emperor as the resolution of the empire (conclusum imperii). All the decisions of the Diet forming the resolution were called the recess of the empire (Reichsabschied). The emperor could ratify part of the recess or the whole of it, but he could not modify the words of the recess. Until the 17th century the Diet possessed effective legal power, including the decision of war or peace, but the Peace of Westphalia (1648) spelled the final breakdown in the conception of a single German empire united by its members common aims. The three-college Diet was replaced by an assembly of sovereign princes, usually represented by envoys, indifferent to the emperors wishes and divided in religious and political aims. The Diet of Regensburg of 1663 prolonged itself indefinitely into permanent session and thereafter was called the Regensburg Diet, or the Everlasting Diet (Immerwhrender Reichstag). The emperor was now represented by a prince of the empire as his commissioner; a jurist was appointed as subcommissioner; and the elector of Mainz, archchancellor of the empire, had charge of the business of the meetings of the Diet. This assembly of representatives without legislative power disappeared when the Holy Roman Empire collapsed under Napoleons attack in 1806.

The name Reichstag was revived in 1871 for the legislature of the German Empire and retained by the Weimar Republic and the Third Reich; the name was abandoned in the two Germanies after World War II.

Excerpt from:
Diet | German government | Britannica.com

Days later, Hefford was pronounced dead. Only after her death did her family learn that Hefford, the mother of a 7-year-old girl and a 5-year-old boy, had a rare genetic disorder that prevented her body from properly metabolizing her high-protein diet.

Normally, the body can remove nitrogen, a waste product of protein metabolism, from the blood. However, a urea cycle disorder would prohibit this.

Therefore, nitrogen, in the form of toxic ammonia, would accumulate in the blood and eventually reach the brain, where it can cause irreversible damage, coma and death.

"The enzyme deficiency can be mild enough so that the person is able to detoxify ammonia adequately -- until there's a trigger," said Cynthia Le Mons, executive director of the foundation. The trigger could be a viral illness, stress or a high-protein diet, she added.

"There was just no way of knowing she had it because they don't routinely test for it," said Michelle White, Hefford's mother and a resident of Perth. "She started to feel unwell, and she collapsed."

White blames protein shakes for her daughter's death.

'Nuanced symptoms'

Since 2014, Hefford, who worked at Princess Margaret Hospital for Children and studied paramedicine, had been competing as a bodybuilder.

It was only after Hefford's death that White discovered containers of protein supplements in her daughter's kitchen, along with a strict food plan. White understood then that her daughter, who had been preparing for another bodybuilding competition, had also been consuming an unbalanced diet.

Hefford's diet included protein-rich foods, such as lean meat and egg white, in addition to protein shakes and supplements, her mother said.

"There's medical advice on the back of all the supplements to seek out a doctor, but how many young people actually do?" White asked.

Le Mons said, "typically, there are nuanced symptoms that just go unrecognized" with mild cases of urea cycle disorder. Symptoms include episodes of a lack of concentration, being very tired and vomiting.

"Sometimes, people think it's the flu and might even go to the ER thinking they have a really bad flu," Le Mons said, adding that a simple serum ammonia level test, which can detect the condition, is not routinely done in ERs.

It's unclear whether Hefford suffered symptoms of her condition. White, who hopes her daughter's story will serve as a warning to help save lives, believes protein supplements need more regulation.

The Australian Medical Association says there's no real health benefit to such supplements. And, while they may not be necessary for most people, they're not dangerous to most, either.

Treatment

The estimated incidence of urea cycle disorders is 1 in 8,500 births. Since many cases remain undiagnosed, the exact incidence is unknown and believed to be underestimated.

"There's a myth that this disorder only affects children," Le Mons said, noting that one patient reached age 85 before diagnosis.

Regarding Hefford, Le Mons said that "this is not the first time this has happened." Other athletes, who like Hefford were unaware of their condition, have died when a high-protein diet triggered their condition.

Treatment may include supplementation with special amino acid formulas, while in some more severe cases, one of two forms of an FDA-approved drug may be prescribed. When these therapies fail, liver transplant may become necessary.

See original here:
Australian bodybuilder with rare disorder dies eating high-protein diet - CNN

Kasen Williams credits some changes to his off-season diet and conditioning regimen for his impressive showing in Sunday's pre-season opener.

The Seattle Seahawks under Pete Carroll have thrived on devising ways to best use a players most defining and unique talent.

And when it comes to receiver Kasen Williams, that singular talent has been evident for years.

Kasen has shown us the ability to get off the ground, Carroll said Tuesday. He has been a leaper all the way back to when he was in high school.

Sunday, Williams put that talent to use in a way that might also prove to be a true jumping off point in his NFL career.

Williams has mostly been a practice squad player during his two-plus years with the Seahawks, though when injuries hit the receiving corps late in the season he has found himself on the 53-man roster at the end of each of the last two years, officially playing in three regular season games and all four in the playoffs.

But a new season also means a new challenge to make the roster, especially with the Seahawks adding the likes of third-round pick Amara Darboh to the receiving group as well as bringing back basically everyone who was on the team at the end of 2016.

Its a really good group, Carroll said Tuesday. Well just see what happens.

Sunday, though, it was Williams who made something happen, using the leaping ability that allowed him to win 4A state titles in the long, high and triple jumps as a senior at Skyline High to make four highlight-reel catches, each one seemingly more spectacular than the next good for 119 yards as the Seahawks beat the Chargers 48-17.

Thrilling to see him make those plays, Carroll said. Thats not surprising because we see him do it (in practice). What was great is that he got a chance to do it in the game and show that he can do that.

Williams had little chance to show that last preseason when he was bothered by a nagging hamstring injury that limited him to one game and no catches and led to his release at the final cutdown time before he was later brought back to the practice squad and ultimately onto the active roster for the final game of the regular season.

The health struggles of last preseason led to an off-season revelation for Williams.

You hear a lot of people in the NFL say the best ability is availability, Williams said.

Williams, of course, is all too familiar with the training room having seen his UW career derailed by a devastating broken leg and displaced foot injury in 2013.

Williams says any lingering effects of that stopped being an issue as soon as I had the Seahawks logo on my chest. My rookie year (in 2015) I was ready.

The kind of injury he suffered at UW is an unfortunate reality of football, the kind of thing he couldnt do anything about.

But after what happened last preseason after Williams had earned raves for his work in the offseason and seemed in position to make a legitimate run at a roster spot Williams decided to do whatever it took to get his body in the best possible position to make it through camp healthy.

Even if Im not hurting Im spending time in the rehab room just to make sure everything is in line, Williams said.

Williams also changed his eating habits saying he switched to a diet heavier in fruits in vegetables including frequent stops at Pressed Juicery in Bellevue.

Vegetables, fruit, all that asparagus, Williams said of the juices he drinks. It was just the biggest improvement I made. I lost 5-6-7 pounds off just eating right.

He missed a couple of days early on with a slight foot injury but otherwise has made it through camp this year healthy.

And Sunday, when the likes of Doug Baldwin, Tyler Lockett and Darboh all sat out with injuries, Williams was ready when his number was called not once but four times.

All four catches came on fade routes thrown by backup QB Trevone Boykin, with Williams each time winning battles with Chargers rookie cornerback Michael Davis for the ball.

I seen the ball in the air, Im locked in, said Williams, who said he also caught an additional 100 passes during workouts this offseason compared to past years. Nothing else matters at the time. Nothing else is important. The DB is not even there. Im just focusing on the ball.

Watching from home, Baldwin marveled at what he saw.

Extremely happy for Kasen Williams and all his efforts, all his work, Baldwin said. Hes worked tirelessly to come back from injuries to get his opportunities and he got to display that. I couldnt be happier for him just because the man he is. Hes had an uphill climb and hes done it with grace. Hes just been patient and waited for his opportunity and I was so excited for him to be able to see him get his opportunity finally and do extremely well with it.

Given the depth at receiver, Williams may need to show it was not just a one-time thing if hes going to make the regular season roster.

Williams says its not something he worries about, that if he does what hes supposed to that will take care of itself.

But then he also makes a statement that sounds like he feels pretty good about where its headed.

I do feel like Im in my prime even though Ive gone through some injuries and whatever, he said. Those are all in the past and I feel like Ive got a great handle on what I need to do to get my body 100 percent ready and I feel like the sky is the limit.

Read this article:
New diet, improved health have Seahawks receiver Kasen Williams flying higher than ever - The Seattle Times

Hanna_photo/TLpixs/Moving Moment/bigacis/ShutterstockHad the runs or feeling queasy? You might have tried home remedies for diarrhea or morning sickness, but youre still not feeling up to scratch. Maybe youve heard that plain foods, like the BRAT diet, might help? Heres what you need to know.

The BRAT consists of eating only B-R-A-Tbananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. The BRAT diet originated in the 20s, explains Pat Salber, MD, founder of The Doctor Weighs In. There was this idea that when you have gastroenteritis or nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, you needed to have something bland to eat. And what could be more bland than bananas, rice, applesauce and toast? So the BRAT diet was recommended, especially for children, as a good way to nurture the body back to full health.

The BRAT diet has fallen out of favor in recent years. While theres nothing inherently wrong with the foods, the diet is low in protein, fiber, and fat, which means even though its easy to digest (and thats kind of the main idea), it doesnt contain enough good nutrition to help your body recover from illness. In fact, studies showed that people who followed the diet for long periods actually became malnourished. Because of this, the American Academy of Pediatrics no longer recommends the BRAT diet for children, advising instead that they should get back to eating normal foods as soon as possible.

The first line of defense against stomach flu is to avoid contracting it in the first place. Practicing good hygiene will go a long way towards preventing the spread of the illness. Dr. Salber also strongly recommends getting your baby vaccinated against rotavirus. Its a common cause of diarrhea and its preventable with a vaccine, she advises. Its a really safe and very effective vaccine.

The most important thing is to stay hydrated. The body loses fluids quickly through diarrhea and vomiting, so drinking water, oral rehydration solutions, or sports drinks can help replenish your stores. Mild diarrhea wont require medication (and you should never give it to children), but in some cases, OTC medication may help. Try these home remedies for an upset stomach. If your symptoms are very severe, see your doctor. The really serious diarrheas, like cholera or some of the bacterial diarrheas you can get, may need antibiotics, says Dr. Salber. Once the worst symptoms have passed, Dr. Salbers advice is also clear: Go back onto your normal diet as soon as you can tolerate it.

See original here:
Here's What You Need to Know About the BRAT Diet - Reader's Digest