PROTIME-FITNESS HOLISTIC HEALTH AND WELLNESS

  RUNNERS MAY BENEFIT FROM CHECKING OUTSIDE AIR QUALITY FOR OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE         Runners don't usually think much about air quality when preparing for a marathon. But maybe they should, according to findings from a new study by researchers at the Brown University School of Public Health. When the research team assessed the association between delicate particulate matter in the air and marathon finish times, they found that more significant race-day pollution is associated with slower average marathon finish times. Their findings were published in the journal  Sports Medicine . The difference seems small, said study author Elvira Fleury, who led the research while a Brown graduate student. However, every second matters for marathon runners trying to achieve a personal record. "Think of all the effort, time and money that a professional runner like Eliud Kipchoge put into trying to break the world record and run a marathon in less than two hours," said...

  Odds of Metabolic Disease Lower With Fast Subjective Walking Speed in Patients With Obesity By Elana Gotkine, HealthDay Reporter MONDAY, Dec. 30, 2024 -- Fast subjective walking speed is associated with lower odds of metabolic diseases among individuals with obesity, according to a study published online Nov. 15 in  Scientific Reports . Yuiko Yamamoto, from Doshisha University in Kyoto, Japan, and colleagues examined the association between walking speed and metabolic diseases in a cross-sectional analysis involving 8,578 individuals with a body mass index ≥25.0 kg/m 2 , 9,626 individuals with waist circumference ≥85 cm in men and ≥90 cm in women, and 6,742 individuals who met both criteria of body mass index and waist circumference. The researchers found that individuals with obesity based on body mass index and fast subjective walking speed showed a significantly lower risk for diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia in the model adjusted for age and sex (risk ratios [95 percen...

 MANAGING MENTAL HEALTH REQUIRES HOLISTIC APPROACHES Scientists call for holistic mental health care that combines physical and psychological well-being.         Clinicians often default to treating mental health conditions with a variety of medications. This approach, however, largely ignores the role of environment, lifestyle, and social factors. Mental health professionals must work toward a more holistic management picture, Sidarta Ribeiro, Ana Paula Pimentel, Paulo Amarante, and colleagues at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, and FIOCRUZ in Brazil argue in the new open-access journal PLOS Mental Health. More people than ever are being diagnosed with mental health conditions—particularly children and young adults. The World Health Organization estimates that mental health conditions affect at least one in eight people around the world. While pharmaceutical treatments are improving, Ribeiro and colleagues...

  Proposed FDA Rule Targets Asbestos in Talc Cosmetic Products By India Edwards, HealthDay Reporter FRIDAY, Dec. 27, 2024 -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed a new rule to require standardized testing of talc-containing cosmetics for asbestos, a known carcinogen linked to serious illnesses such as lung and ovarian cancers. According to an FDA report, the proposed rule would require manufacturers to test each batch of talc-containing cosmetic products using advanced microscopy techniques, such as polarized light and transmission electron microscopy. Failure to comply with these testing or record-keeping requirements would result in the products being classified as adulterated under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Asbestos contamination in talc-based cosmetics has been a long-standing health concern. The FDA emphasized there is no safe level of asbestos exposure, and this rule aims to reduce harmful exposure and protect consumers from poten...

  COFFEE MAY HELP PREVENT MENTAL DECLINE IN PEOPLE WITH AFIB A new study in the Journal of the American Heart Association finds that drinking up to or more than five cups of coffee daily may help cognitive function in people with irregular heart rhythms.         New research published on Dec. 14, 2024, in the  Journal of the American Heart Association , an open-access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association, suggests that drinking multiple cups of coffee daily may help prevent cognitive decline in people with atrial fibrillation (AFib or AF). "Many myths are around, but our study found no reason to discourage or forbid a patient with AFib from drinking coffee. Instead, say, 'Enjoy, it may even be good for you!'" said Jürg H. Beer, M.D., senior study author and professor of medicine and hematology at the University of Zürich in Switzerland. Atrial fibrillation is the most common heart rhythm disorder in adults, affecting more than 5 million ...

  SINGLE PEOPLE MAY BE AT A DISADVANTAGE WHEN IT COMES TO ECONOMICS AND HEALTH LONGTERM         Although marriage or a long-term relationship is often seen as the norm, more people are staying single for life. Singlehood can have economic and medical disadvantages, especially as people age and may become more reliant on others. New research in  Psychological Science  reveals that lifelong singles score lower on life satisfaction measures and different personality traits than partnered people. These findings highlight the need for helpful networks and ways to create networks better suited to single people. "When there are differences, they might be especially important in elderly people who face more health issues and financial issues," said Julia Stern, one of the lead authors and a senior researcher at the University of Bremen in Germany, in an interview with APS. "They need more help, and the help is usually the partner." Stern and colleagues compare...

  FDA Approves Generic GLP-1 Medicine For Diabetes Treatment By Denise Maher, HealthDay Reporter THURSDAY, Dec. 26, (2024 HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on Monday the approval of the first generic version of a daily injectable GLP-1 medicine for people with Type 2 diabetes. Liraglutide, the generic for Victoza, is similar to semaglutide, the active ingredient in the popular weight-loss drug  Ozempic . The FDA supports the development of generic drugs, such as GLP-1s, by funding research and informing industry through guidance,  Dr. Iilun Murphy , director of the FDA’s Office of Generic Drugs, said. “Generic drugs provide additional treatment options which are generally more affordable for patients,” she said in a statement released Dec. 23, 2024. “Today’s approval underscores the FDA’s continued commitment to advancing patient access to safe, effective and high-quality generic drug products.” Last month, the agency approved the fi...

  NEW DRUG EFFECTIVE IN TREATING MIGRAINES     A drug recently approved to prevent migraines may start working immediately, according to a study published on December 23, 2024, in the online issue of  Neurology ® , the American Academy of Neurology medical journal. The study examined the drug atogepant , a calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor antagonist taken by mouth. "With many current drugs to prevent migraine, it takes time to find the right dosage for the individual and it can take weeks or even months for it to be most effective," said study author Richard B. Lipton, MD, of Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, New York, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology. "Some people give up and stop taking the drugs before they reach this point. Plus, many people experience side effects with current treatments. Developing a drug that works both effectively and quickly is critical." In the study, people taking the drug-tolerant drug ...

  WHERE YOU LIVE HAS A STRONG IMPACT ON WALKING ACTIVITY.         Adding strong evidence supporting "walkable" neighborhoods, a large national study found that the built environment can increase how much people walk. The study, published in the  American Journal of Epidemiology , studied about 11,000 twins to show a strong connection between place and activity. This helps control for family influences and genetic factors. The researchers found that each 1% increase in an area's "walkability" resulted in a 0.42% increase in neighborhood walking. When scaled up, that means a 55% increase in the walkability of the surrounding neighborhood would result in about 23% more walking—or about 19 minutes a week for every resident living in that area. In terms of public health, that can add up to a big difference for the highly sedentary U.S. populace, according to study lead author Glen Duncan, a Washington State University nutrition and exercise physiology professor....