Category: harvardhealth_news_UNDEFINED

Research on artificial sweeteners has found mixed results. Some studies have associated them with weight gain and an increased risk for diabetes, while others have found potential benefits, including healthier weight. A recent study found a potential reason for the differences. When study subjects consumed a drink containing sucralose (Splenda) alone, they didn’t see any ill effects, but when the drink included a particular carbohydrate and was consumed for 10 days, it resulted in reduced insulin sensitivity, a precursor to diabetes.

Rosacea is a skin condition that affects some 16 million Americans, causing persistent redness, pimples, and dilated blood vessels on the face. Flushing makes the condition worse, and it can be exacerbated by hot flashes at menopause. Doctors typically diagnose rosacea by performing a skin examination and taking a medical history. The condition is treatable by avoiding triggers and using medications to reduce redness and swelling.

People with the common skin condition eczema may have a higher risk of breaking a bone when compared with someone without the condition, says a study published in the February 2020 issue of The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

Researchers from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health have created a risk model to help identify people at the highest risk for pancreatic cancer, which they hope could help find cases earlier, when they are most treatable.

A majority of Americans know that sun protection is important. Yet less than half actually use it on a regular basis when they’re heading outside, according to a survey by the American Academy of Dermatology.

Intermittent fasting—a diet that focuses on when rather than what a person eats—may be a good way to lose weight and improve cardiovascular health. One version, time-restricted feeding, involves eating only during a certain time window (usually eight hours) over a single day; another approach limits a person to just 400 to 600 calories daily for several days over the course of a week. The diet may reduce risk factors linked to heart disease, including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, unhealthy blood lipid levels, and inflammation.

Echocardiograms use high-frequency sound waves (ultrasound) to create images of the heart. There are several variations of this common test, including three-dimensional echocardiograms and color Doppler echocardiograms.

Emotional stress may raise heart attack risk as much as smoking and high blood pressure. Stress has been linked to heightened activity in the brain’s fear center (amygdala), which signals the bone marrow to release white blood cells. These cells contribute to chronic inflammation and atherosclerosis. Strategies such as yoga, tai chi, mindfulness meditation, regular exercise, and adequate sleep may help mitigate the risk. But so far, the evidence is limited.

COVID-19 is particularly dangerous for people with heart disease and related conditions such as high blood pressure. Older people have higher rates of heart problems, so they may be more vulnerable to complications, and any viral infection puts extra stress on the heart.

Most people typically get around 3,000 to 4,000 steps per day doing things such as household chores, going to the mailbox, or grocery shopping. But people who walk 8,000 steps per day (about 4 miles in total) may live longer than those who walk just 4,000 steps per day—and walking speed doesn’t seem to matter. People who walk 12,000 steps per day may live even longer than those who take 8,000 steps. But the added benefit was small, and walking even more may not make a difference.