Category: harvardhealth_news_UNDEFINED

Strokes can be prevented through lifestyle changes, such as exercising more, quitting smoking, losing weight, or eating a healthy diet, even if changes aren’t made until midlife, according to a study by Harvard researchers. Compared with women who didn’t make beneficial lifestyle changes, women who quit smoking, lost weight, or exercised for 30 minutes or more each day had an estimated 25% reduction in stroke risk, and women who ate a healthier diet had an estimated 23% reduction in risk.

Not all cases of urinary incontinence can be prevented, but a woman can reduce her risk by maintaining a healthy weight, quitting smoking, and exercising regularly. Kegel exercises can strengthen the muscles in the pelvis that support the bladder.

Walking an average of an hour a day may reduce a woman’s risk of breast cancer. The American Cancer Society recommends getting at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week.

Anxiety can produce physical symptoms, such as headaches, stomach upset, and tightness in the chest. Sometimes this sets up a vicious cycle, in which anxiety triggers physical symptoms, and the symptoms magnify anxiety, which makes them even worse. Doing distracting tasks or relaxation exercises can help break this cycle. People should seek professional help if symptoms can’t be controlled.

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.