4 Surprising Beauty Uses of Avocado

 

One thing we have in common with Miley Cyrus: a “mad real” avocado obsession. The fruit (yep, it’s a fruit) is a great source of filling healthy fats and antioxidants, making eating it good for your brain— and your waistline. Turns out, it’s also a good salve for your skin and hair.

“Avocado is rich in vitamin E and free fatty acids which help reduce skin inflammation and can help repair the skin’s barrier,” says Joshua Zeichner, MD, director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York. Here are four ways to use an avocado in your beauty routine, according to Dr. Zeichner.

RELATED: 10 Surprising Beauty Uses for Coconut Oil

To moisturize dry skin

The natural oils that make an avocado so creamy are great at sinking deep into the skin to keep skin hydrated and reduce flaking.

To treat sunburn

Do not skip sunscreen. But if you end up with a burn, an avocado may help soothe red, inflamed skin. Dr. Zeichner also recommends applying a cortisone cream or aloe in conjunction with the avocado.

As an anti-aging mask

The vitamin E in avocados works by reducing free radical damage that contributes to signs of skin aging, like wrinkles.

Damaged Hair

Avocados aren’t just for skin! The same hydrating oils that can nourish your skin can also be used as a hair mask for silkier strands.

Try it

Mash a half (or whole, depending on the area you’re covering) avocado in a bowl then spread it onto your problem area. Let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes before rinsing off with warm water.

RELATED: 12 Surprising Beauty Uses for Baking Soda

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Scientists May Have Found ‘Marker’ for Schizophrenia

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 12, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Brain irregularities are present before a person develops schizophrenia, researchers report.

In previous work, the Yale University researchers found that schizophrenia was linked with significant changes in connections between the thalamus and the frontal cortex. The thalamus is a major relay system in the brain, and the frontal cortex is involved in higher-level thinking.

In this new study, the researchers found that these changes are already present before schizophrenia, a serious mental illness, is diagnosed. The findings offer a potential marker for the disease that affects 1 percent of people worldwide, the researchers said.

“Up until this study, we did not know whether this pattern was a result of the disease or a potential byproduct of medication or some other factor,” study lead author Alan Anticevic, assistant professor of psychiatry, said in a Yale news release.

“We show these same abnormalities already exist in people who are at higher risk for developing psychosis,” he explained.

The study was published online Aug. 12 in the journal JAMA Psychiatry.

Schizophrenia usually develops in the late teens or early adult years, but patients often experience early warning signs such as mild suspicion, or hearing a voice calling their name.

In this new study, the researchers analyzed the brains of 243 people with early warning signs of schizophrenia and 154 healthy people, and then followed both groups for two years.

Further research is needed to confirm if the brain changes identified in this study actually cause schizophrenia, the study authors said.

More information

The U.S. National Institute of Mental Health has more about schizophrenia.

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Lyme Disease in U.S. Is Under-Reported, CDC Says

By Dennis Thompson
HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 12, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Lyme disease may be grossly under-reported in the United States. Government researchers say the tick-borne infection affects about 10 times as many Americans as previously indicated by confirmed case reports.

About 329,000 cases of Lyme disease occur every year, researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found in their analysis of a nationwide health insurance claims database for 2005 through 2010.

That’s much higher than the 30,000 confirmed and probable Lyme cases reported to the CDC in 2010.

But it tracks fairly well with a previous CDC estimate of about 300,000 Lyme disease cases annually, said lead author Dr. Christina Nelson, a medical epidemiologist with the CDC’s division of vector-borne disease.

“We’ve always had the understanding that cases are under-reported, so we always knew that surveillance doesn’t capture every case,” Nelson said. “This study helps capture and quantify this fact.”

Complete reporting of cases helps government health officials monitor trends in Lyme disease. However, not all cases are reported, and reporting practices vary by state and over time, the agency said.

Lyme disease is transmitted to humans through tick bites. Typical symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue and a “bulls-eye” rash at the site of a tick bite.

Most cases are easily treated using antibiotics, said Dr. Paul Auwaerter, clinical director of infectious diseases at Johns Hopkins and a spokesman for the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

But one in 10 Lyme disease patients finds their symptoms persist for months and even years, and further treatment does not seem to help, he added.

To learn the extent to which Lyme disease is under-reported, Nelson and her colleagues analyzed a half-decade’s worth of data from the Truven Health MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters Database. This contains claims information for an average of 27 million people each year from all 50 states, researchers said. The investigators used diagnostic codes to track patients treated for Lyme disease.

The data showed that almost 107 cases of Lyme disease occur annually for every 100,000 people in the United States. Based on that, researchers estimated that about 329,000 new cases crop up every year.

The report is published in the September issue of the CDC journal Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Lyme disease is concentrated heavily in the Northeast and upper Midwest, with 80 percent of all doctor-diagnosed cases occurring in 14 states and the District of Columbia, the study authors said.

The top Lyme disease states — in rank order of average cases — are Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maryland, New Jersey, Massachusetts, New York, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Maine, Delaware, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Researchers are confident in their estimate because they found that the MarketScan data tracks well with CDC surveillance data by year and by month, Nelson said.

For example, both the MarketScan data and CDC reports indicate that Lyme disease peaks in June, July and August, and that cases rose between 2005 and 2009 before falling off in 2010, the study noted.

Boys 5 to 9 years old, and men and women 60 to 64 have the highest annual rates of Lyme disease, the researchers said. The data didn’t include people aged 65 and older.

The team’s next step is to use the MarketScan data to estimate how much Lyme disease costs the nation in prescriptions, doctors’ fees and other medical costs, Nelson said.

Even though incidence has declined in recent years, Auwaerter said that Lyme disease increased steadily in the United States for the past two decades.

The geographic region affected by Lyme disease has also expanded. Auwaerter said the expansion is likely due to the spread of the mice, birds and deer that carry the ticks.

To avoid being bitten by ticks, Nelson and Auwaerter recommend the following:

• Apply a tick repellent that contains DEET to exposed skin and clothing, or treat clothing with a repellent called permethrin.
• Conduct a full-body tick check after returning from the outdoors, especially if you’ve been to a tick-infested area.
• Bathe or shower as soon as possible after coming indoors to wash off ticks that may be crawling on your body.
• Place clothes in a dryer on high heat for an hour, to kill any ticks clinging to the fabric.
• Check gear and pets for ticks.

“There are simple things people can do to prevent Lyme disease,” Nelson said.

More information

For more on Lyme disease, visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Yoga Is Just As Safe As Other Exercise, Study Finds

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If you’ve ever searched for an excuse not to do yoga, you likely have one article at the ready: “How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body,” published by the New York Times in 2012. After reading descriptions of injuries like torn Achilles tendons, degenerated hip sockets and sudden stroke, you’d be inclined to think swearing off yoga was the healthier choice.

But is it? Dr. Holger Cramer, director of yoga research at the University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany, points out that the article “reported on some cases, but it was not systematical,” he says. But since no meta-analysis—a systematic review of other studies—yet existed on yoga injuries, Cramer decided to do one himself. His new study, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, found that yoga was just as safe as exercise

MORE: You Asked: Is Hot Yoga Good For You?

For his analysis, Cramer looked only at randomized controlled trials—considered the highest quality clinical trial. Studies qualified if they compared any kind of yoga with no treatment, usual care or an active treatment, and if they reported on adverse events like injuries. In the end, 94 studies—which looked at a total of 8,430 people—made the cut.

“The risk of getting injured or experiencing other adverse events is the same in yoga as with other exercise,” Cramer says.

Only 2% of people who did yoga experienced any adverse events, and some of those who did already had severe diseases. The study didn’t look at the types of injuries, but other data suggests that the most common kinds of injuries are musculoskeletal, like back pain, Cramer says. Other adverse events include aggravation of glaucoma in patients with the disease, especially in headstand or shoulder stand poses.

Serious yoga injuries are rare, these findings suggest; they bolster survey data last year that found less than 1% of yoga practitioners in the U.S. stopped because of an injury. Much more common than injuries are the benefits, find Cramer’s other meta-analyses.

“We have really high-quality studies showing that yoga is effective for chronic low back pain in the short and long term,” he says. Other good evidence shows that yoga can ease depression and psychological distress in breast cancer patients, he says, and that yoga may be effective in lowering high blood pressure in people with hypertension and reducing cardiovascular disease risk factors in the general population and people at high risk. Of lesser quality, he says, are the data on yoga for diseases like multiple sclerosis or schizophrenia.

MORE: Yoga Helps With Depression and Anxiety

Cramer was surprised at the high number of randomized controlled trials about yoga, but says that more yoga studies should report adverse events (or a lack of them) to strengthen the evidence base. “If you look at a practice that involves physical activity and breathing techniques, you always also have to look on the safety side.”

But the current research, this study shows, reveals that the dangers of yoga are small. “Generally I’d say there are a lot of conditions where it’s more beneficial than risky,” Cramer says.

This article originally appeared on Time.com.

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Harvesting Eggs Earlier May Boost Older Women’s Pregnancy Chances

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 12, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Collecting eggs from older women at an earlier stage for vitro fertilization could improve the chances of pregnancy, researchers report.

Previous studies have shown that IVF success declines from nearly 24 percent among women aged 38 to 39 to just over 1 percent among women aged 44 and older.

This new study found that the function of cells that support the development of eggs in the ovaries declines sharply after age 43. In older women, eggs in the ovaries are exposed to hormones normally released only after ovulation. This “false start” greatly reduces the likelihood of pregnancy, the researchers explained.

But, the researchers found that older women whose eggs were harvested earlier in the fertility treatment process — before being exposed to the after-ovulation hormones — produced more good quality embryos and had higher pregnancy rates than those whose eggs were collected at a later stage of maturity.

The study was published Aug. 12 in the Journal of Endocrinology.

“We used to think that aging eggs were responsible for poor IVF success rates in older women, but here we show that it is more due to the aging of the egg’s environment,” study author Dr. Yanguang Wu, an embyrologist and associate scientist at the Center for Reproductive Medicine in New York, said in a journal news release.

“The chances of reversing damage to an egg are practically zero, and so these findings are exciting because it’s much more hopeful to therapeutically target the egg’s supporting environment,” he explained.

Wu said larger studies are needed to confirm the findings. He added that he hopes this study will help produce new strategies for achieving pregnancy in older women.

More information

The U.S. National Library of Medicine has more about in vitro fertilization.

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Women’s Pelvic Pain Often Unreported

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 12, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Untreated pelvic pain is common among U.S. women in their childbearing years, a new study reveals.

The findings suggest that even during routine visits, doctors should ask women about pelvic pain, the investigators said.

“Our study suggests that many reproductive-age women are experiencing but not reporting some form of pelvic pain,” study author Karen Schliep, of the U.S. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, said in an institute news release.

“If they aren’t doing so already, gynecologists may want to ask their patients if they’re experiencing pain, as well as the type and precise location of the pain, and offer treatment as appropriate,” she said. “Similarly, women should let their doctors know if they’re in pain.”

The researchers surveyed more than 400 women, aged 18 to 44, at 14 surgical centers in Salt Lake City and San Francisco who were scheduled to undergo medical imaging or surgery for reasons such as infertility, menstrual irregularities, tubal sterilization or pelvic pain.

About 40 percent of the women were diagnosed with endometriosis — a condition in which tissue that normally lines the inside of the uterus grows outside of the uterus. Thirty-one percent of the women were diagnosed with other conditions, such as uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts or tumors.

Nearly 29 percent of the women were not diagnosed with any pelvic condition.

As expected, those with endometriosis were most likely to report pain (44 percent). However, high levels of ongoing pain or recurrent pain during the menstrual cycle were reported by one-third of women without any diagnosed pelvic conditions, according to the study published online Aug. 12 in the journal Human Reproduction.

The study authors called for further research on the causes of pain in women not diagnosed with any pelvic condition.

More information

The U.S. National Library of Medicine has more about pelvic pain.

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Jury Still Out on Whether Saturated Fat Is Bad for You, Researchers Say

By Alan Mozes
HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, Aug. 11, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A new review suggests that saturated fats, like those found in many dairy products and meat, may not be the big contributors to heart disease or early death that many think they are.

However, the Canadian researchers who did the review did find a clear link between heart troubles and trans fats, which are found in highly processed foods such as snacks, margarine and baked goods.

“Not all the studies we looked at reached the same conclusion, but generally what we found is that the association between a higher consumption of trans fats and a higher risk for heart disease and [early] death was very consistent,” said study author Russell de Souza.

“And because we found no evidence that trans fat offers any health benefit, removing it from the foods we eat is the right idea,” added de Souza, a registered dietician and an assistant professor of clinical epidemiology & biostatistics at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.

“On the other hand, the association between consuming saturated fat and a higher risk for similar health issues was variable and unclear,” he added. “But we want to be careful. We’re not saying that we’re confident that saturated fat is truly benign.”

De Souza and his colleagues reported their findings in the Aug. 11 issue of the BMJ.

The study authors said that current dietary guidelines advocate limiting saturated fat consumption to less than 10 percent of total caloric intake, and limiting trans fats to less than 1 percent of one’s diet.

The team’s saturated fat analysis involved 41 studies conducted in the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Canada, China, Greece and Australia. A separate international investigation was also included in the review.

Their look at trans fat focused on 20 studies conducted in the United States, Finland, China and the Netherlands.

In the end, the team unearthed no clear evidence highlighting an association between higher quantities of saturated fat and a higher risk for dying from any cause.

Similarly, no link was found between saturated fat and a higher risk for stroke, type 2 diabetes, and/or heart disease.

That said, investigators cautioned that a lack of sufficient evidence meant that they could not rule out the possibility that saturated fat does contribute to a higher risk of dying early from heart disease.

On the other hand, the review did draw a strong link between the higher consumption of trans fat and a 34 percent bump in the risk of dying early from any cause, as well as a 28 percent bump in the risk of dying early specifically from heart disease.

And while no clear association was seen between trans fat consumption and a higher risk for either stroke or diabetes, trans fat was linked to a 21 percent bump in the risk for developing heart disease.

However, the study did not prove that consuming trans fats causes heart disease or early death.

Lona Sandon, an assistant professor of clinical nutrition with the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, cautioned against interpreting the study’s mixed message as a license to loosen up limits on saturated fat consumption.

“Trans fat remains a definite concern,” she said. “Saturated fats are a little up in the air. Part of the problem is that we know that there are some saturated fats that are not harmful and possibly even beneficial. However, you cannot separate out the healthy types of saturated fats from those that are not so healthy. They come packaged together in foods,” she explained.

So, Sandon said, “the message still remains to limit saturated fat and aim for getting your fats from the mono and polyunsaturated fats that we are pretty confident are good for health.”

De Souza offered the same advice: “I would caution against ignoring strong and consistent evidence that we already have that shows that if we reduce saturated fat and replace it with healthful unsaturated fats, like olive oil and canola oil, we do see benefits in terms of reducing cholesterol levels and heart disease risk.”

More information

There’s more on various types of fat at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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5 Exercises You Aren’t Doing, But Should Be

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The best exercises do more than just give you a perkier butt or a killer core. They help you tackle everyday tasks and your favorite fitness activities with ease. “Functional exercises train specific muscles, the kinetic chains of those muscles and the mind to operate more effectively in day to day life,” explains trainer Juliet Kaska, who has worked with such notable celebs as Kerry Washington, Karlie Kloss and Stacy Keibler. “Plus, a highly functional body is less likely to get injured.” Here are five of Kaska’s must-do moves.

Reverse Wood Chops

Benefits: Targets rotational strength and power in your core, especially the obliques, which ups your ability in sports with swinging motions (think golf, baseball and softball).

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes turned out and an 8- to10-pound dumbbell in hands. Squat down and rotate to the left as you reach the dumbbell to the outside of the left ankle. Allow the right knee and foot to pivot in. Stand up as you engage through the abs bringing the weight up and over the to the right side above the head. Allow the left knee and ankle to pivot in. Reverse motion to return to start. Do 8-15 reps per side.

RELATED: 5 Ways to Work Your Abs Without Crunches

Treadmill Lateral Walking

Benefits: Builds stronger knees, hips, glutes and quads, which are often weak since “legs are overworked in linear movement,” explains Kaska. Great for tennis players.

Stand on treadmill sideways, holding on to the arm rail. Start at a very low speed (for example, 1.5 and no incline) With knees slightly bent and back straight, step the back foot in to meet the front foot, keeping pace with the treadmill. Start with 1-2 minute intervals per side, building up to 5-10 minutes on each side.

Deadlifts

Benefits: Aids your running. Also, you’ll be able to pick up heavy objects.

Hold a 10- to 20-pound barbell with arms hanging straight in front of thighs. Hinge forward at hips; go as low as possible, keeping back and neck in a straight line. With weight in heels, power through hamstrings to return to standing. Do 8 to 15 reps.

Calf Raises

Benefits: You’ll be better at standup paddleboarding and avoid ankle sprains. “Strong calves help prevent ankle rolling,” Kaska explains.

Stand with feet hip-width apart and parallel; lift one foot. Without locking knee of the standing leg, rise onto the ball of your foot. Hold, then lower heel without touching floor. Do 10 to 20 reps per side.

RELATED: 4 Exercises to Tone Your Hips and Thighs

3 Point Squat and Reach

Benefits: Improves your skiing game; helps you get up from seats easily.

Stand with legs together, a 2- to 5-pound weight in each hand. Squat; bring weights to outside of left foot, arms parallel. Stand; squat and extend weights in front of you. Stand; squat and bring weights to outside of right foot. Do 5 to 10 reps.

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The FDA Is Not Happy About Kim Kardashian’s Drug Endorsement

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) isn’t thrilled about a drug endorsement that Kim Kardashian circulated to her 42 million followers last month.

The expectant reality star, 34, recently announced her partnership with pharmaceutical company Duchesnay USA on Instagram to promote a prescription treatment for pregnancy nausea called Diclegis. The problem? She didn’t outright mention key safety information about the pill’s possible side effects with the photo. (The post has since been removed, but you can view a screengrab, via Forbes.)

“I tried changing things about my lifestyle, like my diet, but nothing helped, so I talked to my doctor,” the original post said. “He prescribed me #Diclegis, and I felt a lot better and most importantly, it’s been studied and there was no increased risk to the baby.”

RELATED: When Morning Sickness Gets Out of Control

On Tuesday, the FDA shared the warning letter issued Aug. 7 to the CEO of the Canadian drug company, which states that Kardashian’s endorsement post “is false or misleading” for failing to include any risk information associated with use of the drug.

Kardashian’s caption advised followers to consult a doctor and to visit the official website, along with a Diclegis safety information webpage, for more information. But the note went on to order the company to remove Kardashian’s social media messages immediately and provide a written response to the FDA about how they plan to avoid future violations by Aug. 21.

Duchesnay USA responded in a statement to the Associated Press, confirming that it “will take quick action in responding to the FDA’s letter and immediately and effectively address any issues.”

RELATED: 7 Things We Can All Learn From Kim Kardashian’s Beauty

The FDA approved Diclegis in 2013. Marked by a purple pregnant woman on the little while pill, it’s a delayed-release drug made up of a combination of two substances, the antihistamine doxylamine and vitamin B6. It is prescribed to pregnant women suffering extreme nausea who do not respond to traditional morning sickness treatments.

Oh, and in other Kim K. pregnancy news, she just posted a really naked Instagram showing off her growing bump. Sigh.

RELATED: Here’s How Much Kim Kardashian Works Out

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Make Your Own Pain-Relieving Cream With Coconut Oil

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Is there anything coconut oil can’t do? From whipping up dairy-free lattes to saving chapped lips, the fruity liquid is extremely adaptable. And by mixing it with a few ingredients, you can open up an entire other world of coconut-oil based natural products, like this cayenne pain-relief balm.

So if you’re feeling sore after a rough burpee circuit from the night before (or from chasing your kids around the living room), try rubbing this all-natural balm on the achy areas for quick comfort.

Cayenne Pain-Relief Balm

With just a few ingredients you can make your own pain-relieving balm at home.

1⁄2 cup (125 mL) virgin coconut oil
3 tbsp (45 mL) cayenne pepper
1 tsp (5 mL) cornstarch or arrowroot powder
1 1⁄2 cups (375 mL) grated cocoa butter (about 2 oz/60 g)
10 drops peppermint essential oil

1. In a double boiler or a nonreactive bowl placed over a pot, melt coconut oil over gently simmering water. Stir in cayenne, being careful not to inhale the fumes, and set aside to cool. Stir in cornstarch.
2. Place infused oil in the refrigerator or freezer until it is semisolid on top.
3. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, whip together infused oil, cocoa butter and peppermint oil until peaks begin to form.
4. Transfer balm to a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Store it in a cool, dark place and use within six months.

RELATED: 10 Surprising Beauty Uses for Coconut Oil

How to Use the Balm

1. Use a spoon or cotton swab to apply the healing balm, or wash your hands thoroughly after application with the fingers.
2. Cover the applied balm with gauze or cloth to avoid staining clothing or furniture.

Caution

Be careful not to touch your eyes or other mucous membranes after handling cayenne pepper or balm, as it can burn. Wash your skin with soap and water immediately if a burning sensation occurs. Do not use balm on broken skin. Do not apply heat on top of balm, as this will increase the likelihood that a burning sensation will occur.

Courtesy of The Essential Guide to Women’s Herbal Medicine by Cyndi Gilbert © 2015 www.robertrose.ca Reprinted with publisher permission. Available where books are sold.

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