Many Unfamiliar With Health Insurance Lingo, Study Says

FRIDAY, March 11, 2016 (HealthDay News) — One-quarter of adults in Texas don’t understand basic health insurance terms, a new report finds.

Poor, uninsured and Hispanic Texans were least likely to know the meaning of health-plan basics such as “premium,” “copayment” and “provider network,” according to the Rice University report, which was released this week.

Researchers analyzed data from a survey of adults aged 18 to 64 in Texas that took place between September 2013 and September 2015.

About 25 percent of the respondents said they lacked confidence in understanding seven basic health insurance terms: premium, copayment, deductible, provider network, coinsurance, covered services and maximum out-of-pocket expenses.

“This research shows that understanding the key parts of a health insurance plan can be tough, especially for the uninsured,” study author Elena Marks said in a university news release “These numbers illustrate the continuing need to offer education and outreach targeting the uninsured so they can better understand their health insurance options.”

At least half of respondents without health insurance didn’t fully understand five of the seven terms, nearly double that of those with insurance.

“Even among those with insurance, many lacked confidence in aspects of employer-provided insurance that have changed dramatically over the past several years,” Marks said. “Workers are paying larger portions of premiums, deductibles and copays. They need to fully understand how these changes can influence their out-of-pocket spending on health care.”

More than 40 percent of Hispanic participants did not fully understand all of the terms, which was much higher than the rates for whites and blacks. That’s an alarming finding, the researchers said, noting Hispanics account for a increasingly larger share of the state’s population.

This is the latest in a series of reports Marks has co-authored on implementation of the Affordable Care Act in Texas.

More information

The American Academy of Family Physicians has more on health insurance.

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A Pill to Ward Off Cavities? Scientists Say It Could Happen

FRIDAY, March 11, 2016 (HealthDay News) — A new discovery might one day lead to an anti-cavity pill, researchers report.

The University of Florida scientists identified a strain of bacteria in the mouth that may keep cavity-causing bacteria in check.

The investigators said it might be possible to use this beneficial bacteria to develop a supplement taken by mouth that prevents cavities.

A healthy mouth requires a relatively neutral chemical environment, the researchers explained. When the environment in the mouth becomes too acidic, it can lead to cavities and other dental problems, study lead author Robert Burne said in a university news release.

“At that point, bacteria on the teeth make acid, and acid dissolves the teeth. It’s straightforward chemistry,” said Burne, chair of the department of oral biology at the University of Florida College of Dentistry. “We got interested in what activities keep the pH elevated.”

The seemingly beneficial bacteria the researchers discovered is a strain of streptococcus called A12, according to the study published recently in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology.

The researchers also mapped out the entire genetic code of A12, and said they hope to use it as a tool to screen people to see who is at higher risk of developing cavities.

According to study co-author Marcelle Nascimento, “If we get to the point where we can confirm that people who have more of this healthy type of bacteria in the mouth are at lower risk of cavities, compared to those who don’t carry the beneficial bacteria and may be at high risk, this could be one of the factors that you measure for cavities risk.” Nascimento is an associate professor in the College of Dentistry’s department of restorative dental sciences.

The research team recently received a five-year, $3 million grant from the U.S. National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research to study A12 and related bacteria in the mouth.

More information

The U.S. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion explains how to take care of your teeth and gums.

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Gene Test May Spare Some Breast Cancer Patients From Chemo

By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, March 11, 2016 (HealthDay News) — A new genetic test seems to accurately identify women with early stage breast cancer who don’t need chemotherapy, German researchers report.

The test is called the 21-gene recurrence score (Oncotype DX). Among women that the test indicated didn’t need chemotherapy, 94 percent were alive and free of cancer after five years, the scientists said.

“Chemotherapy can be safely spared in patients with very low genomic risk,” said lead researcher Dr. Oleg Gluz, a scientific coordinator of the West German Study Group in Monchengladbach.

Oncotype Dx is currently being tested in other trials, he said, adding that the researchers are expecting more data from a trial on 6,000 patients soon.

Other similar tests available include Prosigna and Endopredict, Gluz said. “These tests are able to define a substantial proportion of patients with very low recurrence risk who would not benefit from chemotherapy,” he said.

“Implementation of the test is easy, but so far, the costs are not yet covered in all countries. Several studies have shown that it is cost-efficient because it enables a more personalized and less frequent use of chemotherapy,” Gluz said.

The results were to be presented Friday at the European Breast Cancer Conference in Amsterdam, Holland. Findings presented at meetings are generally viewed as preliminary until they’ve been published in a peer-reviewed journal.

The company that makes Oncotype DX, along with some of the chemotherapy manufacturers, provided some study support. But, they didn’t have access to the data and didn’t influence data analysis or interpretation, the study authors said.

For the study, the German researchers recruited nearly 3,200 women with cancer that hadn’t spread beyond the breast. Their average age was 56. The cancers were diagnosed as hormone-receptor positive and HER2 negative. Hormone-receptor positive cancers are those whose growth is fueled by hormones, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). HER2 negative cancers don’t have an excess of a substance called HER2. Because of that, these cancers don’t respond to certain medications, such as Herceptin, the ACS noted.

The Oncotype Dx identifies 21 genes that can affect how breast cancer is likely to respond to treatment. The score ranges from 0-100, the researchers said. In this trial, patients who had a score of 11 or less were classified as low risk for having their cancer recur, even if they had other factors, such as tumor size or age, that would normally suggest they might be at high risk, the researchers explained.

Just over 15 percent of the women had a score of 11 or less. They were treated with anti-hormonal therapy only.

Women with scores of more than 11, or with more than four involved lymph nodes or hormone-receptor negative disease, were randomly assigned to one of two different chemotherapy treatments.

After an average of 55 months of follow-up, nearly all of the low-risk patients treated with anti-hormonal therapy alone were alive and disease-free, Gluz said.

Among the women treated with chemotherapy, 94 percent with moderate-risk cancer and 84 percent with high-risk cancer were alive and cancer-free five years after treatment, he said.

Dr. Magdalena Lombardi Plasilova is director of breast health services in the department of surgery at Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center in New York City. She said: “I treat cancer patients every day. Now I will be able to tell a woman that she may not need chemotherapy, which is an important step forward.

“These women will be able to avoid the side effects and complications from chemotherapy,” Plasilova added.

More information

For more on breast cancer, visit the U.S. National Cancer Institute.

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Gabrielle Reece on Her Most Embarrassing Moment, Biggest Weakness, and Best Fitness Tip

Photo: Getty Images

Beach-volleyball legend Gabrielle Reece serves up motivational advice as host of NBC’s new show Strong. Below, the 46-year-old powerhouse (and mom of three girls) reveals her secrets to hanging tough.

Strength is…

“Being able to express myself matter-of-factly and not worrying, ‘Does everyone approve?’ I’ve moved into a space of ‘This is how I feel, and I’m going to own it.'”

My weakness is…

“I never bothered to do a lot of stretching. I’m working on that now. I think weaknesses make you better. We don’t learn anything from winning. We learn from ‘This is uncomfortable.'”

RELATED: 4 Stretches You Should be Doing (But Aren’t)

One embarrassing moment was…

“There’s a genius volleyball player named Elaine Youngs. We played against each other early on, and let’s just say there was no love lost. I was in a doubles tournament and had a time-out, and she says, ‘I’m sure you don’t want to hear this, but your tampon string is hanging out.’ In that moment I was like, ‘Holy s–t,’ but also, ‘I love you for telling me that.'”

I never expected…

“To be an athlete. I grew up in the Caribbean—maybe I would work in a gift shop? I’m a good athlete, but what I actually have going for me is that I’m very coachable. I was always willing to try.”

RELATED: 24 Motivational Weight-Loss and Fitness Quotes

My best fitness tip…

“Don’t fall too far behind. The body wants to move; it’s set up for that.”

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5 Ways to Keep Your Workouts from Getting Boring

Gif: Giphy.com

Exercise burnout tends to sneak up on you. For weeks on end, you’re happily running through your go-to routine; and then suddenly you’re so sick of it, you can’t even muster the energy to wiggle into a sports bra. But it doesn’t have to be that way! There are plenty of tricks to help you avoid a fitness slump. These are my favorite tips for spicing up a workout so it never, ever becomes boring.

Add a few moves every six weeks

Mixing up your exercise regimen can help you build more muscle and burn more calories—and also give you something fresh to look forward to. But don’t worry, this doesn’t mean you need to completely overhaul your beloved routine. Instead, choose a few new exercises to try, or change the number of reps you usually do. That type of simple switch is really all it takes.

RELATED: 18 Moves to Tone Your Butt, Thighs, and Legs

Make an irresistible playlist

You probably have your favorite workout tunes all cued up. But let’s face it: No matter how much they rock, after a few weeks (or months) the same tunes over and over can get a little grating. Curating a new and awesome soundtrack could be all it takes to get you pumped up to work out again. Choose some music you’re loving at the moment, and feel free to toss in some old favorites too. It’s nice to have a few nostalgic moments mid-workout.

RELATED: The Ultimate Beyoncé Workout Playlist

Modify your route

If you’re a gym-goer, using all the same machines, in the same order, is a quick path to boredom. Do you usually start with the stair-climber? Go for the weights first instead. Or swap the elliptical for a bike. If you’re a runner, pick a new route in your neighborhood, or take your run to a nearby park.

RELATED: 25 Genius Ways Fitness Trainers Stay Motivated to Exercise

Invite a friend

Sometimes introducing someone to exercise, or showing her your favorite way to break a sweat, can be enough to get you excited about working out again. At the very least, spending time and catching up with your buddy will keep you entertained.

RELATED: 24 Motivational Weight Loss and Fitness Quotes

Try something totally new

When you’re really burned out, you may need to get creative. If you’ve been thinking about trying Orangetheory, for example, or a hip new spin studio, this is the perfect time to give it a go. Many studios offer one free class, so pop around to a few and give each a try. Who knows, maybe you’ll discover a passion for barre, or pole dancing!

Looking for more articles like this? Check out 5 Legit Reasons to Skip a Workout, According to a Fitness Expert

Jennifer Cohen is a leading fitness authority, TV personality, entrepreneur and best-selling author of the new book, Strong is the New Skinny. With her signature, straight-talking approach to wellness, Jennifer was the featured trainer on The CW’s Shedding for the Wedding, mentoring the contestants’ to lose hundreds of pounds before their big day, and she appears regularly on NBC’s Today Show, Extra, The Doctors and Good Morning America. Connect with Jennifer on Facebook, Twitter, G+ and on Pinterest.

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Severe Migraines Linked to Complications During Pregnancy, Childbirth

FRIDAY, March 11, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Severe migraines are associated with an increased risk of complications during pregnancy and childbirth, especially among older women, new research suggests.

“The results of this study were of particular interest because more than half of the pregnant women with migraine experienced some type of adverse birth outcome, suggesting that these pregnancies should be considered high risk,” study author Dr. Matthew Robbins, said in a Montefiore Medical Center news release.

Robbins is director of inpatient services at Montefiore Headache Center. He’s also chief of neurology at the Jack D. Weiler Hospital of Montefiore in New York City.

It’s important to note that the study only found a link between women with severe migraines and pregnancy and delivery complications. The study wasn’t designed to prove that having or treating migraines caused these problems.

The study included 90 women. All of the women sought emergency medical care for severe migraines while pregnant.

About 20 percent of the women had the pregnancy complication preeclampsia, the study found. Women with preeclampsia have dangerously high blood pressure. About 8 percent of women in the general population have this complication, the researchers said.

Nearly 30 percent of the women in the study had preterm delivery. About 10 percent of women in the general population normally have a preterm delivery, according to the study. Nineteen percent of the women with migraines had low-birth weight babies, the study showed. That compares to a rate of 8 percent among women without migraines.

Women aged 35 and older with severe migraines were seven times more likely to have these complications than women in the general population.

Sixty-two percent of the women in the study received a combination of pills and intravenous drugs to treat their migraines. The researchers said it’s not clear if these medications played a role in the pregnancy and birth complications.

“These findings need to be replicated with a larger number of women, including those who have migraine that does not manifest with severe attacks during pregnancy,” Robbins added.

The study is to be presented in April at the American Academy of Neurology’s annual meeting, in Washington, D.C. Findings presented at meetings are generally viewed as preliminary until they’ve been published in a peer-reviewed journal.

More information

The U.S. Office on Women’s Health has more on migraine.

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Even Gardening or Dancing Might Cut Alzheimer’s Risk

By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, March 11, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Regular physical activity, including gardening or dancing, may cut Alzheimer’s risk by as much as 50 percent, a new study suggests.

Researchers who analyzed lifestyle habits and brain scans of nearly 900 older adults found that any activity that gets you moving on a regular basis seems to help the brain increase gray matter. This, in turn, may keep dementia at bay, they suggested.

“Any type of physical activity that burns calories — from jogging to gardening to walking to dancing — is associated with more gray matter in the brain,” said lead researcher Dr. Cyrus Raji. He is a postdoctoral researcher in radiology at the University of California, Los Angeles.

“The most important thing is that it’s regular,” Raji said.

More gray matter means a healthier brain and correlates with a reduced risk for Alzheimer’s disease, Raji said.

Alzheimer’s disease, a progressive brain disorder, affects 5.1 million Americans and is predicted to increase significantly over the next 30 years. Because there is no cure, Raji said the focus needs to be on prevention.

The report was published March 11 in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.

The study doesn’t prove a direct cause-and-effect relationship between aerobic activity and gray matter growth, one expert noted.

“It’s just an association,” said James Hendrix, director of global science initiatives at the Alzheimer’s Association. Nevertheless, exercise is important, Hendrix said. “What’s good for your heart is good for your brain, which includes exercise,” he added.

Hendrix said that the sooner you become physically active, the better. “Exercise should be part of your lifestyle,” he explained.

While fear of dying from a heart attack hasn’t motivated people to exercise, perhaps the prospect of dying from Alzheimer’s disease is scarier and more motivating, Hendrix suggested.

“With Alzheimer’s disease, it’s a long, slow, painful way to die,” he said.

For the report, Raji and colleagues collected data on 876 seniors who took part in a long-term cardiovascular health study of people aged 65 and older. At age 78, on average, the participants had MRIs to measure the size of their brains, and answered questions about their memory and physical activity.

Among other things, the study participants were asked about 15 different recreational activities over the previous two weeks. Their physical pursuits included riding an exercise cycle at the gym, dancing, swimming, walking, raking and gardening.

Using estimates of weekly calorie expenditure, the researchers found that greater physical activity was associated with larger brain size in areas linked to memory and learning.

People with the brain benefit from physical activity saw their risk of Alzheimer’s disease decline by half, Raji said.

Physical activity also benefitted the brains of the roughly 25 percent of people who had mild brain impairment, he said.

One brain specialist considers the findings noteworthy.

“I think that these data should compel all physicians to provide some specific advice to everyone they see, either well or unwell,” said Dr. Sam Gandy, director of the Center for Cognitive Health at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.

“I have thought for some time that the most important single thing I can tell patients in order to prevent or slow down the progression of dementia is to provide them with some structured, minimal, routine exercise regimen,” he said. “This is super important.”

Finding activities you like will help you stay motivated, Raji said. “If you are going to do a physical activity to reduce your risk for Alzheimer’s disease, do the activity that you most enjoy, that you feel the most comfortable doing, because that’s the activity you are most likely to sustain throughout your life,” he said.

More information

The Alzheimer’s Association has more about brain health.

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Lena Dunham Finally Swears Off Photoshop for Good

Photo: Getty Images

Lena Dunham has had it with magazines retouching her body and face.

The Girls star penned a lengthy post in this week’s Lenny Letter explaining her decision to opt out of future photoshoots unless her images are printed unretouched. “Not done with getting my picture taken (once an insufferable ham, always an insufferable ham) but done with allowing images that retouch and reconfigure my face and body to be released into the world,” she wrote.

RELATED: Lena Dunham’s Most Thought-Provoking Quotes About Body Image

Dunham explains that actresses Kate Winslet and Jamie Lee Curtis as well as singer Zendaya served as major inspiration for her decision as all of them have made the same stand before. “Thank you for letting me know that making such a choice or statement was possible. If any magazines want to guarantee they’ll let my stomach roll show and my reddened cheek make an appearance, I am your girl Friday.”

RELATED: Lena Dunham Is Giving Us the Ultimate #Fitspiration

Just last week, Dunham spoke out against the controversial practice after a Spanish magazine had used a retouched image of her for its cover.

“It’s a weird feeling to see a photo and not know if it’s your own body anymore (and I’m pretty sure that will never be my thigh width but I honestly can’t tell what’s been slimmed and what hasn’t.),” she says. “I’m not blaming anyone (y’know, except society at large.) …Maybe it’s turning 30. Maybe it’s seeing my candidate of choice get bashed as much for having a normal woman’s body as she is for her policies. Maybe it’s getting sick and realizing ALL that matters is that this body work, not that it be milky white and slim. But I want something different now.”

We’re with you, Lena!

This article originally appeared on MIMIchatter.com.

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3 Stars Who Have Opened Up About Their Pee Problems

Photo: Getty Images

Celebs are leaking their very personal bladder issues. We say they deserve a hat tip for changing the conversation about urination.

RELATED: 10 Things That Can Make Incontinence Worse

Kate Winslet

“I can’t jump on trampolines anymore; I wet myself,” the mom of three said in a recent interview. Did you know? Childbirth can weaken pelvic muscles and harm nerves, causing incontinence.

Brooke Burke-Charvet

The glam star signed on as an ambassador for the incontinence product Poise. “I’ve had four kids. Ladies, who pees a little when they laugh?” she said in a TV spot.

RELATED: 11 Drugs Used to Treat Incontinence

Lena Dunham

In her Lenny newsletter, the Girls creator referred to herself as “a bleeding-heart liberal with a near constant urinary tract infection.” To prevent your risk of getting a UTI, be sure to always pee after sex.

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Jimmy Carter’s Miraculous Cancer Treatment Worked for Me Too

Photo: Getty Images

Sometimes it feels like getting a hoped for result after enduring cancer is like going into the witness protection program. A return to health is happy news, but it’s not automatically a happy ending. Sure, you like to believe you’re safe. You sometimes even forget just how much danger you were in. But there’s always the fear. The fear that the vengeful killer will find you. You speak of your disease in terms of recurrence rates, and how many years out you are. But what if, in addition to the incredible feat of getting to go on with your life, you could eliminate that agonizing suspense as well—and swiftly?

When earlier this week, 91-year-old former President Jimmy Carter announced to his Sunday school class in Georgia that “the doctors determined that I didn’t need any more treatment” for cancer, there were cheers from admirers and well-wishers around the world. It wasn’t just good news—it seemed incredible news.

After all, just last August, Carter had revealed that he had melanoma that had metastasized to his liver and brain. But he also said that he was starting a course of treatment that featured a combination of radiation and a newer protocol—an immunotherapy drug called Keytruda to stimulate his body’s own immune system to fight the cancer.

RELATED: 6 Spots Your Doc Should Check for Skin Cancer

By December, he was able to reveal that his most recent MRI “didn’t find any cancer at all.” And now, though his spokesperson says that he will “resume treatment if necessary,” his current schedule appears to be freed up from drug infusions. This is not just a miraculous turnaround. This is, for a growing number of us, just how it’s supposed to go.

Cancer cells can move quickly. Cancer treatments, in contrast, can move frustratingly slowly—and often with a passel of grueling side effects. For decades, the standard assumption has been that a serious diagnosis equals months of hair loss and weight loss and puking. That’s now changing, and that change isn’t just offering the possibility of freedom from disease, but from anxiety as well. I know firsthand.

Five years ago—one year after a successful initial surgery for it—I was rediagnosed with melanoma, this time at Stage 4. I was fortunate to enroll in an early clinical trial for a combination of immunotherapy drugs, Yervoy and Opdivo, to trigger my body’s defense system to recognize and kill my cancer cells.

RELATED: 6 Things Dermatologists Want You to Know About Skin Cancer

Just days after the first treatment, I could see a visible tumor under my skin beginning to shrink. By my first set of scans, 12 weeks later, I presented no evidence of disease. I’ve stayed like that for four years…and counting. Because I was in a trial, my course of treatment was lengthy; but for many patients, a course of immunotherapy can run as few as four infusions spread over the course of just three months.

And remember, we’re talking about a treatment for advanced cancer here—cancer like Carter’s and mine. When my doctors published the early results of my trial three years ago, the words that leapt out at me were “rapid” and “durable” tumor regression on patients who successfully responded. That’s because the immune system, as any of us familiar with the principles of vaccination can tell you, learns, understands, and—remarkably—remembers. And it’s a quick study.

Carter’s choice to be so public with his experience has been a source of hope and an educational opportunity for countess others facing similarly frightening diagnoses. But while immunotherapy is now showing promising results in not just melanoma but lung, renal, and other cancers, it is still not widely used, nor for every cancer. Not everyone qualifies for it, and among those who do, the results are not always as decisive as Carter’s have been. Yet a shift has occurred in how doctors and patients view cancer treatment, and that is undeniably thrilling.

RELATED: What Skin Cancer Looks Like

Many of us, as skeptical consumers of the healthcare industry, have a conflicted relationship with it. We question if a treatment is too aggressive, too invasive, goes on to- long—and we worry it’s not enough. I used to as well, but now I don’t. In much the same way that I never fret that I will get polio, I don’t agonize that my melanoma will recur. I believe that, thanks to science, my body now knows what to do. I believe Carter’s does as well.

You can read more of Mary Elizabeth Williams’ story in the May issue of Health, and in her forthcoming book, A Series of Catastrophes and Miracles: A True Story of Love, Science, and Cancer ($26; amazon.com).

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