Health Journal Online

Category: Diseases & Conditions

  • Here’s How Many Calories You Need For Morning Meal

    Here’s How Many Calories You Need For Morning Meal

    Breakfast isn’t just the most important meal of the day, it’s a key factor in healthy aging. Researchers now found that it is not only essential to have breakfast, but also to ensure that it is both high in quality and appropriate in quantity. A recent study found that consuming 20 to 30% of your daily calories at breakfast is linked to better long-term health.

    In the latest study, researchers explored how the energy intake and quality of breakfast impact key health indicators like cholesterol, blood pressure, body weight, and other cardiometabolic factors. For the trial, researchers followed up with 383 participants between the ages of 55 and 75 with metabolic syndrome for 3 years.

    The results showed that individuals who ate breakfast had better overall diet quality and lower cardiometabolic risk. “Healthy breakfast habits relate to healthy aging by improving heart risk factors,” the researchers wrote in the study published in the Journal of Nutrition, Health, and Aging.

    Among those who consumed breakfast, both low and high-energy, low-quality breakfasts were associated with higher body fat, elevated triglycerides, and lower HDL cholesterol in older adults at high risk. The study also revealed that low-quality breakfasts were linked to poorer kidney function.

    “Individuals at high cardiovascular risk may benefit from a balanced breakfast to maintain a healthy body weight, waist circumference, lipid profile, and renal function. A breakfast containing 20−30% of total caloric intake was linked to lower values of BMI, WC, triglycerides, and higher HDL-C concentrations, and a high-quality breakfast was associated with healthier values of WC, HDL-C, and eGFR,” the researchers wrote.

    The new findings build on the idea that “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” and suggest it should be rephrased to include “What and how you eat it matters,” said Álvaro Hernáez, a lead researcher of the study.

    According to the study findings, for a person who takes a 2,000-calorie diet, breakfast should provide around 400-600 calories. In terms of quality, the focus is on achieving balanced meals that include whole grains, lean proteins, healthy fats, and fruits or vegetables while steering clear of processed foods that are high in added sugars and unhealthy fats.

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  • Want To Quit Smoking? A Smartwatch App Can Make It Easier

    Want To Quit Smoking? A Smartwatch App Can Make It Easier

    Is quitting smoking one of your New Year’s resolutions? Breaking the habit can be tough, but what if there was something to nudge you just before you light up? Researchers have developed a new smartwatch app designed to make quitting smoking a little easier by reminding you when you are about to start a cigarette.

    A research team at the University of Bristol, England, developed an app that could detect the typical hand movements of someone holding a cigarette and alert the smoker with a message discouraging them from smoking. According to the team, this is the first-ever just-in-time intervention for preventing smoking relapse that runs entirely on a smartwatch, without the need for pairing with a smartphone.

    “For those who are trying to give up, an initial lapse is a vulnerable moment, and risks leading to a full relapse to smoking. People like smartwatches. They like the idea of it delivering a message at the point that they smoke. Therefore, if we can identify this point of lapse, and deliver an intervention precisely at that point, we have an opportunity to improve the success of the quit attempt,” Chris Stone, Senior Research Associate in Wearable Technology Application Development in Bristol’s Tobacco and Alcohol Research Group, and Integrative Cancer Epidemiology Program (ICEP), explained the idea behind the innovation in a news release.

    The researchers tested the effectiveness of the relapse prevention app on 18 people who were ready to quit smoking. During the trial, participants wore a regular Android smartwatch loaded with the custom app. At the end of two weeks, many reported that the smartwatch helped them become more aware of their smoking habits, and the constant reminders made them pause and reconsider their actions.

    Impressively, 66% of participants found the smartwatch intervention not only feasible but also acceptable, making it a promising tool for supporting behavior change and preventing smoking relapses.

    According to Alizée Froguel, Cancer Research UK’s Prevention Policy Manager, stopping smoking is the best thing you can do to prevent cancer. “This study shows that smartwatches could be a useful method to help people quit smoking, but more research is needed to understand how effective they are. There are many tools available to help people quit, and getting support from your free local stop smoking service will give you the best chance of stopping successfully,” Froguel said.

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  • Planning To Eat Clean In The New Year? Your Obsession With a Healthy Diet Shouldn’t Turn Into Eating Disorder

    Planning To Eat Clean In The New Year? Your Obsession With a Healthy Diet Shouldn’t Turn Into Eating Disorder

    With the New Year just around the corner, so are resolutions for a healthier year. If you have already committed to eating clean in the coming year, be cautious—obsessing over healthy eating can take a toll on your mental health and potentially lead to eating disorders.

    Orthorexia nervosa (ON) is an obsession with eating “pure” foods to the point that it can take over your social life and mental well-being. Individuals may start organizing their entire schedule around strict dietary rules, skipping social events like Christmas parties or family dinners, and feel stressed or anxious when their eating routines are disrupted.

    Many people may fall into the trap of extreme dieting that cuts out carbohydrates, proteins, and essential vitamins, all in the name of healthy eating. However, this approach can put the body at risk of nutrient deficiencies, leading to symptoms such as hair loss, brittle nails, missed menstrual cycles, and constant fatigue.

    If this obsession with healthy eating goes unchecked, it can escalate into more serious problems, potentially leading to clinical eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia.

    In a groundbreaking study, researchers explored how healthy eating addiction and extreme beauty ideals among fashion models can trigger eating and body image disorders. Their findings published in Eating and Weight Disorders – Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia, and Obesity, revealed that while 95% of the participants both models and the control group had positive emotions associated with healthy eating, over 35% of female models exhibited signs of ON and over 20% in the control group. The survey also revealed a troubling trend regarding the body mass index (BMI) of the fashion models, with a significant 88.7% of them falling below the underweight threshold.

    For those looking to adopt a healthy lifestyle in the New Year, Dr. Nikolett Bogár, a PhD student researching eating disorders at the Institute of Behavioral Sciences at Semmelweis University, recommends focusing on a long-term, balanced diet while recognizing that eating is not just about nutrition but also a social and cultural experience. She advises against categorizing foods as strictly good or bad.

    “Aim for a long-term, balanced diet rather than an ultra-clean one in January. Occasionally indulging in chocolates or holiday treats should be part of your diet – without guilt,” Dr. Bogár, advises.

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  • Fitness Trainer Gets Diagnosed With Rare Blood Cancer At 25 After Brushing Off Strange Symptoms

    Fitness Trainer Gets Diagnosed With Rare Blood Cancer At 25 After Brushing Off Strange Symptoms

    For a 23-year-old fitness trainer, Dilan Patel in the U.K., life was going normal until he began experiencing a strange, recurring symptom that kept him up two to three times a night. For nearly two years, Patel ignored night sweats and several other warning signs. However, when they became impossible to overlook, he was faced with a life-altering diagnosis: Hodgkin lymphoma, a rare type of blood cancer.

    Hodgkin Lymphoma is a cancer that affects the lymphatic system. Although a serious form of cancer, the tumors in the lymph nodes can be cured if diagnosed and treated early. However, most often signs such as night sweats can easily be mistaken for less serious issues.

    “You won’t believe it… I was 25 years old, living my life like any other young adult – working hard, working out, hanging with friends, and trying to figure out my future. Life felt normal. I had no reason to think anything was wrong. But then something strange started happening,” Patel said in a TikTok video.

    “I’d wake up in the middle of the night drenched in sweat. I mean SOAKED. My clothes, my bed – everything would be wet. It happened 2-3 times every single night. At first, I just thought, ‘Maybe I’m getting too hot under the covers?’ So I brushed it off,” he added.

    Apart from night sweats, Patel experienced persistent itchy skin, which he brushed off as nothing more than dryness, and fatigue and lumps on his neck that he assumed were from intense gym workouts.

    “Everything had an explanation – or so I thought,” Patel said. However, by the time Patel was diagnosed with stage 4B Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, he already had five tumors and the cancer had even spread to his lung.

    “I couldn’t believe it. I’d spent so long brushing off my symptoms, convincing myself they weren’t a big deal. But my body had been screaming at me for almost 2 years,” Patel said.

    The symptoms of Hodgkin lymphoma include painless, swollen lymph nodes in the neck, underarm, or groin, unexplained fever, drenching night sweats, weight loss over six months without a clear reason, persistent fatigue, and itchy skin, particularly after bathing or drinking alcohol.

    “If there’s one thing I’ve learned from this experience, it’s to pay attention to your body. Those little signs and symptoms? They’re there for a reason. Don’t wait until it’s too late,” Patel added.



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  • Woman’s Migraines, Motion Sickness Thought To Be From Phone Use Revealed Rare Brain Disorder

    Woman’s Migraines, Motion Sickness Thought To Be From Phone Use Revealed Rare Brain Disorder

    For years, 44-year-old Charlie Rolstone from the U.K. brushed off her migraines, motion sickness, and occasional blackouts as the side effects of spending too much time on her phone. But a medical emergency three years ago revealed a chilling truth that her symptoms stemmed from a rare brain disorder from her skull pushing against the brain.

    An MRI taken during the emergency visit revealed that Rolstone had epilepsy and a Chiari malformation, a condition caused by an abnormal skull structure that forces the brain to extend downward into the spinal canal.

    “I’ve had it my whole life, but my symptoms have only been getting worse as I’ve got older,” said Rolstone, SWNS reported.

    “I’ve suffered with migraines since I was a teen. Whenever I cough, I also get a very piercing pain in my head, covering the back of my skull. It only lasts for, maybe, 30 seconds — but it’s enough to make me grab my head. I can’t even shout or raise my voice without getting a headache. These were symptoms I knew to be there, but I thought they were normal,” she added.

    Rolstone thought she would grow out of the symptoms until she received the diagnosis while she was taken to the hospital after collapsing from a seizure. The doctors also found out that she had brain lesions and an aneurysm.

    “I don’t know the full extent of the damage the condition has done, but I’m glad we’ve caught it now. That seizure saved my life — it revealed my Chiari malformation,” she said.

    Rolstone now manages her migraines with painkillers and limits her phone use to reduce motion sickness. With medications for epilepsy, she has been seizure-free for 21 months.

    Chiari malformation can be present with or without symptoms, and the signs depend on the type of condition. In Chiari malformation type 1, symptoms such as headaches, particularly while coughing or sneezing, neck pain, poor hand coordination, numbness in the hands and feet, and difficulty swallowing, typically begin in late childhood or adulthood, though the condition is often congenital.

    In rare cases, individuals with Chiari malformation type 1 may experience additional symptoms, including ringing or buzzing in the ears (tinnitus), muscle weakness, a slow heart rhythm, curvature of the spine (scoliosis) linked to spinal cord impairment, and breathing difficulties.

    Type 2 Chiari malformation is typically associated with a myelomeningocele, a form of spina bifida where the spinal canal and backbone fail to close properly before birth. The symptoms include difficulty swallowing, changes in breathing pattern, sudden downward eye movements and weakness in arms.

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  • Pregnant Woman And Baby Saved After Doctors Identify Her Bad Cough, Breathlessness Was Rare Tumor In Chest

    Pregnant Woman And Baby Saved After Doctors Identify Her Bad Cough, Breathlessness Was Rare Tumor In Chest

    MaKenna Lauterbach from Illinois was 36 weeks pregnant when she received the shocking diagnosis of a large tumor in her chest, revealing the real cause of the persistent cough and breathlessness during her pregnancy. The 26-year-old, who was diagnosed with stage 3 melanoma, is now stable and recovering, along with her healthy baby, thanks to the timely intervention and coordinated efforts of a dedicated team of doctors.

    When Lauterbach experienced a bad cough while she was expecting, she knew something was wrong. Simple tasks, like walking to the barn to feed her horses, left her unusually winded, as if she had just run two miles. However, doctors were initially hesitant to perform chest scans due to concerns about radiation exposure.

    When Lauterbach was almost due, the cough worsened to the extent that she started throwing up and had to be hospitalized for shortness of breath. The scans then revealed a grapefruit-sized tumor in her chest, blocking the artery to her right lung.

    By the time Lauterbach received the diagnosis, she was in respiratory distress, the tumor obstructing her airway, putting both her life and her baby’s at risk.

    After being airlifted to the intensive care unit at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, her condition worsened, she went into labor, her blood pressure spiked, and the baby began showing signs of distress during contractions.

    “Lauterbach was in real trouble, and we had to act quickly – this wasn’t something that could wait for Monday morning. When you’re pregnant with a baby that’s nearly full-term, your lungs already aren’t functioning at full capacity, and when you add a huge tumor on top of it, you run the risk of having respiratory collapse and cardiac arrest,” said Dr. Lynn Yee, maternal-fetal medicine specialist at Northwestern Medicine in a news release.

    Doctors quickly prepared Lauterbach for extracorporeal life support (ECMO) and performed an emergency C-section, successfully delivering a healthy baby boy.

    “Because of the tumor, the delivery happened so quickly. I was grieving the birth plan I had spent months preparing for, while also dealing with the news of my unexpected diagnosis,” Lauterbach said.

    While her newborn remained in the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit, doctors performed an advanced bronchoscopy on Lauterbach. The procedure revealed that her tumor was stage 3 melanoma, prompting the medical team to immediately begin developing a treatment plan.

    “Lauterbach’s diagnosis was difficult to make because we weren’t sure if the melanoma started in the chest or somewhere else, and there isn’t much literature or published cases on how to best treat tumors like these, so we had to rely on the expertise that we’ve developed here at Northwestern Medicine,” said Dr. Kalvin Lung, a thoracic surgeon with the Northwestern Medicine Canning Thoracic Institute.

    The medical team decided on surgery to remove the tumor. Before the procedure, Lauterbach was given three cycles of immunotherapy which helped shrink the tumor from 13 centimeters to nine centimeters.

    “We think at some point, Lauterbach had a melanoma on her skin and her own immune system took care of it, but not before a cell or two may have escaped and eventually started growing inside her body,” explained Dr. Sunandana Chandra, medical oncologist with the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

    During the surgery, doctors had to remove her right lung parts of the main pulmonary artery, and lymph nodes. “The tumor was sitting on top of Lauterbach’s heart and extended into the right lung, impacting all three lobes and the entire main trunk of the pulmonary artery, which is why we had to remove the right lung,” said Dr. Lung who conducted the surgery along with Dr. Chris Mehta, a cardiac surgeon with the Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute.

    “It’s extremely rare to see this type of tumor invading into the major blood vessels of the heart. We may see something like this once every few years,” Dr. Mehta added.

    Lauterbach’s latest scans show no evidence of metastatic melanoma, and while her cancer remains stable with no new tumors, she will continue immunotherapy treatments for the next year.

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  • Eye Drops Recalled For Possible Fungal Contamination That May Affect Eyesight: FDA Warns

    Eye Drops Recalled For Possible Fungal Contamination That May Affect Eyesight: FDA Warns

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has sounded the alarm on a nationwide recall of Systane brand eye drops, citing potential fungal contamination that could pose serious risks to eyesight.

    Systane Lubricant Eye Drops Ultra PF, commonly used to temporarily relieve burning and irritation caused by dry eye symptoms, is now at the center of a nationwide recall. The product was distributed to multiple retail stores and online platforms.

    Manufacturer Alcon Laboratories initiated the voluntary recall after a consumer reported foreign material inside a sealed single-use vial, which was later identified as fungal contamination.

    “Fungal contamination of an ophthalmic product is known to potentially cause eye infections. If an infection occurs, it may be vision-threatening, and in very rare cases potentially life-threatening in immunocompromised patients,” the FDA stated in a news release.

    The FDA has confirmed that no adverse events related to the recall have been reported so far. However, individuals experiencing quality issues or adverse reactions after using the product are encouraged to report them through the FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program. Complaints can be submitted online, by downloading and mailing the form, or via fax at 1-800-FDA-0178.

    Each cardboard box of the product contains 25 sterile, single-use vials of lubricant solution for ophthalmic use. “The affected Systane Lubricant Eye Drops Ultra PF, Single Vials On-the-Go, 25 count is limited to lot number 10101, expiration date 2025/09. The product can be identified by the green and pink carton design, the presence of “Systane” and “ULTRA PF” brand names on the front of the carton, and the “25 vials” package size,” the news release stated.

    Consumers who still have the products with them are advised to stop usage immediately and return to the place of purchase for a replacement or refund. Those who experience any issues potentially linked to the use of these eye drops should seek advice from a healthcare provider without delay.

    As Alcon conducts its investigation, a spokesperson told NBC News that “the presence of foreign material appears to be isolated to the single unit returned by a customer.” They emphasized that the recall is being carried out, “out of an abundance of caution to prioritize consumer safety.” Those who have issues with the product can also contact them at 800-241-5999.

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  • 12 Questions To Ask Your Doc

    12 Questions To Ask Your Doc

    Kickstart the New Year with better brain health. While several factors influence brain health, improving or protecting brain health is easier than you think. The American Academy of Neurology has identified 12 key factors to protect your brain, and it all starts with a simple conversation with your neurologist or primary care physician.

    “Neurologists are the experts in brain health, with the training and insight needed to help you keep your brain in top shape throughout life,” said Dr. Carlayne E. Jackson, President of the American Academy of Neurology in a news release.

    In the latest online issue of the journal Neurology, the experts explored various factors that may protect brain function and outline a practical framework for screening and preventive interventions.

    To help organize and remember these factors, the researchers created a mnemonic called “SAFEST BRAINS,” where each letter stands for different aspects that may contribute to the development and long-term maintenance of brain health.

    Here are the 12 key factors that come under SAFEST BRAINS and the questions to discuss with your doctor:

    Sleep- Check with the doctor if you are sleep is optimal for brain health.

    Affect, Mood, and Mental Health- Talk to your doctor if you have concerns about your mood, anxiety, or stress.

    Food, Diet, and Supplements-Check with your doctor if you need supplements and whether your diet provides the necessary nutrients.

    Exercise- Discuss your daily or weekly exercise routine and physical activity levels with your doctor.

    Supportive Social Interaction- Talk about your social support system and interactions. This is also a chance to screen for intimate partner abuse.

    Trauma Avoidance- Inquire about occupational risks or fall risks based on your age and life stage.

    Blood Pressure- Have your blood pressure checked at your doctor’s office. Ask about secondary causes of high blood pressure, the relationship between medications and blood pressure, and ways to manage systolic hypertension.

    Risks: Metabolic & Genetic Factors- Discuss your genetic risk with your doctor and learn ways to maintain a healthy weight and control lipids and diabetes.

    Affordability and Adherence: Talk about any issues with the cost of medications and how life transitions might affect your insurance.

    Infection: Ask if you are up to date on vaccines, and discuss your risk of infections from animals, sexually transmitted infections, and travel.

    Negative Exposures: Get screened for tobacco use, pesticides, alcohol, nonprescription substances, and workplace exposures.

    Structural and Social Determinants Of Health: Talk to your doctor about your concerns about housing, transportation, access to care and insurance, or personal safety.

    The experts believe that discussing these key factors with your doctor will enable them to provide advice, medical care, and resources to help improve your brain health.

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  • How Much To Drink For Benefits

    How Much To Drink For Benefits

    Can’t start a day without drinking coffee or tea? Here’s some good news: your morning ritual not only fuels you for the busy day ahead but may also protect you from head and neck cancers.

    Head and neck cancer refers to cancers that develop in areas such as the mouth, throat, nose, and larynx. Although survival rates have improved over the years, the number of people diagnosed with these cancers is rising, especially oropharyngeal cancer, increasing the overall burden in lower-income countries. This highlights the urgent need for prevention.

    Recent research that reviewed 14 studies by different scientists associated with the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology Consortium revealed a reduced cancer risk among daily coffee and tea drinkers, including head and neck cancers, cancers of the oral cavity, and oropharyngeal cancers.

    People who drank more than 4 cups of coffee had a 17% reduced risk of head and neck cancers, a 30% reduced risk of oral cavity cancer, and a 22% lower risk of oropharyngeal cancer. Drinking 3–4 cups daily reduced the risk of hypopharyngeal cancer by 41%.

    “Dose-response relationships were observed between drinking >4 cups of caffeinated coffee daily and decreased risks of HNC and all its subsites,” the researchers wrote in the study published in Cancer, a journal from the American Cancer Society.

    Even decaffeinated coffee drinkers saw benefits, with those consuming up to 1 cup daily reducing their risk of oral cavity cancer by 25%.

    Among daily tea drinkers, consuming up to 1 cup was linked to a 9% reduced risk of head and neck cancers and a 27% reduced risk of hypopharyngeal cancer. However, drinking more than 1 cup was associated with a 38% higher risk of laryngeal cancer.

    “While there has been prior research on coffee and tea consumption and reduced risk of cancer, this study highlighted their varying effects with different sub-sites of head and neck cancer, including the observation that even decaffeinated coffee had some positive impact,” said senior author Dr. Yuan-Chin Amy Lee in a news release.

    “Coffee and tea habits are fairly complex, and these findings support the need for more data and further studies around the impact that coffee and tea can have on reducing cancer risk,” Dr Amy Lee added.

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  • All Set For Holidays? Watch Out For Accidental Poisoning; Here’s How To Keep Kids Safe

    All Set For Holidays? Watch Out For Accidental Poisoning; Here’s How To Keep Kids Safe

    The holiday season is meant for joy, celebration, and cherished moments with loved ones. However, amid the festivities, a hidden danger lurks—accidental poisoning.

    More than 90% of all poison exposures occur in the home, with over half involving children under the age of six. From seasonal plants to cleaning products, many hazards can often be overlooked, especially with curious little ones around. Taking a few simple precautions, such as those offered by the Nebraska Regional Poison Center can ensure your holidays remain stress-free, keeping your family safe from unexpected dangers.

    Here are a few things to take caution of:

    Medications: Accidental ingestion of medicine is one of the leading causes of poisoning in young children. During holiday gatherings, when guests of all ages may be visiting, it is especially important to be vigilant about where medications are stored. Always make sure medicines are securely stored out of reach and out of sight as curious kids might mistake pills or liquids for candy or treats.

    Cleaning products: Cleaning products like disinfectants and cleaners should never be stored on the counter, even though it may seem convenient. When stored in easily accessible areas, children may explore them and accidentally swallow them or spray them on their skin or in their eyes.

    Alcohol: Alcoholic beverages are an inevitable part of Holiday gatherings. All items with alcohol, including hand sanitizers, and perfumes should be kept from sight and reach of kids to prevent accidental ingestion.

    Nicotine: Nicotine exposure in children can have serious and life-threatening consequences. Early signs include agitation, sweating, nausea, vomiting, rapid heartbeat, and seizures. With higher doses, the effects can escalate to a slow heart rate, low blood pressure, respiratory failure, and even coma, making immediate medical intervention essential.

    Food: Caution should be taken while cooking and storing food during gatherings. When preparing meals with frozen meats or other items, always thaw them in the refrigerator and never on countertops to avoid food poisoning. Once the meal is finished, refrigerate or freeze leftovers within two hours, as bacteria grow rapidly at room temperature and can cause illness.

    Plants: Seasonal plants like mistletoe, holly berries, yew plants, and poinsettias, often featured in holiday decor, may seem harmless but can be harmful if ingested.

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