BalogBlog

Tuesday, November 23, 2021

Positive LGBTQ Self Images Save Lives

LGBTQ + positive self-images matter and save lives

Dr. Bill Buffie, an Indiana interrnist and a gay-rights supporter, tells the terrible story of a lesbian young woman who refused to see a doctor, because she was terrified of coming out to one, even a woman. Indiana is conservative country and this woman was raised to live in shame about her sexuality.

Having missed routine breast care screenings, she developed a large metastatic breast tumor. It quickly became untreatable and she died at age 32.

What are barriers to health care for LGBTQ people?

Access to care. LGBTQ+ people have less access to the health care they need. They are:

Less likely to have health insurance.
More likely to delay getting care, especially in older LGBTQ+ adults.
More likely to report lack of cultural competence by health care providers.
More likely to report poor quality of care and unfair treatment by healthcare providers.

What causes these disparities?

There are many causes of the health disparities faced by LGBTQ+ people. These include:

The minority status of LGBTQ+ people
A lack of specific education and training for health care workers
A lack of clinical research on LGBTQ+ health-related issues
Restrictive health benefits
Limited role models
Fear due to stigma, discrimination, and institutional bias in the health care system.

Friday, November 19, 2021

LGBTQ+ Health Disparities Part 1

LGBTQ+ youth face crises of mental and physical health that can last a lifetime.

(First published on Cigna.com)

Health disparities are differences in health between different groups of people. LGBTQ+ people experience a number of health disparities. They're at higher risk of certain conditions, have less access to health care, and have worse health outcomes. These disparities are seen in the areas of behavioral health, physical health, and access to care.

Behavioral health. Behavioral health includes mental health, substance abuse, and addiction. LGBTQ+ people are at greater risk of:

Suicide and suicidal thoughts
Mood disorders and anxiety
Eating disorders
Alcohol and substance abuse
Tobacco use

Physical health. LGBTQ+ people are at greater risk for certain conditions, diseases, and infections:

Gay and bisexual men are more likely to have HIV/AIDS.
Transgender Women, Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino men have the highest risk for HIV infection.
Older LGBTQ+ adults are more likely to rate their health as poor and report more chronic conditions while having less social support.
Lesbian and bisexual women are more likely to be obese.
LGBTQ+ people are less likely to have a regular health care provider.
Lesbian and bisexual women have higher rates of breast cancer, and transgender men and women are at greater risk.
LGBTQ+ people have higher rates of HPV infection and related cervical or anal cancers.

Wednesday, October 27, 2021

The health benefits of your PB&J

Peanut butter jelly time: How healthy is the American classic?

First published in USA Today

The peanut butter and jelly sandwich dates back to a 1901 recipe. A PB&J can have 12 grams of protein, 18 grams of sugar and 390 calories. Experts say the sandwich can be part of a healthy meal, depending on how it's made.

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches do it all. The sandwich has maintained its popularity for decades. It's spurred on the creation of products like Uncrustables, a circular, freezable version of the sandwich without – you guessed it – the crust.

“Easy to read. Difficult to put down.”--Micheal J. Colucciello, Jr., NY State pharmaceutical researcher, retired.

“David Balog takes a subject fraught with difficulty and makes it simple and accessible to everyone. The book goes a long way in helping one understand how and why and in what ways stress affects how we live and cope. Invaluable.”--Jessica Hudson, former president, National Association of Former Foster Children

According to "Peanuts: The Illustrious History of the Goober Pea," written by Andrew F. Smith, the first reference to the sandwich was a recipe written by a woman named Julia Davis Chandler in 1901.

Since then, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches have maintained their place as an iconic part of many American school lunches. The protein-rich peanut butter makes it a parent go-to, and kids love the sweet taste of jelly.

But just how healthy is this American classic? We asked experts.

Let's talk nutrition

The three ingredient sandwich seems fairly straight forward, but great debate surrounds the PB&J. Crunchy peanut butter or smooth? Grape jelly or strawberry? Crust on or crust off?

Because of this, the exact nutritional details will depend on how you make your PB&J.

For argument's sake, let's breakdown the typical sandwich.

Two slices of white bread have about 5 grams of protein and 3 grams of sugar. Two tablespoons of peanut butter contain about 7 grams of protein and 3 grams of sugar, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. One tablespoon of grape jelly has 12 grams of sugar. In total, a run-of-the-mill PB&J has about 12 grams of protein and 18 grams of sugar, coming out to around 390 calories.

How to make your PB&J healthier

Making this signature snack better for you can happen with just a few substitutions, especially when it comes to the most sugary part.

"Healthy would be a small amount of a low sugar jelly or better yet not jelly at all but perhaps a banana instead," said Dr. Natalie Muth, a pediatrician, registered dietitian and spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Making smart choices when it comes to which bread is used is important, too.

Choosing a whole grain bread can contribute more protein and fiber.

As for the "PB," choosing a natural peanut butter is just as important as the amount you put on the sandwich.

And for those allergic to peanuts or other types of nuts, sunflower seed butter can be a healthy and safe alternative.

“Easy to read. Difficult to put down.”--Micheal J. Colucciello, Jr., NY State pharmaceutical researcher, retired.

Wednesday, October 20, 2021

Better memory: Avoid junk food

Study in animals suggests omega-3 may reduce effects

Date:

October 14, 2021

Source:

Ohio State University

Summary:

Four weeks on a diet of highly processed food led to a strong inflammatory response in the brains of aging rats that was accompanied by behavioral signs of memory loss, a new study has found. Researchers also found that supplementing the processed diet with the omega-3 fatty acid DHA prevented memory problems and reduced the inflammatory effects almost entirely in older rats.

FULL STORY

Four weeks on a diet of highly processed food led to a strong inflammatory response in the brains of aging rats that was accompanied by behavioral signs of memory loss, a new study has found.

Researchers also found that supplementing the processed diet with the omega-3 fatty acid DHA prevented memory problems and reduced the inflammatory effects almost entirely in older rats.

Neuroinflammation and cognitive problems were not detected in young adult rats that ate the processed diet.

“Easy to read. Difficult to put down.”--Micheal J. Colucciello, Jr., NY State pharmaceutical researcher, retired.

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The study diet mimicked ready-to-eat human foods that are often packaged for long shelf lives, such as potato chips and other snacks, frozen entrees like pasta dishes and pizzas, and deli meats containing preservatives.

Highly processed diets are also associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes, suggesting older consumers might want to scale back on convenience foods and add foods rich in DHA, such as salmon, to their diets, researchers say -- especially considering harm to the aged brain in this study was evident in only four weeks.

"The fact we're seeing these effects so quickly is a little bit alarming," said senior study author Ruth Barrientos, an investigator in The Ohio State University Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research and associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral health.

"These findings indicate that consumption of a processed diet can produce significant and abrupt memory deficits -- and in the aging population, rapid memory decline has a greater likelihood of progressing into neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. By being aware of this, maybe we can limit processed foods in our diets and increase consumption of foods that are rich in the omega-3 fatty acid DHA to either prevent or slow that progression."

The research is published in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity.