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.

Help gay youth get a healthy start in life. 

Click here.

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.

         

Help gay youth get a healthy start in life. 

Click here.

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.

 

Your amazing brain in clear, everyday language

Healing the Brain: Stress, Trauma and Development

“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. 

 

Your amazing brain in clear, everyday language

Healing the Brain: Stress, Trauma and Development

“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

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.

 

Your amazing brain in clear, everyday language

Healing the Brain: Stress, Trauma and Development

“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

ORDER HERE

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.

Your amazing brain in clear, everyday language

Healing the Brain: Stress, Trauma and Development

“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

ORDER HERE

Barrientos' lab studies how everyday life events -- such as surgery, an infection or, in this case, an unhealthy diet -- might trigger inflammation in the aging brain, with a specific focus on the hippocampus and amygdala regions. This work builds on her previous research suggesting a short-term, high-fat diet can lead to memory loss and brain inflammation in older animals, and that DHA levels are lower in the hippocampus and amygdala of the aged rat brain.

Children who eat more fruit and veggies have better mental health

Date:

September 28, 2021

Source:

University of East Anglia

Summary:

New research finds that children who eat more fruit and veg have better mental health. The study is the first to investigate the association between fruit and vegetable intakes, breakfast and lunch choices, and mental wellbeing in UK school children. The research team studied data from almost 9,000 children in 50 schools. They found that the types of breakfast and lunch eaten by both primary and secondary school pupils were significantly important. 

Children who eat a better diet, packed with fruit and vegetables, have better mental wellbeing -- according to new research from the University of East Anglia.

A new study published today is the first to investigate the association between fruit and vegetable intakes, breakfast and lunch choices, and mental wellbeing in UK school children.

It shows how eating more fruit and veg is linked with better wellbeing among secondary school pupils in particular. And children who consumed five or more portions of fruit and veg a day had the highest scores for mental wellbeing.

 

Your amazing brain in clear, everyday language

Healing the Brain: Stress, Trauma and Development

“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

The study was led by UEA Health and Social Care Partners in collaboration with Norfolk County Council.The research team say that public health strategies and school policies should be developed to ensure that good quality nutrition is available to all children before and during school to optimise mental wellbeing and empower children to fulfil their full potential.

Lead researcher Prof Ailsa Welch, from UEA's Norwich Medical School, said: "We know that poor mental wellbeing is a major issue for young people and is likely to have long-term negative consequences.

"The pressures of social media and modern school culture have been touted as potential reasons for a rising prevalence of low mental wellbeing in children and young people.

"And there is a growing recognition of the importance of mental health and wellbeing in early life -- not least because adolescent mental health problems often persist into adulthood, leading to poorer life outcomes and achievement.

 

Your amazing brain in clear, everyday language

Healing the Brain: Stress, Trauma and Development

“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

"While the links between nutrition and physical health are well understood, until now, not much has been known about whether nutrition plays a part in children's emotional wellbeing. So, we set out to investigate the association between dietary choices and mental wellbeing among schoolchildren."