Teen Births May Increase Risk of Obesity Later in Life

FRIDAY, April 19 (HealthDay News) -- Older women who had their first baby when they were teenagers are more likely to be obese than those who were not teen moms, a new study finds.

Researchers analyzed data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and found that 44 percent of women who had their first child when they were teens were obese, compared with 35 percent of those who had their first child at age 20 or later.

After adjusting for a number of factors, such as education level and race/ethnicity, the researchers determined that women who had their first child in their teens were 32 percent more likely to be obese in later adulthood than those who had their first child at age 20 or later.

The study findings were released online in advance of publication in the July print issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

"When clinicians care for teen mothers, we have so many immediate considerations -- child care, housing, school, social and financial support -- that we may fail to consider the long-term health effects of teen pregnancy," lead author Dr. Tammy Chang, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation clinical scholar at the University of Michigan, said in a foundation news release. "What we have found in our study is that teen childbirth carries a long-term risk of obesity."

The teen birth rate in the United States is one of the highest among industrialized countries. Teenagers account for one in every 11 deliveries in the nation, according to 2010 U.S. Census data.

"These findings indicate that we need to start considering the long-term health risks of teen childbirth, as well as short-term risks, in health and policy discussions about teen pregnancy," Chang said. "And now we know that long-term risks include obesity later in adulthood."

Although the study found an association between childbirth in the teen years and greater risk of obesity later in life, it did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship.

-- Robert Preidt
Copyright © 2013 HealthDay. All rights reserved. SOURCE: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, news release, April 15, 2013

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Cities can learn lessons about diabetes from rural areas

Posted June 19, 2013, 11:00 am

City dwellers often think of rural America as a throwback to past “good old days.” But when it comes to obesity and diabetes, people living outside urban areas offer a frightening glimpse of the future.

Last week I had the opportunity to moderate a panel discussion on rural health, sponsored by the Association for Health Care Journalists (AHJC) in Birmingham, Alabama. The discussion highlighted troubling statistics on diabetes, raised some knotty issues, and explored creative solutions.

More than 8% of Americans now have diabetes, a percentage that’s expected to grow along with our waistlines. Diabetes is already the nation’s leading cause of kidney failure, non-traumatic limb amputation, and new cases of blindness. It’s the seventh leading cause of death, and would rank higher if deaths from heart disease accelerated by underlying diabetes were included. What would a much higher diabetes rate look like?

The answer lies just outside nearly every metropolitan area in the diabetes belt that extends across the Southeastern United States. Surrounding Birmingham, Alabama, for example, are several rural counties where about 20% of people have diabetes.

“Diabetes is definitely not distributed evenly across the country,” said Dr. Andrea L. Cherrington, associate professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), pointing to a CDC county-level map of diabetes prevalence. It’s not just rural versus urban, Dr. Cherrington added. Urban areas in the diabetes belt have higher rates of diabetes than urban areas outside of the diabetes belt.

Dr. Cherrington next pointed to a map showing the U.S. counties with the highest levels of obesity. The map looks nearly identical to the diabetes map. The answer to obesity is better nutrition and more exercise. What makes it more difficult to manage weight in rural communities?

The answer to that question will look familiar to anyone who’s been to the less-advantaged parts of any U.S. town or city: barriers to health. These include:

Limited access to health care, especially to specialists such as endocrinologistsMinimal exposure to diabetes educationLimited access to safe sidewalks, exercise facilities, and grocery stores with affordable produce.High rates of poverty.

Such barriers get in the way of exercising, eating a healthy diet, and other healthy lifestyle choices. They also lead to obesity and its many consequences.

“It’s not easy living with diabetes,” Dr. Cherrington said, noting that disease management requires mastering a complex schedule of medications, exercise, self-care, and doctor appointments. “If you overlay this regimen on these barriers to health, it becomes really challenging. If you don’t have resources, it is easy to see how disparity can exist.”

Battling the obesity epidemic has been the life work of panelist Bonnie A. Spear, professor of pediatrics at the University of Alabama, Birmingham, and a nationally recognized expert in child and adolescent obesity.

Spear noted that overweight and obese children and teens tend to become obese adults. Obese children who become obese adults are at extremely high risk of developing diabetes and other chronic conditions.

Too often, Spears argued, we fuss over details such as whether schools should offer chocolate milk rather than whether schools should be allowed to make money from on-campus vending machines, which often sell sugary soft drinks and snacks. Too often, she said, we worry about the cost of providing breakfast and lunch to too many kids when missed breakfast and poor nutrition are linked to lower test scores and difficulty concentrating. And when we worry that U.S. kids are falling behind in academics, physical education classes are the first thing to go—even though fit kids do better at academic subjects than unfit kids. Creating healthy school environments is crucial for preventing obesity and diabetes in the next generation of adults.

When it comes to adults who have diabetes today, one key problem is the lack of primary care physicians. While cities have too few of them, noted Dr. William Curry, associate dean for primary care and rural medicine at the University of Alabama, Birmingham,  the problem often is worse in rural areas, particularly for those who lack transportation.

Part of the answer may be community health workers, Dr. Cherrington suggested. Her work shows that community health workers—lay people trained to provide diabetes education and outreach—can have a major impact on the wellbeing of people with diabetes living in rural areas.

That work has turned her attention to cities, as she now leads Birmingham’s Cities for Life program. Led by the American Academy of Family Physicians, the program borrows from the rural community health worker concept by having doctors refer people with diabetes to “patient navigators” who help them find local resources such as nearby exercise classes or mobile farmers’ markets.

In addition to the clinical component of the program, its community component makes use of a community action team made up of more than 80 organizations drawn from local primary care, health, civic, business, and charitable organizations. A major part of this effort is the mydiabetesconnect.com website, which shows people where to find resources in their own neighborhoods.

Will it work? The program is just a year old, but Dr. Cherrington believes Birmingham eventually will become a model for diabetes control—in both urban and rural areas.

County-by-county maps of diabetes and obesity in the United States prepared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The darker the color, the higher the rate of obesity or diabetes.

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Taylor Swift leads Billboard Music Awards nominations

Taylor Swift, Maroon 5 and fun. lead the nominees at the Billboard Music Awards 2013.

The three acts received 11 nominations each for the annual awards ceremony, which is scheduled to take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on 19 May 2013.

Swift and Maroon 5 will go head-to-head in the Top Artist category. They will compete against Rihanna, who has nine nominations, Justin Bieber and One Direction for the prize.

Meanwhile, fun. are up for Top Hot 100 Song for We Are Young. They are also in the running for awards in the Top Duo/Group an Top Digital Songs Artist categories.

Carly Rae Jepsen received nine nominations, while One Direction secured eight for their albums Up All Night and Take Me Home.

Prince will also be honoured at the ceremony, and will receive the Billboard Icon Award.

The ceremony will include performances from Bruno Mars, Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber. It will be presented by Tracy Morgan.

SEE THE 2013 BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS NOMINATIONS BELOW:

Top Artist
Justin Bieber
Maroon 5
One Direction
Rihanna
Taylor Swift

Top New Artist 
Gotye
Carly Rae Jepsen
The Lumineers
One Direction
PSY

Top Male Artist
Jason Aldean
Justin Bieber
Drake
Flo Rida
Bruno Mars

Top Female Artist
Adele
Carly Rae Jepsen
Nicki Minaj
Rihanna
Taylor Swift

Top Duo/Group 
Coldplay
Fun.
Maroon 5
Mumford & Sons
One Direction

Top Hot 100 Artist 
Flo Rida
Fun.
Maroon 5
Rihanna
Taylor Swift

Top Billboard 200 Artist 
Adele
Justin Bieber
Mumford & Sons
One Direction
Taylor Swift

Top Pop Artist 
Adele
Justin Bieber
Maroon 5
Bruno Mars
One Direction

Top R&B Artist 
Chris Brown
Alicia Keys
Ne-Yo
Rihanna
Usher

Top Rap Artist
Drake
Flo Rida
Nicki Minaj
Pitbull
PSY

Top Country Artist 
Jason Aldean
Luke Bryan
Hunter Hayes
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood

Top Rock Artist 
Coldplay
Fun.
Gotye
Mumford & Sons
Bruce Springsteen

Top Pop Album 
21, Adele
Overexposed, Maroon 5
Take Me Home, One Direction
Up All Night, One Direction
Believe, Justin Bieber

Top R&B Album
Fortune, Chris Brown
Girl on Fire, Alicia Keys
Channel Orange, Frank Ocean
Unapologetic, Rihanna
Looking 4 Myself, Usher

Top Rap Album
Based on a T.R.U. Story, 2 Chainz
Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City, Kendrick Lamar
The Heist, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, Nicki Minaj
God Forgives, I Don't, Rick Ross

Top Country Album 
Night Train, Jason Aldean
Tailgates & Tanlines, Luke Bryan
Tuskegee,  Lionel Richie
Red, Taylor Swift
Blown Away, Carrie Underwood

Top Rock Album
Some Nights, fun.
The Lumineers, The Lumineers
Babel, Mumford & Sons
My Head is an Animal, Of Monsters and Men
The World From The Side of the Moon, Phillip Phillips

Top Pop Song
Lights, Ellie Goulding
Call Me Maybe, Carly Rae Jepsen
One More Night, Maroon 5
Payphone, Maroon 5
Locked Out of Heaven, Bruno Mars

Top R&B Song 
Girl On Fire, Alicia Keys feat. Nicki Minaj
Adorn, Miguel
Thinkin Bout You, Frank Ocean
Diamonds, Rihanna
Heart Attack, Trey Songz

Top Rap Song 
Wild Ones, Flo Rida feat. Sia
Whistle, Flo Rida
Mercy, Kanye West, Big Sean, Pusha T, 2 Chainz
Thrift Shop, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Wanz
Gangnam Style, PSY

Top Country Song 
Drunk On You, Luke Bryan
Springsteen, Eric Church
Cruise, Florida Georgia Line
Wanted, Hunter Hayes
We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together, Taylor Swift

Top Dance Song 
Titanium, David Guetta feat. Sia
Harlem Shake, Baauer
Starships, Nicki Minaj
Gangnam Style, PSY
Where Have You Been, Rihanna

ROCK OF AGED WELL - THE ROCK STARS WHO JUST KEEP GET HOTTER 

SHE'S SO COOL! OUR ODE TO THE ULTIMATE FRONTWOMAN, KAREN O

THE COOLEST CELEBRITY PICS SNAPS AT COACHELLA FESTIVAL

OZZY OSBOURNE & MISS PIGGY? THE STRANGEST MUSICAL COLLABORATIONS. EVER.

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help with weight loss. I'm new at this.

I'm 16 years old. I weigh 155 pounds and am 5'7. I honestly do not know where to begin on my calorie intake. My goal is to lose 20 pounds or at least more muscle. Please help?

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'Clean Your Plate' Orders From Parents May Backfire for Kids

'Controlling' food behavior messages are counterproductive, study finds

By Serena Gordon

HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, April 22 (HealthDay News) -- Although you might think being a member of the "clean plate club" is something that stops when a child is young, new research suggests that up to two-thirds of parents still encourage teenagers to finish all the food on their plates, even if the teen is overweight.

The study found that the use of controlling food behaviors was common in parents of adolescents, with some parents pressuring their kids to eat more and others pressuring their kids to eat less.

Not surprisingly, restrictive behaviors were more common in parents of children who were overweight or obese, while pressure-to-eat behaviors were more common in children who weren't overweight.

"Parents do use high levels of control, such as restriction and pressure to eat," said study author Katie Loth, a registered dietician, doctoral candidate and research assistant at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.

"I was surprised at some of the parent behaviors, like feeling that their children should clean their plates and not waste food," Loth said. "In the 1950s, cleaning your plate meant something different. Portion sizes have gotten bigger over time, and if you encourage kids to rely on environmental indicators, like how much food is on their plates or the time of day, they'll lose the ability to rely on internal cues to know whether they're hungry or full."

Results of the study were released online April 22 and will be published in the May print issue of the journal Pediatrics.

As obesity rates among America's adolescents have been rising, researchers have been looking for factors that might be modifiable to help keep teens at a healthy weight. Parental food-related behaviors, whether it's restricting food or encouraging children to eat more, have long been considered a factor in children's weights.

Loth and her colleagues wanted to look at a diverse group of parents and teens to see if parental food behaviors were, in fact, linked to weight status in teens.

Data for the study came from two population-based studies that included parents and teens. One study was conducted in 2010, and the other was done in 2009 to 2010. A total of more than 2,200 teens with an average age of 14.4 were included in the studies, as well as nearly 3,500 parents.

Examples of restrictive behaviors were positive responses to statements such as, "I have to be sure that my child does not eat too many sweets," or "If I did not guide or regulate my child's eating, he or she would eat too much of his or her favorite food."

Examples of pressure-to-eat behaviors were positive responses to statements such as, "My child should always eat all of the food on his or her plate," or, "If my child says, 'I am not hungry,' I try to get him or her to eat anyway."

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Kourtney Kardashian at E! Upfront

Kourtney has long been (whisper it) our favourite Kardashian style-wise; just take a look at this outfit - the simple but chic croc print shift, statement necklace and nude courts spell out a fashion DO in our eyes. 

Kim & Kanye's Style Evolution

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Kids With Autism May Find Human Voice Unpleasant

MRI shows weaker connection to brain's reward center in those who have high-functioning autism

By Amy Norton

HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, June 17 (HealthDay News) -- A new brain-imaging study could help explain why children with autism have difficulty with verbal communication: They may not get much pleasure from the human voice.

Researchers found that those with the disorder showed weaker connections between the brain's voice-processing areas and its "reward" centers compared to those without.

That suggests that kids with autism do not get the same pleasure from the human voice that typically developing children do, researchers said.

"When we speak, we don't only convey information, we convey emotion and social cues," said Daniel Abrams, a researcher at Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif., who led the new study.

It's well known that children with autism have difficulty reading those cues and having conversations. And children with more severe autism may be completely indifferent to the sound of the human voice.

There are competing theories on why that is, Abrams said. "One theory is that, although these children have normal hearing, there's a problem in the brain's sound processing," he explained.

Another theory is that "social cues," including other people's speech, don't hit the brain's reward system in the typical way. "Our findings support this idea," Abrams said. "There may be some deficit in the brain circuitry related to reward."

The findings, published online Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, are based on a type of brain imaging called functional MRI, which allows researchers to measure brain activity by watching changes in blood flow.

The investigators took scans of 20 children who were on average 10 years old and had "high-functioning" autism: all had normal IQs and speaking and reading skills, but had trouble conversing and grasping "emotional cues" in other people's voices. The researchers also scanned 19 kids without autism who were in the same age and IQ range.

The researchers found that the children with autism showed a weaker connection between an area of the brain that responds to the human voice and two other brain regions that release the "feel-good" chemical dopamine in response to rewards.

On top of that, there was a weaker link between the brain's voice processors and the amygdala -- a brain region involved in emotion, including the ability to perceive emotional cues from others.

An expert not involved in the work said the findings give more insight into the underpinnings of autism, which affects an estimated one in 50 U.S. kids aged 6 to 17, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"This is an elegant approach to using neuroimaging to better understand [autism]," said Dr. Andrew Adesman, chief of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at Steven and Alexandra Cohen Children's Medical Center of New York, in New Hyde Park.

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Talking About Your Psoriasis to Others

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By Peter Jaret

Reviewed By Stephanie S. Gardner, MD

One of the challenges of psoriasis is having to explain your skin condition to others. Most people don't know much about psoriasis, and many fear it's contagious.

"That can make the job of explaining why your skin looks the way it does especially difficult," says Julie Nelligan, PhD, a Portland-based psychologist who specializes in counseling people with psoriasis and other chronic conditions. "There's something about skin conditions that make people uneasy."

It's important to know how to explain your psoriasis to others for your own health, as well. Managing psoriasis can be stressful, and stress can make your psoriasis worse. For better or worse, psoriasis can be an important part of your life.

"The more people around you know about it, the more support you'll get," says Linda Cornish, a dermatology nurse who works with psoriasis patients at Kaiser-Permanente Medical Center Oakland. "And being open and honest can make you feel less self-conscious."

Here are six tips to help you talk about your psoriasis to friends and coworkers.

1. Choose the right time to bring up psoriasis.

Because talking about psoriasis can be awkward, it's important to choose a time and place where you will feel most comfortable. "If you're relaxed and at ease, the person you're talking to is more likely to feel at ease," says Nelligan. The right setting is likely to depend in part on the person you're talking to. With a co-worker, you may want to bring up the subject during a work break or over lunch. If you're talking to someone you've begun dating, you may want to arrange a special time to talk.

2. Think through what you want to say about your psoriasis.

Preparing for your conversation can help make it easier to say exactly what you want to say. Chances are you'll also feel more relaxed. The amount of information you give will depend on who you're talking with. A co-worker may need to know only what psoriasis is and the fact that it's not contagious. Your boss might need to know about your treatments if that means taking time off from work. When talking to a date, you may want to explain what living with psoriasis is like for you.

For especially delicate conversations, try rehearsing what you plan to say with someone who already knows and cares about you, such as a parent or a spouse. "A loved one can help you choose the right words and decide on the appropriate amount of information," says Nelligan. "Having a loved one to turn to can also be helpful if the conversation you have doesn't go as smoothly as you'd hoped."

3. Address people's worries about psoriasis upfront.

Because a big concern people have is that psoriasis is contagious, start by reassuring them that it isn't. Explain that psoriasis is a chronic condition caused by an abnormal immune reaction. You may want to explain what psoriasis feels like and what the treatments involve. "Be sensitive to people's reactions," says Nelligan. "If the person you're talking to seems uneasy, tell them just what you think they need to know and move on to something else. You can always bring the subject up again later." In some cases, it may be helpful to refer people to good sources of information online.

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Evidence indicates that psoriasis is more than just a skin disease. See what people with psoriasis should know.

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I feel like my body is falling apart, any advice?

symptoms:

knee pain, joint pain in general, I don't have my period at all, anemia, headaches, fatigue, diahrea/indigestion/bloating/undigested food and blood in stool/ tooth aches/ hair loss/ abdominal cramping as well as outrageous appetite (trying to control my binges), frequent thirst, pains in liver area, and sometimes it hurts to swallow foods like bread and peanut butter.

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Many Parents Text, Phone With Kids in Car: Survey

FRIDAY, April 19 (HealthDay News) -- Nearly two-thirds of adults use a cell phone when they're driving with children in the car, and about one-third text, according to a new California survey.

The dangers of such behavior are well-documented. In 2011, about 3,300 deaths and 400,000 injuries in the United States occurred because of distracted driving, according to experts in the driving safety program at the University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine.

Their online survey of 715 drivers, aged 30 to 64, in San Diego County revealed that many people either are unaware of the dangers of distracted driving or choose to ignore them.

"Studies have shown that phoning and driving increases the risk of crashes four-fold, with hands-free and handheld devices equally dangerous; this is the same as driving with a blood alcohol content at the legal limit of .08. Texting increases this risk eight to 16 times," Dr. Linda Hill, a clinical professor in the department of family and preventive medicine at UCSD School of Medicine, said in a university news release.

"[These findings] highlight the dangerous behavior of adults driving distracted, especially with children in the car, exposing both themselves and their children to increased risk for a crash," Hill said.

Of the more than 500 people in the survey who said they drive an average of one to two hours a day, 30 percent said they use cell phones for talking, texting and other applications sometimes or often. Fifty-three percent said they rarely do so, and 17 percent said they never do.

Fifty-six percent of respondents reported driving with a handheld phone and 92 percent with a hands-free phone.

Among the respondents with children younger than age 11 in the car, 65 percent drive with a cell phone and 36 percent text. Of those with children aged 12 to 17 in the car, 63 percent drive with a cell phone and 31 percent text. People with children younger than age 11 in the car were significantly more likely to text and to talk on a handheld phone, according to the survey.

The survey also found that 31 percent of respondents said they feel obligated to take a work-related call while driving.

"Employers should be aware that encouraging workers to initiate and receive calls while driving on the job is putting their employees at risk and exposing their companies to potential liability," Hill said.

-- Robert Preidt
Copyright © 2013 HealthDay. All rights reserved. SOURCE: University of California, San Diego, Health Sciences, news release, April 10, 2013

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cutting calories

If you limit yourself to 1900 calories a day, does the food you eat matter as long as you're only eating 1900 a day?

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Popular Cinnamon Stunt Can Have Serious Lung Effects

Researchers warn that highly cited kids' 'challenge' can land them in the ER

By Amy Norton

HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, April 22 (HealthDay News) -- As if parents didn't have enough to worry about, it seems a growing number of kids are taking the "Cinnamon Challenge" -- a stunt that has landed some in the ER, pediatricians warn.

The Cinnamon Challenge sounds simple but is almost impossible: Swallow a tablespoon of ground cinnamon in 60 seconds without the help of a drink. Invariably, the taker ends up gagging and coughing up the spice -- creating a big brown cloud dubbed "dragon breath."

Onlookers apparently find it funny, said Dr. Steven Lipshultz, a pediatrics professor at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine in Florida. There are over 51,000 YouTube clips of the stunt -- one of which was viewed more than 19 million times as of last August, Lipshultz and his colleagues report in the May issue of Pediatrics.

But it could be dangerous for the person who downs the cinnamon.

Usually, people suffer no more than burning in the throat, mouth and nose, and a bad cough. But, Lipshultz said, ground cinnamon can be inhaled into the lungs, and some kids have ended up in the ER with problems as serious as a collapsed lung.

"We wanted to bring this to people's attention," Lipshultz said. "This seems to be an increasing problem, and based on animal studies, there's the potential for lasting effects (on the lungs)."

In animal studies, he and his colleagues noted, a single dose of cinnamon "dust" has been found to trigger lasting lung inflammation, thickening and scarring.

Cinnamon is composed of cellulose fibers that do not break down if they enter the lungs, according to Lipshultz. No one knows if Cinnamon Challenge takers face any risk of long-term lung damage, but there is evidence of immediate risks.

In 2011, Lipshultz's team said, U.S. poison control centers fielded 51 calls related to the stunt. In just the first half of 2012, there were 122 calls linked to "misuse or abuse" of the spice.

At least 30 challenge takers have needed medical attention, according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers.

Late last year, ER doctors at the Loyola University Health System in Maywood, Ill., saw about a dozen 9-year-olds who'd tried the stunt.

Dry, loose cinnamon can burn and irritate the mucous membranes that line the digestive and respiratory tracts, including the lungs. One concern is that the powder will be inhaled into the lungs, said Dr. Christina Hantsch, a toxicologist with the Loyola emergency department.

Another worry is that, if a challenge taker throws up -- as they often do -- vomit will be inhaled back into lungs, Hantsch added. That could lead to inflammation and infection known as aspiration pneumonia.

Lipshultz said the jump in calls to poison control centers in 2012 coincided with the surge in Cinnamon Challenge videos on YouTube. And the number of Google hits on the topic rose from 0.2 million in 2009 to 2.4 million in the first half of 2012.

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Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA): Best and Worst Supplements and Herbs

WebMD explains which supplements and herbs may help relieve rheumatoid arthritis symptoms and which ones you should not take.By Karen Springen
WebMD Feature

At 35, Chicago flight attendant Michele Mason says her bones felt like “pins and needles” were in them, and her hands were so swollen that she found it difficult to put on her infant son’s socks. Her knees ached, too. “I couldn’t even get out of the bathtub by myself,” she says.

When her doctor suspected rheumatoid arthritis, Mason worried that traditional medicines might not be good for her breastfeeding baby. So with her doctor’s blessing, she took a very low-dose steroid and turned to herbs and supplements, including boswellia (Indian frankincense) and fish oil, to help relieve the pain and inflammation.

A year later, her diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis was confirmed. “I was happier to go with what I felt was a safer route with herbs,” she says. “While they didn’t make it go away, they did give me some relief."   

Like Mason, about 30% of patients surveyed from North Carolina with rheumatoid arthritis have tried supplements, according to a study in Preventing Chronic Disease . “And use is increasing,” says study co-author Leigh Callahan, PhD, associate professor of medicine, orthopaedics and social medicine at the Thurston Arthritis Research Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

So what are the best herbs and supplements for RA? And, are they safe? Here's what you need to know. 

First, know that herbs and supplements haven't been studied in the same way that prescription medicines for RA have. “There’s a tremendous disconnect between their widespread usage and people’s belief in their efficacy compared to what we’ve actually proven scientifically,” says Chaim Putterman, MD, chief of rheumatology at Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

That is changing as the National Institutes of Health has a well-established center dedicated to studying complementary and alternative medicine . In the meantime, experts say that although some herbs and supplements may help relieve inflammation, they're best used in combination with RA medicines. “It’s not a good reason to throw out their disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs," says William St. Clair, interim chief of the division of rheumatology at Duke University Medical Center.”

Always talk to your doctor first, because herbs and supplements may interfere with other medicines you are taking. Remember, too, that since they are not regulated in the same way that drugs are, you cannot always be sure what you are buying, says St. Clair.

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) recommends that women who are pregnant or nursing, or those considering CAM use in children use extra caution and consult their health care provider.

With that in mind, here are the herbs and supplements some experts suggest for RA.

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Popular Cinnamon Stunt Can Have Serious Lung Effects

By Amy Norton
HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, April 22 (HealthDay News) -- As if parents didn't have enough to worry about, it seems a growing number of kids are taking the "Cinnamon Challenge" -- a stunt that has landed some in the ER, pediatricians warn.

The Cinnamon Challenge sounds simple but is almost impossible: Swallow a tablespoon of ground cinnamon in 60 seconds without the help of a drink. Invariably, the taker ends up gagging and coughing up the spice -- creating a big brown cloud dubbed "dragon breath."

Onlookers apparently find it funny, said Dr. Steven Lipshultz, a pediatrics professor at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine in Florida. There are over 51,000 YouTube clips of the stunt -- one of which was viewed more than 19 million times as of last August, Lipshultz and his colleagues report in the May issue of Pediatrics.

But it could be dangerous for the person who downs the cinnamon.

Usually, people suffer no more than burning in the throat, mouth and nose, and a bad cough. But, Lipshultz said, ground cinnamon can be inhaled into the lungs, and some kids have ended up in the ER with problems as serious as a collapsed lung.

"We wanted to bring this to people's attention," Lipshultz said. "This seems to be an increasing problem, and based on animal studies, there's the potential for lasting effects (on the lungs)."

In animal studies, he and his colleagues noted, a single dose of cinnamon "dust" has been found to trigger lasting lung inflammation, thickening and scarring.

Cinnamon is composed of cellulose fibers that do not break down if they enter the lungs, according to Lipshultz. No one knows if Cinnamon Challenge takers face any risk of long-term lung damage, but there is evidence of immediate risks.

In 2011, Lipshultz's team said, U.S. poison control centers fielded 51 calls related to the stunt. In just the first half of 2012, there were 122 calls linked to "misuse or abuse" of the spice.

At least 30 challenge takers have needed medical attention, according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers.

Late last year, ER doctors at the Loyola University Health System in Maywood, Ill., saw about a dozen 9-year-olds who'd tried the stunt.

Dry, loose cinnamon can burn and irritate the mucous membranes that line the digestive and respiratory tracts, including the lungs. One concern is that the powder will be inhaled into the lungs, said Dr. Christina Hantsch, a toxicologist with the Loyola emergency department.

Another worry is that, if a challenge taker throws up -- as they often do -- vomit will be inhaled back into lungs, Hantsch added. That could lead to inflammation and infection known as aspiration pneumonia.

Lipshultz said the jump in calls to poison control centers in 2012 coincided with the surge in Cinnamon Challenge videos on YouTube. And the number of Google hits on the topic rose from 0.2 million in 2009 to 2.4 million in the first half of 2012.

Plus, it's not only teenagers who are flaunting their encounters with the Cinnamon Challenge. Celebrities and even politicians have posted their own videos, both Lipshultz and Hantsch pointed out.

"And then if their peers start doing it, too, kids feel social pressure to try it," Lipshultz said.

What can parents do, short of locking up the spice rack? Hantsch suggested parents pay attention to what their kids are viewing online, and talk with them about the potential dangers of this seemingly harmless stunt.

Lipshultz agreed. If kids know there are serious risks, they might be dissuaded. "Our hope is that if they have the information, they'll make smarter decisions," he said.

Cinnamon is not the only spice of abuse, however. Ground nutmeg -- when snorted, smoked or eaten in large amounts -- can create a marijuana-like high, Hantsch noted.

Unfortunately, she added, "there are many household items that can be abused."

Those range from glue to hand sanitizers to aerosol cooking sprays -- and even marshmallows. A challenge popular with kids, Hantsch said, is the "Chubby Bunny," where you shove as many marshmallows into your mouth as possible, then try to say the words "chubby bunny."

At least two children have choked to death trying the stunt, she added.

Copyright © 2013 HealthDay. All rights reserved. SOURCES: Steven Lipshultz, M.D., professor, pediatrics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine; Christina Hantsch, M.D., toxicologist, emergency medicine, Loyola University Health System, Maywood, Ill.; April 22, 2013, Pediatrics, online

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