Nancy Shute  

 

Topics by Nancy Shute

Food

Lard Is Back In The Larder, But Hold The Health Claims



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By Nancy Shute
Although some tout lard as a "healthy" animal fat, it's still high in saturated fat, like butter. So eating a lot of it is not really good for you. But tasters agree, it makes a darn fine pie crust.
Health

How Work Is Messing Up Your Sleep



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By Nancy Shute
People working more than one job or working more than 40 hours a week are sleeping less than most. Divorced and separated people are short on sleep, too, while working the night shift can wreck your sleep habits and hurt your health.
Food

Cooking Up Change: How Food Helped Fuel The Civil Rights Movement



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By Nancy Shute
Sit-ins at lunch counters helped galvanize the movement. Proceeds from bake sales supported bus boycotters; many customers were segregationists unaware they were strengthening the movement they opposed with every cake they bought.
Food

When 'Budget' Foods Start To Eat Away At The Wallet



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By Nancy Shute
The cost of budget-friendly foods like ground beef, potatoes and eggs soared 10 percent over the past year, pinching household budgets even harder. Blame bad weather, export competition and the fact that more people are cooking at home to save money. This year may be a bit better, but not much.
Food

What A Global Flavor Map Can Tell Us About How We Pair Foods



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By Nancy Shute
If you think all American food tastes alike, you may be on to something. A chemical analysis of flavors around the world found that Americans cook with flavors that are chemically similar, like eggs, milk, and vanilla, while East Asians go for chemical contrast. Think shrimp and lemon.
Food

Farewell To Argentina's Famed Beef



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By Nancy Shute
Over the past decade, Argentina's cattlemen have quietly shifted their cows from grass to grain. Blame soaring world prices for commodities like soybeans, as well as government policies discouraging export. Argentine chefs say the switch to grain-fed beef marks the loss of a cultural icon.
Health

Teens And Tweens Find They Too Need Vaccines To Attend School



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By Nancy Shute
The HPV vaccine has been attracting all the controversy lately, but dozens of states mandate that teens and preteens get other vaccines. California is in the midst of getting 3 million children immunized for whooping cough, in an effort to stop an outbreak there.
Health

Fear of Antidepressants Leads People To Shun Treatment



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By Nancy Shute
Many people don't want to tell their doctor that they have symptoms of depression. And they've got a variety of reasons: fear of antidepressants, fear of being sent to a psychiatrist and worries about the confidentiality of medical records.
Health

SpongeBob May Be Too Speedy For Preschool Brains



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By Nancy Shute
Children who watched the fast-paced cartoon SpongeBob SquarePants did less well on tests of attention and memory, according to new research. Children who watched a slower PBS show, and children who colored, did better. Other studies have show long-term effects from fast-paced or violent shows.
Health

Even If Chocolate Doesn't Ward Off Heart Disease, It's Still Yummy



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By Nancy Shute
Chocolate still isn't proven to prevent heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. But people who eat a lot of it are less likely to have those health problems, according to a new study in the British Medical Journal. The fat and sugar in chocolate treats may negate any health benefits in chocolate.
Health

Tinnitus: Why Won't My Ears Stop Ringing?



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By Nancy Shute
Ringing in the ears, or tinnitus, can be so annoying that a person can't sleep, think, or work. It's a common problem for veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. For a long time, doctors thought tinnitus was a problem in the ears. They now think it's more of a problem in the brain.
Health

A Baby's Skin Is No Match For The Sun



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By Nancy Shute
Almost all the studies on sun exposure and sunscreen have been done in adults, which makes it difficult for doctors to make recommendations grounded in evidence for youngsters. Still, it's clear that the sensitive skin of infants and toddlers needs protection.
Your Health

Foraging The Weeds For Wild, Healthy Greens



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By Nancy Shute
Most people only eat a few different vegetables on a regular basis. But urban foragers say most areas of the United States have at least 75 edible, wild vegetables available for picking through the year. Adding wild foods — especially greens — to the typical American diet can provide flavor, nutrition, and variety.
Health

What Comes First: Depression In Teens Or Emo Music?



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By Nancy Shute
Teenagers are more likely to be depressed if they spend a lot of time listening to music, while teens who read a lot are less depressed, according to new research.
Health

Marijuana May Impair Thinking While Relieving Other MS Symptoms



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By Nancy Shute
A study of multiple sclerosis patients suggests that marijuana smoked to relieve pain may worsen cognitive impairment, a common problem for people with the illness. Researchers say the results are a cause for concern.
Health

Infrequent Sex, Exercise May Raise Risk Of Heart Attack



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By Nancy Shute
Doing a lot more exercise or having a lot more sex would actually reduce the risk of heart attacks, researchers say. And people who are regularly physically active gain benefits that far outweigh that small risk.
Health

Old-Time Methods Yield Spring Greens All Winter



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By Nancy Shute
Farmers Zachariah Lester and Georgia O'Neal grow tasty spring greens all winter long using ancient farming methods perfected by Europeans in the 1800s. And they do it without artificial light or heat.
Your Health

Say Aaa! Then Zzz: Tonsillectomy Helps Kids Sleep



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By Nancy Shute
Enlarged tonsils (and adenoids) are usually to blame when children have trouble breathing during sleep. So doctors are recommending tonsillectomy as a way to open up kids' blocked airways.
Health

Zinc May Help Fight Cold Symptoms After All



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By Nancy Shute
The latest review of the medical evidence about zinc finds that it can reduce the length of a cold by about a day, and helps reduce the severity of symptoms, too.
Health

For Kids, Self-Control Factors Into Future Success



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By Nancy Shute
Social scientists say three things matter for success in life: IQ, family's socioeconomic status and one thing that's easy to influence: self-control. A child's self-control in preschool helps predict possible health, substance abuse and financial problems later in life, researchers found.
Health

Moms Who Can't Nurse Find Milk Donors Online



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By Nancy Shute
Health officials say that moms participating in milk exchanges like those organized on Facebook are endangering their babies' health. But the moms say they're giving their children the healthiest possible start in life.

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