Don't Overlook Head Trauma

Bob Saget Died of ‘Head Trauma’: Here’s How to Be Safe After a Head Injury

Korin Miller

Fans were stunned last month when news broke that comedian Bob Saget was found dead in his Florida hotel room. The 65-year-old Full House alum’s cause of death wasn’t available immediately, but his family recently revealed information from the coroner’s report.

“The authorities have determined that Bob passed from head trauma. They have concluded that he accidentally hit the back of his head on something, thought nothing of it and went to sleep,” Saget’s family said in a statement to CNN. “No drugs or alcohol were involved.”

The statement continued, “Now that we have the final conclusions from the authorities’ investigation, we felt it only proper that the fans hear those conclusions directly from us. As we continue to mourn together, we ask everyone to remember the love and laughter that Bob brought to this world, and the lessons he taught us all: to be kind to everyone, to let the people you love know you love them, and to face difficult times with hugs and laughter.”

As a cyclist, you’ve probably fallen off your bike and hit your head. But given the cause of Bob Saget’s death, you probably have questions about what to do after hitting your head—including when it’s safe to go to sleep after hitting your head—and it’s fair. Here’s what you need to know.

How can someone die after hitting their head?

Head trauma can cause bleeding in the head and brain, and that’s usually what can lead to someone’s death, says Justin Johnson, M.D., an emergency medicine physician and critical care expert at Mercy Medical Center’s Emergency Department in Baltimore, Maryland. “The bleeding usually causes compression of vital areas of the brain and the nerves responsible for automatic functions of breathing and the heart,” he says. “Without those, people cannot live.”

Garni Barkhoudarian, M.D., a neurosurgeon and associate professor of neuroscience and neurosurgery at the Pacific Neuroscience Institute at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California, says that a subdural hematoma, which is a buildup of blood on the surface of the brain, is “the most common thing we see” when it comes to serious head injuries that can lead to death. That’s especially true for people in their 60s and older, he says. “Those blood vessels that connect the brain to the skull are a little more frail and prone to injury in older people,” he says.

How can you know if you’re OK after hitting your head?

This can be “a challenge,” says Amit Sachdev, M.D., medical director in the department of neurology at Michigan State University. He adds, “Factors such as the nature of the injury, the height from which is was sustained, the presence of an injury to the scalp, and the presence of neurologic symptoms all make a difference.”

Johnson agrees. “It’s difficult to say if the head trauma is nothing to worry about,” he says. He also notes that the sides of the head have the thinnest bone and the back of your head covers “vital structures”—getting hit in either of those spots should raise concern.

There’s a wide range of potential head injuries that can happen as a result of getting hit in the head, spanning from getting a bump or bruise to developing internal bleeding and brain damage, Johns Hopkins Medicine points out.

There are a lot of different symptoms you can experience after developing a head injury. Johns Hopkins Medicine lists the following as potential issues after a mild head injury:

Symptoms of a head injury can show up right away or they can develop slowly over several hours or days, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. There’s also this to consider: A person’s head may look fine, but they could have bleeding or swelling inside the skull.

When is it safe to go to sleep after hitting your head?

This is also “very hard to tell,” Sachdev says. “The key question is, ‘Why are you going to sleep and would it be normal to go to sleep at this time of day?’” he says. “If the answer is “no,” then you need to consider if sleepiness is a neurologic symptom.”

If you had a significant head trauma, you’re older than 65 or younger than 18, you lost consciousness after your injury, or you use blood thinners, Johnson recommends getting checked out before you go to bed. “Not going to sleep before the evaluation is recommended in those situations,” he says. But, he points out, if you’re just not feeling right after getting hit in the head, it’s also a good idea to get yourself checked before conking out.

Keep in mind, though, that there’s nothing about sleep in particular that would make your head injury worse—it’s just that you may not realize your symptoms are getting worse when you’re asleep, says Daniel Bachmann, M.D., an emergency medicine physician at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. “You can have a bad outcome regardless,” he says. “It’s not like sleep specifically is what ends up causing the problem.”

If it’s a normal bedtime, you think you’re OK, and you’re ready for sleep, Sachdev recommends having someone check on you and your breathing during the night, if possible. “In the hospital with severe head injuries, we do neurologic checks frequently,” he points out.

When to see a doctor after hitting your head

The U.S. National Library of Medicine recommends getting medical attention right away if someone develops these symptoms:

• Becomes very sleepy
• Behaves abnormally, or has speech that does not make sense
• Develops a severe headache or stiff neck
• Has a seizure
• Has pupils—the dark central part of the eye—of unequal sizes
• Is unable to move an arm or leg
• Loses consciousness, even briefly
• Vomits more than once

But Sachdev says it’s important to get checked out if you’re unsure. “There is no level of concern that is too low or silly,” he says.

Is Moto Good For Ageing?

You May Think You Need to Take It Easy As You Age, But the Opposite Is Actually True

Elizabeth Millard

 Ariel Skelley - Getty Images

• New research published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that humans evolved to maintain a high degree of activity as we age.
• Some people think they need to rest more as they get older, but the opposite is actually true: cycling, strength training, yoga, hiking, and swimming are among activities that are ideal for seniors.

Although humans might be tens of thousands of years past the hunter-gatherer days, the forces that shaped health for them are just as valid now, according to new research in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. One major example, researchers suggest, is maintaining a high degree of activity as we age.

Despite previous assumptions that our ancestors had short lifespans, that’s been disproven by fossils indicating it was common for people to live into their 70s, the researchers note. They found that exercise likely had notable benefits that enabled longer life. These benefits include enhanced blood flow, reduce fat storage, efficient repair of DNA processes, and release of anti-inflammatory compounds.

All of these processes enabled hunter-gatherers to live for decades past their reproductive years. In what researchers call the “active grandparent hypothesis,” they suggest that evolution favored humans who engaged in lifelong physical activity, because it reduces vulnerability to chronic disease.

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“As a result, extended human healthspans and lifespans are both a cause and effect of habitual physical activity, helping explain why lack of lifelong physical activity in humans can increase disease risk and reduce longevity,” they write in their conclusions.

But even with evolution on your side, what if you’ve been skipping the impulse to stay active as the years pass? Or maybe you’ve been riding regularly, but don’t feel quite as ramped up physically as your hunter-gatherer ancestors might have been. The good news is that it’s never too late to catch up. Plenty of research highlights that moving more in general as you get older can come with benefits like a stronger cardiovascular and respiratory system, as well as improved immune function.

But one caveat is that you’ll likely need to ease in more than you would in your earlier decades, according to Neel Anand, M.D., professor of orthopedic surgery and director of spine trauma at Cedars-Sinai Spine Center in Los Angeles.

“Some people think they need to rest more as they get older—especially if they develop osteoarthritis—but the opposite is true for building bone density,” he told Bicycling. “Get on your feet and move, for at least 10 minutes every hour.”

Setting goals and maintaining a consistent schedule are helpful, but he suggests that simply increasing the variety and enjoyment of physical activity should be a first step.

“You don’t need to plan on hours at the gym—start with a walk or hiking,” he said. “Mix in some simple weight lifting a few times a week, and that means lighter weights with higher reps. Try yoga, Tai Chi, Pilates, swimming, biking—don’t overthink it, just move.”

Is Chipotle Healthy?

The fast-casual restaurant chain advertises organic and sustainable food—but is it good for you?

By Chris Hatler

 

As you go down the line deciding which ingredients to include in your burrito or burrito bowl at Chipotle—debating whether to drop the extra couple bucks for guacamole—you’ve probably asked yourself: Is Chipotle healthy?

Chipotle is the one of the most popular fast-casual chain restaurants in the world, grossing nearly $6 billion in revenue in 2020, according to Statista. Many people rely on the Mexican quick-service restaurant as a go-to for a fast meal, sometimes after a workout. But does its convenience line up with its potential health benefits?

We talked to Roxana Ehsani, M.S., R.D., C.S.S.D., sports dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, to get to the truth inside the tortilla.

Is Chipotle healthy?

Ehsani says that Chipotle offers an abundance of healthy choices for customers. She lauds the nutrient-dense options available, like brown rice. Plus, there are plenty of veggie choices—such as peppers, onions, lettuce, and the diverse range of salsas—that are rich with vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Both pinto and black beans are excellent sources of protein (and plant-based protein at that), as well as dietary fiber. Chipotle offers guacamole too, which also contains fiber and healthy fats.

“It’s great you can modify your meal your way too,” she says. “You have the option to make it a bowl or salad, make it vegetarian or meat-based… Many fast-casual restaurants don’t have veggies, whole grains, or healthy fats on the menu, so it’s great that Chipotle does.”

Keep in mind, it’s easy to go overboard. Chipotle is set up in a cafeteria-style line, where you simply tell the person behind the counter to add whatever you like. It can be tempting to keep asking for more and more ingredients. So as you’re going through, beware of adding too much sour cream, queso, cheese, or even an extra scoop of guacamole.

“If you have all of these high-fat, high-calorie options on your burrito, bowl, or salad, those calories can add up quickly,” Ehsani says. “Even an option like a burrito bowl may end up over the recommended amount of calories per one meal.”

Does the organic stamp at Chipotle mean it’s healthier than other options?

Chipotle prides itself on its organic ingredients, responsibly-raised meat, and a lack of added growth hormones in their ingredients. But be careful about taking these buzzwords to mean Chipotle also promotes your health.

In fact, Ehsani says that organic doesn’t always mean healthy: “For example, cookies can be made with organic ingredients, but [that] doesn’t necessarily mean they’re better for you than a regular cookie made without organic ingredients.”

The positive, however, is that a brand like Chipotle can’t get away with saying their food is organic without meeting the proper USDA standards for organic handling and processing.

Produce that is USDA-certified organic is grown in soil that has no prohibited substances—such as most pesticides or synthetic fertilizers—applied for three years prior to harvest. Organic animal products won’t have growth hormones or antibiotics, and the animals themselves eat organic feed and must be allowed to graze. Both instances are more environmentally friendly than standard food production processes.

You know you’re getting better produced food that’s safer for the environment, but there’s no definitive evidence that eating organic is healthier for you. So while the organic ingredients might not carry a health halo, Chipotle is still a solid choice for fast casual food—just maybe not healthier than restaurants without a full list of organic ingredients.

Exercise to Prevent Cancer

At Least 5 Hours of Moderate-Intensity Activity Per Week May Prevent Certain Types of Cancers

Elizabeth Millard

• At least five hours of moderate-intensity activity per week may prevent certain types of cancers related to the breast, colon, stomach, kidney, bladder, and esophagus, new research suggests.
• Exercise has been shown to address some causes of cancer, such as obesity and inflammation.
• Of course, exercise alone won’t eliminate your risk since there are many factors that go into that equation, including genetics, environmental exposure, smoking and alcohol use, age, diet, and hormones.

When it comes to cancer prevention, lifestyle habits make an enormous difference, and exercise is a major part of that, according to a new study in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.

Researchers looked at state-level data on cancer incidence as well as physical activity by state (in people age 30 or older) and found a strong connection between reduced cancer prevalence and more exercise. That was particularly true for cancers related to the breast, colon, stomach, kidney, bladder, and esophagus.

They noted that more than 46,000 cancer cases in the U.S. annually could be prevented if people followed the guideline of getting at least five hours of moderate-intensity activity per week. For all cancer cases in adults between 2013 and 2016, about 3 percent were attributable to physical inactivity, they suggested. That incidence was higher in women than in men, researchers added.

States with the highest proportion of cancers attributed to sedentary behavior were in the South, such as Kentucky, West Virginia, Tennessee, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Those with the lowest proportion were in Western states like Montana, Utah, and Wyoming.

Of course, exercise alone won’t eliminate your cancer risk since there are many factors that go into that equation, including genetics, environmental exposure, obesity, chronic inflammation, smoking and alcohol use, age, diet, and hormones.

However, exercise has been shown in the past to address some of those factors, such as obesity and inflammation. With the latter, more intense physical activity can actually increase inflammation in the short term, but research indicates it brings the level down overall, and one study noted that as little as 20 minutes of exercise could kick off this effect.

“Continuous inflammation stresses your entire body, including lowering your immune system response, damaging your DNA, and affecting your gut health,” William Li, M.D., author of Eat to Beat Disease: The New Science of How Your Body Can Heal Itself, told Runner’s World. “All of those can contribute toward cancer development, as well as raise your risk of type 2 diabetes and other chronic conditions, especially if it comes with weight gain.”

Building muscle through strength training or endurance exercise—like cycling—can be helpful for reducing inflammation, Li said, particularly if you adopt a diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods, like fruits and vegetables.

The Fitter You Are, the Faster Your Body Can Burn Fat for Energy

Long rides tend to deplete your glycogen stores, so using fat for fuel can help minimize the impact.

 

By Elizabeth Millard

Brian Barnhart

• Endurance athletes burn fat faster for energy, and women are better at it than men, according to recent research based on two studies.
• The reason may be related to the fact that women tend to have a greater reliance on fat as a fuel source, which could give them a metabolic advantage.
• Long rides tend to deplete your glycogen stores, and if your body is able to burn fat for energy better, it can help minimize the impact.

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Here’s more proof that regular exercise makes your body’s processes more efficient: Endurance athletes burn fat faster, and women are better at it than men, according to recent research based on two studies.

The first study, published in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition & Exercise Medicine, looked at 73 women and men who reported different levels of regular physical activity before participating in the study. The people in the study performed cycling trials anywhere between seven and 28 days apart, and researchers tested each person’s resting metabolic rate (the amount of calories burned when your body is completely at rest) and peak fat oxidation (a measure of how quickly you break down fatty acids) right before each cycling trial.

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Those who exercised regularly before participating in the trials—especially women—burned fat more efficiently while cycling, researchers concluded.

In a second, related paper published in Experimental Physiology, the same researchers dug a little deeper into potential factors for why this might be the case. They took fat and muscle biopsies from the study’s participants and analyzed differences in proteins that might be affecting their ability to burn fat.

They found that some proteins in muscle play a major role in breaking stored fat into smaller fatty acids that other proteins then transport into cells—which are then turned into fuel for energy. Those who exercised regularly had more of these proteins.

Neither exploration could pinpoint why women might see a greater effect than men, but it may be related to the fact that women tend to have a greater reliance on fat as a fuel source, which could give them a metabolic advantage, according to lead author Oliver Chrzanowski-Smith, Ph.D., who works in the Department of Health and Social Care for the Isle of Man in the U.K.

He also told Runner’s World that women might have increased fatty acid delivery to skeletal muscle in general, and more estrogen receptors may also play a role in fat oxidation.

For both women and men, the biggest takeaway is that regular activity boosts the body’s ability to use fat as a fuel source; Chrzanowski-Smith said that’s what builds more proteins in skeletal muscle and creates that “fat as fuel” effect in the body.

Regular training is especially important for endurance athletes, he added, since long rides tend to deplete those crucial glycogen stores, and being better able to burn fat can help minimize that impact.

Elizabeth Millard is a freelance writer focusing on health, wellness, fitness, and food. 

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