August 22-31, 2009 - Original Health Articles

Although there has been a double-digit decline in all cancers, treatment and prevention remain major concerns for most people and health professionals. Recently, the focus has been on brain cancer after Senator Ted Kennedy passed away on August 25, 2009.

This week the Los Angeles coroner ruled Michael Jackson's death a homicide due to interactions of several drugs found in the pop star's blood, including propofol, an anaesthetic normally used only in hospitals. Jackson's personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, admitted to giving the singer this potent drug to treat his insomnia.

With the passing of senator Edward (Ted) Kennedy a few years ago, the spotlight shone on brain cancer--one of the deadliest cancers. The survival rate for the most common form is very low, especially past the age of 55 where it's just one percent.

If you experience frequent headaches and notice that your asthma symptoms usually appear along with your painful, throbbing head, you may wonder what the connection is. Some researchers do believe that headaches and asthma can be related-and if your asthma is allergic in nature, this can make the relationship even stronger.

You want to keep your kids safe from bugs and the illnesses they can transmit, yet you may worry that using repellents to keep insects away can also come with its own set of risks. To this end, it can help to know how the medical community weighs in. The experts recommend that parents do use bug spray on their children, but most stress that safe insect repellent use means following some important guidelines on what to buy and how to apply.

When you pack up to head for college, you can pick and choose which of your favorite items from home that you want to bring with you. But unfortunately, when it comes to bringing your asthma, you have absolutely no choice in the matter. That being said, even though you can't leave your symptoms behind, there are some asthma management steps you can take to help keep them under control most of the time.

If you have a young child, chances are you go to great lengths to try to protect him from germs and illnesses, but despite your best efforts, you may not be able to prevent occasional ear infections. Ear infections are one of the most common childhood ailments, and most youngsters will experience at least one ear infection before the age of 2.

You may have heard that magnesium can be used to treat severe forms of asthma with success and might even be considering whether to try taking magnesium supplements yourself--either along with, or instead of, your regular treatment regime in an effort to better keep your breathing problems in check.

When your baby is coughing, sneezing and suffering with a runny or stuffy nose from a cold, you are probably eager to do anything you can to relieve the symptoms and help him or her feel better fast.  But the experts today stress the importance of avoiding infant cold medications, since the latest research shows that they can be harmful for babies and young children.

Q: I'm a 47 year old male in generally good health but recently found out that my blood pressure is higher than it should be.  I'm worried that I may be at risk for heart disease.  What steps can I take to lower it naturally, so that I don't have to use medication? A: You're right to be slightly concerned.

According to the Joslin Diabetes Center, hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, is one of the most common problems associated with insulin treatment, but it can also affect people who take pills for diabetes. Hypoglycemia can occur suddenly. In most cases, it's mild and can be successfully treated by eating or drinking a small amount of glucose-rich food.

Heartburn is a digestive disease afflicting nearly 60 million Americans, each of whom it affects differently. Some people get it when they eat heavy meals, some get by lying down after the meal. Some people experience as children, others as adults. Some people are able to deal with it if it's mild (once a week), some people take over-the-counter medicines (antacids), and for some unfortunate people heartburn turns into GERD.

If each day you emphasize eating grapefruit with breakfast, carrots and almonds for a snack, and broccoli or green beans with dinner, not only are you probably very healthy, you are adhering to an alkaline diet and you don't even know it. And if you suffer...

As you know, there is no such thing as a Crohn's diet. Everyone with Crohn's disease reacts differently to different foods. However, there are foods that alleviate or symptoms and help prevent flare-ups for Crohn's suffers. Fluids. Drink lots of liquids to replenish fluids lost from diarrhea and prevent dehydration, which can make you weak and put your kidney function at risk.

Whether you're an athlete, weekend warrior or exercise newbie, you're bound to get a sports injury. Sports injuries are so common they're among the top reasons why people go to the emergency room. How you treat your injury determines how well you'll bounce back.

Listening to your favorite tunes is not only good for your mood, but it also may help your heart. A study by Italian researchers, published in "Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association," found that both blood flow and respiratory rates can synch with music.

Diabetes is a chronic condition that requires life-long care and monitoring--but most of all, change. Your daily routine will involve monitoring your blood glucose, taking diabetes medication such as insulin, increasing physical activity, and adjusting your diet.

We know how damaging the sun's rays can be, but there's a common misconception that tanning beds are safer because they emit a higher concentration of the "browning" UVA rays than the "burning" UVB ones. In fact, tanning beds accelerate the sun's effects by 3x, so the chance for overexposure is even greater.

Premenstrual symptoms affect the majority (85%) of menstruating women to some degree or another.  They may feel moody, irritable, or physically uncomfortable during the days leading up to their period.  Some women, however, are so affected by these symptoms that they disrupt their lives and relationships.

BOTOX Cosmetic (Botulinum Toxin Type A) is a neurotoxin administered through a series of small injections to reduce reduces forehead and frown lines between the eyebrows. It works by temporarily paralyzing the muscles and is relatively quick and painless.

For millions of people arthritis drugs bring valuable relief, but they can also trigger adverse reactions that may cause patients to give up their medications. Abruptly stopping your medications can seriously undermine your treatment and long-term health, so it's essential to know how to fight common side effects of arthritis drugs.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) describes penis pain or penile pain as any pain or discomfort in the penis. Pain can range from mild to severe and may affect different areas of the penis and be accompanied by other symptoms such as burning or lesions.

Last year more evidence emerged that smoking worsens rheumatoid arthritis (RA) symptoms. Cigarette smoking has long been linked to several diseases, including diabetes, lung cancer, heart attacks and the onset of rheumatoid arthritis. Now we know it can also make the disease more severe.

Most of us want to feel romantic because it makes us feel valued, special and less alone.  At the beginning of a relationship, great sex and the thrills and chills of exciting activities can fool you into feeling that you've really found that special someone this time.

It's been over a decade since sildenafil (Viagra®) was approved to treat men's sexual dysfunction. Yet, there's been no such pharmaceutical breakthrough for women—30 percent of whom experience some form of sexual problems in their lifetime. As a result, women are increasingly turning to Viagra to increase arousal and pleasure.

Taking probiotics during pregnancy prevents obesity, according to a new study presented at  the 17th European Congress on Obesity in May. According to researchers, one year after giving birth, women were less likely to become obese if they had taken probiotics starting from the first trimester of pregnancy.

At some point in most of our lives, we've experienced a pinched nerve. An everyday example is when your foot "falls asleep." Although this health condition is quite common, few of us know the right way to relieve or treat it. Here's a quick primer. What is a Pinched Nerve? According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), a pinched nerve is damage or injury to a nerve or set of nerves from compression, constriction or stretching.

Q: I'm a 45 year old male and have been happily married to my wife for over 20 years.  One of our few points of contention is the fact that we only have sex once or twice a month. This is fine for her, but I have a higher sex drive, and this sometimes isn't enough for me.

In the past few years, exercise balls have become all the rage as they've encouraged us to get fit in fun, new ways. Here, the top five reasons to bring balls into your workout routine. 1. Balancing Act. Balls are unstable, and sitting on one requires more balance than you'd expect.

While it's good news that more people are answering the call to increase physical activity, it's bad news that many are getting injured. Sports injuries--such as muscle cramps, a joint injury, or lower back injury--can quickly derail your fitness routine or training program.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) reports that nearly 200,000 men will be diagnosed with cancer this year, and over 27,000 will die from the disease. The prostate changes as you grow older; however, not all prostate problems are malignant. What Is the Prostate? The prostate gland is about the size and shape of a walnut, according to the American Urological Association (AUA).