December 22-31, 2009 - Original Health Articles

One night out on the town-what harm could it do?  While it may help relieve stress, give you a few hours away from your kids, or just help you stay in touch with good friends, a night out with the girls could do more harm than good when you're trying to stick to a healthy diet or lose a few pounds.

Winter may be the worst time of year for your skin, particularly if you suffer from an underlying condition like psoriasis or eczema. Blowing winds, extreme cold, and dry, indoor air can dehydrate even the most balanced skin. Trick your skin into thinking it's spring with these moisture preserving ideas.

Do you notice that your allergies are worse when you put on certain items of clothing? If so, it's probably not a coincidence. Many people find that their allergy symptoms can be traced back to the fabric, treatment or even color of the things they wear.

Healthcare spending on obesity has nearly doubled in the last 10 years as more and more Americans are becoming overweight. In an effort to curb this spending and improve public health, health care experts and government officials have teamed up to pass legislation that requires chain restaurants (with more than 20 restaurants under the same name) to post calorie counts on their menus.

Conduct disorder is a disruptive behavioral disorder that occurs in approximately five percent of children and adolescents. The condition is characterized by aggressive or destructive behavior. For example, children with conduct disorder may physically harm other people or animals.

According to the Office of National Drug Policy, emergency room visits resulting from the abuse of painkillers has gone up 163 percent since 1995. "Painkiller addiction is a very real addiction," says Dr. Dennis Lin, psychiatrist and attending physician on faculty in the Department of Psychiatry at Beth Israel Medical Center in Manhattan.

No woman looks forward to her gynecological exam, but if an appointment feels more uncomfortable than usual or your doctor is overly judgmental, it may be time to look elsewhere. Read on for 5 reasons why it may be time to fire your gynecologist. 1) Your gynecologist doesn't show respect.

In July 2009, BMJ (formerly the British Medical Journal) reported that breast cancer is over-diagnosed and is correlated to the increase of breast cancer incidence in some communities. According to this study, physicians over-diagnose one in three breast cancers.

If you've ever wondered whether an emotional affair is as damaging as one that involves mostly sex, the answer is yes--maybe even more so. That's the word from relationship experts, who say it can be harder to break off an affair when it's purely an emotional thing.

You know that drinking milk is good for your bones and your teeth. But what if when you consume dairy products, your asthma kicks in and you find it difficult to breathe? Milk and Asthma Some people believe that milk and asthma can be related. One common theory is that milk and other types of dairy can cause increased mucus to form in your airways.

Does your child have an imaginary friend? If so, you'll be glad to know that this is a common occurrence that can actually be quite positive, according to a study published in the journal Development Psychology in 2004. Imaginary Friends are Common Psychologists from the University of Washington and the University of Oregon who explored this topic found that imaginary friends are far more prevalent than many experts would've expected.

For many people, bladder issues arise in midlife or beyond. Unfortunately, a good percentage of sufferers never get help, either out of embarrassment or the belief that bladder problems are an inevitable part of aging. Fortunately, this isn't true-doctors say almost all people whose bladder gives them trouble can be helped.

One day your family is clicking along as usual. The next day, without any warning, you're in the hospital with your child. You've just been told he has type 1 diabetes, and you're overwhelmed learning how to give insulin injections, manage hypoglycemia and cook a whole new way.

Want to improve your game?  Whether that's the game of life or sports, improving your performance is as easy as falling asleep. Read on for new research about how getting more sleep will bump up your game.  Scientists, doctors and mothers have praised the powers of sleep for generations.

We've all heard about the "midlife crisis" so often that it has become cliché. Men buy the red convertible sports car and cheat on their wives with younger women, and women decide they are tired of cooking, cleaning and taking care of everyone else aside from themselves and jet out on their own.

Melanoma is the most deadly form of skin cancer and the leading cause of all skin cancer-related deaths. However, you don't have to live in fear of this disease. You can do a lot to prevent it in the first place. Here are a few tips to fight melanoma.

Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that causes intestinal swelling. It can result in abdominal pain, diarrhea, rectal bleeding and weight loss, among other problems. Although incurable, there are many effective treatments to tamp down the symptoms of the disorder and reduce the number of recurrences, including anti-inflammation medications, steroids, immune system suppressors, antibiotics, and anti-diarrheals.

After the holidays many of us feel a bit of a let-down when the parties are over, family and friends have gone, and the gifts are all unwrapped and put away. We spend weeks, even months, preparing for the holiday, and now it's come to an abrupt end. Although we may long for the holiday cheer of the recent weeks, we don't need to lose ourselves to post-holiday blues.

When you hear the word arthritis, you probably think about the major joints in the body where arthritis typically occurs: the hands, wrists, elbows, shoulders, knees, ankles and feet. Although rare, arthritis can strike visceral organs, such as the lungs, heart, sclera (outer covering) of eye, outside of the ears, heart, vocal cords, nervous system, abdominal walls and muscles.

If you or your spouse were plagued with this embarrassing condition, you may wonder if your kids are destined for the same fate. The answer? Maybe. Acne occurs when testosterone causes skin's sebaceous glands produce too much oil and dead skin cells can't shed properly.

Whether your child has just been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes or has had it for awhile, chances are that your anxiety level rises when he's on the soccer field, up at bat, or dribbling around the basketball court. You worry that your child's blood sugar will drop too low without his being aware of it, or that he didn't have a big enough pre-game snack, or that he might not be drinking enough water.

Losing weight is hard work. It's all about eating less, exercising more and, at least initially, latching on to any tip or trick that will help make the process easier. Any method or distraction that helps you buy time (or kill time, depending on how you look at it) between meals can be especially helpful early on, while you are trying to train yourself to eat less and to eat less often.

When you think of exercising, you might picture a gym with its rows of treadmills, stair climbing machines, and free weights. Or perhaps you think of someone running or swimming laps. Chances are you don't envision balancing on a curb or a log, tossing a beach ball, or lying on your back while kicking your legs in the air.

Can exercise help you quit smoking? A new study at the University of Exeter says, "yes it can."  But can it help you give up other bad habits?  Read on to learn more about how working out can work for you in giving up cigarettes, addictions and bad habits.

If you have a cold air allergy, once the temperature outside drops to about 40°F or below, your immune system may go into overdrive. Further, swimming in cold water, holding cold objects and even eating cold food can spark this effect. Please review the list below for some of the symptoms that people with a cold allergy might expect.

Proponents of mineral makeup claim that it not only gives you great coverage and looks completely natural, but it can also clear up acne and soften your skin. So, is it worth all the hype? Check out these FAQ's to find out. What Is It? Mineral makeup consists of various combinations of natural minerals like zinc oxide, bismuth oxychloride, talc, mica, titanium dioxide, iron oxides, combined with natural pigments.