December 15-21, 2010 - Original Health Articles

By now, you're probably aware of the many dangers of smoking, including life-threatening diseases such as cancer and emphysema. What you may not know, though, is what smoking does to your digestive system. Smoking affects all parts of the digestive tract, increasing your risk of everything from heartburn and peptic ulcers to Crohn's disease and possibly gallstones.

More than two million people in the United States have celiac disease (CD), a digestive disorder caused by a hypersensitivity to gluten proteins found wheat, rye, barely and possibly oat products.  And while the only available treatment for CD is the complete elimination of gluten-containing foods from your diet, it doesn't mean that travel to your favorite vacation spot is off limits.

They smell wonderful, they taste great, and they're available everywhere. But there's even more good news: The spices that "warm up" winter foods are also used to treat a variety of ailments and, in some cases, fight off chronic disease. One of the...

Comfort is essential to a good night's sleep, and what you wear to bed certainly contributes to your comfort level. Next time you go pajama shopping, consider these options. One of the best ways to help yourself to a restful night's sleep is to develop a consistent routine that includes the same relaxing activities, done in the same order and about the same time, night after night, just before you go to bed.

Dialysis is a treatment for kidney failure that helps to replace the job performed by the kidneys when they stop working. And while dialysis can be lifesaving, it can also increase your risk of developing heart and blood vessel disease. However, there are steps you can take to prevent heart and blood vessel disease while on dialysis.

Will you make it to 100? You might, as more and more people are achieving this milestone. But a better question to ask might be: Will you feel great at 100? A small subset of the population not only reaches 100 years of age but continues to live life fully and joyously after 10 decades.

Ready to spend the last night of the year with your sweetie? Start by resolving to focus on each other, to avoid spending more than you can afford, and to keep your celebration simple. Here are the 10 tips from Sara Nasserzadeh, Ph.D., author of The Orgasm Answer Guide, Tina B.

Heart disease may be the leading cause of death for both men and women, but there are many things you can do now to avoid heart disease. And what better time than the beginning of the New Year to put prevention steps in effect? Here are five things you can do to ensure a heart-healthy New Year.

If you only drink one cup of coffee a day, it probably doesn't matter what type of creamer you use, or what's on the ingredient list. But if you drink several cups a day, and add more than the standard serving size of creamer per cup, you may be getting more fat and sugar than you bargained for.

Although it may seem that joint pain should naturally result from purely physical ailments such as arthritis or other conditions, there's significant evidence that joint pain can be caused or exacerbated by mental distress. Specifically, anxiety disorders have been targeted as the culprit in many cases of joint pain, both anecdotally by arthritis sufferers and by scientists officially studying the phenomenon.

Glaucoma is a disease that can cause serious damage to the eye, even blindness. And while this damage is largely preventable, unfortunately many people aren't aware they have glaucoma until it's too late. How does glaucoma do its damage? Glaucoma can take several forms.

Psychotherapy is noted to be very beneficial for individuals struggling with substance abuse. The delivery model can be individual or group. Many leading substance abuse organizations (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment and National Institute on Drug Abuse) have prepared literature pertaining to therapeutic treatment and practices.

Your obstetrician-gynecologist has been there for you through thick and thin: from your first contraception to your last baby; maybe even through menopause. But is she always the best choice as a primary care physician? Your gynecologist as your go-to-doctor-for-everything might not necessarily be a good idea.

Is anything more soothing for sore muscles and tender joints than heat and massage?  That's the attraction for most topical pain relief creams, but do any of them really work? With so many on the market, what's the best one to buy? Topical pain relief creams are also called topical analgesics (pain relievers), sports creams and deep heating rubs.

Got joint pain? If you're experiencing deep, painful aches, you may wonder if it could stem from your allergies in some way. This is a reasonable assumption, but experts say that joint pain and allergies are usually not related, although it's possible for them to co-occur.

It's hard to believe a new year is right around the corner. Although many people enjoy New Year's Eve parties and festivities, if you find them a bit depressing, you're not alone. New Year's doesn't have to be a dreary occasion, however. Here are a few ideas to tip the scales and make this New Year's Eve a cheerful one.

Still's Disease is a form of inflammatory arthritis that commonly hits people between the ages of 18 and 40, although it can occur in children. It is very much like lupus in its symptoms, which include high fever, rash, muscle pain, and aching, swollen joints.

Many men think they don't need to worry about their skin. Or maybe they simply feel they don't have time. But it doesn't take a lot of effort to keep skin  clean, moisturized, and protected from the sun. Here are some everyday skin care tips and solutions to common problems.

Do they or don't they? The question of whether artificial sweeteners cause cancer has been hotly debated in the medical community. The conclusion: scientists don't think so. At least, the data collected so far is inconclusive, and does not point to a link.

Breast cancer is teeming with frightening rumors surrounding its causes. One of the most common is about whether antiperspirants and deodorants can cause breast cancer. We looked at the research presented by two reputable champions in the challenge to stop breast cancer: The American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute.

Anti-aging creams containing retinol, hydroxy acids, and all kinds of enzymes and botanicals crowd drugstore shelves and pharmacies. You can't turn on the TV or open a magazine without seeing a new "revolutionary" product that promises to turn back time.

According to the APA's Stress in America report (Jan. 2010), more than two-thirds (69 percent) of parents of teens and tweens say that their stress has slight or no impact on their children. But the kids disagree: only 14 percent of them say their parent's stress doesn't affect them.

Excuses, excuses, excuses. Every year you make a resolution only to find you've made more "coulda, shoulda, woulda" statements than you have made trips to the gym. So rather than making the same empty promises to yourself, try a new approach. Here are the top eight fitness excuses men make and the keys to overcome them.

If your child is stressed, you probably are, too. Chronic stress that isn't managed can lead to mental health problems such as anxiety and depression. Here are some tips to help your child identify stress and strategies to cope with it. Try adopting them yourself-they work for adults.

If you're a man with diabetes, you may worry about its association with impotence. While it's true that disease may contribute to impotence in some diabetic men, the good news is that there are plenty of effective treatments out there to help you get your sex life back on track.

Nearly 10 percent of Type 1 diabetics also have celiac disease, an inflammatory condition of the small intestine that is brought on by eating gluten. Like Type 1 diabetes, celiac disease also is an autoimmune disease, explains Peter Green, MD, director of the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University and co-author of "Celiac Disease (Revised and Updated Edition): A Hidden Epidemic.

Gluten-sensitive enteropathy, commonly known as celiac disease (CD), is a chronic intestinal disorder caused by a hypersensitivity to gluten proteins found in wheat, rye barley and possibly oat products. But it's not just the gluten-containing foods that can cause CD sufferers' problems.

Don't let a day behind a desk keep you from getting a good workout.  With this simple workout, all you need is a chair or exercise ball, some breathing room, an exercise band, hand weights, and a variety of head-to-toe exercises, like the ten listed below.

A study by Canadian researchers has found a direct link between heart rate at rest and the risk of death in people with stable heart disease. The researchers analyzed data from two major clinical trials that followed more than 31,500 patients over four years.

Sleep studies help researchers learn more about the myriad problems related to disrupted sleep. If you have sleep-related problems, participating in an overnight study can help you get an accurate diagnosis that can lead to the most effective treatment and prevent further health problems.

First popular in the 1970s, Rolfing is a trend again. Created by Ida Pauline Rolf, a biochemist from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, Rolfing isn't your typical massage. According to the Rolf Institute® of Structural Integration (RISI), the therapy is described as a way to manipulate or restructure your fascia-the connective tissue around muscles.