January 22-31, 2010 - Original Health Articles

Can caffeine take the pain out of exercise? Recent studies show that moderate caffeine intake prior to working out can indeed reduce muscle soreness.  So, does that mean you should down a triple-espresso before hopping on the treadmill?  Not necessarily.

Will a carrot a day keep the ophthalmologist away? It just might, especially if you include tomatoes, sweet peppers, dark leafy greens, blueberries, papaya, and other antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables in your diet as well. A variety of problems can affect your eye health and eyesight as you age.

You've noticed some telltale and very disturbing signs, yet you can't put the full picture together. Your spouse seems to have a lot of late-night meetings, he seems disinterested in you, and he's distracted much of the time. On occasion, you've caught him furtively texting from his cell phone.

Yes, it is often true that the heat of passion dips in even great relationships.  The first two years of dating and marriage are usually the hottest--sexually speaking.  Your love hormone, oxytocin, is high, and you feel close, alive, special, and very sexual.

Cold sores, aka "fever blisters," are small blisters that occur around the mouth and occasionally in your nostrils, fingers, chin, gums, or roof of your mouth. They can tingle and ache before and during the blister formation, which usually lasts for a week to 10 days before it crusts and peels away.

When you think of staying hydrated, the warm summer months may come to mind. And while it's important to avoid dehydration when working or playing outdoors in summer's heat, it's just as crucial to maintain appropriate fluid levels when the temperature falls and you spend more time in heated indoor environments.

If you've ever felt particularly bad after eating certain foods, you may have wondered whether food allergies or intolerances have any connection to your rheumatoid arthritis. Since what we put into our bodies affects every part of them, it makes sense that problem foods may cause achy, painful joints.

If you've got diabetes, the ideal midday meal should contain protein to fill you up, and carbs (but not too many) to give you energy. Delicious as they taste, carbs should be restricted to 45 to 60 grams at lunch, recommends Adee Rasabi, RD, CDN, CDE, senior dietitian in the Ambulatory Care Network Nutrition Wellness Center at New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City.

There is a widely held belief that strengthening the core muscles is key to resolving lower back pain. The number of patients who have told me they were treated based on this premise prior to coming me is staggering. The general idea is that the back muscles need assistance to support the back and if not assisted they will strain-- creating pain.

As many as 4 out of 5 people in the United States will experience back pain at least once in their lives, according to the Mayo Clinic. Furthermore, back pain is one of the most common reasons why people go to the doctor or miss work. For some, turning to the use of a back brace is their treatment of choice.

Researchers at the National Institute of Mental Health found that depression shares a circuitry in the brain with optimism, the tendency to look on the favorable side of things. We know that optimism positively affects our mental and physical health. People who are depressed, in contrast, tend to be overly pessimistic.

The word "bacteria" lives in the public consciousness alongside words like "disease" and "germ." But are bacteria something to be feared, avoided, and killed whenever possible? Studies have shown how bacteria can enable digestion. Now, research is demonstrating how bacterial balance may be crucial for healthy skin.

Getting a diagnosis of Crohn's disease-a chronic inflammatory bowel disease-can be challenging. And while there are no known medical cures for Crohn's disease, there are many therapies available to help reduce symptoms and even prompt long-term remissions.

Scientists studying global warming say it's absolutely true that global warming will have an effect on your health. So don't shrug it off as a bigger issue that doesn't concern you--global warming touches everyone in some way. Here, five of the major health problems it causes: Allergies and asthma.

They may be ugly, irritating, and embarrassing, but are they harmful? And is there anything you can do to prevent and treat them? About Common Warts Caused by a strain of the human paplillomavirus (HPV), common warts are harmless growths that usually appear on the hands and fingers.

You know you should eat more fiber. Your doctor has told you so, the articles you read say so, and the health experts you see on TV definitely want you to. But do you actually need more fiber in your diet, and are there ways to tell? Fortunately, your body is quite good at letting you know if it needs more fiber.

You know exercise is good for you, but did you know it can also keep you young? New studies suggest that working out may help prevent white blood cells from aging. In addition to warding off heart disease and cancer, research shows that exercise slows down the clock by working inside the white blood cell itself.

Everyone's looking for ways to simplify their life while tightening their financial belt.  Ditching the gym is one way to do that and the new trend in body weight exercises can help.  With no equipment or classes, you can still get a great strength and resistance workout.

Researchers have made some startling findings: according to a recent study, having a baby may slow down the damaging effects of multiple sclerosis (MS), a serious autoimmune disease. Multiple Sclerosis is a disorder in which the body's own defense system attacks myelin, the protective fatty substance that surrounds nerve fibers in the central nervous system.

The glycemic index (GI), a numeric rating system that measures one food's ability to raise blood sugar against another's, is a handy tool if you are concerned about sugar in your diet and how it affects your health. All foods on the list are measured against pure sugar, or glucose, which has a GI value of 100.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the three leading causes of death in young people, ages 15 - 24, are (in order) car accidents, homicides, and suicide. Addressing the health problems underlying these causes can be an important step in preventing these unnecessary deaths.

Mold and Your Book Allergy If you find that stepping into the library prompts your allergies to flare, you could have a book allergy and may need to beware. For people who are allergic to books, mold contained within the pages is likely to blame for the reaction.

Medication Scientists categorize the different types of depression medications based on how they affect the chemicals in your brain. Before writing a prescription, your physician will evaluate your symptoms, family history and general health conditions to select the most appropriate medication.

It may or may not cause symptoms, it can start out subtly and if not treated, it can progress to a more serious infection. Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are much more frequent in women than in men, and they're even more frequent in women with diabetes.

You've probably already discovered the innumerable joys of parenthood. But did you know that in addition to all of the benefits you get from your child, you're also giving some important gifts back simply by being a good father? What is a Good Father? So what exactly does being a "good father" mean? Researchers from Oxford University define a good father as a male who makes time for his child to play and read to him, take him on outings, and takes an interest in his wellbeing and his education.

Americans spend billions of dollars every year looking for relief from neck and back pain. Money is spent on doctor's visits, medications, X-rays, MRI scans and surgery. While a good percentage of these dollars are used to relieve neck and back pain resulting from accidents, injury and stress-induced pain, a significant amount is spent on neck and back pain resulting from poor sleep positioning.

Counting carbs. Blood glucose testing. Possibly juggling several different types of medication. You may be so busy taking care of your diabetes that it's easy to forget about one very important part of your body: your mouth. Both "dry mouth" and periodontal disease are very common among diabetics, says  Maritza Dominguez, DMD, dentist who treats many patients with diabetes.

Scientists there conducted a clinical trial in which 326 people with rheumatoid arthritis took 0.1 mg. of chicken collagen daily for 24 weeks, while 177 rheumatoid arthritis sufferers took methotrexate, a common drug used to treat the condition. The results? At the end of the trial, both treatment groups reported less joint pain, stiffness in the morning, sensitivity and swelling.

The jury is out on whether sports drinks are necessary, but there's no debating they're among the most popular beverages on the market.  The problem is, however, they're full of empty calories and unnecessary for most people who exercise. What's more, new study suggests sports drinks are also tough on our teeth.

It's an all-too-common scenario: A spouse feels overworked, underappreciated and overwhelmed with a job, household and kids to care for. Resentment and exhaustion take their toll, and she feels less and less like having sex. With a busy life, there just isn't time for everything, let alone having an all night lovefest.

If you've been adding fish to your diet to help boost your health, you should also be conscious of your preparation method of choice.  According to research from the University of Hawaii, which looked at the source, type, amount and frequency of dietary omega-3 consumption among men and women from different ethnic groups, baked or broiled fish is better for you than fried, salted or dried fish.

Do you feel like a pro when it comes to using your asthma inhaler?  Some asthmatics are very comfortable with this form of medication, while others may be in need of a refresher course to make sure their technique is up to par. Further, with the introduction of the HFA inhalers, other asthmatics are suddenly wondering how the environmentally friendly propellant changes the actual delivery of medication.

Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes chronic inflammation of the digestive tract. And like Crohn's disease, another common IBD, ulcerative colitis can be debilitating, causing wrenching abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea.

Ovarian cysts are common for women during childbearing years, but most never realize they have them. Occasionally one can rupture, though, causing severe pain and serious side effects. So, when is an ovarian cyst an emergency-and how do you know if you have one?  The ovaries are two small organs located on either side of the uterus.

In the past, physicians feared that upper body physical activity following breast cancer treatment put women at higher risk for lymphedema, a condition that causes swelling in the arm. Fortunately, numerous studies have put this fear to rest. What is Lymphedema? The lymphatic system is part of our body's immune system and helps us fight infections.

There is a great deal of discussion among parents and parenting experts regarding parenting styles. A parenting style is a general description of how a particular parent interacts with his or her children. Parenting styles are made up of two major components that act together.

Millions of Americans suffer from high levels of stress due to heavy demands at work, at school, in relationships and at home. While stress typically starts out as mental and emotional stress, it quickly takes on a physical component, resulting in muscle tension in the body.

If there's a runner's high, is there also a runner's low?  Can running lead to addiction similar to drug addiction?  A new study says, "yes," but researchers say runner's high is a good thing for most people and may even lead to treatment options for heroin and opiate addicts.

Flu Prevention at its Best Staying well this winter may be easier than you think. You don't have to hide indoors or avoid going out in public places. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that regardless of your child's age, one of the most important disease prevention steps you can take is to teach her proper hand washing technique and make sure that she regularly visits the sink.

An estimated three of every four menstruating women experience some form of premenstrual syndrome, according to the Mayo Clinic. Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) has a wide variety of symptoms and can affect a woman mentally, emotionally and physically. These symptoms can range from irritability, anxiety, depression and aggression to nausea, breast swelling, abdominal cramping and back pain.

Asthma and Hormones You may not associate female hormones and breathing problems, yet a study conducted by researchers from the University of Alberta in Canada discovered that a connection between the two could exist. The researchers looked at normal fluctuations in women's hormones that occur naturally throughout the month and discovered that when the levels shift, it's at about the same time that asthma symptoms typically kick in.

Winter's chilly temperatures and bitter winds can create a hostile environment for your hair. Things only get worse when you go inside, where dry heat saps hair of its natural moisture. But you don't have to have bad hair days all season. Try these everyday tips to minimize the frizz, breakage, and dryness.

Consider some of the following unusual allergy facts that may leave you wanting to know even more. 1. Dogs were instrumental in discovering the existence of allergies. French researchers back in 1902 were conducting an experiment with dogs that consisted of injecting them with an extract made from a sea animal.

Do people assume your little sister is older than you are? Are you asked for ID when you order a drink in a bar even though you're well past 21? Are you routinely turned down for senior discounts even though you've hit the magic age that entitles you to them? Lucky you! Thanks to a combination of good genetics and probably lifestyle choices, you're youthful looking.