January 22-31, 2011 - Original Health Articles
Men who have long enjoyed a normal sex life may be unpleasantly surprised when sex suddenly gets a lot less sexy. An estimated 30 million men suffer from erectile dysfunction (ED) which is the inability to maintain an erection. In the great majority of these cases, ED is temporary and often caused by an underlying problem such as artherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), diabetes and other vascular problems.
Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes inflammation of the digestive tract, usually the large intestine (colon) and rectum. While the condition can strike people of any age, it usually starts between the ages of 15 and 30 and affects men and women equally.
A diagnosis of arthritis can be frightening and overwhelming. How will the disease affect your ability to perform everyday activities? Will you be in constant pain? What does this diagnosis mean for your future? Here's a list of five do's and don'ts to follow—so that you can take control of your health and start loving life again.
The term "heart disease" broadly refers to a range of diseases-more than 50-that affect your heart and blood vessels and is often used interchangeably with "cardiovascular disease." Heart disease is the number one killer of men and women in the U.S. ...
If you drink too much sugar-sweetened soda, particularly cola drinks, you may be putting yourself at risk of developing muscle fatigue and a host of other problems as well. In spite of numerous reports of health issues linked to drinking soda pop, most people are not giving it up.
Millions of Americans suffer low back problems related to the protective disks of cartilage and tissue that act as padding for our spinal cord. When one of these disks is injured, the muscles surrounding that disk clench up. This intense muscle contraction is our body's way of saying, "Hey, I'm hurt here.
Experts agree: Exercise is good for your knees, especially if you have "bad" ones. The best way to avoid and recover from knee injury is to keep the muscles and ligaments surrounding your body's largest joint strong and flexible. Some exercises, however, do more harm than good.
Hearts, flowers, chocolate and lace-trimmed cards. Valentine's Day is the perfect occasion for saying "I Love You" in many beautiful and delicious ways. But keeping the passion alive - and making your partner feel cherished and special - is really a goal to work toward year round.
There's a strong link between depression and being overweight or obese. It's the classic chicken-and-egg question: does depression cause obesity, or does obesity trigger depression. While it's difficult to say for sure, one thing is becoming increasingly clear.
Smoking acts as an antidepressant, making smokers feel good, at least in the short term. For years, physicians and smokers alike worried that quitting smoking would exacerbate depression in people who were already depressed. Researchers are accumulating evidence to disprove this notion.
Harvard School of Public Health scientists, along with colleagues from other institutions, have discovered a natural substance in dairy fat that could reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. The substance, a fatty acid that's present in butter, cheese, and milk, is called trans-palmitoleic acid.
According to a new study, women who experience high stress on their jobs have an increased risk for heart attack or other forms of heart disease. The findings, based on data from 17,415 healthy middle-aged women participating in the Women's Health Study,...
An estimated 15 million Americans suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Many of them will turn to a tanning salon to see if a shot of artificial sun can help banish their blues. If you're tempted to join them, think again. Winter depression can range from mild blues to full-blown Seasonal Affective Disorder.
They lurk in many of the foods you love: movie theater popcorn, commercially made doughnuts, even coffee "creamers." And trans fats, also called trans fatty acids are so unhealthy that there's really no "safe" level—it's best to avoid them at all costs, particularly when you have diabetes.
When food replaces personal relationships or when overeating is a response to stress or depression, a potentially life-threatening situation can occur. "We all engage in over eating at times," says Melissa Katz, Psy.D, a clinical psychologist who specializes in eating disorders.
When you head to the gym, do you find that your nasal passages and bronchial tubes seem to get just as much of a strenuous workout as you? The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) estimates that as many as 80 to 90 percent of people with allergic asthma will experience symptoms when they engage in strenuous exercise.
It's hard to reach your goals when you can't see them. That's where a fitness role model comes in. She can help us visualize our goals, show us how to achieve them, and keep us on task when the going gets tough. So where do you find one? Fitness role models are everywhere-at the gym, in magazines, and right in our neighborhoods, offices, and schools.
People who take Vitamin E supplements to prevent stroke may be doing themselves more harm than good. Recent research suggests that while taking Vitamin E may offer a smidge more protection from ischemic strokes, it actually significantly increases the risk of hemorrhagic stroke-a particularly deadly type of stroke.
You've heard it a million times, but the next time you hear "you are what you eat," you can be sure that the statement has been validated by numerous studies. While the phrase has earlier origins, it didn't emerge in the English-speaking world until nutritionist Victor Lindlahr published his book You Are What You Eat: how to win and keep health with diet in 1942.
What if Superwoman were overweight, depressed, anxious, and crabby? What if she was forgetful, distracted, and downright unhappy? Would we still consider her a superhero? That's what millions of women worldwide experience when they try to do it all; simultaneously giving their best as professionals, mothers, wives, friends, sisters, daughters, and more.
Getting plenty of fruits and vegetables into your diet is critical to maintain good health, and juicing can provide you with a quick and easy way to get your daily requirement of the vitamins and nutrients found in fruits and vegetables. Other pluses include the juice you prepare yourself will taste better than its store-bought counterpart because it doesn't need to be heat-treated to kill germs to make it safe for storage.
No one disputes the importance of exercise for keeping the debilitating symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis at bay. Joints that are used stay more flexible and mobile and may be less likely to incur further damage. But certain activities are better for you than others.
There may be times when you feel so overwhelmed by allergy symptoms that you simply can't tolerate them for another minute. But have you ever felt so desperate that you thought about suicide? The latest research shows that a small link exists between severe allergies and suicide.
Salt is good for some things. Sodium, or salt, is essential to enhancing flavor and inhibiting the growth of food-borne pathogens, especially in luncheon meats and cheese products. It also helps to maintain the right balance of fluids in your body, but in high doses, salt increases your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.
You may be happily involved with your significant other, and either married or contemplating it. You know your partner was in a serious relationship before you two met, and you thought it was over. Now you're wondering if it's not, and whether he still has feelings for his ex.
It has been described as a creepy crawly feeling and an overwhelming urge to move your legs. Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) is a neurological disorder that affects up to 10 percent of Americans. Some experience only mild symptoms, but some feel so uncomfortable with RLS, it ruins their ability to sleep, sit still and eventually their overall health.
Men who are sexually aggressive tend to be worse at reading a woman's cues that she's not interested than men who are more relaxed about sex, according to a new study. The study's finding - that difficulties interpreting a woman's cues are linked with sexual aggression - certainly does not excuse rape, says University of Iowa psychologist Teresa Treat, a study researcher.
If the thought of another Valentine's Day makes you want to stay in bed and pull the covers over your head, don't despair; you're not alone. Although Valentine's Day is a made-up, highly commercialized holiday, it still manages to stir up a brew of unrealistic expectations and powerful emotions.
Could eliminating your migraines be as easy as visiting your dentist? One dentist/physical therapist team in Scotland says, "yes," according to recent research and their unique drug-free approach. Recent research indicates that 75 percent of migraine sufferers experience significant pain relief without medication when stress is relieved in their face, jaw and neck.