July 8-14, 2014 - Original Health Articles
If you’ve followed the news lately, you’ve probably heard about a new illness making its way around the Middle East. Known as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), it is caused by a coronavirus called MERS-CoV. Coronaviruses, so named due to the spikes on their surface that resemble crowns, are common viruses that typically cause uncomplicated upper respiratory infections—many colds, for example, are the result of a coronavirus.
A panic attack can be a very scary experience, especially if you’ve never had one before. Many of the symptoms resemble those of a heart attack or other medical emergency. In fact, panic attacks can be so frightening that people having them often fear they’re dying.
What Is Chia?
Chia, which look like tiny poppy seeds, are seeds of the plant Salvia hispanica. Chia was an important part of ancient Central American Aztec and Mayan diets. So important, in fact, that chia is the Mayan word for "strength."
Why Eat It?
Chia has plenty to offer, including:
Fiber.
When someone has a heart attack, rapid treatment can mean the difference between surviving or succumbing. If you’re not on the spot, it can be particularly challenging to care for an ailing relative or friend. But if you’re prepared, you can ensure that help is immediately available when a loved one needs it.
The best diet is one that includes a wide variety of whole foods. However, some foods deliver extra bang for the nutritional buck. These so-called superfoods can help reduce your risk of serious and chronic health conditions, including cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s disease.
When you are overweight, you are actually over-fat—you weigh too much because there’s too much fat in your body. That body fat can easily come from an excess of fat in your diet, but it can also come from too much sugar.
Sugar in Your Diet
Sugar is a form of carbohydrate, a major source of fuel for the body.
Asthma is an unpredictable condition, but there are certain things that can be done to prevent triggers and deal with an attack. A written asthma treatment plan—a course of action for patients—will help you (and those around you) to avoid asthma triggers, treat flare-ups, and determine when and if medical intervention is necessary.
Even if you're healthy and rarely get sick, there are a few medical experts you may want to consider getting to know. Here’s a list of the five doctors every woman should keep in her contact list:
Primary Care Physician. Think of your primary care physician (PCP) as kind of a central clearinghouse through which all your medical care is managed—even if the care is provided by another specialist.
If you've just received a good report at a recent physical because your LDL cholesterol (aka the "bad" one) was low and your HDL cholesterol (aka the "good" one) was high, you’re probably feeling pretty confident about your heart health. Not so fast, say the authors of a new study.
Psoriasis is an autoimmune condition that commonly causes red, dry, and itchy patches of skin. Moisturizing twice a day can help to ease the dryness and discomfort, but some of the ingredients in popular products can irritate sensitive skin, says Marc Glashofer, MD, MS, a dermatologist in Garden City, NY.
One in four women and one in four men in the U.S. die from heart disease. Equally frightening, almost half of all Americans have at least one of the top three risk factors for heart disease: high blood pressure, high LDL (low density lipoprotein, or "bad") cholesterol levels, and smoking.
The benefits of cardiovascular exercise on lowering blood glucose (sugar) levels in people with diabetes are well documented. But increasingly, evidence demonstrates that adding strength training offers similar benefits—especially when paired with cardio.
You’ve packed your luggage, purchased tickets, and made hotel reservations or stowed the tent in the back of the car. You’re all ready for vacation, except for one essential thing: your first aid kit.
Whether you’re headed to a campsite or a cruise ship, don’t leave home without a carefully packed kit that contains all the medicines, bandages, and other supplies you’ll need to keep you and your family safe.
The thought of getting bitten by a spider can be downright terrifying. Fortunately, most spider bites are harmless and go away on their own, leaving you with nothing more than a little itching. And if you take certain precautions, you can lower the risk of a bite.
If a loved one has a heart attack, you may find yourself in the position of primary caregiver. And in that role, you may wear many hats: housekeeper, coach, companion, care coordinator, troubleshooter, and financial manager, to name just a few. Here’s how to juggle these new responsibilities.
Accidents happen. So do allergic reactions, heart attacks, and a sudden worsening of chronic health conditions. Knowing what to do when you're faced with a medical emergency can save a life.
"It’s important for everyone to have a basic knowledge of first aid techniques," says Rishi Agrawal, MD, a hospitalist in the Acute Care Clinic at La Rabida Children's Hospital in Chicago.
