March 22-31, 2010 - Original Health Articles

Cow's milk is one of the best sources of bone-building calcium and also an ideal way to get extra protein and essential vitamins. But what if you don't like to drink it? Or can't? There are plenty of milk alternatives on the market, but when it comes to similar taste and nutritional benefits, they're not all perfect substitutes.

If you recently learned you have cancer, you may be concerned about the extent of pain you'll experience. While most cancer patients do experience some pain, with proper care, you can control 70 to 90 percent of your cancer-related pain. Pain is your body's way of telling you something is wrong.

If you've got Type 2 diabetes, non-nutritive sweeteners can let you have your cake and eat it, too.  It's easier than ever these days to satisfy a sweet tooth without spending a lot of calories as ordinary table sugar (or sucrose) has been joined by a staggering array of non-nutritive sweeteners.

Soda's popularity may be shrinking, but drinks full of amino acids, vitamins, and healthy botanicals are popping up everywhere from beauty emporiums to corner stores. Many manufacturers- including giant soda producers who are jumping on the beauty beverage bandwagon-claim that these herb- and nutrient-infused waters and juices can fight everything from skin cancer to premature aging.

Many parents are concerned with the influence that gangs can have on their teenagers. It seems as though gang violence and gang membership have increased over the years. Current surveys indicate that approximately seven percent of teens throughout the United States admit to being gang members.

Psychotherapy, or talk therapy, became a household word in the 1970s, thanks to the Bob Newhart show, a sitcom starring therapist and his loony cast of patients. Of course, in real life, there's nothing funny about mental illness. However, psychotherapy--especially Cognitive Behavioral Therapy-is effective for treating depression and other mental health disorders.

When your child has strep throat (an infection caused by the Streptococcus bacteria), you probably assume that the symptoms will be limited to the throat area. However, there's been much debate in recent years about whether this illness can also lead patients to experience a range of obsessive-compulsive behaviors.

Who gets injured more in sports: men or women?  If you've ever watched the Olympics, you know: it's a girl thing.  Studies show that female athletes are injured more than male athletes.  So, what can women do to protect themselves?  Quit thinking and working out like a man.

For so many of us, cranking up the volume on our iPods when we are at the gym is second nature. While the loud music might be great to pump up our energy and keep our workout focused, a recent study says that we may actually be doing ourselves a disservice.

While cholesterol-lowering statins can be a lifesaver for people at risk for heart disease, they can also cause muscle pain and tenderness (called statin myopathy) in a certain percentage of them-estimates range from ten percent to twenty percent-resulting in patients having to stop taking the drugs.

If you suffer from asthma, you may occasionally need to take prednisone or some other type of corticosteroid to help give your airways a boost so you can breathe better. But did you know in some cases, prednisone could also be used to help you to manage your allergies, too? Prednisone and Allergies When you think of steroids, you probably think of the kind that bodybuilders use to bulk up their muscles.

Ever wonder what a woman is thinking on your first date, after the first kiss, or after sex? Read on to get a glimpse into what women are thinking during every step of the game. On a First Date Even on a first date you might be focused on getting her into bed, but she'll be thinking of lots of things before the "moment of truth" is even close.

If you have friends or family members who are depressed, you may have noticed that they try to feel better by self-medicating, using alcohol, prescription drugs or illegal narcotics to relieve the feelings of helplessness that depression triggers. Self-medicating can exacerbate depression and increase the risk of substance abuse or addiction.

Those suffering from chronic pain, such as fibromyalgia and arthritis patients, have reported a worsening of their pain and stiffness after eating certain foods. While it is agreed upon by medical experts that there are a variety of causes contributing to chronic pain, there is growing evidence that diet it one of these factors.

For arthritis sufferers, life may sometimes seem like a constant quest for relief from pain, swelling and stiffness. But other than using heat and cold therapy, engaging in moderate exercise, and taking over-the-counter drugs-or stronger prescription ones-what treatments are effective? Consider opening your mind to chiropractic and massage.

In a recent episode of "Grey's Anatomy," Alex and Lexie, two of the doctors who aren't romantically involved, engage in a "no feelings" quickie, as it's referred to in the show's episode recap. Unlike the fictional characters in ABC's hit TV series, having sex with a friend just for sex's sake is not uncommon.

Grass-fed meat is an old-fashioned idea that's making a comeback. It is a slow return, however, because the price of grass-fed meat can be more than twice that of grain-fed. The difference in cost, and many say in quality, between the two comes down to...

Do you believe that high cholesterol is a condition that only affects adults? If so, you might be surprised to know that the problem can actually start quite young. In fact, in January of 2010, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that one out of every five teens has elevated cholesterol levels.

Kettlebells (also know as kettlebells) look like bowling balls with handles.  In 2009, the American Council on Exercise named them one of the top fitness trends. And many other fitness experts tout kettlebells as being the latest, greatest way to build muscle and core strength.

Misconceptions about breast cancer are widespread. Here are a few of the most common breast cancer myths. Myth: If I get breast cancer, I'm going to die. Truth: The chances are that you probably won't. Today, about 98 percent of breast cancer patients are still alive after five years, and the 10 year survival rate is 85 to 90 percent.

If you suffer from chronic pain and over-the-counter drugs are not providing enough pain relief, you may ask your doctor to prescribe something stronger. The next drugs in line would be most likely be opioids (or narcotics) such as Vicodin, Dilaudid, OxyContin, Darvon, Percocet, Percodan, or probably the most well-known narcotic painkiller, morphine.

Recent studies have raised concern about the safety of antidepressants in women who are, or hope to become, pregnant. The type of antidepressants in question are SSRIs--selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter. Although scientists are not exactly sure how SSRIs work, they appear to block the body's ability to reabsorb serotonin, which improves mood.

Even if you don't like bees, if you suffer from allergies, you may be grateful for the honey that they make. Some who practice alternative medicine believe that using honey treatment can relieve nasal allergies and bring great relief. Honey Treatment Benefits Honey is known for its anti-microbial properties and for being high in antioxidants.

When an individual gets pain at the elbow, frequently the diagnosis is tennis elbow. This condition is considered to be the result of irritation of the tendons from the muscles that extend the wrist and fingers found on the top of the forearm. The pain  typically results from repetitive motion activities like tennis but can also occur with hammering, typing, or other functional activities.

There are more than 100 different types of arthritis with which people can be diagnosed. While some of them are related to aging and wear and tear on the joints, such as osteoarthritis, others are directly related to the immune system. Rheumatoid arthritis, one of the most common types of arthritis, is one such disease in which the immune system malfunctions and causes problems in the joints and elsewhere.

Do you use estrogen hormone replacement therapy? If so, you may be surprised to know this could be to blame if you've recently been diagnosed with asthma. This finding, from a study of post-menopausal women that was conducted in France in the winter of 2010, could provide an important link between how you treat your hormonal imbalance and the onset of new respiratory symptoms.

For people looking for new therapies to find relief from the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), the results from a recent study has some disappointing news. The study, published in the journal Gastroenterology, is the first to investigate the effectiveness of the herbal supplement St.