November 8-14, 2010 - Original Health Articles

We've all had what we call "senior moments." Maybe we put our eyeglasses in the refrigerator. Or we picked up the phone and forgot who we were calling. Or we suddenly couldn't recall the name of an acquaintance. People usually explain away these memory lapses with a laugh and a knowing nod to the typical symptoms of aging.

Have you ever wondered why some people fall prey to osteoarthritis while others enter their middle-aged or senior years as sprightly as ever? A study involving the majestic moose might just offer an answer: early malnutrition. The latest findings from a more than 50-year study of moose living on unpopulated Isle Royale, which lies off Lake Superior near the U.

There's good news and bad news about stomach (gastric) cancer. The good news is that the overall incidence of this cancer has declined significantly. This is particularly encouraging because stomach cancer is the most common type of cancer in the world.

No one thinks it will happen to them, but choking is a concern for everyone. Babies and young children are especially susceptible to the danger, since they have smaller teeth and narrower airways than adults, as well as a tendency to put objects in their mouth.

Antibiotics destroy or inhibit the growth of bacteria that can cause infection. And while these medicines are necessary to kill the "bad" bacteria that cause such illnesses as strep throat, urinary tract infections, sinus infection and wound and skin infections, in the treatment process, they often also kill the "good" bacteria in the large intestine, leading to problems like diarrhea and upset stomach.

If the medication you take is withdrawn from the market, it can feel as if someone pulled the rug out from under you. It's been working for you, you don't have side effects, and you've gotten used to it. So why would a drug no longer be available? Such was the case in Europe with the diabetes drug rosiglitazone (Avandia), which was withdrawn from the market there and will be sold here in the U.

Mayo researchers have coined a new condition: normal weight obesity (NWO) also known as "skinny fat." According to research from the Mayo Clinic, more than half of American adults thought to have normal body weight, as defined by their body mass index...

Perhaps the only thing more devastating and frightening than discovering you have cancer is learning that your child has cancer. The news can be overwhelming. Here's where to start. It may help to know that more children than ever are surviving childhood cancers.

Ginger has been known for its healing and curative powers for centuries. But now, scientists are ready to add ginger to their little black bag for sports medicine. That's because new studies have confirmed that ginger is effective in relieving post-exercise muscle pain.

Grazing, or breaking up your daily calories into five or six small plates of food throughout the day, has its advantages over sitting down to the traditional three square meals. But a recent study found a big disadvantage to this style of eating-it leaves you hungry for more.

A recent study by researchers at the Pennsylvania State University's College of Medicine in Hershey, PA found that men who have insomnia are four times more likely to die when compared to men who reported sleeping well. Scientists followed a group of 1,741 randomly-selected men and women in Central Pennsylvania and the results are giving baby boomers a new worry to keep them up at night.

Resveratrol, a plant compound found in red wine and red grapes, has for some time been touted as a key to longevity. Now, scientists have discovered that the compound may indeed prevent the inflammation responsible for so many diseases of aging. The Study A team at the University of Buffalo recently conducted a small study of resveratrol's benefits on a group of 20 subjects.

Could an increase in asthma flare-ups put a damper on your holiday merriment? Many people's seasonal asthma symptoms worsen between Thanksgiving and New Year's and the timing isn't a coincidence. Here are some common questions and answers to help you understand why this time of year can be so difficult.

If you have any allergy sufferers on your holiday list, you'll need to shop with extra care to be sure that your holiday gift doesn't trigger their symptoms or make them sick. Many popular gifts like food, clothing, scented bath products, and stuffed animals can all pose a risk for people with allergies.

It's disconcerting to say the least. You go to bed with a normal blood sugar, eat what you're supposed to eat, and follow your doctor's instructions for insulin dosage to the letter. Yet the next morning, you wake up with an elevated blood sugar. What's...

When a Child is Critically Ill It can be scary and overwhelming to cope with the uncertainty of a very sick child, both for you as the parents and also for your healthy child. However, there are things you can do to help yourself and your healthy child make it through this difficult time.

Fewer women are having children than ever before. That's according to a new study released by the Pew Research Center, claiming that 2008, 80 percent more women remained child-free by age 44, as compared to 1976. Why are there more women without children? The answers aren't as obvious as you might think.

As if anger and sadness weren't tough enough, new studies indicate they may be even tougher on women with chronic pain, particularly fibromyalgia. Researchers recently studied the affect negative emotions have on pain and showed that anger and sadness can actually increase pain for fibromyalgia.

Protecting your children from the flu will be a little less painful this year. That's because, the 2010-2011 flu vaccine is the only one you need. Unlike last year when the H1N1 (swine flu) shot was given in addition to the seasonal flu vaccine, this year's protection is all in one.

Fitness experts tell you to "feel the burn," but others may soon be telling you to "cool it." That's because Cryolipolysis, a new technique for eliminating unwanted body fat, is quickly becoming popular. The Food and Drug Administration only recently approved it, but many dermatologists and cosmetic surgeons have been performing cryolipolysis "off label" for a while.

Are your thighs and hips plagued by bumpy, cottage-cheese style skin? You're not alone. Approximately 80 percent of women suffer from cellulite. So, what can you do about this unsightly condition? What Is Cellulite? Cellulite appears when the connective cords that tether your skin to muscle push against an area of fat cells.

Is street noise keeping you up at night? Loud neighbors interrupting your sleep?  Block disruptive sounds with soothing white noise. White noise machines, also known as sound conditioners or sound soothers, help lull you to sleep with a low, steady hum or relaxing, "natural" sounds from nature.

Are you noisy in bed? You may be a nocturnal grinder, waking up your bed partner as you feverishly wear down your teeth. Even if no one's noticed, your dentist can surely tell. Nocturnal bruxism—or nighttime teeth grinding—is a noisy, often destructive habit, but one you might not be aware of, especially if you sleep alone.

When you think of arthritis, you probably picture stiff, achy joints. Gastrointestinal problems may not immediately come to mind. Yet enteropathic arthritis, a chronic illness that is one of a family of diseases known as spondylarthritides, actually is associated with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

You go to great lengths to use your asthma medication exactly as directed in order to avoid your triggers. Yet despite your best efforts, you can't seem to get the upper hand on your allergic asthma symptoms. If this scenario sounds all too familiar, it may be time to try allergy immunization therapy, which is the formal name for allergy injections or shots.

What if you could keep your food allergies off the Thanksgiving dinner menu this year? If this sounds like an appetizing idea, read on to see how to minimize your risk. You know all too well the dangers food allergies pose on a daily basis. When you socialize at holiday time, the problem can be magnified.