October 8-14, 2011 - Original Health Articles

How to Use Epsom Salt for Health and Beauty

This drugstore staple is often overlooked in our search for the best health and beauty aids. But there are some good reasons to add this affordable compound to your shopping cart. Epsom Salt—or magnesium sulfate—is a pure mineral compound and essential electrolyte that many of us need more of in our diet.

Sleep Apnea or Simple Snoring?

Not everyone who snores has sleep apnea, but everyone who has sleep apnea snores. If you're sawing logs at night, it's important to find out if it's just a noisy nuisance or a sign of a serious sleep disorder. Snoring is a symptom of obstructive sleep apnea, a serious medical condition that results in blocked airflow while you sleep.

Want a Good Night's Sleep? Avoid These 5 Things

If you have primary insomnia, that is, if you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep and it's not due to a medical problem, it is quite possible that one of your routine habits is to blame. Eating big dinners, drinking alcoholic beverages, sleeping in a hot room, exercising late in the day, and smoking cigarettes can all prevent you from getting a good night's sleep.

3 of the Most Unusual Allergic Reactions

While grass, pollen, and mold are a few of the most common allergy causes, some people's reactions can be more complicated. In some rare cases, an allergic reaction can even be triggered by an unusual combination of events or factors. This means you and your doctor may need to play detective in order to determine what's leading to your uncomfortable symptoms.

Can Burning the Midnight Oil Make You Gain Weight?

Yes, it can. Researchers have found that night owls—people who routinely stay up late and sleep in the next morning—tend to eat twice as much junk food and weigh more than people who go to bed on the early side and wake up with the sun. For some people, "early to bed, early to rise" just doesn't cut it.

Laser Allergy Treatments: Hype or For Real?

A new laser device originating from Australia has recently become available in the United States. It claims to help patients essential zap away their allergies. But many experts question whether the results are for real, so it's important to find out more before you invest in this unusual treatment form.

What is the Exhaled Nitric Oxide Test?

Has your doctor recommended that you undergo an exhaled nitric oxide test to determine if you could have asthma? This simple and painless process measures the amount of nitric oxide in your breath, which can be an indication that asthma exists. What to Expect If your doctor wants to perform an exhaled nitric oxide test on you either in his office,  at a hospital, or at an outpatient clinic, it can be helpful to understand the logistics of the procedure in advance.

Avoid the Seasonal Flu With the Universal Flu Vaccine

What if you could wipe out your risk of getting the flu in one "shot"? Researchers are currently developing a one-dose influenza vaccine that's expected to eliminate the need for annual influenza vaccines. The hope is that this will provide a convenient and effective way to keep asthmatics and others safe from the seasonal virus and the related complications that often arise.

7 Tips for Proper Oral Care

Poll your friends about what physical characteristics they find most attractive. The majority will include a "nice smile" at the top of the list. While a set of pearly whites is certainly aesthetically pleasing, poor oral health can put you at risk for a variety of chronic conditions.

Are Your Glasses Causing Your Headaches?

Vision is the result of a complicated network of nerves, muscles, and eye structures that all work together to create picture-perfect images. Wearing the wrong glasses can cause these structures to malfunction, causing headaches or migraines. Here's how...

Are Gel Manicures Safe?

Gel manicures may be the hottest offer at your local nail salon. They're rumored to last for weeks and are relatively affordable. But before you turn your hands over to a nail tech, be sure to know what you're getting into and know the associated risks.

Does Clenching Your Fist Really Make You Feel Better?

While clenched fists and gritted teeth may seem like the anger response of a toddler, new research suggests this reaction can set you at ease. In a study published in the Journal of Consumer Research that was conducted at National University of Singapore and the University of Chicago, participants were better able to withstand physical pain when clenching their muscles—squeezing their fists, clenching their teeth, or scrunching facial muscles.

Many Seniors Leave Hospital Without Their Regular Meds

While hospitals can be lifesavers, especially for the elderly, an alarming number of older patients fail to continue taking their regular medications after they return home—particularly if they spent time in intensive care. Why? Mainly because they neglect to renew their prescriptions.

Acid and Alkaline Balance: The Key to Healthy Bones?

Did you know your bones are responsible for maintaining your body's delicate pH balance, which impacts your overall health and may even play a role in longevity? What is pH balance? pH is a chemistry term that stands for "potential for hydrogen." In simpler terms, pH indicates how acid or alkaline a solution is on a scale of 1 to 14.

Are You Ready to Aero Jump?

Jump ropes made their way from the playground to the boxing ring long ago, but now they're turning up in gyms and fitness centers all over the world. Aero Jump is a jump rope-based workout developed by ex-boxer Michael Olajide, Jr.  It's fun and fast-paced, but it's anything but child's play.

5 Tips to Avoid Break-Up Weight Gain

Everyone knows digging into a carton of ice cream or polishing off a bag of cookies spells contentment—even if it's fleeting. And sure, after a traumatic breakup, turning to food for solace seems like a great solution. But, it's not. Nothing terrible will happen to your figure if you spend a night or two indulging in your favorite comfort foods.

Overcoming the Depression Stigma

Despite the prevalence of mental health disorders and society's increasing awareness of them, stigmas about mental illness persist. The Mayo Clinic defines stigma as someone judging you based on a personal trait. Stigmas can be subtle or direct, but generally reflect a lack of understanding.

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