September 15-21, 2010 - Original Health Articles

Age or Asthma: What's Making You Short of Breath?

The problem is that many health experts think of asthma as a disease that only affects younger people. Therefore, they may discount the possibility of asthma symptoms in older patients and instead attribute changes in lung function to age-related causes.

Alzheimer s Disease and Head Size

When it comes to Alzheimer's disease, head size may offer protection against progressing symptoms, according to a recent study published in the journal Neurology. The study, conduced by researchers at the Technical University of Munich in Germany, found that Alzheimer's disease patients with the largest craniums had less brain atrophy and less advanced dementia and scored better on memory and cognitive skill tests than those study participants with smaller skulls.

What Retinoids Can Do for Your Skin

This popular acne treatment can clear up more than breakouts.  So, should you consider adding retinoids to your skin care routine? What Are Retinoids? Retinoids are chemical compounds derived from vitamin A, an essential vitamin found in richly colored fruits and vegetables.

Does Your Outlook on Life Affect Your Eyesight?

It's no coincidence that people who suffer from depression describe themselves as feeling blue. A recent study demonstrates that depression really alters the way people visually see the world; it appears grayer to them than to people who do not have depression.

How to Manage Multiple Diabetes Medications

Dealing with the daily regimen of a whole array of pills can be time consuming, confusing, and annoying. On the plus side, being on multiple meds can give you better blood sugar control, which makes you healthier in the long run. To get the most from your meds, keep these 10 tips from the experts in mind: 1.

Why Taking Vitamin D May Prevent Allergies

Did you know that vitamin D could be the secret to helping you get some relief? Researchers at Louisiana State University (LSU) in New Orleans shed important light on how this vitamin can help patients manage common allergies. LSU scientists pinpointed vitamin D deficiencies in patients with asthma and cystic fibrosis (both of which can affect the lungs).

How to Fight Off Fall Asthma Symptoms

In many parts of the country, autumn can be one of the prettiest times of the year. But for some asthma sufferers, the changing leaves, the cooling temperatures, and seasonal germs can be the most awful time of the year. But by identifying your symptoms on time, you can take some essential steps toward a pleasant season.

5 Consequences of Lost Sleep

You may sleep as few as 5 hours, or as many as 10, but what's most important is that you get what you need. Here's what happens when you don't. If you suffer from chronic or even occasional insomnia, have experienced jet lag or pulled an all-nighter and then stumbled into work the next day, you have first-hand knowledge of what happens to your brain-and sometimes your life-when you don't get enough sleep.

Can an Injury Lead to Osteoarthritis?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, arthritis is the most common cause of disability in the United States, reducing the activity level of nearly 19 million adults. Osteoarthritis (OA) is the degenerative form of arthritis, which can develop as the result of damage to a joint in the body, including in the hip, knee, shoulder, as well as in smaller joints in the hands and feet.

The Link Between Anemia and Heart Failure

Anemia occurs when your blood has a lower than normal level of hemoglobin, the protein found in red blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen and remove carbon dioxide from the body. When you have low levels of hemoglobin, the lack of oxygen to the heart means the heart has to work harder, potentially putting you at greater risk for heart disease or making existing heart disease worse.

The Health Boosting Benefits of Vitamin K

The role of Vitamin K in helping the blood clot normally has been well established. Now, there is mounting evidence that Vitamin K is also crucial in improving bone health with studies showing that not only does Vitamin K increase bone mineral density in people with osteoporosis, it also reduces the number of fractures associated with osteoporosis, including hip fractures.

5 Steps to Prevent Foot Pain

Nothing spoils your day faster than aching feet. Happy feet, however, create a foundation for wellbeing from the ground up. We've got five tips for keeping your feet in tip-top shape and pain-free. 1. Don't go barefoot outside. The risks for stepping on something sharp, rough, hot or icky are too high.

Is Your Partner Friends with His Ex?

You and your partner have a caring, mutually supportive relationship, except for one little sticking point: he's still friendly with his ex. You don't know whether this is perfectly healthy and natural, or whether you should call him on it. Here's how to know when it's okay and when it's not.

Hemorrhoids: A Real Pain in the Rear

If you've ever experienced the itching and burning sensation of hemorrhoids, you are not alone. Nearly everyone at some time will have hemorrhoids, a condition in which the veins around the rectum or anus become swollen and inflamed. Hemorrhoids are either inside the rectum (internal) or under the skin around the anus (external) and may result from straining during a bowel movement, pregnancy, aging, and obesity.

Genetics Can Determine Your Asthma Risk

Did you know that your genetic makeup could have a significant impact on your breathing capacity? Researchers from National Jewish Health, a respiratory hospital with many locations across the United States, examined genetic background data on more than 3,000 patients of African American descent.

Skin Cancer Myths and Facts

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States, but it's also widely misunderstood. Exposing the myths and taking action can go a long way in keeping you and your loved ones safe. There are two types of skin cancer: non-melanoma (basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas) and melanoma.

Got a Problem? Sleep on It

Remember the last time you noodled over a problem but didn't arrive at a suitable solution? Chances are, you put it out of your mind and told yourself you'd sleep on it, only to wake the next day with the answer. You may not have realized you were employing a scientifically studied problem solving technique.

Bake Goods that are Wheat-Allergy Safe

Having a wheat allergy can place many limits on what you can safely eat. However, it doesn't mean you have to give up all your favorite foods. It's simple to cook delicious treats at home, using allergy-free ingredients in exchange for wheat. Since most recipes call for wheat flour, you'll need to find wheat substitutes that are safe to eat.

8 Ways to Keep Skin Radiant

Maintaining a sensible skin routine is just as vital as keeping a healthy eating lifestyle. Great skin care can lower your risk of skin cancer and other conditions just like healthy eating can help ward off diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. Here are some important guidelines to help fight off harmful skin conditions as well as restore that youthfulness and glow you've been missing.

Why Is Ovarian Cancer So Deadly?

Ovarian cancer is the eighth most common cancer in women in the U.S. and the fifth leading cancer-related cause of death. The American Cancer Society estimates there will be 22,280 new cases of ovarian cancer in 2012, and approximately 15,500 women will die from it.

The Risks of Going On and Off the Pill

There are almost as many birth control myths as there are birth control options.  One misconception is that women need to quit taking birth control pills occasionally to give their body a "natural" break. The truth is that going off and on the Pill frequently (aka yo-yoing) is a good way to get pregnant and may even put your health at risk.

Can a Tick Bite Cause a Meat Allergy?

Could tick bites and red meat allergies have a common link? Quite possibly, according to allergists at a practice in Sydney, New South Wales. They discovered that a group of patients who'd experienced a rare allergic reaction to meat also had a significant reaction to a tick bite in their medical history.

Understanding the 4 Stages of Sleep

Thanks to our natural internal rhythms, or biological clock, we tend to (or at least hope to!) fall asleep with the moon and wake up with the sun. What happens in between, however, is a bit more complicated. Sleep happens in stages, and these stages are measured by brain wave activity, which cycles up and down throughout the night.

Is Your Workout Not Working Out?

If you're exercising regularly but not seeing results, you may have hit a plateau. What should you do? Follow these five tips to get back on track and meet your fitness goals. What causes an exercise plateau? Simply put, your body has gotten used to your workout routine.

Nerve Pain at Night

Tingling, burning, stinging, and dull aches. Somehow, whatever nerve pain you may feel during the day seems intensified at night, which of course is just when you want to be free of any and all discomforts so you can drift off to sleep. "Nerve pain at night is very common in people with diabetes," says Michael Bergman, MD, clinical assistant professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City.

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