A flare up of allergy symptoms can happen any time of year. In fact, about two-thirds of people who have seasonal allergy, actually have allergy symptoms all year, although they may not be as obvious. Symptoms like cough and congestion may be caused by winter or indoor allergies like pets, … Read More
As medical experts learn more about inflammation and how it affects our overall health, its link to a broad array of diseases and medical conditions has also been discovered. Its effect on almost all parts of the body—heart, lungs, bones, joints, skin, brain, and more—means that doctors often recommend a … Read More
Gout in foot, instep, and ankle areas is common, affecting up to 8 million Americans today. The condition has been recorded throughout history, affecting many famous people—the most notorious of whom was Henry VIII, renowned for his lavish diet of rich food and copious amounts of alcohol. What is gout? … Read More
Osteoporosis poses a disease threat that is greater than that of both hypertension (high blood pressure) and breast cancer, according to the World Health Organization. Yet this insidious and debilitating bone disease rarely gets the attention it deserves. Nonetheless, deterioration of the bones and increased risk of fractures is a … Read More
Even though COPD cannot be cured, it can be treated. COPD treatment is aimed at reducing symptoms, preventing the disease from getting worse, improving the ability to exercise, preventing and treating complications, and preventing and treating exacerbations. Almost every person with COPD will be prescribed a short-acting bronchodilator (either a … Read More
If you’ve been experiencing a nagging abdominal pain that seems to worsen after eating, it might not be a stomach upset—it might actually be pancreas pain. If pancreatitis is at the root of your pain, it can manifest acutely, or as a chronic illness. Acute pancreatitis is most likely due … Read More
A number of factors—some preventable, others not—can cause abnormal cholesterol levels, or dyslipidemia, in the blood. Here are the factors that you can control: A Poor Diet Diets high in saturated fat and trans fat are linked to higher LDL cholesterol levels. Saturated fats are found in animal products, especially fatty red … Read More
Cortisol is often referred to as the “stress hormone,” because it becomes more abundant when we are faced with a stressful situation. It affects the heart rate, breathing patterns, and other aspects of the body’s “fight or flight” response. But just what is cortisol? And what does it do? Probably … Read More
Osteopenia isn’t as serious as osteoporosis—see our posts defining bone loss test scores of osteoporosis -2.5 or osteoporosis -3.0. But it’s also not easy to detect; there aren’t any obvious osteopenia symptoms. Certain factors, however, can make you vulnerable to osteopenia, meaning that it's important to preserve your bone density. … Read More
If you become ill, usually you can pinpoint a reason. A stiff, swollen joint, for example, might be due to injury or to a chronic disease like arthritis, while an upset stomach might be due to food poisoning. The causes of depression are harder to pin down. And unfortunately, they … Read More
