And many of these smokers do not see it coming. Smokers who die of heart attacks and strokes are much more likely than nonsmokers to be unaware that they have cardiovascular disease, particularly when they’re young. Among young adults in their twenties and thirties, smokers are at least twice as likely as nonsmokers to die of a heart attack or stroke without a prior cardiovascular disease diagnosis, the study found....
From your own research or that of others, what have you learned about stress that you didn’t know or that surprised you? Polyvagal theory identified our body’s little understood defense system that’s associated with immobilization, as against the well-known mobilization “stress” response of fight-or-flight. Immobilization is a defensive reaction in which, responding to danger signals, we may freeze in space and time or, feigning death, lose awareness, even consciousness, become numb, and dissociate....
The findings, published in December 2019 in Cell Metabolism, suggest that individuals with type 2 diabetes who achieve remission after weight loss may relapse if they regain weight in part because this leads to an accumulation of fat in the liver. Researchers examined data on 57 overweight and obese people with type 2 diabetes who participated in a prior study, which was published in March 2019 in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology....
Shingles, also called herpes zoster or zoster, is caused by the varicella zoster virus, which also causes chickenpox, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It only occurs in those who have had chickenpox — the virus stays dormant in the body and can flare up as shingles many years later. Shingles usually manifests as a painful skin rash that can be accompanied by blisters, most often on one side of the torso but also on other parts of the body, such as the face and in and around the eye, notes the CDC....
Your final tip: Use every resource you can find for coping with separation and getting you to the other side of being a whole, happy person ready to face the future. Separation after a marriage or long relationship brings about fears, sorrow, self-doubt, anger, and frustration. Expect to feel all these emotions at one time or another. By coping with separation in a pro-active way, you smooth the transition from married woman to single woman....
A Multidisciplinary Approach Is Key to Providing Comprehensive PsA Care With more treatment options available than ever before, it is important for a person with PsA to receive collaborative care from both a dermatologist and a rheumatologist. “There are many health issues where a dermatologist definitely knows more than a rheumatologist, and vice versa. When we both work together, we cover more bases, eliminating gaps in care,” says Juan J. Maya-Villamizar, MD, of the Rheumatology Center of Palm Beach, Florida, and medical advisor to CreakyJoints....
The male sex hormone testosterone (a type of hormone known as an androgen) is known to stimulate the growth of prostate cancer cells. Hormone therapy, depending on the form, reduces this effect by either decreasing the body’s production of testosterone or blocking testosterone from binding to cancer cells. (1) There are several scenarios in which hormone therapy is typically used: When prostate cancer has spread too far to be cured by surgery or radiation, or has recurred after surgical or radiation treatment....
Nonmetastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer is a type of the disease, and about 10 to 20 percent of prostate cancer cases are castration-resistant, according to Oncology Times. Men with nonmetastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer no longer respond to the hormone therapy used to curb the growth of the disease, and they are at risk of metastasis, which is when cancer spreads to other parts of the body. Typically, in these cases, these events have occurred: (2)...
As many of you know, I am a big proponent of omega-3 fish oil. Not only do I take an omega-3 supplement myself, but I recommend it to many, if not most, of my patients. Omega-3s have been shown to play a key role in heart health, from reducing triglycerides and blood pressure to inhibiting inflammation. In recent years, there has been a lot of buzz about krill oil being even better than fish oil for heart health, and I have to say I am intrigued....
“While all vegetables are healthy, it might be difficult to understand why some have to be limited or reduced,” says Cara Lowenthal, MPH, RD, a certified diabetes educator at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston. Why Veggies Should Be in Your Diabetes Diet Vegetables are an essential part of every diet, but this food group is especially important for people with type 2 diabetes. Nonstarchy vegetables, like spinach, kale, and broccoli, are rich in nutrients like vitamin A and vitamin E, low on the glycemic index, and have lots of fiber, which means munching on them will help you fill up without significantly raising your blood sugar, Lowenthal says....
According to the International Hyperhidrosis Society (IHS), hyperhidrosis can be separated into two categories: primary, or excessive sweating, which is not caused by medication or another health condition, and secondary. “Secondary hyperhidrosis is caused by an underlying medical condition — such as thyroid disease, pregnancy, alcoholism, tuberculosis, or heart disease,” explains Bruce Robinson, MD, FAAD, an adult and pediatric dermatologist in New York City who is also a clinical professor of dermatology at Lenox Hill Hospital and a national spokesperson for the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD)....
These sensations can come over people when they watch certain videos or hear certain sounds. (1) ASMR can also occur in the real world in response to directly experienced sounds and sensations, such as someone gently massaging another person’s scalp. The internet is now bursting with sites offering ASMR videos. One famous creator of these videos, known only as Maria, describes ASMR as being “like showers of sparkles. It’s like warm sand being poured all over you,” she says....
How? Through a method known as biofeedback. The Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback (AAPB) defines biofeedback as a process that enables people to learn how to change physiological functions to improve health and performance. It may sound far-fetched, but biofeedback is actually used in many healthcare settings to manage and treat a range of health issues, from urinary incontinence to anxiety to chronic pain. Keep reading to learn what biofeedback therapy is, how it works, its potential health benefits and risks, and how to get started working with a trained biofeedback therapist....
The cancer can develop in any of the three types of breast tissue: lobules, ducts, and connective tissue. Most cancer begins in the lobules (the milk-producing glands), or in the ducts, along which milk travels to the nipple. (1) But tumors can also develop in the fibrous and fatty connective tissue that surrounds the lobules and ducts. Several different types of breast cancer exist. The type of breast cancer and its stage, or how far it has grown, determine the treatment for it....
You may have spotted fitness pros or enthusiasts posting about the trend on TikTok, Instagram, and other platforms, boasting about its muscle-recovery benefits. You can get this chilly therapy in many ways, including plunging into a cold lake, applying an ice pack to your skin, or sitting or standing in a chamber that’s been cooled to around minus 200 degrees F, notes the FDA. But is cryotherapy worth the chill?...
Almost anyone can have dandruff, but the following factors can make you more susceptible. Shampooing habits “For those who are already at risk for dandruff, washing infrequently can worsen the condition,” says Dr. McMichael. Taking extended breaks can lead to a buildup of oil that can lead to dandruff. Oiling your scalp “Certain oils applied to the scalp can cover the scale, but worsen the flaking and itching response,” notes McMichael....
— Connie, Ohio The jury is still out regarding the long-term effect of hydrochlorothiazide on blood glucose because the results from studies have been mixed. While some studies have shown that there is indeed a higher risk of elevated glucose, others have not confirmed this finding. Here’s what we know: Individuals who are taking thiazide diuretics, of which hydrochlorothiazide is one, can develop a mild case of elevated glucose, usually if their potassium levels are also low....
Cervical cancerOvarian cancerVaginal cancerVulvar cancerFallopian tube cancer Uterine cancer forms in the uterus, the hollow, pear-shaped organ located in a woman’s pelvis that is designed to carry a developing fetus. There are two main types of uterine cancer, beginning in different types of tissue, though there many subtypes within those categories. These are the two main types of uterine cancer: (3) Endometrial Cancer This type of uterine cancer develops in the lining of the uterus, which is also known as the endometrium....
If a family member or friend has shared with you that they have depression, you may wonder what you can say to best support them. Or maybe you’ve already tried saying the right thing, but it didn’t seem to go over as well as you intended. And worse, the person with depression couldn’t explain why what you said wasn’t helpful. Here, experts reveal seven things to avoid saying to a loved one who has opened up to you about their depression — and what can you say instead to show you truly do care and want to support them....
Well-intentioned people try to come up with something (anything) to say to let the person know they’re there for them, and that they’re sorry it’s happening. They want to make them feel better. They want to give them the world. Instead, they often end up, unwittingly, saying something hurtful. I can say this with some authority because, just over a year ago, at age 37, my cancer diagnosis was upgraded to stage 4 metastatic breast cancer, or “MBC....
