May 8-14, 2009 - Original Health Articles

Do you wish there was a natural remedy for your asthma that was as effective as medication but without all of the side effects? This common desire among asthma patients has some of them turning to acupuncture in an attempt to try to achieve perfect health and breathing in the most natural way.

Since there are many different types of diabetic neuropathy (nerve pain and damage associated with diabetes), it makes sense that there's no one-size-fits all method of treatment. Pain in your foot may be handled differently from stomach discomfort or bowel problems.

Keep a Healthy Perspective So you have a list of allergens that can make you feel sick. But you may feel overwhelmed when it comes to figuring out how to make the facts connect to your everyday situation. First, it can help to put things into a broader perspective.

The National Mental Health Information Center reports that the number of children and families affected by mental, emotional and behavioral disorders is significant, estimating that one in five children has a mental health disorder that is identifiable and treatable.

Did you know that more than three-quarters of asthma sufferers also experience gastroesophageal reflux disease, also known as acid reflux? At first glance, a link between a breathing disorder and a malady involving the backward flow of stomach acids into the esophagus seems an unlikely one.

The automobile is as American as apple pie, and an estimated 220 million Americans spending at least 90 minutes a day behind the wheel. According to a poll conducted by ABC, Time, and the Washington Post a few years back, 75 percent of drivers in the U.

It's quite common for people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to suffer from bone damage and loss. Inflammation and the overproduction of certain chemicals such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) destroy cartilage and bone. While bone damage is a common occurrence in osteoarthritis (OA), bone loss isn't-but it can occur, especially as you get older.

It's hard to imagine that Crohn's disease and Psoriasis have much in common; one affects the digestive system, the other the skin. However, the two diseases are similar and there is a significant correlation between the two. If you have Crohn's disease, you should be aware of this link.

There's nothing like a few hours of shopping to make you work up an appetite. But while malls aren't usually known for their nutritious cuisine, they have more healthful options than they used to. In addition to fast food, mall food courts are expanding their offerings to include calorie-friendly meals and snacks to tide you over between stores.

For many people, the benefits of eye laser surgery or LASIK seem obvious-fewer visits to the optometrist, no more expensive prescriptions, no more wrestling with smudged lenses, and no more wasted hours looking for lost glasses or contact lenses. Since the surgery was introduced in 1995, over three million Americans have taken advantage of it.

If allergy shots aren't a good option for you, you may be interested in exploring the option of using allergy drops to build up your tolerance to allergens. This user-friendly method of desensitization is called Sublingual immunotherapy, or SLIT, and consists of placing drops (or tablets) that contain allergen extracts under your tongue on a regular basis in order to increase your resistance to these substances.

Osteoporosis affects over 10 million Americans, 80 percent of which are women. The disease makes bones weak and thin, and causes fractures and breaks. The National Osteoporosis Foundation estimates that another 34 million people have low bone mass, which means they'll be at risk for osteoporosis in the future.

When it comes to avoiding your asthma triggers, you may want to rely on your nose to help guide you. This is because many products that can set your asthma symptoms into gear have a fragrance that your nose may find difficult to bear. Triggers Exist Everywhere If your nose and your lungs are especially sensitive to scent, they can be easily irritated by a wide range of fragranced items that are in high supply in most environments.

Barrett's esophagus is a condition in which the lining of the esophagus-the tube that carries food from your mouth down to your stomach-is replaced by a lining similar to that of the intestine. It's estimated that one out of every 100 people in the U.

If you or a family member has diabetes or a diabetes-related illness, the healthcare costs can be expensive and daunting. The American Diabetes Association reports that people with diabetes spend an average of $13, 243 a year on healthcare expenses. Below is a list of government funded resources that will help you shoulder the financial burden of diabetes treatment and management.

For many, fears about the air we breathe are on par with fears about tainted food.  For some, the effects of pollution are immediate and include allergies, asthma, and chemical sensitivity that can cause rashes, dizziness and nausea.  But what are these chemicals in the air that pose so many hazards to our health? In some cases chemicals come from natural occurrences, such as volcanoes or forest fires.

Fibromyalgia is a painful condition of the bones, muscles and joints. People who suffer with fibromyalgia are usually fatigued. Approximately two percent of the population has this disease. It affects more women than men. Like Crohn's, fibromyalgia is a chronic disease.

If nothing seems to give you relief from your severe allergy symptoms and you're desperate for something that could help you to feel better, you may want to talk to your doctor about getting allergen immunotherapy, which is more commonly known as allergy shots.

Why does heartburn occur? The food you eat goes down through your esophagus into your stomach via a small opening between the esophagus and stomach. Normally, this little opening acts like a gate, widening to let the food through and quickly closing up behind it.

Uncontrolled Symptoms When you have an asthma attack, your airways become inflamed and can lead to coughing, wheezing, chest tightness and difficulty inhaling and exhaling. Typically, these symptoms can be controlled by a combination of minimizing your exposure to your triggers and using medication preventatively.

Many people who suffer with rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis rely on over-the-counter-medications such as ibuprofen or aspirin to beat pain and inflammation. However, these anti-inflammatory drugs can cause upset stomach, ulcers, and bleeding ulcers in many arthritis sufferers.

A heart attack is a lifetime in the making. Over the years, the excess low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and triglycerides that result from poor food choices, bad habits such as smoking, unfortunate genetics, or even just natural processes can collect on the walls of blood vessels, forming atherosclerotic lesions called plaque.

As a parent, you have a huge responsibility. And one of your most important undertakings is helping your kids to live in a healthy way. Unfortunately, there are many unhealthy distractions vying for your kids' attention, from an abundance of computer and video games that keep them sedentary for hours to commercials for junk food to the largely fried "kids meals" you'll find at many family restaurants.

When you're picking out fresh ingredients to prepare a home-cooked meal for your family, you think you have control over the quality of the food. But due to some supermarkets' poor health and safety standards, you may be getting more than you bargained for.

The recent barrage of food recalls has many consumers wary.  From salmonella-tainted pistachios that affected hundreds of products, to spinach contaminated with e-coli, many of us are wondering what's next. However, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) states that Americans did not suffer more food poisoning in 2008, despite the many high-profile food recalls.

Studies have shown that vitamin D is effective in treating seasonal affective disorder, also known as SAD. Additional research is needed to provide a concrete link between vitamin D treatment and improved conditions in other types of depression. That being said, evidence exists that major depression is associated with low vitamin D levels and that depression has increased in the last century as vitamin D levels have fallen.

Diabetes affects so many parts of the body, and your mouth and teeth are no exception. Everyone has bacteria in their mouths, but diabetics, with their high blood-sugar levels, are more prone to tooth and gum problems than the average person. This is because high blood sugar enables germs to multiply and grow, and also lowers a person's resistance to infection.

If you cook at all, chances are you have used the spice Turmeric. You may know it best as one of the main ingredients in curry recipes. Turmeric doesn't just add spice to your food; it has been used for more than 5,000 years in India, China, and ancient Egypt for its extensive healing powers.

A study conducted at the Baylor Research Institute suggested that tart cherries in pill form may be a promising pain reliever for osteoarthritis (OA). Osteoarthritis affects millions of Americans and is the number one cause of disability in the country.

The Allergy-Asthma Connection Today, as many as 35 million Americans suffer from seasonal allergies (also called hay fever or spring allergies), according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology[i], and many of these people also experience asthma symptoms that are sparked by their allergic condition.

Chronic illness of the gastrointestinal system frequently results in deficiencies in one or more important nutrients, such as magnesium. People who have Crohn's disease should be aware of their risks for such dietary deficiencies. Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in our body.

Widespread implementation of vaccines has dramatically reduced the incidence of many serious diseases and has improved the overall health of people in countries where they are routinely used. One of the most common vaccines is the MMR, which targets the measles, mumps and rubella viruses.

Thanks to a study published on the British Medical Journal's Web site, middle-aged women have a new weapon to use in their heart-disease-detecting arsenal: their resting heart rate. Researchers at George Washington University reviewed the resting heart rate data collected from nearly 130,000 postmenopausal women as a part of the Women's Health Initiative.