May 8-14, 2010 - Original Health Articles

If you want to get the junk out of your diet once and for all, commit to eating as many fresh, unadulterated foods as possible. It can be done. You play a much bigger role than you may think in the control of the American food supply. Your shopping choices are like a vote.

Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecological cancer in women over 45, and the fourth most common cancer in women. In 2008, about 40,000 women were diagnosed with endometrial cancer. When detected and treated early, however, endometrial cancer patients have extremely good survival odds.

If you've recently learned that your child has autism, you may feel overwhelmed by this diagnosis and wonder if there's any cure. And while this is a controversial topic, some people believe that the answer may be yes, thanks to recent research efforts exploring this very question.

Does your asthma sometimes make you feel anxious? Or could your anxiety actually be to blame for causing your respiratory distress? For many people, it can be hard to differentiate between the physical and emotional symptoms. Further complicating the situation is that both asthma and anxiety often co-exist.

A Japanese study has found that dietary intakes of folate and vitamin B6 reduces the risk of dying from stroke and any cardiovascular disease in women and may lower the risk for heart disease in men. The researchers analyzed data from over 23,000 men and over 35,600 women, ages 40 to 79, who answered food frequency questionnaires.

Got a child with a peanut allergy? If so, you know all too well the serious risks that go along with it. While this condition can be life threatening, researchers have recently discovered that it might be successfully treated in some cases. Find out how.

Has a season of dry air, damp sidewalks, and heavy footwear left you with cracked heels, jagged nails, and parched skin? Here's a quick plan to get ready for sandal season. Soak, Soften, and Sand Plunge your feet in warm water for at least five minutes until your heels feel soft (or at least softer!) You may want to add some Epsom or bath salts to the water.

You've probably heard the tragic story: a young and seemingly healthy student athlete suddenly drops dead on the playing field. Every year, close to 100 young lives are lost in this way, and cardiac arrest is usually to blame. The Need for Screening Young Athletes When you learn about such an untimely death, it probably strikes fear into your own heart and makes you wonder if your child is safe.

Diabetic women of child-bearing age may well wonder if the birth control pill is a healthy option for them. The answer depends upon her age and her general health, experts say. Young, healthy diabetic women should not have a problem with the birth control pill, says Millicent Comrie, MD, chair of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Long Island College Hospital in New York.

You know that certain traits such as hair color, body type and intelligence are often passed down from generation to generation in families. But are you aware that the same is true for the likelihood of experiencing a rare type of food allergy called eosinophilic esophagitis or EoE?  For people who suffer from this serious condition, a study published in Nature Genetics in March of 2010 now reveals that a master "allergy gene" could actually be to blame.

Colorectal cancer (of the colon or rectum) is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S., although when caught early, colon cancer is highly curable.  The American Cancer Society (ACS) guidelines call for colon screening to begin at age 50 for both men and women-or earlier if there's a history of chronic inflammatory bowel disease or a strong family history of colon cancer.

"Pssssst! Did you hear what she said? He did what? How could she have said that?" Whether it's a whispered conversation over coffee with a friend or a late-night telephone gabfest with your sister, gossiping bestows a feel-good aura on women who are feeling stressed-out, jilted or just having a bad day.

Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night with chest pressure so severe that you weren't sure if it was asthma or a heart attack? Sometimes the symptoms of both conditions can present in such a similar way that it's difficult to tell the difference.

If you suffer from arthritis, you are probably all too familiar with the pain it produces in the joints. You may even have resigned yourself to living with it for the rest of your life, especially if over-the-counter or prescription painkillers haven't done the trick.

There are two common types of mood disorders: depression and bipolar disorder. Mood disorders are more prevalent than you may think, affecting as many as 44 million Americans. Mental health experts believe bipolar disorder and depression stem from an imbalance in chemical activity in the brain, although environmental factors may also play a role.

Americans watch more than five hours of television per day on average, according to a 2008 study conducted by the Neilsen Company. While you may have your weekly "must-watch" show , you may consider doing something else with those 25+ hours that you usually spend plopped in front of the television.

Just above the hip joint lies the gluteus medius. This muscle is responsible for a host of important functions. First, it works in conjunction with the lower back muscles to support the torso and pelvis to allow for weight bearing functional tasks to be accomplished.

Approximately 50-75 million Americans suffer from persistent chronic pain. While much of this pain is from more well-known disorders and diseases such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, and chronic back pain, there are others who suffer from rare pain disorders.

The beverage aisle in the supermarket is loaded with bottles, cans, and containers of every kind, making it difficult to choose wisely. Here are some of the best drinks you can consume to keep yourself healthy and youthful. So grab a glass and enjoy—you just might be putting the brakes on aging in the process: Tea.

Although heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women in the U.S., it's often an avoidable problem. While some risk factors for heart disease, such as family history or age, can't be changed, there are many things you can do to prevent heart disease that aren't burdensome or complicated and will help you avoid using medication.

Cancer is an equal-opportunity disease. It strikes, Olympic athletes, CEOs, celebrities, and people who hold some of the highest positions in government. Happily, many famous cancer victims are also long-time cancer survivors. One of the most recent celebrities to share his story of survival may not be familiar by name or even by his face.

When you consider some of the more outrageous deep-fried concoctions available-fried cola dough, fried cookies, fried ice cream, and batter-fried bacon, for example-standard fare, like French fries and fried onion rings, starts to sound downright healthy.

Do you feel like your allergy symptoms are getting worse every year? If you find yourself increasingly dealing with sneezing, coughing, itchy nose and throat, and all of those other miseries that go along with seasonal hay fever, climate change effects could be to blame.

If you've experienced an outbreak of a sudden skin rash, your new sofa or chair could be the culprit. Doctors have discovered that a chemical preservative frequently added to furniture shipments from China, can cause severe cases of contact dermatitis.

Men can sometimes experience some surprises during orgasm. Some are painful and others only embarrassing. Here are a few common—and uncommon—things that can happen during your most intimate moment with a partner. Headaches Headaches during sex are more common in men than in women.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, it's always ideal for your child to meet her nutritional requirements through the things she eats and drinks.  To this end, it's essential to offer a variety of lean proteins, calcium rich foods and plenty of fruits and vegetables on a daily basis.

It may not just be your diet and exercise habits that are making it difficult for you to shed pounds. The problem could also be in the type of foods you eat. A study of mice published in the journal Science Translational Medicine found that a diet high in fat and sugar does more than just supply the body with calories.

You may have heard that sea salt is healthier than regular table salt, but most experts say it's simply a matter of taste. The main difference between sea salt and table salt is that table salt is mined from the earth and refined before it's sold, whereas sea salt is produced by evaporation of sea water and rarely undergoes further processing.

If you suffer from food allergies and asthma, you may wonder if the two conditions could be related. In fact, it's relatively rare for asthma to actually be caused by an allergic reaction to something you eat or drink. It's more likely to be prompted by seasonal triggers, illnesses or other types of reactions to things in the environment.

Millions of Americans suffer from pain every day. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, the annual cost of chronic pain in the United States, including healthcare expenses, lost income, and lost productivity, is estimated to be $100 billion.

Whether it's the commericials you've seen on T.V. or the stories friends have regaled you with at dinner, you've heard the stories of people meeting Mr. or Mrs. Right through online dating. Still, you're a little wary of the whole idea. (Don't just people who are desperate use the sites? Isn't it dangerous?) Online Dating for Dummies Here are the top 11 strategies for first timers, from Mary Jo Rapini, LPC, a relationship expert, and Irina Firstein, LSCW.

Pacemakers are surgically implanted devices that are used to send small electrical impulses to the heart muscle in order to maintain a normal heart rate (from 60 to 100 beats a minute at rest) and usually prescribed for people with heartbeats below 60 beats per minute at rest or for people with a fast heart rate of over 120 beats per minute at rest.