May 1-7, 2013 - Original Health Articles

Forgiving another individual can be hard, but if you learn to do so, the benefits are rich and varied. For one thing, it can "turn your focus to the joyful experience of relationships and values-driven living that can heal both mind and body," says Jeanie Tse, MD, Associate Chief Medical Officer at the Institute for Community Living, a non-profit behavioral health organization in New York City.

Could the old saw "you are what you eat" have a bearing on your mood? Possibly. If you have mood swings, especially if you have diabetes, you may want to evaluate your food choices. They may be affecting your blood sugar levels. Blood Sugar When we digest carbohydrate foods, they break down into glucose, a simple sugar that easily converts to energy and reaches cells via the blood stream.

If you thought only the elderly were at risk for developing Alzheimer's disease, consider that more than 200,000 individuals in the United States suffer from what is called early-onset, or younger-onset, Alzheimer's. In fact, nearly 4 percent of the 5.

You're probably well aware that smoking is a significant risk factor for lung cancer and other serious diseases. But did you know it also takes a toll on your brain function? In developing countries, tobacco use is the single largest cause of premature death and memory impairment, which is shown to predict dementia.

Cleansing is a popular trend. From celebrities to our next-door neighbor, it seems like every one has tried a cleanse. Many holistic health practitioners recommend cleansing routines to help purge the body of accumulated toxins, metabolic waste, and dead cells, which they believe contribute to the development of disease.

Helping others makes your heart feel happy, but it can make your heart healthy, too. That's the consensus of researchers from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. Their findings were included in JAMA Pediatrics in 2013. The researchers followed a group of 52 high school sophomores in Vancouver who donated an hour of their time each week working after school with elementary school students.

When it comes to healthcare, the best overall way to save money is to stay as healthy as possible. It is especially important to eat a balanced, healthful diet and get as much exercise as possible in order to maintain a healthy weight and stay strong and fit.

Each day, the average family of four uses 400 gallons of water, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Yet there are so many easy ways to be prudent in our choices and cut back on waste in our daily lives. While you already recycle, reduce, and reuse, there's more you can do—especially when it comes to conserving water.

Numerous studies have found that rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients have a higher risk of developing certain infections than people who don't have the autoimmune disorder. Many RA patients are treated with medications that suppress the immune system, which may increase their risk of infection.

You do everything to protect your ticker—watch your weight, control your blood pressure, manage cholesterol—but that doesn't mean you're completely in the clear for heart disease. A new study says that even healthy hearts may be at risk for disease.

If you've ever been stuck sitting uncomfortably on a train, bus, or a plane for any length of time, you know how it feels to be trapped in pain. Even your own car seat can leave you with an achy neck or back if you're not careful about how you sit. Thankful, you can relax.

Historically, obstetricians have discarded babies' umbilical cord as medical waste. However, there's a growing trend to store umbilical cord blood because it contains hematopoietic (blood-forming) stem cells, similar to those in bone marrow. Stem cells are the building blocks for organ tissue, blood, and immune system cells, and may have a role in treating numerous medical conditions.

And you thought sugar was the only cavity culprit! When used incorrectly, sippy cups can—and increasingly do—contribute to tooth decay. Dentists say they are treating a growing number of toddlers for cavities and believe sippy cups are partly to blame.

Alzheimer's is arguably one of the most dreaded, terrifying diseases that older people can face. It's also not uncommon, affecting some 5.4 million Americans. Some experts theorize that there is a connection between Alzheimer's and diabetes. The trouble begins when a person develops insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes.

A healthy diet plays an important role in cancer prevention and can help patients withstand rigorous cancer treatments. A recent analysis of data from the AARP Diet and Health Study, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, suggested a very weak association among glycemic index, glycemic load, and risk of cancer So What Exactly Are the Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load? Sugar, or glucose, is our body's main source of energy.

Think you know how to get pregnant? Think again. Infertility is on the rise and many people have no idea what's involved—or what's at stake. Infertility is defined as the inability to conceive after one year of trying to get pregnant. According to the Centers for Disease Control, approximately 7.

What Is Joint Aspiration? Since different medical conditions can have similar symptoms and because there are more than 100 arthritic conditions, it can sometimes be difficult to diagnose specific types of arthritis. Joint aspiration, also known as arthrocentesis, can be used to draw fluid from an inflamed joint so it can be analyzed by your doctor or a laboratory technician to determine the type or cause of your arthritis.

If you have arthritis, there are a wide variety of self-study or self-directed programs to help you manage your disease and incorporate more physical activity into your personal health plan on a day-to-day basis. Here's what you can do to get started.

Proper nutrition makes bodies grow, brains work efficiently and gives kids the energy they need to be, well...kids! But as any well-intentioned parent knows, getting tweens (kids ages 8 to 11) to make healthy food choices can be a challenge. Taking an active role in your child's nutrition may be more important than ever, since our children are part of the first generation in modern history not expected to live as long as their parents because of their weight and health.

If you have an elevated BMI, or body mass index, does this mean you're at increased risk of experiencing a serious health problem? It all depends, according to a new study. BMI and Health The medical community often relies on BMI as an indicator of overall...