November 1-7, 2010 - Original Health Articles

Could taking a vitamin be the cure for your aching back? It might be if you are among the millions of Americans who are vitamin D deficient. Studies show that patients with chronic back pain, osteoporosis and osteoarthritis are very frequently also low on vitamin D.

Do you occasionally crave time to yourself? More importantly, do you make time for yourself? Many people need some rejuvenating alone time and making this time a priority is one of the best things you can do to care for yourself. Most of us are running non-stop between work, family, and other obligations.

A lack of interest in your partner can make you feel a range of emotions: guilt, frustration, sorrow and anxiety chief among them. Whether it's been a long time coming or it's seemingly overnight that you find yourself simply not caring anymore, a disinterest in that someone who's been so incredibly special in your life usually occurs for one or more reasons.

If you have pain in your joints, hear popping or creaking sounds when you move or feel stiff after sitting for a while, your joints may be under too much stress. That's how osteoarthritis develops, but it isn't always just due to aging. Joint stress can be caused by many factors including genetics, obesity, poor posture, and bone misalignment.

Psychotherapy is noted to be very beneficial for individuals struggling with substance abuse. The delivery model can be individual or group. Many leading substance abuse organizations (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment and National Institute on Drug Abuse) have prepared literature pertaining to therapeutic treatment and practices.

We generally equate testosterone with male characteristics, such as a deep voice and facial hair. However, testosterone is responsible for a host of other body functions and may even affect a man's mood. What is Testosterone? Testosterone is a key hormone involved in masculine growth and development.

Preliminary studies using breath tests to identify patients with cancer may provide another option for doctors. So far, results show promise for detecting at least lung and breast cancers. Early detection of cancer is critical. Catching tumors before they spread increases the likelihood treatment will be successful, so physicians need more accurate screening tools.

You probably associate menopause with a wide range of physical changes. But have you ever thought that this change of life can also trigger asthma symptoms? When Menopause and Asthma Co-Exist If you've never experienced any respiratory issues before menopause and you suddenly find yourself wheezing and short of breath, the timing might not be a coincidence.

The goal of cancer treatment is to put the disease in remission. Patients are in remission when all the signs and symptoms of their cancer disappear. For many patients, remission is permanent. When cancer recurs (returns), it is the same type of cancer.

Women's bones get all the attention but it turns they aren't the only ones whose bones break. Recent research shows that osteoporosis, long considered a women's disease, is taking a significant toll on men, too. Osteoporosis is defined as a decline in the density of bones that makes them weaker and more likely to break.

Ovarian cancer is among the sneakiest cancers.  Its symptoms can be so vague that 80 percent of women who develop it don't know they have it until it's spread to other organs. Recent studies, however, reveal new genetic clues about who's at risk.

Type 2 diabetes, once considered a disease of older people, is turning up more often than ever in the young and rising obesity rates among teens is why. Some 154,000 people under the age of 20 now have diabetes in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Are you allergic to milk? It may be too late to change this fate, but according to researchers from Tel Aviv University in Israel, it could be possible to help eliminate this danger for your newborn baby with one simple step . Milk Protein Allergy Milk allergies are particularly common among children.

If you suffer from high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, you are not alone. Nearly one in five Americans have the condition. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), uncontrolled high blood pressure—blood pressure that is higher than 140/90 mm Hg—can lead to damage to the heart and coronary arteries.

If you're experiencing faintness or dizziness and a feeling that your heart is racing, pounding, fluttering, or beating erratically (palpitations), your doctor may recommend a series of diagnostic tests to determine the problem. One option he may suggest is that you wear a Holter monitor to record your heart's electrical activity over a prolonged period of time.

Experts say children ages 10 to 17 need approximately 9 hours of sleep each night. But after-school activities, homework, television and online distractions make getting this much rest challenging for many. It hardly seems fair that the hormonal changes associated with puberty exacerbate the problem since biologically adolescents are driven to go to sleep later and sleep longer.

Do you like to run, play soccer, or ski? If you have asthma, you may find yourself avoiding activities like these as the weather gets colder. Fortunately, there are effective ways to protect your lungs from the strain of the bitter cold.  Air Temperature As the temperature drops, the challenge to be active rises.

Knowing what good sleep entails is important. Sleep deprivation can contribute to teen depression. Help your teen develop good sleep habits with these recommendations: Help your teen make sleep a priority. Encourage him to focus on establishing healthy sleep patterns by keeping consistent sleeping and waking times.

It happens so sneakily that you don't even know it at first. Without any warning, you've suddenly gone from having your daily intimate moment to the most harried parents on the block. At the detriment of your marriage, you've become the enablers of your child's rich social and cultural life as you rush around on endless rounds of sports practices, kids' birthday parties, and play dates.

Stifle that yawn! Daytime sleepiness and fatigue don't have to come between you and your significant other. In fact, you can often achieve a much more harmonious relationship simply by figuring out how to get more z's and making sure you get the sleep you need.

Considering how prevalent depression is, it's not surprising that many marriages have at least one spouse who suffers from depression. Over time, untreated depression can really take a toll on relationships. Research shows there is a two-way link between depression and marital distress.

Unfortunately, osteoarthritis is one of the more common signs that you're getting older. Caused by the gradual wearing away of the cartilage between your joints, the bone-on-bone friction that's a hallmark of this condition can be very uncomfortable and may interfere with certain activities.

Playing hide and seek isn't just fun for young children, it's good for their brains! That's because interactive play stimulates neurons (brain cells) which fosters the best possible cognitive development. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) play is so important that in 2006 it was recognized by the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights as a right of every child.

Spreading a little horseradish-flavored mustard on your sandwich will give it some extra zip-and a whole lot more!  Here's why some condiments are better for you than others. Condiments help simple, everyday foods rise above the ordinary to become extraordinary.

Whether you want to lose 5 or 50 pounds, it's extra challenging when you have diabetes. If you're prone to episodes of hypoglycemia, there are times when you have to eat whether or not you want to, and it can be frustrating to have to take in those extra calories to prevent your blood sugar from dropping dangerously low.