Health Articles

Various articles on health

Wheat Grass Therapy: Let the Sun Shine In!: Alternative health practitioners have long preached the benefits of wheatgrass, due largely to its chlorophyll content (chlorophyll is converted energy from the sun, hence the term liquid ...

Just Breath: Most of Us Utilize only 10-20% of Our Breathing Capacity: Just breathe, croons country artists Faith Hill in her hit single of the same name. If only it were that simple! Breathing comes naturally, but conscious, controlled breathing takes practice. ...

How to Use Alternative & Complementary Medicine: Introduction: During the past decade, the American public's interest in alternative medicine has skyrocketed. The evidence for this trend is everywhere -- in the media, in the growing number of popular books ...

Complementary Therapies Are Not Always Harmless: It is important to know that complementary therapies are not by definition harmless. They run the gamut in terms of their potential for harm, though many do tend to be quite benign. If you choose ...

Research Evidence for Complementary Therapies: Generally, there is little hard research evidence for the effectiveness of complementary therapies. This does not mean that these approaches are not useful -- just that the question is still open. ...

Choosing a Complementary Therapy: Part 1: Most mainstream physicians are of little assistance when it comes to providing guidance to patients in the area of complementary medicine. At the same time, there is an explosion of media hype ...

Choosing a Complementary Therapy: Part 2: Part1 Check Resources There are a number of useful resource books that may be of great help in understanding the field ...

Choosing a Complementary Therapy Practitioner: Once you have settled on a therapy that you would like to try, the next step is finding a practitioner. For some therapies this may not be necessary. You can make modest changes in your diet, for ...

Preventing Sexual Abuse: PAP Tests Saving Lives: One of the most important life-saving screening tests a woman can have is an annual Pap test. The Pap test, which is done as part of a routine pelvic examination, is the single most ...

PAP Tests approved by the Federal Drug Administration: Tests approved by the Federal Drug Administration include: 1.The liquid-based cytology sample preparation. (Cytyc Corporation's ThinPrep System, and Tripath Imaging Inc's AutoCyte PREP ...

Bleeding Disorders in Women: Bleeding disorders are a group of disorders associated with a lack of any number of clotting elements in the blood. These proteins work together as a domino effect to blood clotting, so any ...

Summer Days, Hot Days: How to Protect Yourself In Summer: The summer months are well upon us, bringing people out of their caves and into the sunshine. Summer is a great time to enjoy the outdoors and get back in shape. But summertime has its special set ...

Overian Cysts: A Cause to Worry?: You've got pain in your pelvis and your doctor has determined-after an ultrasound-that you have ovarian cysts. What exactly does that mean? Does it affect a future pregnancy? What Are ...

How Are Ovarian Cysts Diagnosed and Treated?: As noted above, most of the time ovarian cysts aren't diagnosed because they don't cause symptoms. During a physical, a pelvic examination often reveals to the doctor abnormalities of the ovaries. ...

Travel & Pregnancy: You've been making plans to take that trip of a life-time! But, now you find out you're pregnant. What should you do? Should you still take that trip? As always, talk with your doctor ...

General Recommendations For Travel During Pregnancy: Once a pregnant woman has decided to travel, a number of issues need clarification prior to departure. It is advisable for pregnant women to travel with a companion; in addition, attention to ...

Travel Immunizations During Pregnancy: Because of the theoretical risks to the fetus from maternal vaccination, the risks and benefits of each immunization should be carefully reviewed. Ideally, all women who are pregnant should be up ...

Traveler's Diarrhea During Pregnancy: Dietary vigilance should be adhered to while traveling during pregnancy because dehydration due to traveler's diarrhea (TD) can lead to inadequate placental blood flow. Potentially ...

Air Travel During Pregnancy: Commercial air travel poses no special risks to a healthy pregnant woman or her fetus. The lowered cabin pressures (kept at the equivalent of 5,000-8,000 feet or 1,524-2,438 meters) affect fetal ...

The Travel Health Kit During Pregnancy: Additions and substitutions to the usual travel health kit need to be made during pregnancy. Talcum powder, a thermometer, oral rehydration packets, multivitamins, an antifungal agent for vaginal ...

Relative Contraindications To International Travel During Pregnancy: Patients with obstetrical risk factors History of miscarriage Incompetent cervix History of ectopic pregnancy (ectopic with present pregnancy should be ruled out prior to ...

Digital Mammography: A New Way Of Detecting Breast Cancer: For women, breast cancer is a dreaded and devastating disease. Over a lifetime, one in eight American women are affected by breast cancer. It is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second ...

When to Have A Mammogram: The American Cancer Society recommends the following: Women age 40 and older should have a screening mammography every year. Between the ages of 20 and 30, women should ...

Conventional mammography: Conventional mammography is the way most breast imaging is performed. It is a technique that uses x-rays to create an image of the breast tissue on film. During a mammography, a woman undresses ...

Digital mammography: Because mammograms are not foolproof, there is a need for newer technologies that are better able to detect breast cancer. With digital mammography it is possible to capture and display the x-ray ...

Fat Blocking Products for Weight Loss: Wellness Watch: Keep Your Joints Jumping We've all experienced it at some point: stiffness, swelling or burning in the knees, hips, shoulders, or wrists. What can you do to minimize ...

Lively Up Yourself: Part 1: Is it impossible to drag yourself out of bed in the morning? Or, do you wake up refreshed but need a cup o' Joe--intravenous--in the afternoon? While an occasional bout of fatigue is normal, ...

Lively Up Yourself: Part 2: Depression In addition to fatigue, do you have trouble sleeping? Do you lack interest in hobbies or activities you once thought were fun? Is your head filled with negative thoughts and ...

Fit Kit: Make Your Body Sing: You run. Maybe everyday. Run, run, run. So, you must be pretty healthy, right? Well, while a one-note fitness regimen is better than inactivity, your body needs aerobic activity, strength training,...

Posture Perfect: Standing and Sitting: Sit up straight! Don't slouch! Mom always said, and she was right (which kind of makes up for the time she told you no one would notice that pimple on your forehead and the kids called you ...

Posture Perfect: Walking and Sleeping: * Walking: Start by getting into proper standing position. As you walk, keep your shoulders rolled back, spine lifted, head balanced over your neck and shoulders, chin in. Take steps of ...

Surefire Strategies To Get Fit And Stay Fit: Part 1: Did you click here looking for a magic pill or foolproof plan to lose weight swiftly and painlessly? No, you know us better than that. But if you are looking for surefire strategies to get fit ...

Surefire Strategies To Get Fit And Stay Fit: Part 2: One way to ensure you get maximum nutrients is to keep healthy food and snacks on hand. If you're craving something crunchy and would ordinarily reach for chip (loaded with fat and salt) ...

The Best Protection Against Prostate Problems: The prostate is a small organ about the size of a walnut. It lies below the bladder and surrounds the urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder. The prostate makes a fluid that ...

Prostate Diagnosis: Diagnosis--To find the cause of prostate symptoms, the doctor takes a careful medical history and performs a physical exam. The physical includes a digital rectal exam, in which the ...

Can You be Allergic to Computers: An Introduction to Computer Related Health Problems In the last several years, the computer has become almost a necessity in our lives. Most businesses and institutions now totally ...

Peptic Ulcer: Role of H. Pylori Bacteria: Approximately 25 million Indians suffer from peptic ulcer disease at some point in their lifetime. Each year there are 500,000 to 850,000 new cases of peptic ulcer disease and ...

Diagnosing H. Pylori Infection: Peptic Ulcer: Several methods may be used to diagnose H. pylori infection. Blood, breath and stomach tissue tests may be performed to detect the presence of H. pylori ...

Treatment Regimens for H. Pylori: Peptic Ulcer: If you have an ulcer, you should be tested for H. pylori and if it's infected, you should be treated with antibiotics. Antibiotics are the new cure for ulcers; therapy is 1-2 weeks of ...

Body Mass Index (BMI): Your Indicator for Obesity: BMI is not a car manufacturer, but these three initials can possibly improve your life. Body Mass Index (BMI) is a numeric measure that helps doctors and patients ...

Does The BMI Always Work?: Yes, for most people but for those who are short in stature or overly muscular, the BMI may not work always and will result in labeling these people obese even when they are not. ...

Should You Be Tested For HIV?: You cannot tell by looking at someone whether he or she has HIV infection. Someone can look and feel perfectly healthy and still be infected. Many people who have HIV infection do ...

Getting HIV Tested: It's very important that you understand the confidentiality policies of a testing center. Depending on the area where you live, there are different counseling ...

HIV Testing Positive Result: A positive result means antibodies to HIV were found in your blood. This means you have been exposed to the HIV infection. Your condition is called HIV-positive, or seropositive. ...

Invasive Cardiology: An Exciting And Evolving Field That Could Save Your Life: Cardiology is a branch of medicine concerned with the heart and diseases that affect it. Invasive cardiology is a special aspect of cardiology that uses invasive procedures to treat heart disease. ...

Cancer Fighters in Your Spice Rack: Fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants and other cancer-fighting compounds have long been thought to curb one's cancer risk. It now appears that another group of foods--including ...

Beyond antioxidants: The good news is that a drug-free alternative to the synthetic COX-2 inhibitors may be as close as your spice shelf. It appears that certain foods are natural inhibitors of the COX-2 ...

Are Fat-Blocking Products for Weight Loss Really Good For Your Health?: What do you think of the fat-blocking products for weight loss? If you are talking about the over-the-counter weight loss products containing a substance called chitosan, research ...

Is There Any Truth To The Notion That Cranberry Juice Can Cure Bladder Infections?: A study of elderly women found that drinking a 10-ounce glass of cranberry juice daily reduced the incidence of bacterial infections of the urinary tract by about 50 percent after four to eight ...

Is It True That Where Body Fat Is Carried On The Body Influences Cancer Risk?: Fat deposited around the abdomen seems to be more metabolically active than lower body fat stores. The Journal of the National Cancer Institute reported that in a large study of people over age ...

Classes of Nutrients: Part 1: To be healthy, our bodies need nutrients from five different groups of essential nutrients: Proteins Carbohydrates Fats Vitamins ...

Classes of Nutrients: Part 2: Proteins Proteins help the body to grow and maintain itself, allowing it to perform vital functions such as cell repair, blood clotting and enzyme production. Proteins are ...

Do You Know Your Dietary Daily Values (DVs)?: Daily Values is a new dietary reference term that appears on the new food label. It is a combination of two sets of dietary references, the DRVs or Daily Reference Values and the ...

A Guide to Summer Veggies: Here's the guide to summer's bounty. Find out about the vegetables that are in season now from arugula to zucchini. We'll tell you what to look for at the market, how to store ...

Vegetables: Arugula: Nutritional Information: Excellent source of vitamin C and folate. Good source of calcium. What To Look For: Look for small, soft leaves. (...

Vegetables: Avocados (Hass): Nutritional Information: Excellent source of potassium, vitamin C and vitamin B6 and folate. Good source of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin A, and ...

Vegetables: Green Beans: American, Yellow and Haricot Vert: Nutritional Information: Good source of fiber. What To Look For: Choose beans that have a bright color without brown or soft spots....

Vegetables: Fresh Shell Beans: Broad, Fava: Nutritional Information: Excellent source of vitamin C. Good source of vitamin A and folate. What To Look For: Choose beans that ...

Vegetables: Beets: Red, Yellow, White, Candy Stripe: Nutritional Information: Excellent source of folate. Good source of potassium and vitamin C. What To Look For: Firm, smooth roots ...

Vegetables: Collards (Greens): Nutritional Information: Excellent source of vitamin A and C; good source of folate. What To Look For: Leaves should be crisp, tender, and ...

Vegetables: Corn: Yellow, White, Bicolored: Nutritional Information: Excellent source of fiber. Good source of vitamin C. What To Look For: Freshly picked, moist, green husk and silks;...

Vegetables: Cucumber: Common or Seedless; Pickling: Nutritional Information: High water content aids in hydration. What To Look For: Slender cucumbers are younger and have tender skins. The ...

Vegetables: Eggplant: Nutritional Information: Good source of fiber. What To Look For: Skin should be smooth and taut with fresh-looking green cap at ...

Vegetables: Garlic: Nutritional Information: Rich in phytochemicals, particularly allyl sulfides. What To Look For: Choose firm, dry bulbs with tightly closed ...

Vegetables: Kohlrabi: Nutritional Information: Good source of vitamin C and potassium. What To Look For: Light green in color and sometimes sold with its edible ...

Mushrooms: Chanterelles, Porcinis, Hen of the Woods: Nutritional Information: Good source of riboflavin. What To Look For: Look for dry and firm mushrooms with a sweet earthy smell. ...

Vegetables: Okra: Green, Red: Nutritional Information: Good source of vitamin C and folate. What To Look For: Short, less than 3 inch long pods with a velvety feel. No ...

Vegetables: Onions: Vidalia, Maui, Walla Walla: Nutritional Information: Rich in phytochemicals, particularly allyl sulfides. What To Look For: Clean, firm, well-shaped bulbs with no sign ...

Vegetables: Peas, Sugar Snap: Nutritional Information: Excellent source of vitamin C. Good source of iron. What To Look For: Pods should be plump, firm, bright green, ...

Vegetables: Peppers, Sweet Bell: Green, Red, Yellow, Orange: Nutritional Information: Excellent source of vitamin C. Good source of vitamin A and B6. What To Look For: Color should be uniform,...

Vegetables: Potatoes: New, Fingerling: Nutritional Information: Excellent source of potassium and vitamin C. Good source of vitamin B6. What To Look For: Should be ...

Vegetables: Shallots: Nutritional Information: Excellent source of vitamin A. What To Look For: Should be plump and well shaped. Avoid those that appear dry ...

Vegetables: Summer Squash: Yellow, Pattypan, Zucchini: Nutritional Information: Good source of vitamin C. What To Look For: Small squash with thin, glossy skins. Yellow squash and zucchini ...

Vegetables: Swiss Chard: Nutritional Information: Good source of vitamin A. What To Look For: Crisp, tender leaves that are not overgrown. Bright color. ...

Vegetables: Tomatoes: Nutritional Information: Excellent source of vitamins A and C. Good source of potassium. What To Look For: Should be plump and heavy for ...

Vegetables: Zucchini: Nutritional Information: Good source of vitamin C. What To Look For: Small squash with thin, glossy skins. Zucchini should be less ...

19th Century Medical Revolution: Nature Of Disease: Pathology: The founder of pathology was Giovanni Batista Morgagni (1682-1771), professor of medicine and anatomy at Padua for 56 years. He published at the age of 79 the De Sedibus Causis Morborum ...

The Medical And Surgical Revolutions: The next steps were the demonstrations that disease was caused by micro-organisms, and that immunity could be provided. In 1835 Bassi showed that a disease of silk worm was due to a fungal ...

19th Century Medical Revolution: Anaesthesia: Anaesthesia started in North America. Various potions including opiates and alcohol have been used since ancient times to dull pain and lull into sleep. The hypnotic effect of ether, sweet ...

19th Century Medical Revolution: Preventive Medicine: Up till 1800 human communities existed with very little control of public health. There were some municipal regulations against the disposal within towns of sewage and garbage and during plagues ...

19th Century Medical Revolution: Vaccination: Smallpox was the most virulent of the infectious diseases, with a mortality rate well over 50% in previously unexposed populations. Attempts at prevention were made in the early eighteenth century ...

Aids Conference HighLights: HAART Can Influence Opportunistic Lung Infections So many of the opportunistic infections that affect people with HIV/AIDS involve the lungs. Pneumocystis cariini pneumonia, ...

Aids Conference HighLights. Part 2: Cytokine Regulation: A Different Approach to Controlling HIV Recent advances in therapies aimed at reducing the level of HIV virus in the body have not shed light on why the virus acts ...

Aids Conference HighLights. Part 3: Treatment Soon After HIV Infection Reduces the Viral Load to Undetectable Levels This study of patients with very recent HIV infection assessed the ability of two antiviral drug ...

Aids Glossary: A-B: Adjuvant: A substance that enhances the immune-stimulating properties of a vaccine or the effects of a drug. Adverse event: In a clinical trial, an unwanted effect detected in ...

Aids Glossary: C-E: CD4+ T cells: White blood cells that carry a marker on their surface known as cluster designation 4 (CD4). These cells are the primary target of HIV. Also known as T-...

Aids Glossary: F-L: Functional antibody: An antibody that binds to an antigen and has an effect. For example, neutralizing antibodies inactivate HIV or prevent it from infecting other cells. Genome: ...

Aids Glossary: M-P: Macrophage: A large immune system cell that devours invading pathogens and other intruders. Stimulates other immune cells by presenting them with small pieces of the invaders. Mean:...

Aids Glossary: R-V: Randomized trial: A study in which participants are randomly assigned to either a treatment or a placebo arm. Reactogenicity: The capacity to produce adverse reactions. ...

Allergies Glossary: A: Acinus The berrylike ending of a tiny airway in the lung, where the alveoli (air sacs) are located. Acute Severe or with sudden onset and a short time span. ...

Allergies Glossary: B-C: B-Cell Mediated Immunity An immune response in which B cells, a type of lymphocyte, are produced in response to direct exposure to an antigen. This results in the formation of antibodies ...

Allergies Glossary: E-D: Dander Dry scales shed from the skin of animals or the feathers of birds; dander is a common allergen. Diaphragm The muscle that separates the chest from the abdomen. The ...

Allergies Glossary: F-G: Fetus Unborn offspring from 7 or 8 weeks after conception until birth. Fibrosis Formation of fibrous tissue as inflamed tissue becomes scarred. Food Allergy ...

Allergies Glossary: H-I: Hay Fever Inflammation of the mucous membranes of the nose and sinuses due to allergic response; also known as allergic rhinitis. Hemoglobin The iron-containing protein in red blood cells ...

Allergies Glossary: L-M: Lactose A type of sugar found in milk and milk products (cheese, butter, etc.). It is considered a nutritive sweetener because it has calories. Lactose Intolerance A food ...

Allergies Glossary: N-O: Nausea The feeling of wanting to throw up (vomit). Nebulizer A device that delivers asthma medications. It directs air or oxygen under pressure through a solution of the ...

Allergies Glossary: P: PaO2 Measurement of the oxygenation of blood in the arteries. PaCO2 Measurement of the bodys ability to excrete the carbon dioxide from arterial blood. Patch ...

Allergies Glossary: R: Red Blood Cells Cells that transport oxygen from the lungs to all tissues of the body. Reflux An abnormal backward or return flow of a fluid. Registered ...

Allergies Glossary: S: Sarcoidosis Rare disease of unknown cause, occurring primarily in young adults, which can affect the function of the lungs as well as other organs and tissues. Selenium A ...

Allergies Glossary: T-W: T-Cell-Mediated Immune Response An immune system response in which T cells, a type of lymphocyte, are produced in order to orchestrate the destruction of antigens. T-cells cant recognize an ...

Alzheimers Glossary: Acetylcholine a neurotransmitter found in reduced levels in the brains of Alzheimer's victims. Alzheimer's Disease Associated Protein (ADAP) a protein that seems to ...

Bladder Glossary: Adjuvant therapy: Anticancer drugs or hormones given after surgery and/or radiation to help prevent the cancer from coming back. Alopecia: Hair loss. Anemia: ...

Brain Glossary: Accessible Tumor a tumor that can be reached and removed using surgical tools without unreasonable risk of severe damage. Anaplastic cancerous, malignant (see below). ...

Chronic Glossary: Acupuncture: Chinese practice of inserting needles into the skin at specific points of the body to relieve pain. Addiction: psychological or emotional ...

What is Depression?: What do you think when you hear the word, depression? Some people say they are depressed when they are feeling a little blue or are just having a bad day. This ...

Causes of Depression: Why do some people often feel depressed while others never do? What exactly causes depression? These are good questions, and there are a number of answers. Some people become depressed ...

Symptoms of Depression: Do you think depression only happens to other people? Or, if you think you are suffering from depression, do you feel all alone? Depression is more widespread than you might think. ...

Types of Depression: The term depression means different things to different people. Some people say they are depressed if they are feeling down or just having a bad day. Others feel sad and depressed because of negative ...

Who Does Depression Affect?: Depression can affect anyone, at anytime. And it doesn't just affect the person who is depressed. Friends, family, and others who care about the depressed person are affected as well. At ...

How to Choose the Depression Therapy that's Right for You: With all the different therapies available to treat depression, it can be difficult to choose the treatment plan that is right for you. Your health-care professional can help guide your decision ...

Depression: Treatment Types: For most people, treating their depression is simple and highly effective. Yet, many people with depression don't seek help or receive the treatment they need because they feel hopeless and ...

Depression Medication: Bupropion (Wellbutrin, Wellbutrin SR): This is a unique class of antidepressant mediation, which at this time, only contains one drug, bupropion. It's unique because it doesn't affect serotonin, one of the neurotransmitters in ...

Depression Medication: Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) Phenelzine (Nardil): Tranylcypromine (Parnate) Moclobemide (in Canada) Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) were the first drugs used to effectively treat depression. They are thought to work by ...

Depression Medication: Mirtazapine, Nefazodone, Trazodone: There is an increasing number of other antidepressant medications that you might want to explore with your doctor or health-care professional. Trazodone, for example, is believed to work ...

Depression Medication: Venlafaxine (Effexor, Effexor XR): Serotonin/Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs) Venlafaxine (Effexor, Effexor XR) One of the newest classes of antidepressants, Serotonin/Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (...

Depression Medication: Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI's): Citalopram, Fluoxetine, Flovoxamine, Paroxetine, Sertraline: Citalopram (Celexa) Fluoxetine (Prozac) Flovoxamine (Luvox) Paroxetine (Paxil) Sertraline (Zoloft) Antidepressants in the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRIs) class ...

Depression Medication: Tricyclic Antidepressants: Tricyclic Antidepressants: Amitriptyline (Elavil) Amoxapine (Asendin) Clomipramine (Anafranil) Desipramine (Norpramin) Doxepin (Adapin, Sinequan) Imipramine (Tofranil) ...

Depression Treatments: Psychotherapy: Introduction to Psychotherapy Centuries, or even only decades ago, if you had a bout of depression, you would have probably gone to your religious leader or maybe a relative for ...

Where to Find Depression Therapy: Are you depressed and need treatment? Where do you turn for help? No matter what type of depression you have or what kind of treatment you're looking for, you will need a way to access the ...

Depression Treatments: Questions to Ask Your Practitioner: Depression can turn your whole world upside down. It can make it harder to function, and depression can make you confused. Even so, there are many things about your depression and your treatment ...

Diabetes Glossary: A: ACE Inhibitor A type of drug used to lower blood pressure. Studies indicate that it may also help prevent or slow the progression of kidney disease in people with diabetes. ...

Diabetes Glossary: B: Background Retinopathy Early stage of diabetic retinopathy; usually does not impair vision. Also called nonproliferative retinopathy. Basal Rate Refers to a ...

Diabetes Glossary: C: C.D.E. (Certified Diabetes Educator) A health care professional who is qualified by the American Association of Diabetes Educators to teach people with diabetes how to manage their ...

Diabetes Glossary: D: Dawn Phenomenon A sudden rise in blood glucose levels in the early morning hours. This condition sometimes occurs in people with insulin-dependent diabetes and (rarely) in people with ...

Diabetes Glossary: E: Edema A swelling or puffiness of some part of the body such as the ankles. Water or other body fluids collect in the cells and cause the swelling. Electromyography (EMG) ...

Diabetes Glossary: F: Fasting Blood Glucose Test A method for finding out how much glucose (sugar) is in the blood. The test can show if a person has diabetes. A blood sample is taken in a lab or doctor's ...

Diabetes Glossary: G: Galactose A type of sugar found in milk products and sugar beets. It is also made by the body. It is considered a nutritive sweetener because it has calories. Gangrene ...

Diabetes Glossary: H: HCF Diet A high-carbohydrate, high-fiber diet. Hemocromatosis See: Bronze diabetes. Hemodialysis A mechanical method of cleaning the blood for people who ...

Diabetes Glossary: I: IDDM See: Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. IGT See: Impaired glucose tolerance. Immunosuppressive Drugs Drugs that block the body's ability to fight ...

Diabetes Glossary: J-K-L: Jet Injector A device that uses high pressure to propel insulin through the skin and into the body. Juvenile Onset Diabetes Former term for insulin-dependent or type ...

Diabetes Glossary: M: Macroangiopathy See: Angiopathy. Macrosomia Abnormally large; in diabetes, refers to abnormally large babies that may be born to women with diabetes. Macrovascular ...

Diabetes Glossary: N: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) One of the 17 institutes that make up the National Institutes of Health, an agency of the Public Health Service. ...

Diabetes Glossary: O: Obesity When people have 20 percent (or more) extra body fat for their age, height, sex, and bone structure. Fat works against the action of insulin. Extra body fat is thought to be a ...

Diabetes Glossary: P: Pancreas An organ behind the lower part of the stomach that is about the size of a hand. It makes insulin so that the body can use glucose (sugar) for energy. It also makes enzymes that ...

Diabetes Glossary: R: Reagents Strips or tablets that people use to test the level of glucose (sugar) in their blood and urine or the level of acetone in their urine. These reagents are treated with ...

Diabetes Glossary: S: Saccharin A man-made sweetener that people use in place of sugar because it has no calories. Saturated Fat A type of fat that comes from animals. See also: Fats. ...

Diabetes Glossary: T: Team Management Describes a diabetes treatment approach in which medical care is provided by a physician, diabetes nurse educator, dietitian, and behavioral scientist working together ...

Diabetes Glossary: U-V-X: U-100 See: Unit of insulin. Ulcer A break in the skin; a deep sore. People with diabetes may get ulcers from minor scrapes on the feet or legs, from cuts that heal slowly,...

Tips on Getting the Most Out of Your Meds: Read the prescription label each time you take your medicine. Always take yourmedicine for the full length of your prescribed treatment and at the correct time. Always check with ...

Headache Glossary: Angiography an imaging technique that provides a picture, called an angiogram, of blood vessels. Aura a symptom of classic migraine headache in which the patient sees ...

Heart Glossary: Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor A drug used to decrease pressure inside blood vessels. Arrhythmia An irregular heartbeat. Cardiomyoplasty A ...

Impotence Glossary: Endocrinologist (EN-do-kri-nol'-o-jist): A medical doctor with advanced training in disorders of the internal (endocrine) glands, including diabetes. Erectile Dysfunction (e-rek-...

Infertility Glossary: A: Abortion Spontaneous: A pregnancy loss during the first twenty weeks of gestation. Habitual: When a woman has had three or more miscarriages. Incomplete: An ...

Infertility Glossary: B-C: Basal Body Temperature (BBT) Your body temperature when taken at its lowest point, usually in the morning before getting out of bed. Charting BBT is used to predict ovulation. Biphasic: ...

Infertility Glossary: D-E: DC (Dilation and Curettage) A procedure used to dilate the cervical canal and scrape out the lining and contents of the uterus. The procedure can be used to diagnose or treat the ...

Infertility Glossary: F: Fallopian Tubes Ducts through which eggs travel to the uterus once released from the follicle. Sperm normally meet the egg in the fallopian tube, the site at which fertilization usually ...

Infertility Glossary: G-H: Galactorrhea A clear or milky discharge from the breasts associated with elevated prolactin. Gamete A reproductive cell: Sperm in men, the egg in women. Gamete ...

Infertility Glossary: I-K: ICSI-Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection A procedure in which a single sperm is injected into an egg. Immature Sperm (Germinal Cell) A sperm that has not matured and gained ...

Infertility Glossary: L-O: Laparoscope A small telescope that can be inserted into a hole in the abdominal wall for viewing the internal organs; the instrument used to perform a laparoscopy. Used to diagnose and ...

Infertility Glossary: P: Panbypopituitarism Complete pituitary gland failure. Parlodel See Bromocriptine. Patent The condition of being open, as with tubes that form part ...

Infertility Glossary: R-S: Resistant Ovary An ovary that cannot respond to the follicle-stimulating message sent by FSH. Primitive germ cells will be present in the ovary; however, they will not respond to FSH<...

Infertility Glossary: T: Testicular Biopsy A minor surgical procedure used to take a small sample of testicular tissue for microscopic examination; a test used to diagnose male fertility problems when no other ...

Infertility Glossary: U-Z: Ultrasound See Sonogram. Umbilical Cord Two arteries and one vein encased in a gelatinous tube leading from the baby to the placenta. Used to exchange nutrients ...

Liver Glossary: Acetaminophen Acetaminophen relieves fever and pain by blocking pain centers in the central nervous system. Examples of brand names include Tylenol, Panadol, and Datril. ...

How to Stop The Pain Of Osteoarthritis In Its Tracks: Osteoarthritis, the most common of all joint disorders, affects more than half the population over the age of 60. The disease occurs when wear-and-tear of the cartilage-the padding between bones-...

Alzheimer's Disease: Simple Memory Loss Or Serious Illness?: Know the difference Stressed out by overly demanding schedules, we Americans often feel that our memories are slipping as we misplace car keys, stumble over names, and overlook ...

Don't Take Arthritis Lying Down. Fight The Pain With These Simple Strategies: More than half of all Americans over the age of 60 have osteoarthritis (OA), a wearing away of the cartilage covering the tips of bones in a joint. OA is a chronic condition, meaning it will ...

Arthritis. See a Doctor About Joint Aches if...: See a Doctor About Joint Aches if... Pain interferes with your everyday activities. Symptoms do not improve with two weeks of treatment with OTC medications. ...

Cut Cholesterol And Reduce Heart Disease Risks: Where Are We Now? Too few of us know our cholesterol counts and that's a major problem. High cholesterol is a leading risk factor for the heart attacks that kill more than a half-...

Cholesterol Medications: Statins Brand names: Baycol, Lescol, Lipitor, Mevacor, Pravachol, Zocor Potential side effects: As a group, these drugs may produce constipation, diarrhea, stomach ...

Though You Can't Cure The Common Cold, You Can Ease Its Symptoms: Coughs Colds Aaaaa-choo! Cold season is almost upon us. And these viral infections-which cause an inflammation of the mucous membranes lining the nose and throat-can really lay you ...

Diabetes: Don't Let This Chronic Illness Hold You Hostage: R. Keith Campbell is associate dean and professor of pharmacy practice at the Washington State University College of Pharmacy. He is also a certified diabetes educator, has served on the board of ...

Diabetes: Do Not Let This Chronic Illness Hold You Hostage. Continued: Treatment Tips Only about 12 percent of Type 2 patients are able to control their diabetes solely with diet and exercise. Approximately 48 percent of those with Type 2 use oral ...

Hearing Loss: Having trouble tuning in to conversations? Here's some sound advice If you had poor vision, you probably wouldn't hesitate to don a pair of glasses. But if you had trouble hearing, ...

Heartburn. Put Out The Fire And Douse The Discomfort Of Indigestion: Have that burning feeling? Put out the fire and douse the discomfort of indigestion Most people have an episode of heartburn now and then-a fiery discomfort that begins behind the breastbone ...

Heartburn or Heart Attack?: Heartburn or Heart Attack? Heartburn sometimes causes chest pain, a major symptom of heart disease. Here are some key differences between the two: Heartburn ...

Burns, Cuts, and Scrapes. Twelve Complexion-Sparing Steps To Counter Winter Woes: Pruritus hiemalis may sound like an exotic disease, but it's actually the medical term for dry skin. For some people, dryness is a year-round annoyance. Millions of others are bothered mainly in ...

Sleep Loss. Twenty-five Simple Ideas To Help You Get The Shuteye You Need: There's little worse than a sleepless night-all that tossing, turning, and fretting that leaves you listless the next day. You need sleep to restore your mental and physical capacities, and a lack ...

Definition of Medical Terms: adrenal glands Located near the kidneys, the adrenal glands produce a small amount of the male hormone, testosterone. benign tumor A tumor which is noncancerous ...

Headaches Begone! A Systemic Approach To Healing Your Headaches

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