_ Alternative HealthFinding A Good Alternative Health Practitioner By Jane Farrell articleThere are so many “alternative” or “complementary” therapies available today that it can be hard to tell which ones are effective, don’t work at all or can do you harm. It’s just as much of a challenge to choose a complementary health practitioner. Should you want to go to one, it’s best to do the research beforehand or you may end up paying money for “treatments” that don’t work. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) is part of the National Institutes of Health and an authority in the field of alternative medicine.
_ 10 Facts About Depression By Jane Farrell articleBy Dr. Prakash MasandMay is Mental Health Month, and a time to bring awareness to the many conditions that make up mental illness. One of the most common is depression. Unfortunately, many people have been misled about the facts of depression from what they’ve seen on TV or in the movies, or have heard about from their friends and others. What are the real facts about depression? Here are the 10 ten facts that everyone should know about depression: 1. There’s more to depression than just feeling blue.
Sleep Health7 Hidden Causes of Fatigue By Jane Farrell articleFrom the Cleveland Clinic Fatigue can signal anemia, diabetes, hypothyroidism or hepatitis C. But once your doctor rules out major medical causes of fatigue, it’s time to consider hidden ones. “We look for the less obvious roots of fatigue — that’s our job,” says Tanya Edwards, MD, Medical Director of Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Integrative Medicine. Hidden causes include: 1. A junk food diet
_ PetsHealthy And Safe Exercise For Your Dog - And You By Jane Farrell articleNow that spring’s here, it’s a perfect time to get out and exercise – and having a canine companion will make it ever more enjoyable. But just as you follow safety measures for yourself, you need to know what will keep your dog from danger. Here, from the ASPCA, are some tips: Get your pet a check-up
_ "Physician Partners" Help Improve Patient Care By Jane Farrell articleA “physician partner” who can handle a doctor’s administrative tasks will help lighten the practitioner’s burden and increase patient care satisfaction, according to a study from UCLA. The study, published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine, focused on the implementation of electronic medical records.
_ 10 Common Cancer Treatment Myths By Jane Farrell articleBy Mayo Clinic Staff As advances in the treatment of cancer have increased, you may have discovered more opportunities to learn the facts about this disease. Yet some misleading ideas about cancer treatment still persist. Timothy J. Moynihan, M.D., a cancer specialist at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., helps debunk some of the most common misconceptions about cancer treatment and explains the truth. Myth: A positive attitude is all you need to beat cancer.
_ ExerciseHow To Have The Exercise Talk With Your Doctor By Jane Farrell articleThe health benefits of exercise are almost too numerous to list: Experts say that regular physical activity can have a positive effect on health conditions ranging from depression to diabetes. But it’s essential to talk to your doctor you begin exercising, want to take your current routine to the next level, or want to start a different activity.
_ Meditation Can Give Your Brain A Rest By Jane Farrell articleIf you’re doing focused meditation, your brain is in effect giving itself a bit of a rest. Norwegian and Australian researchers, examining brain activity via an MRI, found that concentrated meditation, in which a subject focuses on breathing and works to suppress other thoughts, showed a brain activity level that was almost the same as the brain resting.
_ A Cellular Path to Anti-Aging Drugs By Jane Farrell articleResearchers have devised an algorithm that can help in the ongoing search for anti-aging drugs. The scientists, from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, published their findings in the journal Frontiers in Genetics. In their investigation, the researchers compared the cells of young and elderly patients, focusing on signaling pathways. The pathways play a crucial part in a process that ultimately results in either normal or pathological changes in cells.
Sleep HealthWhen It's More Than Being Tired By Jane Farrell articleWhether from insomnia, stress, or just doing too much, we all feel tired occasionally. But if a good night’s sleep doesn’t revive you, and your tiredness lasts for weeks, that’s probably another issue entirely. Here, the experts at SeniorHealth, a division of the National Institutes of Health, share what you should know about fatigue:
_ Protein Fragments and Alzheimer's By Jane Farrell articleTwo newly discovered protein fragments may lead to drugs that will better treat Alzheimer’s disease. In a study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, Prof. Illana Gozes, of Tel Aviv University’s Sagol School of Neuroscience, said that investigators had already focused on a protein called NAP, which is essential for brain formation. Now, they have found similar protein fragments. In their study, investigators looked at the effect of the fragments on mice with symptoms similar to thse of Alzheimer’s.
_ How Can We Avoid Another Global Pandemic? By Jane Farrell articleAn investigation into the 1918 flu pandemic has yielded some findings that could help experts improve current health policies, researchers say. Researchers from the University of Missouri looked at remote regions in North American to see how environmental, nutritional land economic factors determined the effect the pandemic had on them. The flu pandemic infected more than 500 million people and killed at least 50 million.
_ Food Expiration Dates: What's Safe, What's Not By Jane Farrell articleYou stand in front of the refrigerator staring at a “sell by” date on food and have the internal debate: Do I throw it in the trash or take my chances? You’re not the only one. Upwards of 91 percent of consumers have thrown food out based on the dates on packaging. But the dating system isn’t as clear as it seems. Nobody wants food poisoning — no fun — but few people want to waste food, either. Let’s get some clarity.
_ Keeping Your Nails Their Healthiest By Jane Farrell articleFrom the Mayo Clinic Take a close look at your fingernails. Are they strong and healthy looking? Or do you see ridges, dents, or areas of unusual color or shape? Many less than desirable nail conditions can be avoided through proper fingernail care. Others indicate an underlying condition that requires attention.
_ The Molecule That Works Against You By Jane Farrell articleResearchers have determined exactly how a “molecular motor” drives a process that invades cells. That finding could be crucial in combating viral infections. In the study, researchers from the University of California Berkeley reached new conclusions on how a type of molecular motor is used to “package” the DNA of a number of viruses, including herpes and adenoviruses. Once the DNA is packaged in the virus, it can invade the body and cause infection.
_ The Infectious Bond Between People and Their Pets By Jane Farrell articleHumans and their animal companions exchange the bacteria for the antibiotic-resistant MRSA, according to a new study. The findings were published in mBio, the journal of the American Society for Microbiology. MRSA naturally lives on the skin and causes difficult-to-treat infections in humans and animals. It is hard to treat because over time it has become resistant to antibiotics.
_ Skin Skin HealthIs It Shingles? By Jane Farrell articleShingles is one of the most common conditions for American adults: more than 50 percent have had it by the time they reach 80. However, it’s most frequent in the years between 60 and 80. How can you tell if you have this bothersome, painful problem, and what should you do about it? The experts at the SeniorHealth division of the National Institutes of Health have some answers: