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The first thing that comes to mind for many when they hear diabetes is sugar. While sugar plays a big part in this disease, there’s a lot more to this chronic condition. Diabetes is a metabolic disorder, meaning it involves how the body breaks down food to create energy through the use of insulin, a hormone created by the pancreas. When you eat, food is turned into a kind of sugar known as glucose. As the amount of glucose in the blood rises, beta cells in the pancreas trigger the release of insulin. Th... ...
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Imagine this — you’re going about your day, working, exercising or spending time with your family, when all of a sudden you feel a sharp, stabbing pain in your abdomen. You’ve been a little nauseous all day, and you haven’t felt hungry, so you chalk it up to eating too much at your last meal. Right? Wrong. These are all signs that you have appendicitis, the inflammation of the appendix — a small tube attached to the large intestine. Appendicitis may occur when there is a blockage in the appendix caused ... ...
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Clicking, cracking, grinding, popping, snapping — these are all common and generally harmless sounds our joints can make. These varied sounds can be caused by a number of different reasons. The fluids in our joints contain a mixture of gases — carbon dioxide, nitrogen and oxygen. When you pop or crack a joint — such as stiff knuckles — you’re releasing these pent-up gases, which makes a popping or cracking noise. If you have an arthritic joint, its cartilage has worn away, causing your bones to grind or... ...
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Whether you’re an athlete or an amateur, one wrong move can lead to an injury that can put your fitness regimen in timeout. Learn to identify common types of injuries and get tips on how to protect your skeletal framework. According to Harvard University, there are three common types of injuries. Sprains, or ligament injuries, can be as minor as a stretched ligament and as serious as tears in the ligament fibers. Strains are injuries to the muscle and tendonitis is inflammation of the connective tissue ... ...
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When you think of a typical heart attack patient, there’s a good chance the person who comes to mind looks something like this: an older man in his 50s or 60s, clutching his chest in sudden pain. That doesn’t always align with reality, however. Which of these people do you think is most at risk for a heart attack? SCENARIO #1: A 65-year-old woman with a family history of heart disease is overweight, but gets a moderate amount of exercise and tries to follow a healthy diet. She is aware that her weight a... ...
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Breasts not only vary in size and shape — they can also differ in the proportion of various types of breast tissue. Compared with non-dense breasts, dense breasts contain more milk-producing glands and fibrous connective tissue and less fatty tissue. According to the American College of Radiology, as many as 50 percent of American women have dense breasts. Why Does Breast Density Matter? Dense breast tissue can make it harder for a screening mammogram to capture a clear image of the breast, which makes ... ...
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In a sea of information, recommendations and the occasional uninformed guess, knowing the facts about breast health can help keep you afloat. Don’t let misinformation make waves. Use the truth about breast health to design a breast wellness plan that stays true to your needs. For example, though breast cancer is less common in men, it is more likely to be fatal. Men should perform breast self-exams regularly and report any changes to their doctors. Myth: If you find a lump, it’s cancer. Fact: Not all lu... ...
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The metaphor of a broken heart to describe intense emotional pain has been a favorite among poets and jilted lovers since the beginning of time. In 1990, Japanese scientists discovered that the hurt felt after a messy breakup or the loss of a loved one actually does affect the heart, though it doesn’t exactly break it. Sudden emotional turmoil temporarily enlarges a part of your heart and prevents it from pumping efficiently while the rest of your heart maintains normal function. Also known as stress-in... ...
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Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death for men and women worldwide. In honor of American Heart Month, now is the perfect time to reflect on what can be done to prevent CVD from affecting your family. Every year, the United States spends more than $300 billion on CVD, including health services, medications and lost productivity. According to the World Health Organization, CVD kills an estimated 17.3 million people every year, and it is projected to remain the leading cause of death un... ...
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Whether you suffer a cut, scratch or other small wound, there are three basic steps for at-home treatment. Stop the bleeding. Use firm pressure to apply a cloth or bandage on the minor wound for 20 to 30 minutes. Clean the injury with cool, running water. Use soap to clean the skin around the wound (not the wound itself ). If you see splinters, gravel or other small objects in the laceration, rinse them gently away or use tweezers to remove. Spread an over-the-counter antibiotic ointment onto the wound.... ...
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