Every time the seasons change 35 million Americans start sneezing, rubbing their watery eyes, blowing their stuffy noses, and itching like mad. They are the ranks of seasonal allergy sufferers, joined by another 50 million kindred souls who endure an even wider variety of allergic reactions to trees, grass, flowers,…
by Richard van Beek Researchers are actually telling us to eat dark chocolate for heart health. How is this possible? Up until now, we’ve always thought chocolate was bad for us! It turns out that dark chocolate made from unprocessed cocoa contains high amounts of flavonoids and phytochemicals. These are…
Sex life getting a little less…sexy? Many people experience a lackluster sex life at some point. It’s not always like the steamy images we see on screen. Although it’s unrealistic to expect a “9 Weeks” level of intimacy behind closed doors, there should be a happy medium for most couples. …
Graves’ disease is an autoimmune disorder and a common cause of hyperthyroidism, or an overactive thyroid gland. A person suffering from Graves’ disease has a thyroid that produces too many hormones. These hormones affect different bodily functions and parts of the body, so Graves’ disease symptoms are diverse. Graves’ disease…
Hurts so good? Not so much. Lovemaking is supposed to be more pleasurable than painful. So if you’re feeling discomfort on a regular basis, it’s time to get a tune-up and see just what’s going on down there. The medical term for pain during sex is dyspareunia, and a…
Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women, aside from skin cancer. About 40,000 women will die from it this year, and 232,670 women will be diagnosed with it, according to the American Cancer Society. Twelve percent of women will develop invasive breast cancer at some point…
Gastroesophageal reflux disease, often referred to by the acronym GERD, is a medical condition becoming more and more common and which presently afflicts up to 20 million Americans. Even small babies can suffer from GERD, and it can produce very distressing symptoms. These symptoms vary with individuals, while infantile GERD…
Obesity…High blood pressure and poor cholesterol…Insulin resistance…Smoking…Pregnancy… They are more than common health woes. They also happen to be five factors that raise the risk for developing Type 2 diabetes. According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), an estimated 25.9 million people in the U.S. have diabetes, and another 79…
The idea of someone wearing bifocals may conjure the image of a hunched-over elderly person, but that is an antiquated, stereotypical view of the type of person who needs bifocals. Older adults may be more inclined to ask the optometrist, “Should I get bifocals?” But age is just a number…
From itching to burning, these dreaded buzzwords often conjure up visions of STDs and other women problems we prefer not to speak of. Needless to say, the notion of actually talking to another person (i.e., your physician) seems absolutely mortifying. Well, you’re not alone. Millions of women of all ages…