By Peter Hutch Acid reflux disorder, also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD, is a condition worthy of ample attention. This chronic and complicated health problem affects the digestive tract by causing inflammation and even permanent damage to the esophagus. Because it affects a great number of people world-wide,…
Your digestive system is a hard-working machine. The energy it takes to break down food and assimilate it into — and out of — your system is often taken for granted, until something goes wrong. And that’s just the case when it comes to celiac disease, a recipe for digestive…
BMI, or Body Mass Index, is a measure of a person’s body fat, based on a simple calculation of body weight in kilograms, divided by the square of the individual’s height in meters. It is used by health professionals around the world to determine whether a person is overweight or…
There are a lot of vegetarians among us, some by circumstance and some by choice. Those who are vegetarians by choice can be divided into two general groups — those who do not eat meat, poultry or fish, but do consume dairy products as – in theory – the animals…
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…
Have you ever come across a suspicious spot on your body and wondered whether it’s moles or skin cancer? Take a look at the signs to watch for to determine whether your concerns about cancer and moles are valid. There are certain signs to look out for to tell the…
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…
The United States is clearly the fattest nation in the world. According to world obesity statistics, 30.6 percent of Americans are obese. Running a close second is Mexico, with 24.2 percent, and coming in third is the United Kingdom with an even 23 percent. These obesity statistics represent individuals of…
Between 60,000 to 100,000 people die every year of a deadly medical condition known as deep vein thrombosis. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a blood clot that forms and lodges deep in a vein, typically inside the calf or thigh muscle. These clots can break off and make their way…
Fruit is a healthy part of any diet but resembling an apple or pear implies certain health risks. The basic shape we become is our genetic gift or curse, depending on how you look at it. What we do to add or subtract to it is our responsibility. So take…