July 8-14, 2011 - Original Health Articles

Blood Sugar Control: Why Food Diaries Are Key

Suppose your blood sugar is running high on a particular day, and you're not quite sure why. You think back to the morning: did walking rather than driving to work play havoc with your numbers? Or could it have been the cinnamon bun that had your name on it at the local bakery? But you didn't eat the whole thing.

12 Best Bets for Healthy Beer Options

If you&rsquo;re looking for a &ldquo;healthy&rdquo; beer, unfortunately, you won&rsquo;t find one. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), one of the best ways to avoiding weight gain is to consume a variety of nutrient-dense foods. Nutrient-dense foods have a high micro-nutrient (vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, etc.

Extending the Effectiveness of Chemotherapy

There are many types of chemotherapy drugs physicians use to treat cancer patients and they vary in how they attack and destroy cancer cells. Some types of chemotherapy are more effective with certain types of cancers, and some work best in tandem with other drugs.

BPA Plastic: 7 Safety Steps

Keeping children safe from toxic chemicals is no easy task these days. The current offender: Bisphenol A (BPA) is a synthetic chemical used to make plastic clear and hard. It also keeps bacteria from contaminating foods and prevents cans from rusting.

Summer Travel With Diabetes: 11 Essential Tips

As you probably know all too well, diabetes doesn't take a vacation. So before you set off on a trip--be it a cruise, a week in the mountains with the family, or an international destination--be well-prepared for every possible scenario. "When people are on vacation, they're just naughty," says Dana Simpler, MD, of Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, MD.

Papaya for Digestive Health

Papaya is a super food that is rich in vitamins and minerals. It contains vitamins A, B, C, E, and K, potassium, magnesium, and fiber. Additionally, this tropical fruit contains papain, a proteolytic enzyme that helps promote digestion. In fact, in laboratory studies, papaya extract was shown to alleviate induced gastric ulcers in rats, leading researchers to believe that the fruit may be useful in treating gastric ulcers in humans.

How Doctors Determine an Asthma Diagnosis

You're wheezing, coughing, and short of breath&mdash;could it really be asthma? If your doctor suspects that you have this chronic condition, you'll need to undergo some testing to find out if this chronic condition is the cause of your distress. Your...

The Downside to Botox®

It's a common stereotype that a person who's had too much Botox&reg; can't form normal facial expressions as a result of the paralyzing injections. But according to a new study, the reality could be even scarier&mdash;Botox&reg; may lessen a person's ability to understand the feelings of others.

How to Choose a Safe and Reusable Water Bottle

Drinking plenty of water is among the best things you can do for your health. Switching from a disposable to reusable water bottle is among the best things you can do for the planet. How do you choose the best water bottle?&nbsp; Check out our tips before you go shopping.

Are You at Risk for a Drug Allergy?

When you end up grappling with unexpected side effects from your medication, such as a rash, nausea, or stomach distress, you might think you're allergic to the drug. However, most of the time, the reaction is caused by a drug sensitivity and not a true allergy.

10 Ways to Prevent Short-Term Insomnia

If you've had bouts of short-term insomnia in the past, you can probably predict when it's likely to happen again. The first thing to do is to stop anticipating trouble. Worrying about insomnia only makes insomnia worse. Here's what else you can do to avoid sleepless nights.

How to Choose a Medical Alert System

If the thought of your elderly loved one falling and not being able to get help is a real concern, it may be time to invest in a personal medical-alert system. Also known as emergency-alert systems, or medical-alarm systems, these let someone in trouble send out an alarm to a monitoring center, 911, or other emergency-assistance provider such as a family member at the touch of a button.

Relationship Cold Feet? 5 Coping Tips

Many people know what it feels like to have "cold feet." You may experience pressure in your chest, butterflies in your stomach, confusion in your heart&mdash;and ambivalence about just what the future holds. All the uncertainty can be unnerving, to say the least.

Is It OCD or Something Else?

One of the challenges in diagnosing mental health disorders is that symptoms of different diseases tend to overlap. Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and obsessive compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) are two related conditions that are easy to confuse.

Arthrography: What it Can Reveal About Your Joints

If you're worried that your joints are damaged, or are at risk of being damaged in the future, you may want to consider arthrography. Arthrography is the use of imaging to assess the condition of a person's joints. A physician who performs an arthrogram will be able to see how badly damaged or deteriorated a joint is and can recommend surgery or other treatment options based upon the results.

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