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Wellness Library- Your Body
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A Question of Taste--Or Is It Smell?
A Question of Taste--Or Is It Smell? Sometimes when we talk about taste, we're really talking about smell. Much of our experience of the "taste" of food is what we smell of the food in our mouths, experts say. Our taste buds are important, but smell seems to play a bigger role. Most people who complain of loss of the sense of taste are surprised to learn they are actually having problems with their sense of smell. A more accurate word for the sense of taste, experts say, might be the sense of flavor. Ai...
A Quick Look at Reflexes
A Quick Look at Reflexes What happens when your health care provider taps on your knee with a rubber mallet? Your leg kicks forward, seemingly on its own. And in a sense, your leg has a mind of its own--in your spine. When the mallet hits your knee, it stretches the tendon just below the kneecap. That causes a signal to travel along a nerve to your spine, where a waiting motor neuron sends out an automatic command to contract the muscle attached to the tendon. When the muscle contracts, your leg gives a...
A Strategy for Scars
A Strategy for Scars You may think they're unsightly, but scars serve a purpose. They show that your body has repaired a wound. But while you're healing, you can help lessen scarring. Scars form after an injury, surgery, or lengthy chronic disease such as acne. "Many people develop scars as part of the normal healing process," says Diane Madfes, M.D., a dermatologist in New York and a member of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). Sealing a wound Scars begin to form when your body makes extra coll...
Alcohol and Older Adults
Alcohol and Older Adults Many older adults enjoy a glass of wine with dinner or a beer while watching the game on TV. Having a drink now and then is fine—as long as you don’t overdo it. When you’re older, your body and mind can react differently to alcohol than they used to. Alcohol and aging People become more sensitive to alcohol’s effects as they age, according to the National Institute on Aging. After age 65, your lean body mass and water content decrease. In addition, your metabolism slows down. Wh...
All About Endocrine Hormones
All About Endocrine Hormones When you say hormones , you may be thinking of estrogen and testosterone. But these complex chemicals govern far more than sexuality. Hormones, which are chemical signals, affect growth, metabolism, blood pressure, even behavior. When our hormones don't behave, we may not either. The majority of hormones that affect the body's processes are produced by the endocrine glands. These glands release hormones directly into the blood or lymph system. The hormones travel in the bloo...
All About Hair
All About Hair As a child, the only trouble your glossy mane gave you was when it hung in your eyes. Otherwise, you rarely gave it a second thought. Flash forward a few decades, and you've gone from sizzling to fried, with bed-head that won't quit. So what happened? As we age, our hair shafts become thinner with less oil. To find out more about hair care, we asked the pros: Am I going bald if my comb is clogged with hair? Fret not. We lose 100 hairs a day. How much conditioner should I use? Most of us o...
All About Melatonin
All About Melatonin Melatonin is a hormone that regulates your circadian rhythm, or the 24-hour cycle of biological processes called your "internal body clock." It helps oversee sleep, hormone production, cell repair, brain activity and other body functions. The pineal gland in your brain makes most of the melatonin you need from the brain chemical serotonin. Commercially available melatonin is obtained from the pineal glands of cattle or is made synthetically. This form of melatonin is sold as an over-...
All About the Stomach
All About the Stomach Your stomach is as an organ essential for digestion, the process of breaking down food into its smallest particles so your body can absorb nutrients. The process of digestion involves the mixing of food, its movement through the digestive tract, and the chemical breakdown of the large molecules of food into smaller molecules. Digestion of food begins in the mouth, when teeth break the food into smaller particles and amylase, an enzyme in saliva, begins to break down starches into s...
Andreas Vesalius, Father of Modern Anatomy
Andreas Vesalius, Father of Modern Anatomy Today we take for granted our knowledge of human anatomy. We can thank early scientists such as the 16th-century anatomist Andreas Vesalius, who struggled to discover, record, and publish the inner structure and fabric of the human body. Vesalius revolutionized the science of anatomy by basing his findings on direct observation of the body itself, rather than on centuries-old wisdom. Until Vesalius' day, the study of anatomy consisted of expounding the texts of...
Appendicitis: Children and Teens
Appendicitis: Children and Teens Appendicitis is an inflammation that can lead to infection of the appendix. It affects 7 percent of Americans and is the most common reason for a child to need emergency abdominal surgery, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. Young people between ages 11 and 20 are most often affected. A child, especially a boy, may have a greater risk for appendicitis if someone else in the family had it. The appendix is a small, fingerlike structure attached to the l...
Artificial Teeth
Artificial Teeth Not long ago, most people assumed they would need dentures someday. But because of modern dental techniques, dentures are no longer inevitable. Instead, they're an option for people who have lost some or all of their teeth. While dentures are just one of several options, which include dental implants and permanent bridgework, they're an important option. Full dentures are complete sets of artificial teeth that replace the teeth in either the upper or lower part of your mouth. Partial de...
As You Age, Be Aware of B12 Deficiency
As You Age, Be Aware of B 12 Deficiency Are you short on stamina? Is your memory fuzzy? Don't assume it's just part of aging. Feeling tired, in a funk, or confused can point to problems you can solve. One of those problems lies in your nutrition. You could be low on vitamin B 12 . This essential nutrient helps make DNA, the genetic material in your body's cells. You also need the vitamin to maintain red blood cells and nerve cells. Along with mental cloudiness, getting too little vitamin B 12 may lead t...
Basics About Your Newborn’s Body
Basics About Your Newborn’s Body For the past nine months, you’ve been getting ready for your baby’s arrival. But now that you’re bringing home your bundle of joy, you’re a little worried. How will you ever remember everything you learned about what to expect in those first few weeks? Even the best-prepared parents may be surprised by a few things that are quite normal in newborns, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Birthmarks These common spots and stains may be present at birth and...
Blood Transfusion Quiz
Take the Blood Transfusion Quiz Each year, millions of Americans roll up their sleeves to donate blood, helping accident victims, surgical patients, and others in need. How much do you know about blood transfusions? Take this multiple-choice test to find out. 1. Why are transfusions given? You didn't answer this question. You answered The correct answer is Transfusions also improve clotting problems. A. To increase the amount of blood B. To increase the blood's ability to carry oxygen C. To decrease the...
Blood Vessels: Your Internal Superhighway
Blood Vessels: Your Internal Superhighway Driving to work every day, you may hear the radio traffic person talking about another clogged artery in the far-flung road system. But no mere highway grid can rival your body's own transport plan—the cardiovascular system—for sheer flexibility, complexity, and efficiency. Every minute of every day, millions of blood cells trek through about 60,000 miles of blood vessels—enough to stretch from New York City to San Francisco 23 times—delivering oxygen and nutrie...
Boning Up on Marrow
Boning Up on Marrow You may think of your bones as similar to the girders that support a skyscraper. Like I-beams, they're rigid and strong. But though bones may appear dense and solid, inside there's plenty going on. Your bones actually contain one of your body's vital organs--bone marrow. Bone marrow produces the major components of your blood--red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Red blood cells carry oxygen to your tissues. White blood cells, also known as leukocytes, help you fight in...
Checking Your Own Blood Pressure
Checking Your Own Blood Pressure Blood pressure checks are a common reason for doctor visits. Yet, for less than the cost of a single appointment, you may be able to purchase your own blood pressure monitor and check the reading yourself at home. Blood pressure is the force of blood against the walls of arteries. Blood pressure readings tend to vary depending on many factors, including stress levels and time of day. Your blood pressure reading in a doctor's office can be as much as 20 or 30 points highe...
Contraception: Many Options
Contraception: Many Options About half of all pregnancies in this country are unplanned, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. For a woman who wants to plan when she becomes pregnant, however, there are many choices. Contraception -- also called birth control -- refers to methods or devices that prevent pregnancy either by preventing a woman’s egg from being fertilized by sperm or by preventing a fertilized egg from being implanted in the uterus. Which method or methods y...
Coping with Miscarriage
Coping with Miscarriage Miscarriage is common, but that knowledge may be cold comfort if you’re coping with a recent loss. In fact, many women are surprised by the intensity of their emotions after a miscarriage. The feelings can run from shock and sadness to irrational guilt and anxiety about future pregnancies. Men, too, may struggle with feelings of loss and inadequacy. This is especially true if they’re unsure about how to help their partner through this difficult period. Such feelings are perfectly...
Could This Be Perimenopause?
Could This Be Perimenopause? A generation ago, hot flashes, irregular periods, and mood swings would have been labeled menopause or “the change of life.” Today, your doctor is more likely to call this perimenopause , a new term for the transitional years leading up to the end of menstruation. Perimenopause often begins around age 47 and lasts for about five years. During this time, the ovaries gradually become smaller and fertility declines. At the same time, the levels of the hormones estrogen and prog...
Debunking 10 Aging Myths
Debunking 10 Aging Myths Many older Americans lead healthy, interesting, and productive lives well into their later years. But that’s not what we usually hear about. Instead, the emphasis is often on the limitations people experience as they get older from problems as varied as falls, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. The result is that we tend to have a bleak picture of getting older. Fortunately, the future can be far brighter. Myth 1: Old people are lonely. In actuality, older adults are less l...
Dental Implants Can Last a Lifetime
Dental Implants Can Last a Lifetime Dental implants have been around a very long time. Anthropologists working at the pyramids have discovered crude implants in Egyptian mummies thousands of years old. But modern implant dentistry was born in Sweden about four decades ago. Since then, researchers have made great strides, resulting in a procedure with an extremely high success rate. "Implants survive very well. They're successful in the high-90-percentile range," says Dean Morton, B.D.S., M.S., associate...
Discovering Diabetic Autonomic Neuropathy
Discovering Diabetic Autonomic Neuropathy Nearly 26 million Americans deal with the challenges of diabetes every day, according to the latest statistics from the CDC. A percentage of people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes also face a challenge called diabetic autonomic neuropathy and never know it until the complication becomes severe. Diabetic autonomic neuropathy is a subgroup of diabetic neuropathy, a group of nerve diseases affecting the peripheral nerves outside the brain and spinal cord. There are ...
Don't Forget to Remember
Don't Forget to Remember Do you remember what you had for dinner last night? What about dinner last week? How about the name of your second-grade teacher? Your memory is built in three basic steps. Before you can remember something, you have to learn it. This is called "acquisition"—you acquire the information, and your brain places it in short-term memory. This is where the information about last night's dinner ends up. If you want to remember something for a longer period—your address, for instance, o...
Don't Take Your Eyes for Granted
Don't Take Your Eyes for Granted Imagine what life would be like if you couldn't see well. Reading might not be possible. Watching a movie could be tough. Focusing on the face of a loved one could drive you to tears. The number of people losing their vision is growing, yet experts say much of this vision loss could be prevented. Don't put off regular eye exams because your eyes feel fine or you don't wear glasses or contact lenses. Signs of some eye diseases, such as glaucoma and age-related macular deg...
Dress for Success--and Your Health
Dress for Success—and Your Health Are you a slave to fashion? You might be doing damage to more than just your pocketbook. For women, ill-fitting, irritating, or otherwise inappropriate clothing and accessories could contribute to health issues ranging from back pain to crooked toes to eye infections. Avoid these faux pas by shopping smarter—and healthier. What lies beneath First things first: Good undergarments are the foundation of any look. Given their important functions and their close proximity to...
Dry Mouth: It's a Warning Sign
Dry Mouth: It's a Warning Sign A dry mouth may not sound like a health threat. But that parched feeling can cause tooth decay and gum trouble, as well as discomfort when eating or speaking. Dry mouth occurs when the glands in the mouth that make saliva don't function properly. It is a common problem among older adults, and, if left untreated, can result in extensive damage to your teeth. Common medications such as blood pressure drugs, antidepressants, drugs to treat urinary incontinence, and tranquiliz...
Essential Foot Care
Essential Foot Care Years of wear and tear can be hard on your feet, as can shoes that don’t fit properly. Injuries and disorders of the feet can affect your mobility. Here are ideas from the American Podiatric Medical Association on how to take good care of your feet: Inspect your feet regularly. Look for any changes in color, discoloring, or thickening of the nails, or peeling or scaling on the soles. See your health care provider if you have any of these symptoms. Shop wisely for shoes. If you play t...
Exercise and Target Heart Rate
Exercise and Target Heart Rate The fitness world is full of exercise gadgets, some good, but many more trouble than they are worth. Regardless of what shape you are in, one device you might find useful is a heart rate monitor. The key to cardiovascular fitness is getting a good but safe aerobic workout. Heart rate monitors, which monitor your heart rate while you exercise, can help you do that with ease. They range from relatively simple devices that show at a glance how many times per minute your heart...
Exercise Ideas for Older Adults
Exercise Ideas for Older Adults Finding ways to get exercise as you get older is a smart and easy way to stay fit and improve your health. Exercise is just as important in your older years as when you were younger. Research shows that an exercise regimen offers a wealth of health benefits. One study found that adults ages 75 and older who exercised lived longer than older adults who didn't exercise. Another study discovered that older women who squeezed in resistance, or strength, training workouts each...
Eye Quiz
The Eye Quiz Don't sit too close to the TV. Don't watch TV without a light on in the room. Don't use over-the-counter eyedrops. Are these statements true? Find out by taking the following quiz. 1. Sitting too close to the television will harm your eyes. You didn't answer this question. You answered The correct answer is This is one of the biggest myths, eye experts say. Sitting too close to the TV does not make vision worse. A. True B. False 2. If I see well, then I don't need eye checkups. You didn't a...
Five Myths About Water
Five Myths about Water About 60 percent of an average adult man's weight is water. About 50 percent of an average adult woman's weight is water. But is the water you drink giving you something you don't need—like lead poisoning, harmful E. coli bacteria, or dangerous chemicals? More of us are asking that question. The Water Quality Association (WQA), a nonprofit group representing the water treatment industry, found in a recent survey that nearly three-quarters of us worry about our drinking water suppl...
Five Steps to Better Memory
Five Steps to Better Memory You've met her before. You can even remember where. But her name? It eludes you, taunting you, just out of reach. Has this happened to you? Do you accept it as part of growing older? Ironically, this attitude may make things worse. Aging can make it harder to remember some things. But by focusing on your potential and continuing to exercise your mind, you may be able to boost your memory power. Get started with these strategies: 1. Take on new challenges Studies show that whe...
Give Bad Breath the Brush-Off
Give Bad Breath the Brush-Off It happens to the best of us. At one time or another, we suffer from bad breath, also called halitosis. While it's rarely a sign of a major medical problem, bad breath can cause embarrassment, low self-esteem and even social isolation. The American Dental Association (ADA) says most bad breath starts in the mouth, home to millions of bacteria that live mainly at the back of the tongue. When these microbes process debris from food, saliva, postnasal drip and other sources, t...
Good Night, Sleep Tight
Good Night, Sleep Tight Dim the lights, lower the shades, breathe deeply, and slide under the covers. It's bedtime. But as your body begins to relax, your mind starts to race. Did you get everything done today? What's in store for tomorrow? Meanwhile, your eyes get adjusted to the dark. Before you know it, you are wide-awake. Sleep? No way—there's too much to think about. Insomnia, trouble falling asleep, or trouble sleeping is a growing problem in the United States. Studies show that many Americans don...
Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow
Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow Many Americans experience some degree of hair loss—alopecia, in medical terms. The results are far from life-threatening. "Hair loss patients are some of my most stressed patients," says Paradi Mirmirani, M.D., a hair disorders specialist. "There is a big psychological impact because hair is part of who they are." Different results Hair loss affects more men than women. Women have different balding patterns. Although receding hairlines and balding at the crown are easily spotte...
Hair: The Long and Short of It
Hair: The Long and Short of It Some hair on your head falls out every day, no matter what your age. And that is perfectly normal. Each hair strand goes through two phases: a growing phase and a resting phase, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). The growing phase lasts two to six years, during which the strand grows about half an inch a month. When the growing phase ends, the hair enters a resting phase of two to three months. After the resting phase, the hair falls out and a n...
Hearing Hazards in Everyday Life
Hearing Hazards in Everyday Life According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), nearly 28 million Americans are experiencing hearing loss, and 500,000 to 750,000 suffer with severe hearing loss or deafness. It doesn't take a thunderous rock concert to cause noise-induced hearing loss. Any repeated high-volume experiences or one-shot booms can damage the delicate nerve cells of your inner ear. And once damaged, these cells do not–we repeat, do NOT–grow back. A ...
Help for Hair Loss
Help for Hair Loss Hair loss is a natural part of the cycle of hair growth. Each hair on your head will grow for two to three years before it starts a resting phase. At that time, it begins to fall out. Typically, about 90 percent of your hair is growing at any given time and about 10 percent is resting. That makes regular hair loss minimal and even difficult to notice. When hair loss becomes excessive, resulting in thinning hair or bald patches on the scalp, factors other than the natural cycle of hair...
Help for Heel Pain
Help for Heel Pain Heel pain has many possible causes. Learning about the symptoms can help you take care of your heels and prevent problems. Plantar fasciitis This condition occurs when the plantar fascia—a band of fibrous tissue that runs along the bottom of the foot—is overloaded or overstretched, causing small tears. The condition causes intense heel pain along the bottom of the foot during the first few steps after getting out of bed in the morning. This pain often goes away once you start to walk ...
How Much Do You Know About Kidney Health?
How Much Do You Know About Kidney Health? 1. How much blood do your kidneys filter daily? a. 15 gallons b. 25 gallons c. 50 gallons d. 125 gallons 2. Your kidneys are what part of the body? a. central nervous system b. respiratory system c. gastrointestinal tract d. genitourinary system 3. What is the most common cause of kidney failure? a. drug abuse and smoking b. high blood pressure c. diabetes d. b and c 4. How do most kidney-damaging diseases affect the kidneys? a. They damage nephrons, the kidney'...
How Safe Are Cosmetics and Personal Care Products?
How Safe Are Cosmetics and Personal Care Products? You may be choosy about your moisturizer, hair color product, and makeup brand—but how much time do you spend checking out the safety of those products? Cosmetics and personal care items include foundation and mascara, face and body lotion, soaps and shampoos, hair styling products, deodorant, toothpaste, hair dyes, and nail polish. And, they’re considered safe. But that doesn't mean that there aren't risks associated with their use, particularly if you...
How the Nose Works
How the Nose Works The nose on your face is just the tip of an iceberg. The important functions--breathing and smelling--actually happen mostly inside your head, in your nasal cavity. The air inhaled through your nostrils travels to this cavity on its way to the lungs. The nasal cavity cleans and conditions the air. Pollutants, viruses and bacteria are trapped in mucus, which then travels to the stomach, where stomach acid neutralizes the germs. Three structures on the sides of the cavity, called the tu...
How to Prevent and Relieve Digestive Problems
How to Prevent and Relieve Digestive Problems Just as simple things can upset your digestive system, simple changes can help. The following tips can help prevent or relieve digestive ills. See your health care provider if symptoms persist. Diarrhea Although diarrhea can make you feel miserable, it is rarely cause for concern. Bacteria, viruses, emotional upset, stress, and certain drugs can cause diarrhea, says the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). Most of the tim...
How to Tell if Your Child Needs Braces
How to Tell if Your Child Needs Braces Q: So many children have braces. How can I tell if my child is heading toward needing braces? A: Children should have a checkup with an orthodontist no later than age 7. Your regular dentist is an excellent resource who can tell you whether your child, regardless of age, would benefit from seeing an orthodontist. Here are some things to look for, indicating that a child is likely to benefit from seeing an orthodontist: Early, late, or irregular loss of baby teeth D...
How Your Lungs Work
How Your Lungs Work Your lungs are made of a spongy tissue divided into sections or lobes: The right lung has three lobes, and the left has two. A thin lining called the pleura encases the lungs. Each day at rest, you take about 12 to 15 breaths per minute, or at least 17,000 breaths for the day. In your lungs, oxygen, the fuel all your cells need, passes into your blood, and carbon dioxide, the waste product of cell metabolism, is removed from it. This vital process is called gas exchange and is done a...
How Your Lymph System Works
How Your Lymph System Works Every day, your body’s immune system protects you from legions of invaders that attempt to infiltrate your body. A major part of your immune system is the lymph system. The lymph system is made up of lymph fluid, a network of organs, lymph nodes, lymph ducts, and lymph vessels that circulate lymph fluid to tissues and the bloodstream. Lymph nodes and lymph vessels are part of the circulatory system. In addition to playing a part in immunity, the lymph system transports excess...
Keep Your Kidneys Working Well
Keep Your Kidneys Working Well Your kidneys are your body's filters. They remove waste and excess fluid from your blood. People who have high blood pressure and diabetes are at higher risk for kidney disease because of the way these conditions damage the blood vessels and other parts of these vital organs. An important job The kidneys work by cleaning your blood as it passes through tiny filtering units known as nephrons. These filters process important chemicals and nutrients, and they remove wastes su...
Keeping Your Liver Healthy
Keeping Your Liver Healthy Some parts of your body provide constant reminders that they're on the job. You can feel your heart beating and your lungs filling with air when you take a breath. One of your largest internal organs, however, is more of a silent partner in your health. It's the liver. Your liver is located behind the lower right area of your ribs. Weighing in at about three pounds, it's the size of a football, but soft and smooth. It is part of the digestive system and is connected to the sma...
Lead and Lipstick: What’s the Story?
Lead and Lipstick: What's the Story? Wondering whether it's safe to use lipstick? Unless you plan to eat it, the answer is "yes." Concern about lead in cosmetics—especially lipstick—motivated the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to develop a new method for analyzing lead content in lipstick. When the agency tested several lipsticks, scientists found that lead levels were in a safe range for topical use. As a result of its study, which was published in the Journal of Cosmetic Science , the FDA con...
Legs Aid Heart in Pumping Blood
Legs Aid Heart in Pumping Blood Your heart has the gargantuan task of pushing blood through 60,000 miles of blood vessels. Still, it may come as a surprise to learn that your heart doesn't do the job alone. It gets an important assist from your body's other muscles, especially those in the legs, which play an important role. Your body has two basic types of blood vessels: arteries and veins. Arteries are thick-walled vessels that carry oxygenated blood to your muscles and organs under pressure supplied ...
Living Well to Reach Age 100
Living Well to Reach Age 100 An American born in 1970 can expect to reach the age of about 71. For a baby born today, life expectancy is about 78 years old, and for babies born in 2020, it will be about 80. Many of us are already pushing past those age expectancies. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 300,000 Americans are over age 95. Between the years 1990 and 2000, the percentage of Americans over age 95 grew by about 35 percent, making these oldest Americans one of the fastest growing seg...
Lymphedema After Breast Cancer
Lymphedema After Breast Cancer A diagnosis of breast cancer is difficult enough, even with the better outcomes commonly seen today. Yet after you have been successfully treated for breast cancer, you face another potential problem—lymphedema, a swelling that occurs in the arm, breast, or chest area after breast cancer treatment. Lymphedema often occurs after lymph node removal, a fairly standard part of the breast cancer treatment process to see how far the cancer has spread. Attached to those lymph nod...
Male Menopause
Male Menopause Male menopause is an informal term used for a condition caused when testosterone levels decrease in aging men. Experts disagree on how widespread the condition is. Some say only around 2 percent of men older than 60 have below-normal testosterone levels. Others say 40 to 80 percent of men older than 70 have it. The Endocrine Society estimates that millions of American men don’t produce enough testosterone. What is testosterone? Testosterone is the male sex hormone responsible for male cha...
Paybacks for Lost Sleep
Paybacks for Lost Sleep Are you getting enough sleep? Do you have sleep debt? Lack of sleep, or "sleep debt," can leave you feeling tired, listless and sleepy on a daily basis. Until your body starts getting the sleep it needs every night -- most people need around eight hours, say the experts -- it won't function as efficiently, your health will be at risk and even your job may be in jeopardy. We've been searching for what Shakespeare called "sleep that knits up the raveled sleeve of care" for centurie...
Practicing Better Posture
Practicing Better Posture Good posture improves your appearance and reduces stress on muscles, joints and ligaments. So, you’re less likely to have strains and pain, especially in your neck and lower back. The human back has three natural curves, according to the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). Keeping your ears, shoulders and hips lined up maintains the “S” shape, which is the goal of good posture. Your posture may improve with practice: Stand tall. Keep your chin parallel to the ground. ...
Pregnancy: What’s Normal … and What's Not
Pregnancy: What’s Normal … and What's Not No one said there’d be days like this, when your whole body seems out of control. Is this a normal part of pregnancy? Or should you call the doctor? You will have some uncomfortable symptoms during pregnancy, says the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Some are caused by changes in your hormones. Others can be traced to the pressure and weight of your growing baby. Normal changes Here are some of the annoying, but normal symptoms: Mild swelling...
Preparing Your Daughter for Changes
Preparing Your Daughter for Changes If your daughter had grown up 150 years ago, she could have expected her first period around age 16. Today, the average age for that milestone is 12. Nutrition, evolution, and hormones in our food contributed to that change. But whatever the reasons, girls are left with questions about their sexuality earlier in life--and parents have to know how to handle them. Tips for talking Begin appropriately naming body parts by the time your child is a toddler. Teach your daug...
Q and A: Blood Sugar
Q and A: Blood Sugar Q. I hear the term blood sugar a lot, but I don't really know what it means. How do you define it? A. Blood sugar is a term that describes the simple form of sugar called glucose, which circulates in your bloodstream. Q. Why do I have sugar in my blood? A. The purpose of blood sugar is to provide "food" for your body's cells. Glucose is the sugar that provides energy to all cells in your body. Q. Where does it come from? A. Blood sugar comes from the foods you eat. Food is broken do...
Relaxation Techniques That Really Work
Relaxation Techniques That Really Work Everyone experiences stress and its effects. Short-term effects of stress include headaches, shallow breathing, difficulty sleeping, anxiety, and upset stomach. Long-term chronic stress can increase the risk for heart disease, back pain, depression, persistent muscle aches and pains, and a weakened immune system, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Chronic stress can affect your emotions and behavior by making you irritable, impa...
Say Goodbye to Dry Skin
Say Goodbye to Dry Skin Does your smooth skin head south as soon as winter sets in? The combination of cold, less-humid air outside and artificial heating indoors may leave you dry and itchy. What can you do to avoid scratching and flaking your way through the winter months? Try these tips from the American Academy of Dermatology for keeping your skin supple until the spring thaw. Be shower-savvy You may love the way a long, hot bath, or shower feels on a cold day—but it can wreak havoc on your skin. Ho...
Special Foot Care for Diabetes
Special Foot Care for Diabetes It's not high blood sugar, heart disease, or stroke that most often puts people with diabetes in the hospital. It's their feet. Foot wounds are the most common diabetes-related cause for hospitalization. Foot wounds in a person with diabetes can also lead to amputation. Fortunately, people with this disease often can prevent these serious wounds with daily foot examinations. Here's what you can do to help prevent foot problems: Take care of your diabetes. Work with your he...
Sweet Dreams as You Age
Sweet Dreams as You Age Poor sleep is not a normal part of aging. But if you can’t sleep, remember that you’re not the only one. Many adults 60 and older say they suffer from insomnia, according to the National Institute of Aging (NIA). When you get enough sleep, you feel restored and refreshed, both physically and mentally. Too little sleep or poor-quality nighttime sleep can make you irritable or depressed; disrupt your concentration; cause memory problems, depressed mood, excessive daytime sleepiness...
Taking Care of Your Throat
Taking Care of Your Throat Perhaps it's because you feel a bit hoarse, perhaps it's because your throat feels dry. Whatever the reason, you've probably often felt the urge to clear your throat. The practice is so common that several words for it have entered the language: "Ahem!" and "Harrumph!" are two common terms that mimic the sounds people make in preparing the throat for speech. A hearty harrumph may feel satisfying, but over the long run the habit will leave you even hoarser, experts say. You've ...
The Lowdown on Low Blood Pressure
The Lowdown on Low Blood Pressure Most people worry about having high blood pressure. For a few people, however, low blood pressure, or hypotension, is a major concern. Current guidelines identify optimal blood pressure as less than 120/80. The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute defines hypotension as a blood pressure lower than 90/60. There is no specific lower limit that is defined as unhealthy. Elderly people, however, may have symptoms of dizziness and lightheadedness when there blood pressure ...
The Pituitary Gland
The Pituitary Gland The pituitary gland is one of the body’s endocrine glands. It is sometimes called the “master gland,” because it controls the functions of other endocrine glands. Endocrine glands release chemical messengers (hormones) into the bloodstream to be carried to organs and tissues throughout the body. The pituitary is located at the base of the brain. It is small and is divided into three parts: anterior lobe, intermediate lobe, and posterior lobe. The anterior lobe is largest, making up a...
The Power of Meditation
The Power of Meditation Worry, anxiety and stress can be more than distractions. Continually replaying in your mind daily problems and fears can affect your mental and physical health. By controlling your attention as you meditate, you begin to feel more relaxed and at peace. And this peacefulness usually lasts far beyond the meditation itself, so that when stress appears hours later, you have the psychic resources to deflect it. Meditation allows you to become more awake and more deliberate about your ...
The Quest for Whiter Teeth
The Quest for Whiter Teeth You'd like whiter teeth. It seems a lot of people -- from movie stars to the folks next door -- are whitening their teeth. So, you say, "Why not me too?" The experts say most of us can have whiter teeth. What's more, many of us can do it ourselves with an over-the-counter (OTC) tooth-whitening product. But before you pick a product because it comes in a pretty package, the experts have some advice: "It's best to ask your dentist what he or she recommends," says Kimberly A. Har...
The Skinny on Skin
The Skinny on Skin The skin is your body's largest organ. It protects you against bacteria, viruses, dirt, wind, heat and cold. And it serves as a "window" to the body, alerting doctors when something is wrong. Your skin needs a steady supply of new cells to protect the organs against infection, the elements and other invaders. New skin cells, manufactured in the epidermis, migrate to the outer layer of skin. One square inch of skin contains millions of cells, blood vessels, nerve endings and sweat glan...
Thirst and Dehydration
Thirst and Dehydration Thirsty? Then your body is on its way to becoming dehydrated. For the average adult, water accounts for 60 percent of body weight. That water plays a critical role in nearly every bodily process. And being a quart or two low can affect how you feel. Water is key in body temperature regulation. Nearly everything you do during the day—typing, talking, walking, even eating—requires energy. That energy, in turn, generates heat, which escapes the body through perspiration. Perspiration...
This Doctor Solved the Riddle of Blood Circulation
This Doctor Solved the Riddle of Blood Circulation In 1616, during a lecture that stunned a small audience of London scientists, William Harvey announced that the heart propels blood and that blood circulates throughout the body. His findings seem obvious today, but they were revolutionary at the time. In those days, people believed fabulous notions about the heart and blood. Some thought the heart was the seat of "pneuma" or life force, that air flowed through the arteries and that the liver was the fo...
Thyroid Trouble Is Tough to Pin Down
Thyroid Trouble Is Tough to Pin Down "Foot power" is the standard mode of transport for a lot of Manhattan workers. But attorney Diane Wolf grew so tired that walking to the end of a block "felt like climbing Mount Everest and back." Wolf, in her 50s, was also badly constipated, deeply depressed, and had gained 20 pounds. She tried to work out, but she could barely pedal past the "0" mile mark on her stationary bike. Baggy eyes, brittle nails, and thinning hair rounded out her symptoms. "I was a mess," ...
Using a Surgeon's Tools to Erase the Years
Using a Surgeon's Tools to Erase the Years It's called plastic surgery, but there's no plastic involved. In this case, "plastic" refers to the ability of the surgeon to reshape the skin, the face, or other body parts. With advances in technique and an aging population, plastic surgery is more popular than ever. Plastic surgery is divided into cosmetic procedures, or those done strictly for "looks," and reconstructive procedures, or those done after an injury or illness affects structure or skin. The pro...
Wanted: The Free Radical
Wanted: The Free Radical If you've never heard of a free radical, you will before long. Today more and more medical researchers are saying that, if present in excess, they may harm your body in numerous ways. Free radicals aren't escaped political prisoners. They are highly reactive molecules with some unusual traits. They are able to damage your body (at a cellular level) through a process called oxidation. A familiar form of oxidation is the rusting of steel. Oxidation, it seems, can be bad for both c...
What Are the Kidneys?
What Are the Kidneys? Your kidneys are located near the back of your torso, about even with the lowest ribs. One kidney is on either side of the spine. Their main job is to clean the blood of waste products created when your body burns fuel. But they also perform other tasks. For example, they help regulate the amount of fluid in your body. If you were to drink five quarts of fluid one day and just a pint the next, your kidneys would keep your body's water levels in balance despite the vast differences ...
What Do You Really Know About Sleep?
What Do You Really Know About Sleep? A good night's sleep -- everyone needs it, but not everyone gets it. We stay up late and get up early, and then wonder why we always feel tired. Why is sleep important? See how much you know about snoozing by taking this quiz. 1. What physiological changes occur in the brain during sleep? a. blood flow increases b. blood flow decreases c. brain consumes more oxygen d. a and c 2. The rapid eye movement (REM) sleep stage is when dreaming occurs. How often does REM happ...
What Is the Gallbladder?
What Is the Gallbladder? The gallbladder is a four-inch, olive-shaped muscular sac that lies under the liver in the right side of the abdomen. It acts as a reservoir for bile, a fluid made in the liver. Bile is important for the digestion of fat and also carries some waste products out of the body. The gallbladder is connected to the liver and small intestine through a system of small channels called ducts. When food enters the small intestine, a hormone called cholecystokinin is released, signaling the...
What Is the Sense of Taste?
What Is the Sense of Taste? Your sense of taste is brought to you by more than 10,000 little taste buds on your tongue that turn eating into a pleasurable experience. Your taste buds are on the papillae, the tiny bumps you can see on your tongue. Each taste bud houses gustatory cells that handle tasting chores. Food particles flow into the taste bud and the cells go to work. Nerve signals are sent to the brain and reach the gustatory section of the sensory cortex, the so-called taste center. In this tas...
What Is the Thyroid Gland?
What Is the Thyroid Gland? The thyroid gland is a bowtie-shaped organ in your neck, below the larynx. It secretes hormones that control how fast your heart beats, how quickly you digest food, how much you sweat, the speed at which you burn calories, and many other activities, according to the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS). Thyroid Gland - Click to Enlarge The thyroid is one of the endocrine glands in the body. Endocrine glands secrete chemical messengers called hormo...
What to Do About a Pain in the Neck
What to Do About a Pain in the Neck The neck is the most flexible part of the spine, but because it isn’t well-protected by muscles, it’s also easy to injure. Neck pain can result from many different causes--from arthritis to inflammatory disease. Causes of neck pain and problems may include the following: Injury (damage to the muscles, tendons, and/or ligaments) Stress Herniated cervical disk Arthritis (i.e., osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis) Congenital abnormalities of the vertebrae and bones Tumo...
Where's the Wisdom in Wisdom Teeth?
Where's the Wisdom in Wisdom Teeth? For many people, wisdom teeth may seem to be misnamed. Often these teeth are troublemakers that decide to turn crooked, refuse to grow in completely, or become misshapen. Also called third molars, wisdom teeth are the rearmost teeth on each side of your top and bottom jaws. They arrive between ages 14 and 18 - the "age of wisdom." Because these teeth arrive last, they often enter a jaw that is already crowded. As a result, the last teeth in usually don't get a seat on...
Where's Your Body Fat?
Where's Your Body Fat? A lot of attention has focused lately on how heavy Americans are becoming. In fact, 68 percent of Americans are overweight or obese, putting them at greater risk for cardiovascular disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes. Women with more than 32 percent body fat and men with more than 25 percent body fat are obese. To measure body fat, health professionals use a variety of methods, including underwater weighing, skin-fold calipers, bioelectrical impedance, dual energy X-ray absorpti...
Why Do We Sneeze?
Why Do We Sneeze? Everybody sneezes. You can try to hold it back, but a sneeze usually just can't be stopped. And that's a good thing, because it's actually one of the body's natural defenses, designed to help get rid of foreign invaders that sneak into your nose and threaten your lungs and other body parts. The medical term for sneezing is sternutation , a rather complex process that includes your brain, nerves, and muscles all over your body. Your nose is lined with tiny hairs called cilia that catch ...
Why Fat Cells Are Important
Why Fat Cells Are Important Excess body fat is bad for your health, but we all need at least a little fat. Experts note that fat plays an important role in maintaining good health, so we should all understand how fat cells function in the body in order to keep our own fat levels in a healthy range. What is a fat cell? Fat cells, also known as adipocytes, store excess energy from foods as fat. Fat is stored in the form of fatty acids called triglycerides. Adipose tissue, or a group of fat cells, is found...
Why the Doctor Examines the Neck and Throat
Why the Doctor Examines the Neck and Throat When your doctor gently presses on the outside of your throat and neck during an office visit, it may seem like a brief and unimportant part of your examination. But checking the throat and neck can help your doctor diagnose a range of illnesses and disorders, from a routine case of strep throat to a life-threatening case of cancer. One of the things your doctor checks for in an examination of the neck and throat is enlarged lymph nodes, or "swollen glands," a...
Why the Doctor Looks at Your Fingernails
Why the Doctor Looks at Your Fingernails Did you know that certain medical problems can be detected when your health care provider examines your fingernails? Their color, shape and condition can tell your doctor a lot about your health, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). If you're in good health, your fingernails tend to be smooth, somewhat curved and slightly pink in color. These are some of the changes that may indicate a medical problem: Color. A bluish tinge to the nails suggest...
Why the Doctor Presses Your Abdomen
Why the Doctor Presses Your Abdomen For those trained in such touching, pressing on your abdomen can provide significant clues to potential problems. The external examination with the hands gives doctors information about such important structures as the liver, spleen, kidneys, intestines, pancreas, bladder, gallbladder, appendix, abdominal aorta (the major blood vessel from your heart to your legs), and in females, the uterus and ovaries. When the doctor presses on your abdomen, he or she is feeling to...
Why the Doctor Takes a Blood Sample
Why the Doctor Takes a Blood Sample You probably don't enjoy giving a blood sample, but it's an important part of a physical exam. From a small sample of your blood, your health care provider can order scores of tests and find out a lot about your overall health. Here are four common tests, according to the American Association of Clinical Chemistry: blood lipid level, red blood cell count, blood sugar level, and thyroid function tests. Blood lipid level: The levels of total cholesterol, LDL (low densit...
Why the Doctor Uses a Stethoscope
Why the Doctor Uses a Stethoscope You'll see a stethoscope wrapped around the neck of practically every physician. But you may not be aware that this wonderfully useful instrument had its origins not in science, but in modesty. Physicians used to check the heart by simply putting an ear on the patient's chest. However, that was a bit embarrassing for many people. So in 1817, a French physician named Rene Laennec began using a hollow wooden tube for the task. The idea caught on, and by the early 1900s, t...
Why You Need Water
Why Your Body Needs Water Need a reason to drink water? Water is essential to good health—and life. Up to 60 percent of an adult’s body weight and about 74 percent of a newborn’s body weight is water, making it the largest single substance in the human body. Here's what water does for you: It helps carry nutrients to all the cells in your body. It helps carry waste products from the cells. It is a part of essential reactions within the body. It helps regulate body temperature by absorbing heat generated...
You Can Sleep Better as You Age
You Can Sleep Better as You Age A good night’s sleep is as important to your health as eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise. As we age, however, it can become more difficult to get deep sleep. Sleep apnea and restless legs syndrome are sleep disorders more likely to affect older adults, says the National Sleep Foundation (NSF). Sleep apnea is a breathing disorder that causes you to stop breathing briefly many times a night while you sleep. If your spouse complains about your heavy snoring ...
Your Immune System's Constant Battle
Your Immune System's Constant Battle Every day, you're at war. The enemy? Bacteria. Viruses. Even cancer cells. Usually, you're not even aware this battle is taking place. Your immune system carries on the fight without your knowledge. How it works remains a mystery to medical experts, but this much they know: Your immune system can use a boost. The best way to protect yourself against the most common serious infections is simple—get vaccinated. Vaccines are available against measles, mumps, rubella, di...
Your Pancreas
Your Pancreas The pancreas is an oblong flat gland, about six inches long, located below the liver, deep in the abdomen, between the stomach and the spine. It is about as long as your hand in an irregular tube shape. The pancreas has two types of cells: Endocrine. The endocrine cells, the beta islet cells, produce and secrete the hormones insulin and glucagon into the bloodstream. These two hormones work together to regulate the level of sugar in the blood. Exocrine. The exocrine cells produce and secre...
Your Voice Is Unique
Your Voice Is Unique You've talked to the guy on the telephone several times. His deep, confident voice conjures up an image of someone tall, slim and distinguished. Surprise. When you meet him he's 5 feet 7 inches tall, paunchy, and anything but distinguished. This isn't the voice you heard on the phone. What gives each voice its unique, if sometimes deceptive, sound? Why do voices follow patterns, for example, men's voices are typically deeper than women's? And how can we account for super-tenor Lucia...
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SEARCH HEALTH LIBRARY
FIND A PHYSICIAN
WELLNESS LECTURES & EVENTS
CONTACT US
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Visit Us
2170 South Ave.
South Lake Tahoe, CA
96150
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