Recognizing and preventing sun allergies
No one is truly allergic to the sun, but some people are quite sensitive to different types of sun rays and may develop mild to serious reactions after spending time in the sun. There are several types of “sun allergies,” but polymorphous light eruption (PMLE), an autoimmune condition in the skin that occurs after sun […]
Struggling to sleep? Your heart may pay the price
Growing evidence suggests that poor sleep is linked to a host of health problems, including a higher risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. Now, a recent study on people in midlife finds that having a combination of sleep problems — such as trouble falling asleep, waking up in the wee hours, […]
Should you be tested for inflammation?
Let’s face it: inflammation has a bad reputation. Much of it is well-deserved. After all, long-term inflammation contributes to chronic illnesses and deaths. If you just relied on headlines for health information, you might think that stamping out inflammation would eliminate cardiovascular disease, cancer, dementia, and perhaps aging itself. Unfortunately, that’s not true. Still, our […]
Inflammatory bowel disease and family planning: What you need to know
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is commonly diagnosed when people are in their 20s and 30s, which is also when many people are planning families. Many people who have been diagnosed with IBD (which includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis) have questions and concerns regarding their fertility, conception, pregnancy, delivery, and breastfeeding. Thinking about conceiving a […]
Waist trainers: What happens when you uncinch?
You may have noticed nipped-in, hourglass waists among women wearing the celebrity trend du jour: so-called waist trainers. This tummy-tucking shapewear evokes images of buttoned-up corsets and too-tight girdles from a dim past. But does it live up to the hype? Splashy advertisements suggest these compression devices can help you selectively sculpt inches off your […]
Gun violence: A long-lasting toll on children and teens
In the aftermath of the killing of 19 children and two adults in an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, there is a lot of discussion — and argument — about what we should do to prevent shootings like this from happening. In the midst of all the back and forth between banning guns and arming […]
Managing weight gain from psychiatric medications
While psychiatric medications can be essential for improving mental health and well-being, they often come with unwanted side effects. One particular side effect of many psychiatric medications is weight gain. In this post we will explore how these medications cause weight gain, and what you can do to lessen the impact of this unwanted effect […]
A refresher on childhood asthma: What families should know and do
Asthma is the most common chronic lung disease in children. In the US, it affects about 6 million children, or about one in every 12 children. Breathing is key to life, obviously, so asthma can make life very hard. It can make going for a walk outside feel very hard. It leads not just to […]
Can an implanted tongue-stimulating device curb your sleep apnea?
Loud snoring, grunts, and gasps can be a sign of obstructive sleep apnea, a serious disorder that causes repeated, brief pauses in breathing (apneas) throughout the night. It can leave people drowsy and depressed, and put them at risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, and other health problems. If this sounds like you or […]
Untangling grief: Living beyond a great loss
“The horse has left the barn.” Those six words, said by my husband’s oncologist, changed our lives forever, although the sense of impending loss had begun weeks earlier with a blood test. There would be more tests, exams, and visits to specialists. As George and I waited for a definitive diagnosis, we bargained with ourselves […]