edocamerica

From time to time, everyone experiences anxiety.   We worry about our security, our families, our jobs, and our health. Often, these fears are appropriate and help to keep us and our loved ones safe and secure.  But when anxiety develops without provocation or persists when the threat or concern is…

Asthma is a chronic lung disease characterized by episodes of airflow obstruction known as asthma attacks.  During an asthma attack, small muscles surrounding the airways contract, resisting the flow of air into and out of the lungs. Inflammation and swelling of the airways is also a consistent feature among asthmatics. …

Recently, I wrote a Health Tip on the topic of “Summer Colds”.  That particular tip was actually inspired by the viral upper respiratory tract infections that both my wife and I experienced a few weeks ago. While I usually try to avoid writing in first person in my Health Tips,…

The sports physical, also known as the pre-participation examination (PPE), is an annual rite for millions of students who participate in school athletics.    Even though the necessity of these exams in the young, healthy population in which they are performed has been questioned, most states in the U.S. require some…

 “The eyes are the window to the soul” ― Old English Proverb It has been estimated that up to 80% of our perception, learning, cognition and activities are mediated through vision.  Additionally, most activities, whether work-related or for pleasure, are enhanced by visual input.   Since vision is such a precious…

Breast milk is widely acknowledged as the most complete form of nutrition for infants, with a range of benefits for infants’ health, growth, immunity and development. — Healthy People 2010, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Most authorities including the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Family Practice, and…

The term “summer cold” is something that most of us have heard about, but aside from its seasonal occurrence, is there anything really different about this type of cold?                          What causes the common cold? Colds are viral infections…

While cigar-smoking, mint julep-drinking Mark Twain may not seem like a paragon of healthy living, he did provide us with some thought-provoking quotes directed toward health.            “Be careful about reading health books.  You may die of a misprint.”  ~ Mark Twain  This quote, written prior to the development of personal…

While changes in the normal configuration of nails usually indicate a problem affecting the nail itself, certain changes may also provide clues to an underlying medical condition.  Brittle nails, nails containing “pits” or small depressions, nails that are discolored yellow or green, or dark lines beneath the nail are examples…

The immune system is a complex system of specialized cells, tissues, and organs designed to defend the body from germs and other invaders.  Central to the normal function of the immune system is its ability to distinguish between what is part of our own healthy bodies from a potentially harmful…