Health Tips

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…

Although you might expect this Health Tip to be about large carnivores like polar bears or mountain lions, a tiny insect—the mosquito—is responsible for more deaths each year than all the ‘man-eating’ animals in the world combined.  These deaths do not occur due to a venomous bite or a sting…

Cholesterol is a fat-like substance that is present in cells and tissues throughout the body.  In excess, it has received the deservedly bad reputation of being capable of blocking blood vessels. Indeed, having too much cholesterol does place you at higher risk for the development of heart attack and stroke….

Tremor is an unintentional, rhythmic muscle movement, most often affecting the hands.  In some cases, tremor can be a sign of a neurological disease but the most common type of tremor occurs in otherwise healthy people.  Today’s Health Tip will focus on this common type of tremor, known as “essential…

A restaurant dining survey performed by the market research group, Living Social, found that the average American eats out on 4.8 occasions each week.  Nearly half of these respondents described themselves as “meat lovers,” 22 percent said that they had a “sweet tooth,” and 19 percent were self-described “fast food…

Everyone worries or feels anxious from time to time.  Financial issues, conflicts faced at work, problems with relationships— these are just a few of the events that can bring about anxiety.  In prehistoric humans worry, or its more exaggerated counterpart, fear, may have even provided some benefits. Triggering the “fight…