Health Tips

Alopecia areata is a disease that affects hair follicles, resulting in patchy areas of hair loss.  In rare cases, the disease causes total loss of hair on the head and other areas of the body.  In general, alopecia areata is a benign condition, although it may cause significant emotional or…

Scientists have studied populations of humans whose life expectancy fails to meet the norm.  Major factors related to a decreased life expectancy include: 1) poor genetics, 2) a weak immune system, 3) genetic mutations and 4) unhealthy lifestyle habits.  Lifestyle issues that are correlated with increased risk of disease and…

While writing an article on the various components of over-the-counter (OTC) cold medications, I learned that zinc, the active ingredient in a popular nasal spray marketed to shorten the duration of the common cold, had been removed from the product. This was requested by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) because…

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently released a report on the effect of unsafe listening practices on hearing. They estimate that up to one billion young people worldwide could be at risk of hearing loss due to exposure to excessive sound levels.  According to WHO, teenagers and young adults in…

A trip to the pharmacy or grocery store to pick up an over-the-counter medicine to help with cold symptoms can be a confusing affair.  A host of manufacturers, each vying for your business, claim to be better than the others.  The use of different letters behind the name of the …

According to an analysis of data that the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) collected in 2003–2006, multivitamins were taken by 33% of Americans over the age of one year.  The National Institutes of Health reports that during the year 2012, U.S. consumers spent 5.4 billion dollars on multivitamins. …

According to an analysis of data that the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) collected in 2003–2006, multivitamins were taken by 33% of Americans over the age of one year.  The National Institutes of Health reports that during the year 2012, U.S. consumers spent 5.4 billion dollars on multivitamins. …

Today’s Health Tip originally ran in 2012 following the release of a statement from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) regarding the responsibilities of parents who decline to have their children immunized.  The importance of this statement has been underscored by the recent outbreak of measles linked to an amusement…

Plantar warts occur on the sole of the foot and look very similar to calluses.  Sometimes they grow into wider clusters called mosaic warts. They are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), which enters the body through tiny cuts and breaks in the skin. Plantar warts often develop beneath pressure…

Medical science has made tremendous strides in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.  Screening tests including mammograms for breast cancer, Pap smears for cervical cancer, and colonoscopies for colon cancer have allowed these cancers to be detected at an earlier stage when treatment is generally more effective. Treatment of several…