Sickness and injury are a regular part of life, and when they occur, the related expenses can sometimes be overwhelming. To help reduce these expenses and be prepared for unexpected health issues, many Americans turn to health insurance. When looking…
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Gallstones, or cholelithiasis, occur when bile, a digestive substance, creates hard deposits in the gallbladder. They can block passageways in the gallbladder and cause inflammation and severe abdominal pain. Traditional treatments include medications to dissolve stones, shock wave therapy to…
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Overview The Centers for Disease Control recommends total body muscle-strengthening activities at least two days per week. Strength training helps manage chronic pain, improve metabolism and decrease the risk for developing osteoporosis. Body-weight movements incorporate several different muscle groups into…
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Overview Your credit history is compiled by reporting agencies Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. They provide it on request to various entities for different reasons. It is usually used by lenders to evaluate your creditworthiness when you fill out an application,…
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January 11, 2014 Skincare and Beauty
Ringworm of the body is just one of a number of diseases caused by the group of fungi known as dermatophytes. Other dermatophyte infections include jock itch and athlete’s foot. The opportunistic dermatophyte fungus is microscopic, small enough to be…
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Most people live in a climate in which you need air-conditioning for at least part of the year. It takes a lot of energy–and money–to run your air conditioning. However, there are steps you can take to minimize the impact…
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January 11, 2014 Skincare and Beauty
Overview Disease organisms enter the body through the mouth, nose, eyes and ears. You can be exposed to airborne diseases or diseases that you pick up by touching a contaminated surface and then touching your face. You can also be…
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Irritability is an emotional state characterized by feelings of frustration or annoyance, according to the medical website Wrong Diagnosis. Irritability has many causes, the most common of which is a stressful life situation. Irritation that does not go away, however,…
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Overview Bicycling is normally a low-impact exercise; however, anterior knee pain and patellofemoral pain syndrome are some of the most common leg injuries seen in cyclists. Dr. Chad Asplund and Dr. Patrick St. Pierre, reporting in The Physician and Sportsmedicine,…
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Overview The triathlon is an endurance race that begins with swimming, is followed by bicycling and ends with running. There are four kinds of triathlons–sprint, international, long and ultra. The sprint triathlon is a half-mile of swimming, 12.4 miles of…
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January 11, 2014 Skincare and Beauty
Hair growth occurs in thousands of follicles in the skin all over a woman’s body. Hair growth occurs in a number of stages: an initiation stage when the hair begins to grow, a growth phase when the hair elongates, a…
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Backpacking along trails to reach secluded areas can provide solitude and peacefulness. Despite the opportunity for a relaxing backpacking expedition, you can be exposed to extreme weather. To protect yourself from these elements, you will need to carry a backpacking…
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January 11, 2014 Children's Health
Bed-wetting is a common problem for children from the time of potty training all the way up to 11 years old in some cases. the behavior is not necessarily a sign that you have failed in potty training but rather…
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Overview The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped structure that sits in the front of your neck, just below your Adam’s apple. It belongs to your body’s endocrine system and plays a vital role in determining your basic rate of energy…
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1. Start With the Least Invasive Options Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the most commonly prescribed medicines to treat reactive arthritis. In most cases, patients seem to react well to these, which is why doctors are usually weary of moving…
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Former First Lady Barbara Bush once said, “To us, family means putting your arms around each other and being there.” The family unit has changed drastically from the 1950s, when June and Ward Cleaver headed up the perfect American family….
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Improving cholesterol levels is not only a matter of reducing the numbers. There are different types of cholesterol, and it is important to keep some cholesterol high and other cholesterol levels low. HDL cholesterol, which stands for high-density lipoprotein cholesterol,…
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Age spots, also known as liver spots or solar lentigo, occur when pigment accumulates in the skin, usually because of excess exposure to the sun over a long period. Age spots take many years to form, which makes them most…
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Hybrid models are no longer few and far between. Most car manufacturers are coming out with their own model of hybrid, if not their second or third model. Consumers are demanding hybrids with social and political pressures mounting to go…
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1. Wash Your Eye Immediately As soon as you realize that a chemical has gotten into your eye, immediately start flushing it out with water. This can be done with water from a regular sink or an emergency eye wash…
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January 11, 2014 Diet and Nutrition
Overview Agave syrup, also known as agave nectar, is produced from multiple species of the agave plant, in particular the blue agave. Agave plants resemble a cross between yucca and aloe vera. The syrup is extracted from the core of…
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Overview While many travelers come to Maui to relax by a pool and enjoy the beaches and warm water, families visiting this popular Hawaiian island are happy to find it loaded with fun and safe family outings, as well. Starting…
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January 11, 2014 Diet and Nutrition
The immune system works to protect the body from infections, viruses and disease. It also helps the body heal from medical conditions. While numerous factors contribute to the body’s recovery capabilities, such as genetics, medical history and age, a healthy…
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January 11, 2014 Sexual and Reproductive Health
Most home methods to induce labor will be ineffective if a woman’s body is not yet ready for labor. Pregnant women can carry out methods to encourage cervical dilation once a pregnancy has reached at least 37 weeks, which is…
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January 11, 2014 Women's Health
1. Monitor Tampon Time and Absorbency Changing your tampon at least every 4 to 8 hours is one step you can take to prevent toxic shock syndrome. About half of all toxic shock syndrome (TSS) cases occur in women who…
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Overview The Family Medical Leave Act, FMLA, provides up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave in any 12-month period to employees who qualify. The leave may be taken to care for the employee’s medical condition, a employee’s family member with…
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Spinal meningitis, which is often simply referred to as meningitis, is an inflammatory condition that affects the membranes surrounding the spinal cord and brain. There are two major types of spinal meningitis, bacterial and viral. The symptoms of spinal meningitis…
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1. Recognize Common Symptoms Being able to identify common symptoms of mitral valve stenosis allows you to diagnose this potentially serious heart condition and begin to undergo treatment. People who have mitral stenosis have a narrowing in the mitral valve,…
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Overview Legal separation is permitted in some, but not all states in the U.S., according to the American Bar Association Section of Family Law. Although some variations in the statutes exist from one jurisdiction to another, the laws regarding legal…
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January 11, 2014 Diet and Nutrition
Overview The use of digital body composition analyzers has increased in popularity to assess healthy weight in both the medical field and fitness industry. Body composition, also known as body fat percentage, is a more accurate predictor of healthy weight…
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