Author: Jane Farrell

How Friends and Family Can Help With Your Doctor Visit

At any age, it’s crucial that you not only look after your health with doctor visits and self-care, but it’s also essential that you learn the most from those visits. As people get older, and usually have several health conditions, it’s even more important.

It’s not uncommon, though, for patients to be so upset or even frightened by a doctor visit that they can’t absorb what they’re being told, or the subject may be one they’re not familiar with. In either case, that means they won’t be learning as much as they could from the physician.

Help for Eczema Sufferers

Scientists have developed a new medicine that may eventually give significant relief to people who suffer from eczema, the most common skin disorder.

The study was reported in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Safe Traveling with Diabetes

Getting out of your routine is part of the fun of vacation and traveling. But don’t forget your medications and your care routine, especially if you have diabetes, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says.
Experts at the federal agency, part of the National Institutes of health, say that travel factors such as meals away from home, a change in physical activity, and different time zones can affect your management of your conditions.

Patients Are Helping Doctors Do Research

Patients’ participation in health-care research is becoming more active thanks to “big data” research projects that use many people to provide real-time information on symptoms, side effects and results.

An analysis published in the journal Health Affairs said that new technologies such as electronic health records and monitoring devices are playing an increasing part in major studies.

6 Reasons Your Hypertension Meds Might Not Be Working

From the Cleveland Clinic

A hypertension specialist looks at potential causes. Usually, it’s not just one single issue but various factors that contribute to the problem. Your doctor will work to figure out why – and from there, create a new plan of attack.

“Finding the right combination of medications for uncontrolled hypertension may require some trial and error,” says hypertension specialist George Thomas, MD.

In his work with patients, Thomas investigates possible explanations for difficulty in controlling blood pressures. These can include:

A New Cancer Treatment for Dogs

A cancer therapy that was until now only available for humans has been developed for dogs.

Scientists from the Messerli Research Institute of the Vetmeduni Vienna, the Medical University of Vienna, and the University of Vienna have developed a way to use cancer immunotherapy on dogs.

Almost half of dogs ten years or older develop cancer.

Alternative Treatments for Fibromyalgia

People who suffer from fibromyalgia, a chronic disorder with symptoms that include musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and tenderness, often seek relief from alternative-health practices. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) part of the National Institutes of Health, talks about the research:

Needed: A Better Understanding of Chinese Medicine

Although millions of people in the West use Chinese medicine, including acupuncture and herbs, there aren’t enough physicians who have Chinese-language training so they can understand the nuances of those methods.

Researchers from UCLA’s Center for East-West Medicine say that there are only a few U.S. schools that have Chinese-language training. Additionally, only a few Chinese medical texts have been translated into English.

Making the Best Decisions With Your Doctor

Talking with a doctor about a health-care decision is crucial – and can be an intimidating process. Here, from the experts at the National Institute on Aging, are some ways to get the most out of it:

Giving and getting information are two important steps in talking with your doctor. The third big step is making decisions about your care.

Sunless Tanning: What You Need to Know

Don’t want to expose your skin to the sun’s damaging rays, but still want that sun-kissed glow? Consider trying sunless tanning products. Start by understanding how sunless tanning products work — and the importance of applying them carefully and correctly.

HOW DO SUNLESS TANNING PRODUCTS WORK?

Meditation Doesn’t Have To Be A Marathon

If you’d like to meditate but are overwhelmed by the thought of lengthy training and practice, take heart: you can get the stress-reducing benefits from just 25 minutes.

New research from Carnegie Mellon University is the first to show that brief mindfulness meditation practice — 25 minutes for three consecutive days — alleviates psychological stress. ” the study investigates how mindfulness meditation affects people’s ability to be resilient under stress.

Keep Pets Safe On The Fourth

The Fourth of July weekend, with its barbecues, firecrackers and fireworks, is a festive time for millions of families. And it’s also a time to remember your animal companions. The experts at the ASPCA have some strategies for making the holiday a relaxing time for the furry friend(s) in your home.

Don’t leave alcoholic drinks within reach of pets. Alcohol can poison animals. Your pet could also go into a coma, the ASPCA says. In severe cases, fatal respiratory failure has occurred.

A Declaration Of Independence From Tobacco

July 4th is a great time to celebrate freedom and independence of all kinds. Why not make it an occasion to declare your own independence – from tobacco? The federal Centers for Disease Control has made July 4th its focal point for its program on freeing yourself from nicotine addiction.

Anyone who’s ever quit can tell you it’s a tough process, but understanding why it’s so tough may help you deal with those moments when you feel you can’t go one moment longer without a cigarette. Here are some insights from the CDC:

Fear Of Illness Can Be A Good Thing

When it comes to skin cancer, many people are influenced by fear, not statistics, to use sunscreen.

“Most health behavior studies don’t account for the more visceral, emotional reactions that lead people to do risky behaviors, like eat junk food or ignore the protective benefits of sunscreen,” says Marc Kiviniemi, lead researcher and assistant professor of community health and health behavior in the University of Buffalo’s School of Public Health and Health Professions.

The Dangers of Summer Drinking

Editor’s note: This Fourth of July weekend, millions of Americans will gather with their families for barbecues, boat outings and beach trips. But excessive drinking isn’t a good part of this festive mix. Here, from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, are some good reasons why drinking too much shouldn’t be part of your holiday:

More Liver Transplants Possible With New Technique

Scientists have found a way to preserve livers for a longer time before transplant.

The investigators, from the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Center for Engineering in Medicine, said that their technique permitted successful transplantation of rat livers after being preserved for up to four days. That is more than triple the length of time organs can currently be preserved.

The discovery was published in the journal Nature Medicine.

Women and Heart Disease: A New RIsk

Hormonal changes during menopause could increase a woman’s risk of heart disease, researchers have found.

The study, by investigators from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, was done by using an advanced method to analyze “cholesterol carriers” in the blood. The researchers found that during the transition to menopause, the quality of those carriers degrades.

Investigators said the study showed that the quality of cholesterol carriers could be as important as cholesterol numbers.