depressive symptoms

Pain Management

9 Ways to Tame Your Chronic Pain

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When it comes to chronic pain, thereΓÇÖs usually a limit to how much relief medications and procedures can bring. ThatΓÇÖs where changes to your daily life can help bridge the gap. Cleveland Clinic pain and wellness specialists Daniel Leizman, MD, and Mladen Golubi─ç, MD, PhD, offer nine ΓÇ£pain wellnessΓÇ¥ tips to make sure youΓÇÖre following for maximum pain management. Take deep breaths. The average adult takes eight to 16 breaths per minute. Slowing that down to five or six deep breaths that really fill your lungs will help you relax, which can lessen your discomfort.

Sex

Restarting Your Sex Life

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Normal aging brings physical changes in both men and women. These changes sometimes affect the ability to have and enjoy sex. A woman may notice changes in her vagina. As a woman ages, her vagina can shorten and narrow. Her vaginal walls can become thinner and also a little stiffer. Most women will have less vaginal lubrication. These changes could affect sexual function and/or pleasure.

How to Fight Prediabetes

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Type 2 diabetes is one of the most serious chronic illnesses in existence; it puts people at risk for everything from heart and kidney disease to amputation of limbs. According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), it is shockingly widespread 29.1 million Americans have the illness. And the ADA estimates that 86 million more Americans have prediabetes, a condition that indicates a high risk of developing the illness. Here, from the federal National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse and the ADA, is what you need to know about prediabetes:

Breast Cancer

Exposure To Nighttime Light Could Be Dangerous for Breast-Cancer Patients

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The breast-cancer drug tamoxifen is useless if a patient is exposed to even dim overnight light, according to a new study. But it can become effective during the same period in combination with the hormone melatonin. Researchers from Tulane University School of Medicine published the study in the journal Cancer Research. It is the first study to show that melatonin, which regulates sleep and wake cycles, is essential to tamoxifenΓÇÖs success in treating breast cancer. But melatonin doesnΓÇÖt work if itΓÇÖs shut off by exposure to light at night.

Alcohol and Aging

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Although we often associate drinking too much with younger people (parties, bars, spring break vacations), alcohol abuse is a problem at any age. And while itΓÇÖs true that younger people drink more than older people, alcohol abuse presents some age-specific issues for seniors. Here, from the SeniorHealth division of the National of Health (NIH), is an explanation of the damaging effects, and how you or a loved one can get help if itΓÇÖs needed.

The Latest Approach to Anti-Aging

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Instead of fighting chronic diseases one by one as they develop, researchers suggest, medicine should focus instead on preventing several of these illnesses at once. That approach, the investigators say, could help extend healthy lifespans.

Are You A Stress Eater?

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From the Mayo Clinic EditorΓÇÖs note: Whether youΓÇÖre trying to lose some weight, or maintain the weight you have, stress-related eating can be one of the most discouraging obstacles. For many people, stress-related eating can happen out of the blue, making you feel out of control. Here, Edward T. Creagan, MD, of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., offers some strategies for dealing with stress-related eating.

New Clue to Development of Diabetes

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Researchers have discovered a mechanism that can eliminate excess quantities of a harmful protein in people with Type 2 diabetes. The discovery sheds light on the accumulation of the protein called islet amyloid polypeptide, or IAPP. That accumulation is linked to the loss of pancreatic beta cells that produce insulin. Researchers from UCLA appear to have found why that happens.

Mental & Emotional Health

When It's More Than Just Anxiety

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Although thereΓÇÖs a lot of talk about depression, another condition ΓÇô Generalized Anxiety Disorder ΓÇô doesnΓÇÖt get nearly as much attention. And that can make it harder for friends and family to understand whatΓÇÖs happening when someone they love has GAD. Here, from the National Institute of Mental Health, are some things you should know: What Is Generalized Anxiety Disorder?

Warm-Weather Food Safety

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ItΓÇÖs the height of picnic and barbecue season, but these festivities can quickly go sour if your food isnΓÇÖt safe. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), each year about 1 in 6 Americans get sick from tainted foods. Most foodborne illnesses last only a short time. At the same time, foodborne diseases kill about 3,000 people nationwide each year. Those especially at risk include infants, older people, and people with weakened immune systems.

Vision Health

Study: AMD Isn't Always Age-Related

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Age-related macular degeneration, until now seen as a condition of people in their 50s and beyond, is more prevalent in younger people than previously thought, according to new statistics. The findings comes from researchers at Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany. The investigators found that just under 4 percent of 35- to 44-year-old people in their study were affected by AMD. The illness is the most common cause of visual impairment and blindness in industrialized countries.

Pain Management

How To Avoid Ulcers

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Over the counter pain relievers may seem harmless enough, but take enough of a certain type and you could find yourself with a peptic ulcer, a potentially serious abdominal disorder.

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