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Black and orange may not be the only colors you associate with October. Chances are you’ll also see friends, family and co-workers donning pink ribbons for breast cancer awareness this month. Though we usually associate pink with women, it’s important to know that breast cancer affects people of all genders. In America, 264,000 women and 2,400 men are diagnosed with breast cancer annually. To make sure you “think pink,” here are three ways to take care of yourself. Know the Risks Those at higher risk in...
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The CDC reports that over 34 million American adults have diabetes. High blood sugar, or hyperglycemia, can cause long-term health complications like cardiovascular disease, nerve damage, gum infections and even eye problems. Hyperglycemia can also damage blood vessels, thereby increasing the likelihood of heart disease, stroke and kidney disease. Because 1 in 3 adults have pre-diabetes (most of which don’t know it), we all can benefit from lower glucose levels to help lose weight, reduce blood pressure...
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The first thing that comes to mind for many when they hear diabetes is sugar. While sugar plays a big part in this disease, there’s much more to this chronic condition. Diabetes is a metabolic disorder, meaning it affects how the body breaks down food to create energy through insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas. Food is converted into glucose when you eat. As the amount of glucose in the blood rises, beta cells in the pancreas trigger insulin release. This hormone acts like a key, unlocking and ...
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As a new mother, it can be hard to find your footing. According to the Pew Research Center, 45 percent of moms with kids younger than 6 years say parenting is tiring all or most of the time. How can you make the adjustment easier? You took breastfeeding and prenatal classes, read every book you could get your hands on, and soaked up all the advice you could get from friends and family. However, all of that pales in comparison to the reality of caring for a newborn. How can you handle this new world of m...
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More than 50 million Americans battle allergies each year—and pollen produced by trees, grasses and weeds is frequently the cause. While pollen is harmless to some, the immune system of someone allergic releases antibodies to eliminate what it perceives as a danger. The histamines released during that process cause your eyes, nose and throat to swell, itch and produce mucus. Even if you know all about pollen, you may not know the best ways to combat it. Avoid these common spring allergy mistakes that ca...
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There’s both good and bad news in the United Health Foundation’s annual report. Unfortunately, millions of Americans live with chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes and cancer. We’ve also reached a new national high. Obesity increased 15% between 2011 and 2019 and now affects more than 70.4 million adults. But the good news is that many of our health problems are preventable or treatable. The percentage of adults with three or more chronic conditions declined between 2018 and 2019. More people...
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According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, there was enough wheat flour in 2019 for each American citizen to consume 131.1 pounds each. But in a world where we’re concerned about gluten and brown grains versus white grains, are the modern forms of these foods better? Modern grains, like wheat, corn and rice, have been processed, hybridized and genetically modified. Don’t be concerned about the name—ancient grains aren’t foods that have stayed in your pantry too long. Instead, the name is a marketi...
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You’re going about your day, working, exercising or spending time with family, when all of a sudden you feel a sharp, stabbing pain in your abdomen. You’ve been nauseated and haven’t had much of an appetite all day. If you’ve ever felt this way, don’t just dismiss it as something simple as overeating.These are all signs that you have appendicitis or inflammation of the appendix. Appendicitis occurs due to infection, parasites or when the tube that joins your large intestine and appendix is blocked by tr...
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In February, we often think about Valentine’s, love, and our feelings about our partners, siblings and close friends. It’s no surprise because those are the people who make us feel young at heart. A study in American Psychologist reports social connections help us live longer, lower our risk for heart disease and boost our immunities. Feeling young at heart is good, but certain risk factors may actually be aging your heart beyond its calendar years. Do you know your heart’s real age? ...
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What’s That Sound? Clicking, cracking, grinding, popping, snapping — these are all common and generally harmless sounds our joints can make. It’s a natural part of aging, and the sound could be the result of one of these conditions: As cartilage wears away, your bones grind or rub each other. This causes the sound you are hearing. Tight muscles and tendons can make sounds when moving over bone or as it returns to its original position. When you pop or crack a joint like your knuckles, you’re releasing n...
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