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Wellness Library Results

If you've attended a large family reunion lately, it may come as no surprise that women tend to outlive men. In the United States, the life expectancy of men is about five years less than women, according to the American Journal of Public Health. For African American men, it's still worse: They tend to live about six years less than white men. Nearly all of the biggest killers in America -- inclu...

The world would be a healthier place if everybody followed their doctor's advice. People would get more exercise and eat healthier foods. They'd get regular checkups. And they'd even take their medicine as prescribed. In the real world, though, all sorts of things can get in the way of good self-care. Many people have trouble finding the time or the money to see a doctor or buy medicines. In some...

What is COPD? COPD -- which stands for "chronic obstructive pulmonary disease" -- is a catch-all term for two common and very serious conditions: chronic bronchitis and emphysema. As the full name suggests, COPD blocks the flow of air into and out of the lungs. If you have chronic bronchitis, your airways tend to become swollen and clogged with mucus. A diagnosis of emphysema means that the sacs t...

When Dr. Paul Farmer arrived in Haiti in the 1980s, he was a confident young doctor determined to bring modern health care to a population in need. One of his challenges lay in finding a way to get tuberculosis patients to take their medicine. Many were not and were dying because of it. Part of the issue: Most Haitians believed the disease was a product of sorcery, so many considered taking medici...

In the last decade or so, Gaucher (pronounced go-SHAY) disease has made the leap from a medical mystery to a huge success story. People with this disease lack a crucial enzyme that breaks down a fat called glucocerebroside. The fat then builds up in the body, causing an array of complications ranging from an enlarged liver and spleen to skeletal deformities. For many patients, these problems are a...

High blood pressure is always worrisome, but it's especially dangerous in the lungs. Primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH) can hamper breathing, damage the heart, and even threaten a person's life. While modern treatments can often relieve symptoms, patients have to do their part to control the disease. Do you know how to stay on top of PPH? Take this short quiz to find out. 1. People with PPH ...

What is shark cartilage? Just what its name implies: Shark cartilage is simply the skeletal material of a shark. But many people believe this substance does far more than keep ocean creatures together. Ever since the book Sharks Don't Get Cancer hit the market, shark cartilage has been touted as a powerful cancer fighter in human beings. People also take cartilage in hopes it will relieve the pain...

Humans have always relied on friendship. We never would have made it out of the Stone Age without cooperation and companionship. Nowadays, we may not need our immediate circle to help gather food or fend off predators, but friends can still be absolute lifesavers. Many studies over the years have found that people generally live longer, happier, healthier lives if they have a strong network of sup...

We spend a lot of time teaching children the importance of making friends. But we never outgrow the need for good companionship ourselves. In fact, friendship may be even more important for adults than for kids. Kids get the benefits of birthday invitations and a chance to learn social skills; adults may actually live longer, healthier, more fulfilling lives. Studies have found that friendships an...

Guns are 100 percent safe for kids -- as long as the guns are unloaded, locked away, and never touched. But as soon as a bullet enters the chamber and a hand nears the trigger, guns become a serious hazard to children. According to the National Rifle Association, gunfire kills about one child every day in this country. The NRA also claims that one child dies every week from accidental gunfire. T...

On a chartered flight from Cleveland to Las Vegas one July, flight attendants smelled smoke coming from one of the lavatories. Head flight attendant Robert Craig informed the woman who emerged from the lavatory that smoking on an aircraft is a federal offense; her response was a sneering, "Yeah, whatever." Craig then found cigarette butts scattered on the bathroom floor and discovered that the smo...

History was not my ally when I entered Blood Centers of the Pacific in downtown San Francisco. The first time I'd donated blood, 10 years earlier in my high school gymnasium, I found myself breathing into a paper bag after a fit of hyperventilation. The next time, three years ago, I nearly fainted at a blood drive a friend had organized. His smile dropped when he saw me lying prone, a cold compres...