There is no question that the United States healthcare system is in trouble, but getting to the root of that problem is a complex issue. While insurance conundrums and pharmaceutical price gouging have gotten the most press, another possible cause lies in an area the has so far escaped media scrutiny: the use of primary […]
Americans take a lot of pills. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), at least 100,000 Americans die each year from reactions to properly prescribed prescription drugs. At this point, most of us know enough to read the warnings about side effects and interactions with other pharmaceuticals. But what you may not know […]
Vitamins and herbal supplements have become a standard product on American shelves. According to DC-based trade association and lobbying group Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), more than 71% of US adults now take dietary supplements, up from 40% – 50% in 2006. The five most popular are multivitamins (MVMs), vitamin D, vitamin C, calcium and […]
Ah…Halloween. What other time of year can girls dress with aplomb as slutty goth prom queens or a band of cartoon villains, zombies and super heroes approach any door and demand candy without having the police called on them? This holiday is the perfect excuse for all of us to don a mask and assume […]
On Tuesday, September 26, 2017 the Federal Center for Disease Control (CDC) issued a press statement about Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs): “STDs are at a record high, indicating urgent need for addressing protection.” The increase was seen by director Jonathan Mermin, MD, MPH as “a clear warning of a growing threat.” This announcement was eerily […]
Healthy at Every Size is a movement with a message that is changing the way we see ourselves: Women don’t have to have to starve themselves to squeeze into the ‘fit body’ image anymore. If you are overweight and athletic, you can still have a rockin’ bod. This attitude has even reached into the aesthetics […]
Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, a pediatrician in Flint, Michigan, first raised the alarm about lead in the water. Flint had switched its water supply from Lake Huron to the polluted local river in April 2014, immediately triggering widespread complaints of illness. City and state officials ignored reports and assured citizens that the water was safe. Dr. […]
Nineteen years ago, Marianne Kelly, a licensed cosmetologist, was diagnosed with a brain tumor. The 18 months of rehabilitation were tough. She had to relearn such simple tasks as walking and feeding herself. But none of this was as troubling to her as the changes in her looks. She’d always been particular about her appearance, […]
Illness never just affects our bodies; our minds are sucked down into the spiraling vortex too. Moods seem to darken when a health crisis is brewing. In fact, one of the symptoms of a heart attack is “a sense of impending doom.” On the other hand, our minds can have a powerful impact on recovery. […]
The heat is officially ON. We’ve moved past the fireworks of the 4th and are now nearing the Dog Days of summer. Weeks stretch into afternoons at the beach and pool parties in the backyard, and leapfrog through open hydrants on city streets. In Rhode Island we’ve already had our first official heat wave and […]