Cranberries: Evergreen And For Ever Healthy

Thoughts of the cranberry probably bring forth memories of Ocean Spray commercials or circular slices of the jellied variety adorning a Thanksgiving platter, yet cranberries are one of the most healthful and multifarious fruit available.  Found and grown in bogs throughout the northern hemisphere, cranberries are actually a type of evergreen dwarf shrubs or trailing vines.  With skinny, wire-like stems, and dark pink flowers, they are popular with the honeybee and anyone who likes a sweet fruit with an acidic kick.

In the US and Canada, cranberries are a major commercial crop.  They can be made into cranberry juice (hence the images of the Ocean Spray commercials), cranberry sauce, cranberry jelly, or dried into candy-like treats, although many people enjoy them fresh.  Cranberries have been increasingly recognized as a super fruit, along with the Acai berry and blueberry, among others, because of their antioxidant and nutrient content.      

Vaccinium oxycoccos (Northern Cranberry) is a species of cranberry found in Europe, northern Asia, and North America.  These cranberries are small, pale pink, and have a tangy flavor.  The Vaccinium microcarpum (Small Cranberry) is a species of cranberry found in Northern Europe and Northern Asia.  Vaccinium macrocarpon (Large Cranberry) is a species of cranberry found in northeastern North America, and is one of the most popular varieties due to its closeness to an apple taste.  Cranberries are close cousins to huckleberries, bilberries, and blueberries.

Cranberries got their name by early European settlers.  These pioneers believed that the flower, stem, calyx, and petals of the cranberry plant looked very much like the neck, head, and bill of a crane, so naming the fruit the

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Rosemary Is Good For Your Health

Rosemary is a herb that is used for both culinary and medicinal purposes. The rosemary plant is native to the Mediterranean area, but it is found in other regions such as France and even as far south as South Africa. The plant itself is an evergreen and has leaves which resemble the needles of an evergreen tree. The rosemary plant is has leaves that are considered to be thick and leather-like in appearance, and they are accented with blooms which can be blue, white, pink or purple in color.

Another feature of the rosemary plant is its very aromatic smell and the wooly white substance that can be found on the underside of the leaves. The rosemary plant can reach heights of over five feet. The name rosemary is Latin for

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Vitamins That Help Improve Your Eyesight

Eyesight degeneration is something that naturally happens to everyone during the process of aging. Prescription or over-the-counter treatments can help slow or remedy this process and laser eye surgery has been increasing in popularity recently but there are less expensive ways to prevent or even reverse sight loss. One way of doing this is by ensuring that you consume specific vitamins through certain foods and by supplementing your diet with vitamins if necessary.

Refocusing your eyes at regular intervals, wearing sunglasses when in the glare, and refraining from unnecessarily straining your eyes are ways to keep them healthy

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Asthma vs. COPD

While the signs of asthma and Cardiopulmonary Obstructive Disease (COPD) may appear similar, they differ from each other in distinct way.  One causes irreversible damage, while the other is completely reversible.  Emphysema and chronic bronchitis are common terms used to describe COPD, not asthma. 

Keep in mind, that an individual can have COPD as well as asthma.  Additionally, the asthma treatment and the treatment for COPD, for attacks, are similar.  By using new methods, such as a good exercise regiment, effective breathing practices, and a healthy diet, you can learn to cope with the signs and effects of asthma and COPD. 

Asthma symptoms and symptoms of COPD can easily be confused, because they appear to be the same; however, they are very different.  The signs of asthma and COPD include difficulty breathing, tightness of the chest, wheezing, coughing, and sneezing.  Asthma and COPD cannot be cured.  However, asthma attacks and the effects of COPD can be alleviated.       

Additionally, with all the similarities between asthma and COPD, their differences are notable.  One distinct difference is that COPD develops as a result of a lifestyle, while asthma is cause by more a mixture of genes and individual exposure to allergens.  Additionally, in COPD, the damage of the obstruction of the airways is permanent and irreversible, while the effects of asthma are reversible and the airways of the lungs are just restricted. 

The treatments for COPD and asthma are the same.  Anyone suffering from the effects of asthma or COPD will benefit greatly from starting a good exercise regiment.  Even asthma in children can be affected positively by exercise.  Exercise aids in the improvement of muscular functionability.  However, when exercising, individuals should be careful not to overexert themselves, as this will result in difficulty breathing.

Breathing exercises are effective and calming for anyone suffering from asthma or COPD.  Breathing may be automatic for anyone suffering from the effects of asthma and COPD, but proper breathing is not.  By using proper breathing exercises, asthma and COPD effects and be greatly improved.  Two breathing techniques that help increase the level of oxygen in the blood are pursed-lip and diaphragmatic breathing.  The purpose of these breathing exercises is to slow the breathing down and empty the lungs completely.

Proper nutrition, like breathing exercises, is another essential element in the effective treatment for asthma or COPD.  It increases your energy level, strengthens your bones and muscles, reinforces your immune system, and helps to maintain a healthy weight.  Dark green vegetables are a nice source of vitamin B12 and improve the metabolism. 

Vitamin E, complex carbohydrates, and protein are essential in the diet to promote stronger muscles.  Vitamin E can be found in apples, olive oil, and whole grain pasta.  Complex carbohydrates are found in grain, broccoli and nuts; and proteins can be derived from lean meats, peanut butter, and eggs.  Ensure that your diet includes these staples to experience the benefits and advantages on the symptoms of asthma.

By now, it should be apparent that asthma and COPD have their similarities as well as their differences.  The signs of asthma and COPD and the treatment for asthma and COPD are generally the same.  However, COPD is associated with permanent damage, while the effects of asthma are reversible. Just by incorporating an exercise regimen that includes breathing exercises and proper nutrition, the negative effects of asthma and COPD, in children or adults, can be improved, although not cured.

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When a Women is Allergic to Condoms

Condoms are one of the best ways to reduce the risk of  sexually transmitted disease (STD) and also a tool to control pregnancy. But what would happen if a woman is allergic to condoms?

Allergic to condoms is usually causes by the latex rubber, lubricants used in condoms or even both. These allergic reactions can occur only after a few minutes of contact with condoms or after a few hours later.

According to Healthmad, women who are allergic to condoms may experience symptoms as follows:

1. Rash
2. Red and itching in the genital area
3. Burning sensation during bowel movements and sexual intercourse
4. Sneezing repeatedly
5. Skin becomes sensitive
6. Sometimes it can cause dizziness and fainting
7. In extreme cases can lead to shock

Condom allergy symptoms are sometimes similar to a fungal infection that attacks the genitals, but the difference usually condom allergy dose not cause fluid to come out of the vagina.

But the study by Michigan State University shows that condoms can also increase the risk of genital yeast infections. This is triggered by nonoxynol-9, which is a spermicide lubricants which can cause yeast infections.

What should be done if a women is allergic to condoms?

If women wants to control pregnancy, condoms contraception can be replaced with other alternatives such as birth control pills or intrauterine devices (IUDs). But unfortunately, these konstrasepsi choice can not protect against sexually transmitted diseases.

Better find out what the cause of the allergy is, whether it is the rubber latex or the lubricants. If you want to keep using condoms, you should use a non-latex or non-lubricating condoms.

To determine if you suffer from allergies to condoms, the best thing to do is consult with your doctor or your health care provider.

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Have an Ideal Body Weight by Drinking Wine

A researcher examined 20,000 women with normal body weight for 13 years, and found that women who have a habit of drinking one glass of wine per day can maintain weight 30% better than women who did not drink wine.

According to Jana Klauer, a nutritionist from New York, wine is rich in antioxidants that can reduce cholesterol and blood pressure. One reason that wine can maintain an ideal weight is when it is digested, it triggers the body to burn calories.

“Women have a little enzyme that metabolizes alcohol than men. To be able to digest the wine, they should continue to produce this enzyme so that the body continues to burn energy,” she said.

The effect of drinking wine is the increase in body temperature. This effect occurs because the alcohol burns calories and creates heat.

However, it does not mean you can drink wine as much as possible to get an ideal weight. Because keep in mind that wine has 125 calories per 5 ounces, drinking too much wine can even result in risks such as breast cancer. Drink one glass per day combined with a healthy diet and exercise is a great way to get an ideal body shape.

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Why Men Lose Weight Faster

In terms of weight loss, women often ‘loose’ to men. Perhaps you also had noticed how men lose weight easily without having to try extra hard. Surely this invites curiosity.

For that, know three things why men lose weight easier, according to Reader’s Digest.

1. Men are not too obsessed with food
Women are more obsessed with food than men. According to a recent survey, about 25 percent of women think about food every half an hour. Thinking about food makes the desire to eat increases. This makes women eats more.

2. Men do not relate food and emotions
Women tend to ease their emotions on food, while men do not. According the book ‘Conquering Heart Attack & Stroke’ , from brain scans, researchers showed food in men and women who had not eaten all day and ask them to hold their hunger.

It was known that male brains showed much less activity in terms of regulation, emotion, memory, and motivation than women. As though, men are more easy to ‘turn off’ their passions in their favorite foods.

3. Men metabolism is faster
Metabolic system of men is faster than women. A study found that the average man’s metabolism is 5 to 10 percent higher than women who have the same weight and height.

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Oral Sex Causes Transmission of Oral and Neck Cancer

January 27, 2011 By: medicmagic Category: Cancer, Sexual Health

Cancer on the head and neck are related to sexual activity. This is caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) which is the principal cause of this cancer. HPV can be transmitted through an oral sex type of sexual activity.

“This relationship is strong, especially oral sex associated with the increase in HPV infection,” said Dr. Greg Hartig, professor of Otolaryngology Head and neck surgery at the faculty of medicine and public health University of Wisconsin, according to healthday.

A study in 2007 in the New England Journal of Medicine found that young people with cancer on the head and neck were positive for HPV infection in the mouth are more likely to have a lot of vaginal and oral sex  with their partners in their lives.

In the study, having six or more oral sex partners during lifetime have a 3.4 times higher risk for oropharyngeal cancer – cancer of the tongue base, back of the throat or tonsils.

Researchers also reported that the tonsils and base of the tongue cancer has increased every year since 1973. The increase is also related to oral sex activity that is spreading among teenagers. In it, French kiss is also vulnerable to transmit HPV. Some types of HPV can cause cervical cancer.

According to Dr. A. Amesh Adalja, instructor in the Section of Infectious Diseases at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, HPV tend to have specific locations. HPV tend to survive in the first body area it meets. It can be the vagina (which in some cases can cause cervical cancer), or the mouth and throat.

In other words, the changing trend of sexual activity also cause changes HPV infection.

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that, in 2002, about 90 percent of men and 88 percent of women aged 25 to 44 years old were claimed to have had oral sex with opposite sex couples. Compared to 1992 which showed about 75 percent of men aged 20 to 39 years old and almost 70 percent of women aged 18-59 years old had oral sex.

HPV attacks will get more vicious if the person also smokes. Of the patients with HPV who smokes, only about 45-50 percent who survive. Meanwhile, from among non-smokers, 85 percent of people with HPV-positive tumors survived.

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Techniques to Cope With Stress and RA

Dealing With Stress and RA Skip to content Home & News WebMD Home WebMD News Home Free Health Newsletters WebMD Community & Experts See All Expert Blogs WebMD the Magazine Digital Health A-Z ADD/ADHD Allergies Allergy TV Alzheimer's Anxiety Disorders Arthritis Asthma Back Pain Bipolar Disorder Bipolar TV Breast Cancer Cancer Cancer Communities Cholesterol Cold & Flu Colorectal Cancer COPD Depression Depression TV Diabetes Epilepsy Erectile Dysfunction Fibromyalgia Heart Disease Heartburn/GERD Herpes Hypertension IBS Incontinence/OAB Inflammatory Bowel Menopause Mental Health Migraines Multiple Sclerosis Osteoporosis Pain Management Parkinson's Disease Rheumatoid Arthritis Sexual Conditions Shingles Skin Problems Sleep Disorders Stroke See All Topics Videos A-Z Community & Experts Experts A-Z First Aid A-Z Games A-Z Tests & Tools A-Z Slideshows A-Z Drugs & Medications Center Find or Review a Drug Pill Identifier Drug News Mobile Drug Information Find a Vitamin or Supplement First Aid & Emergencies WebMD Community & Experts WebMD Ask the Pharmacist Healthy Living Women's Health Men's Health Pet Health Oral Health Emotional Health Mental Health Communities Find a Therapist Green Living 50

RA Accommodations at Work

Rheumatoid Arthritis and Employment: Making Accommodations for RA at Work Skip to content Home & News WebMD Home WebMD News Home Free Health Newsletters WebMD Community & Experts See All Expert Blogs WebMD the Magazine Digital Health A-Z ADD/ADHD Allergies Allergy TV Alzheimer's Anxiety Disorders Arthritis Asthma Back Pain Bipolar Disorder Bipolar TV Breast Cancer Cancer Cancer Communities Cholesterol Cold & Flu Colorectal Cancer COPD Depression Depression TV Diabetes Epilepsy Erectile Dysfunction Fibromyalgia Heart Disease Heartburn/GERD Herpes Hypertension IBS Incontinence/OAB Inflammatory Bowel Menopause Mental Health Migraines Multiple Sclerosis Osteoporosis Pain Management Parkinson's Disease Rheumatoid Arthritis Sexual Conditions Shingles Skin Problems Sleep Disorders Stroke See All Topics Videos A-Z Community & Experts Experts A-Z First Aid A-Z Games A-Z Tests & Tools A-Z Slideshows A-Z Drugs & Medications Center Find or Review a Drug Pill Identifier Drug News Mobile Drug Information Find a Vitamin or Supplement First Aid & Emergencies WebMD Community & Experts WebMD Ask the Pharmacist Healthy Living Women's Health Men's Health Pet Health Oral Health Emotional Health Mental Health Communities Find a Therapist Green Living 50

6 Heart Health Myths and Facts: Is Your Heart in Danger?

Skip to content Home & News WebMD Home WebMD News Home Free Health Newsletters WebMD Community & Experts See All Expert Blogs WebMD the Magazine Digital Health A-Z ADD/ADHD Allergies Allergy TV Alzheimer's Anxiety Disorders Arthritis Asthma Back Pain Bipolar Disorder Bipolar TV Breast Cancer Cancer Cancer Communities Cholesterol Cold & Flu Colorectal Cancer COPD Depression Depression TV Diabetes Epilepsy Erectile Dysfunction Fibromyalgia Heart Disease Heartburn/GERD Herpes Hypertension IBS Incontinence/OAB Inflammatory Bowel Menopause Mental Health Migraines Multiple Sclerosis Osteoporosis Pain Management Parkinson's Disease Rheumatoid Arthritis Sexual Conditions Shingles Skin Problems Sleep Disorders Stroke See All Topics Videos A-Z Community & Experts Experts A-Z First Aid A-Z Games A-Z Tests & Tools A-Z Slideshows A-Z Drugs & Medications Center Find or Review a Drug Pill Identifier Drug News Mobile Drug Information Find a Vitamin or Supplement First Aid & Emergencies WebMD Community & Experts WebMD Ask the Pharmacist Healthy Living Women's Health Men's Health Pet Health Oral Health Emotional Health Mental Health Communities Find a Therapist Green Living 50

Broken Heart Syndrome (Stress Cardiomyopathy) Symptoms, Causes, Treatments

Skip to content Home & News WebMD Home WebMD News Home Free Health Newsletters WebMD Community & Experts See All Expert Blogs WebMD the Magazine Digital Health A-Z ADD/ADHD Allergies Allergy TV Alzheimer's Anxiety Disorders Arthritis Asthma Back Pain Bipolar Disorder Bipolar TV Breast Cancer Cancer Cancer Communities Cholesterol Cold & Flu Colorectal Cancer COPD Depression Depression TV Diabetes Epilepsy Erectile Dysfunction Fibromyalgia Heart Disease Heartburn/GERD Herpes Hypertension IBS Incontinence/OAB Inflammatory Bowel Menopause Mental Health Migraines Multiple Sclerosis Osteoporosis Pain Management Parkinson's Disease Rheumatoid Arthritis Sexual Conditions Shingles Skin Problems Sleep Disorders Stroke See All Topics Videos A-Z Community & Experts Experts A-Z First Aid A-Z Games A-Z Tests & Tools A-Z Slideshows A-Z Drugs & Medications Center Find or Review a Drug Pill Identifier Drug News Mobile Drug Information Find a Vitamin or Supplement First Aid & Emergencies WebMD Community & Experts WebMD Ask the Pharmacist Healthy Living Women's Health Men's Health Pet Health Oral Health Emotional Health Mental Health Communities Find a Therapist Green Living 50

Understanding Calcium: Supplements, Calcium Carbonate, Calcium Citrate, and More

Skip to content Home & News WebMD Home WebMD News Home Free Health Newsletters WebMD Community & Experts See All Expert Blogs WebMD the Magazine Digital Health A-Z ADD/ADHD Allergies Allergy TV Alzheimer's Anxiety Disorders Arthritis Asthma Back Pain Bipolar Disorder Bipolar TV Breast Cancer Cancer Cancer Communities Cholesterol Cold & Flu Colorectal Cancer COPD Depression Depression TV Diabetes Epilepsy Erectile Dysfunction Fibromyalgia Heart Disease Heartburn/GERD Herpes Hypertension IBS Incontinence/OAB Inflammatory Bowel Menopause Mental Health Migraines Multiple Sclerosis Osteoporosis Pain Management Parkinson's Disease Rheumatoid Arthritis Sexual Conditions Shingles Skin Problems Sleep Disorders Stroke See All Topics Videos A-Z Community & Experts Experts A-Z First Aid A-Z Games A-Z Tests & Tools A-Z Slideshows A-Z Drugs & Medications Center Find or Review a Drug Pill Identifier Drug News Mobile Drug Information Find a Vitamin or Supplement First Aid & Emergencies WebMD Community & Experts WebMD Ask the Pharmacist Healthy Living Women's Health Men's Health Pet Health Oral Health Emotional Health Mental Health Communities Find a Therapist Green Living 50

What Is Palliative Care?

By Katherine Kam
WebMD Feature Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

Since Kathleen Huggins was diagnosed with lung cancer last November, doctors have been working hard to try to cure her. Surgeons removed part of her lung and soon she'll begin chemotherapy.

But the 56-year-old New York City resident also benefits from a new type of medical specialty called palliative care. It has its own distinct mission: to relieve suffering and improve quality of life for people with serious illnesses.

For example, Huggins had a large, painful surgical incision in her torso. Her palliative care doctor made sure the pain was managed properly.

"They would constantly ask me what my pain level was and adjust my medication to what I needed to make me comfortable," Huggins tells WebMD.

In the days before surgery, she had prepared spiritually by talking to a rabbi -- a member of her palliative care team. Then right before doctors took her to the operating room, that same rabbi appeared at her bedside.

"She sat there with me the whole time and just held my hand," Huggins says.

A social worker -- also on the palliative care team -- now is helping her with practical matters: obtaining a wig before she loses her hair and arranging transportation for chemotherapy sessions.

Twice each week, she meets with a counselor. This team member helps her to deal with the intense emotions that come with having cancer.

Say "palliative care" and most people imagine cancer patients being made comfortable in an end-of-life hospice setting.

But palliative care is actually a new medical specialty that has emerged in the last decade -- and no, it's not the same as hospice. It doesn't serve only the dying. Instead, it focuses more broadly on improving life and providing comfort to people of all ages with serious, chronic, and life-threatening illnesses.

These diseases may include cancer, congestive heart failure, kidney failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, AIDS, and Alzheimer's, among others. "It's the whole spectrum, really," says Joseph Chan, MD, a palliative care physician in Fort Smith, Ark.

"The vast majority of America's medical schools have palliative care programs and are teaching medical students and residents about palliative care. That didn't occur 10 years ago. There was literally no education occurring on the topic," says Diane Meier, MD, director of the Center to Advance Palliative Care at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City.

Currently, there are more than 1,400 hospital palliative care programs in the U.S., according to Meier. About 80% of large U.S. hospitals with more than 300 beds have a palliative care program, she says. Among smaller hospitals with more than 50 beds, about 55% have programs.

Typically, a palliative care team includes a physician, nurse, and social worker, Meier says. But it often involves a chaplain, psychologist or psychiatrist, physical or occupational therapist, dietitian, and others, depending on the patient's needs.

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Fewer Strokes After Heart Bypass Surgery

Researchers Say Improvement in Surgery Techniques Contribute to Decline in Stroke Rate By Salynn Boyles
WebMD Health News Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

Most People With Flu Don’t Stay Home

Survey Shows Two-Thirds of Americans Stick to Their Routines Despite Flu Symptoms By Kathleen Doheny
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Sex, Love, and Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid Arthritis: Intimacy, Sex, and Secrets of Lovemaking to Keeping Your Relationship Strong and Avoid Pain Skip to content Home & News WebMD Home WebMD News Home Free Health Newsletters WebMD Community & Experts See All Expert Blogs WebMD the Magazine Digital Health A-Z ADD/ADHD Allergies Allergy TV Alzheimer's Anxiety Disorders Arthritis Asthma Back Pain Bipolar Disorder Bipolar TV Breast Cancer Cancer Cancer Communities Cholesterol Cold & Flu Colorectal Cancer COPD Depression Depression TV Diabetes Epilepsy Erectile Dysfunction Fibromyalgia Heart Disease Heartburn/GERD Herpes Hypertension IBS Incontinence/OAB Inflammatory Bowel Menopause Mental Health Migraines Multiple Sclerosis Osteoporosis Pain Management Parkinson's Disease Rheumatoid Arthritis Sexual Conditions Shingles Skin Problems Sleep Disorders Stroke See All Topics Videos A-Z Community & Experts Experts A-Z First Aid A-Z Games A-Z Tests & Tools A-Z Slideshows A-Z Drugs & Medications Center Find or Review a Drug Pill Identifier Drug News Mobile Drug Information Find a Vitamin or Supplement First Aid & Emergencies WebMD Community & Experts WebMD Ask the Pharmacist Healthy Living Women's Health Men's Health Pet Health Oral Health Emotional Health Mental Health Communities Find a Therapist Green Living 50

Allergy Pill Allegra To Be Sold Over the Counter

Jan. 25, 2011 -- The FDA today approved over-the-counter sale of Allegra, the best-selling antihistamine also sold generically as fexofenadine.

Allegra maker Sanofi-aventis says Allegra will be on retail shelves on March 4, in plenty of time for spring allergy season.

Other Allegra products will also be sold over the counter. In addition to Allegra 24-Hour and 12-Hour Tablets for adults and children ages 12 and older, these products include:

Children's Allegra 12-hour tablets for children ages 6 years and older. Allegra Liquid for children ages 2 years and older. Children's Allegra 12-Hour Orally Disintegrating Tablets for children ages 6 years and older. Allegra-D 24-Hour and 12-Hour Allergy and Congestion Extended Release Tablets for adults and children ages 12 years and older.

Allegra-D products combine the antihistamine fexofenadine with the decongestant pseudoephedrine.

How much will it cost?  "Pricing for the Allegra family of OTC products will be at the discretion of each retailer," a spokesperson for Sanofi-aventis U.S. tells WebMD via email.

Several companies sell generic fexofenadine but have not yet announced their plans for OTC sale.

Slideshow: Top Items for Your Allergy Relief Kit

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Does Raising the Thermostat Increase Obesity?

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U.S. Smoking Rates Keep Life Expectancy Down

Study Shows High Smoking Rates in Earlier Decades Affects Life Spans in U.S. By Salynn Boyles
WebMD Health News Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD