health

Keeping your mind and body in check - popular topics in health and medicine to maintain a long and healthy life.

Let's Have a Chat About Chronic Illness Sufferers
I have disabilities. You may not see them, unless you happen to be present for one of my trigeminal neuralgia attacks, or maybe you notice the way my words sometimes slur, how often I forget the simplest word during a conversation, or watch me limp around because my knee is swollen.
By Ava McCoy7 years ago in Longevity
Lavender Is Pretty Special
Calming Effect We all could use some advice in trying to stay healthy and sane in this crazy world, and most people are aware that lavender is incredibly soothing. It has even been used by dentists to calm patients, which is a miracle because it's impossible to be calm at the dentist's. Lavender is great for calming anxiety and helping with insomnia, it also improves the quality of sleep. Sleep is important guys. Some people have the habit of rubbing Lavender oil on their chest before bed, some put it on their pillow, and some even rub it into their feet. It certainly beats unnatural sleep aids.
By Renee Quailey7 years ago in Longevity
My Life with Eczema
Unfortunately, I have suffered from eczema my whole life, as well as excessive dry skin, which makes the eczema symptoms exaggerated. On a positive note, I finally feel that at the age of 24 I can manage the unpredictable symptoms of eczema.
By Cynthia Cline7 years ago in Longevity
Vulnerability
Here I am again all banged up due to an embarrassing fall. Previously, I have been lucky with falls where the scars remained invisible. Then I have also had falls where I could hide the bruising. And others where I could not, but the scratches and bruises were in less noticeable places and less embarrassing. This is my first time scraping up my face as an adult. All from a simple slip. Three scratches and glue instead of stitches. I can't even hide the scrapes on my face with makeup because the makeup will most likely cause an infection. And it hurts to smile.
By Courtney Frazer7 years ago in Longevity
My Cancer Story
My story started when I was a senior in high school. It was the beginning of 2016, so it was the middle of the school year, January. I remember being excited for prom coming up in April, I got my dress before the school year started. It was a beautiful purple sparkly dress with a slit on the leg. But that excitement would soon turn to dread when I started to develop a serious and intense itch on my legs and feet. It was from the knee down when it started. I remember thinking at the time, maybe I ran into some weeds, or my body was sensitive to the lotion that I put on, or maybe I needed to shower more often. I kept it from my mother thinking it would go away in a couple of days, I didn't want her to worry about me. But days turned into weeks, and my mother eventually noticed how scarred and scratched up my feet were, since I couldn't wear socks so much anymore. One night, the itching got so intense that I was itching really bad to the point where I was finding skin underneath my fingernails. I tried to do lotion and take a bath, but it only intensified it to the point where I couldn't take it anymore. My mother had hit her breaking point and took me to the emergency room.
By Amiracle Zawatzki7 years ago in Longevity
Coping with Fibromyalgia
I first heard of this disease in July 1993, I had been having muscle and a burning firey sort of nerve pain and a lot of fatigue. I had no ideas why other than maybe I was overdoing and maybe my thyroid medication needed adjustment. However, for a month, it got worse and finally I was taken to the hospital due to pain that was so intense I was screaming and crying.
By Jennine Donier7 years ago in Longevity
Hearing With Your Heart
Deaf. Hard of hearing. Unilateral hearing loss. Bilateral hearing loss. Conductive hearing loss. Sensorineural hearing loss. Some of these terms may be confusing to you. After all, hearing loss is hearing loss, right? Actually, no. There are many different types of hearing loss and it affects the way people hear in drastically different ways.
By Jenny Beck7 years ago in Longevity
The Side Effects of Ingesting Caffeine
Waking up in the morning can be a challenge for many people. If it wasn’t for the glorious gift of coffee, many of these people would be nearly unable to function. People spend hundreds of dollars each year on their daily cup of Joe. Even during the day, it seems that the American public is nearly dependent on coffee. Why is coffee such an essential part of life?
By Rebecca Weiner7 years ago in Longevity
Tips To Kickstart A Healthy Lifestyle
1. Drink Water Ok, let's cut to the chase. You read everywhere about how drinking eight glasses of water everyday can help to make your lifestyle healthier, but does it actually do anything for you? Well, since your body is about 50-60 percent water, it actually has a lot to do with how your body functions as well as how your skin reacts. Drinking water helps to circulate nutrients within the body and also helps to regulate body temperature. Yet, another impact that it has is that it helps to lose weight. I could quote an article here but I thought it would be better to just tell you my personal experience. In middle school and high school I would drink a lot of soda, but with this I also gained a ton of weight, I would have to keep buying bigger pants and midway Sophomore year I got tired of it, it was slowing me down, taking away my focus, making me extremely tired and would give major headaches, so that's the moment I decided to cut soda out of my life. Although tough in the beginning, I have been soda free now for 6 years and lost a ton of weight, dropping from a 33 waist, to a 26. When you wake up, you are usually thirsty, so drinking one glass of water when you wake up, during the day, and one before you go to bed will help to keep you hydrated, energized, and will also help to burn fat throughout the day and night.
By Maddie A.7 years ago in Longevity
What It's Really Like to Live with Epilepsy
I tell my dad I don't feel good and walk into my room. I feel a rush of cold water run through my body and my stomach tightens. I know it's coming, but there's nothing I can do to stop it. I wake up in my bed, even though I know I didn't make it there. I look at my pillow and see blood. I bit my tongue again. I sit up.. too quickly and everything goes black for a second. My entire body feels like I'm in a dream. My dad runs into the room, and recaps my seizure. How long it lasted; where I fell; what I hit; how long I shook; how long it took me after to realize who he was. He's already called my doctor and I feel helpless and start to cry, again.
By Michelle Schultz7 years ago in Longevity
Do I Need a Root Canal?
I’m often surprised how many people visit their dentist and recount, they were told they need a root canal. why? As in what’s the reason behind the procedure? Most patients say they don’t know. The follow up question is, do I really need one?
By Cindy Montalvo7 years ago in Longevity
Hashimoto's Disease
Have you ever felt tired? Not normal tired, but really tired. As a kid, I had sooo much energy! I was always full of life and ready to party! But as I got older, like teenage age, I noticed how fast I felt myself declining. Nothing got me excited anymore. I wanted to sit on the couch and never get up again. I was having back pain and knee pain at 16-years-old! I was ready to give up! Everyone around me figured this was depression. I had been diagnosed with dysthymia (persistent depression) as a young child. My life has been far from perfect, so it seemed like a legitimate diagnosis for the lack of energy and pain. After seeing counselors for depression, I decided to see a medical doctor to see if anything medically was wrong with me. They did a standard blood test and everything came back normal. They did a vitamin deficiency test next.
By Courtney Elizabeth7 years ago in Longevity