Not Up for Debate: Get Enough Vitamin C or Risk Aging Rapidly

As a young adult, I knew vitamin C was good for my health. I associated it with citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruits, lemons or products like Emergen-C. And I recall learning somewhere in my educational process that people who didn’t get enough vitamin C in their diets may get scurvy. For example, some sailors on long voyages in the 17th and 18th centuries died from scurvy when they ran out of fresh food supplies. But I never met anyone who had scurvy.

Don’t Let Your Shoe Sole Stamp Out Your Good Health

I grew up in an Asian household, which meant I was asked to remove my footwear prior to entering the house. Chances are you have been asked to do the same, since many people in North America prefer to wear house slippers or go barefoot in their homes. Whether it is for cleanliness or for various cultural traditions, it may also be for the best. We all know that shoe soles are dirty, but what you may not know is that they actually carry bacteria that can make you ill.

Don’t Go Nuts, but Listeria May Be Hiding in Your Cashews and Macadamia

When you hear “Listeria,” you may think of food poisoning linked to dairy products, meat, seafood or raw vegetables. While these are among the most risky foods that can be contaminated with the foodborne disease-causing bacteria, another culprit just popped up with a possible case of contamination: nuts.

Even if You're Not a Tattoo Lover, These Health-Tracking Tattoos Could Change Your Mind

Tattoos are a form of art and self-expression. And according to Johnny Depp, “[m]y body is my journal, and my tattoos are my story.”

Navigating Hospitals: Teaching Hospital vs. Non-teaching, Does it Matter?

A recent study reported major teaching hospitals may have lower mortality rates than minor teaching and non-teaching hospitals.

Do the Legwork to Prevent and Treat Varicose Veins

As we approach summer, we are starting to wear more shorts and swimsuits. If you look closely at your legs, you may notice some visible veins that perhaps were not there last summer. They may be varicose veins and are very common. According to Cleveland Clinic, almost 50% of women between ages 40 and 50 have some form of varicose veins, and varicose veins are 4 times more common in women than men.

Is a Forbidden Romance Weighing on Your Health?

France’s new president Emmanuel Macron has something in common with U.S. President Donald Trump … an age gap of more than 20 years with his wife. Macron, however, is the younger one in the relationship at 39-years-old. He is married to Brigitte Trogneux, 64-years-old. Of course any relationship in the public eye will have its fair share of scrutiny, but a significant age gap coupled with the fact that the woman is the older of the two seems to add an extra layer of public interest. It made me wonder whether there are health implications of a marginalized relationship?

Mumps are Back. Should Women of Childbearing Age Have Cause For Concern?

It seems the mumps are back! Between January and March of this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported it received more than 1,900 reports of mumps from individuals across the country. Additionally last week, the Texas Department of Health Services reported an estimated 221 mumps cases in 2017, the highest outbreak in Texas in 22 years!

To get the flu shot or not get the flu shot? That is the question

Influenza, more commonly known as the flu, is a contagious viral infection that causes an epidemic every one to three years in the United States. It starts in late fall and peaks mid to late winter. It usually spreads via aerosol droplets like when you cough and sneeze. Typically, you are sick for about five days, but children may be sick longer. Symptoms abruptly occur with chills, high fever, headaches, muscle aches, weakness and occasionally cough. It is more serious and even life-threatening if you are elderly, very young or have pre-existing illnesses like asthma or diabetes mellitus.

Massage therapy: A necessary luxury?

Massage therapy involves the rubbing and kneading of muscles and other soft tissues. The practice dates back thousands of years. There are references to massage found in ancient writings from China, Japan, Egypt and India. It’s no surprise it’s been around for so long. Many people use massage to soothe sore muscles, reduce stress and improve blood flow. While the average person may see massage therapy as a luxurious indulgence, your massage therapist may disagree and recommend you regularly visit for ongoing wellness!

How to form healthy habits and stop feeling guilty about slacking off

Do you suffer from health guilt? It’s that uneasy pit in your stomach when the latest headlines say your bad habits are setting you up for all kinds of diseases. Or when your oh-so-healthy friend posts yet another photo of her dramatic weight loss. Or when you “Netflix and chill” instead of going to the gym, again. You feel bad and think, “I should do something about this.” But hey, life gets in the way. We’ve all been there! An interesting NPR article calls out all this health guilt.

How to spend your flexible spending account before it expires Dec. 31

The end of the year means you may be budgeting for holiday gifts and party provisions. But many people have another kind of spending they need to do before December 31st: flexible spending account (FSA) spending. Why the urgency? Flexible spending accounts contain pre-tax money set aside by employers to help with medical expenses during the year. But the money expires on December 31st, and if you’ve had a healthy year without many co-pays, time is of the essence to spend it.