What to expect and how to prepare for your MRI scan

So, your doctor ordered an MRI scan. You may be wondering, how do MRI scans work? Is an MRI machine safe? An MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) uses a large magnet and radio waves to look at organs and structures in your body. It is a painless process in which you lie on a table that then slides into a tunnel-like machine.

If you have lipedema, weight gain is a disorder and not your fault

If you’ve ever felt like no amount of dieting and exercise works on your bottom half, read on. There’s a relatively common fat disorder called lipedema, often mistaken for simple obesity. It is estimated to affect 10 million to 17 million Americans, with signature characteristics of a slim upper body with large hips and legs.

How your brain controls your thyroid

There are a lot of articles that say “Is your thyroid slow?” or “Is your thyroid working too fast?” To understand thyroid disease, you have to understand that the thyroid gland, located in the neck, isn’t just an automatic, independent machine. It’s regulated by the brain. The pituitary gland, a part of the brain, makes an array of hormones, including the thyroid-stimulating hormone, TSH. That’s what the TSH is on your lab report. It’s not even a thyroid hormone; it’s a brain hormone.

Do you sweat excessively even if you aren’t doing anything exhausting? Here’s the blog you’ve been waiting for

Do you constantly have to wipe your forehead? Do you always pack an extra shirt for work, just in case you sweat through? Do you find that you’re sweaty even when you’re not hot, nervous or exercising? If so, you may actually have a treatable medical condition called hyperhidrosis.

How vitamin B12 can help prevent memory loss as you age

Did you know vitamin B12 is critical for brain function? When you don’t have enough of this essential vitamin -- found in foods such as beef, fish and dairy products -- you may start to experience mental decline, such as memory issues or depression.

Hillary Clinton uses unconventional thyroid treatment

In September, Hillary Clinton’s doctor issued a report outlining the presidential candidate’s health, including her treatment for pneumonia, sinusitis, an ear infection and a fever. It also included scores on blood tests as well as a list of her medications. Many news organizations took the report and ran with it, with an emphasis on Clinton’s pneumonia as an explanation for her near collapse after a 9/11 ceremony. However, there was another interesting tidbit in the report that was largely overlooked -- Hillary Clinton’s hypothyroidism and the unique treatment she uses.

What type of salt should you be sprinkling?

All salt is not created equal — though yes, it’s all of the earth! According to the Culinary Institute of America, all types of salt are 40 percent sodium (Na) and 60 percent chloride (Cl). Table salt comes in the form of granular cubes, and most of the table salt you buy in the U.S. is iodized to prevent goiters (enlargement of the thyroid). There were a lot of goiters in America before scientists figured out what to do.

Is that dairy habit helping or harming your heart health?

Vegetable fats are better than dairy fats, and dairy fats are better than meat fats, a recent Harvard study suggests. What prompted the study, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, was the ongoing debate between the role of dairy fat and risk for cardiovascular diseases (like heart disease and stroke).

The trend toward vitamin D, fish oil and probiotics over the traditional multivitamin

Americans’ use of supplements has remained consistent over the years, with just over half saying they take supplements. But the supplements of choice are changing. A new study published in JAMA found that fewer Americans are taking a multivitamin, whereas vitamin D, fish oil and probiotic supplements are rising in popularity.

Los Angeles drivers and drivers nationwide still can’t resist texting and driving

It seems like everywhere you look, drivers on the road are saying the “red-light prayer” -- heads bowed, looking down at their laps, with a blue glow coming up to their face. Despite 46 states banning texting while driving (in laws that also typically ban reading/sending email, using phone apps or other internet activity), and 14 states banning the use of handheld cell phones for any activity behind the wheel, including talking, it seems the problem is only getting worse.

Diabetics can benefit from daily walks, but when should you walk and for how long?

If you have Type 2 diabetes, you may have heard that you could benefit from daily walks. But did you know that when you walk can make a difference? In a new study published in Diabetologia, scientists compared two sets of advice adults with Type 2 diabetes are often given: going for a 30-minute walk each day, or walking for 10 minutes after each main meal. What they found?

How to stop constipation with a few simple adjustments to your diet

Constipation is one of the most common digestive complaints, affecting around 42 million people in the U.S, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. This common condition is defined as having fewer than three bowel movements per week, and having bowel movements that are hard, dry and small, making them difficult to pass.