Why older patients could be worse off after going to the hospital

Imagine arriving to the hospital with injuries from a fall, hoping to be treated and released so you can get back to your home and your life. But bad turns to worse. You’re almost entirely immobile the whole time, stuck on bedrest, tethered to your IV and oxygen. You’re not eating or sleeping well, and it doesn’t help that you’re in a noisy ward, having your vitals monitored at all hours of the night.

Exercise found to be a natural treatment for menopause hot flashes in women

Women going through menopause often bemoan the infamous hot flashes, also sometimes referred to as hot flushes, that accompany this time of transition. Hot flashes are described as a sudden feeling of heat spreading through the body, most often concentrated on the face, neck and chest. Blood rushes to the skin, sometimes causing a flushed appearance thanks to dilating blood vessels. This is accompanied by sweating and reduced brain blood flow, too.

What are the “benefits” of acupuncture and does it really work?

Based in traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture involves having thin needles placed in your skin. Practitioners say they choose specific areas of the body to modify the flow of energy in order to relieve physical or emotional ailments. They say that when an acupuncture needle is inserted into the body, the body releases endorphins that decrease sensations of pain and trigger the immune system to kick in.

The skinny fat phenomenon: Why being thin doesn’t mean you’re healthy

Being “fat” doesn’t always mean what you think it means. If you’re imagining a large figure, visible rolls of fat and big numbers on a scale, you may not be aware of the “skinny fat” phenomenon. Take this woman, for example, featured in The New York Times, weighing in at just 119 lbs., but with fat around her organs, she developed problems associated with obesity like Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and a fatty liver. Not what you’d expect for someone who looks skinny and is just 119 lbs.! Looking “thin” can be misleading when you are skinny fat.

How to actually lose weight and keep it off

On the show “The Biggest Loser,” participants arrive seriously obese, then drop pounds dramatically with a combination of intense exercise and carefully planned eating. But after the show, many contestants gain it all back. So how can non-reality show people keep the weight off, then?

Ticks and lyme disease: 4 tricks to prevent tick bites

Each year, around 300,000 people get diagnosed with Lyme disease in the U.S. Most of these cases are concentrated in the Northeast and upper Midwest areas of the country. It all starts with a tick bite. Just one small bite can cause fatigue, headaches, fever, sweats, chills, muscle and joint pain, sleep trouble and memory issues. Many of the symptoms of Lyme overlap with other diseases, so getting the right diagnosis can be tricky. The best way to stop Lyme is prevention. We need to get ahead of the tick bite.

Have you heard of breadfruit? A tropical superfood packing tons of health benefits

There is a fruit so rich in nutrients, it very well could end hunger in tropical regions of the world. And the crazy part? You probably haven’t heard of it! It’s called breadfruit. Cultivated and enjoyed in the South Pacific for over 3,000 years, explorers brought breadfruit to the Caribbean islands in the 1700s, allowing breadfruit to continue to spread in tropical regions.

A natural pain reliever after a tooth extraction

Often, dentists send their patients home with pain medicine after a procedure. You may have been given ibuprofen for pain and inflammation. But what you may not know is that ibuprofen carries risks, including ulcers, gastritis, kidney problems and high blood pressure. Most of these side effects won’t occur with just one dose, but you may consume enough ibuprofen over the course of your entire recovery to be cause for concern.

An alcohol-cancer link more people should know about

A drink after work, drinks with friends, drinks at yet another wedding -- it’s safe to say that there’s always an occasion to lift your glass. You know all about drinking responsibly, and you’d never dream of getting behind the wheel when you’re buzzed. But have you ever thought about the long-term consequences those drinks may have on your health?

Don’t let your beauty regimen damage your skin: Watch out for this ingredient

Looking for beauty products to even out your skin tone and provide a more youthful complexion? Be sure to check the labels before you buy! The FDA warns that certain products that are marketed as skin-lighteners and anti-aging treatments actually contain the metal mercury. People with mercury levels above what the body can tolerate can experience fatigue, numbness, nerve damage, atherosclerosis, heart attacks and high blood pressure.

A new option for reducing anxiety and depression - probiotics!

Anxiety disorders and depression are among the most common mental health conditions in the U.S., with anxiety affecting 18 percent of the adult population and depression affecting an estimated 1 in 10 U.S. adults. These conditions take a toll both now and in the future. In fact, some scientists have noticed anxiety and depression cause shorter telomeres in DNA -- a telltale sign of a shorter lifespan. So, what to do?

How much time do you spend on your phone daily? The average American spends nearly 11 hours of screen time

How often do you think you spend each day consuming media? Between your radio, TV, personal computer and devices, it may be more than you think! If you are like most Americans, you’re looking at 10 hours and 39 minutes of screen time, a recent Nielsen report shows. And because Nielsen collects data on media consumption only, that’s not even including the time you spend doing other things on your phone like taking photos or texting.