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For years, researchers have studied the effects of food insecurity on certain important health outcomes. When adults don’t have access to reliable and healthy food options, they may experience nutrition deficiencies, mental health problems, diabetes, oral health problems, and more. Now, researchers have found a link between food insecurity and cardiovascular health. Key Takeaways Researchers found that in U.S. counties where food insecurity increased between 2011 and 2017, there were also significant increases in the rate of cardiovascular mortality....

Weight lifting and aerobic activities like walking, running or cycling are key to longer and healthier lives. A new study suggested that combining strength training and aerobic activities, even in later life, could help with disease prevention and reduce the risk of early death. Key Takeaways Lifting weights in combination with aerobic exercise can lower the risk of early death, according to new research.The researchers found women benefited more from weightlifting than men did....

A small study has linked the pain of fibromyalgia to small nerve fiber neuropathy, which is painful damage to a certain part of a certain nerve. This could be a ground-breaking study, as fibromyalgia has previously been linked to nerve dysfunction, but not to actual nerve damage. Researchers examined the small fibers in different areas of the body using three different methods: sensory testing, pain response, and skin biopsy. They compared them between people with fibromyalgia, those with depression, and healthy control subjects....

Osteoporosis is a condition that weakens bones in the body, leading to an increased risk of bone breaks or fractures. For a number of reasons, osteoporosis is common in those with multiple sclerosis (MS). The tricky part about osteoporosis is that it’s a silent condition, meaning that a person does not have symptoms of bone weakening. For instance, there are no bony aches or pains, which are seen in other joint and bone diseases like osteoarthritis....

Thyroid eye disease sometimes develops in people with thyroid disease, especially Graves’ hyperthyroidism. When you have this condition, your immune system attacks and damages the muscles and other tissues around the eyes. Thyroid eye disease symptoms can include redness and a dry, itchy, or gritty sensation in the eyes. As the condition progresses, inflammation can cause difficulty moving or closing the eyes. Rarely, thyroid eye disease can be severe enough to cause vision loss....

The nervous system is organized in a funny fashion. Information that comes to and from the brain is “flipped,” so that the left side of the brain controls and receives information from the right side of the body. Similarly, the left side of the body is controlled by the right side of the brain. Nerves in the spinal cord follow set paths as they run towards the brain. Similar types of nerves run together in an organized fashion....

Overeating is having too much food at once, and almost everyone has done this at some point. However, compulsive overeating is an eating disorder that has similarities with binge eating disorder (BED). With therapy, it is possible to gain control over this condition and manage the impulse to repeatedly eat excessive amounts of food. What Is Overeating? Overeating is consuming more food than you need and more than your body can use to make energy....

You will likely be able to run again after an ankle fracture, but it will take some time to recover. Many people can start running three to four months after a break. You may need to wear a cast for quite some time to allow the break to heal properly. This immobilization can cause your ankle to become weak and the muscles to feel tight, and you might wonder if your ankle will ever be the same....

One of the biggest complaints that both deaf and hard of hearing people share is the high cost of hearing aids. Hearing-impaired people whose hearing losses are not severe enough for cochlear implants must use hearing aids. The problem is, hearing aids are not usually covered by health insurance plans while cochlear implants are. A cochlear implant is considered a prosthesis by private insurance companies, but hearing aids are not. For example, Aetna’s policy number 0013 says “Aetna considers uniaural (monaural) or binaural (bilateral) cochlear implantation a medically necessary prosthetic for adults aged 18 years and older” when meeting certain criteria for hearing loss....

Allergens are substances that trigger an allergic reaction. Some allergens include dust, food, pollen, and other substances. Environmental allergens irritate the inside of the nose, which can cause a nosebleed. Although rarely serious, nosebleeds should not be ignored. This article discusses the common causes of nosebleeds due to allergies and how to treat and prevent them. Causes of Allergy Nosebleeds For people suffering from seasonal allergies, nosebleeds can be quite common....

Can you sneeze while asleep? Whether you are curious about your own unconscious activities or if you wonder if that middle-of-the-night sneeze signals a good time to chat with your bed partner, you may want to know if you can sneeze while sleeping. Learn how the body may suppress sneezing during sleep due to a lack of awareness of body sensations, including irritation to the nose. Sleep Stages and Awareness May Play a Role in Sneezing Sleep is not a uniform state....

If you are a spouse, child, friend, or formal caregiver, it’s important that you know that taking care of a person with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is challenging on so many levels—for anyone. While it’s definitely demanding, caring for someone with ALS can be fulfilling if you have the right mindset, support from others, and proper assistive devices, Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you navigate through your caregiving journey....

A cavernous malformation is a rare type of vascular malformation, and those who have it are at risk of suffering a hemorrhagic stroke. More specifically, a cavernous malformation is a small nest of abnormal blood vessels located inside the tissue of a given body organ, such as bone, intestine or brain. When cavernous malformations occur in the brain they can be particularly problematic. In general, cavernous malformations consist of thin-walled veins, which lack major incoming arteries, and are fully separate from the tissues where they live....

You are entitled to see your own medical records at no cost. However, if you want to obtain a copy of your medical records, your hospital is likely to charge you a fee that covers the cost of producing those copies. There are a number of components of your medical records, including your healthcare provider’s notes about your medical history and family history, your test results, your treatment plan, your prescriptions, and your follow up visits....

Crying out of the blue can happen for many reasons. Even when the crying seems out of the ordinary, there is likely some logical explanation. Depression, for instance, can make you feel sad and hopeless, leaving you crying seemingly out of nowhere. Even the most random bouts of crying usually have an explanation. Grief and emotion don’t always come out in predictable patterns. However, if the crying you are experiencing feels really out of left field, it might be the result of an underlying brain issue....

If you take a protein or collagen supplement, you know how expensive it can be. You might take protein or collagen powder to help meet your protein requirements, or maybe you take collagen to help improve skin, hair, or joint health. On top of finding a protein or collagen that fits your budget, you want a supplement that fits your needs, which is made from safe ingredients that are accurately labeled....

A contact lens is a lightweight corrective, cosmetic or therapeutic device that is usually placed directly onto the cornea of the eye. Contact lenses have many benefits for wearers, including appearance and practicality. Many people choose to wear contact lenses as opposed to eyeglasses as they do not steam up, they provide a wider field of vision, and they are more suitable for a number of sporting activities. Contact lenses vary according to construction material, wear time, replacement schedule, and design....

Healthcare providers often speak of prognosis in relation to medical problems, and people with difficulty falling or staying asleep may question: Does insomnia ever go away? Though this may largely depend on the underlying causes, by better understanding the potential triggers you may be able to answer this question for yourself. Discover how to stop insomnia and reverse poor sleep with simple changes. Considering the Causes of Insomnia Insomnia is defined as difficulty falling or staying asleep or sleep that is not refreshing in the absence of another sleep disorder like sleep apnea....

Knowing what to expect can help when your loved one has late-stage dementia. The death of your loved one can be a hard concept to wrap your head around and accept. It’s important to understand what’s coming in the future so you can prepare emotionally and practically. This article explains how dementia progresses and what happens during late-stage dementia. Progression of Dementia A person with dementia will follow a typical pattern of decline....

Speed is only one characteristic of a drug which may be of importance—safety, side effects, cost, and medical reasons why a certain drug can’t be used are just a few of the many others. But when time is of the essence, a faster drug may be just what the doctor ordered. Imagine that you’re a month away from a cruise and you want to relax by the pool, but feel uncomfortable due to a breakout of psoriasis....