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U.S. News and World Report recently ranked the Mediterranean diet as the best diet for the fifth year in a row. People living in countries that border the Mediterranean Sea generally maintain “an active lifestyle, weight control, and a diet low in red meat, sugar, and saturated fat, and high in produce, nuts and, other healthful foods,” according to the report. Key Takeaways The Mediterranean diet is an eating pattern that emphasizes plant foods, olive oil, fish, and nuts while limiting red meat and processed foods....

T-cells are a subtype of white blood cells which play a key role in the immune system and fighting cancer. Let’s break down the immune system into parts to make it easier to understand. There are 2 primary types of white blood cells (leukocytes): lymphocytes and granulocytes. Lymphocytes, in turn, are broken down into: T-cells (thymus-derived cells) B cells (bone marrow-derived cells) Natural killer (NK) cells Type of Immunity Our bodies have 2 primary types of acquired immunity:...

A septic joint occurs when a bacterial infection occurs inside a joint space. A joint is a connection between two bones. Joints include the knee, hip, shoulder, and dozens of joints in the spine. Any joint can become infected, but some are more common than others. Septic joints are most common in infants and young children, immunocompromised patients, and people with joint replacements. A septic joint is problematic for two reasons:...

Bone healing is a natural process. Our bone is constantly being replaced with new bone, and after a bone injury occurs, the body has a tremendous capability to heal the damage to the bone. People who sustain broken bones typically will heal these fractures with appropriate treatment that may include casts, realignment, and surgery. Sometimes bone healing is needed when people require surgical procedures to fuse bones together. This type of surgery is performed in the spine and joints throughout the body, and typically the bone heals without a problem....

Coats disease is a rare disorder in which abnormal vessels develop within the light-sensitive retina at the back of the eye. This condition is usually detected in the first decade of life. While it’s not clear exactly why, it can cause fluid to leak from the blood vessel walls into and beneath the retina and damage it. In nearly all cases (90%), Coats disease affects only one eye. It also primarily affects males (70% to 90% of cases)....

Dilated cardiomyopathy is a condition in which one or both of the heart’s ventricles becomes weakened and dilated. It often leads to heart failure and cardiac arrhythmias—especially atrial fibrillation—and can lead to sudden death. Dilated cardiomyopathy is the most common of the three types of cardiomyopathy (heart muscle disease), the other two being hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and restrictive cardiomyopathy.​ What Is Dilation and Why Is It Important? Virtually any medical condition that can produce a weakening of the heart muscle can lead to dilated cardiomyopathy....

Eating yogurt may protect your gut while you’re on antibiotics treatments. A new study published in Nutrients found that a particular probiotic strain may reduce the negative effects of antibiotics on the gut microbiome. Key Takeaways Probiotic-rich yogurt may help protect against some of the harmful side effects on gut flora that are common with antibiotic use.Antibiotic-associated diarrhea can cause patients to quit an antibiotic treatment early or start a second round of antibiotics....

Exertional forearm compartment syndrome is a rare condition that can occur due to repetitive motions that are characteristic of certain sports, most notably rowing and motocross. Compartment Syndrome Compartment syndrome occurs when too much pressure builds up around a muscle, limiting the space and circulation to the muscle tissue. It can occur as either an acute injury (a trauma) or an overuse injury, such as due to repetitive motion. Acute compartment syndrome is an uncommon condition that’s an emergency and requires urgent surgery....

The number of people in the world with high blood pressure doubled in the last 30 years, according to a new large-scale study. Key Takeaways Blood pressure rates have dramatically increased across the world, according to a new study.An estimated 626 million women and 652 million men had high blood pressure in 2019.Experts say more prevention and treatment is needed. The August study, which was published in The Lancet, analyzed blood pressure measurements from more than 100 million people taken over three decades in 184 countries....

Glycerin (glycerol) is a sugar alcohol compound/liquid used to make food, soap, various types of medicine, and skin moisturizing lotion. The versatile compound was discovered as far back as 1779 by a Swedish chemist. Glycerin has humectant properties, which means it extracts water from the dermis (the underlying layer of the skin), pulling the water into the surface of the skin. In commercial skin moisturizing products, glycerin is often combined with various other types of compounds to optimize its therapeutic moisturizing effects....

Many women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are confused about whether or not soy is good for them. Some women even fear it. This confusion, however, stems from inaccurate nutrition information on the internet about the health benefits or actions of soy. In fact, the research that is available has indicated that regular intake of small amounts of soy can actually improve female fertility and metabolic aspects of PCOS. What Is Soy?...

Opportunistic infections (OIs) are infections that occur more frequently and are more severe in people with weakened immune systems, including people with HIV. Many OIs are considered AIDS-defining conditions. That means if a person with HIV has one of these conditions, they are diagnosed with AIDS, the most serious stage of HIV infection. This article will discuss why and how OIs occur in those with HIV, types of OIs, treatment, and prevention....

When you are planning or attending a funeral, you may wonder what a funeral celebrant does and how the role differs from others, such as a funeral director. In its broadest linguistic sense, a celebrant is simply anyone who celebrates something. More-focused definitions state that a celebrant: Participates in a religious ceremony or rite, i.e., someone present at a baptism, confirmation ceremony, etc.Officiates at a religious or secular/civil ceremony, such as a wedding, a service to welcome new family members, coming-of-age rituals, etc....

Slips and falls can greatly threaten your health and independence. Slips and falls are major causes of serious injury and death. People with arthritis, osteoporosis, and mobility problems have greater risks. It is estimated that one in three Americans over 50 who suffer a hip fracture will die within a year. Hip fractures also account for over 300,000 annual hospitalizations. Slips and falls have many causes, but usually have one thing in common....

Approximately 1 in 100 Americans over the age of 12 have hyperthyroidism. Hyperthyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland makes too much thyroid hormone. When there is more thyroid hormone than the body needs, the functions of the major organs and systems are sped up. It can affect heart rate and metabolism. This article will discuss important facts and statistics you should know about hyperthyroidism, including how common it is, who is more likely to be affected, mortality, and early detection....

Handwriting that’s getting progressively smaller—something doctors call “micrographia”—probably doesn’t seem like a major problem. But if your handwriting is smaller than it used to be and getting smaller still, it could be a symptom of a medical condition such as Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s disease is a brain disease that causes loss of balance, stiffness, slow movement, and sometimes a tremor. It’s progressive, which means it will tend to get worse over time, and it can’t be cured....

There are many ways to prevent ear, nose, and throat (ENT) disorders or keep them from getting worse. The most common ENT disorders are infections and allergies, and some congenital issues (like a deviated septum) can make you more prone to recurrent symptoms. Frequent hand washing is the single most important thing you can do to avoid infections. When possible, minimize your exposure to illness, and practice good hygiene. Since it is difficult to teach good hygiene to small children, toddlers who attend daycare or preschool are at a higher risk of developing ENT disorders, like ear infections and throat infections....

Research shows that people with multiple sclerosis (MS) are about four times more likely to have restless legs syndrome (RLS) than people in the general population. Restless legs syndrome is a sleep disorder that is often associated with spontaneous, jerking leg movements called periodic leg movements. The syndrome can be disruptive to sleep and contribute to the overall fatigue common in people with MS. Symptoms RLS is a movement disorder that is characterized by unpleasant feelings in the legs that is associated with a need to move....

The SMAS facelift (rhytidectomy) is a surgical procedure that corrects the appearance of the neck and the lower two-thirds of the face. This facelift corrects signs of aging such as sagging skin, excess fat, jowls, loss of volume in the cheeks, or a double chin. It is less invasive than a regular facelift and recovery or recuperation is faster. The SMAS (superficial muscularaponeurotic system) is a layer that connects face and neck muscles to the skin....

Research shows that many people who suffer from a mental illness also have headaches or migraines. It can be tricky sorting out whether the headache disorder is related to mental illness, or whether they occur coincidentally. Whatever your specific circumstance, know that mental illness can affect the way you feel pain, especially headaches. Consider the following three examples of how your headaches may be linked to mental illness: Depression and Headaches Many people with depression experience physical symptoms such as fatigue, loss of appetite, a reduction in sexual interest, and sleep disturbances, like insomnia....