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Yes, grapefruit juice chock-full of vitamins and nutrients. For many, a glass of grapefruit juice is a healthy way to start the day. However, if you’re on certain medications, such as certain heart medications called statins, you should avoid drinking grapefruit juice while taking these medications. Grapefruit juice can inhibit your body’s ability to break down these medications, which in turn, can lead to adverse effects. Grapefruit Juice and Certain Statins Do Not Mix Grapefruit juice and certain statins (used to treat high cholesterol) such as Lipitor (atorvastatin), Mevacor (lovastatin), and Zocor (simvastatin) do not mix....

Kinesiology tape (KT tape) is sometimes used to treat plantar fasciitis. When placed lengthwise across the bottom of the foot, this stretchy tape can help reduce pain and support your arch. This article discusses the use of kinesiology tape for plantar fasciitis, its effectiveness, and how to apply it. What Does Kinesiology Tape Do? Kinesiology tape is one treatment your physical therapist may use to help provide relief from your plantar fasciitis....

Varicose eczema causes itchy, red, and scaly skin usually of the lower legs. Most people who get varicose eczema also have varicose veins, which are enlarged, twisted veins caused by increased blood pressure in the veins near the surface of the skin. Varicose eczema is also known as venous, gravitational, or stasis eczema. Varicose Eczema Symptoms Like all types of eczema, the affected skin becomes: Itchy and swollenDry and flaky Scaly or crusty In people with lighter skin, the affected area may look red, while in those with darker skin, it may be grayish....

Medical spas have become more popular in recent years for men and women alike. Medical spas, also called medi-spas or med spas, are a kind of a hybrid between the traditional day spa and a medical clinic. Medical spas strive to blend the best of two worlds—a relaxing spa experience with the procedures and expertise typically only found at a doctor’s office. Wondering if a medical spa is the right place for you to get your treatments done?...

Melanosis coli is a condition in which the membranes lining your colon (large intestine) and rectum are discolored. Also called pseudomelanosis coli, it occurs due to pigment deposits in the lamina propria, a layer of the intestinal lining. Doctors consider melanosis coli a harmless condition that is not associated with colorectal cancer. The pigment deposits are simply a byproduct of the aging process. Since it has no symptoms, melanosis coli is usually identified during a colonoscopy....

As a primary care physician, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected my practice in a number of ways. One of the most significant and challenging was transitioning to telemedicine as a primary means of meeting with patients. At the beginning of the pandemic, staff and patients were scared to come into the office out of fear of possibly being exposed to the virus. As a result, many people canceled routine physicals and follow-up visits....

While contagious diseases are often thought of as those that can be passed from person to person, a large number have made the leap from animals to humans. Some, like malaria, are directly transmitted from animals, often as the primary route of infection. Others, like human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), have evolved into a separate disease after being transferred from the animal source. These types of infectious diseases, in their entirety, are referred to as zoonotic....

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and scoliosis are both conditions that affect the spine. However, they have some key differences. Scoliosis only affects the spine, while AS can spread to other joints, possibly affecting vision, skin, and internal organs. This article discusses the differences between ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and scoliosis, including their symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment. Symptoms Ankylosing spondylitis is arthritis that most often affects the spine, causing inflammation in the joints and tissue attaching bone to bone (ligaments)....

You step out of your car on a hot, humid day and are instantly blinded by foggy lenses. You walk out the front door on a cold, wintery day and feel like you’ve walked into a wall of snow. Lens fogging has been a problem for eyeglass wearers for decades. Isn’t there a way to prevent lenses from becoming fogged to the point of total blindness? Eyeglass lens material has changed over the years, constantly improving the quality of our vision....

Bence Jones proteins are small proteins produced by plasma cells—small enough to pass through your kidneys, one of your body’s main filtration systems. When your body has too many of these proteins, they easily pass from your bloodstream into your urine. A person who has a type of cancer affecting the plasma cells, like multiple myeloma, often has Bence Jones proteins in their urine. Bence Jones proteins are also referred to as M-proteins or light chains....

New research has found a surprising reason that some COVID-19 patients may start to feel better sooner than others. Key Takeaways A common over-the-counter medication used to treat heartburn may help people with COVID-19 feel better faster.In a recent study, COVID patients were assigned to take either Pepcid (famotidine) or a placebo. The patients that took the heartburn medicine had lower levels of inflammation and felt better sooner than the patients that got a placebo....

If you have celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity, you may be concerned about ingesting hidden gluten, small amounts of gluten invisible to the human eye. Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition where a reaction to gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye, causes damage to your small intestine. Symptoms and gluten-tolerance can vary; however, some people are sensitive to incredibly tiny amounts of gluten. If you are in a relationship or are intimate with another person, you may be worried about being exposed to gluten during moments of intimacy....

The term deaf culture is commonly used in the deaf community. Deaf culture is used to describe unique characteristics found among the population of deaf and hard of hearing people. It’s reflected in art, literature, social environments, and much more. What Is Deaf Culture? Cultural Arts Cinema Theatre Art Books Poetry Music Deaf Artists American Sign Language (ASL) In order to define deaf culture, we must first understand the definition of culture in general....

Food delivery services like DoorDash and Instacart are taking a bigger role in expanding food access to underserved communities across the country. Key Takeaways Since 2018, DoorDash has been delivering meals from food banks and food pantries through Project DASH. At the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health in September, the company announced a partnership with 18 cities to provide funding for food delivery and logistical expertise. Grocery delivery company Instacart also launched Instacart Health, which will make it easier for SNAP participants to use their benefits to purchase groceries from this platform....

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved Vivjoa (oteseconazole), an antifungal medication used to reduce or eradicate chronic yeast infections. What This Means For You Vivjoa (oteseconazole) is the first and only FDA-approved oral antifungal medication for chronic yeast infection. The medication is only meant for some people with chronic yeast infections. It can’t be used by women who are pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or lactating. Health experts say FDA approval is a significant step toward helping people with the condition manage their sexual and reproductive health....

Allergies work by triggering the immune system in response to an allergen. Allergens are substances the body mistakes as dangerous. As a result, the body makes antibodies to fight them. The production of antibodies results in allergy symptoms, like runny nose, itchy eyes, cough, and hives. The most severe allergic reaction is anaphylaxis. This reaction is a life-threatening medical emergency that can cause a person to collapse or stop breathing....

In the recent past, the chief reason healthcare providers prescribed treatment for cholesterol was “high cholesterol levels.” If your cholesterol blood test was deemed to be “too high,” your healthcare provider would likely recommend treatment—perhaps with lifestyle changes, such as diet and exercise, or perhaps with one of several kinds of medications available for reducing cholesterol levels. Several years of clinical research, however, led experts to the conclusion that this was the wrong approach....

Menstrual cramps, also known as dysmenorrhea or period pains, are painful sensations in the lower abdomen that can occur before or during a menstrual period. Some people only experience the slightest of cramps during their period. For others, the pain can be severe. Sometimes, this pain also radiates outward to the pelvis and the lower back. Anti-inflammatory medication can help but, if you’d prefer to avoid medication, a heating pad could also ease your pain....

There have long been medical conditions for which people will suffer symptoms even when doctors have no idea what is causing the illness. Scientists will refer to these as idiopathic, meaning that there is no apparent or known cause. Fibromyalgia is one such disorder, alongside chronic fatigue syndrome and certain types of epilepsy, that is considered idiopathic. To some people, this may be misinterpreted as to mean “not real” or, even worse, “all in one’s head....

Do you suffer from daily headaches? You may be experiencing something called a chronic daily headache or CDH. These are debilitating headache disorders that can severely impact your daily life. What Is a Chronic Daily Headache? A chronic daily headache (CDH) is a headache that occurs for fifteen or more days per month for longer than 3 months. A CDH can be thought of as a “chronic” form of a primary headache disorder or a disorder on its own....