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The Swank diet was created by an American neurologist in 1990 as a way to help manage multiple sclerosis (MS). The overlying premise of the diet is simple: Cutting out saturated fat and focusing on eating more fish might help prevent problems with blood flow that ostensibly could play a role in symptoms of MS. There’s little scientific evidence to support the effectiveness of the Swank diet, and so, as a therapy for MS, it’s regarded as a form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)....

Have you ever wondered what antibiotics are? Have you ever wondered how they work? These “miracle drugs” were an important breakthrough of the 20th century, helping many more people live due to fewer deaths from infectious diseases. There are, however, misconceptions about antibiotics. One common misconception is that you should take antibiotics until you feel better. Many people wrongly believe they can stop antibiotics when they feel better, even if their healthcare provider had asked them to take the antibiotic for longer....

The latest TikTok wellness trend promises to help people get some quality sleep in a new and natural way. Instead of leaning on medication or strategies like pre-bedtime meditation, TikTokers are sipping on lettuce water. Key Takeaways People on TikTok are steeping lettuce leaves and drinking the leftover water to support quality sleep.There isn’t much data on lettuce water in humans to support this claim.But drinking this concoction will likely not cause harm and can work as a soothing ritual to help people unwind at the end of the day....

A culture is a method used to identify the organisms that are causing an infection. Cultures are used to identify infectious microbes from urine, stool, genital tract, throat, skin, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), or any area of the body where there is concern about an infection. In dermatology, for example, a culture test may be used to determine whether a rash is caused by an infection and what organism is responsible. Cultures can be used to grow and identify bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites....

If allergies make your eyes dry and itchy, you may be tempted to reach for Visine Allergy Eye Relief Multi-Action Antihistamine and Redness Reliever Drops. The product is commonly known as Visine-A. If you do use this product, pay attention to its claim to “provide temporary relief from red, itchy, allergy eyes.” The key word is “temporary,” meaning that Visine-A is not meant to be used for longer than several days at a time....

More and more doctors are practicing boutique medicine and opening concierge practices in an effort to avoid dealing with medical insurance and reimbursements. What do those terms, concierge practice, and boutique medicine, mean? Are these forms of practice beneficial to patients? What are the pros and cons to consider in deciding whether to choose a doctor who participates in this form of practice? Retainer Medicine There is a third adjective used to describe concierge or boutique medical practices, too, and it is really more descriptive—“retainer medicine....

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a type of cancer that invades glands in your body. While rare, ACC is the second most common malignancy or cancer subtype of the salivary gland. Salivary gland ACC develops as cells divide in the salivary glands in your mouth, head, and neck. It’s not known exactly why these cells change. This article discusses the most widely accepted causes and exacerbating factors. Exacerbating factors are not direct causes but do make you more vulnerable to developing the disease....

Bananas are not a typical choice for people with arthritis, but the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in them may aid in protecting the body against certain oxidative stress. If considering incorporating bananas as part of your arthritis management regimen, here are some things to consider. Benefits of Bananas Banana is a fruit with many health benefits. It has vitamins and minerals such as fiber, calcium, potassium, magnesium, protein, vitamin B, C, and zinc....

Most of the time, child psychologists and other professionals rely on the same IQ tests to measure the intelligence of all children. Based on outcomes from those tests, many children with autism have tested as having low intelligence. Recent findings (and new tests), however, suggest that typical intelligence tests, based on information collected from typical children, are inappropriate for children with autism. As a result, most of the time, autistic children receive inappropriate IQ tests that may even be administered improperly....

Most people will only experience mononucleosis (mono) once, but in rare cases, the infection can come back a second time. Mono is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), which is a type of herpes virus. It’s such a common infection that it’s estimated that roughly 90% of the American population has become infected with EBV by the time they reach the age of 35. For many people, symptoms of mono are mild or non-existent....

Does your loved one with Lewy body dementia accuse you of being an imposter? They may have Capgras syndrome—a disorder that is also known as Capgras delusions, delusional misidentification syndrome, and the “delusion of doubles.” The Lewy Body Dementia Association describes Capgras syndrome as a “temporary but sometimes repeated belief that a caregiver, family member, or location has been replaced by an identical imposter.” The most common subject of Capgras syndrome is the spouse or significant other....

Experts have maintained that vaccinations are the key to fighting against COVID-19, but they may have different expectations of what the end of the pandemic will look like. Key Takeaways Achieving herd immunity may require a fully vaccinated rate of greater than 75%, but the threshold could be higher because of the Delta variant and low vaccination rates in the U.S.But some experts say the end goal may be an endemic state of COVID-19 rather than herd immunity....

Does sugar cause cancer? If you already have cancer, can sugar make it grow faster? It’s a loaded question, but the answer is not so simple. All of your cells need glucose (blood sugar) for energy. Healthy cells follow a life cycle of growth, division, and death. Like leaves on a tree, old cells die off and are replaced by an equal number of healthy cells. Cancer develops when old cells refuse to die but keep growing, dividing, and building up in one place—creating a tumor....

The Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) is an eating plan described in the book The Management of Celiac Disease, by Doctors Sidney Valentine Haas and Merrill P. Haas. Dr. Sidney Haas, a pediatrician, took an interest in the diet of his patients who were diagnosed with celiac disease. He noted certain carbohydrates were better tolerated by these patients than others and went on to develop the SCD as a treatment for celiac disease....

In recent years, the potential health risks for kids who play contact sports have been in the spotlight. Now, companies are developing products to potentially protect the brain during these games. Key Takeways The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized the marketing of the Q-Collar, a jugular vein compression collar, meant to protect the brain from repeat impact. The Q-Collar is not designed to prevent concussions or other serious head injuries....

April is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) awareness month. IBS affects between 25 and 45 million people in the United States. Diarrhea, constipation, bloating, and gas are common IBS symptoms, but people with the condition can have other symptoms as well. There is no cure for IBS. The symptoms of the condition can be distressing and disruptive, but finding effective ways to manage diarrhea, constipation, and other IBS symptoms can improve a person’s quality of life....

To avoid falling while going up or down stairs after an injury or foot surgery, it is important to learn the correct techniques for negotiating steps. A big part of this is leading with the correct foot. Which one you should choose depends on the direction you are moving and the foot that is affected. Learning to climb stairs safely is often part of physical therapy (PT) for injuries and surgical recoveries, such as after hip replacement or knee replacement surgery....

If you are having difficulty shedding those extra pounds, and you experience undesired nighttime binges, this may be due to sleep eating disorder. Your dieting and weight loss efforts may be sabotaged by this compulsive intake of calories at night. Learn how to stop these nighttime binges due to sleep eating and the role of medications like Ambien and conditions like obstructive sleep apnea. What Is Sleep-Related Eating Disorder? Sleep-related eating disorder (SRED) is characterized by repeated involuntary episodic eating that occurs during nighttime sleep....

COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers are racing to find ways to tweak or reformulate their vaccines to protect against the newly identified Omicron variant. UPDATE On August 31, the FDA authorized the “bivalent” formulations of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines which combine their currently-authorized COVID-19 booster with an Omicron-specific booster. The Moderna bivalent booster was authorized for individuals 18 years and older and the Pfizer booster was authorized for individuals 12 years and older....

Many people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) report symptoms not directly related to the bowel—symptoms healthcare providers call extra-intestinal symptoms. You may experience these in other parts of the digestive system or elsewhere in your body. That means, along with IBS symptoms, you may also be dealing with puzzling, chronic symptoms that can be uncomfortable and have a major impact on your life. GI Symptoms The main IBS symptoms are related to your digestive system....