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Cooking classes may offer more than delicious meals. A new study found that participants of a 7-week cooking program gained “cooking confidence” and mental health improvements. Key Takeaways A new study suggested that cooking classes may support mental health by fostering a sense of community and building confidence in the kitchen.Even for participants who didn’t make any dietary changes after the cooking program, they reported seeing mental health improvements.Cooking in a group, even if it’s through a virtual classroom, may help ease feelings of isolation....

There are many different ear, nose, and throat (ENT) disorders and an even greater variety of characteristic symptoms. The following list involves the four most common ENT disorders. Not everyone will experience the same set of symptoms or have them as intensely. In some cases, a healthcare provider or ENT specialist will be needed to make the correct diagnosis and offer the appropriate treatment. Ear Infections Ear infections are one of the most prevalent ENT disorders....

Theanine is an antioxidant that’s found naturally in tea leaves and has a unique amino acid found to have positive qualities for relaxing and sleep quality. So far, it hasn’t been studied specifically for fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, but we do have studies suggesting that it may be effective in treating many symptoms of these conditions. Research shows theanine may: Increase alertness Boost energy Relieve anxiety Aid relaxation without causing drowsiness Protect brain cells Increase the availability of dopamine and serotonin Lower activity of the neurotransmitter glutamate, which can overstimulate brain cells Balance glutathione levels Boost production of T cells by your immune system Lower blood pressure and bad cholesterol Increase anti-tumor activity Help regulate sleep-wake cycle Prevent memory impairment due to improper blood flow (ischemia) in the brain Those are a lot of benefits from a single substance, and especially from one that appears to be quite safe....

Immunosuppression is an impaired ability of the immune system to fight infection or other diseases. An individual is said to be immunosuppressed if they have an immunodeficiency disorder due to medicines that weaken the immune system (such as corticosteroids). Immunosuppression is also a common side effect of chemotherapy given to treat cancer. How Immunosuppression Works The immune system helps protect your body from harmful substances called antigens. Antigens are substances that cause the immune system to produce antibodies against it....

Bile acid resins, also known as bile acid sequestrants, are a class of cholesterol-lowering medications that mainly lower LDL cholesterol. Drugs in this category include: Cholestyramine (Questran) Colesevelam (Welchol) Colestipol (Colestid) Bile acid resins are not commonly prescribed not only because there are more potent cholesterol-lowering drugs on the market, but also because these medications have not been proven to directly lower your risk of cardiovascular disease. If you have very high LDL cholesterol levels, your healthcare provider may have you take a statin or other cholesterol-lowering drug in addition to a bile acid resin, since this will help lower your LDL levels even more....

Try as you might, it’s true: living day after day with chronic back pain can bog you down. Coping with the demands of family life and work is hard enough, but when you add chronic back pain to the mix, your life can become pretty challenging. Finding your own coping strategies is vital to living well with chronic back pain. Here are five things you can do to make it easier to cope with chronic back pain....

T cells are a subset of white blood cells that play an important role in the body’s immune system. CD4 is, by contrast, a type of protein found on certain immune cells like T-cells, macrophages, and monocytes. CD4 T cells are considered “helper” cells because they do not neutralize infections but rather trigger the body’s response to infections. In response, CD8 T cells—classified as such because of the type of protein on their surface—play the part of “killer” cells by producing substances (antibodies) that help fight off viruses and other foreign invaders....

When deciding on a drug, it is important to weigh the risks against the benefits. Commonly used back pain medications such as NSAIDs have known side effects that can result in serious stomach problems. Enteric-coated medication may potentially help avoid this problem. The Problem With Taking NSAIDs The American College of Gastroenterology says the use of NSAIDs for pain relief, musculoskeletal disorders, and arthritis, while valuable, has been limited based on an association this class of medication has with ulcers and other upper GI tract injuries....

Hypogammaglobulinemia is a condition that affects your body’s ability to make immunoglobulins (Ig), or antibodies. Antibodies prompt your body’s immune system to protect you from viruses, bacteria, and other sources of illness. With fewer antibodies available, people with hypogammaglobulinemia have a much higher risk of infection and disease. Hypogammaglobulinemia is often inherited due to genetic abnormalities. In some cases, people develop hypogammaglobulinemia due to external causes, such as chemotherapy, certain comorbid disorders (those that occur along with hypogammaglobulinemia), or the use of immunosuppressants....

Sometimes it may seem like it takes all of your energy just to drag yourself out of bed for your morning jog or your evening workout at the gym. But exercise has many health benefits. Not only can it keep your weight down, build up your muscles, and reduce your risk of developing certain medical conditions, exercising regularly also has beneficial effects on the heart, including your cholesterol levels. Lowering Cholesterol With Diet and Exercise Exactly how exercise works in improving your cholesterol levels is still not totally clear....

It’s not uncommon to hear people say “I have arthritis.” Generally speaking, they are correct, but more accurately, they have a specific type of arthritis. There are over 100 types of arthritis. Most of the 100 types are rare diseases. You can count on two hands the types you have probably heard of at all and on two fingers the ones most referred to and considered most common: (osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis)....

In a discussion of patients’ rights, it’s also important to review patients’ responsibilities. Just as we have rights as American citizens (the right to vote, for example), we have corresponding responsibilities that help maintain those rights (the responsibility of going to the polls to vote.) The same is true for our medical care. Maintaining Healthy Habits That proverbial ounce of prevention is most definitely more effective and efficient than the corresponding pound of cure....

If you have heart disease, staying healthy during cold weather presents special challenges. For those with coronary artery disease (CAD), cold temperatures can trigger episodes of cardiac ischemia (when the heart muscle doesn’t get enough oxygen). This can cause episodes of angina, when the heart doesn’t receive enough blood flow, or even heart attacks. For people who have heart failure, a rapid drop in environmental temperature can cause a sudden worsening of symptoms....

Acute bronchitis is inflammation that happens in the breathing tubes called the bronchi. The bronchi carry the air to your lungs, so you can breathe. When these airways to the lungs are inflamed, they can swell and make mucus, which makes you cough. Another name for acute bronchitis is a chest cold. Types of Bronchitis The two main categories of bronchitis are: Acute: Temporary and usually will not cause permanent breathing problems Chronic: Can last for a long time and may keep coming back, but it is possible to manage this condition In some cases, acute bronchitis can get worse and become chronic....

It’s common and completely normal for patients facing a terminal illness to experience loss of appetite, a decreased interest in food or drink, and weight loss. As the illness progresses, patients will either be unable to take in food or fluid by mouth or they will refuse to eat or drink. It may be that the patient has been ill for some time or has been receiving artificial nutrition but not getting any better....

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized a third dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for seniors and high risk groups who received their second shot at least six months earlier. Key Takeaways FDA authorized Pfizer’s COVID-19 booster shots for people aged above 65 and high risk groups.CDC still has to define high risk groups and decide on whether people should mix and match boosters.A CDC panel said that there’s insufficient data on Moderna and Johnson & Johnson boosters, as well as the Pfizer booster’s efficacy in people younger than 18....

A primary care provider (PCP) for elderly patients is called a geriatrician. This kind of physician has finished a residency in either internal medicine or family medicine and is board-certified to treat older adults. It’s important for your elderly parents to see a geriatrician because they specialize in treating the complex medical needs aging requires. Are You Covered By Health Insurance? If your parents use an insurance provider to cover their medical expenses, their choice might be limited to a specific pre-determined list of in-network physicians....

As if the potential to gain protection from COVID-19 wasn’t enough to get you lining up for your shot, now businesses are offering their own incentives for vaccination. Two weeks ago, Krispy Kreme became the pioneer and made national news with their announcement of free doughnuts for an entire year. But now, all sorts of companies have begun offering everything from free rides to meals for those who are vaccinated....

Diarrhea often resolves with time and homecare, but if you need help finding relief, you might turn to homeopathic remedies. No homeopathic treatments have been proven to be effective at stopping diarrhea. Therefore, you should not replace standard medical care with homeopathic approaches. While you might want to use homeopathy in conjunction with standard care, keep in mind that if diarrhea is not treated properly, you could develop severe dehydration and rapid electrolyte loss....

Treatment for a neck fracture—also called a cervical fracture or broken neck—depends on the severity of the injury, which cervical vertebrae (bones in the neck that protect the spinal cord) are injured, and if the spinal cord is involved. A minor compression fracture often can be treated with over-the-counter (OTC) pain medication and a cervical collar or brace to immobilize the neck until the break heals. A hangman’s fracture—a break in the second vertebrae down from the skull (the C2)—is likely to require traction and surgery may be necessary for very severe neck fractures....