Incontinence: What Is It? Urinary incontinence, or loss of bladder control, is a frustrating problem for more than 13 million Americans. Never knowing when and where you might have an accident can impact everything from work to exercise to your social calendar. Urinary incontinence affects people of either gender but is twice as common in [...]
First, you notice shopping for clothes isn’t as fun or simple as it used to be. Next comes the “muffin top” spilling over the jeans. Then the scale delivers dire news: You’re 10, 15, maybe 20 pounds beyond your “normal” weight. Midlife weight gain is common. Many Americans gain a pound or so every year [...]
Pregnancy can be an exciting time for the expectant parents-to-be. Sometimes, though, pregnancy doesn’t end as anticipated — with a baby. In rare cases, a woman (or even a man) believes she is pregnant, only to find out that her symptoms were caused not by pregnancy, but by something else entirely. False pregnancy, or pseudocyesis, [...]
When you’re expecting, what you eat and drink influences your child’s health, possibly forever. Everyday foods and beverages take on new meaning, as some may present a danger to your developing baby. Whole and lightly processed foods, such as whole grains, lean meats, fruits and vegetables, legumes, and low-fat dairy should form the basis of [...]
Varicose veins are large, raised, swollen blood vessels that twist and turn. They usually develop in the legs and can be seen through the skin. Spider veins are smaller, red, purple and blue vessels that are also twisted and turning. Spider veins are easily visible through the skin as well. They are also most often [...]
That fragrance you wear, perhaps named after a celebrity, may make you feel sexy and irresistible, but chances are the label isn’t telling you everything that’s in it, according to a new report. And that could spell trouble, says Jane Houlihan, co-author of the new report, issued by The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics in partnership [...]
Aphrodite Apple Mask 1 T Applesauce 1 T Wheat Germ To Make: Purée apple in a blender or add applesauce to a small bowl. Mix in the wheat germ to form a paste. To Use: Apply to washed, scrubbed, and steamed face. Allow mask to set for 10-15 minutes. Tone then moisturize. Avocado Carrot Cream [...]
Maternal Blood Screening/Triple Screen/ Quadruple Screen Why Is This Test Performed? Doctors use this to test to screen for Down syndrome and neural tube defects. Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is a protein produced by the fetus, and it appears in varying amounts in the mother’s blood and the amniotic fluid at different times during pregnancy. A certain [...]
The age-old question of why men store fat in their bellies and women store it in their hips may have finally been answered: Genetically speaking, the fat tissue is almost completely different. “We found that out of about 40,000 mouse genes, only 138 are commonly found in both male and female fat cells,” said Dr. [...]
Comprehensive Family Planning Approach Needed, Not Just ‘Contraceptive Dispensary’ In his latest New York Times column, Nicholas Kristof writes about the “unavailability of birth control in many poor countries,” noting some experiences from a recent trip to Africa. “So the pill, 50 years old this month in the United States, has yet to reach parts [...]
