Recent studies indicate that 26 million American adults suffer from chronic kidney disease (CKD) and that the number is likely to mrise unless Americans get serious about prevention. Primary risks include diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, a family history of kidney failure and being age 60 or older. Secondary risks include obesity, autoimmune diseases, urinary-tract infections and systemic infections. [...]
It’s clear that Americans have a taste for salt, but salt plays a role in high blood pressure. Everyone, including kids, should reduce their sodium intake to less than 2,300 milligrams per day (about one teaspoon of salt). Adults age 51 and older, African Americans of any age, and individuals with high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease should [...]
The culprit in fungal infections for people with diabetes is often Candida albicans. This yeast-like fungus can create itchy rashes of moist, red areas surrounded by tiny blisters and scales. Problem areas include moist folds of the skin, such as under the breasts, around the nails, between fingers and toes, in the corners of the mouth, under the foreskin (in [...]
If you've been diagnosed with high blood pressure, your heart is working overtime. Also known as hypertension, high blood pressure not only raises the risk of heart disease; it also increases risks to your arteries, brain, kidneys, and eyes.1 Blood pressure measurements give you two readings: the top number is the pressure in your arteries when your heart pumps blood. [...]
A pediatric eye exam helps detect eye problems in your child at their earliest stage — when they’re most treatable. Several factors may determine how frequently your child needs an eye exam, including age, health and risk of developing eye problems. General guidelines include: • Children 5 years and younger: For children under age 3, your pediatrician will likely look [...]
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) occurs when the tissue in the back of the throat collapses during sleep. This keeps air from getting into the lungs. This is very common, because the muscles inside the throat relax as you sleep. Gravity then causes the tongue to fall back and block the airway. It can happen a few times a night or [...]
The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for vitamins reflects how much of each vitamin most people should get each day. The best way to get the daily requirement of essential vitamins is to eat a balanced diet that contains a variety of foods. Here is the RDA for vitamin C, per the National Institutes of Health: Children • 1–3 years: 15 [...]
People often mistakenly assume that because supplements are sold over the counter, they are completely safe to take, even in high doses. For example, even though no studies have proven that large doses of vitamin C can prevent or cure colds, many people still think this is true. You may hear claims about other benefits of taking large doses of [...]
Perimenopause means “around menopause” and refers to the time period during which a woman’s body makes its natural transition toward permanent infertility (menopause). Perimenopause is also called the menopausal transition. Women start perimenopause at different ages. You may notice signs of progression toward menopause, such as menstrual irregularity, sometime in your 40s. But some women notice changes as early as [...]
Do you pay attention to health news? If so, you may know that the diabetes epidemic is enormous! But there could be a surprise or two for you in the numbers below. Nearly 1 in 10. That's how many people have diabetes in the United States.1 5.4 percent. Fortunately, the number of new diabetes cases fell an average of 5.4 [...]