health
Keeping your mind and body in check - popular topics in health and medicine to maintain a long and healthy life.
Psoriasis: The Silent Skin Disease
I have always been a scary child, afraid of my own shadow type of kid. One day, I was looking at my hands and noticed a dry skin patch in between my thumb and my fore finger. I picked at the skin and made it peel back. Eewwww!! There was skin underneath my dead skin?! It was disgusting and frightening at the same time. I ran to tell my mother and she took me to the hospital. The doctor explained that I had a skin disease called psoriasis. I immediately freaked out. A skin DISEASE! “Am I going to die?” I asked, the doctor responded with a light-hearted laugh and told me that psoriasis wasn’t a serious disease and that, when the rashes flared, all I needed to do was put hydrocortisone cream on them to stop itching and reduce the dryness of my skin. I knew nothing about this skin disease or why I had it. But I did some research and thought I’d share it with others like me who have never heard of psoriasis or have it and don’t understand it.
By Tamirah McGill8 years ago in Longevity
The Glamorisation of Dementia in the Media
In the UK over 850,000 people are living with dementia and it's estimated at this point that one in three people will develop it over the years. In the U.S it's estimated that around 5.3 million people are living with this disease. With the recent interest in bringing attention to this disease, many media portrayals of dementia have caught people's attention.
By Grace Lynch8 years ago in Longevity
Prostate Prehab
How can a pelvic health and wellness physical therapist help me before a prostate procedure or surgery? Did you know that one out of seven men in the Unites States are diagnosed with prostate cancer over their lifetime? There are many treatment options for prostate cancer, including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. Many of these treatments can leave men with bowel, bladder, and sexual dysfunction that greatly affect their quality of life. Research has shown that one percent to ninety percent of men will struggle with urinary urgency, frequency, and/or post void dribbling. Basic functional activities such as moving from sit to stand, coughing, sneezing, or jumping may result in leaking urine.
By susan winograd8 years ago in Longevity
Opting out of Metformin
When I was in a small medical college, we were practicing finger pricking to test for diabetes. I remember mine being higher than the rest of the group. The following week, I was sitting in the doctor’s office. They diagnosed me with Type 2 Diabetes. I was given a prescription for Metformin. I just trusted the doctors, hoping everything would be alright, as long as I stayed on the pills.
By Jennifer Cypert8 years ago in Longevity
Things Your Friend Won't Tell You About the Big C. Top Story - April 2018.
I always hate introducing myself to people. Mostly because I do not have a filter. I share way too much way too soon. My story starts like every other story—with an accident. At 16 years old, I was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma in the soft tissue of my right shoulder. The only reason my doctors discovered it in time was that I hurt myself at work the week before. High school is difficult enough, but to have cancer your junior year? Unbelievable.
By Abigail Gray-Army8 years ago in Longevity
The Rules of Living With Chronic Illness as a Young Adult
I’m just like every other teenager. I wake up in the morning, get ready for school, walk to the bus. The only real difference is that a solid half of my body is on fire the whole time. I’m lucky enough to be part of a selective club. Very exclusive, very secretive. Teenagers with invisible illnesses.
By Jess Marshall8 years ago in Longevity
Don't Notice People's Disability
I tell people to shut up if they notice my disability in any way. If I’m checking my blood sugar, butt out. Don’t stare. I caught somebody at Pantheacon staring at me at a workshop once and I stared at her back with a dirty look she took amusement with until she turned away. I’m very discrete about doing what must be done. Don’t give me shit for treating lows, unless you want me to die. Don’t give me shit about the way I need to check my blood sugar. Apparently, some people would like to endanger my health if they complain to me about treating low blood sugar. You, sociopaths, are bullies who do not apologize.
By Iria Vasquez-Paez8 years ago in Longevity
Path to a Healthier Lifestyle
Living a healthy life is something we all want to do. Being healthy really depends on whether or not you’re willing to sacrifice some things to make yourself feel and look better. You can actually make healthier choices in things throughout your everyday life, whether it be eating better foods or exercising more. There are also many vitamins and supplements you can take which cost money, but are totally worth it.
By Anna Lee Vaughn8 years ago in Longevity
The Source of Chronic Illness
Chronic illness is something that affects a person their entire lives if they cannot find a good treatment for it. The first woman to be cured of sickle-cell anemia by a stem cell donation given to her by her sister without requiring chemotherapy resides in Chicago. Her sister is a 100 percent genetic match for donation to Ieshea Thomas. Sickle cell causes underlying organ disease in addition to chronic anemia, as well as crisis pain in the chest, abdomen, and joints, with pain also occurring in the bones. Chronic illness is devastating to all who have it because some are easily treated and some are not. For example, diabetes requires the use of insulin.
By Iria Vasquez-Paez8 years ago in Longevity
How to Get More Spoons When Chronically Ill
Getting enough spoons means trying to get enough sleep. Many disabled people do not sleep the whole night, as some could have sleep apnea. Mentally ill people not on medication hardly sleep through the night on top of this. Spoons are not all created equal. Sometimes a chronically ill person can have more spoons on some days rather than on others. It depends on what illness somebody has. We diabetics are taken out by low blood sugar or, for that matter, its opposite, high blood sugar. People with lupus can be fine one day and sick the next. Somebody with sickle-cell anemia is not feeling well during a crisis. People with hypothyroidism or over-active thyroid also called hyperthyroidism definitely have varying levels of energy.
By Iria Vasquez-Paez8 years ago in Longevity
