Health and Wellness

It might be strange to hear that your 15-year-old needs a heart test to run on the track team, but more and more, youth sports teams are adopting this screening to identify heart abnormalities and assess cardiovascular health in young athletes.   An ECG (also called an electrocardiogram or EKG) may be required of everyone…

It’s unfortunate that some people see Type 2 diabetes as their fate. If you are overweight and have a family history of diabetes, you may feel like you are facing the inevitable. However, research tells us that if you implement lifestyle changes that reduce your risk, you may never progress into the diabetic range. Prediabetes…

American culture is beginning to celebrate age instead of criticizing it. With our changing interpretation of age, sometimes the unique health challenges of being an older adult are overlooked.  Here’s why seeing a geriatrician after age 65 may be a good idea:   Complexity of Multiple Conditions As we age, complications can mount. It’s not…

For centuries, people have turned to natural remedies to fight common ailments such as colds, stomach aches and skin conditions.  This trend has continued to the present day. Nearly four out of 10 adults have used some form of alternative remedy, according to a report from the National Center for Health Statistics.   As appealing…

Offering the taste of sweetness without adding any calories sounds like a sweet deal. But sugar substitutes aren’t the magic bullet for weight loss. The American Heart Association and the American Diabetes Association have given a cautious nod to the use of artificial sweeteners in place of sugar to combat obesity, metabolic syndrome and diabetes,…

Scented candles can fill our homes with lovely smells and are popular gifts around the holiday season, but are they safe? When candles burn, they can emit undesired chemicals which can be harmful. The greatest health concern with candles involves the potential for lead exposure. Metal was originally put in the wicks to help them…