Health and Wellness

More than 23 million people will set sail on cruise ships this year. And while cruising offers the ultimate in luxury vacations-from five-star dining to around-the-clock entertainment-the ships are also known as “floating petri dishes” due to the close quarters. But with some preplanning and onboard precautions, you can reduce your chances of illness. Regardless…

If you’re like millions of dog and cat owners around the country, you love your pets…but hate the allergies they can trigger. This is a common problem when you consider that 32 percent of U.S. households have dogs and 27 percent have cats. Pet dander–tiny flecks of skin shed by cats, dogs and other household…

  If you’ve ever glazed over at all the herbs and supplements on health food store shelves, you’re not alone. As confusing as they may seem, there is a growing body of medical evidence suggesting that some of these therapies are effective when used properly. UCF Health’s new integrative medicine physician, Christopher Smith, M.D., who…

With the Memorial Day holiday upon us, it’s that time of year to plan outdoor celebrations and activities. However, with more than 3.5 million cases of skin cancer diagnosed annually in the United States (90 percent of which are caused by overexposure to the sun), it’s also time to think about outdoor protection. If you…

While sniffing and sneezing is most commonly associated with the winter months, the classic commercial that exclaimed “summer colds are the worst” may have been on to something…sort of. Symptoms of a true cold virus can last up to 10 days, with the first two or three being the most contagious. However, during the summer…

Research shows that most American’s don’t even come close to getting the recommended 32 grams of fiber each day. Most popularly known for its digestive health benefits, fiber helps move food through the digestive tract, absorbing water along the way and easing bowel movements. Since the digestive tract contains more bacteria than cells in our…