What’s the Problem? Allergies are the 6th leading cause of chronic illness in the U.S. with an annual cost in excess of $18 billion. More than 50 million Americans suffer from allergies each year. Allergies are an overreaction of the immune system to substances that generally do not affect other individuals. These substances, or allergens, […]

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For allergy and asthma sufferers in Atlanta, there are effectively three seasons: summer, winter and pollen. With a warmer-than-average winter, high pollen counts have already been reported across the U.S. In Atlanta, this warmer-than-usual weather triggered an early release of tree pollen. As a result, pollen counts started rising in mid-February. This means allergy season […]

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Feeling lightheaded at his home in South Carolina, Ed Iler, 95, was rushed by paramedics to the nearest hospital emergency room. He complained of chest pain and was told by his doctor he had a heart murmur. “I’m 95 years of age and I have never been told that before,” said Iler, an active member […]

The post Real Patients, Real Stories: Emory Provides Less-Invasive Lifesaving Heart Surgery Option for 95 Year Old appeared first on Heart & Vascular.

For Valentine’s Day, go ahead and give your sweetheart some dark chocolate this year … to consume in moderation. In past years, more research has suggested a beneficial link between higher levels of chocolate consumption and the reduction of the risk of cardiovascular events. In one study, participants with the highest levels of chocolate intake […]

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Important Facts about Falls Each year, millions of older people—those 65 and older—fall. In fact, more than one out of four older people falls each year, 1 but less than half tell their doctor. 2  Falling once doubles your chances of falling again. 3 Falls Are Serious and Costly One out of five falls causes a serious injury such as […]

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A primary care provider, or PCP, is your main point of contact for healthcare in non-emergency situations. Think of this type of health care provider as the quarterback of your entire health care team, the central point person whose role it is to coordinate your overall patient care, treatment and education. Overall, your PCP is […]

The post What Is A PCP and Why Do I Need One? appeared first on Highlights.

Our bodies are wired to defend themselves against foreign invaders. After a patient undergoes an organ transplant, the body responds to the new organ as if it were a foreign object. The immune system goes into overdrive trying to reject it. This is why it is vital for transplant patients to take anti-rejection medications or […]

The post Life on Anti-Rejection Medications After Transplant appeared first on Transplant.

Cessation Tips from Former Smokers “We did it. You can, too!” Three former smokers share tips that helped them quit in this video. For more help quitting, visit smokefree.gov.   You can help lower your risk of lung cancer in the following ways: Don’t smoke. Cigarette smoking causes about 80% to 90% of lung cancer deaths in the United […]

The post What to Do to Reduce the Risk of Lung Cancer appeared first on Cancer.

Knowing where to go when you’re ill or injured makes a big difference. But it can get confusing. So here’s a breakdown of where to get the right care at the right time. Primary Care Your primary care provider is your health care home base and should be your first call for any non-immediate issue. […]

The post Know Where To Go: A List for the Right Care at the Right Time appeared first on Highlights.

5 Healthy Eating Tips for the Holidays Your recipe for staying on track no matter what’s cooking. ‘Tis the season for family, festivity, and food—lots of food. Temptations are everywhere, and parties and travel disrupt daily routines. What’s more, it all goes on for weeks. How do you stick to your diabetes meal plan when everyone around you […]

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Eating healthy during the holidays can be a challenge for most of us, but for many cancer patients it’s a struggle just to eat. If you’re currently going through cancer treatment, eating might not be the first thing on your mind. However, staying nourished during treatment is extremely important. Your body needs more nutrients than […]

The post Enjoy Holiday Food Without Regret appeared first on Cancer.

It is the time of the year to feel happy … time to be generous … time to spend time with loved ones … and sing festively. Are you not in the mood this season? Don’t worry, you are not alone. Many people find the holidays very stressful and sometimes even sad. Social engagements and […]

The post 7 Tips to Peacefully Celebrate the Holidays When You are Not Feeling Jolly appeared first on Cancer.

Health screening tests can seem like a nuisance: You need to schedule an appointment, take time out of your day and wait to see a provider. But, they are so much more. Health screenings are a way for you to take control of your own health. An annual exam with a primary care provider gives […]

The post Screening 101: What Health Screening Tests Do You Need and Why? appeared first on Highlights.

Every year, here at Emory Healthcare, we celebrate Hand Washing Awareness week. The goal of National Hand Washing Awareness Week is to decrease the spread of infectious diseases by empowering individuals through education on the importance of hand washing to help protect their loved ones and communities. By working together we can make a difference! At each […]

The post Just 15 Seconds Can Help Prevent the Spread appeared first on Highlights.

Stress is part of everyday life. In fact, the right amount of stress can help us in our jobs to make decisions and to meet a goal. But when stress is constant and lasts for days or weeks, it can have a serious impact on our health. And that’s the type of stress that concerns […]

The post Are You Managing Your Stress? 5 Ways to Feel Better, Be Healthy appeared first on Highlights.

Jamie McNeil is a 56-year-old grandmother of two-year-old twins. As a nurse by trade, she was aware of the benefits of living-kidney donation for needy recipients. But when her twin granddaughters Adele and Aubrey were born two years ago, one was diagnosed with multicystic kidney disease. This was when McNeil began researching how she could […]

The post Grandmother’s Kidney Donation Secures Kidney Voucher for Granddaughter, Starts Chain of Kidney Transplants appeared first on Transplant.

Did you know that not everyone can actually qualify for lung cancer screening? Current guidelines state that screening for lung cancer is recommended when all of the following lung cancer screening guidelines are met: Age 55-77 years Asymptomatic (no signs or symptoms of lung cancer), no lung infection (pneumonia, bronchitis) within the past 12 weeks […]

The post Lung Cancer Screening Guidelines You Need To Know appeared first on Cancer.

According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), lung cancer accounts for about 13% of all new cancers. Each year, more people die of lung cancer than of colon, breast, and prostate cancers combined. For smokers, the risk of lung cancer is higher than non-smokers’ risk, so I encourage smokers to make a plan to quit […]

The post November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month – Reduce Your Cancer Risks Today appeared first on Cancer.

More than 40 million Americans smoke cigarettes, despite the fact that tobacco use is the single largest preventable cause of death in the U.S. To help lower this number and the heightened risk for disease caused by cigarette smoking, the American Cancer Society’s Great American Smokeout is Thursday, November 15. The event is held each […]

The post 6+ Reasons to Quit Smoking on November 15th for the Great American Smokeout appeared first on Cancer.

A long day at work can be bad for your physical and mental health. Your body gets stiff, your heart rate slows down and your mind can quickly wander – which makes it hard to focus on your job. To make matters worse, if your work happens mostly behind a desk, you may have a […]

The post Stay Healthy at Work: 5 Ways to Stay Active and Focused appeared first on Highlights.

Organ transplantation is one of the greatest advances in modern medicine. Just the idea of replacing an organ in the body with another one via transplant is an overwhelming concept. Therefore, it is no surprise that those who are faced with a condition that may require one may feel scared and helpless. If you or […]

The post Choosing a Transplant Center: Survival Outcomes Data appeared first on Transplant.

Emory Helps People of All Ages Stay Active – On the Field and in Life At least three times a week, Robert Gaare laces up his soccer cleats, places a pair of protective shin guards inside his socks and hits the field for a scrimmage. “Playing soccer is sheer joy. Nothing but fun,” says Robert. […]

The post You Don’t Have to be Young or a Pro to Play Sports appeared first on Orthopedics, Spine & Sports Medicine.

Antioxidants are all the rage. Our news outlets put out one story after another — some claiming these powerful chemicals can help lower our risk of cancer, improve heart health and even have anti-aging properties — while others suggest antioxidants aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. Separating fact from fiction can be difficult and […]

The post Antioxidant Foods and Cancer Prevention: Fact or Fiction? appeared first on Cancer.

A healthy diet can quickly take a back seat during cancer treatment. Chemotherapy, radiation and other treatments can be hard on the body, which makes it difficult to get the nutrients you need. Although cancer treatment effects can differ for each patient, common side effects that can make it difficult to eat healthy may include: […]

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Science has come a long way in identifying nutrients that can help boost cell health and lower the risk of developing breast cancer. At first glance, these diet to-dos can seem overwhelming: Eat a plant-based diet Incorporate more antioxidants in your diet Try an anti-inflammatory diet But the good news is that it’s actually much […]

The post Prevent Breast Cancer: It Starts with Proper Nutrition appeared first on Cancer.

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women according to the American Cancer Society. This year alone, more than 234,000 cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in the United States. Most women with breast cancer do quite well and have long lives after completing treatment. One of the hardest things for […]

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Hip pain can severely affect your independence, your lifestyle, your job, and more. With pain reaching unbearable levels, a bum hip can level the toughest among us. It Might Not Be Your Hip “One of the major things we immediately try to differentiate between is if it’s actually a hip condition—or is the pain coming […]

The post Hip Pain: Easing Discomfort with Proven Solutions appeared first on Orthopedics, Spine & Sports Medicine.

When you go to the hair salon, you expect to walk out feeling refreshed. But instead of sporting a new haircut, Adela Gongora Arciniegas was carried out on a stretcher and rushed to a nearby hospital for emergency surgery. Adela, who is almost 70 years old, slipped in the salon and took a devastating fall. […]

The post Emory Physicians Help Save Woman’s Leg from Amputation appeared first on Orthopedics, Spine & Sports Medicine.

Twelve-year old Kaden Koebcke was diagnosed with kidney disease at the age of two. He underwent a kidney transplant when he was 5 years old but it was unsuccessful, and the kidney had to be removed within days of the transplant. Kaden continued life on dialysis, undergoing dialysis three times a week, but his condition […]

The post Teacher Donates Kidney to Student through Emory’s Living Donor Kidney Program appeared first on Transplant.

Nobody ever said that being a parent is an easy job. You have to keep an eye on everything. Are they eating enough vegetables? Getting enough exercise? Spending too much time on their computer? With all the things you need to monitor in a day to keep your kids healthy and safe, it would be […]

The post How to Avoid Backpack Injuries appeared first on Orthopedics, Spine & Sports Medicine.

Each year during the second and third full weeks of July, Donate Life conducts a two-week outreach campaign where it highlights the importance of organ donation and transplantation in multicultural communities. The campaign, Donate Life ECHO, is a collaborative partnership between the Association for Multicultural Affairs in Transplantation (AMAT) and Donate Life America. ECHO stands […]

The post Emory Transplant Supports ‘Every Community Has Opportunity’ Campaign appeared first on Transplant.

The number is staggering — more than 65 million Americans suffer from back pain. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, it’s a leading cause of missed work and the most common cause of job-related disability in the United States. Let’s face it — nobody’s at the top of their game when […]

The post Sciatica: Symptoms, Causes and Treatments appeared first on Orthopedics, Spine & Sports Medicine.

If you’re over 50, you’ve probably experienced the subtle — and not so subtle — changes that aging can cause in your body. No matter how well you take care of yourself, “natural wear-and-tear” can sometimes lead to problems, like spinal stenosis. What is Spinal Stenosis? Part of the normal aging process includes the narrowing […]

The post Do You Have Spinal Stenosis? appeared first on Orthopedics, Spine & Sports Medicine.

Back pain. It’s the worst. All of us have experienced pain and stiffness at one point or another, but how do you know if it’s something more serious? If your pain is not going away and it’s accompanied by tingling or weakness in your arms or legs, it could be a herniated disc. What is […]

The post Have a Herniated Disc? appeared first on Orthopedics, Spine & Sports Medicine.

It’s happened to all of us. You’re walking along and then one tiny misstep leads to ankle pain. Whether you were hurt while exercising, playing a sport, or just being “less than graceful,” you’re in pain and wondering just how bad your injury is. Could it be sprained or fractured? How to Tell a Sprain […]

The post Ankle Pain: Is It a Sprain or a Fracture? appeared first on Orthopedics, Spine & Sports Medicine.

Most people don’t realize how much their hips do for them until they have a hip injury. That one simple joint allows us to perform all our most basic activities — walking, standing and even sitting. If your hip has been damaged by an injury, arthritis or other health condition, it affects everything you do. […]

The post Hip Replacement Surgery: What to Expect appeared first on Orthopedics, Spine & Sports Medicine.

Dr. Amadeus Mason is a physician at Emory Sports Medicine Center and specializes in running injuries and injury prevention. The following is an excerpt from a live chat in 2013. Running Questions and Answers Q: I’ve heard that stretching prior to a race can rob you from needed strength during the race… So on race […]

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Elizabeth Melville’s 5-month old son, Wesley, was diagnosed with a rare disease call biliary atresia. After a surgery to treat the disease failed, Wesley would need a liver transplant. That’s when Emory Transplant Center surgeons were able to take a portion of Elizabeth’s liver out and then transfer it over to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta […]

The post A Mother’s Gift: Mom Saves Son with Liver Transplant appeared first on Transplant.

Lupus has been called a cruel and mysterious disease. An autoimmune disorder that occurs when the immune system that’s supposed to protect your body attacks it instead. Its causes are unknown and no two cases are alike. Attacking different parts of the body, lupus causes joint pain, rash, fatigue, and fever. It’s estimated that 1 […]

The post The Link Between Lupus and Heart Disease appeared first on Heart & Vascular.

During the month of April, we like to shine a light on organ donation to support and raise awareness about National Donate Life Month. Organ donation is giving the gift of life. Although it is a great concept, it is a concept that has a lot of misconceptions that affect donation decisions. Did you know […]

The post Uncovering Misperceptions about Organ Donation appeared first on Transplant.

Varicose veins are large, abnormal blood vessels visible on the skin surface. They almost always affect the legs and often appear as bulging, twisted blue veins. Many theories exist for why varicosities occur in veins, but the consensus is that weak vein walls and valves are the main cause. Inside your larger veins are valves […]

The post Can I Inherit Varicose Veins? appeared first on Heart & Vascular.

Thank you for your patience and for your participation in American Heart Month! We received so many great questions, it took us a while to get through them all. We hope you find our Part 2 answers helpful. Thank you to our Emory Women’s Heart Center experts  Dr. Alexis Cutchins, Dr. M Carolina Gongora, Dr. Gina Lundberg, Dr. Susmita […]

The post Your Heart Questions Answered by the Women’s Heart Center – pt 2 appeared first on Heart & Vascular.

Brittany Martin, a children’s dance coach, experienced constant adrenaline over the course of a year, leading her to visit Emory University Hospital. “My body was in fight or flight mode all the time,” she says. Martin began seeing a doctor in Mcdonough in 2015 for an elevated heart rate. She attributed her heart racing to stress […]

The post Real Patients, Real Stories: Regulating a Racing Heart appeared first on Heart & Vascular.

What is Kidney Failure? Kidney failure is the end result of a gradual loss of kidney function. The most common causes are high blood pressure and diabetes. Kidney failure occurs when one loses about 90% of kidney function, and when the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) falls below 15. Those suffering from end-stage kidney failure have two […]

The post Kidney Failure Treatment Options appeared first on Transplant.

Though spider veins and varicose veins are both classified as vein disorders, there are some distinct differences between them. What do They Look Like? Spider veins are small, wispy, web-like veins on the skin surface, usually less than one millimeter in diameter. They may be purple or red and often appear in clusters or nests, […]

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The Emory Transplant Center performed its first liver transplant from an HIV-positive deceased donor to an HIV-positive recipient. The procedure is not only the first successful HIV-positive to HIV-positive liver transplant in Georgia, but it is also the first in the Southeast. In November 2013, the HOPE Act, a policy allowing organ donation between two HIV […]

The post Emory Transplant Center Performs First HIV-Positive Liver Transplant appeared first on Transplant.

Doctors have discovered a link between heart attacks and the flu. Not only does the flu vaccine help prevent more than a bad cold, it has the potential to lower the chance of having a heart attack for those who are at high risk. “When someone comes into the hospital with a heart attack, it’s […]

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Throughout the month of February, we celebrate the heart. For heart transplant patients, they celebrate their heart and the gift of life, throughout the entire year. On February 10, 2018, 64 recipients, including three listed patients awaiting new hearts, attended the 28th Heart-to-Heart Celebration at Emory’s Miller-Ward Alumni House with their families, friends, and Emory staff members. […]

The post Heart to Heart: Transplant Recipients Celebrate Life appeared first on Heart & Vascular.

It took Sol Kaslow five decades to talk about being part of the invasion of Normandy as a young navy signalman on a Patrol Torpedo (PT) boat. “I couldn’t handle talking about it,” he says. “You live like it just happened.” Then, for his 80th birthday, he and his wife, Florence, returned with a tour […]

The post Real Patients, Real Stories: Sol Kaslow’s Chance to See Restored Patrol Torpedo appeared first on Heart & Vascular.

In life, some things just fall into place. Seven years ago, Kerrie Poirot gave her husband Michael her heart. Now for this Valentine’s Day, she gave him the ultimate gift of love – donating her kidney and giving him the gift of life. Watch the story unfold from Fox 5 News. Kerrie’s surgeon, Dr. Nicole […]

The post A Special Valentine’s Day Gift: Wife Donates Kidney to Husband appeared first on Transplant.

The New Year gives rise to new resolutions, but many have grown tired of attempting unsuccessful diets and seeing numbers on the scale crawl up, year after year. Although there is no magic bullet for weight loss, it is possible to reach your health goals by lifelong commitment to a healthy and balanced diet. Making […]

The post Labeling the Food Label appeared first on Weight Management.

January 1st – a day that commemorates a brand new year and marks the beginning of a new set of New Year’s resolutions. From eating healthy to keeping an active lifestyle, the goals you set for this upcoming year can pave the way to a healthier and better you. Oftentimes, the resolutions we set for […]

The post A Complete Guide to Following your New Year’s Resolutions appeared first on Weight Management.

Do you experience stress hosting that annual dinner party, seeing those long-lost relatives, or fear of gaining weight with it all? It is true that the holidays can make it more difficult to manage all of life’s responsibilities including weight management. Pressure of weight loss can add to your stress level during the holiday. Perhaps […]

The post Experiencing FOHO? Fear of the Holidays appeared first on Weight Management.

What if I told you that you have to eat to lose fat? This may sound contradictory, but it’s true. The human body is an extremely efficient organism. If you are not getting enough energy from food to meet your minimum energy needs, your body will begin burning muscle, instead of fat, for energy. When […]

The post Energy Balance and Body Composition appeared first on Weight Management.

Summer is here and it’s getting hot outside! What better way to keep cool then to drink a glass of ice-cold water? Our body’s natural way of cooling off is by sweating. According to the CDC, in areas of high humidity, sweat may not evaporate as quickly which keeps our body from releasing heat as […]

The post The Importance of Summer Hydration appeared first on Weight Management.

Real southern food does not always come from a deep fryer; it’s simmered on the stove, baked in a cast iron skillet, and pulled straight from your grandmother’s garden. The real food plate is a nutritious eating approach that shifts the focus from an entrée to the four corners of the real plate; fruits, grains, […]

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March is National Nutrition Month® and the theme this year is “Savor the Flavor of Eating Right.” Flavor is a big part of why we choose to eat the foods that we do. We want the food that we eat to be flavorful, but at the same time it’s important that the food we eat […]

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Have you ever left the grocery store with more food than you intended to buy? Has that extra food ended up being chips, cookies, or sugar-sweetened sodas? It’s easy to feel tempted by the products the store has on display. Keep in mind that the main goal of many stores is to advertise cheap and […]

The post Tips for Healthy Grocery Shopping Success appeared first on Weight Management.

Thank you to everyone who joined us on Tuesday, January 19th, for our live online chat titled “New Year, New You: Successful & Lasting Weight Loss”, hosted by Emory Bariatrics registered dieticians, Victoria Delgado, RD, and Kasey LaPointe, RD. During this live chat, Victoria and Kasey provided healthful living tips to lasting weight loss for […]

The post Takeaways from Emory Bariatrics Live Chat, ‘New Year, New You: Successful & Lasting Weight Loss in 2016’ appeared first on Weight Management.

Previously we introduced the topic of mindful eating. For many, this is a new concept; for others, this may be a part of your daily routine. Wherever you are on the spectrum, I would like to continue to delve further into the concept of mindful eating by discussing food’s true purpose – to nourish our body […]

The post Nourishing Our Bodies – Foods True Purpose appeared first on Weight Management.