Healthline Connects

Mammograms In The Headlines

2009-11-18T14:51:00.001-08:00

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force issued new guidelines this week recommending that women should begin regular breast cancer screening – including getting a mammogram every two years – starting at age 50. For years, it has been widely recommended that women have mammograms done biannually starting at age 40; the new guidelines represent a significant departure from past medical advice. The...

A Foundation for the House of Medicine

2009-09-30T17:30:00.000-07:00

When you build a house, you begin with the foundation. The same holds true for the U.S. health care system. The President and Congress are scrambling to put up a reform structure that would have a better chance to succeed if the cinderblocks and joists were in place. No health care system in our country can develop adequately unless supported by validated information, policies and procedures...

The Weight Debate: Obama’s Pick for Surgeon General

2009-07-22T09:55:00.000-07:00

Right around the time the Senate finished grilling Obama’s Supreme Court nominee, Sonia Sotomayor, Obama’s pick for surgeon general—Dr. Regina Benjamin—began her own version of a confirmation hearing in the arena of public opinion. On one side of the scale is the above-average weight of Dr. Benjamin’s extraordinary resume; on the other side, her above-average personal weight. The question that...

Go for a Run, and Help Kids in Need

2009-07-16T16:42:00.000-07:00

The Fresh Air Fund is looking for runners to join its NYC Half-Marathon team. Through sponsorships, each runner on the team raises money that will fund free programs for kids from low-income communities. More runners means more money going to kids in need. The Fresh Air Fund has been around since 1877 and has provided free summer vacations for nearly 2 million children in that time. Last summer,...

Your Questions Answered

2009-05-05T10:02:00.000-07:00

Our regular updates on the H1N1 virus have sparked a lot of questions among our readers, so we've provided a list of your most frequently asked questions and their answers in order to keep you informed, allay your fears, and help keep you safe and healthy. Q: At what point should I seek medical attention if I believe I've been exposed to the swine flu? A: You should seek medical attention if...

Swine Flu: What You Need To Know

2009-04-26T17:03:00.000-07:00

Swine Flu Update - Tuesday, May 5, 5:00pm: A 33-year-old Texas woman, already suffering from other health problems, died today from the H1N1 virus. Though not yet reflected in today’s report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this makes the second H1N1 death in the United States. Last week, a toddler from Mexico died from the flu in a hospital in Texas. According to many...

Drinking Milk After the Expiration Date

2009-04-17T10:44:00.000-07:00

Question: Can I Drink Milk After The Expiration Date? Answer: This is a common question we receive at Healthline and there’ve been plenty of headlines over the past year to keep food safety issues on everyone’s minds. Chances are most of us can confess to pulling a carton of milk out of the fridge, frowning when noticing the expiration date has passed and then unscrewing the lid to subject it...

What is Supplemental Health Insurance?

2009-03-19T15:46:00.000-07:00

Even if you have a robust employer-provided health insurance plan, you may be surprised to discover what isn’t covered by the plan and what you have to pay out-of-pocket for your health expenses like doctor visits and prescriptions. When you start to add up your medical expenses (and those of your spouse and children) it might make sense to consider a supplemental health insurance plan. These...

Finding the Right Supplemental Dental Insurance

2009-03-18T11:17:00.000-07:00

40% of Americans are not receiving the dental care they need. And 70% of Americans either don’t have dental insurance or the ability to pay for full-price dental work out of pocket. Even those who have work-sponsored dental insurance may be surprised by how little many of the programs actually cover. That reality coupled with the rising cost of dental care has led many people to secure either...

The Benefits of Genetic Testing

2009-02-03T11:38:00.000-08:00

Lately I’ve been thinking more and more about the second half of my life. The fact that I turned 40 last year may be the cause. Or it may be that I’ve had two close friends (same age as me) who’ve recently faced sudden and frightening health scares. It might even be dealing with my aging parents and thinking about the health issues they might face. Whatever the reason, my one resolution this...

Kitchen Prescriptions

2008-12-15T17:04:00.001-08:00

Each winter ushers in another cold and flu season and now is the perfect time to begin prepping yourself to strengthen your immune system and try to avoid getting sick altogether. To get started, you don’t have to look any further than you own kitchen cupboard. Hot and hearty soups packed with ginger, garlic and other bacteria-busting ingredients can be your first line of defense this year. Warm...

Clostridrum Difficile Infections: Increased Threat

2008-09-22T10:22:00.000-07:00

C. difficile or CDAD (Clostridium difficile associated diseases) are gastrointestinal infections caused by an anaerobic bacterium and usually acquired by people who are already sick and often in a health care facility. Symptoms can range from mild, watery diarrhea along with fever, abdominal pain and loss of appetite to life-threatening complications like toxic megacolon, sepsis,...

Big Thanks to RNCentral.com for Top 50 Health 2.0 Blogs!

2008-09-19T10:10:00.000-07:00

RNCentral.com honored Healthline's Health Experts network of bloggers in their Top 50 Health 2.0 Blogs.We are really happy to be recognized along with many of our friends in the blogging community. Thank you!

Pine Bark Extract May Reduce Osteoarthritis Symptoms

2008-09-17T09:50:00.000-07:00

I wrote an earlier post about the benefits of Pycnogenol - Pycnogenol Helps Relieve Menstrual Pain. A new clinical trial indicates the pine bark extract helps reduce the symptoms of osteoarthritis (OA). Over one third of adults over age 65 years have symptoms of OA (pain and limited joint movement). Three clinical trials have reported positive results for use of pine bark in reducing the pain...

48 US Deaths due to Hurricane Ike so Far: 4 Year Old Boy Succumbs to Carbon Monoxide

2008-09-15T10:15:00.000-07:00

As search and rescue teams make their way through the swath of devastation left by Hurricane Ike, the death count is rising. One fatality is a four year old boy who died of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning from a generator inside the home. The rest of the family is being treated for CO poisoning. Generators are a convenience to keep appliances running during power outages, but they must be used...

Violence Prevention in the Wake of Disaster

2008-09-12T11:24:00.000-07:00

Hurricane season is stressful to everyone and the disruptions in routine, unexpected expenses and loss of income are especially difficult for those who are evacuated, or whose homes are damaged by storms. The CDC offers these tips for those affected by natural disasters: Keep your children safe and remain a caring parent: kids get their cues about how to respond to emergencies from their...

Measles & Mumps on the Rise in the US Again: Are Vaccines Safe?

2008-09-10T09:54:00.001-07:00

The CDC reported 131 new cases of measles in the first seven months of 2008, none resulting in deaths but 15 resulting in hospitalizations. Despite a call for booster shots for mumps vaccine in the 1990's, with a goal of elimination of the disease by 2010, the US had an outbreak of 6584 mumps cases in 2006. 85% of the cases were in eight contiguous midwestern states, 85 hospitalizations and no...

So You Think You Want to Volunteer as a Disaster Responder?

2008-09-08T10:21:00.000-07:00

That is wonderful news to the people who need help, but organizations like the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) want you to be prepared. Flood waters are often contaminated with sewage, chemicals, and pesticides; physical hazards may be submerged or floating and displaced animals, reptiles and even insects represent dangers to the relief worker. It is important to...

Surgery for Parkinson's Disease Symptoms

2008-09-05T11:52:00.000-07:00

A jury in Kentucky awarded $5 million to the widow of a man who died following elective surgery for Parkinson's disease symptoms. While most of us are familiar with Parkinson's disease as a chronic illness manifesting in tremors, many people are unaware that there are surgical options available for treatment. Surgical treatment for Parkinson's disease symptoms actually predated medical...

What Would YOU Do in a Disaster?

2008-09-03T10:55:00.000-07:00

Amanda Riley, author of The Unthinkable, and reporter for TIME has dedicated her career to understanding how humans respond to disasters and how to improve our chances of surviving a disaster by changing our behavior. Ripley's investigations of how humans respond to disasters like the WTC collapses or the New Orleans floods have yielded surprising results - most humans become docile in the face...

Thank You Laurie Edwards at Chronic Dose for Grand Rounds Vol. 4 No. 50

2008-09-02T11:06:00.000-07:00

Author/blogger Laurie Edwards at Chronic Dose hosted Getting Educated Medical Grand Rounds this week. Thanks for including my post Have the Olympics Inspired You to New Fitness Greatness? in this delightful edition of Grand Rounds.

HIV Infections in NYC Three Times National Rate

2008-08-29T10:30:00.000-07:00

4800 people, most of them men who had sex with men (MSM) contracted HIV in NYC in 2006. NYC is considered the epicenter of the HIV epidemic, with 100,000 people living with the illness. Black and Latino men in their 30's and 40's have the highest incidence of new infections. There is discordance among men who self-identify as "straight" men while engaging in same sex activity. A lot of hype...

Hurricane Katrina Death Tally 1000 - Half of them Elderly

2008-08-28T15:12:00.000-07:00

With a new hurricane bearing down on New Orleans and the surrounding area, a new report from Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness finally provides us with death toll post Katrina - 3 years on. Hurricane Katrina struck on August 29, 2005 and 1000 people - half of them over age 75 years - died. Most died by drowning 33% died in homes 2% of the deaths were under age 18 years 51% of...

Have the Olympics Inspired You to New Fitness Greatness?

2008-08-25T08:35:00.000-07:00

While the US Olympic athletes brought home a record number of Olympic medals, statistics point to continuing rise of obesity in our country. If watching all of these gifted athletes perform has inspired you to greatness, here are some tips to increase your fitness, energy and beauty: Take the stairs: walk stairs as much as possible, then take two at a timeCore strength is the key to more...

First Medication for Huntington's Chorea Approved

2008-08-20T12:24:00.000-07:00

Huntington's disease is a fatal, inherited neurodegenerative disorder marked by disabling chorea. Chorea is a symptom of the disease, manifesting in spasmodic, uncontrollable movements that become disabling. The FDA has now approved the medication tetrabenazine for treatment of chorea offering hope to thousands. Tetrabenazine calms the jerky, uncontrollable movements of the body by its action...