Taking the “bite” out of summer pests

Taking the “bite” out of summer pests

Sea lice are a marine parasite that affect fish and are not actual lice like their name implies.  Found in the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, and along both the east and west coasts of the United States during the spring/summer months of April to August is when sea lice are in season.  Swimmers are more likely to encounter stinging sea lice than other ocean pests.

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Building a better bladder to reduce incontinence

Building a better bladder to reduce incontinence

 

Do Kegel exercises faithfully.  This involves squeezing and releasing the muscles used to hold in urine.  It is particularly helpful for those with an overactive bladder and if done regularly, may bring about a 75-100% improvement.

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A Vaccine for Cancer

HPV is also known to cause cancers in the back of the throat, in an area known as the oropharynx. HPV is linked with about 70 percent of these types of cancers in the U.S. and the rates of these cancers are rising dramatically, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Zinc Acetate & the common cold

Zinc Acetate & the common cold

Medicine still cannot cure the common cold, but we may have just discovered a quick and inexpensive way to get you better, faster. A meta-analysis of three controlled trials has revealed that zinc acetate lozenges increases the rate of recovery from the common cold by a factor of three.

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Are you at risk for fatty liver disease?

Are you at risk for fatty liver disease?

The second largest organ in your body, your liver, is sort of a jack of all trades. It can process what you eat and drink into energy,  makes cholesterol, stores various vitamins and minerals, removes bilirubin from the blood along with other harmful substances, makes bile to help digest fat, and regulates the composition of blood. 

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All about ulcers

All about ulcers

Up to 45 million people in the U.S. have an open sore in the lining of their gastrointestinal tract known as an ulcer.  An ulcer can occur in the upper portion of the small intestine (duodenal ulcer), the stomach (gastric ulcer), and the esophagus (esophageal ulcer).  Ulcers are often referred to as “peptic ulcers” to indicate they occur in the digestive tract.

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8 skin conditions demanding your attention

8 skin conditions demanding your attention

None of us get through life without some kind of skin issues.  Be it major or minor skin eruptions, ignoring the condition and wishing it will go away is not the solution.  Your skin is the largest organ of the body and when it goes haywire it’s like setting off an alarm warning you to take notice and take action.

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As temperatures rise, so does the threat of Zika

As temperatures rise, so does the threat of Zika

Summer heat is already beginning to bear down on the southernmost tip of the Texas border known as the Rio Grande Valley and along with it comes mosquito season.  One particular type of mosquito known as the Aedes species will be watched and tracked very closely as it is the type that spreads the virus Zika.  Discovered in 1947 and named after the Zika Forest in Uganda, this virus is an infectious disease spread mainly by this mosquito but also can be transmitted through sex and from a pregnant woman to her fetus.

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Understanding pulmonary hypertension

 Understanding pulmonary hypertension

Hypertension or high blood pressure is the common condition of when blood pressure, the force of your blood pushing against the walls of your blood vessels, is consistently high.   Most of us are familiar with and have a basic understanding of it.  But there is another type of hypertension we may have heard of but are not clear on exactly what is means.  This hypertension is called pulmonary hypertension or PH and is when a person has high blood pressure in the lungs.  It can also be referred to as pulmonary arterial hypertension or PAH. 

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Breast Cancer Survival: By The Numbers

Breast Cancer Survival: By The Numbers

The survival rate for people diagnosed with breast cancer is pretty good (80 percent recover and go on to live for at least 10 years) but the ordeal can easily be overwhelming. Still, there have been steady improvements made in both longevity and quality of life for those undergoing treatment.

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Here’s how you can outsmart oral cancer

Here’s how you can outsmart oral cancer

Cancer anywhere in the body is never good but for some reason, having cancer strike in our oral cavity seems particularly bad.  Oral cancer also known as head and neck cancers will appear as a growth or sore in the mouth that does not go away.  This type of cancer includes cancers of the lips, tongue, cheeks, floor of the mouth, hard and soft palate, sinuses, and pharynx (throat).  Any of them can not only be disfiguring but also life-threatening if not diagnosed and treated early.

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