Health Tips

The idea of checking our temperature when we are sick is deeply ingrained in most Americans. Elevated body temperature most commonly occurs when the immune system is actively fighting off an infection (bacterial, viral, or fungal). However, fevers can occur with alcohol withdrawal, drug abuse (such as methamphetamines), or heat…

Allergies develop when the immune system overreacts to substances in the environment, such as the pollen of trees, grasses, weeds, or mold spores. Allergy symptoms, triggered by the release of histamine in the body, include itching, sneezing, hives, and wheezing. Seasonal allergic rhinitis or “hay fever,” is common this time…

The body is made up of about 60% water, and daily intake is obviously vital for survival. You have probably heard that you need to drink 8 glasses of water per day, at a minimum. This is a general guideline that does not take into account your activity level, health…

There is a scene in Jurassic Park where a scientist (Laura Dern) digs through a massive pile of “droppings” to diagnose a sick triceratops. She wears armpit-high plastic gloves for her stool analysis, as a bemused onlooker (Jeff Goldblum) reminds her to “wash her hands before dinner.” Stool analysis can…

You may have heard that there is an opioid crisis in the United States with people becoming addicted to pain killers, overdosing, and dying. Even though the Trump administration has identified the opioid epidemic as a “public health emergency,” a recent public opinion poll suggested that Americans aren’t as concerned…

I was recently asked this question – what is the best way to work out? I find that people mean many different things when they ask this. Some mean, “What is the minimal amount of exercise that I can do and be healthy?” while others mean: “What is the best…

This has been a particularly bad flu season, though it seems we may be at the peak and about to see a decrease in infections. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that flu season usually peaks between December and February, and having this season’s peak at the…

Intermittent fasting (IF) is a type of diet strategy that limits calorie consumption to certain hours within a day, or days within a week. Proponents claim that going without food on a regular basis can reduce disease burden/risk and increase longevity. Some of the more popular types of intermittent fasting…

Most of us have heard of the male hormone, testosterone, and may have even blamed it for everything from extreme sports to the road rage videos on ‘YouTube’. You may also have seen ads on TV, promoting testosterone therapy for aging men. This strange cultural phenomenon – simultaneously rolling our…

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States, occurring in over two million people each year.  Three of the most common types of skin cancer are squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Last week, characteristic features of each of these were described in…