Health Blog

A healthy body and a sound mind

Diseases That Can Be Linked to Family History

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Sometimes there’s very little you can do to avoid illness or disease. Your family background comes into play, sometimes outweighing all of your healthy habits, such as eating farm-to-table organic, and exercising on a regular basis.

Just because your mother or grandfather had a certain disease doesn’t mean you’re doomed, however. It does give you extra information so you can head off disease before it gets out of control; it also lets you know the red flags to watch out for.

In other words, you might have a stronger chance of developing certain diseases compared to someone with no family history of them. The closer you are to someone on your family tree with a certain disease, the more likely you are to develop it.

Likewise, the more people in your family who had the disease, the more likely you are to develop it. That’s why knowing your genealogy and family tree can play a crucial role in taking care of your health. [Read more…]

How the Internet May Have Contributed to the Recent Measles Outbreak

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Our fast-paced world is often complicated by the ubiquity of technology and the Internet, which touch every aspect of our lives, from our relationships to our finances, and even our health. In many ways, these tools make our lives easier: longer life spans, swift communication with relatives and friends near and far, and real-time news updates, for example.

Unfortunately, the abundance of information available on the Internet and the ease with which we can access it can also have significant negative repercussions. [Read more…]

What You Need to Know About Gout – and How to Prevent It

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Gout. It’s what middle-aged people fear. Both men and women may experience it. It strikes the joints but it’s treatable and preventable.

Gout is a form of arthritis which affects older people and causes pain. It is an inflammation of the joints that often attack the fingers, toes and knees. Among women, those in their post-menopause stage are commonly affected. Reports say that some two million people are now suffering from this condition.

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A major symptom of this disease is the pain being felt in the joints either early in the morning or during midnight. When it strikes the fingers or toes, swelling and tenderness normally occur.

Cause of Gout

This condition called gout is caused by the formation of uric acid in the kidneys, skin and joints. It is the liver that produces uric acid which is then transported to the joints and bloodstream. When it crystallizes in the joints, pain often results. [Read more…]

Study Finds Flu Shot’s Double Benefits

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Nobody’s exempted from getting the flu. When the virus is around you and most especially when it’s the flu season, you might just get it.

Doctors say those who are not prone to getting it should not feel too confident because the virus can still strike you in the future. And when it enters your body, it can result in a few days of bed rest and medication or it could also make you seriously ill requiring hospitalization.

For this reason, medical experts recommend that children and adults get the flu shot as early as possible to provide them immunity throughout the flu season. More importantly, pregnant women, young children and the elderly should get vaccinated.
[Read more…]