Did you go to a New Year’s Eve Party? Can you believe that happened THIS MONTH? The month of January can tend to drag on. The holiday fun is over. It’s cold, there’s less daylight and the landscape is bleak. But, how can you tell the difference between “the winter blues” and something more serious? Depressive Disorder with Seasonal Onset, previously known as Season al Affective Disorder, is listed as a subtype of depression within the DSM-V, the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and

When we hear the term trauma in the context of health, we often think of a trauma ward, or emergency room, for people who have have been in accidents. And it’s right that we should think of people with physical injuries, as The Encyclopedia of Healthcare Management notes the word trauma originated from the Greek word for wound. However, emotional trauma can also have physical health effects. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Resilience Project, health problems, mental health

At Christmastime, Jack Frost nipping at your nose sounds cute. When you are shoveling snow in January, you worry about meeting his ugly cousin, frostbite. While hypothermia, the lowering of core body temperature, is deadly, frostbite---freezing of the skin and underlying tissues--- can cause permanent tissue damage, as well as lead to amputation and disability. The Mayo Clinic reports there are three stages of frostbite. Frostnip, the first stage of frostbite, doesn't cause permanent skin damage

A gynecological oncologist recently lamented that women often don’t come to see him until their cancers are very advanced. Because of the hesitancy to report symptoms occurring “below the waist” and the mistaken belief that gynecological cancers are associated with promiscuity, women are literally dying of embarrassment. January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month. According to the American Cancer Society, Cervical cancer can often be found early, and sometimes even prevented entirely, by having

If, like the majority of Americans, you take a daily multivitamin to make up for a suboptimal diet and promote wellness, you may want to change your routine. Because so many Americans take dietary supplements, the National Institutes of Health has spent up to $300 million to study their health effects. They found that in randomized clinical trials, most of the supplements failed to demonstrate a significant benefit. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has concluded that the current evidence

Often times we think of the havoc our pets wreak on our holiday decorations. However, we also need to consider the health risks decking the halls can cause for our pets. We hear about poinsettias being poisonous, but mistletoe and holly are even more toxic for pets. They can cause gastrointestinal illness, as well as cardiovascular problems, according to the ASPCA. If you have a live tree, make sure your pet can’t access the water, as it is a breeding ground for bacteria. If you have a cat, don

Did you know that on average, Americans gain a little over a pound in the week following Christmas? Would it make you feel better if I told you so do Germans and the Japanese? Misery loves company. And fudge. The New England Journal of Medicine published a study in September that found Americans aren’t the only ones who put on weight during celebratory times. But, a report in Nutrition Review suggests that pounds Americans gain can have long lasting effects: weight gain during the holiday season

We all know the gifts that get mocked this time of year…fruitcake, another tie for dad, socks…we may have previously considered a health and fitness gift on the naughty list too. After all, what exactly was the gift giver implying? However, as Christmas quickly approaches, many might be hoping to find a fitness tracker under the tree. While gadgets that measured heartrate and other physical markers were once thought to only be in the realm of elite athletes, that is no longer the case. The

How common is the common cold?According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in the course of a year, people in the U.S. suffer 1 billion colds. But, when you’re coughing, sneezing, and miserable do you need a doctor? Sometimes people are unsure if they have the flu, bronchitis, pneumonia...or just the common cold. To avoid an unnecessary trip to your healthcare provider and to prevent the overprescription of antibiotics, it helps to understand the difference between these

Americans have been able to enroll or re-enroll in health care plans for 2018 on the federal marketplace, HealthCare.gov since November 1. Enrollment will close on December 15. This will be the shortest open enrollment period since the Affordable Care Act marketplaces began. You have about three more weeks to get signed up for health insurance if you don’t get coverage through your employer, your parents, or a government plan, like Medicaid or Medicare. Despite much political debate about the