Health and Wellness

I am so sorry to hear about your mother. Aortic valve stenosis is a narrowing of one of your heart's valves that prevents it from opening fully. This can obstruct blood flow in your heart from going onward to t... continue reading  about  My 86-year-old mom just passed away from aortic valve stenosis. Should I contact my doctor and have my heart checked out? I've heard that most heart exams are geared for men more so than women. What should I do?

Adrenal fatigue is a term used in functional medicine to describe a syndrome of chronic stress. When we experience stress, the hypothalamus in the brain activates a series of changes that lead to, among other t... continue reading  about  I am post-menopausal and dealing with adrenal fatigue. What do you recommend?

Acute hives are actually fairly common, but finding the cause can be challenging. Hives occur when the immune system is stimulated into releasing histamine from inside the blood stream, resulting in the dilatio... continue reading  about  My wife just developed hives for the first time in her life -- on her face, arms and chest. What is known about hives, and what can she do to eliminate the symptoms?

FDA reviews all glucose meters and test strips before they can be sold to the public. The manufacturers need to demonstrate to the FDA that their meters provide acceptable accuracy and consistency of readings.I... continue reading  about  I'm interested in purchasing a blood glucose monitor, and I'm having difficulty finding information regarding which glucose monitor is the most accurate. Is there an independent study that shows accuracy data of all the meters?

Yes, the recovery time for C-section births is generally longer than that of vaginal births. For example, time in the hospital for vaginal births is generally between one to two days. On the other hand, C-secti... continue reading  about  Does recovery time after a C-section differ from a vaginal birth?

Impotence is an old-fashioned, non-specific and medically improper term that is no longer used to describe male sexual problems. The current terminology describing difficulty achieving and/or maintaining an ere... continue reading  about  What is the difference between erectile dysfunction and impotence?

Corns are areas of hard, thick skin and are caused by pressure. The pressure is usually from our shoes, but can also be caused by the toes pressing on each other. There is often an underlying prominence such as... continue reading  about  What causes corns on feet, and is surgery always required to remove them?

Current treatments for end stage arthritis (bone touching bone) are very limited to mostly surgical options, i.e. joint replacement. Currently there is no effective way of replacing the cartilage that is damage... continue reading  about  I have knee pain, which I feel all day. I'm seeing an orthopedic doctor. His conclusion is the cartilage is worn out and recommends knee replacement. I've tried injections but this did not help. Are there any alternative procedures you would recommend?

In excess, yes. The numbers:1 gram (1,000 mg) sodium = 2.5 gram of salt = 1 teaspoon of table saltHarmful = more than 5-6 grams, and probably less than 1.5 grams a dayAmerican Heart Association recommendation =... continue reading  about  Does salt raise blood pressure?