Early Flu Symptoms: What to Do When You Have the Flu

Influenza virus – the flu – attacks about eight percent of Americans every year. Flu symptoms range from mild to severe, and in a few cases, flu can be life threatening. Mild flu attacks your nose and throat. More serious flu attacks your lungs and breathing tubes. The best way … Read More

Prediabetes Warning: These Risk Factors Can Lead to Diabetes

If you have prediabetes, there is about a 50 percent chance you will go on to develop type 2 diabetes. This is something you want to avoid because type 2 diabetes increases your risk for damage to your heart, blood vessels, and kidneys. The good news is that making some … Read More

Vitamin D Deficiency: Are You at Risk?

Vitamin D is an important vitamin for health. It helps you absorb calcium from your diet that you need for strong bones. Vitamin D is also important for muscle movement and nerve function, and it helps your immune system stay strong to fight disease. [1-3] Some research suggests that having … Read More

What Is Dopamine Deficiency?

You may have read or heard about dopamine deficiency and supplements or diets to increase your dopamine level. Dopamine is an important brain chemical, but other than a rare, inherited genetic disorder, there is no medical diagnosis called dopamine deficiency. [1-3] You can develop low levels of dopamine or an … Read More

What Is Serotonin Deficiency?

Serotonin is an important brain chemical that relays messages in your brain, called a neurotransmitter. [1,2] Serotonin in also a hormone. Hormones are chemical messengers that travel through your body. Although serotonin has effects on your whole body, according to the Endocrine Society, serotonin is the  key hormone that stabilizes … Read More

Tonsil Stones: Symptoms, Treatment, and Prevention

Have you ever had the sensation that something’s stuck in the back of your throat and you’re not sure what it could be? You cough a few times and try to clear your throat, but that weird feeling just won’t go away. There’s a possibility it could be a tonsil … Read More

Over-the-Counter Anxiety Medications and Supplements: Do They Work?

If you’ve been stressed out and searching for an over-the-counter anxiety medication, you should know that there aren’t any. You might consider taking a detour in search of natural solutions. Specifically, check out the alternative and natural remedy section of any pharmacy or health food store and you’re bound to … Read More

What Can Skew a PSA Test? These 10 Factors Can Affect Your Numbers

It’s well known that the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test used to screen for prostate cancer is imprecise. Elevations in PSA levels may signal prostate cancer, but they also may be due to nonmalignant prostate conditions. Further complicating the screening process is that several medications and a number of other modifiable … Read More