Health & Wellness - August 2015 Archives

According to the American Cancer Society, about 21,000 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer this year ... and more than 14,000 will die from ...

Ecosystems usually refer to places on the earth, like forests or deserts. But our bodies have ecosystems, too. Collectively called the "human microbiome," these communities of ...

THIS WEEK'S TOP STORIES Exercise intensity: How to measure it To get the most out of your workouts, aim for a moderate to vigorous exercise intensity. See how taking note of your heart rate and how you feel can help. Memory loss: 7 tips to improve your memory Forgetting where your keys or glasses are happens to most of us. To help keep your memory sharp, try these seven suggestions. EXPERT ANSWERS NSAIDs: Do they increase my risk of heart attack and stroke? Taking these common pain medications may increase the chance of having a heart attack or stroke. Learn about alternatives and how to lower your risk. Psoriasis diet: Can changing your diet treat psoriasis? There's no special psoriasis diet, but eating certain foods may improve or worsen your symptoms. Click here to get a free e-subscription to the Housecall newsletter.

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I have double vision in my right eye and can read with glasses, but distance is not very clear. What causes double vision? Is there a procedure to correct it? ANSWER: A number of conditions can lead to double vision. Treatment typically depends on the underlying cause. With a careful evaluation and accurate diagnosis, double vision can often be effectively treated. Double vision, also called diplopia, is either monocular or binocular. Monocular double vision is present in each eye separately. Binocular double vision is only present with both eyes open. This distinction is very important because monocular double vision is never dangerous, while binocular double vision can be caused by some serious neurologic conditions. If you have new symptoms of double vision, a quick way to assess which type you have is to close each eye separately. Using your question as an example, “I have double vision in my right eye,” suggests that you have monocular, or “one-eyed,” diplopia. This means that when you close your left eye, you see images as double out of your right eye. But when you close your right eye, the double vision goes away. If you have binocular double vision, when you close either your right eye or left eye, the double vision goes away.

Which worries are right? "Worry that motivates is useful, worry that paralyzes isn’t. Beyond a limit, worry is paralyzing. Worry has impaired my ability ...

MEDIA ADVISORY: Hurricane Season Food Safety and Meal Plans: Mayo Clinic Experts Offer Storm Prep Suggestions As Tropical Storm Erika brews in the Atlantic, residents of coastal communities are starting to prepare for a potential severe weather emergency. But hurricane shutters, flashlights and batteries are not the only things to consider. Food safety is critical to maintaining well being during a natural disaster, and finding creative ways to feed a family can become an issue if refrigeration and electricity are unavailable. "Whether it's a hurricane or another natural disaster, it's critical to understand basic food and water safety, particularly if power outages or flooding occur. Having a plan in place will ensure proper nutrition, energy, and long-term wellness," says Sherry Mahoney, director of Nutrition and Food Services at Mayo Clinic in Florida. She advises creating a meal plan in advance, "since most people aren't thinking about recipes (during a disaster), and refrigeration and cooking may become a problem." But registered dietitian and nutritionist Emily Brantley says eating out of a can doesn't have to be boring."There are many options to mix and match from your pantry, and with advanced planning and a little creativity, you can provide healthy and delicious meals for your family." To interview experts please contact Cynthia Weiss Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, 507-284-5005,newsbureau@mayo.edu Journalists:  sound bites with Emily Brantley are available in the downloads. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6b4btbJdVc  

A simple path to resilience From moving more and eating well to taking time to relax, discover simple things you can do to nurture ...

According to the American Cancer Society, about 21,000 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer this year ... and more than 14,000 will die from ...

If your children participate in school sports, you know proper nutrition will help them perform at their best. The same holds true for academics. Mayo Clinic ...

Filza Hussain, M.D., behavioral health physician at Mayo Clinic Health System, provides some expert perspective on depression and our culture's understanding of the subject. Our relationship with the word depression is quite paradoxical. Although, on the one hand, we so freely admit that we are depressed because our team lost the Super Bowl or because the store doesn’t carry a desired outfit in our size. When it comes to talking about clinical depression, the stigma attached with the word becomes omnipotent. Rather than admitting to feelings of sadness, loss of interest in usual activities, guilt, decreased energy, difficulty with attention and concentration, and sleep difficulties, we clam up, put a bright smile on our face and pretend everything is OK.

Watch today's Mayo Clinic Minute We hear from Dr. Stephanie Faubion, director of Mayo Clinic's Women's Health Clinic, about the first pill designed to ...

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Mayo Clinic experts participated in the Minnesota Moving Forward Together conference  examining the use and overuse of opioids and painkillers in Minnesota. Michael Hooten M.D., a board-certified pain medicine specialist, and Keith Berge M.D., an anesthesiologist – both from Mayo Clinic’s Rochester campus – attended the conference in Minneapolis, Tuesday Aug. 25. Dr. Hooten contributed to a panel discussion on the history of prescribing, the physiological mechanism that links overuse to dependency, the new state Opioid Prescribing Improvement Program and current practice around opioid prescribing. He spoke about the role of psychiatric comorbidities, such as depression and anxiety, and says the prevalence of these conditions is high among people with chronic pain. “My overall approach is to treat the underlying psychiatric illness directly, then trend away or taper the opioid.”  Dr. Hooten was lead author a recent study that found that 1 in 4 people prescribed opioids progressed to longer-term prescriptions. Journalists: B-roll of the event and sound bites with Drs. Hooten and Berge are available in the downloads. Media Contact: To schedule an interview with Drs. Hooten or Berge, contact Rhoda Madson at 507-284-5005 or newsbureau@mayo.edu. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGAxK1z4T90