Alzheimer’s, the most common form of dementia, is a disorder in the brain that can be fatal and still has no known cure but has treatment for its symptoms. It is associated with the loss of memory and slowed thinking. While this is common in older people, experts now claim there are about 500,000 people at the age of 30, 40 or 50 already suffering from this disease or any related dementia. Recently, a study showed that a genetic variant that elevates the risk of this disease can actually improve the function of the brain, particularly for those carriers who are younger. Professor Duke Han...

The Taking on Childhood Obesity task force was launched in line with Michelle Obama’s campaign to help more children become active and healthier in order for them to reach adulthood with a healthier weight. The first lady plans to address the growing childhood obesity epidemic by asking for the cooperation of both public and private sectors. US President Barack Obama has signed a presidential memorandum that provides the task force an allowance of 90 days to formulate a detailed plan that identifies the campaign’s key benchmarks as well as to outline a specific plan of action. According...

Spider veins are mostly found on the legs and face. They are the cause of a dilation of a small group of blood vessels close to the surface of the skin. They appear like purple or reddish sunbursts, or a web-like pattern. Varicose veins are effects of enlarged or swollen blood vessels that are caused by a weakening in the vein valves or wall. Unlike the spider veins, varicose veins are found deeper in the skin and they look raised and blue. Although the cause of the swelling is still unknown (hormonal changes, heredity and pregnancy are said to be contributing elements), doctors believe it...

Most people get tattoos because it marks something significant in their life, while others just want them because they think tattoos look good. There are various reasons why people want to get rid of the tattoos in their body. Some want them removed because they think it is not as important as when they first had it. One of the most popular procedures today is surgical excision, which involves removing the tattooed skin using a scalpel or any similar surgical blade and stitching the resulting epidermal breach. Unlike most tattooing procedures, the area is injected with a local anesthetic...

More than 18 million people in the US suffer from clinical depression, with 28 million taking anti-depressant or anxiety treatments. According to psychotherapist Julia Ross, she considers this a “bad mood epidemic,” suggesting that such moods and emotions are caused by poor nutrition. In her book, The Mood Cure, she stated that the four emotion engines (also known as neurotransmitters) in the brain, which have a particular effect on a person’s mood, each require a varied amino acid fuel. These four are: • The Blahs. You feel upbeat and energized when you are high in catecholamines. If...

The international journal of the American Cancer Society has recently published a study ran by Healthcore Inc. The study, which demonstrates the differences in the treatment of breast cancer between commercially insured white and black women, was released in the journal’s January 1 edition. The study suggests that African-American women under government health programs are often diagnosed in the later stages of cancer. According to Dr. Joe Singer, current vice president of clinical affairs for HealthCore, the findings of the study suggests that certain disparities in the treatment of breast...

The Fistula Foundation was originally founded in 2000 as the American Friends Foundation for Childbirth Injuries. This United States-based non-profit organization was established by a former Ethiopian Peace Corps teacher, Richard Haas. Together with his daughter Shaleece, Richard Haas started the foundation right after he returned to California after a visit from the Fistula Hospital. The organization works to provide support to the medical initiatives of the Fistula Hospital. It also aims to raise awareness for fistula as well as funds to support several educational programs all over the...