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Because of the growing knowledge about the role that omega-3 fatty acids (or lack thereof) plays in brain health and mental disorders, researchers have investigated whether omega-3s may help with bipolar disorder, too. Omega-3 fatty acids are a group of essential fatty acids that have to be consumed in your diet via food or supplements. Fish oil — the oil that comes from fish and seafood — is rich in omega-3s, namely EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid); you can also get it via supplements....

One of my easier-said-than-done psoriasis tips is to take short, lukewarm showers. This isn’t so hard to do in the summer, but as the season changes and temperatures drop, it’s a tough proposition. One cool night, I couldn’t help but turn up the hot water. I knew this was a risky thing to do, but after a long day of work and an evening jog, I craved the relaxation of a hot shower....

Yoga, an ancient Indian system of well-being that has become extremely popular in Western countries, may be particularly helpful for people with AS. The practice of yoga encompasses physical poses, breathing exercises, and meditation that, done regularly, help many people gain physical strength and flexibility, improve their balance, and also feel more relaxed and better able to manage stress and anxiety. While yoga is safe for most healthy individuals, some poses are better avoided by those with osteoporosis, a common complication of ankylosing spondylitis....

If you’re like many people, you might answer the question “what’s your body type?” with a response like “hot,” “weak,” “strong,” “flabby,” “curvy,” or another adjective based on your subjective judgments of yourself. But there are ways to figure out what your natural-born body type is, objectively speaking. These objective body types are based on the concept of somatotypes, which were developed in the 1940s to correlate body types with physical strengths and weaknesses, personality characteristics, and behavior....

RELATED: The Best and Worst Foods to Eat if You Have Type 2 Diabetes Potential Health Benefits of Ginger for Type 2 Diabetes Ginger is a natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory substance that has many potential health benefits for certain conditions, including certain types of cancer, suggests a study published in April 2013 in the International Journal of Preventive Medicine. The possible perks of this herb don’t end there. “We know that ginger is commonly used to help relieve nausea, vomiting, or any upset stomach, and there is also some evidence it may reduce menstrual pain symptoms, morning sickness in pregnant women, and even arthritis pain in joints,” says Rahaf Al Bochi, RD, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and owner of Olive Tree Nutrition....

People with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have a nearly 20 percent greater chance of developing heart disease than the general population. And the risk is higher in women and in people younger than 40, according to a study published in March 2014 in the journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. Other research has found that people with UC and Crohn’s disease are 37 percent more likely to be hospitalized for heart failure (especially during a flare) than people without IBD, according to a study published in July 2014 in the journal Circulation: Heart Failure....

Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness that is characterized by hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thought and speech patterns. It typically emerges between the ages of 15 and 25. With the severity of symptoms and the time of onset — during key developmental years when individuals are pursing educational, work, or relationships goals — the illness typically results in severe disruption to development. Schizophrenia is one of the top 15 leading causes of disability, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)....

Although the diagnosis was surprising, looking back, Merkerson says there were clear signs. “I could remember being really, really thirsty. I was dealing with frequent urination, feeling fatigued even though I was getting enough sleep, and hungry when I knew I had eaten recently,” she explains. Then there was her deep family history of the disease, including her father who died at age 57 from complications of type 2 diabetes....

Women on the cholesterol-lowering medications were significantly less likely to visit the emergency room or to be hospitalized from heart failure when on certain chemotherapy drugs than their counterparts who were not taking statins. The results were published in January 2021 in the Journal of the American Heart Association. The study looked at anthracyclines and trastuzumab, two types of cancer medications commonly used to treat breast cancer. While these medications are effective at killing cancer cells, they can also damage the cells of the heart muscle, leading to a weakening of the heart and increasing the risk of heart failure....

If chronic sinus problems are making you miserable, you’re not alone. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 29 million American adults have been diagnosed with sinusitis. Sinus problems usually start with a viral head cold. Congestion in your nose blocks the drainage of your sinuses, and that can lead to acute sinusitis. “Both your nose and your sinuses are lined by moisturizing mucous membranes,” explains Toribio Flores, MD, an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist at the Cleveland Clinic....

These breast cancer survivors have taken the battle against disparities into their own hands, creating resources and communities to help women of color get equal footing in diagnosis and treatment. RELATED: 11 Inspiring Women Affected by Breast Cancer to Follow on Instagram Ricki Fairley: Bringing Black Women and Researchers Together on the Need for More Inclusive Clinical Trials “Three days later, my doctor called to say it was triple negative and that I needed to go home,” says Fairley....

While the impact of the flu varies year to year, it also has a significant effect on our collective daily life; it resulted in anywhere from 9 million to 45 million illnesses in the United States each year between 2010 and 2020, the CDC estimates. “Most people can help ease their symptoms by getting plenty of rest and staying well-hydrated with fluids,” says Christopher Ohl, MD, a professor of infectious diseases at Wake Forest School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina....

Generally referred to as complementary therapies or integrative medicine for lung cancer, these methods are typically used alongside conventional lung cancer treatment. In contrast, alternative treatments for lung cancer (sometimes called natural remedies for lung cancer or home remedies for lung cancer) typically replace regular medical care. This can have serious consequences, says the National Institute for Complementary and Integrative Health. (1) Sometimes, people with lung cancer are interested in exploring palliative care, which aims to improve quality of life for people with life-threatening diseases....

But nothing can 100 percent guarantee you won’t get COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus. Perhaps it is time to make a plan for what would happen if you do get the disease and end up being very sick. RELATED: Expert Tips for Coping With COVID-19 at Home Planning ahead for any disaster makes sense, experts say. After all, before a hurricane or wildfire comes your way, you gather important papers and make a worst-case scenario plan....

RELATED: The Latest News on COVID-19 Here are some suggestions for stocking up the smart way. Canned Foods “During any emergency, it’s important to consider how you will nourish yourself and your family,” she says, adding that dried and canned goods are essentials — and brown rice, lentils, dried beans, and dried fruits are top choices. “These foods are great sources of magnesium, which is a very important micronutrient for metabolic function and a strong immune system,” she says....

According to the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation (CCF), skin disorders affect about 20 percent of people with inflammatory bowel disease, a broad term that refers to both Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Some of these disorders, such as psoriasis, can get worse in the winter because freezing temperatures and dry indoor air can leave the skin parched. Moisturizing with ointments like petroleum jelly (such as Vaseline), using a humidifier, and avoiding coarse, potentially irritating fabrics can help combat this issue, says Amanda Moon, MD, a pediatric dermatologist at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia....

“In some people with psoriatic arthritis, depression and anxiety are temporary and related to lack of control of pain, but in others it becomes chronic,” says Stanford Shoor, MD, a rheumatologist at Stanford Health Care in Palo Alto, California. Here are six things you should know about psoriatic arthritis and how it may affect your emotional health. A better understanding of these facts can help you cope with this autoimmune condition and the anxiety and depression that can come with it....

Take allergies, for example. People who are allergic to mold could develop a cough or wheeze if they’re exposed to the fungus, and those with insect allergies can experience chest tightness and difficulty breathing if they’re stung by a bee or wasp. One way to distinguish between allergy and asthma symptoms: Allergies occur in the upper-respiratory system and go hand-in-hand with nasal congestion, sinus pain, and nasal drip, which can cause airway irritation and coughing, says Thomas Asciuto, MD, the medical director of pulmonary services at Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California....

There are more than 100 autoimmune diseases in all, and the list is growing, notes Amber L. Champion, MD, an endocrinologist at the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at the University of Las Vegas in Nevada. “They are a diverse group of diseases and affect nearly every organ system of the body,” she says. Autoimmune diseases share certain traits. With all autoimmune diseases, the body’s immune system goes into overdrive, and essentially begins attacking the body itself, as happens with psoriatic arthritis (PsA)....

More Than 45 Million Americans Are Paying Down Student Loans As the cost of college has increased, students and their families have taken on more debt to get to and stay in college, says the study’s lead author, Adam M. Lippert, PhD, a professor and researcher in the department of sociology at the University of Colorado in Denver. “Student debt has exploded in the country, with over 45 million Americans paying down educational loans,” says Dr....