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– Frank, Florida Yes, flaxseed may help lower your sugar levels, and it plays a role in the prevention of prostate cancer as well. However, the strength of the evidence is too weak to permit definitive recommendations. Nonetheless, flaxseed is rich in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an essential fatty acid that appears to be beneficial in preventing heart disease and related illnesses. Flaxseed contains the right ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids, is high in fiber, and provides a phytoestrogen called lignan, which may have antioxidant properties that protect against certain cancers....

“Our bodies are very dependent upon water, as all cells, body compartments, and bodily fluids (for example blood) within the human body contain water to some degree,” explains Albert Do, MD, MPH, a gastroenterologist and the clinical director of the fatty liver program at Yale Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut. He adds that our kidneys are good at managing the amount of water within our bodies; they make more urine in states of excess water intake, and they reduce urine production during periods of reduced water intake....

The cerebellum, a term that means “little brain” in Latin, is the structure that is nestled below the cerebrum at the back of your head, just in front of the brain stem. It plays a role in balance, coordination, depth and size perception, sense of timing, learning, emotions, and decision-making, among other things. Who knew that my cerebellum would be attacked enough by MS to make it look like Swiss cheese?...

In the United States, there have been at least two E. coli outbreaks each year since 2009. (1) But only about 20 percent of E. coli cases occur as part of a recognized outbreak. (2) Identifying E. coli Outbreaks Scientists first recognized E. coli O157 as a pathogen in 1982. But the public had little awareness of the bacteria until 1993, when undercooked hamburgers from the Jack in the Box fast-food chain gave E....

Researchers found that older adults who engaged in either moderate/high-intensity aerobic training or low-intensity stretching, balance, and range-of-motion exercises for 12 months showed no decline from their baseline in terms of cognitive function. That’s according to lead study author Laura Baker, PhD, professor of gerontology and geriatric medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, who spoke at the AAIC conference. “There is increasing evidence that our health overall greatly impacts our brain,” said Maria Carrillo, PhD, chief scientific officer of the Alzheimer’s Association, who was not involved in the study....

In the case of both mites and fleas, many types don’t bite or cause any harm to humans. But there are some varieties with bites that can produce itchy rashes or other skin reactions, allergies, or more serious health complications. RELATED: What’s Causing Your Skin Rash? Here’s a description of each type of bug, and what you need to know about the effects their bites can have on your health....

Here’s what you should know about this racing trend. What Is a Virtual Race? Running and other organizations have offered virtual race options for a while, but they’ve certainly spiked in popularity over the past year, thanks to COVID-19 restrictions and the cancellation of many large, in-person gatherings. Like other races, you sign up and will likely pay a registration fee, which may include typical race fare like a bib, T-shirt, and medal....

But EPI can also trigger problems outside the digestive system. That’s because without pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT) medication, EPI can make it harder to properly digest nutrients, especially fat. Not only is fat an essential part of a healthy diet but it also helps the body absorb certain key vitamins including A, D, E, and K. When you don’t get enough of these vitamins, you can experience symptoms such as vision trouble, bone weakness, fatigue, and more....

The FDA gave the go-ahead based on research showing that a single intravenous administration of the drug Vyepti (eptinezumab), once every three months, not only significantly suppresses migraine symptom frequency but also provides rapid relief soon after symptoms kick in, according to a February 21, 2020, press release from Lundbeck. The drug manufacturer expects Vyepti to be available to patients in the United States by April 2020. Delivery Method May Explain Quick Action For Robert Cowan, MD, professor of neurology and chief of the division of headache medicine at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California, the dual benefit of prevention and fast symptom reduction may make it an attractive choice for some migraine sufferers....

As research uncovers more about the ways probiotics — the healthy live bacteria found in certain foods and supplements — can influence the microbiome, probiotic-rich foods have become increasingly popular. For centuries, even millenia, people depended on their diets to provide and nourish their microbiome. One way that they did this was by eating foods that had been lacto-fermented. What Are the Benefits of Lacto-Fermentation? Fermentation was first used as a food preservation method around 6,000 B....

People who have a change, or mutation, in their STK11 gene, develop Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS) — a condition that causes noncancerous and sometimes cancerous growths to form in the gastrointestinal tract. (1) Breast cancerColon cancerPancreatic cancerStomach cancerSmall bowel cancerCervical cancerEndometrial cancerMelanomaOvarian cancerLung cancer (2,3) Additionally, PJS can cause cancerous or noncancerous tumors to form on the ovaries or testicles. You can inherit an STK11 abnormality from your parents. (4)...

A variety of experimental treatments are also now under study. These treatments offer the hope of a much better future for patients with glioblastoma. Why Is Glioblastoma So Hard to Treat? Some of the potential options were discussed recently by Mark Gilbert, MD, a senior investigator and chief of the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) Neuro-Oncology Branch. He was joined by Terri Armstrong, PhD, a senior investigator at the NIH....

The analysis, accepted in August 2019 for publication in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, followed about 116,000 American women in the Nurses Health Study II for more than two decades, and administered health questionnaires every four years to assess how frequently participants consumed a range of foods containing gluten, a protein that gives bread its sponginess. During the study, 403 women developed eczema, which can cause skin to become itchy, red, and inflamed....

“There is a lot of literature that defines gluten-related disorders. The term basically encompasses conditions related to problems with ingesting gluten-containing foods,” says Rupa Mukherjee, MD, a gastroenterologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a Harvard Medical School Teaching Hospital in Boston. Gluten — which is a binding protein — is commonly thought of in wheat-containing foods like bread, cereals, and baked goods, but it’s also in many other products, including soy sauce....

When it comes to choosing the best devices for you, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. “Each person’s symptoms, lifestyle, and motivation level will affect their needs,” says Karen Jacobs, OTR/L, a clinical professor in the department of occupational therapy and the associate dean of digital learning and innovation at Boston University College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences: Sargent College. Although you can find assistive devices at many health and medical supply stores, it can be beneficial to work with an occupational therapist before making any purchases....

Aging can decrease muscle tone in the area, weakening the tissue and causing hemorrhoids to bulge, while obesity and pregnancy can increase the risk for hemorrhoids due to increased pressure on tissue in the area. (1) Repeated straining to make a bowel movement, as well as constipation, are also associated with hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoids are generally not dangerous or life-threatening, but they may be painful. Common Hemorrhoid Symptoms to Watch For The following signs and symptoms may indicate hemorrhoids:...

Holiday heart syndrome is a term used to describe irregular heartbeat and, in some cases, atrial fibrillation (afib) that is specifically associated with binge drinking, a common occurrence during the holidays. According to Rakesh Gopinathannair, MD, a cardiac electrophysiologist with the Kansas City Heart Rhythm Institute in Missouri, holiday heart syndrome typically occurs in people who do not have existing heart disease, though whether someone develops new onset atrial fibrillation depends on a lot of factors....

It can seem like the world is divided by an invisible line: on one side, “healthy” people, and on the other, people with MS, and sometimes the gap feels too wide to cross. People with MS can experience isolation in a number of different ways, says Meghan L. Beier, PhD, a rehabilitation psychologist and assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore....

My husband wasn’t engaged in what was happening to me from the beginning. In the weeks following my mastectomy, while I filled my days with TV shows I didn’t really watch and tried to get my head wrapped around “cancer,” I told him how sad and lonely I was. His lack of support didn’t change that. So when he asked for a divorce after my second round of chemo, I felt utterly rejected and hurt, but not surprised....

Ten-word answers get a point across, but a point is hardly a whole painting. As a chef, I think of it as reducing a complex stock down to a perfect sauce. If one small thing is out of balance, the whole reduction is skewed. Put a word wrong in a short answer about what multiple sclerosis (MS) is, and the impression — which will linger far longer than we may think — may forever be a misrepresentation....