Unlike most of my peers, I spent the majority of my twenties living through the physical and emotional rollercoaster of a mysterious chronic illness that literally turned my life upside down. At my lowest point, I had suddenly and inexplicably lost 12 percent of my body weight, couldn’t walk the short distance from the front door to my mailbox, was living with unceasing muscle spasms and constant … [Read more...]
Last Tuesday night, I was filled with the kind of bubbling anxiety that reminded me of the night before a big trip. I preferred thinking about it that way, as if I was heading off to a distant and unknown land and I needed to be prepared for the long journey ahead. I went to make the next day’s lunch and put together my breakfast so that all I would need to do was add almond milk and water to … [Read more...]
On Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released its latest Adverse Event Reporting System (AERS) watch list, which comes out every quarter and identifies potential signs of serious risks or new safety information on drugs. Sixteen drugs turned up in the AERS database during the last three months of 2011, including milnacipran, or Savella, which is a drug used for managing … [Read more...]
On Wednesday, the American Heart Association (AHA) sponsored National Walk to Work Day to encourage sedentary workers to unhitch themselves from their desks and get their heart pumping by walking at least a half hour of their day, whether it was part of their commute, during their lunch hour or after the work day. Yet the health benefits of walking extend long beyond April 4. The results of … [Read more...]
On Monday, a surprising and promising new development in autoimmune research was announced to the scientific world. An animal version of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) was found to have protective properties against the development of lupus in mice prone to getting the autoimmune disease. Prior studies suggested that the opposite was true—that EBV had the potential to increase the … [Read more...]
Ten metropolitan areas across the U.S. can stake claim to being the least obese in the nation for 2011. The Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, Conn. metropolitan area is one of them, ranked second least obese with a rate of 14.5 percent. A recent report by Gallup identified the least and most obese metropolitan areas in the country. Among the 190 metro areas surveyed, Boulder, Colo. came in number one, … [Read more...]
Smartphone Apps and other mobile technology have proven to be powerful tools for tracking and managing health over the past few years. If my own explorations in the iPhone App Store in the last year are any indication, the number and variety of applications (and their scope of usability) will continue to grow exponentially in the years to come. Currently, there are apps that can take your blood … [Read more...]
Who says you can’t have your cake and enjoy it too? For many of us who are gluten-free, it can certainly be a challenge to find desserts that not only meet our dietary requirements, but please our taste buds as well. As someone who used to look forward to dessert as the highlight of a meal, I am especially selective about my GF sweet treats. When I came across this recipe for a chocolate cake … [Read more...]
In January of 2010, I met dystonia head-on for the first time. I was going to teach at a primary school, and I remember feeling a little out of sorts when I left the house the morning—sort of as if I had a migraine aura, but amplified. As I walking into the building, I remember a parent calling out to me, “Are you okay?” Her voice was less concerned and more accusatory. I think I waved her off … [Read more...]
Ever find yourself cranky and restless in the middle of the day for seemingly no reason? Then, after a stop to the water cooler in the office or to the tap in your kitchen, you seem to find your second wind, feel in better spirits and are more focused. Well, there’s scientific reasoning behind that, according to a study published in January's issue of the Journal of Nutrition. Researchers at the … [Read more...]