Zinc is an important mineral that your body requires to perform almost every bodily function. The Nutritional Supplements Health Guide indicates that although zinc is important for the body's proper function, the body actually requires very little...
Meningococcal meningitis, an infection of the tissues surrounding the brain, is caused by the bacteria Neisseria meningitidis, or meningococcus. The World Health Organization says this bateria is very contagious and can cause epidemics of...
Migraines affect three times as many women as men, according to The Mayo Clinic. Several medications treat migraines, but finding just the right medication to treat individual symptoms can take time and frustrate patients while they continue to...
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases estimates there are 23.6 million people in the U.S. with diabetes. Among adults with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, 14 percent take insulin only, 13 percent take insulin and oral...
According to David McSwane, H.S.D., bacteria are the most important biological foodborne hazard and are responsible for more cases of foodborne illness than any other hazard. Bacteria that cause "food poisoning" can cause illness in one of the...
The gallbladder is a pear-shaped organ connected to the liver that is responsible for storing and concentrating bile (digestive juices). The substances in bile can crystallize, forming stones in the gallbladder resulting in gallbladder disease....
In humans, the appendix is a hollow tube that is attached to the large intestine and serves no known function within the body. If your appendix becomes inflamed, you can develop a condition called an acute appendicitis. If left untreated, an...
Acute fatty liver of pregnancy, or AFLP, is a pregnancy complication which occurs in conjunction with preeclampsia 50 percent of the time, according to Dr. Britt Drake of the University of Alabama at Birmingham. It is also seen as a separate...
Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction is closely associated with cholecystectomy, or surgical removal of your gall bladder. According to the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders, surgeons perform more than a half-million...
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sickle cell anemia is the most common hereditary disease in America that begins in childhood and has no promise of a long life. Cystic fibrosis is number two. As of 2004, 1,000 infants...
Your body needs small amounts of the essential mineral zinc to help maintain a variety of functions, including immune system health, blood clotting and reproduction. Dietary sources of zinc include red meat, cheese, poultry and shellfish. Your...
Acute intermittent porphyria is a rare genetic disorder that causes porphyrins to build up in the body. This can lead to acute AIP attacks, characterized by severe abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, psychosis and, in severe cases, paralysis and...
Ginger is from the Zingiber Officinale plant. Ginger is the underground stem, or rhizome, of the plant and has been used in herbal medicines and as a spice for thousands of years. Fresh ginger has a distinctly spicy aroma that adds a savory flavor...
Chemotherapy is a commonly used treatment for cancer, but it is not without side effects. Depending on the chemotherapy drug, side effects can vary, and not everyone will experience every side effect. Some herbs and supplements are effective in...
