As a mineral, potassium plays a major role in your overall health. It helps keep muscles and nerves functioning properly, aids the digestive process and assists in keeping your body balanced electrically, according to the Dartmouth Hitchcock...
A colonoscopy is an internal exam of the colon using a lighted, flexible probe. The probe is inserted through the rectum and into the colon. A colonoscopy aids in diagnosing several diseases, including cancer, as well as determining causes of...
Eating with a broken jaw can be very difficult. In order to maintain weight and promote healing, a person with a broken jaw needs to eat adequate amounts of calories, protein, vitamins and minerals in the appropriate form, according to...
Mt. Lemmon is in the Santa Catalina Mountains in the Coronado National Forest. Mt. Lemmon rises from the Arizona desert to its highest point of 9,157 feet, towering over nearby Tucson. You can camp at various elevations on Mt. Lemmon and enjoy...
Bariatric surgery is performed to help obese patients lose weight. Gastric bypass and adjustable gastric band are two of the four types of bariatric surgery performed in the United States, according to the Weight Control Information Network....
A colonoscopy is an exam to detect abnormalities within the colon and rectum and possible causes of rectal bleeding, chronic diarrhea or constipation, or other intestinal issues. A colonoscopy is considered the "gold standard" for screening colon...
While it's hardly a procedure that most people look forward to, colonoscopy is a powerful tool for examining the health of a patient's colon and rectum. According to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, colonoscopies are used...
Although colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of death from cancer in the United States, it is one of the few cancers that doctors can prevent. There is a significant survival rate in people who are diagnosed at an early stage. A...
When your jaws are wired shut, you must blend or puree most foods to consume them through a straw or through the teeth. Your diet is critical when you have a broken jaw. A high calorie and protein diet promotes tissue repair. Dartmouth-Hitchcock...
Palpitation is the sensation that your heart is pounding or racing. You may also feel skipped or stopped beats, a condition called arrhythmia. Palpitations can be felt in your chest, throat or neck. They aren't usually serious, according to the...
A hole in the heart is a condition that usually occurs at birth and may be due to heredity; Down's syndrome; or the pregnant mother's smoking, drug use or illness. A hole in the heart will affect the way the blood flows through the heart and to...
Gynecologic procedures are used to help diagnose and treat gynecologic problems or if your physician notices anything abnormal during your pelvic exam. Some procedures can be done right in the physician's office, while others are done in a clinic...
As obesity rates continue to climb, more and more teens are seeking out ways to maintain a healthy weight. According to MayoClinic.com, the only way to reliably and effectively lose weight is to balance the amount of calories you consume against...
Tracking your consumption of calories in food and beverages is a vital part of any weight management plan. MayoClinic.com points out that you need to run a total deficit of about 3,500 calories for each pound you want to lose. That is about 500...
Increasing metabolism can be an asset in getting your body to convert stored calories into useful energy. Doing so invigorates your body. Focusing too much on eating less can actually lead to weight gain, because starvation signals your body to...
Changing the position of the body during work or at home can relieve chronic lower-back pain. Treatment can also relieve chronic back pain because of an injury. Some causes of lower back pain can be avoided. Other causes need to be handled through...
The Philadelphia Flyers, one of five teams in the Atlantic Division of the National Hockey League's Eastern Conference, have produced consistent hockey since their inception, with the league's second-best all-time winning percentage after the...
Colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States. A colonoscopy is a type of effective colorectal cancer screening test where the large intestine is 'scoped' for...
Feminine itch causes run the gamut from simple irritation to infection by organisms such as yeast, bacteria and protozoa. While most causes of feminine itching are simple and easy to treat at home, post-menopausal women experiencing frequent...
Finding the right diet or weight loss program that would work best for you can be difficult. Fortunately, losing weight can also be accomplished by choosing the correct food combinations that can help promote weight loss naturally. These...
A urine sample is a common medical procedure that can be done to test for a urinary tract infection, white blood cells, protein in the urine, bacteria, pregnancy, the urine's pH, glucose and many other things. Depending on what the doctor needs to...
The human jaw consists of the mandible, teeth and a temporomandibular joint, or TMJ, on each side. Like other joints and bones, your jaw is susceptible to trauma, injury and other disorders. Because your jaw is an integral part of eating, you may...
In science, a calorie is a unit of heat energy. One calorie is the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of one gram of water by one degree Celsius. However, when nutritionists want to define the amount of energy in food, they use...
HCG, or human chorionic gonadotropin, is a hormone that helps eggs within the ovaries mature, Drugs.com explains. It can be used to induce ovulation to help women overcome some causes of infertility, and also can be used to help boys who have not...
Inflammatory diseases, injury, infection and surrounding bone loss may all affect the health of the knee joint. Diseases affecting the knee are typically chronic and progressive, with cartilage damage, pain, swelling and mobility worsening over...
Potassium is a mineral that is essential to keeping your muscles and heart healthy and functioning properly. Potassium and sodium work together to keep your fluids at appropriate levels and to promote normal nerve messaging. A restricted potassium...
Athletes and people who are extremely active may benefit from a high-carbohydrate diet plan. Carbohydrates supply energy to your muscles, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans report recommends getting 45...
Osteoporosis, the most common type of bone disease, thins bone, creating a loss of bone density. According to MedlinePlus, osteoporosis affects 1 in 5 American women over the age of 50. A drop in hormone levels in men and women after a certain age...
Cortisol, also known as "the stress hormone," is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands, usually released in times of stress. Cortisol helps regulate many bodily functions and processes, including regulating blood pressure, cardiovascular...