According to the American Diabetes Association, in 1993 an estimated 41 percent of people in America with diabetes were over the age of 65. Diabetes, the inability of the body to produce insulin, or when it becomes resistant to the effects of the...
Neurological problems in children often cause eye problems if the nerves that lead to the eyes or the part of the brain that controls eye movements are damaged or diseased. A vast number of problems can cause ocular symptoms, which can cause...
More than 90 percent of reported HIV cases in children in the United States are due to perinatal acquisition, says Sandra K. Burchett, MD. and Philip A. Pizzo, Ph.D. in their study published in "Infectious Diseases" Journal in June 2003. Many...
Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin naturally available in foods such as meat, poultry, eggs and milk. According to the Office of Dietary Supplements of the National Institute of Health, most children and adults in United States consume the...
Monosodium glutamate, also known as MSG, is a food additive used to enhance flavor in soups, gravies, Chinese foods, canned vegetables, processed meat and other packaged foods. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, states that MSG can be...
Vitamin B12 is essential for the formation of red blood cells necessary for oxygen transport, nerve function and DNA synthesis, which is necessary for proper growth and development. Vitamin B12 is found primarily in animal products such as meats,...
The heartbeat of a child can tell valuable information about his or her overall state of health. Blood pressure measurements indicate the amount of tension in the vascular system when the heart is working maximally and when it is at rest....
Dysphagia, which means "difficult swallowing," can be due to problems in your mouth, throat or esophagus. According to the June 2000 "American Family Physician," esophageal dysphagia can be a symptom of aging, neurologic problems, esophageal...
Caffeine is a cerebral vasoconstrictor, which means it causes capillaries in the brain to narrow. Capillaries are tiny blood vessels that allow nutrients to be exchanged between blood and tissues. Many substances can't pass into the brain, in part...
Parathyroid hormone regulates blood calcium levels through a negative feedback regulatory pathway. Dysfunction in hormone levels, therefore, produces abnormal calcium levels. The accompanying clinical syndromes range from bone density problems to...
Once widely prescribed for nausea in pregnancy, pyridoxine fell out of favor in the 1970s after lawsuits alleged an association with birth defects. The relationship between the drug containing pyridoxine and birth defects proved false after...
Kids love surprises. One way you can surprise your kids is with a mystery dinner menu. The key is to choose healthy foods that your kids enjoy to eat. When deciding on your menu, choose nutritious foods that include fruits and vegetables, nuts,...
Heart bypass surgery is a major procedure that is usually done when there is severe blockage in the arteries supplying the heart and dysfunction of the left ventricle (the part of the heart that pushes the blood into the body and itself). Usually...
Bladder retention problems take three forms: retention, incontinence and hyperactivity. Bladder retention can be an acute, one-time problem or a chronic issue. Urinary incontinence is classified as stress-incontinence, structural or neurogenic,...
The combined effects of soil depletion, processing, storage and cooking all add up to foods that are lacking in nutrients they would otherwise contain. This sends many well-intentioned individuals to seek a solution through supplementation. While...
Celiac disease is a condition caused by sensitivity to gluten, which is a protein found in the grain of certain grasses, such as wheat, rye and barley. The symptoms associated with celiac disease, also known as gluten-sensitive enteropathy, stem...
As early as the 1500s, people recognized that excluding certain foods from their diets led to disease. For example, British sailors developed scurvy on a diet that was devoid of fruits and vegetables. In 1911, the first vitamin, thiamin, was...
The B-vitamins have long been associated with keeping the nervous system healthy. Certain B-vitamins have a greater effect on nervous system function than others. This is demonstrated when a dietary deficiency of a particular B-vitamin results in...
A stressed caregiver, a crying baby and five seconds of lost self control -- that's all it takes to produce irreversible brain damage and neurological problems in a baby. One out of four children diagnosed with shaken baby syndrome dies from the...
The B vitamins, including vitamin B6, help your body make energy from food. Vitamin B6 is also necessary for healthy nervous system functioning and helps make certain neurotransmitters. Most people have sufficient amounts of this vitamin, although...
Amiodarone is a drug that is used only in the treatment of serious life-threatening heart rhythm problems. Amiodarone has potential to cause fatal side effects, and patients are strictly monitored for the first few doses in a hospital setting....
Numerous symptoms are associated with glutathione deficiency. According to the Genetics Home Reference website, glutathione synthetase deficiency is a disorder that prevents the production of glutathione -- an important molecule involved in...
Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin that is naturally found in animal foods such as meat, eggs, dairy products and fish. Vitamin B12 is also added to fortified breakfast cereals and some processed foods. The vitamin is necessary for red blood...
Some people have genetic disorders that interfere with the way their bodies convert food into energy. Pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphatase deficiency is a genetic defect that can make it hard for you to keep your cells energized, resulting in...
You can treat yourself to the amenities of a spa without the extra cost by making your own coffee body wrap at home. Coffee body wraps are utilized at spas because of their ability to tone and even out skin texture. The treatment also has a...
Sodium is a mineral that has an important role in the body because it is an electrolyte. Because sodium is electrically charged when dissolved in water, your cells can develop and maintain electrical charges by controlling the amount of sodium...
Vitamin B12 is vital to healthy blood and nerve function and if the body's stores are depleted that can cause both anemia and neurological problems. Most people in the U.S. get enough vitamin B12 by eating the animal foods where it is commonly...
Gluten intolerance associated with chronic stomach problems is known as celiac disease. The word “celiac” derives from a Greek word meaning “abdominal.” Gluten is a protein found in barley, rye and wheat. When people with...
Vitamins are essential chemicals for various functions in the body. The nervous system requires vitamins for both proper embryonic development as well as maintaining normal function. Either an abundance or deficiency of some vitamins can result in...
Vertigo is often related to problems in the mechanics of the inner ear. Learn more about vertigo in this medical video.
Epilepsy is a disorder that disrupts the transmission of electrical signals inside the brain. It is most often characterized by unprovoked seizures. Learn about the different causes, symptoms, and treatments of epilepsy in this video.
Lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease that occurs when your body's immune system attacks your own tissues and organs. Inflammation caused by lupus can affect many different body systems, including your joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, heart...
Autoimmune disorders are conditions that occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys healthy body tissue. There are more than 80 different types of autoimmune disorders. Learn about the various autoimmune disorders including...
