The Paleo diet, or the caveman diet, focuses on consuming foods that are fresh, natural and free of preservatives. It is presented as an overall healthy diet, focusing mainly on vegetables and meats. Though research is limited, it is thought to be...
Cortisol is a hormone produced in the body that regulates a number of processes, including the body's stress response and inflammation. Patients with high cortisol experience a number of effects, and sustained high cortisol levels can lead to...
Lupus is an immune system disorder in which your body's immune cells attack healthy muscle and organ cells. About 50 percent of people with lupus have lung or kidney disorders, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. This condition...
Overexposure to the sun can cause sunburn and heat rash. The sun can also cause allergic reactions in some people, including those taking certain medications, such as antibiotics and those with conditions like rosacea and lupus, says DermNet NZ....
Panax ginseng is an herbal plant also known as Asian ginseng, Chinese ginseng and Korean ginseng. Native to Asia, Panax ginseng is different from American and Siberian ginseng. Panax ginseng has held an important traditional role in Chinese...
Many patients with chronic conditions such as lupus can struggle with maintaining proper vitamin levels in their bodies due to disease and medication. Vitamin D and potassium are two that can become greatly affected. Vitamin D has been linked in...
Lupus is an autoimmune disease that causes the immune system to overreact, making it hard for the body to distinguish between foreign invaders and its own tissues and cells. Because of this, the immune system forms antibodies, which causes the...
Chronic renal disease can be caused by a variety of other illnesses or problems. Hypertension, kidney stones, infection and a buildup of toxins in the body can add to already high levels of stress placed on the kidneys. The kidneys work as a...
Essential fatty acids 3 and 6 (EFA's) are molecules the human body cannot make and must take in from food. The two EFA's, omega-3 (n-3) and omega-6 (n-6), are crucial for all cell and tissue functions. The good news is that n-3 fats affects cells...
The world has become progressively unfriendly to smokers, especially since the dangers of secondhand smoke have become known. Although nearly everyone knows that quitting smoking can dramatically reduce the risk of lung cancer, emphysema and...
Plaquenil, sold under the generic name of hydroxychloroquine sulfate, is a medication used to prevent and treat malaria, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus erythematosis (autoimmune disease characterized by a butterfly rash on your face and skin or...
Canola is the registered name in Canada of low-erucic acid rapeseed oil, according to the University of Wisconsin agricultural extension. Rapeseed meal and rapeseed oil have been used at least since the 13th century.
The term "arthritis" means inflammation of the joints. Rheumatoid arthritis, or RA, is an autoimmune disease that causes pain and inflammation in the lining of the joints and eventually leads to joint destruction and deformation. Rheumatoid...
HDL, which stands for high-density lipoprotein, is also known as the "good" form of cholesterol. Cholesterol is packaged into different kinds of lipoproteins by the liver. High-density lipoproteins are linked with a reduced risk of atherosclerosis...
Prednisone, a corticosteroid, is given to both adults and children for various conditions. As with any other drug, unpleasant side effects accompany prednisone. An increase in cholesterol is among them. High cholesterol increases your risk for...
Light cream thickened and "soured" by inoculating it with bacterial cultures is commonly known as sour cream, a smooth, tangy condiment often used in Mexican, Russian and German cuisines. It is also sometimes used as a substitute for mayonnaise or...
Advocates of the Paleo diet claim that eating the foods our ancestors hunter-gatherers ate during the Paleolithic period is the best way to achieve a healthy weight, alleviate autoimmune conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis...
Dehydroepiandrosterone, or DHEA, is a naturally occurring hormone produced by the adrenal gland. Your body uses this hormone in a variety of biological processes. Typically, your body is able to produce sufficient amounts of DHEA, but in some...
Lupus is a chronic, autoimmune inflammatory disease that impacts an estimated 1.5 million Americans, according to the Lupus Foundation of America. Symptoms vary from person to person and tend to come and go. Most lupus sufferers experience joint...
Small inefficiencies in the way people use their eyes can lead to all sorts of ocular maladies. If you work at a computer 10 hours a day, for instance, take breaks every 15 to 20 minutes to let your eyes rest. Similarly, don't watch television or...
Flaxseeds have many potential medicinal uses, including easing menopausal symptoms. Flaxseeds also might help lower cholesterol, ease constipation, prevent heart disease and cancer, and treat lupus, liver disease, benign prostatic hyperplasia and...
Skin, made up of three layers, covers and protects your child's body. Thin skin causes these protective layers to be more fragile. Children with thin skin might get cuts or bruises just by bumping into something. They should be evaluated by a...
Omega-3 fatty acids provide essential nutrition to the human body. The Harvard School of Public Health states that omega-3 fatty acids are essential fats because the body can't make them from scratch but must get them from food. Omega-3 fatty...
Perrilla frutescens, commonly referred to as perilla, is an annual plant that is native to eastern Asia, and it is a member of the mint family. The perilla plant has a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine. Today, perilla seed oil...
We all want to remain as healthy as possible; to accomplish this, the immune system must operate optimally. Maintaining heart health also prolongs a sense of health and vitality. A variety of vitamins are reported to enhance, or modulate immunity...
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease that causes the inflammation of organs and body tissues. People who have SLE create antibodies that cause their immune systems to attack their own organs and tissues, thereby causing...
Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes inflammation in joints, organs and tissues. The condition causes the body to mistakenly attack its own systems and disproportionately affects more women than men. While the Lupus Foundation of...
Fish is a staple of a healthy diet. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends eating fish at least twice a week, especially fatty fish, such as salmon, mackerel, herring, trout or albacore tuna. These fish are high in omega-3 fatty acids,...
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin needed by the body to function properly. Vitamin D is found in eggs, fish, cod liver oil and fortified milk. Vitamin D synthesis is triggered when ultraviolet rays from the sun hit the skin. Optimal intake of...
