According to the American Diabetes Association, when you are under stress--whether its physical or emotional--your body responds by sending more energy to your cells to activate the fight-or-flight syndrome. This extra energy comes from the...
Type 2 diabetes is a condition in which your body either does not make enough insulin or is unable to use it properly. When you eat, your body breaks down the food into glucose, or blood sugar. Glucose is then used by the cells for fuel, but...
Maca has become a popular herb and is found on health food store shelves. Marketers tout it for sexual function in men, sometimes referring to maca as the herbal version of Viagra. Maca may help with other ailments, including excessive body...
Scientists don't understand the exact mechanism, but they do know that stress prevents the immune system from functioning properly. This decreased functioning may lead to stress-induced diseases or at least diseases that are exacerbated by...
Candida albicans is a naturally occurring yeast in the body, living in the digestive tract and the vagina. Candida levels are regulated by the immune system and probiotic bacteria. Problems occur when the bacteria can no longer control the growth...
Two out of every three adult diabetics have high blood pressure, according to the American Diabetes Association. The condition forces your heart to work harder, and your risk for heart disease, stroke and hardening of the arteries increases as a...
When you eat sugars or sweets, neuro-chemicals are released in the brain such as opioids, endorphins and dopamine, that affect craving, pleasure and motivation. When you eat more sweets, more neuro-chemicals are triggered and an excessive reward...
Balding, or hair loss, affects both men and women and can occur due to an inherited condition, as a side effect of medications or as a result of certain diseases. Inherited baldness affects more men than women, according to Medline Plus, a service...
Many people check their heartbeat rates while exercising to help determine how hard they are working out. While this is useful information, normal heartbeat rate guidelines are for measuring the heartbeat rate while at rest. Physicians also find...
Heart disease refers to a number of medical conditions that increase your risk of heart attack, heart failure, stoke or aneurysm. Risk factors for heart disease include obesity, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, diabetes, a poor diet...
Diabetes is a disease that interferes with your body's ability to use glucose, or blood sugar. Glucose serves as the primary energy source for your muscle and tissue cells. Proper management of your glucose levels -- including recognizing the...
A high blood sugar (glucose) level in the blood is defined as hyperglycemia. The causes of hyperglycemia include eating more food than is indicated in your diet plan, infection or illness, injury, surgery or emotional stress. In diabetes, taking...
High levels of sugar build up in the bloodstream when a person gets type 2 diabetes. Getting blood sugar levels under control helps prevent complications from the disease later on. Unfortunately, symptoms are often not that obvious. The disease...
Coronary heart disease, also called coronary artery disease, is the leading cause of death in developed countries, according to the online Merck Manual Home Edition for Patients and Caregivers. Also called CHD or CAD, the disease most commonly...
All women experience some vaginal discharge. A healthy vagina produces these secretions to cleanse and regulate itself, according to the McKinley Health Center at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Normal discharge is usually cloudy...
While it is normal to feel down from time to time, people with depression may experience prolonged periods of intense sadness, anger, hopelessness and frustration. Treatment for depression usually comprises drug therapy, in the form of...
Gaining weight in the lower stomach may be the result of ingesting excess calories and a sedentary lifestyle. This is a simple, common reason for this type of weight gain, but there may be cause for concern. You may have underlying health concerns...
Arteriosclerosis is commonly referred to as hardening of the arteries. Healthy, flexible and elastic arteries can progressively become stiff and narrow. The arteries carry oxygenated blood from the heart to all parts of the body. The deposit of...
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a condition in which blood flowing through the body exerts a force on the arteries sufficient to eventually cause heart disease, such as stroke and heart attacks. Aerobic exercise can help hypertensive...
Approximately 20 million adults suffer from a peptic ulcer sometime in their lives, the University of Maryland Medical Center reports. Stomach ulcers are a serious medical condition that increase the risk of stomach infections and chronic...
If you have excess weight to lose, you naturally might be impatient to shed the pounds as quickly as possible; however, overly rapid weight loss can lead to a range of medical problems and symptoms. A safe and permanent rate of weight loss is...
For those who use short-acting insulin to manage diabetes, learning the proper carbohydrate to insulin ratio may allow you more flexibility with meals and tighter control of your diabetes. However, the ratio is often individualized, and many...
Panax ginseng is referred to as the "man root" in China because of its shape. It has also been regarded as an overall tonic for the body in traditional Chinese medicine. Much of the ancient beliefs in the healing properties of plants are based on...
Eat your vegetables! You've probably been getting this advice all of your life and likely ignoring it for just as long. Maybe you dislike the taste of vegetables or maybe you lack the time to add greens to every meal. If, for whatever reason, you...
Acidosis is the development of an imbalance in the bloodstream that makes the body too acidic. Acid ash is a residue produced by the breakdown of acidic foods by the digestive system. According to Dr. James F. Balch and Phyllis A. Balch, authors...
Maca root has a long history of use in the Peruvian Andes as both a medicine and source of nutrition. Traditional uses include enhancing fertility and libido in both sexes, relieving menopausal symptoms and increasing energy. Research suggests...
Safflower oil contains a number of nutrients that may benefit people with diabetes, including vitamin E, an important antioxidant vitamin, Omega 6 fatty acids and phytosterols. Safflower oil may help to reduce inflammation in the body, according...
The olive tree is native to the Mediterranean region, and olive oil is pressed from the olive fruit. Found in products from cosmetics to medicines, olive oil can show up in items you use every day; however, it is perhaps most beneficial when you...
Sleepovers are exciting for most children, but for bed wetters, overnights can be scary for fear of having an accident while asleep. More than 5 million children over the age of 6 wet the bed, according to the National Kidney Foundation....
