Health and Wellness

A previvor by definition is a word used describe those who have a higher risk for cancer due to close family history or due to certain genetic mutations (like the BRCA1 or BRCA2), but do not have a cancer diagnosis. According the non-profit organization FORCE (Facing Our Risk of Cancer) …

Munchausen by Internet is a term coined by psychiatry professor Dr. Marc Feldman to describe the online manifestation of the mental disorder called Munchausen Syndrome, i.e., people who fake their own illness. People with Munchausen by Internet join online social groups and pretend to be ill because they crave the …

Click to read part 1 Hepatitis C (HCV) — My nemesis. Though only 20-30% of HCV patients develop cirrhosis of the liver, it is one of the leading causes of liver transplants in America. There are a small percentage of patients that can clear the virus on their own within …

When the words “You have cancer” are directed at you specifically, so many things run through your mind.  The first thoughts may be of shock, surprise, sadness, anger and worry. At a time when you need to think strategically about how you’re going to handle you’re newly diagnosed state, emotions …

Pneumonia: a scary word, not just to spell, but to hear come out of the doctor’s mouth when you or someone you know is diagnosed with it. It’s definitely a problem for those with compromised immune systems, such as children, the elderly or those who are HIV positive but quite …

Do you dread that most personal of check-ups, the Cervical Pap Smear? It is no secret – for most women, it is one of the most dreaded routine checks they will go through. There is always the temptation to put it off, but please think twice before postponing that appointment! …

Making too many trips to Starbucks could be both hazardous and beneficial to your health at the same time. Researchers have uncovered a link between coffee drinking and a compound that could increase the risk of cancer of the breast. In an unexpected twist, though, this same compound found in …

I’ve mentioned before that Rheumatoid Arthritis is a systemic disease. This means that it affects much more than just the joints. It affects major organ systems as well. Nowhere is this more clear than in the correlation between RA and incidences of heart disease. Scientists are still unsure about why …

An estimated 16 million people in the United States have diabetes, a condition in which the body is unable to convert the glucose from food into energy. At best, diabetes is a nuisance and involves regular medication and a change in lifestyle; at worst, the disease can lead to serious …

A person with Parkinson’s disease, a degenerative disease that causes problems with movement and speech, often has characteristic signs and symptoms. These include a tremor at rest, rigidity, unstable posture, slow movements, hesitant speech, and a mask-like facial expression. But these are late symptoms of the disease – and often …