health-letter
The greater your midlife fitness level, the lower your odds are of developing chronic diseases such as heart failure, stroke, diabetes, colon cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Despite theoretical reasons to worry that biologic response modifiers may raise cancer risk, it appears they don’t significantly raise the risk of malignancy. The drugs can dramatically improve inflammation in people with rheumatoid arthritis.
Uncontrolled blood pressure is a major problem in the U.S. This is because many people do not have a primary care physician or health insurance, and because blood pressures are often not routinely measured in doctors’ offices.
Bariatric surgery may significantly reduce a person’s odds of developing type 2 diabetes. This stomach procedure that restricts food intake may reduce the long-term incidence of type 2 diabetes in obese individuals.
Wheat is a good source of fiber, but it contains a protein called gluten. Sensitivity to gluten can cause gas, bloating, belly cramps, milder diarrhea, and fatigue, and severe cases can lead to celiac disease.
Health organizations have revised screening guidelines for cervical cancer. The new guidelines are based on evidence that annual Pap smears do not catch more cancers, but often lead to more invasive diagnostic procedures that can cause complications.
In addition to getting your flu shot each year, make sure your other vaccinations are up to date. Older people need tetanus boosters every 10 years, and they may also need a pneumonia and a shingles vaccination as well.
People with Parkinson’s disease and their relatives may be more likely to develop prostate cancer and melanoma. Researchers believe neurodegenerative diseases may share common mechanisms with the cancers.
Men who are socially isolated may be at a significantly higher risk than women for returning for urgent care within a month of being discharged from the hospital. Everyone needs a caregiver present for discharge instructions and for care at home.
When debating how long to let a headache last before seeing a doctor, start by comparing it with past headaches. If the headache is longer than usual, more severe, awakens you at night, or accompanied by dizziness, call your doctor.