Ask most people how to avoid skin cancer and they’ll reply, “Wear sunscreen.” The fact is, although the use of sunscreen is on the rise, so is skin cancer - it now accounts for nearly half of all cancer cases and is five times more prevalent than breast cancer. Startling? Indeed.
The reason? Sunscreen may not be all it has been promoted to be. A new report by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) has found that the majority of sunscreens lack protection from all forms of radiation, that many make false claims or most contain harmful chemicals. Of the 500 sunscreens tested by EWG, only 39 were recommended by EWG.
Yes, sunscreens can protect you from sunburns. But experts are uncertain as to the benefits of sunscreen in preventing skin cancer. Further, scientists are still debating whether UVA or UVB is the most dangerous form of radiation. Most experts believe that it is a combination of UVA and UVB rays that lead to increased melanoma risks.
If you occasionally experience heartburn, you’re not alone. About 60 million people have heartburn at least once a month. So what do you think triggers heartburn? Stress? Spicy, greasy foods? They certainly can. But there are other culprits you may not be aware of.
Peppermint is usually thought to soothe an upset stomach. But if you suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), peppermint can cause heartburn. Those with GERD experience heartburn more often than others because their stomach contents leak into and irritate the esophagus. The menthol of peppermint, which is known to soothe, can actually do its job too well - relaxing the sphincter between the esophagus and stomach. When that valve relaxes, stomach acids can enter the esophagus and lead to heartburn.
Notice more runny noses, sniffles and red eyes this year? Thanks to record levels of pollen around the nation, even those of us who haven’t experienced significant allergic reactions before may suffer from mild allergic symptoms such as headaches and irritated eyes and nasal passages.
Your immune system is your defense system. When it recognizes a threat, it takes defensive measures to combat that threat. In the case of allergies, your body is overreacting to an allergen - such as pollen - that is typically deemed a harmless substance. For someone not allergic to pollen, they inhale the grains and the grains are trapped in mucus that you then cough out or swallow.
If you are allergic to pollen, your body reacts differently - and defensively. Those same grains trigger your immune system to produce IgE - an antibody that attaches to mast and blood cells. The offending pollen grains become attached to the IgE and your body steps up its defenses - releasing histamines that attempt to eject the allergen via watery eyes, runny noses, sneezing or coughing. You may also experience itchy eyes, throat and nose or develop dark circles under your eyes due to restricted blood flow around your sinuses.
Eat your veggies. Drink plenty of water. Exercise daily. Nothing new there - you’ve heard it over and over. But for those of you who have suffered through diverticulitis, this advice is key. It can also play a role in preventing diverticulitis - a painful infection that occurs in small pouches, called diverticula, which can form in your intestines.
For people over 40, diverticula can be common - and most people are unaware of them. As you age, the weak spots in your colon can develop little pouches. These pouches can become irritated when materials collect in them - the risk for this is exacerbated by a diet that is too low in fiber, a lack of exercise and obesity.
When the diverticula become inflamed or infected, the result can be more than a little uncomfortable. You may experience abdominal pain on the lower left side of the abdomen, nausea, bloating, fever, constipation or diarrhea.
If you experience these symptoms, your physician will examine your abdomen for tenderness, take a blood sample to test for infection and may have you undergo a CT scan to identify the infected and inflamed pouches.
In most cases, mild diverticulitis is treated with a round of antibiotics, rest, a low-fiber diet and plenty of liquids. As you recover, your physician will alter your diet accordingly, generally reintroducing high-fiber foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. More serious cases of diverticulitis may require surgery. If you develop peritonitis - in which a pouch ruptures - you will require hospitalization and immediate medical care.
Physicians used to recommend that patients with diverticulitis avoid seeds, nuts and foods with small seeds because they believed those particles lodged in the pouches and caused inflammation. Recent research indicates that these foods are not associated with an increased risk of diverticulitis.
To keep your intestines in tip-top shape, eat 20 to 35 grams of fiber each day, drink plenty of water, use the bathroom when your body tells you to, and exercise.
Blastomycosis - a fungal lung infection - can be difficult to diagnose. Some people experience no symptoms, others experience symptoms similar to a cold, the flu or pneumonia, while others may suffer from skin lesions. Also, it generally takes one to three months after exposure to the Blastomyces dermatitidis fungus for symptoms to appear. Further, while the fungus that causes Blastomycosis is most often found in moist, wooded areas with sandy soils or near bodies of water, people who garden and farm are often exposed to it as well. Anything that disturbs the soil or woods can release the fungal spores. Because it takes so long for symptoms to appear, it is difficult to determine the source of the exposure.
Most cases of Blastomycosis are found in the south-central and midwestern United States and Canada. While Blastomycosis is rate, in some cases it can lead to more serious lung and skin infections that become more difficult to cure if the infection is left untreated. Symptoms vary greatly depending on what organ systems become infected. Symptoms may include:
- Cough
- Chest pain
- Excessive fatigue
- Shortness of breath
- Fever and sweating
- Joint stiffness and pain
- Muscle stiffness and pain
- Weight loss
- Skin lesions or rash that blister and ooze pus
Blastomycosis can be spread by direct contact with a rash or skin lesions caused by the infection.
In most cases, treatment with antifungals is effective in treating the infection. However, in some cases, the bladder, kidney, prostate and testes may be affected. If the infection is serious enough, a person may suffer scarring of the lungs, may become more susceptible to lung infection or be left with scars on the skin.
Those who are most at risk are people with weakened immune systems, those who have had an organ transplant and men.
If you do experience symptoms similar to those above, visit your physician. Chest x-rays, skin biopsies, sputum cultures or tissue biopsies will help your physician determine if you are indeed infected with Blastymycosis.
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