Medical

In the United States, at least six health conditions have been linked to diet. • First, iron deficiency anemia usually occurs during infancy, but one serving of red meat, fish, or poultry per day prevents it. • Second, obesity is one of our most common nutritional problems. Keep in mind that fat contains twice as

A sinus infection is the second most common complication of a cold. Sinus congestion occurs when one of the sinus openings become blocked. If bacteria multiply within the sinuses, pain and pressure occur, usually around the eye or cheek bone. Other symptoms include a yellow nasal discharge, a postnasal drip, bad breath, and, occasionally, a

Fever blisters are painful blisters that occur on one side of the lip. They’re also called cold sores. Fever blisters are a nuisance, because it takes ten days to go through the process of rupturing, scabbing over, and drying up. Fever blisters are caused by the Herpes Simplex virus. Flare-ups occur following sun burn, fever,

Pierced ears have become very popular in our country. The most common complication is a bacterial infection of the channel through the ear lobe. These can usually be cleared up if the earring is removed, and the area is cleaned with rubbing alcohol three times a day. Also apply an antibiotic ointment to the post

Menstrual cramps, or dysmenorrhea, are experienced by more than 50% of teenage and adult women. These women usually have cramps with each period. Cramps are caused by strong but normal contractions of the uterus. Ibuprofen is a special drug for menstrual cramps. It’s available without a prescription under such brand names as Advil, Nuprin, and

Almost everyone has had muscle cramps when a calf muscle goes into spasm and forms a hard painful lump. The other common muscle cramp involves the foot being pulled downward into spasm. These usually happen during sleep. They can also occur during swimming or other sports. The cause is overuse of that muscle. There is

Fatigue is a common symptom in teenagers. These youngsters also complain of being tired, exhausted, or sleepy all the time. Fatigue caused by disease usually gets worse as the day wears on. Fatigue from stress is not relieved by sleep and, in fact, is often described as worse in the morning. Although fatigue rarely has

Dandruff is the normal shedding of the scalp. Skin is constantly regenerating. On most of the body’s surface, the flakes of dead skin fall to the ground without fanfare, but in the hair, they may accumulate. Some children shed faster than others, and that makes it more noticeable. • The key to fighting dandruff is