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Emotional and physical responses to recreational drugs vary, depending on the person and the substance being abused, says Gregory B. Collins, MD, section head of the Alcohol and Drug Recovery Center at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. Understanding the effects of these drugs on your body and the serious threat of addiction they pose is the first step in protecting yourself. Marijuana. This mild hallucinogen, derived from the Cannabis sativa plant, is the most commonly abused illegal drug in the United States, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse....

This might sound hyperbolic, but there’s actually lots of research linking ultra-processed foods to numerous health problems and to premature death. The real trouble with these claims isn’t the lack of data behind them. It’s that it can be really hard to tell when these foods are on your plate. “It has been known for a long time that consuming ultra-processed foods on a regular basis increases the risk of several chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, obesity, and type 2 diabetes,” says Samantha Heller, RD, a senior clinical nutritionist at NYU Langone Health in New York City....

How can you evaluate different levels of risk? Scientists continue to investigate this question, among them Omar Harfouch, MD, MPH, a physician and researcher who specializes in HIV treatment and prevention at the Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore. Here Dr. Harfouch explains the different ways people can get HIV, provides stats about the relative risk of each behavior, and discusses measures people can take that can dramatically lower the odds of transmission....

While only 4 percent of Americans say they follow a plant-based diet — which can be vegan, vegetarian, flexitarian, or some other variety where plants are prioritized over meat — more than half would be willing to eat more plant-based foods if they knew more about the environmental effects of their food choices, according to a 2020 survey by Yale University and Earth Day Network (PDF). Here, we cover what a climatarian diet looks like, the pros and cons of following it, and a sample menu to get you started....

The disorder affects mineralization — the process through which calcium and phosphorus are deposited in developing bones and teeth. HPP causes defective mineralization, which means that instead of teeth and bones that are strong and rigid, a person’s bones are soft and prone to fracture and deformity. A person may also experience premature tooth loss. HPP affects infants, children, and adults. It can be severe and life-threatening, especially before birth and just after it, but many experience milder forms of the disease....

Types of Liver Cancer Primary liver cancer, which starts in the liver.Secondary liver cancer, which starts in another area of the body and spreads to the liver. Secondary liver cancer is also known as metastatic disease. Types of primary liver cancer include: Hepatocellular carcinoma This is the most common type of primary liver cancer, and it starts in liver cells called hepatocytes. It’s the form doctors most often are referring to when they talk about liver cancer....

The heart wall is made up of three layers: The endocardium, the innermost layer that lines the inside of the heart chambersThe myocardium, the muscle layer that contracts, causing blood to be pumpedThe epicardium, the protective outer layer that is also the innermost layer of the sac containing the heart (pericardium) In more severe cases, symptoms can vary, depending on what’s causing the condition. Fever and chillsFatigueHeadacheMuscle achesJoint painSore throatDiarrheaChest painCoughShortness of breathFast or abnormal heart rhythmsFast breathingSwollen ankles and feet...

When a stressful situation is particularly hard to cope with, we react with symptoms of sadness, fear, or even hopelessness — a type of reaction that’s often referred to as situational depression. Unlike major depression, when you are overwhelmed by depression symptoms for a long time, situational depression usually goes away once you have adapted to your new situation. Actually, situational depression is usually considered an adjustment disorder rather than true depression....

While smoking is the number one risk factor for lung cancer, recent research shows the rates of lung cancer in people who have never smoked (aka never-smokers) are steadily climbing. A study published in January 2017 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found an estimated 10 to 15 percent of lung cancer occurs in never-smokers, and that the incidence of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC; the most common type) in never-smokers is on the rise, increasing by 8 percent between 1990 and 1995 and by 14 percent between 2011 and 2013....

The advice for an annual flu shot is especially vital for anyone at high risk for cardiovascular problems. “This includes people over 65, as well as those with a history of heart disease, stroke, or risk factors for cardiovascular disease like smoking and diabetes,” says Eduardo Sanchez, MD, MPH, chief medical officer for prevention for the American Heart Association. Even so, people in this high-risk group often skip their annual flu shot....

— Shirley, Ohio It’s not just milk — there are many other foods that can interfere with antibiotics, as well as other drugs. In order for oral antibiotics to be effective, they must be absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract, make their way into the bloodstream, and be delivered to the infected area. Many factors influence the body’s ability to accomplish this feat, including the relative acidity of the stomach, the presence of fat or other nutrients in the stomach, and whether certain elements such as calcium are present....

Two Under-Recognized Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis It seems like you should be able to plan for any of those circumstances. But there is a wild card attached to a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis. Two wild cards, I should say: variability and unpredictability. RELATED: 5 Warning Signs That Rheumatoid Arthritis Is Getting Worse Most people with RA will tell you that living with chronic pain is the most difficult aspect of having the disease....

1. Hyperhidrosis Is Just Sweating — It’s Not a Big Deal We all sweat, so it makes sense that some people sweat more than others, right? It’s true to a point, but this view diminishes how disruptive hyperhidrosis can be to your life. “People are told that ‘it’s just sweating,’ but it’s not just sweating,” says Jeffrey Port, MD, a thoracic surgeon who treats people with hyperhidrosis at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City....

But in people with primary-progressive MS (PPMS) — a small subset of the overall MS population — there is no initial relapse that heralds the onset of the disease, just a gradual appearance of symptoms. This can make PPMS more difficult to identify than so-called relapsing-remitting MS. To make matters more difficult, out of the 23 disease-modifying treatments currently available for MS in the United States, only one is approved for PPMS....

New Orleans resident “Mary” has been married to her husband for 25 years. Almost halfway through their marriage, he was hospitalized at age 42 and received a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. The diagnosis was not surprising due to a strong family history — but it helped to clarify the situation, says Mary, age 51. “The diagnosis made it easier, because you know the reason, but it doesn’t change anything. It is a roller coaster....

“From a sustainability perspective, eating the seeds from the pumpkin you brought home is much more eco-friendly than buying a bag of pepitas,” says food waste expert Stephanie Seferian, author of Sustainable Minimalism and host of the Sustainable Minimalists podcast. The United States produces a whopping one billion pounds of pumpkins each year, according to Penn State University, and most of the seeds inside the orange squashes are simply treated as, well, trash....

In spite of that progress, for the 3.5 million people with chronic hepatitis C, the fatigue, depression, and anxiety that often accompany the disease can make day-to-day life challenging. Many people with hepatitis C seek out complementary or alternative medicine (CAM) therapies to help with treatment and recovery. These are outside-the-mainstream healthcare practices used together with conventional medicine. In the 2012 National Health Interview Survey, about 2 out 5 people with liver disease reported using some kind of CAM in the prior year....

“Everyone reacts to foods differently, so it’s important to know which foods affect you,” says Kelly Kennedy, nutritionist for Everyday Health. In general, though, there are certain foods to steer clear of, such as: Seeds and nuts, which are difficult to digest and can irritate the gastrointestinal (GI) tract (Smooth nut butters are okay.)Raw or dried fruits with skin, because they’re packed with fiberDairy, if you’re lactose intolerantCream, cheese, butter, palm oil, coconut oil, and mayonnaise, because they can increase gas, cramping, and diarrheaCaffeine and alcohol, which can irritate the GI tractChocolate, because it contains caffeine and sugar, which can increase cramping and stool frequency...

Whether you’re considering a plan that’s eligible for a health savings account (HSA) or already have an HSA, it’s likely you’re not aware of all the useful and unusual things it can cover. First things first: What is an HSA? An HSA is similar to a regular savings account, but is tax free as long as all funds are used for medical expenses. To have one, you must have a qualifying health insurance plan....

“People with COPD have shortness of breath when they exercise,” says Daniel Ouellette, MD, a pulmonologist with the Henry Ford Health System in Michigan. “Exercise that involves aerobic activity, such as taking a walk or going to the gym, can provoke significant distress for people with COPD.” As a result, people with COPD may be less inclined to exercise. That, Dr. Ouellette says, leads to a vicious cycle. When people avoid physical activity, their bodies become deconditioned....