“In very severe cases, hypoglycemia can lead to seizures or loss of consciousness,” says Marilyn Tan, MD, a clinical assistant professor of medicine, endocrinology, gerontology, and metabolism at Stanford Health Care, and chief of the Stanford Endocrine Clinic. It’s possible to have hypoglycemia but have no symptoms, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). On the other hand, symptoms can also come on rapidly....

Hepatitis C is spread primarily through direct exposure to infected blood. While some people may clear the virus from their body naturally within several months, the American Liver Foundation estimates 75 to 85 percent of people with hepatitis C go on to develop chronic hepatitis C. Untreated hepatitis C might eventually lead to cirrhosis (severe scarring of the liver) or liver cancer. In the past, most people with chronic hepatitis C were baby boomers — adults born between 1945 and 1964 — who either experimented at one time with intravenous drug use or may have received infected blood during a transfusion, before the blood supply was screened for the virus....

I had to control my laughter. Last three months? Try last three days! The question was asked by a well-meaning admissions nurse at the hospital where I recently had the pleasure of an unexpected four-night stay. My condition wasn’t directly multiple sclerosis (MS)–related, but she read of my diagnosis in my chart and thought it worth asking. She was right to ask. Upon the confirmation that the floor and I meet regularly enough, I was adorned with a color-coded wristband....

“People are a beehive of emotions,” says Kenneth J. Doka, PhD, a senior vice president of grief programs at the Hospice Foundation of America. Among the emotions a person with ankylosing spondylitis might experience is guilt. You may feel guilty for simply having the condition in the first place. Or guilt for being “a burden” or not having the energy to do all the things you “should” do. You may blame yourself for any limitations you may experience, for not being the parent or spouse you feel your family deserves, or for any number of other things that are beyond your control....

My mom broke the news. After being told for months that the symptoms I had been experiencing were merely due to pregnancy related hemorrhoids (we had an 8-month-old baby), the doctors had changed their tune. The doctor who had performed the colonoscopy had shown my mother and I pictures of the mass he’d seen in my rectum, and gone so far as to discuss where to get treated. There was little doubt I had cancer....

When I finally did drag myself onto my feet, all I could bring myself to do was something that involved little thinking, no interaction with others, and was virtually silent. In other words, bake. I shuffled to my kitchen, plugged in my mixer, pulled down a bag of flour, and began to make things. I cranked out muffins, pies, and cookies faster than my husband and I could eat them....

Dr. Fernandez explains that while we don’t know the exact cause of psoriasis, the prevailing belief is that people have a genetic predisposition to it. “When exposed to the appropriate outside trigger — a viral or bacterial infection, a significant life stressor, or environmental exposure — it sparks the initiation of that chronic inflammation,” says Fernandez. “Unfortunately, once it begins, we don’t have a permanent way to turn it off....

The reason, many researchers say, has to do with the numbers of victims and the nature of the offense. Gender differences in the way women and men process threats may also play a role, as does the newly understood corrosive nature of ongoing, chronic stressors, such as sexually based street or workplace harassment. Just as important is the frequently shrouded nature of sexual violence itself. Deeply personal, these attacks are so deeply violating that their effects can persist far beyond the actual incident....

In most cases, experiencing dry skin, or xerosis cutis, isn’t a big concern. According to MedlinePlus, it’s extremely common, can occur in people of all ages, and can pop up anywhere on the body, from the hands and face to the legs and stomach. Dr. Marchbein says that dryness can make the skin red, flaky, or itchy, which can be uncomfortable, but beyond that, there’s usually not much to worry about....

Bladder dysfunction occurs when MS lesions — areas of damage to the myelin sheath that normally protects nerve fibers — block or delay nerve signals that control how the bladder and the muscles surrounding the bladder store or release urine, a condition called neurogenic bladder, says Kristi Epstein, an advanced practice registered nurse and a certified nurse practitioner who specializes in treating people with MS. “This disruption in the nerve signal can cause the bladder to be spastic or overactive, as well as retain urine or not empty correctly; both bladder tone and sphincter control can be affected in MS patients,” says Epstein....

According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020–2025, the average American consumes 270 calories of added sugars, or 17 teaspoons, each day. RELATED: The 6 Best and the 5 Worst Candies for Your Health Added sugars are anything that’s added to food to make it taste sweet, and this includes natural sugars like honey and maple syrup. “Even though they may be more wholesome than table sugar, it’s still contributing more calories but not much in the way of vitamins and minerals,” says Jessica Cording, RD, a health coach in New York City and author of The Little Book of Game Changers....

While famous for her lean and lithe figure, the 42-year-old mother of two defies the stereotypical supermodel mold when it comes to her athleticism. “Gisele is more of an athlete than a model,” says Nonna Gleyzer, a Pilates instructor in Beverly Hills, California, who has been training Bündchen for several years. “She is the most physically active person I know and is constantly moving her body.” You won’t find Gisele on any trendy diets or hopping on the latest workout bandwagon....

Another study, published in September 2018 in the Indian Journal of Gastroenterology, shows that what you eat can also play an important role in keeping symptoms at bay. A diet rich in peeled fruits, cooked low-fiber vegetables, lean meats, and fish can help protect some people against UC symptoms. A healthy diet is key to a stable GI tract even in people who don’t suffer from IBD. “Good nutrition provides the nutrients the body needs to fight disease, inflammation, and promote a healthy immune system,” says Connie Diekman, RD, a food and nutrition consultant based in St....

While you might prefer the quickness of a shower on a day-to-day basis, bathing relaxes your mind and body, like taking a dip in a hot tub or a hot spring. “Warm baths promote relaxation by raising your core body temperature and lowering blood pressure,” says Jeffrey Gladd, MD, an integrative medicine specialist in Columbia, Indiana, and the founder of Gladd Integrative Medicine. Maybe this is why, despite the popularity of showering, many people aren’t ready to ditch their tub....

Nighttime hypoglycemia can be caused by a number of different factors, from exercising too close to bedtime to drinking alcohol in the evening. If untreated, low overnight blood sugar levels can lead to headaches and loss of sleep — and in extreme cases, seizures or even death. The good news is that preventing low blood sugar while you sleep can be achieved with a few simple steps: If your blood sugar levels are low at bedtime, eat a healthy snack before going to sleep....

The term metabolism refers to all the processes in the body that use energy, according to the National Institutes of Health, but the word is most commonly used when we talk about weight. “When someone says, ‘I have a fast metabolism’ or ‘I have a slow metabolism,’ they’re usually referring to their ability to lose weight or maintain a normal weight,” says Caroline Cederquist, MD, a bariatric medicine specialist in Naples, Florida....

“Apple cider vinegar is one of those common pantry staples that actually has a little bit of science behind the claims that it’s good for you,” says Melissa Groves Azzaro, RDN, an integrative and functional medicine dietitian and founder of Avocado Grove Nutrition and Wellness, based in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. “It’s affordable and accessible, making it easy to try for most people.” Apple cider vinegar is made from fermented apples....

Whether it’s fearing encountering certain foods, worrying about bingeing and purging, or anxiety about facing loved ones with whom they have a difficult relationship, there’s a lot more going on at the table for people with eating disorders than others may realize.“As a holiday that’s focused almost entirely on eating, Thanksgiving emphasizes the very thing those with eating disorders are struggling so much with: their relationship with food,” says Carrie Wasterlain, LCSW, assistant director of The Dorm, which specializes in mental healthcare for young adults in New York City and Washington, D....

But symptoms like shortness of breath or a chronic cough shouldn’t be ignored because they could be a sign of COPD or progression of the disease, which is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. People with COPD have damaged airways, causing less oxygen to get into the body. It also gets harder to get rid of carbon dioxide. COPD isn’t curable, but there are treatments to manage its symptoms as well as ways you can slow down its progression to help you live longer and better....

Aging is characterized by having rigid muscle tissue and compressed joints, Dorfman says. Stretching, on the other hand, helps create more elasticity in muscles and maintain extension in joints to promote your ability to move and be active well into your later years. A regular stretching routine improves flexibility, helping you maintain full range of motion and full use of the muscles, according to Harvard Medical School. Tight muscles that are limited in mobility are also more prone to pain, strains, and injury....