Sepsis is the human body’s overactive response to an infection, which can overwhelm the system and lead to life-threatening consequences such as organ failure, tissue damage and even death. In sepsis, chemicals are released into the bloodstream which then go on to trigger an inflammatory response in the rest of the body. These responses can...
September is National Cholesterol Education Awareness Month. And while most of us have heard of cholesterol and have some vague notion that it is bad, some of us have little understanding of what it is, how it works and that cholesterol isn’t necessarily all bad. What is Cholesterol? Cholesterol is a fat-like substance that is...
There are millions of types of fungi living in the environment, and they live on surfaces everywhere. Today, fungal diseases are very common and can affect anyone. Fortunately, there are a limited amount of fungi that can cause sickness in people. These can take the form in: Allergies Asthma Skin or nail infections and rashes...
Over the years, we’ve seen trends come and go with regards to breastfeeding. Changing Popularity of Formula Feeding Vs. Breastfeeding Over the Years In the 1950s, commercial baby formula became available. Like all things new and convenient for the average mother during that time and propelled by strong marketing campaigns and women joining the workforce,...
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver and can have many causes, the most common being viruses with the labels A, B and C. Chronic viral hepatitis can lead to lifelong liver disease, cancer and cirrhosis. Hepatitis A virus can be easily spread through food and water contamination and can infect groups of people who...
Here in South Florida, we know about the sun. Most of us have had the unfortunate experience of suffering from too much after a day out in our tropical weather climate. But not all UV exposure comes from the sun (think: tanning beds). Most of us understand that too much UV exposure is not healthy...
As we age, we begin to understand that it’s not just about quantity but quality. As a society, we have become adept at furthering our chronological age but less skilled at maintaining our health as we go. What is the purpose of living into our golden years if those years are fraught with chronic disease,...
June is National Safety Month. And in these days of COVID-19, the term safety has now taken on new meaning. The National Safety Council reported that one of the things people are most concerned with as the country is endeavoring to “re-open” is a return to work and other required activities. Consequently, many people are...
