Prevention (Page 40)

Each Monday this January, we’ll look at the UVA Cancer Center's Integrative Medicine Program. The program focuses on the mind, body and spirit of our cancer patients. Also called alternative therapy, holistic therapy or complementary therapy, these services help patients feel better and get through their cancer treatment more effectively.…

When it comes to your health, diabetes is anything but sweet. This disease affects 25 million children and adults in the United States – and it’s on the rise. November is National Diabetes Month, and there’s no better time than now to find out if you’re at risk. In honor…

It’s a topic that many are uncomfortable talking about: sexually transmitted diseases. Specifically, human papillomavirus, or HPV. But as awkward as it may be to discuss, it's a subject that has recently gained national media attention – and rightfully so. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted virus in the United…

These days most of us are aware that it’s not just how much we eat that matters, but where it comes from. "It doesn’t take a registered dietitian to be able to recognize that a food that travels five miles rather than 5,000 miles to get to your plate is…

"I have lived temperately, eating little animal food, and that ... as a condiment for the vegetables, which constitute my principal diet." — Thomas Jefferson. The first food pyramid appeared in 1902 in a USDA Farmers' Bulletin. Since then, the contents of this guide to a healthy diet have changed,…

There’s a lot of hype out there about spiders. This summer, I had a bunch of quarter-sized creepy crawly things with eight legs and white marks on their backs scurrying around my house. I just assumed they were black widows. I didn’t get much sleep. Then a few of my…

The word “organic” is everywhere. Many grocery stores have separate sections for organic produce and packaged foods. You can even buy macaroni and cheese with organic bright yellow cheese powder. That magical word makes us think we’re eating better, but it also comes with a higher price tag. Is it…

Elisa Trowbridge, MD, who works with patients with pelvic floor disorders, contributed this post. It's an extremely common medical problem that most people don't discuss in polite company: urine leakage. This embarrassing problem affects 40 percent of women in the United States in one of the following forms: Stress incontinence,…

Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States. And the best treatment? Prevention. But heart disease prevention works best when you and your doctor share the responsibility. Use these questions to help guide a discussion about heart disease prevention at your next doctor’s visit. Record…

More than 6 million Americans have survived a stroke. What can you do to avoid becoming a stroke victim? You can start by doing many of the things that also help prevent heart disease: Eat a healthy diet Don’t smoke Get exercise Manage your blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes Take…