How to Disinfect Your House After an Illness or to Avoid Getting Sick
You may want to clean your shoes if they are dirty or smelly, or if you’ve stepped in something nasty, but you aren’t going to catch a virus from your shoes, says Donelan.How Frequently Should You Wash Your Shoes?You really only need to wash your shoes when they’re soiled, says Donelan.When Should You Wash Your Shoes?You may want to...
Can Coffee Help You Lose Weight?
Coffee may aid your weight loss efforts in the following ways.It Revs Up Your MetabolismCoffee contains caffeine, a stimulant that blocks adenosine receptors in the brain, enhancing wakefulness and alertness.Caffeine also affects your body’s physiology in ways that may support a healthy weight. “Coffee increases metabolism because its main component, caffeine, is a stimulant that enhances your metabolic thermogenesis,...
What Is Treatment-Resistant Depression?
PsychotherapyPsychotherapy, also known as talk therapy, can be used alone or in combination with medications for TRD to help you identify underlying issues that may be contributing to your depression. It can also teach you coping behaviors to help manage your symptoms and deal effectively with life stressors.Adding a form of psychotherapy called cognitive behavioral therapy to standard medication...
The C-Peptide Test for Diabetes
The results of your C-peptide test will help your healthcare provider determine how much natural baseline insulin your body makes.C-peptide results are reported with a reference range, which will vary from one lab to another. Your C-peptide may be high, low, or normal. In new patients, high levels tend to indicate type 2 diabetes, and low levels tend to...
Medication, Lifestyle Changes, and More
AnticoagulantsAnticoagulants are blood-thinning medications that help prevent harmful blood clots from forming or growing. Doctors often prescribe these medications to prevent a person’s first stroke, repeated strokes after a first stroke, or a heart attack.Medications in this class include:apixaban (Eliquis)dabigatran (Pradaxa)edoxaban (Savaysa)heparin (various)rivaroxaban (Xarelto)warfarin (Coumadin)Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme InhibitorsACE inhibitors expand blood vessels by lowering levels of hormones that regulate blood pressure,...
Migraine and Depression Connection: Risks, Causes, and Treatments
Both migraine and depression can be treated with pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatments, such as:MedicationPsychotherapyHealthy lifestyle changesCan Antidepressants Help With Migraine?Antidepressants are one way to treat migraine and comorbid depression simultaneously.Although it may seem unusual to treat migraine with medications designed to treat depression, it’s not uncommon to use off-label medications in migraine prevention. In fact, one antidepressant — amitriptyline...
Crohn’s Disease Treatment: Medication, Surgery, and More
Lindsey Konkel is an award-winning freelance journalist with more than 10 years of experience covering health, science, and the environment. Her work has appeared online and in print for Newsweek, National Geographic, Huffington Post, Consumer Reports, Everyday Health, Science, Environmental Health Perspectives, UCSF Magazine, American Association for Cancer Research, and others.She previously worked as an editor and staff writer...
5 Reasons It’s Harder to Lose Weight With Age and What to Do About It
Our muscles, hormones, metabolism, and other body systems are in flux as we get older. (In other words, it’s complicated.) But there are five main factors that may be to blame if your jeans feel tighter these days.1. You’re Experiencing Age-Related Muscle LossThe amount of lean muscle we have begins to decline by 3 to 8 percent per decade...
Does Hand Sanitizer Expire?
Hand sanitizer is a vital tool for killing germs , especially in situations where soap and water aren’t available. In a pinch, a squirt or two can be the difference between staying healthy and getting sick. It makes sense to stock up. But you may have noticed a date on your bottle of hand sanitizer. That’s because the U.S....
How to Eat More Probiotics Every Day
1. Start Your Day With a ParfaitTo get a jump on your probiotic consumption, simply top a breakfast bowl of yogurt with your favorite granola (the lower in sugar the better) and some antioxidant-rich berries, says Stefani Sassos, MS, RDN, CDN, a registered dietitian at the Good Housekeeping Institute in New York City. Yogurt is cultured or fermented milk...
