The common cold is a viral infection of the upper respiratory system. On average, children have six to eight colds per year, and adults have two to four. The common cold places a heavy burden on society, accounting for approximately 40% of time taken off work and millions of days of school missed by children…...

Plastic containers of hand sanitizer are appearing everywhere---at restaurant counters, offices, gyms, even in campground pit toilets. And no wonder, keeping hands clean through proper hand hygiene is a proven way to avoid getting sick and to prevent spreading germs. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the standard for this is washing with…...

In the wintertime, a number of factors can cause skin to dry out, leading to uncomfortable scaling, cracking and itching.   Lower outdoor humidity along with exposure to forced air heating, wood-burning stoves, space heaters and fireplaces can all cause skin to lose moisture. Additionally, taking long, hot showers or baths and use of deodorant and…...

Statistics indicate that of the more than 6 million vehicle crashes each year, 24% are weather-related. Weather-related crashes are defined as those that occur in adverse weather (i.e., rain, sleet, snow, and/or fog) or on slick pavement (i.e., wet pavement, snowy/slushy pavement, or icy pavement). Data compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)…...

Lose 5 pounds this year? Spend more time with your family? Find a new job? Millions of people make New Year’s resolutions, but relatively few are successful in keeping them. This is evidenced by a 2007 study conducted by British psychologist Richard Wiseman who found that 88% of all resolutions end in failure. Not surprisingly,…...

Surveys have found that the primary reasons people choose bottled water over tap water are: 1) the belief that bottled water is healthier, 2) that bottled water tastes better, and 3) that bottled water offers convenience. Which one is better in regard to taste and convenience could be debated, but according to a number of…...

Recently, U.S. News and World Report released its ranking of the best diets for 2014.  This list was compiled by a panel of health experts including nutritionists and physicians specializing in diabetes, heart disease, and weight loss. In this ranking, the DASH eating plan topped the list, beating out better known diets, such as the…...

ALS is an abbreviation for the disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Also known as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease”, ALS is a progressive degenerative disease that affects the nerves that control voluntary movements and muscle power. The specific types of nerves affected are the “motor neurons”, located in the brain and spinal cord. These are the nerves that…...