In the past, chocolate has been considered an indulgence without benefits beyond pleasing our taste buds. Recent evidence, however, has shown that there may be significant health benefits to eating chocolate. The key to receiving these health benefits appears to be the type and amount of chocolate being consumed. What is the origin of chocolate?…...

Wintertime does not have to bring your exercise routine to a grinding halt. Getting outside to exercise gives you a chance to breath fresh air and helps burn those excess calories consumed during the holidays. Working out in cold or inclement conditions, however, does require attention to issues that don’t come into play during warmer…...

Medical science has made tremendous strides in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.  Screening tests including mammograms for breast cancer, Pap smears for cervical cancer, and colonoscopies for colon cancer have allowed these cancers to be detected at an earlier stage when treatment is generally more effective. Treatment of several types of cancer including breast,…...

Plantar warts occur on the sole of the foot and look very similar to calluses.  Sometimes they grow into wider clusters called mosaic warts. They are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), which enters the body through tiny cuts and breaks in the skin. Plantar warts often develop beneath pressure points such as the heels…...

Today’s Health Tip originally ran in 2012 following the release of a statement from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) regarding the responsibilities of parents who decline to have their children immunized.  The importance of this statement has been underscored by the recent outbreak of measles linked to an amusement park in California. Not surprisingly,…...

Americans over the age of one year.  The National Institutes of Health reports that during the year 2012, U.S. consumers spent 5.4 billion dollars on multivitamins.  The reasons that people take multivitamins include “insurance” against nutritional deficiencies and to prevent certain chronic diseases. This widespread consumption of multivitamins, however, has occurred since their introduction in…...

According to an analysis of data that the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) collected in 2003–2006, multivitamins were taken by 33% of Americans over the age of one year.  The National Institutes of Health reports that during the year 2012, U.S. consumers spent 5.4 billion dollars on multivitamins.  The reasons that people take…...

A trip to the pharmacy or grocery store to pick up an over-the-counter medicine to help with cold symptoms can be a confusing affair.  A host of manufacturers, each vying for your business, claim to be better than the others.  The use of different letters behind the name of the  same medication---AC, DM, LR, XP,…...