Recent Blog Articles
New urine test may help some men with elevated PSA avoid biopsy
Dupuytren's contracture of the hand
Why play? Early games build bonds and brain
Moving from couch to 5K
How — and why — to fit more fiber and fermented food into your meals
Tick season is expanding: Protect yourself against Lyme disease
What? Another medical form to fill out?
How do trees and green spaces enhance our health?
A muscle-building obsession in boys: What to know and do
Harvard Health Ad Watch: New drug, old song, clever tagline
Alternative & Integrative Health Archive
Articles
Treating anxiety without medication
Image: iStock |
If you suffer from anxiety, the constant, nagging feelings of worry can be troubling and hard to control. These feelings are usually intense and out of proportion to the actual troubles and dangers in your everyday life. They can make it hard to function at home, at work, or in social situations.
Anxiety can be treated with medication, but several mind-body approaches may also be effective.
8 non-invasive pain relief techniques that really work
Image: Bigstock |
Sometimes pain has a purpose — it can alert us that we've sprained an ankle, for example. But for many people, pain can linger for weeks or even months, causing needless suffering and interfering with quality of life.
If your pain has overstayed its welcome, you should know that you have more treatment options today than ever before. Here, we've listed eight techniques to control and reduce your pain that don't require an invasive procedure — or even taking a pill.
Could hypnotherapy help you?
Hypnotherapy helps you control or alter your thoughts, feelings, and physical state. The results may help relieve anxiety, pain, or insomnia. Image: Thinkstock |
Tap into your brain's circuitry to boost treatment for your health condition.
When medications make you sensitive to sunlight
Avoid sun exposure or wear sunprotective clothing and sunscreen if you’re taking photosensitizing drugs. Image: Thinkstock |
Wear sunscreen, and avoid direct exposure to the sun.
Putting the kibosh on belching
Constant burping can be annoying — and embarrassing! But there are some simple steps that can help you squelch belching. The key is to reduce the amount of air you swallow.
Start by looking at some simple habits. Two of the biggest culprits behind swallowing too much air are chewing gum and smoking. Drop these habits and you'll be gulping less air — and quitting smoking has even more important health benefits! If you wear dentures, make sure they fit snugly. And avoid "high-air" foods and beverages like carbonated beverages and whipped desserts. After eating, consider taking a stroll rather than plunking down in front of the TV. Staying upright and moving helps your stomach empty and relieves bloated feelings. When it's time to go to bed, try sleeping on your stomach or right side to aid in the escape of gas and alleviate fullness.
Cardiovascular consequences of hormone therapy
A large study reinforces the current thinking on hormone therapy after menopause: it doesn't shield women from heart disease and may slightly increase their risk of a stroke.
For decades, doctors believed that hormone therapy could prevent heart disease. But in 2002, findings from the landmark Women's Health Initiative revealed that long-term hormone use boosted heart attack, stroke, and breast cancer risk.
Personalized medicine sounds futuristic, but it's really about your relationship with your doctor
By Anne Fabiny, M.D., Editor in Chief
President Barack Obama recently announced the Precision Medicine Initiative, a new program to speed up discoveries based on information and technology stemming from the Human Genome Project. "Precision medicine" and "personalized medicine" are terms that describe health care tailored to an individual patient's genetic makeup, using information about a patient's genome to diagnose illness and design therapies to treat and cure disease. This approach has been described as "the medicine of the future."
However, it may be reassuring to know that although your doctor doesn't have your genome at hand, he or she is likely to be giving you personalized care as we understand it today.
8 pill-free ways to lower your blood pressure
A healthy diet that includes plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables can help to lower and control high blood pressure. Images: Thinkstock |
Try losing weight, changing your diet, and exercising.
Sometimes getting your blood pressure under control requires that you take several medications each day, such as a diuretic and a calcium-channel blocker. But some therapies don't involve medication. "People who have drug intolerances or are unwilling to take medications can try pill-free therapy, and it can also be used to make a medication regimen more effective," says Dr. Randall Zusman, a cardiologist and Harvard Medical School associate professor.
Can you put off that knee surgery?
Don't assume surgery is necessary if knee pain sidelines you. Physical therapy may be all it takes. Image: iStock |
Physical therapy and weight loss can relieve knee pain and protect your mobility.
Recent Blog Articles
New urine test may help some men with elevated PSA avoid biopsy
Dupuytren's contracture of the hand
Why play? Early games build bonds and brain
Moving from couch to 5K
How — and why — to fit more fiber and fermented food into your meals
Tick season is expanding: Protect yourself against Lyme disease
What? Another medical form to fill out?
How do trees and green spaces enhance our health?
A muscle-building obsession in boys: What to know and do
Harvard Health Ad Watch: New drug, old song, clever tagline
Free Healthbeat Signup
Get the latest in health news delivered to your inbox!
Sign Up