Diabetes Archive

Standard definitions consider a healthy body mass index (BMI), a calculation based on a person's height and weight, as between 18.5 and 24.9. Studies have found that a higher BMI increases risk for heart disease, diabetes, and some types of cancer. However, even if their BMI does not fall into the category of overweight, people who gain five or more pounds may be at risk for health problems, especially if the weight gain is belly fat. The best approach is a combination of aerobic exercise, strength training, and a healthy diet.

People who lose weight with a portion-controlled diet and exercise may be able to reverse their diabetes. When that happens, their risk of heart disease and kidney disease declines, according to a 2024 study.

Psoriasis causes skin cells to multiply far faster than normal, leading to scaly, itchy, painful skin plaques. While treatments have vastly expanded, stigma surrounding psoriasis persists. Skin lesions can affect what people wear, what they do, and how they relate to others. To better cope, people with psoriasis can get family members involved in care and treatment decisions, see a dermatologist for more advanced therapies, revisit which treatments may work for them, and connect with others with the disease.

Sepsis is the immune system's overwhelming response to infection. It can lead to a dramatic drop in blood pressure that damages vital organs and causes death. Sepsis risk factors include older age, recent surgery, chronic illness, artificial joints, or a suppressed immune system.

According to a 2024 study, older adults with cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, or glaucoma are more likely to suffer falls compared with those without these eye diseases.

Allergy season runs from around March through October. Tree pollen dominates in spring, grass in summer, and ragweed in late summer and early fall. In people with an allergy, pollen exposure can trigger the hallmark allergy symptoms: sneezing, watery eyes, stuffiness, scratchy throat, wheezing, and coughing. There are many ways to manage allergy symptoms, such as using over-the-counter medication, taking allergy shots or oral immunotherapy to help the immune system better tolerate allergens, and reducing one's exposure to pollen.

A 2023 study suggests that women who prefer to stay up and wake up later are more likely to develop diabetes and to have unhealthful lifestyle habits compared with those who prefer to go to bed and wake up earlier.

At any given time, up to 15 million people in the United States are believed to have brain aneurysms. Most of the time, brain aneurysms don't cause any problems. However, they do rupture in about 30,000 people each year. When an aneurysm leaks or bursts, it increases pressure in the skull, causing damage, swelling, fluid buildup, and sudden, severe head pain unlike any other headache. It's a life-threatening medical emergency and needs to be investigated at an emergency department immediately.

In a 2024 study, people who reported eating plant-based diets were 39% less likely to have had COVID-19, compared with people who said they were meat eaters.