Diabetes Archive

The digestion process slows as one ages, causing digested food to take its time moving along the gastrointestinal tract from the stomach through the intestines. The longer food stays in the digestive tract, the more opportunity there is for gas to be produced and build up, resulting in bloating. Recurrent bloating also can be caused by people's reactions to certain foods, especially those that contain sugars called FODMAPs. Adjusting one's diet to avoid trigger foods and taking over-the-counter remedies can help prevent and manage problem bloating.

Increasing potassium levels while lowering sodium may be more effective in lowering high blood pressure than reducing dietary salt alone, particularly for men, according to a 2025 study.

Semaglutide, a GLP-1 agonist used to treat diabetes and obesity, may also help people with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, a severe stage of fatty liver disease, suggests a 2025 study.

Wooziness is often just a passing episode of lightheadedness. But it might signal something very serious, such as a stroke or heart attack. When wooziness occurs, one should sit or lie down for a few minutes, rest, and have a drink of water or juice. If wooziness eases, it's best to report the episode to your doctor. If lightheadedness hasn't improved or if it's accompanied by other symptoms, such as chest pain, trouble speaking, or weakness or numbness on one side of the body, call 911 immediately.

Kidney stones are increasingly common among Americans. Made of minerals and acid salts in the urine, the hard deposits cause symptoms when they get stuck in the ureter, the tube that leads to the bladder. Symptoms include excruciating pain, blood in the urine, nausea, vomiting, fever, and chills. Risk factors for kidney stones include low fluid intake, family history, pregnancy, obesity, high blood pressure, gastric bypass surgery, and eating foods high in salt or sugar. Most kidney stones pass on their own, but treatments can retrieve or destroy the stones.

Trichotillomania is a mental health disorder characterized by frequent, irresistible impulses to pull hair from the scalp or anywhere else on the body. It often results in embarrassing bald patches that people with the condition try to conceal. About one in 50 people has trichotillomania, and women are diagnosed and treated for it more often than men are. People with the disorder may pull hair when faced with stressors such as tension, loneliness, or fatigue. Among people who eat pulled hair, complications such as hairballs can be life-threatening.

Metabolic syndrome is defined as having at least three of the following: abdominal obesity, high blood triglyceride levels, high blood pressure, high blood sugar levels, and low HDL cholesterol levels. The condition significantly increases the risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, kidney disease, fatty liver disease, and sleep apnea. While each factor is problematic, the main driver is abdominal obesity, from visceral fat surrounding internal organs. The best way to reduce visceral fat is aerobic exercise, strength training, and a plant-based diet.