With heart disease reaching near epidemic proportions in the U.S., health care professionals are urging patients to reduce their risk factors through exercise and a diet low in cholesterol and saturated fats. The U.S.

Epsom salt has dozens of household uses that range from gardening to physical and mental health. According to licensed acupuncturist Duane Law, Epsom salt can even be used to treat open wounds.

The humerus is the long bone located between the elbow and the shoulder joints in the upper arm. The humerus is made up of three different anatomic parts: the proximal humerus, the shaft and the distal humerus. The proximal humerus is part of the shoulder joint, and the distal humerus is part of the elbow joint.

Taking a deep breath and experiencing right-sided chest pain provokes physical discomfort and anxiety. Chest pain brought on or worsened by forceful breathing is called pleuritic chest pain. This symptom typically originates from an infection, injury or other condition affecting the right lung or chest wall.

Ankle pain can result from muscle strains, bone fractures, gout, obesity and joint degeneration. If you are suffering when you put weight on your ankle, addressing pain relief and any inflammation should be your first goals. Improving circulation and strength in the area should come next.

Tightness in your knees can be irritating since it interferes with simple tasks like walking and sitting. The sensation of tight knee tendons is often due to tightness throughout the muscles that are connected to tendons.

Cysts, or sacs that are filled with fluid, can occur nearly anywhere in your body, including in the skin, ovaries, breasts and lungs. Your physician may recommend surgical removal in some cases, but there are herbal remedies to get rid of cysts as well.

High cholesterol is associated with increased risk for heart disease, the number-one killer of women and men in the United States. Going to your doctor for a routine blood test will help you learn if you have high cholesterol.

The tibialis posterior muscle is the leg muscle that points the foot down and in, and it plays a key role in keeping the arch of your foot stable during walking and running. Problems with this muscle can present themselves as pain on the inside of the ankle, a collapsing arch or difficulty standing on your toes.

Neuropathy means damage to the nerves, which transmit messages from the spinal cord to the brain. Neuropathy often causes numbness and tingling in the hands and feet, called peripheral neuropathy.

While there are many factors that could make a person moody or irritable, depleted levels of certain vitamins and other nutrients are among the physiological causes, according to "The Food-Mood Solution" by Jack Challem and Melvyn R. Werbach.

Blood pressure refers to force against artery walls when your heart circulates blood throughout your body. A normal blood pressure is less than 120 over 80 and high blood pressure is 140 over 90 or above. The first number represents the pressure against your artery walls when your heart beats.