A woman of child-bearing age typically experiences her menstrual period every month, with a regularly recurring pattern in most cases. Most women have a period that lasts 3 to 5 days, with a duration of 2 to 7 days considered normal, according to the Office on Women's Health at the U.S.
Read more →
Many women experience some discomfort or pain around the time of their menstrual period, especially for the first day or two of their flow. In some cases, pain may be experienced a few days before your period begins.
Read more →
Inflammation is a natural process the body uses to fight off foreign invaders such as bacteria and viruses. However, it also accompanies some diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis and other joint conditions, such as osteoarthritis and gout.
Read more →
Blood glucose, or blood sugar, provides energy to all of your organs and tissues. When diabetes develops, blood glucose is too high, yet your cells have difficulty getting enough energy because insulin is unable to move glucose into the cells.
Read more →
Although your body needs only small amounts of iodine, its role in your body is anything but small. Iodine is critical for the production of your thyroid hormone, which has many important roles.
Read more →
If you're a tea drinker, you may have heard of or tried Earl Grey tea, a blend of different Chinese teas with some added citrus flavor.
Read more →
Each time you move a part of your body, you use tendons, which are specialized structures that attach muscles to bones. They're made of tough, nonelastic tissue -- called fibrous connective tissue -- that transfers the force produced when a muscle contracts.
Read more →
You may never have heard of mangosteen, a small round fruit produced by a tropical tree (Garcinia mangostana) native to Southeast Asia.
Read more →
Irritable bowel syndrome is a chronic disorder of the digestive tract. Common symptoms are cramps or stomach pain that improve after a bowel movement. IBS patients often suffer from constipation or diarrhea, sometimes alternating between them. Stress or some foods may aggravate symptoms, but an article in "
Read more →
Liver spots are flat, usually oval spots that are brown or black in color. They actually have nothing to do with the liver or liver disease; they are called liver spots because their color can resemble the yellowish-brown color of liver.
Read more →
You may have heard of probiotics, foods that contain live cultures of beneficial bacteria that live in your digestive tract and help keep it functioning well.
Read more →
Your circulatory system plays a central role in maintaining your health and well-being. Arteries are especially important, carrying nourishing blood from your heart to all your organs and providing them with oxygen and nutrients.
Read more →
Prevacid, a medication that reduces the amount of acid made by stomach lining cells, can alleviate problems caused by esophageal reflux. The effectiveness of Prevacid in infants, however, has not been established, and the medication is not approved for use in anyone younger than 1 year of age.
Read more →
You're probably familiar with oregano, which is a culinary spice that adds flavor to many traditional Italian dishes. In cooking, the leaves of the Mediterranean oregano plant (Oreganum vulgare) are used either fresh or dried, and you can also brew them to make tea.
Read more →
The neem tree is a tropical evergreen that's been part of traditional Asian medicine for centuries. Practitioners recommend neem leaves and other parts of the tree to treat gastrointestinal problems, to prevent infection and, when used topically, as an insect repellent and pesticide.
Read more →
Plants commonly called lemongrass (Cymbopogon spp.) have grasslike leaves with a strong, lemony fragrance. Native to Africa and Asia, the plants are used as culinary flavoring and in perfumes, but they also have medicinal properties.
Read more →
You know garlic as an odorous but flavorful addition to many food dishes. But garlic cloves are packed with potential health benefits because of their natural phytochemicals that may have positive effects on the body.
Read more →
When a couple has difficulty conceiving a child, several assisted reproductive technologies are available to achieve a successful pregnancy.
Read more →
As a woman becomes older and her supply of eggs diminishes, she eventually enters menopause, when her body undergoes a number of changes. Most women enter menopause between the ages of 45 and 55, although this varies. Some of the changes that menopause causes are obvious, while others can be more subtle.
Read more →
Biotin, sometimes referred to as vitamin H, is part of the B complex vitamin group. It is an essential vitamin that helps your body produce energy from the foods you eat. Calcium is an essential mineral that builds and maintains strong bones and teeth.
Read more →