For patients and caregivers, understanding clinical progression, diagnostic imaging results, and pharmacological treatment options is vital for managing acute and chronic health conditions.
Fevers, whether they accompany other symptoms of illness or occur on their own, can be uncomfortable and scary, especially a high fever or one that occurs in an infant. Most fevers aren't serious and will go away on their own or as the illness they accompany resolves.
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The human digestive system is the organ system responsible for extracting nutrition from consumed food items and absorbing the nutritional molecules into the bloodstream. Doing this requires breaking food into smaller pieces mechanically and chemically, so that nutritional molecules are isolated and can be absorbed.
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There's a common misconception in the general public that weight gain is a result of digestive disorders and, more specifically, of digestive enzyme deficiencies. This is not the case; if anything, such a disorder would have the opposite effect.
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The physical and hormonal changes of pregnancy bring with them a whole host of interesting, frequently irritating and sometimes confusing symptoms. Among these, some women get toothaches or experience other dental concerns while pregnant.
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Lipases are a general class of enzymes that break down fat molecules. Fats, also called lipids, exist in many forms; different kinds of fats require different lipases to break them down. Your body uses lipases to digest fat and also depends on lipases to help move cholesterol in the body.
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The male hormone testosterone has many different effects upon a man's body and brain. Before a male baby is born, testosterone secretions cause his internal and external reproductive organs to develop.
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Blood vessels deliver blood from the heart to the tissues, and return oxygen-depleted blood to the heart. The vascular system is made up of three vessel types.
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Adrenaline and testosterone are both human hormones. Adrenaline, the common name for epinephrine, is a stress hormone produced in similar quantities in both men and women. Testosterone is classically considered a "male" hormone, although it's produced in small amounts in women as well.
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Your bloodstream is critical to your survival, because it's what carries oxygen and nutrient molecules to your body cells. Nutrient molecules that you absorb from the digestive tract can dissolve in the blood, and cells remove them from the blood as needed.
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Lactobacillus acidophilus is a strain of bacteria that can digest lactose, the sugar in milk and other dairy products. If you're lactose intolerant and experience digestive complications upon consuming dairy, you may be wondering whether supplemental Lactobacillus can help alleviate your symptoms.
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Simple sugars and starches are both carbohydrates, and both contain the molecule glucose, which is also called blood sugar. Glucose is a very important biological molecule, as it is the brain's primary source of energy and a significant source of energy for all body cells.
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You might have heard that ginger is a helpful herbal medicine and that it can relieve some digestive difficulties. While it's true that ginger is a traditional remedy for certain digestive ailments, but it doesn't have any utility in helping treat constipation.
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If you're a fan of pork but have heard that it has negative effects on the digestive tract, you needn't worry -- clean, well-cooked pork meat doesn't have detrimental effects on health. Instead, you digest it as you would any other animal protein.
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During pregnancy, you need large quantities of folic acid to help ensure that you're meeting the needs of your developing embryo or fetus. Generally speaking, 800 micrograms of folic acid is not too much -- in fact, your obstetrician may advise you take as much as 1000 micrograms of folic acid daily during pregnancy.
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