By Sara Vigneri In 2012, after a career spent hosting a successful talk show, appearing in movies, and running an eponymous magazine, comedian Rosie O’Donnell found herself out of a job when her OWN network show was cancelled. But O’Donnell seemed to take her unemployment as a chance to slow down and spend time with her family. One afternoon, in the middle of August 2012, … »
By Angela Bristow If you walk down the aisles of any grocery store you’ll no doubt notice the plethora of Gluten-free products. This way of eating is not necessarily a choice but a necessity for those who have celiac disease or celiac sprue. These are autoimmune diseases that prevent the small intestine from absorbing nutrients and the body from breaking down gluten. This … »
By Kathleen Mory If there’s one thing Lehigh Valley residents know, it’s that this area of Pennsylvania has a serious flow of seasonal allergies. Every year people around the Valley are sniffling, sneezing and coughing with watering eyes at the first sight of a blooming flower. It can truly put a damper on the loveliest of spring afternoons. According to the Asthma and All… »
By Kathleen Mory If you are a sports fan, or an avid news watcher, you have undoubtedly heard the tragic stories of a young athlete who dies on the field or at practice. In most cases, the culprit of these sudden deaths is Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM). “HCM is a genetic disease which causes.an abnormal thick-ness in the bottom chambers, or ventricles, of the heart. Th… »
By Ann Wlazelek Do you worry about work, paying bills, how you will care for an aging parent or any of life’s other countless challenges? If so, chances are you are experiencing one of the most common phenomenons known to man: anxiety. “Anxiety is like the common cold of psychology,” said Dr. Robert Gordon, an area psychologist for more than 40 years. Everyone is anxious a… »
By Andy Cook Smoking is one of the hardest habits to break. The U.S. Surgeon General has said smoking cessation (stopping smoking) represents the single most important step that smokers can take to enhance the length and quality of their lives.” It’s really the nicotine which does the harm – it has health risks which outweigh the pleasant feelings. A first-hand report fro… »
By Kathleen Mory There are many ways a person can get sick. Whether it is through human contact, consuming a substance, or even just breathing the air, as humans we constantly have reason to take precaution against illness. Infectious disease is one of the easiest transmittable and avoidable forms of illness. By simply washing one’s hands or covering the mouth when sneezin… »
By Sara Hodon Diabetes is a complicated condition, but a combination of education and self-discipline can make it easier to manage. “Diabetes Mellitus is a group of diseases in which high blood sugar, or glucose, levels are caused by defects in the body’s ability to produce and/or use insulin. Insulin is a hormone made in the body to convert sugar, starches and food into e… »
By Sara Hodon How many times have you tried to lose weight the old-fashioned way, through diet and exercise, only to fail miserably time after time? If the weight is not going away and it’s starting to affect your overall health, it may be time to consider bariatric, or weight loss, surgery. Weight loss surgery is not a “quick fix” for folks who want to lose a few pounds…. »
By Sara Hodon Springtime means warmer temperatures and more quality time outdoors, but it also means the start of allergy season. While any number of things can aggravate an allergy inside a person’s home—dust and pet dander among them—the great outdoors are chock-full of allergens that compromise respiratory systems. According to Eric Schenkel, MD, Director of Valley Ast… »
