Healthy Living The pursuit of good nutrition has become a whole lot simpler. Recently the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) replaced the MyPyramid food guidance system with MyPlate as the official model for healthy dietary choices. The recommendations for what should be on your plate haven't changed, but a shift in emphasis and a new illustration promise to make the guidelines easier to visualize, follow and remember.

]]> Pain from a bunion -- a deformity that forces the big toe out of alignment -- can stop you in your tracks. Yet many people suffer unnecessarily because they don't know that there are ways to relieve bunion pain. Here’s advice from Dr. Zachary L. Chattler at Johns Hopkins.

]]> If you're getting a yearly Pap test, you may be getting screened for cervical cancer more often than you need to. And if you're older than 65, you likely don't need a test at all. That's according to new guidelines suggested by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) for the screening of cancer of the cervix, the lower portion of the uterus that connects to the vagina. Here’s what you should know.

]]> If you're finding it difficult to track down Zostavax, the vaccine for shingles -- a painful, blistery rash caused by the reactivation of the chicken pox (varicella) virus along nerve roots -- you aren't alone. Fewer than half of the physicians surveyed in a recent study sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported carrying it. And fewer than 10 percent of adults over 60 have been inoculated, as recommended by most major health organizations.

]]> Recently a reader asked: Which compression stockings are better at preventing blood clots in the legs: thigh-highs or knee-highs? Here’s what the research suggests …

]]> If you've ever suffered with traveler's diarrhea, you're not alone. This dreaded gastrointestinal disorder plagues an estimated 10 million travelers a year. The culprit is usually water or food contaminated by a bug called E. coli, although other bacteria, viruses or parasites may be at fault. Stress and jet lag can leave you especially susceptible. Fortunately, you can take steps to avoid traveler's diarrhea. Here’s what we suggest.

]]> Growing scientific evidence suggests that moderate alcohol consumption may have a beneficial or protective effect on health. Anything more than moderate, however, begins to have adverse effects.

]]> Throughout history, men have been expected to take risks, to be strong, to bear up in the face of pain and adversity. Even in the twenty-first century, boys and men are told by their elders, peers, teachers and coaches to "buck up," "hang tough," "bite the bullet" and "be a man" -- meaning someone who hides his feelings and never complains about physical discomfort.

]]> If you're 65 or older, you have a new option for the flu vaccine this year: Fluzone High-Dose. Fluzone High-Dose contains four times more antigen -- that part of the vaccine that stimulates your immune system -- than is found in regular flu vaccines and may offer greater protection for those with weaker immune systems.

]]> Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest cancers, with a five-year survival rate of only about 4 to 5 percent. That’s because tumors in the pancreas may grow rapidly without any symptoms at first and are often not detected until they have progressed to an advanced stage.

]]> Older drivers have special challenges when it comes to safe driving. With age comes a gradual reduction in muscle mass and a decline in the availability of brain chemicals called neurotransmitters. These changes can disrupt your concentration and increase the amount of time it takes to evaluate and respond to information.

]]> Imagine undergoing a medical exam via the Internet with your neurologist hundreds of miles away … or taking your vital signs with equipment hooked up to your home computer and then touching a screen that instantaneously sends the results to your cardiologist’s office. These are the realities of telemedicine, which uses electronic technologies to rapidly send medical information from one location to another.

]]> Gum disease (or periodontitis) is quite common: 30 to 50 percent of adults in the United States have a mild to moderate form of gum disease, and 5 to 15 percent have severe gum disease.

]]> A mammogram is a specialized X-ray of the breast. It can be used to evaluate a breast lump or other abnormality that has been detected by a breast self-exam (BSE) or a clinical breast examination. Mammography is also important as a screening tool because it can detect breast cancer at an early stage, before it can be felt on a physical exam. Mammogram interpretation is performed by a radiologist.

]]> If you're experiencing sleep problems, discuss the possibility of a sleep study with your primary care doctor.

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