“If we know what caused a stroke, we can prevent immediate progression as well as recurrent stroke,” says Aneesh Singhal, MD, the director of the Stroke and Neuro-ICU Observership Program at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. When a stroke is suspected, a doctor will first use imaging, such as an MRI or CT scan of the patient’s brain and blood vessels of the neck and head. But, Dr. Singhal notes, imaging tests can really only show an irregularity or blockage of the artery....

It typically occurs in people whose feet have become sweaty while wearing tight-fitting shoes. Athlete’s foot causes several symptoms that affect the feet, including: Red and itchy skinMild scaling of the skin, which may cover small areas or the entire sole of the footPainful cracking (fissuring) of the skin, typically a result of severe scalingFluid-filled blistersThickening of the soles of the feet The fungal infection can also spread to the toenails, causing them to discolor, thicken, or crumble....

What Is Fenugreek Exactly, and Where Does the Spice Come From Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) belongs to the pea family (Fabaceae) and its aromatic, pod-like seeds, whole or ground into powder, add flavor to cuisine throughout South and West Asia, the Mediterranean, Central Europe, and North Africa. Its sprouts and leaves are edible as well. Fenugreek is redolent of burnt sugar, which is why it’s used in chutneys and to make imitation maple syrup....

The hepatitis D virus depends on another virus, namely the one that causes hepatitis B, to reproduce itself. This means hepatitis D can only infect people who are already infected with the hepatitis B virus, or who are exposed to hepatitis B at the same time they’re exposed to hepatitis D. (1) When you are infected with hepatitis B and D at the same time, it’s called coinfection. If you already have chronic hepatitis B and are then exposed to the hepatitis D virus, it’s called a superinfection....

RELATED: The Must-Know Risks and Benefits of the Ketogenic Diet Another big downside of keto is the fact that keeping the body in ketosis is very difficult to maintain. When following the keto diet, you’ll traditionally take in no more than 20 to 50 grams (g) of carbohydrates per day. To put that into perspective, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, one medium-sized pear has 27 g of carbs....

Although it’s often known as the “bad” cholesterol, LDL cholesterol isn’t inherently unhealthy. Your body needs LDL cholesterol to protect nerves and produce cells and hormones. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is the other type of cholesterol, and is often called “good” cholesterol. Both LDL and HDL cholesterol are produced in the liver. At higher levels, LDL cholesterol builds up as plaque in the walls of blood vessels. Over time, this buildup can result in atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries....

There’s no cure for psoriatic arthritis, but there are plenty of therapies to help lessen the discomfort and joint damage. Stiff, painful jointsRedness, heat, or swelling in the tissues surrounding the jointsRed skin with silvery-white, scaly patchesItching or burning of the skinNails that crumble, become pitted, or lift from the nail beds“Sausage-like” fingers or toesHand deformitiesFoot, neck, or spine painTrouble bending and reduced range of motionInflammation of the eyes, which can cause irritation and vision problemsFatigue...

The blood pressure in your lungs is different from your “regular” blood pressure throughout the body. You can have normal blood pressure overall, but still have pulmonary arterial hypertension. Normally, pressure in the right side of your heart — which pumps blood to your lungs, where it collects oxygen — and in the arteries of the lungs is lower than in the rest of your body. This allows your blood to take up as much oxygen as possible....

Phase 1 of the Sirtfood Diet: Green Juice Phase 2 of the Sirtfood Diet: Maintenance For the next two weeks, you’ll eat three sirtfood-focused meals (also called “sirtifying” your meals), along with one green juice per day, and two optional sirtfood snacks. A snack might be dates or walnuts. There is no calorie requirement or limit during this phase. There isn’t much guidance as to what to do once your three weeks are up, says Gans....

There is something about starting a job, working hard, and ending with a completely different looking room at the end. The fact that my dog, Sadie, seems to wonder at her master’s ability to change the color of our world with the simple waving of my hand makes the process fun as well. But painting, like living with the incurable disease we share, is about more than just one thing....

Before You Turn to Surgery Patients who respond to medical therapy do not need surgery, adds Mark A. Zacharek, MD, residency program director for the department of otolaryngology and head and neck surgery at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. But those whose CT (computed tomography) scans show “persistent disease” are possible candidates for surgery, says Dr. Zacharek. “Before resorting to sinus surgery, you should try maximum medical therapy,” says Martin Citardi, MD, chairman of the department of otolaryngology and head and neck surgery at the University of Texas Medical School in Houston....

RELATED: The Healthiest Dark Chocolate Bars, According to Registered Dietitians None of this suggests all sugar is bad. But the sugars found in a can of cola are not the same as those in a cup of fresh berries. Natural vs. Added Sugar: What’s the Difference? Natural sugars are the ones found in whole, unprocessed foods — such as the fructose in bananas or berries, or lactose in a glass of skim milk, says Vanessa Voltolina, RDN, a clinical dietitian in Westchester, New York....

“Not missing this diagnosis in women is extraordinarily important,” says Atul Deodhar, MD, a professor of medicine and the medical director of rheumatology clinics at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland. That’s because even though imaging tests may show less-severe findings in women with AS, “They have the same pain, the same fatigue, the same worsening quality of life, the same disability,” says Dr. Deodhar. Here are some of the reasons it can be harder for women to get an accurate diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis, and how to go about making sure your condition is recognized and treated appropriately....

Among the possible perks of noshing on a square of the dark stuff are lower risks of heart disease, insulin resistance, and high blood pressure, according to the American Heart Association. Those benefits may seem like enough reason to race for the candy aisle — but not so fast. As with eating any food when you’re managing diabetes, details are key. Follow this guide to enjoying dark chocolate safely without throwing your blood sugar out of whack....

As a recipe developer myself, I love figuring out new ways to use them. You can find a few of my ideas on my website, like my Mango Banana Almond Overnight Oats and my Matcha Green Tea Energy Muffins! But why exactly do bananas turn brown? Technically, they’re spoiling: The acids in the fruit have softened, and the over-ripe bananas become sweeter and mushier. No matter the color, bananas are full of nutrients, including blood-pressure-helping potassium and satiating fiber....

But that doesn’t mean you have the green light to eat mac ’n cheese every day. “A home-cooked meal can be just as unhealthy as a restaurant meal if you use unhealthy ingredients, cooking methods, or don’t reign in your portions,” says Jackie Topol, MS, RD, a registered dietitian and culinary nutritionist in New York City. Read on to discover four cooking mistakes that may cause weight gain, plus how to correct them so you can reach your health goals....

If you’ve never experienced impairing anxiety — that is, anxiety that goes beyond a healthy response to a stressor — it can be hard to understand someone who is experiencing it, says Helen Egger, MD, cofounder and chief medical and scientific officer at Little Otter, a virtual family mental health care platform. Occasionally experiencing the jitters or worries is a normal part of life. The difference, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, is that people with an anxiety disorder experience symptoms often, and those symptoms do not easily go away....

It’s a true total body workout — the five moves will tap your shoulders, triceps, glutes, quads, hamstrings, and core through a series of compound exercises. “The combination of exercises gets your body moving in different directions to ensure you are able to bend, twist, and reach with strength and stability,” Wells says. You won’t need any equipment. Ideally, you’ll perform these exercises on a yoga mat, but a towel, carpet, or another soft surface will work, too....

Perhaps that’s why there are so many myths surrounding eczema. To clear up the confusion, we consulted a few leading dermatologists to debunk seven common misconceptions. 1. Myth: Atopic Dermatitis Is Contagious Point-blank, that’s simply not true. “It’s a genetic condition and is not contagious,” says Charles E. Crutchfield III, MD, a clinical professor of dermatology at the University of Minnesota Medical School in Minneapolis and medical director of Crutchfield Dermatology....

What’s more, exercise should be part of your COVID-19 prep strategy, according to a March 2020 article published in the Journal of Sport and Health Science on the impact of exercise on immunity. Another March 2020 article published in Diabetes & Metabolic Syndrome Clinical Research & Reviews noted that lowering your blood sugar and keeping it stable may help reduce your likelihood of contracting the coronavirus and your potential for experiencing severe symptoms....