“If you’re fully vaccinated, you’re not taking as much of a risk if you travel now. You still need to take some precautions, but it’s different than it was in the past,” says Aaron E. Glatt, MD, chairman of the department of medicine and chief of infectious diseases at Mount Sinai South Nassau in Oceanside, New York. Guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that people who are fully vaccinated (that is, who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine or the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine at least two weeks prior) can travel safely within the United States....

The muscle stiffness, weakness, and tremors of Parkinson’s can interfere with everyday activities, especially as the disease progresses. And Parkinson’s medications can cause distorted and involuntary movements, a side effect known as dyskinesia. Simple tasks like dressing, bathing, or even walking around the house can become frustrating. Exercise is an essential part of managing the symptoms of the disease, notes the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. Swimming, yoga, dance, and walking can help your muscles stay limber when you have Parkinson’s....

Extreme and prolonged heat waves have long been linked to an increased risk of hospitalizations and deaths from cardiovascular disease events like heart attacks and strokes, particularly in regions of the world where temperatures are typically milder. But much of this research has been inconclusive about how age and sex influence the odds of these heart-related deaths. For the new study, researchers examined 15 years of data on 39,912 heart-related summertime deaths among men and women in England and Wales and 488 similar fatalities among U....

The treatments your doctor recommends will depend on the level of blockage in your coronary arteries and the extent of damage to your heart muscle. Once a heart attack is confirmed or strongly suspected, your doctor may put you on medications to help unblock clogged arteries and restore blood flow to your heart. You may also be given medications to prevent future clots or to reduce your heart’s workload. Depending on the extent of blockage in your coronary arteries, you may also require a catheter-based or surgical procedure to open up a blocked artery or to create a new route for blood to reach your heart....

What’s the strategy? Know your triggers, so you can plan outdoor exercise when levels of allergens are at their lowest. Identify Your Allergy Triggers and Adjust Your Workout Times Accordingly The first step to exercising more comfortably outdoors with seasonal allergies is to figure out your triggers, says Flavia Cecilia Lega Hoyte, MD, an allergist and immunologist at National Jewish Health in Denver. To develop your trigger checklist, talk with your doctor about testing, then adjust your workouts based on the results....

“Major depression causes a total lack of energy that doctors call ‘anergia,’” says Stephen Geisler, MD, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Hofstra North Shore–LIJ School of Medicine in Long Island, N.Y. “This lack of energy can lead to mental, emotional, and physical fatigue that’s difficult to treat.” Left untreated, fatigue can contribute to longer and more severe depression, according to a research review published in 2014 in the journal Depression and Anxiety....

Coronavirus-fighting recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other organizations overwhelmingly urge Americans to wash their hands frequently and consistently — and experts agree that soap and water is the most effective cleanser. If soap and water are not available (for example, when you are running an essential errand for food or prescription medicines), using a hand sanitizer containing at least 60 percent alcohol is an acceptable alternative, according to the CDC....

For starters, the season tends to be full of food-focused events, which can cause people with eating disorders intense anxiety. Stress can arise from encountering certain types or quantities of food, gaining weight, or worrying about how to handle comments about how they look or what they’re eating, says Kim Anderson, PhD, the clinical director of the Eating Recovery Center of the East Region in Maryland. “During the holiday season, it can feel like there is no escaping all of these fear cues,” Dr....

Now, with at least a dozen mince pies hanging around my waistline, it’s time to get back on track and shed the Christmas kilograms. I Know From Past Efforts What Works for Me Losing weight — particularly in the middle of the cold, dark winter — is never an easy task. It can be even more difficult if we try to take it off in nearly the same amount of time it took to put it on....

In general, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine suggest that each day women get a total of about 2.7 liters (L), or 11 cups, of fluid and men get about 3.7 L (16 cups). Not all of that fluid has to be water intake. Whole, nutrient-rich foods and beverages, including the following, also count toward your fluid intake: TeaCoffeeSparkling waterKombuchaCoconut water On the other hand, alcohol is dehydrating and does not count as fluid....

Age: 32 Goal: To understand how much I consume each day and to take the guessing out of dining out Confession: I’m a grazer. I’ve never been one to stick to eating three solid meals a day. Instead, I eat many small meals and snacks — some so small I don’t know if they qualify as a snack. I have a hard time passing through my kitchen without grabbing something, whether it’s a few almonds or grapes or a sliver of banana bread....

One of the reasons for that boom is that health-conscious consumers are turning to sparkling water as a sugar-free alternative to carbonated sodas and juices. “It’s a great drink to introduce if you’re looking to cut out or decrease your soda consumption,” says Leah Kaufman, RD, a nutrition consultant in New York City. “The bubbles make it feel like you’re drinking soda.” These fizzy beverages can also help you meet your hydration goals, which is significant given that most Americans don’t drink enough water....

“It’s important that people with RA monitor their symptoms closely and know their ‘normals’ and ‘abnormals’ to make sure that they are still responding appropriately to their treatment,” says Shereen N. Mahmood , MD, a rheumatologist at Montefiore Medical Center and assistant professor of rheumatology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, both in New York City. Your RA Management Plan May Need to Be Adjusted Over Time Everyone’s experience with RA is different, as is how well the condition responds to treatment....

Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is a form of skin cancer in which malignant tumors form in the skin, mucous membranes, lymph nodes, and other organs. KS causes lesions that may appear reddish or purple in color. KS is different from other skin cancers in that these lesions often appear in more than one place on the body simultaneously. All KS lesions contain human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8). This virus is also called Kaposi sarcoma herpes virus (KSHV)....

While the American Diabetes Association notes that many individuals with the disease or its precursor, prediabetes, employ carb counting to control their blood sugar on a regular basis, others have turned to ultra-low-carb diets as a way to manage their symptoms. These diets are highly restrictive and often limit followers to consuming no more than 20 grams (g) of carbs per day, usually with no added sugar, and, depending on the diet, increased protein and fat....

That’s what happens when your body’s carb-burning switch flips to a fat-burning one, a change that can influence everything from weight loss to type 2 diabetes — although scientists caution that much more research is needed on the health effects of keto diets in general. (1) How do you make practical preparations in stocking your fridge and preparing mentally for the big change to come? Consider this your step-by-step guide....

“You feel alone, even empty, and you want to connect with others, but your feelings of loneliness make it harder to do so,” says Jacqueline Olds, MD, a psychiatry consultant at Massachusetts General Hospital and coauthor The Lonely American and Overcoming Loneliness in Everyday Life. Richard Weissbourd, EdD, faculty director of human development and psychology at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, says it’s important to point out that the academic definition of loneliness is a general one, and it doesn’t describe all of the various ways people experience loneliness....

“People feel concerned about whether their partner can support them during their disease, but also whether people will still find them attractive or want to continue dating them once they’ve learned about the disease,” says Madison Simons, PsyD, a gastrointestinal psychologist at Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. Simons stresses that people with UC can have very satisfying and fulfilling relationships. Keep in mind, though, that your feelings and body image may change depending on whether the disease is active or in remission — and during a flare, your priorities may have to change, too....

Kritzler-Egeland’s story and symptoms are far from unique, says Puja Parikh, MD, an assistant professor of cardiovascular medicine at Stony Brook Medicine, in Stony Brook, New York, and one of the authors of a review of research published in the August 2018 issue of Current Cardiology Reports. Dr. Parikh’s review confirms years of research that has shown there are differences between men and women when it comes to heart attacks, including symptoms, treatment, and outcomes....

In Hammond’s own words: “I live in the beautiful mountains of Asheville, North Carolina, and at age 46, I’m enjoying my life as a small business owner and part-time bartender. I’m extremely active in my community and serve as a board member for the Asheville Mardi Gras. I love dressing up in fun costumes all year long and spreading fun and frivolity to our city. To advocate for MS, I decided to live my life in joy, let my community know I have MS, and let everyone know that folks with MS do not need pity, just patience and understanding....