I’m the guy you saw today. I’m part of the community of people you saw today — the ones you had a fleeting thought about. I didn’t see your eyes on me, nor can I read your mind, but I know you were looking, and I’m pretty sure I know what you were thinking. How do I and my compatriots know? You see, we feel much of what you were likely thinking about us — thoughts like:...

While it’s not uncommon for atopic dermatitis symptoms to wax and wane over time, you don’t have to settle for “good enough” care. After all, the goal is to reduce your symptoms as much as possible. Because there are so many treatment options for eczema, you’ll need to work with your doctor to find the right one for you. “There’s a big toolbox that dermatologists have to choose from,” says Marisa Garshick, MD, a clinical assistant professor of dermatology at Weill Cornell Medical Center and dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology in New York City....

One tool that might help slow the spread of HCV is the self-test, which is done at home and detects the hepatitis C virus. In summer 2021, the WHO released its first guidelines about self-testing for the virus, saying they “strongly recommend offering self-testing for hepatitis C virus as an additional approach to HCV testing services.” Given the growing number of companies offering home testing kits for HCV, you may be wondering whether they’re right for you....

Unlike highly industrialized foods, such as eggs and meat, bananas are a miracle of biology and are the fourth most-valuable food crop globally. (2) Americans eat 3 million tons of bananas each year, and they are the single most sold item at Walmart. (1) It’s a big number, and it’s one of the reasons the United States imports most of its bananas from other countries, since it accounts for well under 1 percent of global banana production....

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is a type of skin cancer that begins in the basal cells — cells within the skin that produce new skin cells as old ones die off. It’s the most commonly diagnosed skin cancer. BCC lesions often look like a waxy bump. They tend to appear on the areas of your skin that are most often exposed to the sun, including your face and neck. As with most skin cancers, BCC is thought to be caused largely by long-term exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight and tanning beds....

Hummus is lauded for its low-fat, high-protein, and high-fiber content. According to Keri Gans, RDN, a certified nutritionist based in New York City, 2 tablespoons of hummus typically have: 60 to 70 calories3 to 5 grams (g) of total fat2g of protein1g of fiber Though the main ingredients typically stay the same, when it comes to picking a “healthy” hummus, Kelly Kennedy, RD, staff dietitian for Everyday Health, recommends taking a look at the base ingredient first....

Thankfully, this situation has the potential to change, as new RA medications and disease management tools have been introduced. A study published in September 2020 in Therapeutic Advances in Musculoskeletal Disease found that people with moderate to severe RA who took a biologic drug were significantly more productive at work than people with RA who didn’t take a biologic. How Reasonable Accommodations Can Help The Americans with Disabilities Act requires employers with more than 15 employees to offer reasonable accommodations....

Organizations The following organizations are good places to go to learn more about bipolar disorder, including information about symptoms, how the condition is diagnosed, what treatments are available, and research advances: American Psychiatric Association (APA) The APA is an organization focused on helping patients receive high-quality mental health care, educating people on bipolar disorder and related mental health disorders, and advancing research in these fields. On its website, you can read about bipolar disorder and learn about the warning signs of a mental illness like bipolar disorder....

The new research, published in the June 2019 issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that eating the equivalent of 1 cup of blueberries per day for six months improved arterial function and cholesterol levels in adults with metabolic syndrome. The U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council, which represents blueberry farmers, processors, and importers, funded this study. RELATED: 10 Superfoods for Heart Health How Researchers Studied the Heart Benefits of Blueberries In the study, participants were overweight and obese adults, age 50 and older, and had metabolic syndrome, which is a cluster of symptoms that includes high blood pressure, high triglycerides, and high blood sugar, and raises the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease....

Dr. Zee discusses the importance of sleep for immune health and mental health, and what we can do to sleep better during the COVID-19 pandemic. The following are some highlights from an edited transcript of the interview. RELATED: Tippi Coronavirus: Tips for Living With COVID-19 Maureen Connolly: We all know sleep is important, but I don’t think we realize how big a role sleep plays in immune health. Can you speak to the connection between the two?...

In the following interview, Connolly and Fallon discuss the overlaps between COVID-19 and other multisystem disorders; COVID-19 “long-haulers” who may experience lasting effects from the virus; and why healthcare providers and patients may want to consider a more holistic, mindfulness-based approach to managing the anxiety of living through a pandemic. The following are some highlights from an edited transcript of the interview: Maureen Connolly: Dr. Fallon, you’re a world-renowned expert in Lyme disease....

Campylobacter is a group of bacteria that causes a foodborne intestinal infection called campylobacteriosis, or Campylobacter enteritis. Individual cases of campylobacteriosis are usually associated with eating raw or undercooked poultry, or result from cross-contamination with these foods, such as by eating vegetables that were chopped on the same (unwashed) cutting board as Campylobacter-contaminated meat. Campylobacter outbreaks, on the other hand, usually stem from unpasteurized dairy products, contaminated water, poultry, and produce, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)....

One of the reasons this season is especially brutal is that the most frequently reported influenza virus circulating is the H3N2 subtype of influenza A. “H3N2 is the dominant strain, and H3N2 seasons are more severe,” says William Schaffner, MD, a professor of preventive medicine and health policy at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, Tennessee. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns that “in recent past seasons in which A(H3N2) viruses predominated, hospitalizations and deaths were more common, and the effectiveness of the vaccine was lower....

If you’re a smoker older than 35, don’t despair — the findings, published on October 24 in JAMA Network Open, reported significant benefits for quitting later in life, too. “If current smokers younger than 45 years old quit (the age group that smokes the most), they will reduce their risk of dying from any cause close to that of someone who never has smoked,” says Adam Goldstein, MD, MPH, a professor at UNC Family Medicine and the director of the tobacco intervention programs at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill, who was not involved in the research....

Previous findings suggest that chocolate rich in flavonols — a group of related compounds — could improve blood flow in the heart and brain, but an optometrist and his colleagues from the University of the Incarnate Word in Texas wanted to find out if it could benefit eyesight, too. RELATED: 7 Heart-Healthy Perks of Dark Chocolate Although the research doesn’t suggest replacing a balanced diet with sweets, it’s still a bit of encouraging news for those who enjoy dark chocolate....

The recall covers 37 million bottles of eight different types of Pine-Sol, which may contain a bacterial called Pseudomonas aeruginosa, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). “Pine-Sol is voluntarily recalling certain scented Pine-Sol cleaners as we learned that some products may contain bacteria, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa,” Clorox said in a statement. “People with weakened immune systems or external medical devices who are exposed to Pseudomonas aeruginosa face a risk of serious infection that may require medical treatment....

The results, published March 1 in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, were based on a large clinical review of medical database reports that described the effects of paracetamol (acetaminophen), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin and ibuprofen, and opioid analgesics such a morphine and codeine on the body’s immune system. “Our review shows some of the common pain and fever medications may work with the immune system to fight infection, whereas others work against it and increase the risk of contracting or responding badly to infectious diseases,” says the lead author, Christina Abdel-Shaheed, PhD, with the faculty of medicine and health at Sydney’s School of Public Health....

Whether you’ve received an HIV diagnosis or are helping a friend or loved one cope, you’ll find advice and resources here. Diet for HIV/AIDS While everyone should eat a balanced diet, good nutrition is especially important for people with HIV or AIDS to maintain strength, energy, and a well-functioning immune system. Certain complications related to HIV and AIDS, such as wasting syndrome (involving significant unwanted weight loss), diarrhea, and lipid abnormalities, make a healthy diet vital, according to HIV....

“Research has suggested that processing speed — the ability to take in information quickly and efficiently — is impaired in individuals who are depressed," explains Natascha Santos, PsyD, a psychologist and behavior therapist in Great Neck, N.Y. Many areas of the brain are involved with the creation and retrieval of memories. Irregularities in any of these areas, including those that create depression symptoms, can affect how you process memories and also influence your ability to concentrate....

Dietary changes can help control inflammation and minimize flares in some patients, says So Yeon Paek, MD, FAAD, an assistant clinical professor at Texas A&M College of Medicine, faculty member at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, and physician at Dermatology Physicians of Dallas. “It is certainly far from a cure for the disease but may help to reduce flares and, in milder disease — what we call Hurley stage 1 or 2 disease — can actually lead to significant improvement,” she says....