A woman missing her period is often a sign that she’s pregnant. But for women who aren’t pregnant and keep skipping periods or have irregular cycles, the reason might be polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). PCOS, which affects 1 in 10 women, is a reproductive hormonal imbalance that affects ovulation. Normally, a woman releases an egg…
Most of today’s trendy diets have a lot of rules about what you can eat. Whole 30 restricts sugar, alcohol, grains, legumes, soy and dairy; Keto says no to carbs and limits protein. But intermittent fasting doesn’t dictate what you should be eating at all—only when to eat. In intermittent fasting, you fluctuate between periods…
Strokes can be tricky: They tend to come without warning and don’t announce themselves like other types of illnesses. “Humans’ usual way of sensing danger is pain, and unfortunately most strokes don’t come with pain,” says David Y. Huang, MD, PhD, neurologist and director of UNC Hospitals Comprehensive Stroke Center. So how do you know…
It’s undeniably good news: The cancer death rate in the United States has declined by 27 percent in the past 25 years, according to a recent report from the American Cancer Society. While this milestone translates into more than 2.6 million deaths avoided between 1991 and 2016, not all populations are benefiting. Cancer death rates…
About 4.9 million adults in the United States have liver disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and more than 40,000 people die from it each year. The problem is getting worse; death rates for chronic liver disease and cirrhosis increased by 31 percent between 2000 and 2015 among people ages 45…
You know that having high blood cholesterol over a lifetime can increase your risk for heart attack or stroke. So what do the American Heart Association’s new guidelines for managing cholesterol mean for patients with high cholesterol and for those at high risk for heart disease and stroke during their lifetimes? Sidney C. Smith, Jr.,…
If you’ve been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, you’re not alone. AFib is the most common heart-rhythm disorder in the world, expected to affect 12.1 million Americans by 2030. In AFib, the top chambers of the heart, called the atria, fibrillate (quiver or twitch quickly) instead of fully contracting. This causes the bottom chambers of the…
Your health is determined by a lot of factors, and your DNA is a big one. But the information you can learn from your DNA—such as your risk for certain diseases— isn’t available unless you undergo genetic testing, a type of medical test that identifies mutations in genes, chromosomes or proteins. While genetic testing can…
You eat healthy and exercise regularly but struggle to lose excess weight that is causing health problems. You’ve talked to your doctor, and she agrees: Weight-loss surgery—also called bariatric surgery—may be for you. Now what? If you have a body mass index (BMI) of 35 to 39.9 with a history of obesity-related conditions such as…
By now, you’ve probably heard about the reportedly life-changing power of mindfulness, a practice that encourages us to keep our thoughts and actions in the present moment. It is said to help with healthy eating, a better night’s sleep, schoolwork and more. But just what is mindfulness and what are its health benefits? We talked…
Breast milk provides optimal nutrition for infants, giving them the vitamins, protein and fat they need to grow. Some studies suggest that breastfeeding may even reduce the risk of certain allergic diseases, asthma and obesity in babies, as well as type 2 diabetes in moms. But for minority moms and babies, breastfeeding can pose unique…
UNC urologist and male fertility specialist Matt Coward, MD, would like to start a conversation about male infertility. As the general understanding of male infertility has grown over the years, the myth that fertility issues are a female problem has been debunked. But, he says, there is still a wide gap in the number of…
