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. A-fib is the most common heart-rhythm disorder in the world, expected to affect 12.1 million Americans by 2030. In A-fib, 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…
The American Cancer Society updated its colon cancer screening guidelines to say that screening should begin at age 45 for people at average risk instead of age 50, as previously recommended. To learn more, we sat down with UNC REX gastroenterologist Rig Patel, MD, the medical director of REX Digestive Healthcare. Why has the guideline…
Finishing cancer treatment is a major cause for celebration. However, many survivors face a new set of challenges as they begin processing the difficult experience they just went through and start thinking about what comes next. During cancer diagnosis and treatment, all of the energy and focus is spent on getting through the treatment. Once…
Halitosis—or persistent bad breath—can be awkward, embarrassing and even offensive. And it doesn’t discriminate. Everyone gets halitosis at some point, and doctors estimate that 20 to 30 percent of people in the U.S. have it at any given point. While bad breath is usually just a nuisance in need of a minty fix, it can…
You may have heard the buzz around hyperbaric oxygen chambers. Sports teams and cyclists love them, they cure deep-sea divers who get “the bends” (decompression sickness), and Michael Jackson was rumored to sleep in one (he denied it). But what can these incredible machines do for the rest of us? Turns out these pressurized chambers…
You started your day like any other. You got up, got dressed, went to work and felt normal until it hit you in the middle of your team meeting: that telltale rumble and the mad dash to the bathroom. You’ve been sidelined by diarrhea and vomiting. Your co-workers say you have the “stomach flu,” but…
