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Sweets and sour news for kids

Certain Candies Are as Acidic as Battery Acid on Kids’ Teeth Peering into kids’ mouths every day, pediatric dentists have noticed an alarmingly widespread problem of late. Something is eating away at the chewing surfaces of children’s back teeth. Turns out, its worms – gummy worms, that is – along with assorted other sweet-and-sour candies,…
Kristi Yamaguchi speaks out on influenza

Should you get a flu vaccine? Less than half of the U.S. population actually gets the annual flu vaccine. While vaccinations are recommended in late summer or early fall, it’s still beneficial even in the middle of winter. During many flu seasons, influenza activity doesn’t peak until winter or early spring. In fact, virus activity…
Making choices that lower your risk

How African-Americans Can Avoid High Blood Pressure Hypertension (or high blood pressure) is a heavy weight that the African-American community has been destined to cope with. While no one is immune from high blood pressure, it is a proven fact that the African-American population has a 40 percent higher rate over any other ethnic group…

Editor’s Dose: More than just comfort food

Reading this article on food “made with love” for the sick really brought back some memories. As a young teenager, my mother had to undergo open heart surgery twice within four years. She has a blood disorder that causes her body to produce too many of the clot-forming platelets. Adding to that complications of…
Body, mind & spirit

Taking Care of the Caregiver: Managing Stress that can Lead to Health Issues Caregivers or patient advocates usually spend many hours in doctor’s offices, hospitals or clinics. But beset by stress for a loved one, they may go from crisis to crisis without stopping to consider their own health. “They’re not there to just…
Healthy Cook: Made with love

Classic ‘go-to’ nutrition for the sick “I don’t feel good. I don’t want t-h-a-a-t. Don’t we have something e-l-s-e?” “Wid a cod in de node I can’t taste anyding, anyway.” “My tummy feels funny.” We were told to feed a cold and starve a fever. Or is it starve a cold and feed a fever?…