Health officials have revised their guidelines on alcohol consumption, warning that no amount of alcohol is safe for consumption and recommending that individuals reduce their drinking as much as possible. The new guidelines represent a significant departure from the previous recommendations established in 2011, which advised women to consume no more than 10 drinks per week and men to limit themselves to 15. The updated approach is based on accumulating evidence that even small amounts of alcohol can have severe health consequences. Rather than specifying a fixed number of drinks per week, the ..read more

The Loneliness Epidemic According to a recent advisory from the U.S. Surgeon General, loneliness is a widespread issue in the United States, and the lack of social connections can have severe health consequences comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes per day. The advisory, titled "Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation," reveals that even before the COVID-19 pandemic, about half of U.S. adults reported significant levels of loneliness. The report emphasizes the detrimental physical effects of social disconnection, such as a 29% higher risk of heart disease, a 32% higher risk of stroke, and a 50 ..read more

DIY Steps for Improving Mental Health. If you want to improve your mental health, there are some simple do-it-yourself (DIY) steps you can take. Professional help may be necessary to deal with more serious mental health conditions, but for general mood tuning, science has some suggestions that may help people overcome unhealthy patterns of thinking. Here are some approaches which scientific research has identified for improving mental health. Setting Small & Manageable Goals Establishing achievable objectives is critical to success, but it's important not to go too far. Striving for ..read more

The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that attach the shoulder blade to the upper arm bone. These muscles and tendons help to keep the shoulder joint stable and allow for a wide range of motion. However, injuries to the rotator cuff are common, especially in athletes who engage in overhead sports or in people with jobs that require repetitive overhead motions. Rotator cuff tears can occur as a result of degeneration, trauma, or repetitive use. If left untreated, a rotator cuff tear can lead to pain, weakness, and loss of function in the affected shoulder. The severity of the tear ..read more

Shoulder Anatomy The shoulder primarily consists of a ball-and-socket joint (i.e. glenohumeral joint), as the head of the shoulder’s humerus is shaped like a ball. This ball fits into the shoulder blade, which acts as a socket.  Within the shoulder, the rotator cuff muscle sits in between the glenohumeral joint and the Acromion. Finally, the shoulder’s bursa (fluid-filled cushion), sits right above the rotator cuff muscle.  The rotator cuff muscle consists of four muscles and tendons that surround the shoulder joint, providing stability and movement to the shoulder. When one or more ..read more

Current research indicates performing daily deep breathing exercises can reduce blood pressure as effectively as medications. Similar to how weightlifting can strengthen our triceps or quadriceps, deep breathing exercises can strengthen the muscles of the diaphragm and other breathing muscles to reduce blood pressure and promote heart health. As a general rule, 5 to 10 minutes of daily exercises that strengthen the diaphragm can reduce blood pressure significantly.  As we age, our body’s muscles tend to atrophy - including the muscles we use to breath. This results in an average increase ..read more

How many times a day do you bend your elbow? A person usually bends their elbow hundreds of times a day. Now imagine if every time you bent your elbow, you felt the pain of arthritis. For many Americans, this scenario is all too true. Arthritis of the elbow can cause pain not only when they bend their elbow, but also when they straighten it. The most common cause of arthritis of the elbow is rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Osteoarthritis (OA or "wear-and-tear" arthritis) and trauma can also cause arthritis in the elbow joint. RA is a disease of the joint linings, or synovia. As the joint lining swe ..read more

Arthritis is a painful joint condition that affects a reported 32.9 million American adults. Though it commonly occurs in adults however, children can also be affected.  Arthritis can occur in an injured or diseased joint. A joint is where the ends of two or more  bones meet. The bone ends of a joint are covered with cartilage, a smooth material that cushions the bone and allows the joint to move smoothly without pain. Though there are more than a hundred different types of arthritis, the two most common types are called osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis is foun ..read more

All painful knees are not necessarily arthritic.  The knee is a complex joint with several moving parts which is frequently challenged during regular and recreational activities.  It is not uncommon for one part or another to start showing signs of strain or regular wear and tear of the joint surface, which is also known as articular cartilage.  This surface has the appearance of a resilient plastic that is well constructed to absorb the repetitive loads during walking and running. The joint surface may start to show signs of wear and tear with or without apparent injury.  ..read more

Plantar Fasciitis (FASH-ee-EYEtiss) is commonly known as "heel spur syndrome". It is common among people who are active in sports (i.e. running). This pain generally begins as a dull pain in the heel that may come and go. At times the pain may be sharp and persistent. The pain is usually worse after times of rest such as sitting or sleeping; therefore, more pain is noticed in the mornings or at the start of physical activities. The plantar fascia is a thick fibrous band on the bottom of the foot. This is attached from the heel bone to the toes and acts as a bowstring to produce the arch of the ..read more