Healthy Life Articles

Most of us have visited a casino or played the lottery. In fact, about 85 percent of U.S. adults have gambled at least once during their lives. But when does occasionally rolling the dice or buying a scratch-off become problem gambling?

The third most-common cancer in the U.S., colorectal cancer, happens when abnormal cells grow and form tumors in the colon or rectum. While this life-threatening disease can often be successfully treated when caught in its earliest stages, only about half of people older than 50 receive the necessary screening tests to detect or prevent colorectal cancer.

Reasons why adults between 50 and 75 are not up-to-date with colorectal cancer screening include:

While heart disease remains the leading cause of death for both men and women in the U.S., there’s good news: Treatment advancements continue to improve, and perhaps even more importantly, prevention is trending. That means more and more of us are finally realizing we have power when it comes to our own health and longevity. 

Americans tend to have an all-or-nothing mindset when it comes to eating, and for generations, we’ve been told to forgo fat because it raises cholesterol and increases our risk of heart disease. 

After decades of research, however, experts are questioning and reevaluating the link between fat and heart disease. The skinny is, researchers now believe the relationship between cholesterol and heart disease is much more complicated than it was thought to be in the 1960s, when concerns over fat intake reached a fever pitch. 

Michigan winters are beautiful, but can also pose danger—especially for older individuals or those at higher risk for cardiovascular disease. The combination of colder temperatures and physical exertion can place an increased workload on the heart. 
 

Nobody looks forward to discussing sexual health concerns with their doctor, and no woman is eager to share being dry “down there” or having painful intercourse. That said, if you’re one of the millions of women experiencing vaginal dryness, take comfort in a couple of facts: 

1. You’re far from alone. (About 17 percent of women between 18 and 50 have problems with vaginal dryness during sex. And approximately one out of three women struggles with vaginal dryness during menopause.)

Accumulating snow may be ideal for snowboarders and skiers, but when it comes to keeping driveways clear of the heavy white stuff, certain people should take heart. Shoveling snow can be hazardous to your heart health.

The American Heart Association says most individuals who head out to shovel snow will be fine, but for others, the combination of colder temperatures and physical exertion can place an increased workload on the heart, boosting the risk of having a heart attack.