Healthy Life Articles

Of all the changes happening during perimenopause and menopause, difficulty sleeping is one of the most common. Women may notice a difference as early as their late 30s.What feels like insomnia may actually be hormone changes disrupting sleep.

At any stage in life, lack of sleep slows metabolism, lowers sex drive and increases forgetfulness–of all the changes during menopause, controlling sleep could mend other symptoms disrupting your life like mental fogginess or mood changes.

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Sore throats are a popular reason for patients being seen at urgent care. Often they’re not serious, but simply uncomfortable. Allergies or germ infections may cause sore throats. They can occur all year, but a majority of patients will come in during the winter cold and flu months seeking relief.

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Has your doctor ever told you that you have high cholesterol or that you should consider a low cholesterol diet? Then, did you think: What does that mean? Cholesterol is important for good health. It makes cell walls, tissues, hormones, Vitamin D and bile acid—which helps food digestion. But too much cholesterol increases your risk of developing heart disease and stroke.

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Have you ever looked at the cold and flu section at your local pharmacy? It may be only one or two aisles, but the variety of preparations, liquids, pills and mists is enough to make anyone's head spin. Taking a walk down the cold and flu aisle seems like a game; you take your chances that you've chosen a product that may (or may not) give you the relief you're looking for. To make your decision a little easier, think about what symptoms are bothering you and aim to find a medication to help alleviate them. Here are some tips based on common cold and flu symptoms:

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One in 20 people will experience anxiety at some point in their lives. Most likely, each person will have different causes for their set of symptoms, whether it’s fear, sleeping issues, trembling, poor concentration or other symptoms of anxiety.

A variety of aliments can generate anxious feelings, such as your:

• mind-body connection or body chemistry (perhaps, anxiety is genetic),
• past experiences (trauma or how your parents dealt with stress, influence how you handle stressful situations), and

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Chest discomfort is one of the most worrisome reasons why persons seek care from a physician. It can affect people of all ages and can stem from many causes. Thankfully, the majority of patients who experience chest discomfort do not have a serious cause. In other words, not all chest pain is dangerous. Physicians approach chest discomfort from a risk stratification standpoint, perform a physical examination and sometimes diagnostic studies.

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Be sure to consider Medication Side Effects

Many diseases, or the drugs used to treat them, can inhibit your sexuality by reducing arousal or your ability to reach orgasm.

Few of us are comfortable discussing sexual side-effects with our doctors, but it is well worth the conversation.

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If you live in or around West Michigan, shoveling snow in the winter is inevitable. While it is a great form of physical activity, for some people it can be dangerous and may increase your risk of a heart attack. Before you trek outside to clear your driveway, make sure that you’re prepared to do it safely with these tips:

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Early detection of breast cancer can save your life. Knowing your risks is part of early detection, and so is a regular mammogram screening. A mammogram is an X-ray of the breast used to detect and diagnose breast cancers, benign tumors and cysts before being found through a self or clinical breast exam. If mammography raises significant suspicion, your doctor may request a biopsy of the tissue.   

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