Are you fully aware of the risks of your medications?

A recent study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, revealed that four commonly used drugs, namely: Warfarin (Coumadin), Insulin injections, Oral anti-platelet injections (including aspirin) and Oral hypoglycemic agents (oral diabetes medications) cause two- thirds of the drug-related emergency hospitalizations in older adults (age 65 and above).

And fully two-thirds of these drug-related hospitalizations are due to unintentional overdoses. By contrast, only about one percent of these hospitalizations are caused by "high-risk" medications, such as narcotics, amphetamines, barbiturates, and antihistamines.

And not all the studies are new . . .

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According to a Washington Post article, more and more people are choosing to live without bread . . . well, at least without bread containing gluten, a complex protein found in wheat, rye and barley.

For those diagnosed with celiac disease, an autoimmune disease that interferes with digestion of gluten and the absorption of nutrients, abstaining from gluten is essential. But what if you don't suffer from celiac or gluten sensitivity? Is it advisable to abstain from foods containing wheat?

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“Walk it off!” “Get back in the game!”

Great character-building advice, right? Well, maybe sometimes. But if you or someone you know has suffered a concussion, this advice is absolutely WRONG!

Concussions are not uncommon, and they are a serious health problem. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1.7 million Americans suffer from a traumatic brain injury (TBI) each year, and three-quarters of these are classified as concussions. Any blow or jolt to the head or neck can cause a concussion, but most are sports-related.

Although we’re well into the fall sports season, it’s never too late to refresh your understanding of how to identify and respond to a concussion. Above all, never underestimate the danger of the condition. The health consequences of ignoring a concussion can be severe.

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You’re not imagining it. The majority of individuals who suffer with chronic pain also suffer with depression, and the majority of people who suffer from depression also suffer from chronic pain. At first glance, these statements may seem like a double-dose of bad news for any patient suffering with fibromyalgia, painful autoimmune disorders, or any other serious, chronic pain condition. But there is some good news to be found here. Recent medical studies of patients dually diagnosed with chronic pain and depression are revealing that these patients have a unique disease process. And this discovery is pointing toward some promising new diagnosis and treatment options.

The idea that patients with chronic pain in many cases also suffer with depression is hardly shocking, but you may be surprised by the numbers:

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Just had surgery? Feeling swollen and sore? Lymphatic Drainage Therapy (LDT) can provide tremendous relief!

LDT is a deeply relaxing massage that is useful for relieving chronic and subacute inflammations. While it is most commonly used in the treatment of cancer-related lymphedema (swelling from fluid retention), it also has many other applications. For instance, it helps to remove toxins from the body and can be a valuable addition to a detoxification protocol (i.e., patients undergoing treatment for heavy metal or mold toxicity). It also can relieve post-surgical edema, remove residual anesthesia from the body, and alleviate fibromyalgia symptoms.

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Meditation, which can be practiced in many different forms, has been used for thousands of years to benefit the mind, body and soul. Now there is a growing body of medical research proving that meditation not only modifies brain function, it can actually change the way we experience physical pain.

A recent study reported in the Journal of Neuroscience showed that patients who had received only a little more than 60 minutes of meditation training were able to dramatically reduce their experience of pain. Patients experienced a reduction in "pain intensity" of about 40 percent and a reduction in "pain unpleasantness" of 57 percent. According to the lead author of the study, Fadel Zeidan, "Meditation produced a greater reduction in pain than even morphine or other pain-relieving drugs, which typically reduce pain ratings by about 25 percent."

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Dealing with infertility can be frustrating, financially draining, and in some cases, can lead to feelings of hopelessness. The problem of infertility is far from rare, however; according to an often-cited research study, fully 10-15% of couples in the US have difficulty conceiving. Fortunately, medical breakthroughs including new medications, and high technology treatments such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intrauterine insemination, have helped many couples overcome fertility problems. But what’s new in the arena of infertility treatment may surprise you: Medical research has demonstrated that acupuncture is clinically effective in boosting fertility.

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Are you one of the 36 million Americans who suffer from migraine each year? If you are, or if you know someone who suffers from migraines, then you understand how debilitating they can be. A migraine is much more than just a bad headache. It is a collection of neurological symptoms that may include throbbing pain on one side of your head, neck pain or stiffness, nausea, vomiting and visual distortions called aura. The severity of migraine symptoms can make it impossible to function, or they can be limited to minor visual changes without pain or just a generalized feeling of unwellness. The symptoms can last anywhere from a few hours to a few days.

What can you do to prevent a migraine headache? There are three steps that you can take avoid getting a migraine, or at least to lessen frequency and severity of your migraines.

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When you ask your doctor what you can do about your arthritic knees, painful Achilles tendon or torn rotator cuff, you’re likely to be told about using ice or pain medication. Your physician might even discuss surgical options. But there is a very effective, non-surgical treatment that your medical provider may not mention -– prolotherapy. Why isn’t it discussed? Prolotherapy technique is difficult to learn and requires extensive specialized training; thus very few doctors are familiar with its benefits and even fewer are truly qualified to administer the procedure.

That having been said, if you are suffering from chronic joint pain or a muscle, ligament or tendon injury, you should at least consider prolotherapy. “Why?,” you might ask.

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