What is cardiac arrest? Cardiac arrest occurs when the heart suddenly stops functioning. This is because the heart’s electrical system is not working. Electric signals are how the heart controls the rate and rhythm. During cardiac arrest, the heart does not beat as it normally does and breathing may even stop too. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)…
What is freshman 15? College is an exciting time and a huge lifestyle change. There is so much freedom now that no parents are around and class schedules are much more flexible. This also means learning to take care of yourself. “Freshman 15” is a common term to describe the weight gain students experience in…
After having a stroke, diet is an important part of recovering and preventing another one. Eating healthy foods can help manage risk factors for stroke such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, and diabetes. Along with knowing the proper foods to eat and avoid, it can be helpful to learn how to read food…
What is a Heart Attack? A heart attack, or myocardial infarction (MI), occurs when coronary arteries are completely blocked, leading to insufficient blood flow to the heart muscle. When tissues do not get enough blood flow and oxygen for an extended period of time, they necrose (die) and cannot perform their function. There are many…
Anxiety disorders are the most common psychiatric disorders for both children and adults in the United States. There are multiple anxiety disorders, but they all share a primary feature: excessive fear and anxiety along with related behavioral changes. That is, a person changes their normal behavior to avoid whatever triggers their anxiety. How Do I…
Overview Hashimoto’s disease is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects the thyroid. It causes hypothyroidism which means the thyroid gland functions less than it normally should. The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland below Adam’s apple in the neck. A picture of normal thyroid vs Hashimoto’s disease is shown below. It is part of the endocrine…
What is Asthma and Its Triggers? Asthma is a chronic condition that affects the lungs. Certain triggers can cause an asthma attack where the airways become tight, inflamed, and produce mucus. Each person may have different asthma triggers. Common ones include tobacco smoke, air pollution, stress, upper respiratory infections, mold, dust mites, pets, strong chemicals,…
What is the Norovirus? Norovirus is a highly contagious virus that causes gastroenteritis which is inflammation of the stomach and intestines. Although norovirus is commonly referred to as the “stomach flu,” it is not related to the influenza virus which causes respiratory symptoms. Norovirus is spread from contaminated food or water, contaminated surfaces and close…
Virus Mutation? Viral mutations occur when viruses, which cannot reproduce on their own, infect a host and use the host’s cellular machinery to reproduce themselves. During this process, the genome, which is made of either DNA or RNA, depending on the type of virus, is replicated (copied). When the genome of any species is copied,…
What is C. Diff? Clostridioides difficile, formerly known as Clostridium difficile and commonly known as C. diff, is a bacterium which causes serious gastrointestinal (GI) infections and watery diarrhea. C. diff infections are contagious. C. diff is in the poop of people who are infected or colonized with C. diff. and can survive for a…
What is Protein? Protein, carbohydrates, and fats are the three macronutrients which make up your diet. Proteins are made of amino acids. The body breaks protein down into amino acids, and uses these amino acids as building blocks to make new proteins. Protein does a lot of useful things, such as: How much should you…
What is Diabetes? Being diagnosed with diabetes can be overwhelming, but being educated on the disease can help manage it as well as relieve some of the worry. There are two types of diabetes, type 1 and type 2. In diabetes type 1, the pancreas does not make insulin, because the body’s immune system attacks…
Sexually transmitted disease There are many different types of sexually transmitted diseases and anyone who is sexually active can be at risk. These infections can be obtained by sexual contact involving your vagina, penis, mouth, or anus. It is important to be educated on prevention, signs and symptoms, and treatment, as STDs are very contagious…
Antibiotics? Antibiotics are powerful medications that work against bacterial infections. It is important for the public to understand their significance, proper usage, and risks/side effects associated with them. Significance Firstly, antibiotics work against bacterial infections only. This means they are not effective against viral infections such as the cold or flu. Using them for viruses…
