You cleaned up your diet, added vegetables and whole grains, and now you cannot go. That is a real and common experience. The likely cause is a sudden jump in fiber without enough fluid, a shift in gut bacteria, or a change in when and how much you eat. Your body often adjusts within a … Read more
Finding a lump anywhere on your body is unsettling. Finding one in the spot where your bra band or side wire presses against your ribs can be especially confusing, because that area sits over several different kinds of tissue. The most common causes are harmless: a swollen lymph node, a fluid-filled cyst, a benign breast … Read more
An average Hass avocado contains about 21 grams of total fat. That works out to roughly 240 calories from fat in a single fruit, which surprises many people who assume avocados are a low-fat food. They are not. Avocados are one of the fattiest whole foods you can eat — but almost all of that … Read more
Blood pressure is considered high when the top number (systolic) reaches 130 mmHg or higher, or the bottom number (diastolic) reaches 80 mmHg or higher. These are the thresholds used by the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association. A reading below 120/80 mmHg is normal. Anything between normal and high is now … Read more
Wrapping your knees for squats means wrapping below the kneecap first, then crossing over the front of the knee, then spiraling above the kneecap — with the wrap snug enough to feel supportive but loose enough that you can still bend your knee through a full squat. The wrap should never cut off circulation, bunch … Read more
Eczema is a chronic skin condition, and the most common form, atopic dermatitis, causes dry, inflamed, intensely itchy skin. You cannot cure it, but you can reduce how often flares happen and how bad they get. The core of managing it is boring and effective: moisturize every day, treat flares early with the medications your … Read more
Anyone can spread foodborne illness, but the people most likely to contaminate food are those who handle it while carrying pathogens on their hands, in their stool, or on their skin. That includes people with active vomiting or diarrhea, people who have close contact with a sick child or pet, and people who work in … Read more
When you have a suspicious lump, an abnormal blood test, or an unclear finding on a scan, two very different medical specialties often end up working the same case. Radiology uses imaging — X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, ultrasounds — to see inside the body without cutting it open. Pathology examines tissue, blood, and other samples … Read more
Most traditional Finnish saunas run between 160°F and 195°F (about 70°C to 90°C) at head height. Some go hotter, and a few go a lot hotter. The number you see on the thermometer in a public sauna is usually the reading near the ceiling, not the temperature at your feet. That gap matters more than … Read more
Yes, walking counts as cardio. Cardiovascular exercise is any activity that raises your heart rate and breathing rate and keeps them elevated for a sustained period. Walking does both. It works your heart, lungs, and blood vessels, and it counts toward the physical activity guidelines set by major health organizations. The real question is not … Read more