What Your Feet Say About Your Health

Cold Feet, Many Culprits

If your toes are always cold, one reason could be poor blood flow -- a circulatory problem sometimes linked to smoking, high blood pressure, or heart disease. The nerve damage of uncontrolled diabetes can also make your feet feel cold to you. Other possible causes include hypothyroidism and anemia. A doctor can look for any underlying problems -- or let you know that you simply have cold feet.

Sleep During the Day May Throw Genes Into Disarray

Study might explain why health problems are more common among night workers

-- Sleeping during the day -- a necessity for jet-lagged travelers and those who work overnight shifts -- disrupts the rhythms of about one-third of your genes, a new study suggests.

What's more, shifted sleep appears to disrupt gene activity even more than not getting enough sleep, according to the research.

For the new study, which was published in this week's issue of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, British researchers put 22 healthy, young volunteers in a dimly lit sleep lab for three days.

Sleep Disorders

What Are Sleep Disorders?

Sleep disorders are conditions that affect how much and how well you sleep. The causes range from poor habits that keep you awake to medical problems that disrupt your sleep cycle. If you don't feel rested in the mornings, see your doctor. Insufficient sleep is a serious problem that poses a threat to your health and safety.

What Eye Problems Look Like

Warning Signs of Eye Trouble

Blurry vision, spots, glare at night -- these are common eye complaints that can be harmless annoyances or an early sign of disease. In the slides ahead, we explore several eye problems and offer two quick eye tests. You'll see the world through eyes that have floaters, cataracts, myopia, and glaucoma. Be sure to see an eye doctor promptly for any concerns.

Tips for Exercise, Diet and Stress Reduction

Tips for Recovering From Depression

If you've had depression, you know how hopeless you can feel. It's important to get professional treatment. But there are things you can do to ease symptoms of depression. Exercise, changing your diet, and even playing with a pet can improve your mood. Click to the next slide to see how you can start regaining control of your life.

Spring Allergies

Spring is the time of year that we normally think of when it comes to seasonal allergies. As the trees start to bloom and the pollen gets airborne, allergy sufferers begin their annual ritual of sniffling and sneezing. Each year, 35 million Americans fall prey to seasonal allergic rhinitis, more commonly known as hay fever.

Although there is no magical cure for spring allergies, there are a number of ways to combat them, from medication to household habits.

What causes spring allergies?

The biggest spring allergy trigger is pollen -- tiny grains released into the air by trees, grasses, and weeds for the purpose of fertilizing other plants. When pollen grains get into the nose of someone who’s allergic, they send the immune system into overdrive.

The Germiest Places in Your Community

Cold and flu season means germs, and some places you go every day may be germier than others.

"The prime source of germs -- and in the winter season, we're mostly talking about viruses like the flu and the common cold -- is other people," says E. Neil Schachter, MD, author of The Good Doctor's Guide to Colds and Flu.

10 Relaxation Techniques That Zap Stress Fast

You don't need a spa weekend or a retreat. Each of these stress-relieving tips can get you from OMG to om in less than 15 minutes.


1. Meditate

A few minutes of practice per day can help ease anxiety. “Research suggests that daily meditation may alter the brain’s neural pathways, making you more resilient to stress,” says psychologist Robbie Maller Hartman, PhD, a Chicago health and wellness coach.

The Power of Female Intuition

Just what is that 6th sense that sometimes guides you? And what's the best way to tune in?

When my husband and I shopped for our first house, we looked at more than 20 properties on the market. None of them seemed to fit our detailed checklist of the perfect home. I grew frustrated and called my mom. "Forget the list," she said. "When you walk in the front door of your house, you'll just know it." Three days later, as I stepped onto the slightly sloping porch of a charming 1926 Spanish stucco three-bedroom with our Realtor, I realized my mother was right. It had only one bathroom and desperately needed paint and a new air-conditioning unit, but somehow, I knew I was home.

Zinc for Colds: Lozenges & Nasal Sprays

You've probably heard a lot about zinc for colds. But is zinc really effective for reducing the duration of cold symptoms? Here’s what you should know about zinc and colds.

What Is Zinc?

Zinc is an essential mineral that is found in almost every cell. It has antioxidant effects and is vital to the body’s resistance to infection. Zinc is also important for tissue repair. It may decrease the ability of cold viruses to grow on or bind to the lining of the nose.

Top 10 Foods for Healthy Hair

"Just like every other part of your body, the cells and processes that support strong, vibrant hair depend on a balanced diet," says New York nutritionist Lisa Drayer, MA, RD, author of The Beauty Diet.

It can take longer to notice changes (both good or bad!) in your hair than in your skin. For example, "just one week with a poor diet can yield acne flare-ups or dry, sallow skin within days," says New York City dermatologist Cybele Fishman, MD, "but with hair, it can take a few months for a nutritional deficiency or the effects of a crash diet to show up."

Super Steps to Boost Digestive Health

Fiber Helps With Constipation

Fill up your plate with foods like cherries, grapes, crunchy bell peppers, beans, whole grains, and nuts. Fiber-rich foods like these help digestion and keep you regular. Your body needs a recommended 20-35 grams of fiber daily. Fiber can also help keep weight gain, heart disease, blood sugar fluctuations, and hemorrhoids at bay.

Brain Foods That Help You Concentrate

Ginseng, Fish, Berries, or Caffeine?

Listen to the buzz about foods and dietary supplements, and you'll believe they can do everything from sharpen focus to enhance memory, attention span, and brain function.

Preventing HIV and Other STDs With Safe Sex

Do you think that practicing safe sex takes the joy out of sex? It doesn't have to. Safe sex practices simply combine the greatest pleasure with the least risk of contracting HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), such as herpes orsyphilis. Safe sex can actually enhance your sex life by increasing communication and trust between you and your sexual partners.

What Your Nails Say About Your Health

Nails and Health: Read the Signs


Did you know your nails can reveal clues to your overall health? A touch of white here, a rosy tinge there, or some rippling or bumps may be a sign of disease in the body. Problems in the liver, lungs, and heart can show up in your nails. Keep reading to learn what secrets your nails might reveal.

Exercising Safely With Allergic Asthma

Exercise is good for you, and you can exercise safely, even with allergic asthma. A little planning is all it takes to help you breathe easier and stay in shape.

Control Your Asthma

When your asthma is controlled, you should be much more able to exercise without problems. Medications can help lessen asthma symptoms and prevent flares.

Talk to your doctor about what types of exercise, and how often, are right for you.

ABCs of Allergy Skin Testing

Skin Testing for Allergies

Skin testing for allergies is used to identify the substances that are causing your allergy symptoms. It is often performed by applying an extract of an allergen to your skin, scratching or pricking the skin to allow exposure, and then evaluating the skin's reaction. It may also be done by injecting the allergen under the skin, or by applying it to a patch that is worn on the skin for a specified period of time.

What Happens During the Allergy Skin Test?

The procedure varies depending on what type of allergy skin test you are having. The three main types of skin tests are the scratch test, intradermal test, and the patch test.

• Scratch test (also known as a puncture or prick test). First, a doctor or nurse will examine the skin on your forearm or back and clean it with alcohol. Areas on the skin are then marked with a pen to identify each allergen that will be tested. A drop of extract for each potential allergen -- such as pollen, animal dander, or insect venom -- is placed on the corresponding mark. A small disposable pricking device is then used so the extract can enter into the outer layer of the skin, called the epidermis. The skin prick is not a shot and doesn't cause bleeding.
• Intradermal test. After examining and cleaning the skin, a small amount of the allergen is injected just under the skin, similar to a tuberculosis test.
• Patch test. Another method is to apply an allergen to a patch, which is then placed on the skin. This may be done to pinpoint a trigger of allergic contact dermatitis. If there are allergic antibodies in your system, your skin will become irritated and may itch, much like a mosquito bite. This reaction means you are allergic to that substance.

How Long Does an Allergy Skin Test Take?

If you're having an allergy skin test, plan to spend about an hour for the entire appointment. For the scratch and intradermal skin tests, the allergen placement part of the test takes about 5 to 10 minutes. Then you will have to wait about 15 minutes to see how your skin reacts.

Patch tests take longer, as you must wear the patch for about 48 hours to determine if there is a delayed reaction. During this time, bathing and swimming should be avoided. You will return to the doctor after the specified period of time to have the area(s) checked.

How Should I Prepare for an Allergy Skin Test?

Inform the health care provider who is going to perform your allergy skin test about all medicines you are taking, including over-the-counter drugs.

Since allergy medicines, including over-the-counter antihistamines, stop allergic reactions, you should not take them for a few days before the test. Talk to your doctor about discontinuing your allergy medicines prior to the test.

Your doctor will give you a list of medicines to avoid before the test, because there are other drugs that can interfere with the results. Since you may not be able to discontinue certain medicines, the doctor or nurse may perform a separate "control" test to determine if that particular drug will interfere with the scratch test.

Does an Allergy Skin Test Hurt?

The allergy skin test may be mildly irritating, but most people say it doesn't hurt too much.

Is an Allergy Skin Test Safe?

Although small amounts of allergens are introduced into your system, an allergy skin test is safe when performed properly. Systemic (whole body) reactions to skin testing are extremely rare.

What Happens After the Allergy Skin Test?

After the allergy skin test, any extracts and ink marks will be cleaned off your skin with alcohol. A mild cortisone cream may be applied to your skin to relieve any excessive itching at the sites of the skin pricks.

If you are having a patch test done, you will go home with bandages on your arm or back that you will wear for about 48 hours. You must avoid getting these areas wet, unless otherwise instructed by your doctor. You will return to the doctor after this 48-hour period to be re-evaluated.

Your doctor or allergist will use the results of the test to help develop a management plan for you.

When Should I Call My Doctor?

If you're having an allergy skin test, call your doctor or emergency number immediately if you experience any of the following symptoms:

• Fever
• Lightheadedness
• Wheezing
• Shortness of breath
• Extensive rash
• Swelling of the face, lips or mouth
• Difficulty swallowing