Barbara Brody
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Freelance health and wellness writer, editor, and content specialist. Work has appeared in/clients have included @WebMD @PreventionMag @JNJNews @riteaid + more
Articles by Barbara Brody
No Cold or Allergies? Doctors Reveal 6 Other Reasons You May Be Congested Original
Feeling so stuffed up that you need to keep a stash of tissues in your pocket can be more than a little annoying, especially if you can’t figure out what’s behind your congestion. If you’re not sick and you don’t have allergies, what’s going on? Well, it turns out that there are a handful of surprising reasons you’re congested, some of which are more obvious than others. Meet the expert: Gerald B. Lee, M.D., an assistant professor of allergy and immunology at Emory University School of Medicine.
9 Lymphoma Warning Signs To Watch For
Lymphoma symptoms often differ from person to person. Recognizing the warning signs early can be important for addressing the condition with a doctor. What Are the Symptoms of Lymphoma? Lymphoma symptoms can vary widely, meaning not everyone will have the same signs. Many symptoms linked to lymphoma are vague. Unrelated conditions may also cause similar symptoms.
Doctors Explain What Causes Vaginal Odor and How to Treat It
Vaginal odor is incredibly common. In many cases, vaginal odor is nothing to worry about, but sometimes it can indicate an infection or other health condition. We asked doctors to explain common vaginal odor causes and treatments.
Hodgkin Lymphoma vs. Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphomas are cancers originating from lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell. The presence of Reed-Sternberg cells differentiates Hodgkin from non-Hodgkin lymphoma, impacting treatment approaches and prognosis.1 There are over 90 subtypes of lymphoma, but they fall into two main categories: Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.2 The distinction lies in the presence or absence of a unique cell type visible under a microscope and in its specific subtypes.
The future of immunology
Protecting from invaders and surveilling for other threats is a big job—and it’s what your immune system, your body’s very own built-in defense mechanism, does every day. When you catch a cold or other viral infection, for instance, your immune system mounts a response that mobilizes killer T cells and triggers the release of antibodies, which identify the virus as harmful and destroy it. Mission accomplished. Your immune system then quiets back down and you feel better.
Anosognosia: Why Some People Stop Taking Their Meds
It's well known that many people with a serious mental illness, like bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, don't take their prescribed medication. One major reason for this behavior is anosognosia, a word of Greek origin that roughly translates to "without knowledge of disease." You may also hear it called "lack of insight." What it boils down to is that the person is unaware of their condition and unable to accept it. Someone with anosognosia isn't simply in denial or being stubborn.
What to Eat During Breast Cancer Treatment
If you’ve been recently diagnosed with breast cancer, you probably have a lot of questions. Among them: What can you do to support your health, help your body heal, and minimize the chance of the cancer spreading or returning after treatments? One thing you can do is eat nutritious food, say experts. “A healthy diet is important for two reasons,” says Steven Quay, M.D., Ph.D., a physician-scientist who founded a company developing breast cancer therapeutics in Seattle, WA.
The health benefits of friendship — SilverSneakers
Buddies are strong medicine — no prescription required. Having close friends leads to many benefits. Sure, it’s great to have someone in your life who shares your love of rom-coms and is always willing to give you a sympathetic ear. But the benefits of friendship are even greater than you may have thought. Turns out, friends play an important role in your physical and emotional health.
Health Experts Reveal What Foods Help Ease Menopause Symptoms
Reviewed by Dietitian Kelly Plowe, M.S., RD Some women appear to sail through menopause with ease, transforming into nonfertile yet still sexy and sophisticated women of a certain age without breaking a sweat. For the vast majority, however, the experience is rockier: An estimated 80% have at least one menopausal symptom, which can range from occasionally waking up drenched in sweat to daily hot flashes that surprise you during important client meetings and dinner with your fiancé.
Best Mattress for Lower Back Pain
If you have a bad back, you should buy the firmest mattress you can find -- right? Not so fast. While that used to be the common wisdom, there's no solid research behind it. The latest thinking is that there isn't one type of mattress that's best for everyone, including people with chronic back pain. Let personal preference guide you, and choose what feels most comfortable. But making the right choice can be tricky.
Should You Get Tested for High Cholesterol?
High cholesterol can lead to fatty deposits in your arteries. This raises your risk for a heart attack or stroke. But high cholesterol isn’t something you can see or feel. The only way to know if you have this problem is to get a blood test. How often do you need a cholesterol test? That depends on whom you ask. Guidelines can be inconsistent.
Gratitude: How to Practice It, Benefits
Ways to Boost Gratitude If you’re a polite person, you probably say “thank you” several times a day without giving it much thought. But when was the last time you truly felt grateful for something or someone and took a moment to reflect on it? Some people are naturally inclined to focus on the good in their lives, but that’s hardly the norm, says Cortland J. Dahl, PhD, a research scientist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Healthy Minds.
Birth Control that Prevents STIs
When it comes to preventing pregnancy, you have tons of great birth control options. The catch: Some of the most effective ones, like IUDs and implants, don’t do anything to protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Contraceptive pills, patches, rings, and shots won’t protect you from STIs, either. That matters a lot because STIs are more common than you might think. More than half of all sexually active people will contract one at some point.
Best Birth Control for STI and Pregnancy Prevention
When it comes to preventing pregnancy, you have tons of great birth control options. The catch: Some of the most effective ones, like IUDs and implants, don’t do anything to protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Contraceptive pills, patches, rings, and shots won’t protect you from STIs, either. That matters a lot because STIs are more common than you might think. More than half of all sexually active people will contract one at some point.
HIV: How to Get a Free Test
About 1 in 7 Americans who have HIV don't know it. The CDC recommends that everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 get a test at least once. If you fall into a high-risk category -- perhaps you have multiple sex partners, have used injectable drugs, or have a partner who is HIV positive -- then you ought to test regularly (ideally every 3 to 6 months). Free tests can be a huge help. HIV tests are now relatively easy to get and fairly affordable.
Best and Worst Late-Night Snacks for Your Health
2/16 When you want something to fill you up, half a sandwich on whole wheat bread is a good pick. Your body digests whole grains more slowly so you’ll feel satisfied longer. And turkey has tryptophan, an amino acid that helps to make you sleepy. If you’re not into turkey, try peanut or almond butter on whole wheat toast. Nut butter has healthy fats that raise your levels of serotonin, a feel-good mood chemical that helps you relax.
The next generation of autoimmune therapeutics
Protecting from invaders and surveilling for other threats is a big job—and it’s what your immune system, your body’s very own built-in defense mechanism, does every day. When you catch a cold or other viral infection, for instance, your immune system mounts a response that mobilizes killer T cells and triggers the release of antibodies, which identify the virus as harmful and destroy it. Mission accomplished. Your immune system then quiets back down and you feel better.
School‐Based Physical Activity Program Implementation Is Enhanced With Support From Community‐Based Partners
Background School-based physical activity (PA) programs are an equitable, evidence-based approach to combat health and PA disparities. This study examined factors associated with implementation of BE Physically Active 2Day (BEPA 2.0), a K-5 school-based PA program, and examined how support from Cooperative Extension via Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) partners influenced implementation.
COPD Bloating: Why It Happens and What You Can Do
If you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), you've likely talked with your doctor about how to manage common symptoms like coughing and shortness of breath. But you may not know that some people with this condition may also get stomach problems like too much gas and bloating. Your stomach might feel tight or stick out, which can be very uncomfortable. It can also make it more difficult for you to eat and get the nutrition that you need.
Conditions That Can Go Along with Crohn's Disease
Crohn's disease is an immune system disorder that mainly affects the gut, but also has the potential to cause inflammation elsewhere in the body. This can lead to a wide variety of additional health problems. Here are some of the conditions that can be seen with Crohn’s. Asthma and Other Respiratory Diseases Some people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) also have asthma or other respiratory issues like emphysema, chronic bronchitis, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Crohn's and Colon Cancer: What's the Link?
Tomiyo Williams was immersed in Crohn’s disease life when her daughter, Skye, was diagnosed. Tomiyo decided she wanted to help others navigate the journey and took on the role of advocate to assist other families going through the same thing.263 [MUSIC PLAYING] TOMIYO WILLIAMS: When my daughter was 14 years old, she was originally diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, and then ultimately she was diagnosed with Crohn's disease.
Is Coronavirus Riskier if You Have HIV?
If you have HIV, you may be concerned that condition raises your risk for a bad case of COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Although it's worth taking some extra precautions to protect yourself, whether or not you're actually at higher risk than anyone else likely depends on your current health status.
Can Aromatase Inhibitors Help With Ovarian Cancer?
If you have ovarian cancer, your oncologist has probably recommended surgery and chemotherapy. While aromatase inhibitors usually don’t take the place of those treatments, they can offer extra help if you’re in a select group. They’re a hormone therapy used to treat some ovarian tumors and low-grade ovarian cancers, but only in women who are past menopause.
AFib and Diabetes: What’s the Link?
You’re more likely to develop AFib if you already have diabetes. No one knows for sure whether diabetes causes AFib directly, but it’s a big risk factor. And having both can take an extra toll on your health. Studies have found that both type 1 and type 2 diabetes likely raise your risk of developing AFib, though the link seems to be greater if you have type 2.
How Is Coal Tar Used for Psoriasis Treatment?
Coal tar might sound like something that belongs on your driveway, which might very well be the case. But this same ingredient—at a different concentration, of course—is also potentially helpful for mild to moderate psoriasis when used in topical treatments. In fact, its use is even endorsed by official psoriasis (PsO) treatment guidelines from the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). So how, exactly, does coal tar help your skin, and how do you use it? We tapped dermatologists to explain.
How to Keep Track of Your Schizophrenia
If you have schizophrenia, you should know that taking your medication as prescribed is very important. But it’s not always easy to know whether your current plan, which includes any medications you’re using and mental and behavioral strategies, is working well. It might also be hard to tell if something you’re experiencing is a medication side effect or a disease symptom. Or you might have trouble remembering to take your medication. Self-monitoring can help.
Inside the development of a revolutionary treatment for blood cancers
A cancer diagnosis may bring on feelings of confusion, stress and fear. Perhaps the only thing worse than the diagnosis itself is finding out that available treatment options might have toxic side effects or that overall survival and quality-of-life data are not very encouraging. Up until a decade ago, this was the reality for people with blood cancers known as B-cell malignancies that form in a type of white blood cell called B cells.
What Is Multiple Myeloma Neuropathy?
Multiple myeloma (MM) doesn’t always have obvious signs -- at least not in its earliest stages. But as it progresses, the cancer itself, or medications and therapies used to treat it, can lead to other health problems. A common one is peripheral neuropathy. If you’re like 20% of people with MM, you already had symptoms of peripheral neuropathy when you were diagnosed with the cancer. Neuropathy gets even more common during cancer treatment. Up to 75% of people being treated for MM develop it.
6 Signs Older Adults Should Know
If your blood flow is restricted, you’re at greater risk for heart attack or stroke. Watch for these signs and symptoms. You probably don’t spend a lot of time thinking about your circulatory system. And when everything is working properly, you don’t need to. Blood flows freely and efficiently throughout your body, carrying oxygen as well as infection-fighting white blood cells, nutrients, and hormones. But when you have poor circulation, it’s a different story.
Control the Scroll
feel good, look good, live well You’ve seen the headlines about social media: It can be addictive, steal your sleep, and make you anxious and depressed. Although there is some merit to those claims, there’s also evidence that using social media can improve your self-esteem and foster a sense of belonging. What gives? While spending a lot of time on social media has negative effects—especially at the expense of in-person connecting—how you use social media may make a difference.
These 7 high-inflammatory foods can sap your energy and raise your risk for cancer, diabetes, and heart disease
Inflammation gets a bad rap, but it’s only partially deserved. If you catch a cold or stub your toe, you want the offending pathogen or injury to trigger an inflammatory response, because that’s what . Exercise also causes temporary inflammation; it helps you build muscle mass. The catch is that when inflammation doesn’t dissipate, “it becomes a simmering flame,” says New York–based integrative dietician Robin Foroutan, RDN.
These 7 high-inflammatory foods can sap your energy and raise your risk for chronic health conditions Original
Inflammation gets a bad rap, but it’s only partially deserved. If you catch a cold or stub your toe, you want the offending pathogen or injury to trigger an inflammatory response, because that’s what . Exercise also causes temporary inflammation; it helps you build muscle mass. The catch is that when inflammation doesn’t dissipate, “it becomes a simmering flame,” says New York–based integrative dietician Robin Foroutan, RDN.
5 Essential Supplements and Vitamins for Seniors
Read this before you buy another bottle of vitamins or minerals. What are the best vitamins for seniors? Ask 10 different people and you’ll likely hear 10 different answers, most involving a dietary supplement that’s magically cured a variety of health problems. But can you guess how many supplements experts think all older adults should take? The answer: Zero.
What You Need To Know About Back Pain
There's a lot riding on your spinal column. It's your body's main structural support. It needs to keep you stable enough to stand upright but flexible enough for movement. So it's no surprise that many people have back problems from time to time. The hurt can stem from sore muscles, ligaments, and tendons, or from herniated disks, fractures, and other problems in your upper, middle, and lower back. Sometimes you feel the effects right away. But in many cases, back problems develop over time.
What Is Multiple Myeloma? Everything You Should Know
Multiple myeloma is a type of blood cancer that starts in the plasma cells, or white blood cells that help fight infections. It's rare, representing less than 2% of all cancer diagnoses in the United States.1 Recognizing the Different Types of Multiple Myeloma The types of multiple myeloma differ based on what form of abnormal antibodies they make.
Is this the end of one-size-fits-all treatments for depression?
About 280 million people around the world suffer from depression, and while they all struggle with persistent feelings of sadness, other symptoms can vary greatly: Some people with depression overeat, whereas others lack an appetite. Some have loud, angry outbursts; others become quiet and withdrawn. Some toss and turn all night; others sleep 10-plus hours a day.
Procedure, Risks and Recovery
Cancer treatment, like all of medicine, is constantly evolving. For about 100 years, until the 1970s, women who were diagnosed with breast cancer—regardless of the stage—were routinely subject to a radical mastectomy.
What's the Difference?
A breast cancer diagnosis comes with a lot of decisions. Among them: What type of surgery to have. Your two main options are a lumpectomy, which removes the tumor as well as a small a small amount of surrounding normal tissue, and a mastectomy, which removes all of the breast tissue, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). Here's what breast experts know about these two surgeries and what you should consider before moving forward with either. Lumpectomy vs.
How to Practice Gratitude Original
If you’re a polite person, you probably say “thank you” several times a day without giving it much thought. But when was the last time you truly felt grateful for something or someone and took a moment to reflect on it? Some people are naturally inclined to focus on the good in their lives, but that’s hardly the norm, says Cortland J. Dahl, PhD, a research scientist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Healthy Minds. “It goes back to our biology and evolution,” he says.
5 Things We Now Know About a Blood Disorder Affecting 1 in 1000 Infants
When Alicia McGrew gave birth to her first child 11 years ago, the doctor declared that her new son was “perfect.” When her husband, Patrick, inquired about the tiny red dots covering the baby’s skin and then asked why he was bleeding so much after a standard vitamin K shot, the delivery nurse told him not to worry. The doctor who performed their son's circumcision the next day, however, noted that there had been more bleeding than expected during the procedure.
No, drinking Diet Coke won't kill you, but experts say there are several good reasons to consider cutting back
For starters, you should know that some of the potential health problems that have been associated with Diet Coke also apply to other diet colas, including Diet Pepsi and lesser-known brands you might find on the shelf at your local supermarket. Such concerns also pertain to a wider variety of “diet” foods—including light yogurt, and sugar-free chewing gum, as well as diet drinks that aren’t colas at all. Here’s what the science actually says about diet cola.
Quiz: How Much Do You Know About Psoriasis?
For people living with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, treatment of the thick plaques of inflamed skin on the body can be complicated. “The burden on patients can be tremendous,” says StevenFakharzadeh, M.D., Ph.D., Head of Global Medical Affairs for Dermatology at the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson. “Psoriasis lesions can be very symptomatic: They itch, crack, bleed and can be painful.
Travel Healthy This Holiday
● ROLL UP YOUR SLEEVE It’s cold/flu/COVID season; make sure you’re up-to-date on all recommended vaccines and boosters before you get exposed to more germs while in transit or risk bringing a bug to Grandmother’s house, says Douglas Paauw, MD, professor of medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. ● KEEP MEDS WITH YOU Don’t put important medications—including over-the-counter remedies you might need—in checked luggage, Paauw says.
What Is Food Noise and How Can You Quiet It?
Nikki Levy opened the DoorDash app on her phone, craving Vietnamese food. Then she remembered the 95% fat-free turkey she’d defrosted: She could cook instead of ordering in. She closed the app and then reopened it, over and over. “I can go back and forth like this for an hour,” she says. Levy, a Los Angeles-based content executive and story coach, recently rejoined WW (formerly called Weight Watchers). She’d lost 35 pounds on WW before her 2019 wedding.
Superalimentos que ayudan con la artritis: qué deberías comer y qué no para aliviar las articulaciones
¿No te gusta el pescado? Las semillas de chía son la mejor fuente vegetal de omega-3, y también son una buena fuente de proteína y fibra. 2. Aceite de oliva El aceite de oliva extra virgen no tiene muchos omega-3, pero sí contiene otras grasas insaturadas que, de manera similar, ayudan a calmar la inflamación en el cuerpo, afirma Prest.
These 7 high-inflammatory foods can sap your energy and raise your risk for chronic health conditions
The catch is that when inflammation doesn’t dissipate, “it becomes a simmering flame,” says New York–based integrative dietician Robin Foroutan, RDN. Left unchecked, it can cause fatigue, lead to trouble sleeping, damage healthy tissue, and increase your risk of a host of ailments, including asthma, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, autoimmune disease, and cancer. To lower your levels, take a look at your diet.
8 Things Pregnancy Does to Your Skin-And How to Deal With Them
Some pregnant people enjoy radiant, glowing skin—maybe even the best skin of their lives. Others, however, find themselves wondering what’s behind strange new bumps, an influx of chin hairs or itchiness that wakes them up at night. And some deal with acne for the first time since their teen years. Sound familiar? Skin changes are very common during pregnancy (as are changes in hair and nails), so take comfort that whatever you’re dealing with is probably normal.
8 Key Nutrients Every Pregnant Person Needs & Exactly How to Get Them
Figuring out how to feed yourself properly can be tricky enough when you’re not growing a human. Add pregnancy to the mix, and a simple question like “What should we have for dinner?” might stop you in your tracks as you consider your baby’s nutritional needs. There’s good news: It’s not as complicated as it seems.
Can Wearable Sensors Revolutionize Inflammation Monitoring?
Lung disease, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and chronic bacterial infections are diverse conditions that often require frequent monitoring of C-reactive protein (CRP), a protein that rises in the bloodstream during periods of high inflammation. Measuring CRP is valuable for assessing disease activity, predicting flares, and evaluating treatment response.
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