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Quinoa is a type of seed that has a grain-like texture. While it is considered an ancient crop cultivated in South America, it has become more popular in recent times due to its high nutritional value and potential health benefits, sustainability, and gluten-free properties. It provides many nutrients such as protein, heart-healthy fats, fiber, iron, antioxidants, and potassium. While an allergy to quinoa isn’t common, some people are sensitive to saponin, a naturally occurring chemical found on the outside of the quinoa seed....

What Is Retin-A? Retin-A (tretinoin) is a topical retinoid used to improve acne vulgaris. In acne vulgaris, hair follicles become blocked by dead skin cells, bacteria, and oil (sebum). This results in skin blemishes including pimples, blackheads, whiteheads, and cysts. Tretinoin works to promote the production and shedding of skin cells (cell turnover). This helps unclog pores and prevent future clogging of pores. Tretinoin is available by prescription as a topical cream, gel, and lotion in different strengths under various brand names....

An ounce of prevention is truly worth a pound of cure with regard to skin cancer, though it is not always preventable. That said, there are many simple things you can do to lower your risk, such as being safe in the sun, being careful with chemicals at work, testing your well water, eating a healthy diet, and addressing other modifiable risk factors. Lifestyle There are several everyday things you can do to decrease your risk of skin cancer....

Perhaps one of the oddest pain-related symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) is the “MS hug” (a.k.a. girdle-band sensation, girdling, or banding)—the feeling like there’s a tight band around the chest and ribs. This can come and go over the course of several weeks and range from an annoying pressure to abject pain. Though it’s common in MS, this type of pain tends to be one of the most annoying and uncomfortable symptoms people with MS experience....

Vitiligo is a chronic condition that causes patches of your skin to lose pigmentation or color. The exact cause of this condition is unknown, but its believed to be a type of autoimmune disorder. Vitiligo usually appears between the ages of 5 and 10, with roughly 11% of pediatric cases developing before age 2. When it develops in adults, vitiligo usually appears between the ages of 10 and 30, and up to 80% of adult cases develop before age 30....

People over 65 years old and those with certain disabilities rely on Medicare for their healthcare needs. Most of them paid for the privilege by way of taxes. Read on to understand what taxes are used to fund Medicare, who pays for them, and how they work. More importantly, how would the American Health Care Act change how much you pay out of pocket in Medicare taxes? How Medicare Funding Works Medicare is broken down into four parts: Part A hospital insurance, Part B medical insurance, Part C Medicare Advantage coverage, and Part D prescription drug coverage....

Viral and bacterial infections can both make you sick. Symptoms of viral and bacterial infections can range from mild to severe. Without treatment, some can even threaten your life. A viral infection is an illness caused by a virus. Common viral infections include COVID-19, influenza (the flu), and chicken pox. Bacterial infections are caused by bacteria. These types of germs cause ailments that include strep throat, tetanus, and anthrax. While all illnesses have many things in common, it’s important to find out what germ you have to get the treatment you need....

Symptoms of wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) commonly include trouble reading with distortion in vision, which can be present in one eye. Wet AMD is often seen as a progression from dry AMD. Anatomy To fully understand the symptoms of wet AMD, it’s important to be aware of a few of the basic anatomy and physiology terms pertaining to the eye. These include the following. Sclera: Also known as the white of the eye, the sclera functions as an outer protective layer....

Medically induced menopause is when medical treatments, like chemotherapy or surgery, cause a person’s ovaries to stop functioning before menopause would normally occur. It happens much faster than natural menopause, and it often causes more severe symptoms. The effects can be temporary or permanent, depending on the treatment and the extent of damage to the ovaries. Read on to find out more about the causes of medical menopause and the treatments available....

Systematic desensitization is a type of behavioral treatment that uses exposure therapy to treat anxiety and phobias. It involves gradually exposing a person to something that causes extreme fear and panic, and teaches them to replace fear responses with relaxation responses. This article explains systematic desensitization, techniques, benefits, and how to find a therapist. How It Works Systematic desensitization is a type of therapy that focuses on teaching you how to relax in the midst of your fears....

By striking down Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court gives each state the power to allow or deny abortions. Already, several have rushed to criminalize the procedure. How does state-by-state abortion care differ, and how is access to contraception affected nationwide? Below, we outline what reproductive health care access and affordability may look like based on where you live right now. Which states introduced ‘trigger laws’ to criminalize abortion? As early as Friday June 24, several states removed patient access to abortion care....

Next Choice One Dose is an emergency contraceptive (EC) pill that can lower your chance of getting pregnant if it’s taken within 72 hours (three days) of unprotected sex or birth control failure. There are many misconceptions regarding this morning-after pill, including how it works and when it can prevent pregnancy. The most important thing to understand, however, is that it cannot terminate a pregnancy. Next Choice One Dose can be purchased over the counter with no age restrictions....

Less than a year after a devastating earthquake hit Haiti in 2010, public health officials on the ground noticed a curious phenomenon. Scores of people were getting sick with a disease that hadn’t been seen in Haiti in over a century: cholera. The earthquake itself was catastrophic. More than 230,000 people were killed and 1.5 million displaced. The misery was then compounded by a cholera outbreak that would go on to sicken roughly 300,000 people and kill over 4,500....

Anthralin cream is one of the original psoriasis topical medications. First introduced in 1916, it was applied to the skin as a thick paste to treat severe plaque psoriasis. While effective, anthralin was extremely messy and rarely used outside out of a hospital setting. Newer incarnations of the drug are more user-friendly but still present challenges in terms of messiness, staining, and the duration of treatment. Even beyond convenience, intensive therapies like anthralin have fallen to the wayside in favor of more bioactive topical drugs, including hydrocortisone cream, tazarotene, and topical vitamin D derivatives....

Benadryl (diphenhydramine) is an antihistamine drug used for the treatment of mild symptoms of the common cold or allergies, including a runny nose, sneezing, and itching. It can be purchased over the counter (OTC) and it comes in oral tablet, chewable tablet, liquid-filled capsule, and liquid solution forms. Topical anti-itch creams, gels, and sprays containing Benadryl are used on the skin to treat certain types of skin irritation. The medication works by blocking the effects of histamine, a substance released by the body as part of the immune response....

Getting a diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) for yourself or your child can be jarring. But while certain characteristics of ADHD, such as struggling to sit still, difficulty focusing, and impulsive behavior, can cause people to have trouble reaching their full potential in school or at work, there are also benefits of ADHD. These ADHD “superpowers”—including high energy levels and creativity—mean that living with ADHD isn’t all bad. This article with discuss the strengths of ADHD....

In the past 10 years, a new class of drug called biologics (sometimes called biological medical therapy) has led to new, successful treatments for lupus and other inflammatory diseases. Biologics for lupus include Benlysta (belimumab) as well as many biologics being tested in clinical trials. Systemic lupus erythematosus (often referred to as SLE or lupus) is an autoimmune disease that leads to inflammation in the body’s connective tissue. Autoimmune diseases develop when the body’s immune system accidentally starts attacking healthy parts of the body instead of an invader....

Blindness refers to a lack of vision. It can be a symptom of various eye diseases you develop or disorders you’ve had since birth. You should seek immediate medical attention if you experience a new loss of sight. This article discusses types of blindness, symptoms related to blindness, potential causes, and treatments. Symptoms of Blindness The symptoms of blindness depend on the type of blindness an individual has. Seek Immediate Help...

Birth control comes in many forms, including hormonal and non-hormonal options. Like all other medications, there are side effects associated with contraceptives, such as headaches or irregular bleeding. While many people have reported depressive symptoms while taking hormonal birth control, there is not enough evidence to prove that hormonal contraceptives cause depression. This article discusses the relationship between hormonal birth control and depression, as well as the types of hormonal birth control and other side effects....

Pediatric dental coverage is an essential health benefit under the Affordable Care Act. But can the ACA’s premium subsidies be used to cover the cost of dental insurance? There are a lot of factors involved, so take a look at how it works. Pediatric Dental Coverage: A Unique Essential Health Benefit Under the Affordable Care Act, there are ten essential health benefits that all individual and small group health plans (with effective dates of January 2014 or later) are required to cover....