" Summer is fast approaching, which means it will be time to get out the bathing suits and short shorts! Who doesn’t begin to feel a little insecure after a long winter of bundling up? But before you start getting ready to bare your “bikini body” on the beach, AFC/ wants to know: how do you feel about crash diets? For those who have never tried one, a crash diet is when you dramatically cut ...
" According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, incidences of the mumps have decreased 99 percent since the era before widespread vaccinations. But tell that to the 10 states that have seen outbreaks of the mumps in the past month. So far, there have been 69 reported cases of the mumps this year. It seems to have started in Iowa, but it quickly spread to places like Colorado, Indiana and Massachusetts. The mumps virus ...
" Mosquitoes have always been a source of annoyance and big, itchy, red bites. Usually, we only need to worry about them in the summer, but the Zika virus outbreak is causing people to sweat throughout the world. So, what exactly is Zika? We’re here to help you learn everything you need to know about Zika virus. Zika virus disease is caused by a virus transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. The virus has been known to ...
" Mosquitoes have always been a source of annoyance. Usually, we only need to worry about them in the summer, but the Zika virus outbreak is causing people to sweat throughout the world. So, what exactly is Zika? We’re here to help you learn everything you need to know about Zika virus. Zika virus disease is caused by a virus transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. The virus has been known to circulate Africa, the Americas, Asia ...
" Spring has sprung, and telltale sniffles are beginning to fill the air. For some people, this beautiful season is nothing but misery, due to the constant sneezing, congestion, itchy eyes and countless other exhausting symptoms. Seasonal allergies affect as many as 50 million Americans, and it’s not just a mild annoyance. As many as 55 percent of workers report calling in sick at work because of allergies. There are many ways to avoid the ...
" The United States is one of the most diverse nations in the world. As different as we may seem, our health issues can be very similar. Health care trends tend to be pretty consistent across large swaths of the population, so it’s important to pay attention when one becomes widespread. Your local AFC can advise you on which conditions should concern you and how to take action to prevent them. The No. 1 health ...
" Here is the second part of our series on flu season! We hope you took our advice from last week and got your flu shot! We’re going to get a bit more into the nitty-gritty about how the flu spreads and what makes the flu vaccine work. So hang on, we’re diving right in! The influenza virus is a respiratory virus, and it spreads primarily through contact with respiratory droplets. However, these droplets ...
" The influenza virus is a seasonal epidemic that typically hits the United States around October and can last until May. Even though this is a yearly occurrence, there are still some misconceptions about the flu and what people should do to protect themselves. To keep our readers informed, we are doing a two-part series on important facts people should know about the flu. Part two will be released next week. The flu is not just ...
" After an unseasonably warm start on the East Coast, winter is finally letting us feel its chill. It might seem like yesterday that high temperatures were breaking records all over the place, so it can be easy to disregard the recent cold. Winter weather can present a lot of hazards, though, so it’s important to be aware of what might happen in your area and be prepared for what winter may bring. Here are ...
" It’s the most wonderful time of the year — that is unless your Christmas tree causes you to have an allergic reaction. More than one-third of American households will put up a Christmas tree during the holiday season, and if you find yourself sneezing with a runny nose and itchy eyes once the tree is up, you might have a case of “Christmas tree syndrome” — an allergic reaction to your tree, real or artificial. The ...
