The reason could be the link between the gut and the way the reproductive system functions during a menstrual cycle. Read on to find out how your IBS symptoms can affect your period. The Gut and the Reproductive System Influence Each Other According to Olubunmi Oladunjoye, MD, MPH, a general internist and assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, the gut contains receptor cells for the female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone....

To understand the difference between complete and incomplete proteins, you first need to get to know amino acids. These are the molecular building blocks that combine to form every gram of protein you eat. When you eat protein-rich foods, your body breaks those proteins back down into amino acids, explains Marie Spano, RD, CSCS, the Atlanta-based lead author of Nutrition for Sport, Exercise, and Health. Your body then uses those amino acids to build muscle, repair tissues, support metabolism, and help along other processes in the body....

A new investigation published on May 20, 2020, in JAMA Dermatology found that individuals taking biologics tend to have a slightly higher chance of developing melanoma compared with those treated with conventional systemic therapy, but that risk was not statistically significant. RELATED: Rheumatoid Arthritis Medication: Beware of Sunburn if You Take These Drugs Findings Are Noteworthy for People With RA, IBD, and Other Conditions People considering biologic therapy for rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and some types of IBD, such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis (UC), have noted concerns about their use and a possible link to the potentially deadly skin cancer....

Its cause? In a word: stress. The type of hair shedding associated with COVID-19 is called telogen effluvium (TE), says Purvisha Patel, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Memphis, Tennessee, and founder of Visha Skincare. TE is a result of a major stress on the body, and it happens in response to mental and physical stress. The tumult caused by the pandemic is enough to trigger it. But if you developed a COVID-19 infection, you might have gotten a double whammy, because TE can also result from the physical stress of an illness....

By January 31, the NBA had sent its first memo to teams and staff about the situation, telling them what they knew about transmission of the virus and recommending public health prevention measures such as hand-washing, regular symptom checks, and physical distancing. Just a little over a month later, on March 11 — the same day the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic — the NBA suspended its 2019–2020 season as mass closures spread across the country....

While newer medicines and procedures have significantly improved cure rates in people with leukemia, some therapies can lead to long-term medical problems down the road. Additionally, many cancer survivors experience a wide range of emotions, including joy, relief, guilt, sadness, anxiety, and fear. Knowing the risks associated with treatment, finding support, and utilizing resources can help survivors thrive. (1) What Are Long-Term and Late Effects? Long-term and late effects of cancer therapies are medical issues that persist or crop up months or years after your treatment ends....

The cohosts of Migraine World Summit, Paula Dumas and Carl Cincinnato, are out to change all that. On Wednesday, March 11, they kicked off their fifth annual online education program with MWS OnStage, a live event in New York City. They were joined by three migraine experts, William B. Young, MD, Dawn Buse, PhD, and Amaal J. Starling, MD, as well as the comedian Whitney Cummings and the former Olympic swimmer Amanda Beard for an evening of information and empowerment....

Many People Receiving Treatment for RA Still Report Discomfort Despite all these options, a study published in September 2019 in Rheumatology and Therapy found that almost 75 percent of RA patient respondents in a survey were dissatisfied with their treatments, reporting distressful symptoms such as fatigue (82 percent), pain (76 percent), and physical limitations (75 percent), which had a negative influence on quality of life. While receiving treatment, 37 percent of respondents still had moderate disease activity, and 33 percent had high disease activity....

Sometimes nicknamed “flesh-eating bacteria,” necrotizing fasciitis is a serious, yet rare, bacterial skin infection that spreads quickly. It can cause loss of limbs, or even death, within a short period of time. The condition can be caused by one or more kinds of bacteria that attack and kill the skin, fat just beneath the skin, and fasciae, which is thin tissue that encloses muscles or organs. Because of the seriousness of the disease, prompt treatment is crucial....

In research published on November 18 by the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, scientists demonstrated that the device, which uses vibrations to send signals to the brain, can disrupt the rhythms that cause resting tremors. In Parkinson’s, these tremors occur when muscles are relaxed, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. If you have the condition, your hands, arms, or legs may shake even when they are at rest, the institute says....

New guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) on November 13, recommend that primary care physicians screen adults age 18 and older, including pregnant women, for unhealthy alcohol use. The task force declined to update the recommendations for adolescents ages 12 to 17, concluding that, “the evidence is insufficient to determine the benefits and harms of screening,” for the younger population....

“This research validates what we already know: that physical activity can reduce your cardiovascular risk,” says Tamanna Singh, MD, a cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. “And that’s great, because we want people to move more. The more you move your body intentionally, the better it is for your health.” RELATED: Your Guide to Online Workouts For the study, researchers from the United Kingdom examined data on more than 90,000 adults without prior heart disease....

Years Ago, More Men Than Women Were Diagnosed with MS Late last year, the estimated number of people living with multiple sclerosis in the United States was revised upward — from 400,000 to 1 million. The old figure had been suspect to many living with the disease for decades. While still an estimate (as MS is still not a disease which doctors are required to report to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), it’s likely much closer to the actual number of people with MS....

Being rich and famous doesn’t inoculate you from serious health woes. This became clear during Gaga’s revealing hour-long interview with Winfrey in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at the first of Winfrey’s 2020 wellness tour. Winfrey is traveling to nine U.S. cities to hold rallies sponsored by WW (the new name for Weight Watchers as it expands beyond weight loss and into wellness). Gaga, whose real name is Stefani Germanotta, said that inventing the persona of Lady Gaga was a way “to create a superhero for myself” who was confident and secure at a time Germanotta, who had been bullied as a teen, was not, she told the 15,000 arena attendees....

This workout, developed by Kelsey Wells, a National Academy of Sports Medicine–certified personal trainer and the founder of the Sweat app’s new program Pregnancy With Kelsey, is a great way to build strength postpartum. Wells also has Prenatal Fitness and Postnatal Fitness certifications from the National Personal Training Association. Physical activity after pregnancy not only improves the health of your heart and lungs, but it can also be a mood booster, too, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention....

Schizophrenia is a serious psychiatric disorder that causes hallucinations, delusions, and problems thinking. (1) If you do become pregnant with schizophrenia, there are certain things you’ll want to know to help ensure the best outcome for you and baby. Schizophrenia Symptoms and Pregnancy You may be wondering, “does schizophrenia get worse during pregnancy?” Some people find that their schizophrenia symptoms are minimal during pregnancy, while others may struggle with symptoms throughout pregnancy....

Unfortunately, people with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) have lower levels of “good” bacteria in their gut than people without the condition, according to a study published in the January 2015 issue of Arthritis & Rheumatology. That’s why some healthcare practitioners recommend that patients increase their consumption of probiotics, the beneficial bacteria found in yogurt and other foods as well as in supplements. A study published in 2013 in the journal Gut Microbes found that the anti-inflammatory effects of probiotics can help combat inflammatory disorders such as psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis....

For the study, researchers examined the eating habits of more than 104,000 adults who were 43 years old on average and had no history of type 2 diabetes. On the basis of detailed dietary records, scientists calculated how much exposure people had to nitrates and nitrites, chemicals naturally found in whole foods like green leafy vegetables and in additives used to improve the flavor and shelf life of processed meats and other mass-produced foods....

For a complicated condition like psoriatic arthritis, it’s important to make the best of this time with your doctor. But this doesn’t always happen. “In general, people don’t know how to make the most of their doctor visits,” says Stuart Kaplan, MD, chief of rheumatology at South Nassau Communities Hospital in Oceanside, New York. But with good planning, you’ll be better prepared to talk with your doctor and get the best care for your psoriatic arthritis....

Going out in public — to the grocery store or work, for example — can present its own set of challenges. When you are outside your home, you don’t have control of your environment. You may have to climb a set of stairs or maneuver through a narrow aisle, which can aggravate your symptoms and trigger some discomfort. Still, there are ways to make public outings more comfortable. Here’s how to navigate your way through five public places — plus ways to get around more comfortably....