In 1991, at the age of thirty-eight and with a five-year-old daughter, Aida was diagnosed with breast cancer. ‘When my GP examined my breasts he told me to go home and forget about it – that it was just a hardening of the tissue – but to come back three weeks later. At the next appointment [...]

We can learn to look for laughter and joy in the many ordinary places where we go. When I go to our La Habra post office in the morning, the cement on the sidewalk outside is just plain blah gray. But if I go in the afternoon, when the sun hits it, the cement sparkles [...]

As we have seen, narcoleptics occasionally experience muscle paralysis associated with the onset or termination of sleep. The same problem can afflict nonnarcoleptic people as well. Patients lie unable to move any muscles, except those around the eyes. In some cases the victim suffers formication—the frightening sense that bugs are crawling over the body—or other [...]

Of all the major types of CVD, CHD is the single greatest killer. In fact, this year well over 1,100,000 people will suffer from one of the major forms of coronary attack, and over 40 percent of them will die from one. Those of you raised on a weekly dose of TV doctor programs will [...]

While it is true that cancer strikes people of all ages, races, cultures, and socioeconomic levels, it is equally true that some Americans are at greater risk. Overall, blacks are more likely to develop cancer than persons of any other racial and ethnic group. In 1998, incidence rates were 443 per 100,000 blacks and 403 [...]

Although our degree of control over risk factors for disease may vary according to socioeconomic condition, cultural upbringing, geographic location, and a host of other variables, we all have some degree of personal control over certain risk factors for disease. Too much stress, inadequate nutrition, a low physical fitness level, lack of sleep, misuse or [...]

So many people are, concerned about the appearance of their mouth and understandably so. This area is where ageing rears its ugly head in a significant way: the lips shrink with age and the borders of the mouth, which function very much like a frame, tend to lose definition. The corners of the mouth, meanwhile, [...]

Principles that guide the decision to use screening procedures in asymptomatic people include the following:1. Discovery of a disease that represents an important health problem and imposes a significant burden on the population.2. An understanding of the natural history of the disease.3. Recognition of a preclinical, asymptomatic stage at which the disease may be diagnosed.4. [...]

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder isn’t an easy problem to accurately diagnose. As mentioned earlier, it’s not a disease like the flu or measles, but a collection of common symptoms, not all of which are present in all patients and some of which may also be caused by other disorders. Most children are brought in for [...]

Complete lack of self-confidence. Sure of his failure, therefore, does not attempt to try. Is quite capable to undertake any work, but does not dare to do due to fear of failure.Can appreciate and even feel happy at other’s success (without rancour, jealousy or envy) but would not try to do the same thing due [...]