Do You Really Need That Medical Test?

Make sure your insurance covers any test your doctor wants to give you.Unnecessary medical tests are inflating your bills—and may even be endangering your health. A 2006 study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that in 43% of routine checkups of outwardly healthy people, doctors ordered an X-ray, electrocardiogram, or urinalysis—tests that are not recommended for routine prevention under national guidelines.
"There is harm in extra tests, such as exposure to radiation," says Daniel Merenstein, MD, the director of family medicine at Georgetown University and the lead author of the study.
Besides causing stress, excessive testing can eat up funds or insurance coverage. Dr. Merenstein says that in one recent case, a couple had an extensive infertility workup costing thousands of dollars, even though they had been trying to conceive for only six months. (Medically, infertility is defined as trouble conceiving for at least one year.)
"In another study, we found doctors in the Washington, D.C., area were overusing colonoscopies—doing them every 5 years instead of every 10 as guidelines recommend," Dr. Merenstein says, referring to the recommended interval for people whose colonoscopies show no abnormalities. Colonoscopies, which range in cost from $650 for a simple procedure to $2,000 or more if they include biopsies, are important for detecting colon cancer, but they do carry risks of complications, such as bleeding and bowel perforation.
Superfluous tests aren’t always the doctor’s idea. Bob Phillips, MD, director of the Robert Graham Center, a Washington, D.C.–based research center that studies policy in family practice and primary care, had one 70-year-old patient who asked him to do a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test for prostate cancer. The results were normal, but the man was consumed with worry because his father had suffered from the condition. He sought a second opinion from a urologist, who repeated the PSA on account of this family history. Although the second PSA showed no increased risk for cancer, the urologist recommended a blind biopsy. Sure enough, cancer was found, and the man had his prostate removed, a procedure which left him impotent and incontinent.
"At that point, he came back to me very upset about the side effects, and asked me, 'Did I do the right thing?'" says Dr. Phillips. "By age 70, half of men will have prostate cancer, but most don’t end up dying of it. I felt just terrible for him. There’s a good chance he would have lived his life without any ill effects from the cancer."
Question why a test is being done
If your doctor orders an MRI, CT scan, or other medical test, speak up. "Ask why it’s being ordered, what will be done afterward if the results are positive (or negative), and what your risk factors are," says Dr. Phillips. If the answer is simply, "routine screening," the test may be unnecessary. The doctor should have specific reasons, he says.
Some blood tests, such as the complete blood count (CBC), are sometimes done too often. While not dangerous, the costs can add up, especially if you get them several times. "The main thing is, ask your doctor, 'Do I really need this test?'" says Dr. Merenstein.

Get the latest health, fitness, anti-aging, and nutrition news, plus special offers, insights and updates from Health.com!

View the original article here

How to Eat Happy: The Joy Diet

Good foods

 

By Susan Hall
Some foods can alter brain chemistry to boost your mood. So to stay blissful all day long, in addition to doing our Joy Workout, try these recipes from John La Puma, MD, author of Chef MD’s Big Book of Culinary Medicine.

Breakfast: Nutty Cinnamon Quinoa with Blackberries

How-to: Bring 1/4 cup low-fat milk, 1/4 cup water, and 1/4 cup rinsed quinoa to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 15 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup blackberries, 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon; top with 1 teaspoon agave nectar and 1 tablespoon toasted walnuts.

Why it works: Quinoa is rich in hunger-fighting protein. Milk’s vitamin D may increase the “happy hormone” serotonin. And walnuts deliver mood-elevating omega-3s

Lunch: Lemon Salmon and Navy Bean Salad

How-to: Combine 1/4 (15.5-ounce) can of navy beans, 1/4 cup roasted red bell peppers, 1 teaspoon olive oil, and a dash of crushed red pepper. Top 1 1/2 cups chopped romaine with bean mixture and 1 (3.75-ounce) can of sockeye salmon. Drizzle with 2 teaspoons lemon juice.

Why it works: Salmon has omega-3s and serotonin-boosting vitamin B6. Navy beans are rich in magnesium, which helps banish PMS-related blues. Red peppers and lemon juice offer vitamin C, which repairs brain cells.

Dinner: Saffron, Shrimp, and Chickpea Paella

How-to: Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 6 large shrimp (peeled, deveined) and 1 minced garlic clove; cook until shrimp are opaque. Transfer to a bowl. Combine 1/4 (14.5-ounce) can of fire-roasted crushed tomatoes, undrained; 1/8 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed; and 1/8 teaspoon hot sauce in skillet. Add 1/4 cup cooked brown rice, 1/4 (15.5-ounce) can of chickpeas; simmer 5 minutes. Add shrimp mixture; cook until heated.

Why it works: Saffron may alleviate depression. Chickpeas have folate and mood-lifting tryptophan. Shrimp are a good source of vitamin B6. And brown rice boasts magnesium.

view Original Article here

How Friends Make You Healthier

Socialize for your health's sake

One of the best kept secrets to good health and a long life? Having a robust social network that includes relatives, friends, and other relationships. These are just a few of the reasons why you should prioritize your family and pals

You’ll be less likely to get sick.

In one well-known study, folks with more diverse social connections were less susceptible to colds than those who were socially isolated.

You may sleep better.

Being lonely leads to restless sleep, a University of Chicago study suggests: The lonelier you are, the more you toss and turn.

You’ll stay sharper.

Having strong social support may cut your risk of cognitive decline, according to several studies.

You could live longer.

People with stronger social connections were 50% more likely to live longer than those with weaker connections, a 2010 analysis found. That makes the impact of friendlessness comparable to that of smoking.
View the original article here

7 Foods for Better Sex

By Julie Upton, RD

If you want to put some sizzle back into your sex life, food can help you set the mood. There’s nothing better than a romantic, home-cooked dinner, featuring some R-rated foods to help turn up the heat. “There’s a growing body of evidence that some of the vitamins and components in foods can enhance sexual function and sexual experience,” says Jennifer R. Berman, MD, the director of the Berman Women’s Wellness Center, in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Here are some of the food ingredients (and my own favorite recipes) that have been major players in aphrodisiac history and lore, and also have modern-day science to back up their claims.

Avocados 

Avocados

The Aztecs referred to avocados as, ahem, testicles, because of their physical shape. But the scientific reason why avocados make sense as an aphrodisiac is that they are rich in unsaturated fats and low in saturated fat, making them good for your heart and your arteries. Anything that keeps the heart beating strong helps keep blood flowing to all the right places; in fact, men with underlying heart disease are twice as likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction (ED).

Almonds

 Topping my list of feisty foods, almonds have long been purported to increase passion, act as a sexual stimulant, and aid with fertility. Like asparagus (another one of my favorite sexy foods), almonds are nutrient-dense and rich in several trace minerals that are important for sexual health and reproduction, such as zinc, selenium, and vitamin E.  “Zinc helps enhance libido and sexual desire,” says Dr. Berman. “We don’t really understand the mechanisms behind it, but we know it works.”

Strawberries

 The color red is known to help stoke the fire: A 2008 study found that men find women sexier if they’re wearing red, as opposed to cool colors such as blue or green. Strawberries are also an excellent source of folic acid, a B vitamin that helps ward off birth defects in women and, according to a University of California, Berkley study, may be tied to high sperm counts in men. This Valentine’s Day, try making dark-chocolate-dipped strawberries. And while we’re on the subject, there’s a reason we give chocolate on Valentine’s Day: It’s full of libido-boosting methylxanthines.

Seafood

 Despite their slippery and slimy texture, oysters may be the most well-known aphrodisiac. They’re also one of the best sources of libido-boosting zinc. But other types of seafood can also act as aphrodisiacs. Oily fish—like wild salmon and herring—contain , which are essential for a healthy heart. 

 Arugula

 

 Arugula has been heralded as an arousal aid since the first century. Today, research reveals that the trace minerals and antioxidants packed into dark, leafy greens are essential for our sexual health because they help block absorption of some of the environmental contaminants thought to negatively impact our libido.

Figs

 These funny-shaped fruits have a long history of being a fertility booster, and they make an excellent aphrodisiac because they are packed with both soluble and insoluble fiber, which is important for heart health. Plus, high-fiber foods help fill you up, not out, so it’s easier to achieve that sexy bottom line—or belly. 

Citrus

 Any member of this tropical fruit family is super-rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, and folic acid—all of which are essential for men’s reproductive health. Enjoy a romantic salad that incorporates citrus, like pink grapefruit or mandarin oranges, or use a dressing made with lemon and lime.

View the original article here

Secret Health Fears

Secret Health Fears

In public surveys, Americans consistently place cancer, heart disease, obesity, and diabetes at the top of their list of health concerns. It’s not surprising that people are worried about these epidemic conditions, but there are plenty of more personal (and less rational) health fears that nag at us every day?yet seldom turn up in surveys.

The Internet certainly hasn’t helped quiet these fears. Recent research about so-called cyberchondria suggests that the Web has a way of convincing people that minor symptoms are potentially lethal. The staff at Health.com may be indirectly responsible for the spread of cyberchondria?but we also suffer from it. In this slideshow, our staff members describe their secret health fears.
Next: Rosanne Lufrano

View the original article here

How to Keep Your Kitchen Germ-Free

Cleaning up

By Lambeth Hochwald and Michael Gollust
Most of us practically live in our kitchens, but if we’re not careful bacteria can take up residence there too, says cleaning pro Laura Dellutri, author of Speed Cleaning 101. “It’s the busiest germ factory in your house.” Here, how to fight back.

Countertop

The problem: You bake a cake and spill some batter with raw egg in it, and don’t get it all wiped up. Later you make a turkey sandwich on the same spot.

Fix: Use a disinfecting wipe or spray after any food prep to kill lingering bacteria. To truly banish the yucky stuff, the cleanup-product label should say that it kills 99.9% of germs and bacteria, Dellutri says.

Faucet filter

The problem: You bump the dirty dishrag against the faucet as you’re rinsing it out, or dirty water or food splashes up on it. Bacteria can grow, and so can lime-scale residue if you have hard water.

Fix: Take out the filter and soak it in white vinegar overnight once a week.

Cutting board

The problem: It’s used for everything from chopping scallions to slicing roast beef.

Fix: After washing with hot soapy water and rinsing, spray the board with a mixture of one teaspoon of bleach to 16 ounces of water that you keep in a clearly labeled spray bottle. Then rinse the board with hot water or toss it in the dishwasher on high.

The “cleanest” boards? Dellutri says glass or plastic are best because they’re nonporous and most resistant to germs. If you love wood, choose the dishwasher-safe kind that’s been treated with Microban, an antimicrobial compound. Whatever the material, throw out your board if it’s very worn or has lots of knife-cut indentations on it; they can trap bacteria.

View the original article here

Most Embarrassing Questions: Sweating It Out at the Gym

Answers to Embarrassing Health Questions: Sweating It Out at the Gym - Health.com1 of 6My crotch gets super sweaty when I exercise. Is there anything I can do?

Like your armpits, your crotch is endowed with many sweat glands, so it’s normal—although not too pleasant—to be damp down below after a workout. Pubic hair can also trap moisture, which can mix with bacteria and cause irritation or odor.