Awareness Matters

Low-impact activities that raise your heart rate can reduce arthritis pain and stiffness over time. Here are recommended activities for different joint problems.

May is High Blood Pressure Awareness Month. Nearly half of adults in the United States have high blood pressure – also known as hypertension. Only about about one in four adults with high blood pressure have it under control. Are you one of them?

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a disorder of the lower part of your digestive system. This disorder can cause discomfort, diarrhea and other digestive symptoms. IBS is a common, chronic (long-lasting) condition.

April is Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month, so designated because it’s the birth month of James Parkinson, who first identified the symptoms of the disease more than 200 years ago. However, while scientists today believe a combination of genetic and environmental factors are involved, the cause of the disease remains largely unknown.

March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, the perfect time to learn more about one of the most common forms of cancer you can get and how to prevent it. According to the American Cancer Society, nearly 150,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with this disease each year, yet it’s highly curable when caught early.

March is National Nutrition Month, the perfect time to ask the question: Am I eating right? Chances are, you’re not or at least not as well as you could be. A healthy diet can prevent excessive weight gain and chronic disease.

If you’re experiencing heart problems or are at risk of developing cardiovascular disease, you should understand some key terminology. That makes it easier for you to communicate with your doctor and take the steps you need to become more heart-healthy.

February is National Cancer Prevention Month. Did you know that many choices you make every day can lower your risk for several types of cancer? Research shows that up to 50% of cancer cases and about 50% of cancer deaths are preventable with the knowledge we have today.

Our nation’s blood supply is almost entirely dependent on volunteer donors and a network of hospital-based collection centers, non-profit organizations, the NIH Blood Bank, and the U.S. Department of Defense’s Armed Services Blood Program.

Glaucoma is the name for a group of eye diseases that develop when increased fluid pressure in the eyes damages the nerve fibers in the optic nerve and retina. This damage can lead to irreversible vision loss.