The Medical Advisor

Although they aren't life-threatening, hemorrhoids may be painful and affect your daily activities. 1   They more often affect adults from 45 to 65 years old, but younger adults and children may experience them as well. While they are common in both women and men, women have an increased risk during pregnancy, due to the pressure of carrying the baby and straining during delivery. 2 In one retrospective study 3  using reimbursement claims data from 33,034 patients in Taiwan, researchers evaluated the relationship between hemorrhoids and the subsequent development of coronary heart disease. Over a 12-year follow-up, the researchers found those with hemorrhoids experienced a 127% higher risk of coronary heart disease compared to those without hemorrhoids. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, 4  it's estimated half the people in the U.S. will have hemorrhoids by age 50. Aside from age and preg...

Cancer has always been a disease “to be scared at the mere mention of.” However, a Japanese doctor, since he was diagnosed with kidney cancer , began to reflect on his life. After changing his lifestyle, he has not had a relapse for 15 years after the surgery. Takashi Funato, director of the Funato Clinic in Gifu Prefecture, Japan, was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2007. After the surgery, he began to reflect on his living habits. He classified his lifestyle into five categories: diet, sleep, exercise, body temperature, and laughter. Then he realized that his life had already gone wrong. 1. Diet Takashi said that before he got cancer, his diet was very unhealthy. He often used instant noodles to satisfy his stomach, and he had no restrictions on fast food and snacks. He considers his biggest mistakes in diet were “not caring about the diet” and “thinking that I will not get cancer.” After the surgery, Takashi believes that the most important thing is to restrict the ingredient of “th...

Data ( R , R ) demonstrate that between 80% and 89% of adults aged 65 and older take at least one prescribed medication and 54% take four or more. Adverse effects are common and often drive patients to seek other drugs to control the side effects of the first drug. Polypharmacy, or using multiple medications, is more common in older adults who have several risk factors and chronic health conditions that can lead to overprescribing. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 6  6 out of every 10 adults have at least one chronic health condition and 4 out of every 10 have two or more. Prescription medications are not the only type of drug that can cause challenges with polypharmacy. Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs are those you can buy without a prescription. Drugstore shelves are lined with pain medications, allergy relief, cold preparations, and remedies for gastrointestinal issues. While you can purchase them without a prescription, OTC drugs c...