Family Health Blog

To help you learn more about lymphoma, which affects both children and adults, this is the first of two blog posts that will answer the top questions about this disease. What is lymphoma? Lymphoma is the name for a group of more than 60 types of cancer that start in the lymphatic system, part of... Read More

Unless a family member or friend has been diagnosed with childhood cancer, you may not know much about the topic. These 6 key facts can help you learn more. Childhood cancer is relatively rare: Approximately 10, 270 children under the age of 15 were diagnosed with some form of cancer in 2017 according to statistics... Read More

If you have an advanced healthcare directive that outlines what types of medical care you do and do not wish to receive and who should make medical decisions for you if you cannot make them for yourself, then you’re better prepared than nearly 2/3 of Americans. But getting your wishes down on paper in the... Read More

Everyone’s familiar with childhood immunizations. What you may not be aware of is that vaccine science is continually evolving, with new immunizations being developed and approved almost yearly. Immunizations aren’t simply for the young either. There are a number of booster shot recommendations for adults as well as vaccinations that help protect against shingles, pneumonia,... Read More

You may think that cataracts are something you don’t have to worry about until you reach your 60s or 70s, but cataracts actually can start forming in your 40s and 50s. Cataracts affect about 24.4 million Americans age 40 and older. And nearly half of all Americans have developed the condition by age 75. Although... Read More

Like all types of medical care, treatment for breast cancer comes with both benefits and risks. Earlier this year, a scientific statement published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation spurred media coverage of the link between some types of breast cancer treatment and an increased risk of developing heart failure and other types of... Read More

If you’ve been referred to a specialist, such as a cardiologist, gastroenterologist, orthopedist, or oncologist, it’s important that specialist has access to your complete, up-to-date medical records to ensure that he or she is aware of any health conditions you’re living with, medications you take, and past surgeries and diagnoses. Having that information can help... Read More

Understanding how your health insurance plan works and what benefits and additional services are included as part of the plan can help you get the care you need and save money. The first step to getting the most out of your health insurance is to choose the plan that fits your needs best. Picking a... Read More

If one of your relatives has Huntington’s disease or breast cancer, should you consider undergoing genetic testing to find out if you’re at risk for the same disease? There are now genetic tests for more than 2,000 diseases, some rare like the movement disorder early-onset dystonia and hereditary hemochromatosis, a condition that causes the body... Read More

During perimenopause (the period of time that leads up to menopause) and menopause (when a woman has not had a menstrual period for more than a year), the ovaries try to maintain normal levels of the hormones progesterone and estrogen. This effort, however, actually causes fluctuations in hormone levels. And those fluctuations are the cause... Read More