Adrienne Santos Longhurst

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an unpredictable disease that affects each person differently. Adjusting to your new and ever-changing situation may be easier if you have an idea of what to expect.
Follow this guide for what to expect after getting a diagnosis of MS.
What happens when you first get diagnosed with MS?
Being newly diagnosed with MS can be scary. Your next steps will depend on the activity level of your disease and what treatment you might need.
There are four types of MS:
clinically...

Stress and certain underlying conditions can increase your cortisol levels. High cortisol levels can cause a range of symptoms, including weight gain, acne, and fatigue.
Everyone has high cortisol from time to time, and levels vary throughout the day. It’s part of your body’s natural response to threats of harm or danger.
But, if your body consistently makes too much cortisol, it usually indicates an underlying health problem. Doctors may refer to high cortisol as Cushing syndrome or hypercor...

Fat from your food is digested by enzymes at various stages of the digestion process. Some of it is used for energy right away, and some of it is stored for later. When extra energy is needed, your body will break down the stored fat.
Even though fat has gotten a bad rap over the years, it’s actually essential to your health. Fat supports several of your body’s functions and gives your body the energy that it needs.
Fat also helps your body absorb important vitamins and gives your body essent...

Everyone poops. But did you know that pooping can make you feel good? A bowel movement can stimulate your vagus nerve, causing a kind of euphoria. Different aspects of your poop can also tell you a lot about your health.
Everybody poops in some way, shape, or form. But the whole process remains cloaked in mystery in a lot of ways.
Why does it feel so good to drop a big deuce? What’s poop even made of? What’s up with floaters?
We’ve got you covered.

With a variety of health goals in mind, we've rounded up some of the most popular diets to help you choose the one that's right for you. Read on to learn more.
Adrienne Santos-Longhurst
Digital Writer
Posted April 21, 2023
Did you know that your biological sex plays a role in weight loss? Differences in body composition, metabolism and even sociocultural gender factors influence everything from your food preferences and eating habits to how much weight men lose compared to women.1 To make cho...

Bad breath is a temporary downside to the keto diet, but not everyone experiences it. If you do have keto breath, there are things you can do to keep it at bay without breaking your diet.

You may be able to manage chronic inflammation with medication and diet changes. Some foods, including leafy greens, nuts, and fruit, may help reduce inflammation in the body.
Inflammation refers to your body’s process of fighting against things that harm it, like infections, injuries, and toxins, in an attempt to heal itself.
When something damages your cells, your body releases chemicals that trigger a response from your immune system.
This response includes the release of antibodies and pr...

Skin tags are noncancerous skin growths and typically harmless. If you have one or more of these fleshy growths, you're in good company — as many as 60% of adults will develop at least one skin tag in their lifetime.1
If a skin tag's location makes it prone to irritation or it's in an obvious area and you want it gone, there are a few ways to get it removed.
How to Get Rid of Skin Tags
Skin tag removal is best left to professionals, especially when it comes to larger skin tags or those in del...

Some ways to manage psoriasis flare-ups include moisturizing, trying OTC treatments, reducing stress levels, eating an anti-inflammatory diet, and joining a support group, among others.
Psoriasis is an autoimmune condition that may cause scaly, itchy, and sometimes painful skin plaques and lesions.
Flare-ups are periods when your symptoms reappear or worsen.
The best way to help prevent psoriasis flare-ups is by following your treatment plan. However, it’s still possible to experience flare-u...

CP/CPPS is a painful urologic condition that affects mainly young and middle-aged cisgender men and others assigned male at birth.
What is chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome?
Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) is the most common urologic condition in cisgender men and others assigned male at birth (AMAB).
CP/CPPS is a type of prostatitis, an inflammation of the prostate, that’s also associated with other inflammatory symptoms. The pelvis, penis, scrotum a...

If you're noticing more dark spots on your skin with each passing year, it's probably solar lentigo, more commonly known as age spots, sun spots or liver spots. While these flat, dark patches don't have anything to do with your liver, your age and sun exposure can play a role in their development.
Age spots develop on sun-exposed skin and become more common as we age, affecting around 20% of people with white skin under the age of 35 and as many as 90% over 60.1 They're less common on dark sk...

Having an overbite or underbite can affect your self-confidence and lead to several health issues if left untreated. An overbite can give you the appearance of “buck" teeth, and an underbite can make your chin look like it's jutting out too far. Aesthetics aside, both can also cause serious health issues that extend beyond just your mouth if left untreated.1
Keep reading to learn the differences between an overbite vs. underbite, what causes them and what can be done to treat these dental iss...

Overactive bladder (OAB) and erectile dysfunction (ED) often occur together. They share some of the same causes and risk factors, and research suggests the two are linked.
The connection between OAB and ED is something experts have been researching for some time.
In 2008, a study found that like high blood pressure and diabetes, OAB could be a risk factor for ED. The same study also found that people with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) reported reduced sexual activity, enjoyment, and ove...

Colorectal cancer is cancer that develops in the colon or rectum. Depending where they begin, these cancers may also be referred to as colon cancer or rectal cancer.
Most colorectal cancers start as a polyp, which is a growth on the inner lining of the colon. Some types of polyps can change into cancer over time, though not all polyps become cancer.
According to the American Cancer Society, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in the United States, excluding skin cancer.
What are...

Everything you need to know about IUDs, including types, how they're inserted, how they work, and risks...