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Launched in 2017, Pride Counseling is a subsidiary of BetterHelp, a long-established online therapy platform. The therapists and counselors have expertise working with members of the LGBTQ+ community on the mental health issues they face. Online therapy is more convenient and accessible because it connects you to a provider who works with you via messaging, text, live video conferencing, or phone calls on your time. Plus, it’s often more affordable than in-office sessions....

People with COPD experience flare-ups an average of 1.3 times per year, according to a report published in the journal American Family Physician. The exacerbations contribute significantly to the high mortality rate among people with the disease. The symptoms of exacerbations can include shortness of breath, chest tightness, and excess mucus (sputum) that may be yellow or green in color. Exacerbations can be caused by poor air quality, continued cigarette use, or an infection (bacterial or viral)....

A study published in February 2020 in the journal Circulation found that, in a decade worth of cardiovascular studies, women constituted 38.2 percent of research participants, much lower than previous reports indicated. And that’s a problem, the researchers say, because the female heart is different from the male heart. “Many women — even many healthcare providers — do not recognize that heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women around the world,” says Joseph A....

Deeply researched the hearing device categoryConsulted with audiologists and hearing device expertsMystery shopped 30 brandsSurveyed more than 600 hearing aid usersRead and reviewed the current studies published in this spaceRead thousands of verified customer reviews from trusted third parties such as Better Business Bureau (BBB) and Trustpilot We chose to review ReSound because the company offers technology like the ReSound Smart 3D app for live-assistance video calls, the ReSound Relief app for tinnitus relief, and hearing aid accessories to help users stream TV and phone audio....

That means that most Americans can get these shots and protect themselves from the most serious complications of this viral disease. Despite the vaccines’ importance in protecting people from hospitalization and death, though, roughly one-fifth of eligible Americans have not gotten a single shot, the CDC notes. If you are still holding back because you have questions, especially if you or a loved one have rheumatoid arthritis (RA), this article should help....

While anyone can develop lung cancer, some people are more likely to get a diagnosis than others. Certain risk factors can be controlled and others can’t. Either way, identifying the potential culprits could help you develop strategies to prevent the disease. Lifestyle Risk Factors Some lifestyle behaviors can raise your risk for lung cancer. These may include: Smoking According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people who smoke cigarettes are between 15 and 30 times more likely to develop lung cancer compared with nonsmokers....

A large clinical trial found that taking low-dose aspirin every day failed to reduce the risk of heart disease, physical disability, and dementia in healthy older men and women. In addition, regular aspirin use was linked with a significant risk of bleeding, particularly in the gastrointestinal tract and brain. “Millions of healthy older adults take a daily aspirin without clear evidence that doing so will be beneficial,” says Basil Eldadah, MD, chief of the geriatrics branch at the National Institute on Aging (NIA) in Bethesda, Maryland....

“Payton is such a cool kid,” says Roche of her older son. “He is supersweet, super caring about everybody. He loves his friends, and he’s a good big brother.” By comparison, her younger son is more of a wild child. “Nixon is so crazy,” says Roche. “He is strong willed. He’s sweet, but he is feisty.” Both boys have atopic dermatitis, the most common type of eczema, and were diagnosed when they were still in diapers....

The study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, followed 33,127 women for seven years, starting when they were 53 years old on average. None of them had a history of high blood pressure or heart disease when they joined the study; by the end of follow-up, a total of 7,096 women (21 percent) had developed hypertension. High blood pressure was 12 percent more likely among women who experienced sexual harassment and 6 percent more common among those who had a history of sexual assault, the study found....

How to Tell If Your Child Has an Ear Infection Ear infections occur when the buildup of fluid behind the eardrum causes inflammation in the middle ear. Although anyone can get an ear infection, children are more vulnerable because their eustachian tubes, which connect the middle ear to the back of the nose and throat, are smaller. This makes it more difficult for fluid to drain out of the ear. Young children may not be able to clearly communicate any pain or discomfort they’re feeling in their ear, according to Peter J....

It all starts with finding a doctor you’re comfortable with and establishing a good relationship. Not surprisingly, communication is key, says Elyse Rubenstein, MD, a rheumatologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California. It’s essential to feel comfortable talking to your doctor about little things as well as big things, from how you’re handling the stresses of life to how you’re feeling in general. You also don’t want to hesitate to alert the doctor to any new symptoms you’re experiencing....

How to Identify a Skin Tag: What They Look Like Skin tags can be as small as 1 millimeter and as large as 1 centimeter, occasionally even larger, says Rebecca Baxt, MD, a dermatologist in Paramus, New Jersey. Skin tags, also called acrochordons, are mostly flesh-colored growths, although some may be darker in color, according to the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology (AOCD). They can be right on the skin’s surface or seem to sprout from a thin stalk of skin and hang off the body....

A review published in November 2018 in The Journal of Nutrition from the American Society for Nutrition contributes to data finding that breakfast does a body good. The study suggests that skipping breakfast just one day a week may raise the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 6 percent. Missing the morning meal four to five days a week elevates that risk to 55 percent. Sabrina Schlesinger, MSc, PhD, head of the junior research group Systematic Reviews at the German Diabetes-Center in Düsseldorf, and her colleagues analyzed health information from six different observational studies representing more than 90,000 individuals....

A new study published online July 29, 2019, in the journal Brain Injury found sports and recreation to be the leading cause of nonfatal TBI in adolescents ages 5 to 19. The Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation assessed National Electronic Injury Surveillance System data collected from 100 U.S. emergency rooms between 2010 and 2013. They wanted to determine which consumer products (home furnishings and fixtures, like beds) and which sports caused the most TBIs in people younger than 20 years old....

Although she’s normally cheerful and outgoing, a series of events that would challenge anyone - her husband’s job loss when his company relocated, a house fire and a serious accident involving her oldest son - brought Barbara to an emotional low. And her weight to an all-time high. “Only food would appease me,” she recalls. “So I would grab a cookie, eat it and then feel worse, because in addition to being angry and frustrated with my family’s circumstances, I’d be angry with myself for eating....

Some people carry staph bacteria on their skin or in their nose but never experience any symptoms from it. But when the bacteria enter the body through a break in the skin, an infection — in which the bacteria multiply, potentially causing illness and tissue damage — can result. Recognizing the early signs and symptoms of a staph infection is important so that you can seek help and get appropriate treatment before the infection spreads or worsens....

“It most often begins with the private parts,” he noted. “Nothing could be more serious than this curse, this barbarian poison.” Squillaci wrote his letter during the first major syphilis epidemic to sweep through Europe. When syphilis first arrived in Europe in the 15th century, it appears to have been a more severe illness than it is today. The disease seems to have killed its victims more quickly back then and also to have spread faster, based on writings and artworks from that time....

It is very wearily, therefore, that I assure you that this isn’t a “Top Three” piece, nor do I claim it will answer all of life’s nagging questions and problems. These three words are simply some of the most important tools I have found useful in getting me through a life with multiple sclerosis (MS). Learning to Say ‘No’ Can Have a Positive Effect The question of when to say “no” often comes up for people who live with MS and other chronic, debilitating conditions....

Marriage can be best understood when viewed as a series of stages, or phases, that most couples work through while spending their lives together. These seven stages of marriage are interconnected, and yet each one is distinct and somewhat separate from the others. Knowing what to expect, and more importantly, how to plan, can help each couple weather the adjustments more readily. Below is a description of the stages of marriage that apply to many married couples today....

A slam dunk on research demonstrating this link has been missing — but over time, evidence supporting the connection between mind and heart health has accumulated. So much so that the American Heart Association (AHA) recently issued a statement recognizing the relationship and recommending tending to mental well-being as part of the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disorders. Why is this statement so important? Because while some are increasingly aware of the mind-body connection, it’s considered New Age mumbo jumbo to others....