Monthly focus topics

Each month, we focus on a specific health topic. Here's what we've done over the last year or so.

Asthma - August 2008 More than 20 million Americans have asthma, which causes attacks of wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness and coughing.     Asthma Pediatric asthma Can't keep asthma under control? Dealing with exercise-induced asthma How to use an inhaler

Vascular disease - July 2008 About 8 to 12 million Americans have vascular disease. Vascular disease is a term for a range of conditions that affect your body’s vascular, or blood vessel, systems.     Vascular disease Peripheral artery disease (PAD) How you can improve your vascular health Vascular walking program A safe summer - June 2008 Emergency room doctors call summer "trauma season" – especially for children. These tips can help your family enjoy a safe summer.     After hours care, urgent care or the emergency room (ER)? Bug bites and stings Getting enough water Going outside? Check the UV index Water safety Anxiety - May 2008 Everyone gets "stressed out" or anxious. For some people, anxiety can be so severe that it is difficult to function. Explore this struggle and ways to get help.     Anxiety inventory Anxiety attacks: Common symptoms Dealing with anxiety 15 million Americans suffer from social anxiety disorder Foot health - April 2008 People often forget about their feet, until they hurt. But good foot care can help you take care of other health issues.     Podiatry (foot care) specialists Common foot myths trip us up Diabetics, examine your feet 5 problems with feet men shouldn't walk away from Choose children's shoes carefully Eye health - March 2008 Vision problems can occur at any age. The sooner they're caught, the better the chances are of treating them effectively.     Seeing trees and the stars: Tom and Tommy's story Protecting your eyes Understanding your child's vision Understanding your vision Why are my eyes red? Food safety - February 2008 With tainted products and food recalls so often in the news, it’s no surprise that you might be worried about the food you eat.     Foodborne illnesses, a menu for disaster Protect yourself against food poisoning A grocery list of tainted products Solutions at a glance Being overweight or obese - January 2008 As we begin a new year, we explore the reason behind the common resolution to lose weight.     Overweight Obesity leaves more Americans with physical limitations Obesity and weight loss surgery: What you should know Losing weight Weight management for children Heart surgeries and procedures - December 2007 Your heart pumps oxygen-rich blood throughout your body. When your heart isn't working correctly or the arteries that carry blood to your heart become blocked, a heart procedure or surgery could save your life.     Angioplasty Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) Interventional procedures using cardiac catherization Pacemaker Diabetes management - November 2007 Diabetes is a lifelong disease that cannot be cured, but it can be controlled. Here's helpful advice from Dialog: Living with Diabetes, our free newsletter for people with diabetes.     Tips for using, maintaining your blood glucose meter Living well with diabetes, one workout at a time: Kathryn's story Lowering your risk of kidney disease, a common diabetes complication Sodium - October 2007 Most Americans eat twice the amount of salt that's recommended. Here's how to get your salt intake down to healthful levels.     Understanding sodium and low-sodium cooking Great low-sodium meals and flavorings Cutting salt won't affect foods' safety Make a new assault on salt Cholesterol - September 2007 It’s easy for your body’s cholesterol levels to get out of control and threaten your health. Here’s what you need to know:     Cholesterol: What you need to know Cholesterol control Foods that may help lower your cholesterol level Good vs. bad cholesterol Fat - August 2007 Your body needs fat to work properly. But too much harms your health. Here’s what you need to know:     What is fat? How much fat should you eat? Saturated fats vs. unsaturated fats Understanding trans fats Summer safety - July 2007 Here’s what you need to know to enjoy a healthy and safe summer.     Keeping kids out of the emergency room Getting enough water Bug bites and stings Going out in the sun? Check the UV index Sunglasses: Style + protection Depression - June 2007 Everyone experiences sadness. But "feeling down" consumes the lives of people struggling with depression – and they can't "snap out of it." Explore this struggle and what you can do about it.     Depression inventory Depression and suicide: Stop the downward spiral Childhood depression: Recognizing and managing it Postpartum depression: Rachel's story Seasonal allergies - May 2007 For many people, the pollen released from trees, weeds and grass this time of year, causes sneezing, itchy eyes and runny noses. Here’s how to handle those and other allergy symptoms.     Allergic rhinitis (hay fever) Ragweed season doesn't mean suffering Alternative medicine: Allergic rhinitis Sudden cardiac arrest - April 2007 Without warning, your heart stops. It can happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time. Here’s what you need to know.     Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) Surviving sudden cardiac arrest: Wendell's story Automated external defibrillators (AEDs) Gestational diabetes - March 2007 Gestational diabetes occurs only during pregnancy and usually disappears after childbirth. Although it doesn’t have noticeable symptoms, untreated gestational diabetes can cause problems for a mother and her baby.      Understanding gestational diabetes Taking insulin during pregnancy Tests to monitor your baby's well-being Your risk of getting type 2 diabetes Chlamydia - February 2007 The most common bacterial sexually transmitted disease (STD) in the United States, chlamydia infects about 3 million U.S. women a year. But many may not know they have it.     What you need to know Chlamydia often has no symptoms