Retirement can be a challenge for those who do not have any outside interests or hobbies. Leaving a company after many years can be like loosing your identity. But the freedom of retirement offers many opportunities to learn, grow, volunteer, meet new people, and experience new things. This article offers suggestions and ideas for continued personal growth after retirement and discusses the importance of creating a new role for oneself. Retirement can be an exciting time filled with opportunities for new experiences. Whether it be a newfound interest, or an old forgotten obsession, retirement offers the freedom and the time to do whatever brings happiness. | Read More →

Many people who suffer from lung disease - COPD, asthma, lung cancer, COVID-19, influenza, pneumonia - may need oxygen therapy to ensure they breathe the proper amount of oxygen. Insufficient oxygen in the blood can cause damage to the heart, brain, liver and other organs and tissue. A Medical Device called an Oxygen Concentrator may be prescribed by a doctor to provide supplemental oxygen to a patient. This article explains how an oxygen concentrator works, and why a doctor's prescription is needed to purchase one. | Read More →

The "gold standard" for diagnosing a urinary tract infection (UTI) has been culturing the bacteria, waiting for it to grow, and after 24 to 48 hours, examining the results under a microscope. An alternative is to do a molecular test by analyzing the DNA of the bacteria. With this method, the bacterial strain can be correctly identified and any resistance to antibiotics can be determined. Diagnosing UTI's by using the molecular test method takes only about 5 hours. Hospitals and clinics can test bacterial DNA by using diagnostic kits manufactured by medical manufacturing companies. | Read More →

Black Salve is a product which contains harmful ingredients and should not be used on skin. It is sold as a remedy for moles, warts, skin tags, and other skin growths. The FDA has issued warnings against using Black Salve, and it is illegal to sell it in the United States. Unfortunately, Black Salve is readily available from the internet. The toxic and caustic properties of Black Salve can cause destruction of healthy skin and severe scarring. The mistaken belief that Black Salve can cure skin cancer only serves to delay diagnosing and treating skin cancer correctly. | Read More →

Children who have a peanut allergy lead careful lives. Avoidance of peanuts and peanut products is of paramount importance. If an allergic child has ever had a close call, and gone into anaphylactic shock after accidentally eating or coming into contact with peanuts, diligence and fear can become a dominant part of their everyday lives. There is no cure for peanut allergy. But a new drug, Palforzia, was approved by the FDA in August 2020 and it can help build a tolerance to peanuts. A strict protocol must be followed when taking the drug, and for those who make it through the program, allergic reactions to peanuts become less frequent and less severe. Up to two peanuts can be ingested without causing an allergic reaction. | Read More →

Since the FDA began allowing pharmaceutical companies to advertise on TV in 1997, the airwaves have become saturated with drug ads. Many of these ads are targeted to older people, who may have the diseases that the drugs are touted to relieve. In spite of the difficulty for the average person to obtain the drugs, since they are available only with a prescription from a doctor, the ads are successful in boosting sales. The drug ads' voice-overs warn against the possible side effects of taking the drug, but the final warning -- always get advice from your doctor before taking any drug -- is the best one. | Read More →