Julie Deardorff

The Allergy Mystery

Chicago Tribune

House dust mites, those microscopic insects we unwittingly sleep with every night, are among the few known causes of asthma and allergic symptoms. But pesky mites alone can't explain why the prevalence of childhood allergies has risen worldwide over...

Tags: Duke University, Health and Medical Professionals, Lungs and Airways, Medical Research, Environmental Issues

Fitness Guru Masters Metabolism

Tribune Newspapers

Fitness guru Jillian Michaels was a train wreck. Sure, "television's toughest trainer" could work weight-loss miracles on the series "The Biggest Loser." But off camera, she was burning the candle at both ends, trashing her body in the gym and living on...

Tags: Science, Entertainment, Television, Los Angeles, Science and Technology

Tags: Chicago Tribune

Five Ideas for Aging Gracefully

Chicago Tribune Staff Writer

Despite its reputation, aging doesn't have to be a miserable process. As it is, Americans are living longer than ever before -- the average man can expect to survive 75.2 years. Women have a life expectancy of 80.4. But if you want to make it to 100 --...

Tags: Duke University, Medical Research, Aging, Obesity, Drugs and Medicines

Tags: Heart Attack, Insomnia, Pharmaceuticals, Abusive Behavior, Northwestern University

Five Alternative Ways to Use Lemons

Chicago Tribune

When life gives you lemons, don't just make lemonade. This versatile, zesty fruit can keep you both healthy and clean. Here are five alternative uses. -- Astringent. Squeeze some lemon juice into a glass jar, and dab some onto your face every morning,...

Tags: Lemons, New York City, Chicago Tribune, Gwyneth Paltrow, Catherine Zeta-Jones

Tags: Health and Medical Professionals, Internists, Weight, Children, New York

The five-second rule on dropped food

Chicago Tribune

The controversial "five-second rule" — the one that allows us to eat dropped food if it's quickly scooped off the floor — is a bunch of baloney, according to Clemson University food scientist Paul Dawson, who stirred up the long-debated...

Tags: Health and Medical Professionals, Diseases and Illnesses, Internists, Science and Technology, Lifestyle and Leisure

Alarm fatigue a top hospital safety issue

"Alarm fatigue," or the failure of medical staff to respond to incessantly beeping devices, is one of the top conditions creating safety issues in hospitals, according to the Joint Commission, the national organization that accredits the facilities....

Tags: Medical Services, Hospitals and Clinics, Health and Medical Professionals, Medical Specialization, Nursing

Doctors: Web ratings flawed

Web-savvy consumers use online rating services to review restaurants, rant about hairdressers, praise carpenters and even assess their college professors. So why shouldn't patients rate their doctors? While more than 30 different online services now...

Tags: Medical Services, Healthcare Provider, Health and Medical Professionals, Wailin Wong, Hospitals and Clinics

Eating With an Anorexic Child

Tribune reporter

War broke out on the day Rina Ranalli and her husband told their 12-year-old anorexic daughter the strict new house rules: three meals and three snacks a day. Initially, their bright and previously sweet-natured girl cried, screamed insults and raged....

Tags: Teen-agers, Health and Medical Professionals, Society, Anorexia Nervosa, Medical Research

Vitamin D Shows Promise, Lacks Study

Chicago Tribune

As far as Dr. Joseph Mercola is concerned, Vitamin D is the magic bullet we've all been looking for. A lack of this wonder nutrient, the controversial natural health advocate says, can set the stage for no fewer than 33 disorders, including autism,...

Tags: National Institutes of Health, Medical Research, Diabetes, Obesity, Drugs and Medicines