Posts Tagged ‘Health Tip’

Health Tip: At the Heart of a Stent

Saturday, March 27th, 2010

A coronary stent is a hollow tube-shaped device that is surgically inserted into a blood vessel to keep it open.

The U.S. National Library of Medicine says a coronary stent may be used to treat the following conditions:
Coronary heart disease.
Peripheral artery disease.
Renal artery stenosis, for a narrowing of the artery that provides blood to the kidneys.
Carotid artery disease.
Abdominal aortic aneurysm, for a bulging of the aorta near the abdomen.

Health Tip: Why You Should Drink Water

Tuesday, November 10th, 2009

“Drink more water.” You hear this mantra everywhere, and with good reason.

More than two-thirds of your body weight is water, says the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM). Water lubricates the body, helps create saliva and joint fluid, helps keep your body at a healthy temperature, and helps prevent constipation.

The body obtains water as a byproduct of metabolism, and from what we eat and drink.

Drinking plain old water is the best option, of course. While sources such as juice, milk and soup can provide some water, caffeinated beverages and alcohol are diuretics that make the body excrete fluids and are not the best choices, the agency advises.

You should drink the equivalent of six to eight 8-ounce servings of water each day, suggests the NLM. Not drinking enough water can cause dehydration, which if severe enough, can be life-threatening.