Digital glasses help children with lazy eye

Programmable electronic glasses help improve vision in children with a lazy eye just as well as the more traditional treatment using eye patches, according to research presented at AAO 2015, the 119th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Lazy Eye,also called amblyopia, remains the most common cause of visual impairment in children.

Amblyopia is poor vision in an eye that did not develop normally during early childhood. It can occur when one eye is much more nearsighted than the other, or when one eye wanders or strays inward.

The child needs to receive treatment by the age of 8 or so while their eyes and brain are still developing to prevent blindness in the weaker eye.
                  
                                                                                                    Getting children to accept treatment for a lazy eye can be hard.



Unfortunately, it is difficult for both parents and ophthalmologists to persuade children to comply with lazy eye treatments like eye patches or medicated drops, due to discomfort and social stigma.

A recent study found that 1 in 4 children feel anxious before using eye drops, and nearly 15% refuse to take them at all.

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7 Ways to Make Water Taste Better

Simple tips for livening up your drinking water
 By Jen Laskey 

 

 Not everybody has a taste for water, but we all need it to ensure that our bodies continue functioning properly. If you want to drink more water, but aren't crazy about the taste (or lack thereof), here are some tips that can make it more enjoyable:

1. Add fresh fruit. Citrus fruits, such as lemons, limes, and oranges, are classic water enhancers, but other fruit flavors might also tempt your taste buds. Try crushing fresh raspberries or watermelon into your water, or adding strawberry slices. Cucumber and fresh mint are refreshing flavors as well — especially in summer.

2. Use juice. Any fruit juice can be a good base flavor for water, but tart juices, like cranberry, pomegranate, grape, and apple, are especially delicious. Go for juices that are all natural, with no added sugars. And remember: Fruits and their juices don't just taste good — they contain vitamins and antioxidants that can benefit your health too.

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About Everyday Health's Contributing Writers and Editors

Meet the writers and editors who contribute stories, slideshows, and other content to Everyday Health.


Jennifer Acosta Scott: Jennifer Acosta Scott is a writer for Healthday. She resides in the Dallas-Fort Worth area with her husband, Mark, and two sons, Patrick and Hayden. A native of the Mobile, Ala. area, she attended the University of Alabama's College of Communications and Information Sciences in Tuscaloosa, graduating with a major in journalism and a minor in history. Her career began in newspapers, and she has previously worked as a news reporter for the Tuscaloosa News, the Phenix (Ala.) Citizen and the Weatherford (TX) Democrat, covering health, environment and local government. Acosta Scott's work has also been published in outlets like Health, Bankrate, Society Life, The Dallas Morning News and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. She is also the publisher of a popular Dallas-Fort Worth area blog, Fort Worth on the Cheap, and a running blog, Little Blue Sneakers. 

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More than a stretch: Yoga’s benefits may extend to the heart

Posted April 15, 2015, 4:26 pm
Julie Corliss, Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter   
Yoga's benefits may extend to the heart   

As a long-time yoga enthusiast, I’m always happy to hear about benefits newly attributed to this
ancient practice. Doing yoga for a few hours each week helps me feel calmer and more balanced,
both physically and mentally. Now, new research suggests that my habit also may be helping my heart.

A recent review of yoga and cardiovascular disease published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology indicates that yoga may help lower heart disease risk as much as conventional exercise, such as brisk walking.

As I write in the April issue of the Harvard Heart Letter, the studies in the review looked at different types of yoga, including both gentler and more energetic forms. The participants ranged

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Feeling young at heart may help you live longer

Posted December 17, 2014, 2:54 pm Updated October 29, 2015, 8:24 pm
Heidi Godman, Executive Editor, Harvard Health Letter   
Senior Couple Relaxing In Autumn Landscape   
I just celebrated a birthday, and not the kind women like to crow about. Let’s just say I’m mid-century modern. But I feel as young and as vibrant as ever. I have energy, a zest for life, and a real sense of purpose. And it turns out that this youthful feeling may pay off big-time. A research letter in this week’s JAMA Internal Medicine found that older people who felt three or more years younger than their actual (chronological) age had a lower death rate compared with those who felt their age or those who felt more than one year older than their actual age.

You’re as young as you feel
Two researchers at University College London looked at the responses of about 6,500 men and women who answered the question, “How old do you feel you are?”

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9 Types of Condoms You Should Know About

    Photo: Getty Images

The condom section at your local drugstore can be overwhelming (understatement of the year, we know). With so many colors, sizes, and shapes, where do you even begin?! The good news is, when it comes down to it, you can’t really go wrong. “The best condom on the market is one that you use,”

says Lauren Streicher, MD, Associate Clinical Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Northwestern University, and author of Sex Rx: Hormones, Health and Your Best Sex Ever ($14; amazon.com). She stresses any time there’s skin-to-skin contact during sex (oral, genital, anal, etc.), you should use a condom to prevent STDs. And of course, when used correctly, they protect against pregnancy 98% of the time. But when the time comes to select your type of rubber, don’t stress too much—it’s all about preference. Here’s the lowdown on the nine types of condoms you’ll find on store shelves.

Source : http://news.health.com

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Fiber-rich diet may reduce colon cancer risk

Photo Credit: Didriks

Original Author: Sandeep Godiyal

The numbers, quite frankly, are grim: Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in America and the fourth leading cause of cancer death globally. And even if the colon cancer is not fatal, it can lead to radiation or chemotherapy as well as surgical removal of the colon and

the placement of a colostomy bag, which can seriously impact the quality of life for these cancer survivors. That is why so much research in recent years has gone into discovering ways that this cancer can be prevented in the first place. It has long been suspected that a typical American diet – with its reliance on meat and starches – can raise the risk of colon cancer development. And this new study illustrates clearly how important the link between diet and this disease really is.

Intriguing new research

This elegantly done study was a collaborative effort between researchers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and those in KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. The researchers chose 20 African-American men and women in Pittsburgh and 20 men and women of African descent living in KwaZulu-Natal to participate in this study that looked at the link between diet

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6 Things You Should Know About Having Sex During Your Period

    Photo: Getty Images

Fans of 50 Shades of Grey will remember the much talked-about tampon scene—and while that particular romp won’t be playing out on the big screen, it’s still been making headlines as buzz about the upcoming movie reaches a fever pitch. And it may make people wonder: Should I be having sex on my period? Is it safe? Will I like it? (And will my partner?)

We talked with Tara Ford, a physician assistant at the Medical Center for Female Sexuality in Purchase, New York, to get those answers and more.

Here’s what you should know about having sex during menstruation—the good, the bad, and the slightly messy.
Doctors say go for it

“If the patient is comfortable with it, then it’s great to continue having sex throughout the month and not have to take a break,” says Ford. “It’s perfectly natural and safe for both partners.”

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4 Spa Treatments That Might Be Dangerous

   Photo: Getty Images

A day at the spa should leave you feeling healthy, relaxed, and rejuvenated. But some beauty or (so-called) wellness treatments probably aren’t worth your money—and some could even be harmful. Medi-spas made headlines in October for an extreme case after a Nevada woman died in a cryotherapy chamber, but the reality is there are other potential dangers lurking in this largely unregulated industry.

“There are a lot of mistruths and strange beliefs out there about what’s good for you when you go to a spa,” says Leena Nathan, MD, a physician in the UCLA Health system. “It’s important to remember that just because a service is offered, that doesn’t mean it’s safe or effective.” Before you pamper yourself this holiday season, read up on these treatments you may be better off without.
Skip it: Cryotherapy

The act of exposing parts of the body to freezing temperatures can actually be safe and beneficial, Dr. Nathan says; it’s used to remove warts and destroy cancer cells, and some athletes even say it improves muscle recovery.

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Home Remedies For Peeling Skin

The peeling skin problem is seen in those who are having dry skin. This makes one think about the ways to keep the skin healthy and normal. Skin being too oily or too dry will cause many problems. Choosing the medication which is available in the market might not be choice for these things as they can be easily treated at home. Some of the home remedies will give the expected result easily.
Home Remedies For Peeling Skin
1. Olive Oil:
Naturally olive oil is used for cooking purposes at home. But apart from being in the kitchen, it can also be used for treating peeling skin.

    Applying olive oil to the peeled skin will help it to moisturize.
    Combination of lemon juice, rose water, olive oil, and egg yolk can be mixed together to make a paste and apply either as a face pack to avoid peeling skin on the face or in any part of the body.

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Health Benefits of Papaya Fruit

Starting from hair to toes in feet can get healthy by eating papaya which is known to supply power to entire body, there are not many who are not willing to fall in love with papayas once they get to know various advantages it offers for the body.

Each and every organ in our body can gain benefits from this fruit which is known to be sweeter in taste and softer than ever butter initially this fruit was only available only in tropical regions of Central America. However later this tree which is often termed as Tree of Life and worshipped for this aspect by Mayans has been introduced to various parts of the world, owing to its health benefits Christopher Columbus has given it the name of being fruit of angels.

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How to treat Sour Stomach

I was really excited to go the get-together party where I would meet my good old friends!

Friends, fun and food …the three indulging things of that afternoon.

Friends came, we chatted, had fun, went down the memory lane … and so many things were there to make me happy. I was overwhelmed with joy and happiness.

When I remember that Sunday, the first thing that comes to my mind is the yummy food, but along with that comes the horrible experience.

The afternoon was quiet enjoyable but as the time passed I started feeling uneasy. I felt as if my belly had bloated unnaturally and I was belching from time to time. I just could not sit there.

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Amazing Benefits Of Papaya For Skin And Hair

Papaya is the only fruit that is available all through the year. It is pear-shaped luscious and sweet fruit; the consistency of the pulp will be like soft butter. Usually it will be around 1 pound in weight and 7 inches long. The flesh inside the papaya will be in orange colour with slight shades of yellow or pink.
Not only the Papaya fruit but other parts of it are also very good for skin, hair and health. It contains an enzyme called ‘Papain’ that helps you in digesting proteins easily. It is used as a main ingredient in chewing gums and also used to make dietary supplements. Papaya is a wholesome fruit that offers many benefits for your skin.

Papayas are actually found in Central America.  The fruit was bought to many sub tropical regions by Portugal and Spain explorers, later on it travelled to places including India, Philippines and some parts of Africa.

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8 Simple Detox Lemon Water Recipes for Weight Loss

Who doesn’t want that shapely body, where every part of the body is perfect, starting from the hands and legs to your skin? But the most important thing here is to get a healthy body, which will ultimately help you to get and maintain a healthy body shape. And in this process to make yourself healthy as well as getting a perfect figure, one thing will definitely help you and that is detoxifying your body, commonly known as detox.

Every day we get exposed to toxins through food, drinks and air and when the toxins get deposited in our body over a period of time, it badly affects our body.  Detox is the physiological process of the body, which is carried out by the liver. It cleanses the body and keeps it healthy by removing the toxins from it. It also makes the body perform more efficiently. This cleansing process speeds up the metabolism, thus burns more calories. And burning more calories helps to lose weight to a great extent.
Detox Lemon Water Recipes for Weight Loss

Water works as a natural detox, but when you combine it with lemon, it works wonders to lose weight. Lemon is a good diuretic, which will help you get rid of water weight. The high content of Vitamin C in it also helps to lose weight. The consumption of Vitamin C breaks down the fat that is stored in the body, the main cause of weight gain.

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How to Get Rid of White Spots on Teeth

A beautiful smile adds to the beauty of a person. And a pair of pearly white teeth without any spots is what makes your smile beautiful and attractive. But if you develop white spots on your teeth or have white spots on teeth due some reason or the other, it totally mars your look as well as your personality.
What are White Spots on Teeth?

Actually white spots on the teeth is not a major concern and can be treated, but the important thing here is that it makes your smile unattractive as well as affect your self-confidence while talking to people or while smiling in public. It makes you conscious most of the times.

People generally get white spots on teeth due to loss of mineral on the enamel of the teeth. As per medical terms, this condition of teeth is known as hypocalcification.

The white spots on teeth also lead to tooth decay or the deterioration of the teeth. In fact, white spots on teeth are the first sign that indicates that your teeth have started decaying.

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