Harvard Health Letter articles from September 2007

Harvard Health Letter archives from September 2007

Time to fatten up our diets.
September 1, 2007... Saturated and trans fat? No. But replacing carbohydrates with unsaturated fat could lead to a longer, healthier life. Fat of any kind packs in the calories. A single gram contains nine, compared with four in a gram of carbohydrate. So, yes,...

Cataract surgery update: Taking a look at the lenses.
September 1, 2007... New lenses may reduce dependence on glasses, but you may have to pay for it. Each of our eyes comes equipped with a lens, tucked in just behind the pupil, that focuses light on the retina in the back of the eye. When we're young and spry,...

Thyroid hormone: Slim fast, but will it last?
September 1, 2007... Appetite increase, other effects make long-term weight loss unlikely. Side effects are something we usu- ally want to avoid, but not when it comes to thyroid hormone. Taking more of the hormone than is needed is tempting because it causes...

Music to their ears it is not.
September 1, 2007... Tone deafness may be caused by differences in connections between parts of the brain. Many of us can't sing very well, and we don't need Simon Cowell to tell us. We mouthed our way through school chorus and the singing parts of religious...

By the way, doctor; I quit, so why am I coughing?(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... Q. I stopped smoking several weeks ago, and now I find that I'm coughing a lot. Is that normal? A. Yes, coughing awhile after you quit smoking is actually pretty normal. People who have quit smoking may have other problems for a time, too:...

By the way, doctor; Can you tell me more about cellulitis?
September 1, 2007... Q. I developed cellulitis in my arm and didn't realize it was such a serious infection. It took three months to heal without treatment. Can you tell me more about cellulitis? A. Cellulitis is a bacterial infection of the skin and the soft...