Dearborn’s latest fad: The E-hookah
September 19th, 20130 DEARBORN — In recent years, argeileh (AKA hookah) smoking has become quite prevalent among Arab Americans around metro Detroit, as an upsurge of hookah lounges continue to attract young customers on a daily basis. However, what has been known to be tradition among the elderly in the Middle East for the past 800 years, is now moving in...Five germ-fighting tips to keep kids healthy this school year
School is a great place to learn, play and make friends. Unfortunately it’s also a great place for germs to get very well acquainted….With your family! With 20 to 30 kids in a classroom and even more on the playground, it’s hard to avoid the germs that cause such illnesses as colds, flus and more.Three-time Gold Medalist, wife and...Sick or pretending? How to tell if your child is too sick for school
Let’s face it; sometimes kids exaggerate their symptoms, in order to get a day off from school. But how do you determine if your child is really too sick to attend school, or pretending to be sick?For the sake of their own health needs, as well as to limit the risk of exposing others to illness, below are sure signs of when a...School and sports physicals
A yearly physical exam by your family physician or pediatrician is an important part of your child’s health care. As children get older, back-to-school check-ups are sometimes the only visit kids and teenagers have with their doctor every year. An annual check-up gives the physician a chance to give the child a thorough physical...An ideal solution to losing weight for good
One in 3 American adults are obese. Rates of obesity in children have nearly tripled in the last 30 years. And the AMA (American Medical Association) now classifies obesity as a “disease.”Being overweight has become one of the greatest health issues of our time; often the direct cause of such chronic conditions as heart disease, high...All eyes on Brow Art 23
Elizabeth Porikos-Gorgees first learned about eyebrow threading in 1997, when a friend suggested she try the technique before an event. After her first experience, she returned every three weeks in order to achieve the precise lines and excellent shape the threading technique gave her brows without the irritation of waxing. By 2006,...What is immunization?
• Immunization is the process of promoting protection to an infectious organism or agent in an individual or through vaccination. • Schoolchildren are often required by state law to be immunized against certain diseases. • Because of such widespread immunization, many infectious agents/diseases that used to be fairly...The dawn of a bright new day in health coverage
On the first day of October, health insurance “marketplaces” will open in every state. Three other key provisions of the health reform law, the Affordable Care Act, will also go into effect that day, and they will greatly benefit older Americans. The first of these provisions will benefit everyone who shops in the new...Did you know? Yogurt is a nutrient-rich food choice for your diet
Today’s dietary guidelines recommend that Americans consume more nutrient-rich foods that are low in sodium, saturated fat and cholesterol. Yet, few are meeting these goals. Unfortunately, roughly three-fourths of Americans need to improve their diets, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Healthy Eating...New health findings can help combat common ailments
From high blood pressure, to cancer, serious ailments often strike, despite our best efforts to maintain good health.With the rapid pace of medical advancements and treatment options emerging, conventional medical wisdom can sometimes lag behind innovations in disease management. Furthermore, there’s often little attention paid to...Recipe Corner: Yogurt Cucumber Salad/Dip
This yogurt cucumber salad is very liquid and can be eaten as a cold soup, or dip. It’s smooth, healthy and very refreshing, perfect for the summer.Ingredients4 Lebanese cucumbers (or equivalent), finely chopped4 cups of plain yogurt1/2 cup of water2 cloves of garlic, crushedA few leaves of green mint finely chopped, or 1...U.S. panel backs lung cancer screening for high-risk groups
After decades of debate, an influential U.S. panel has endorsed the use of low-dose CT scans to detect lung cancer in high-risk individuals, paving the way for insurance coverage of the test for as many as 10 million smokers and former smokers. The draft guidelines, issued on Monday by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, call...Recipe Corner: Ramadan dishes
FattoushMakes 6 to 8 servingsCoating the toasted pita in olive oil prevents it from getting soggy when mixed with the vegetables and dressing.ingredientsDressing:4 teaspoons ground sumac, soaked in 4 teaspoons warm water for 15 minutes3 tablespoons (or more) fresh lemon juice2 tablespoons (or more) pomegranate molasses2 small...Why teaching kids about the environment matters
Learning about saving energy and the environment will do more than just help kids save money as adults -- it can help them develop math and science skills, and foster a sense of responsibility.From which appliance to buy to save the most energy, to what temperature to set the thermostat, we are faced with choices that can impact us...Tips to reduce paper waste
Want to go green? One great area to focus on this year is reducing, reusing and recycling the paper waste you generate.In America alone, we use about 71 million tons of paper a year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.But with a few tweaks to your daily routine, you can reduce your contributions to this problem. Here are......
BCBSM website educates consumers on impact of health care reform
DETROIT — Beginning this October, Michigan residents may be affected by the federal health reform law. What health insurance covers, where people can buy it and whether people qualify for government financial assistance are questions many people in the State will be asking. To help people in Michigan understand the new law and its...Hookah is more harmful than cigarettes
During my formative years in Lebanon, it wasn’t uncommon for me to witness older men sitting around and smoking "argilah," which is widely known as hookah in the United States. These men would lounge for hours, talking, debating and laughing the day away, well into the evening hours. Only prayer time and dinner could...U.S. doctor group votes to recognize obesity as a disease
CHICAGO - In order to fight what it described as an "obesity epidemic," the American Medical Association voted on Tuesday to recognize obesity as a disease and recommended a number of measures to fight it. The association voted on the measure at its annual meeting in Chicago. The AMA noted that obesity rates in the United States have...A vitamin can help with gambling addiction
Chicago - University of Chicago Psychiatry Professor Dr. John Grant told WWJ that an all natural vitamin called N-acetyl cysteine could help gambling addicts quit their costly habit. The vitamin is available at most health stores.Grant has studied the brain of addicts and found that when people become hooked on gambling parts of their......
Colon cancer screening tied to better outcomes
NEW YORK - People who are diagnosed with colon cancer after routine colonoscopies tend to have better outcomes and less advanced cancers than people diagnosed based on symptoms, says a new study.Those who were diagnosed with colon cancer as a result of symptoms were three times more likely to die during the study than the patients...Vegetable fats tied to less prostate cancer spread
After being diagnosed with prostate cancer, men who eat a diet high in vegetable fats, such as those in nuts and olive oil, may be less likely to have their disease spread, a new study suggests.Researchers found that replacing some carbohydrates with those healthy fats was also tied to a lower risk of dying from any cause during the......
Obama urges greater openness in dealing with mental illness
President Barcak Obama said on June 4 that Americans need to become more open about mental health issues, so that people struggling with problems are not ashamed to seek help.More than 60 percent of Americans with mental illness do not receive treatment, many of them because they are embarrassed or afraid of being ostracized, Obama said,...Happiness could be key to good health
Everyone knows that proper diet, regular exercise and avoidance of bad habits, like smoking are crucial to great health. But some experts say that a truly positive outlook on life can be just as powerful a factor in improving overall wellness.In fact, possessing “emotional vitality” and a sense of hopefulness, was found in a Harvard......