Author: Asher Alt

What is sickle cell disease? Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a group of red blood cell disorders caused by misshapen hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that delivers oxygen throughout the body. Normal red blood cells are disk shaped, which allows them to flow smoothly through blood vessels. In contrast, the SCD genetic mutation causes the red blood cells to be crescent or sickle shaped. These sickle cells become rigid and sticky inside of the blood vessels, which blocks and slows blood flow to the body. Who is at risk? SCD impacts nearly 100,000 Americans. In the United States, SCD Read More …

February marks American Heart Month, a time to celebrate cardiovascular health and focus on heart disease prevention. Heart disease has continuously been the greatest health threat to Americans and the leading cause of death worldwide. It is estimated that nearly 17.9 million people across the globe die of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), and roughly 48.6% of Americans age 20 or older have at least one CVD, including heart failure, congenital heart defects, stroke, or hypertension. In addition, it contributes to more than $320 billion in annual healthcare costs and lost productivity. Despite the stunning statistics, CVDs are preventable with a healthy Read More …

Affecting more than 422 million people worldwide and killing over 1.5 million people yearly, diabetes is a worldwide epidemic. It is the sixth leading cause of death, with 80% of the deaths occurring in low and middle-income countries, and the prevalence of diabetes has been increasing at alarming rates. In the United States alone, 37.3 million adults have diabetes – nearly 11.3% of the entire population – and that’s not including the 96 million adults who are prediabetic. What is Diabetes? Diabetes is a chronic health condition that prevents the body from producing insulin or utilizing insulin, causing high blood Read More …

Only 12% of American adults have proficient health literacy skills. In order to understand why so many Americans struggle with health literacy, we must first learn what it means to have good health literacy. What is health literacy? Patients with good health literacy can make informed decisions to protect and improve their health. They know how to find, understand, and use health information and services to enhance their quality of life. This knowledge helps them communicate with doctors, fill out medical forms, select insurance plans, and understand the risks of procedures and treatment plans. Factors such as education, language, culture, Read More …

A plasma cell, a type of white blood cell found in bone marrow, creates antibodies that fight germs and infections. But when cancerous plasma cells – called M proteins – crowd out healthy ones, it can lead to a cancer called multiple myeloma. Symptoms and complications of multiple myeloma Typically, there are few to no symptoms in the initial onset of the disease. However, signs like bone pain in the spine or chest, nausea, fatigue, frequent infections, or weakness in the legs can appear as the disease progresses. In 2023, the American Cancer Society estimated that 35,730 new cases of Read More …

For many, summer is arguably the best season of the year. Beach trips, no school, vacation, and, of course, the summer sun. But with long periods of direct sun exposure also comes painful sunburns and damage from UV light, a form of radiation the sun emits that damages DNA in skin cells. Not to fret! You can still enjoy all summer has to offer with a few simple tips to protect yourself. Tip #1: Wear sunscreen! The FDA recommends wearing sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher. Even on cloudy days, UV light can still damage your skin, so Read More …