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September 15, 2011, 11:12 pm

The Voices of Sjogren’s Syndrome

By TARA PARKER-POPE
Angela Lundberg, 32, has chronic dry eyes caused by Sjogren's syndrome.Allen Brisson-Smith for The New York TimesAngela Lundberg, 32, has chronic dry eyes caused by Sjogren’s syndrome.

When the tennis great Venus Williams announced she was withdrawing from the United States Open this month because of health reasons, she put the spotlight on a common yet little-known disorder called Sjogren’s syndrome.

Venus William had to withdraw from the U.S. Open this year because of complications of Sjogren's syndrome.Elise Amendola/Associated PressVenus William had to withdraw from the U.S. Open this year because of complications of Sjogren’s syndrome.

The classic symptoms of Sjogren’s are dry eyes and mouth and severe fatigue, but it can cause problems throughout the body as immune system cells attack moisture-producing glands. Because of the varied symptoms, the condition often is misdiagnosed, and it takes an average of seven years for a person to receive a diagnosis, according to the Sjogren’s Syndrome Foundation.

Most people probably never heard of the disease until Ms. Williams’s announcement, but an estimated four million Americans have Sjogren’s, making it one of the most prevalent autoimmune disorders. Nine out of 10 patients are women. In the latest installment of the Patient Voices series, Karen Barrow captures the stories of five people living with Sjogren’s. To hear their stories, click on the link.

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September 2, 2011, 12:44 pm

Venus Williams Brings Attention to Sjogren’s Syndrome

By TARA PARKER-POPE
Venus Williams was forced to drop out of the U.S. Open because of Sjogren's syndrome.Suzy Allman for The New York TimesVenus Williams was forced to drop out of the U.S. Open because of Sjogren’s syndrome.

Before this week, many people had probably never heard of Sjogren’s syndrome, one of the most prevalent autoimmune disorders. But the recent announcement by tennis star Venus Williams that she was suffering from fatigue and other symptoms related to Sjogren’s has brought needed attention to a troubling condition.

The disease often starts out as an uncomfortable feeling in the eyes and mouth, writes medical reporter Gina Kolata.

Patients say their eyes are dry and red, even though they are using eye drops. Often too, they say, their mouths are dry. Food is becoming tasteless. Some get swollen glands in their necks, making it look like they have mumps.

It turns out those are the hallmark clinical signs of Sjogren’s syndrome, a mysterious disease caused by an overproduction of B lymphocytes, the cells of the immune system that make antibodies. The deluge of B cells clogs glands. Some people have trouble perspiring because their sweat glands are obstructed. Or they have trouble digesting food. Women may have pain during intercourse because their vaginas become dry….

When Venus Williams said the disease made her feel tired, she was right. Patients with Sjogren’s, like those with the related diseases rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, are unusually tired, and there is no way to alleviate this sensation. Investigators have studied lupus patients, asking how much oxygen they consume when they exercise, and found that they use much more than healthy people, although no one knows why that is so.

To learn more about Sjogren’s, read the full story, “No Easy Answers for Those Who Share Williams’s Disease.” And to hear more from Ms. Williams, read “Williams Says She Struggled With Fatigue for Years,” and then please join the discussion below.

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July 12, 2011, 11:56 am

The Voices of Macular Degeneration

By TARA PARKER-POPE
Charlotte Isen wears glasses with a built in magnifying glass, which she uses when she is playing cards.Josh Ritchie for The New York TimesCharlotte Isen wears glasses with a built-in magnifying glass, which she uses when she is playing cards.

Age-related macular degeneration is a common eye disease that gradually destroys central vision. An estimated 1.8 million Americans age 40 and older have advanced disease, and 7.3 million people have intermediate disease, putting them at risk for vision loss.

In the latest installment of the Patient Voices series, six men and women talk about life with macular degeneration and Stargardt’s disease, a similar illness that strikes in late childhood. They include Dick Coulson, 80, a retired orthodontist in Lakewood, Colo., who has managed to maintain his hobby of photography despite losing his vision.

“You have to get over the stage where you’re afraid to be different,” says Mr. Coulson. “I’m able to continue in my hobby of photography by having a digital camera that does the auto-focusing. I see big things, so I can compose a photo. You don’t have to give up things that you love to do.”

To hear more voices of macular degeneration, click on the link, and then please join the discussion below.

Do you have a question about macular degeneration or related illnesses? This week on the Consults blog, Stephen Rose of the Foundation Fighting Blindness is answering readers’ questions.

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June 14, 2011, 12:06 pm

Living Well With Parkinson’s

By TARA PARKER-POPE
Yvetta Fedorova

In today’s Personal Health column, Jane Brody explores the lives and challenges of people living with Parkinson’s disease. She writes:

For patients with Parkinson’s disease…there still is no cure. But researchers have begun to make progress in identifying causes of the disease, and a new study promises to help identify better treatments.

Until then, many patients are getting by on grit and determination. In speaking recently with several of them, two common threads emerged: an initial unwillingness to believe or reveal the diagnosis, followed by acceptance and a determination to pursue whatever it takes to remain as healthy and functional as possible.

In addition to taking medication designed to replace the brain chemical, dopamine, that is diminished in this neurological disease, each person I spoke with is dedicated to regular, often vigorous physical activity that can minimize the disabilities caused by Parkinson’s.

To learn more, read the full column, “Marching Through Life With Parkinson’s,” and then please join the discussion below.

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May 19, 2011, 11:29 am

The Voices of Childhood Cancer

By TARA PARKER-POPE
Max Mikulak was diagnosed with stage IV, high-risk neuroblastoma in the first grade. He died from the cancer at age 7.David Ahntholz for The New York TimesMax Mikulak was diagnosed with stage IV, high-risk neuroblastoma in the first grade. He died from the cancer at age 7.

Few health problems are as heartbreaking as a sick child, and the latest installment of Patient Voices offers a poignant glimpse into the world of childhood cancer.

You’ll hear from parents of children who are in the midst of cancer treatment, parents who have lost children, a teenager coping with treatment and a young adult still living with the effects of childhood cancer.

Toshia Ramirez of Houston shares the story of her 7-year-old son, Jaiden, who recently learned he has a cancer that has engulfed his brain stem. He has been given 8 to 12 months to live, but a new treatment may extend his life as long as two years.

“We spend a lot of time on our knees, praying and asking God to let Jaiden be one of the miracles,” said Ms. Ramirez. “We’re hoping to get at least two years, give doctors more time to research other things and come up with another solution.”

To hear more from the voices of childhood cancer click, on the audio-visual slide show, “Patient Voices: Childhood Cancer,” and then please join the discussion below.

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March 31, 2011, 1:53 pm

The Voices of Charcot-Marie-Tooth

By TARA PARKER-POPE
Matthew Downing puts an orthopedic brace on the foot of his son, Matthew, 5. Both have Charcot-Marie-Tooth, a progressive, neurodegenerative disorder. <br />Michael Nagle for The New York Times Matthew Downing puts an orthopedic brace on the foot of his son Matthew, 5. Both have Charcot-Marie-Tooth, a progressive neurodegenerative disorder.

People with the neurological disorder called Charcot-Marie-Tooth must contend not only with pain and muscle weakness but also the frustration of having a disease with a funny-sounding name that most people have never heard of.

In this week’s Patient Voices series, the Times Web producer Karen Barrow focuses on Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, one of the most common inherited neurological disorders. Read more…

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March 2, 2011, 7:57 am

The Voices of Sickle Cell Disease

By TARA PARKER-POPE
Brothers Riley Dews, 4, and Tracy Dews, 8, were both born with sickle cell anemia. Managing their disease has become a routine part of their family life.Casey Templeton for The New York Times Riley Dews, 4, left, and Tracy Dews, 8, are brothers who were both born with sickle cell anemia. Managing their disease has become a routine part of their family life.

In today’s Patient Voices audio feature, six people talk about living with sickle cell disease.

Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder that affects red blood cells, resulting in anemia and severe pain. The condition gets its name from the fact that an unusual type of hemoglobin causes red blood cells to become crescent-shaped, similar to the curved blade of a sickle.

When the oddly shaped cells block small blood vessels, less blood flows to that part of the body, damaging tissue and causing sudden pain called a sickle cell crisis.’ The pain can last for hours to as long as a week.

The illness is most common in people with roots in Africa, South or Central America, the Caribbean islands, India, Saudi Arabia and some Mediterranean countries. It occurs in one out of every 500 African-American births and one out of every 36,000 Hispanic-American births, according to the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America.

In Patient Voices, you’ll hear from Cassandra Dobson, 50, of the Bronx, who decided to become a nurse as a result of a severe sickle cell crisis. “Doctors are so easily bored with treating sickle cell patients, because most of the time what they focus on is pain management only,” she says. “They really have to focus on the whole patent.”

Shanoah Moore, 8, of Cincinnati talks about how sickle cell disease affects children.

“I’m still a regular kid, and I still go to school,” she says. “I know when I’m getting sick because my head starts getting warm, and my mom knows when because my eyes kind of turn yellow. It feels like someone is just squeezing my legs. Sometimes it’s very, very painful.”

To hear all the voices of sickle cell disease, go to Patient Voices.

January 19, 2011, 11:58 am

The Voices of Rare Diseases

By KAREN BARROW
Kylynn Welsh, who suffers from the rare disease, hereditary angioedema, gives herself a daily IV treatment to combat the swelling episodes the disease causes.Ryan Collerd for The New York Times Kylynn Welsh, who suffers from a rare disease called hereditary angioedema, gives herself an IV treatment to combat the swelling episodes the condition causes.

Kylynn Welsh, 21, was in and out of the hospital as a child. She had frequent episodes of swelling all over her body that no one seemed to understand.

Martha Bryce, 42, was a healthy 32-year-old when she began having strange episodes of fainting while eating. Doctors believed she had epilepsy and told her not to drive anymore, but that diagnosis just didn’t feel right to Ms. Bryce, a registered nurse. Her symptoms were different from those of epilepsy.

Cheryl Marshall, 46, always knew there was something strange about her body odor. She took frequent baths and tried every deodorant on the market, but still classmates would tease her for her body’s smell. She saw countless doctors and specialists about this issue. Some prescribed strong deodorants, others suggested surgery to remove her sweat glands, and some dismissed her complaints entirely. Bottom line, nothing helped.

In the latest Patient Voices, you’ll hear from all three of these women, along with other people suffering from different rare diseases. Read more…

December 14, 2010, 1:54 pm

The Voices of Hepatitis

By KAREN BARROW
Will Green contracted hepatitis as a child, but didn’t get a formal diagnosis until he was 30.Michal Czerwonka for The New York Times Will Green contracted hepatitis as a child, but didn’t get a formal diagnosis until he was 30.

One in 20 people will come into contact with hepatitis virus at some point, but fortunately, only a small percentage develop a lasting case of the disease. Still, millions suffer from a chronic form of hepatitis.

The different forms of hepatitis virus are lettered hepatitis A, B, C, D and E — with different courses and outcomes for each type of infection. In today’s Patient Voices segment, we hear from six men and women who are living with either hepatitis B or hepatitis C, which cause chronic hepatitis.

Gail Brown, 57, believes she contracted hepatitis C when she was actively using intravenous drugs. It wasn’t until she became sober at age 39 that she realized the damage hepatitis had done to her liver.

“The insidious part of the disease is that you are symptom free until your liver becomes severely damaged,” she said. It took five years for Ms. Brown to receive a liver transplant. That, and years of antiviral treatment, has helped her body fight off the effects of the virus.

Arline Loh, 61, an Asian immigrant, contracted the hepatitis B virus from her mother at birth. However, she was not tested for it until she was 39, after she had already transmitted the virus to her three children. Now, Ms. Loh is as an outreach volunteer for Cornell Medical Center in New York and works to educate others about the importance of testing and vaccination against hepatitis B.

“The Asians don’t like to talk about the disease because of the stigma,” she said. “They are so afraid if they tell anyone they will lose all their friends.” The American Liver Foundation estimates that chronic hepatitis B affects one in 10 Asian-Americans, though the virus can be transmitted to anyone through blood exchange or sexual relations.

To hear more, listen to all the voices of hepatitis. And please join the discussion below.

September 15, 2010, 12:19 pm

The Voices of Schizophrenia

By TARA PARKER-POPE
Susan Weinreich is an artist living with schizophrenia.Tony Cenicola/The New York Times Susan Weinreich is an artist living with schizophrenia.

Few mental illnesses are as complex and confusing as schizophrenia, a mental disorder in which people may experience hallucinations or delusions, hear voices or have confused thinking and behavior.

Although the word “schizophrenia” means “split mind,” the disorder does not cause a split personality, as is commonly believed.

The latest Patient Voices segment by Karen Barrow, a Web producer, offers rare insights into schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder, a related condition that combines thinking and mood problems, as seven men and women share their experiences.

“It disrupted my education, my relationships, it disrupted friendships,” explains Alita Van Hee, 32, of Santa Cruz, Calif. “I was so bombarded by voices. They would tell me things like ‘Don’t trust these people,’ ‘Don’t talk to your friends,’ ‘They’re not real friends,’ things like that. It’s kind of like having a TV or radio on blasting inside your head just all the time that you can’t turn off no matter what you do.”

You’ll also meet Michael Runningwolf, 40, of Tempe, Ariz., who wants to change people’s perceptions and fears about schizophrenia.

“I wish I could get a T-shirt that says, ‘We’re more afraid of you than you are of us,’ ” he says. “There are people with schizophrenia every day that are doing things to break down the stigma. They hold down jobs, and they’re out there every day giving it everything they’ve got. Even though schizophrenia is a disabling illness, it’s not the end. There is recovery.”

Susan Weinreich, 54, of Mount Kisco, N.Y., says that although her illness has made life difficult, it also has become part of her art. “I believe my art was a vehicle for me to be able to express some things that were very deep, deep down inside and that were trapped and difficult to get out and communicate,” she says.

Another artist, John Cadigan, 40, who is Ms. Van Hee’s partner, says the challenges of his illness have also played a role in his art. “The difficulty is I’m not always cognizant of what reality is,” he says. “I can’t trust my own brain…. When you have a brain disorder it unlocks parts of the brain I think normal people don’t have any knowledge of. I think I translate that into my woodcuts.”

To hear these and other stories of schizophrenia, click on the Patient Voices audio link. And then please join the discussion below.

July 28, 2010, 11:41 am

The Voices of Scleroderma

By TARA PARKER-POPE
“>Erion Moore Brian Lee for The New York Times Erion Moore first noticed ulcers on his fingertips in 2006. He assumed they formed because he was playing so much basketball. As time passed and his symptoms grew worse, Mr. Moore was finally diagnosed with scleroderma.

The latest installment of Patient Voices focuses on scleroderma, an autoimmune disease that can lead to hardening and tightening of the skin and connective tissues. The symptoms and severity of scleroderma can vary, making it difficult to accomplish everyday tasks or, in some cases, threatening vital organs.

Listen to the stories of scleroderma collected by producer Karen Barrow, which include a basketball player who began developing ulcers on his fingers, a mother whose hands were frozen by the disease, and a mailman who, after losing his range of motion, decided to use his illness as an opportunity to get a college degree and spend more time with his sons.

Listen to these and other stories by clicking on Patient Voices: Scleroderma. And do you have a question about scleroderma? Ask an expert on the Consults blog.

June 2, 2010, 9:34 am

The Voices of Alzheimer’s

By TARA PARKER-POPE
John MacInnes, 82, is facing the slow loss of his memory. Stephen McGee for The New York Times John MacInnes, 82, who is facing the slow loss of his memory, is one of the Patient Voices of Alzheimer’s.

In the latest Patient Voices segment, producer Karen Barrow explores the frightening and confusing world of Alzheimer’s. She captures the voices of both patients and loved ones who are struggling with issues of independence, long-term care and making the most of the time they have left.

One of those patients is Laura Mercer, 50, a journalist from Charlotte, N.C., who developed early-onset Alzheimer’s at age 46.

“I woke up one day and didn’t know who I was,” she says. “I know this because my husband told me…. That’s certainly part of Alzheimer’s. You can’t remember what you can’t remember.”

Ms. Mercer says her goal now is to make the most out of every day and to live life as normally as possible.

“At the end of the day I said to myself, ‘I’ve got two choices here. I could mourn this illness, or I could celebrate life,’ ” recalls Ms. Mercer. “I love my husband. I love my family. I love life. I’m going to live life to the fullest.”

To hear from Ms. Mercer and all the voices of Alzheimer’s visit the Patient Voices page.

And for more on Alzheimer’s, read the new series, “The Vanishing Mind: On the Trail of Alzheimer’s.”

May 13, 2010, 9:43 am

The Voices of Thyroid Disease

By TARA PARKER-POPE
Antonio A&R Richardson is a rap artist who was diagnosed with Graves’ disease at age of 13Allen Brisson-Smith for The New York Times Antonio Richardson, who is known as A&R, is a rap artist who was told he had Graves’ disease at age 13.

Although many people haven’t heard of thyroid conditions like Graves’ disease or Hashimoto’s syndrome, thyroid problems are finally getting more attention.

The thyroid is a tiny gland in the neck that can sometimes make too much or too little of various hormones, causing a host of problems. President George Bush and his wife, Barbara, were both told they had thyroid conditions. In 2007, thyroid problems received the ultimate celebrity endorsement when Oprah Winfrey announced she was suffering from thyroid-related health issues.

In Wednesday’s Patient Voices feature, Karen Barrow, a New York Times producer, shares the stories of six men and women with thyroid disease. You’ll hear from Antonio Richardson, 25, of St. Paul, Minn., who was told he had Graves’ disease, which is rarely found in young men. He channeled his fears into music and now writes rap songs under the name A&R about living with chronic illness.

You’ll also meet a lawyer, Jennifer Metzger, 38, of Montclair, N.J., who developed complications from a thyroid condition during pregnancy. She now urges people with thyroid conditions to gather as much information as they can about the disease.

“It’s this very small organ in your body,” she said, “And it controls so much.”

To hear all the voices of thyroid disease, click on the Patient Voices: Thyroid Disease page.

April 1, 2010, 5:30 pm

The Voices of Autism

By TARA PARKER-POPE
Camden Colston is severely affected by autism. He is unable to write or speak and generally communicates through gestures and pictures. Brendan Smialowski for The New York Times Camden Colston has severe autism and does not speak; he is learning to communicate through gestures and pictures.

The latest installment in the Patient Voices series offers a fascinating glimpse into the often silent world of autism.

You’ll hear stories from a parent of a young child with autism, a teenager with Asperger’s syndrome and a young man who communicates only by typing.

And you’ll meet Judy Endow, a woman who learned she had autism at age 54 only after her son was also given that diagnosis.

“It actually made my life a lot better,” she said. “It explained a lot of the things I had trouble with. It explained my way of thinking. It explained my sensory difference and pretty much explained all the challenges that I had in my life.”

Click on this link to hear all the voices of autism.

March 3, 2010, 4:00 pm

The Voices of Fibromyalgia

By TARA PARKER-POPE
Chris Garlington for The New York Times

People who suffer from fibromyalgia experience problems beyond the pain caused by their illness. Their condition is little understood and hard to explain, and often they are disbelieved by doctors. Even friends and loved ones may express skepticism toward the fibromyalgia sufferer, who, burdened with inexplicable pain, may cancel social plans, miss work and recoil from physical affection because it hurts too much.

For a glimpse into the frustrating world of fibromalgia sufferers, listen to the latest installment in the Patient Voices series by producer Karen Barrow in which six men and women speak about living with the condition.

You’ll meet Christine Wysocki, 33, of St. Augustine, Fla. who waited three years before a close friend and co-worker believed she had a health problem.

“Frankly I still don’t know if I understand exactly what it is,” says Ms. Wysocki. “Everything seems so vague about what fibromyalgia is, and it feels like no one wants to commit to what an actual answer is.”

And there’s Leon Collins, 59, of Clayton, N.J., who was relieved when he heard he had fibromyalgia because he at least had a diagnosis after many other doctors had dismissed his symptoms.

“We even experienced one doctor who wanted to send me to a psychiatrist because he felt my pain was imagined,” he said.

To hear all the voices of fibromyalgia and see the accompanying slideshow, click on this Patient Voices link. And be sure to check out the Times Topics page on fibromyalgia to read “The Long Search for Fibromyalgia Support”, an expert Q&A with a rheumatologist and five things you need to know about the condition.

November 4, 2011
Fast and Easy Vegan Dishes

Vegan chef Lindsay S. Nixon gives Well readers a sneak peak at her new cookbook, “Everyday Happy Herbivore: Over 175 Quick-and-Easy Fat-Free and Low-Fat Vegan Recipes.”

November 3, 2011
What Chefs Feed Their Kids

This Thanksgiving, surprise your children with a colorful pumpkin risotto, fun savory waffles and other recipes that chefs have created for their families.

More From Eat Well »

November 3, 2011
Being a Med Student, Take Two

In 1990, seeking to keep pace with the rapid advances in medicine, the American Board of Internal Medicine initiated the “recertification process.” Now, doctors must take an exam every 10 years.

October 31, 2011
Do ‘Nice’ Doctors Make Better Doctors?

Breeding nice doctors is becoming something of a trend, but could selecting future doctors based on their interpersonal skills backfire?

More From Doctors and Patients »

November 3, 2011
A New App for Counting Calories

A smart phone app called PlateMate may soon allow you to snap a picture of your food and quickly get a good estimate of its calorie count.

November 2, 2011
Curbing Holiday Weight Gain With Exercise

Holiday feasting represents a dire threat to most people’s waistlines, but exercise can lessen or reverse the unwelcome consequences, new studies suggest.

More From Weigh In »

November 2, 2011
The One Best Way to Run

Left, right, repeat; that’s all running really is, a movement so natural that babies learn it the first time they rise to their feet. Yet sometime between childhood and adulthood — and between the dawn of our species and today — most of us lose the knack.

November 2, 2011
Why Do Some People Climb Mountains?

The allure of Longs Peak is such that it attracts thousands of ordinary Coloradans each year.

More From Fitness »

November 1, 2011
A Few Drinks a Week Raises Breast Cancer Risk

A new study shows that women who routinely have even small amounts of alcohol, as few as three drinks a week, have an elevated risk of breast cancer, but the risk was modest and must be weighed against heart benefits.

October 31, 2011
Steve Jobs’s Cancer Choices

When doctors discovered a tumor on Steve Jobs’s pancreas, he chose nine months of alternative therapies before undergoing surgery. Did he make the right decision?

More From Cancer »

October 27, 2011
Can Romance Be Reduced to Pronouns?

Can your romantic life be reduced to the pronouns you say (or tweet or post or text)? Sort of.

September 16, 2011
Love, Divorce and Alzheimer’s

Television evangelist Pat Robertson has sparked controversy with his suggestion that a man could divorce his wife with Alzheimer’s once she no longer recognized him.

More From Love Well »

October 26, 2011
A New Breed of Knee Injury in Young Athletes

Increasingly large numbers of children, both boys and girls, are now suffering A.C.L. and knee meniscus tears, injuries that were uncommon 20 years ago, and doctors aren’t sure why.

October 19, 2011
Do We Have a Set Point for Exercise?

The question of whether humans have an innate set point for movement, a so-called activitystat, is of increasing interest and controversy among scientists.

More From Phys Ed »

October 24, 2011
Yoga and Stretching Equally Effective for Back Pain

Weekly yoga classes relieve symptoms of low back pain about as well as intense, regular stretching sessions, a new study shows.

October 19, 2011
The Doctor’s Remedy: Turmeric for Joint Pain

Patients aren’t the only ones interested in alternative and complementary medicine. In a new occasional series, Well talks to doctors around the country to find out what nontraditional medicines or therapies they sometimes recommend or use themselves.

More From Alternative Medicine »

October 23, 2011
Studying Successful People With Mental Illness

Researchers are studying high-functioning people with schizophrenia to learn how mental health disorders can be managed while people build full, successful lives.

September 26, 2011
Coffee Drinking Linked to Less Depression in Women

Women who regularly drink caffeinated coffee have a 20 percent lower risk of depression than nondrinkers.

More From On Your Mind »

October 18, 2011
Friends Still Let Friends Drive Drunk

There are more than 110 million instances of impaired driving each year in the United States, and 11,000 deaths, despite 30 years of drunk driving advocacy.

October 11, 2011
More Evidence Against Vitamin Use

Two new studies add to the growing body of evidence that high doses of vitamins can do more harm than good.

More From Healthy Consumer »

September 28, 2011
Things Every Dog Should Know

What are the essential skills or commands every dog should know? Veteran dog trainers weigh in.

September 21, 2011
The Importance of Pet Tags

Research shows that 80 percent of pet owners believe it’s important that dogs and cats wear personal identification tags, but only one in three pet owners say their pets always wear them.

More From Well Pets »

October 12, 2011
Feeling Ageless Under Water

Vexed by arthritis and other health issues, a 59-year-old woman rebuffs her son’s suggestion to learn how to scuba dive. But several later she discovered that in the water, nothing hurts.

September 15, 2011
The Voices of Sjogren’s Syndrome

Most people probably never heard of Sjogren’s syndrome until Venus Williams announced she suffered from the condition. But an estimated four million Americans have Sjogren’s, making it one of the most prevalent autoimmune disorders.

More From Patient Voices »

June 16, 2011
For Children on Medicaid, the Doctor Is Out

Children with Medicaid are more likely to be turned away by medical specialists compared to those with private insurance, a new study finds.

April 15, 2011
Hypnosis as a Health Option

Today’s Patient Money column looks into the costs and potential benefits of hypnosis for dealing with anxiety, pain management and other health issues.

More From Patient Money »

February 4, 2011
An Author Escapes From Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Author Laura Hillenbrand transports readers to another time and place with her best-selling books. Her accomplishments are all the more remarkable given that she is largely homebound, debilitated by chronic fatigue syndrome. (193)

January 7, 2011
Nutrition Advice From the China Study

More than 500,000 copies of “The China Study” have been sold, and even former President Bill Clinton is talking about it. (387)

More From Books »

February 4, 2011
An Author Escapes From Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Author Laura Hillenbrand transports readers to another time and place with her best-selling books. Her accomplishments are all the more remarkable given that she is largely homebound, debilitated by chronic fatigue syndrome. (193)

January 7, 2011
Nutrition Advice From the China Study

More than 500,000 copies of “The China Study” have been sold, and even former President Bill Clinton is talking about it. (387)

More From Books »

Archive

Patient Voices
The Voices of Migraine
Migraine Sufferer

Six men and women discuss living with migraines.

Confronting Cancer
Dana Jennings
cancer

Dana Jennings blogs about life after prostate cancer.

Eat Well
Popcorn's Dark Secret
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Movie-theater popcorn has an alarming amount of fat, salt and calories in even the smallest sizes.

Well Pets
Best Walking Partners
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Having to walk a dog can help people be more consistent about regular exercise.

Special Section
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Decoding Your Health

A special issue of Science Times looks at the explosion of information about health and medicine and offers some guidelines on how to sort it all out

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Small Steps: A Good Health Guide

Trying to raise a healthy child can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be.

Special Section
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A Guided Tour of Your Body

Changes in our health are inevitable as we get older. What do we need to know about staying well as we age?

About Well

Tara Parker-Pope on HealthHealthy living doesn’t happen at the doctor’s office. The road to better health is paved with the small decisions we make every day. It’s about the choices we make when we buy groceries, drive our cars and hang out with our kids. Join columnist Tara Parker-Pope as she sifts through medical research and expert opinions for practical advice to help readers take control of their health and live well every day. You can reach Ms. Parker-Pope at well@nytimes.com.

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