Health & Fitness News

Stories about exercise, diet and health care from The Star-Ledger

• Establish some habits to manage GERD
ONE OF THE most common problems experienced by elders is recurrent bouts of heartburn, a symptom of gastrointestinal reflux disease. A thorough and up-to-date review of this condition appeared recently in the New England Journal of Medicine.

• Inflamed cartilage causes sharp chest pain
For more than six weeks, I have had chest pain. I've been to my doctor and was told I have costochondritis. I think it started while I was lifting weights in the gym. The pain is significant and I feel it with most movements. What can I do to get rid of this problem? Just stopping weight training does not seem to be helping.

• Allow siblings to work out difficulties alone
I have two sons, ages 5 and 3. They seemed to get along fine when they were in the same day care. Now that my older son is in kindergarten, things are different. I don't know if he thinks I spend more time with my younger son, because I drop him off and pick him up from daycare, or what it is. He is acting out in school. They are both big for their ages and are fighting a lot more than they once did. My husband travels a lot and when he is home, it is better, but I don't know what to do. Any suggestions?

• Retirement plan needs good health component
ALL OF the articles about retirement I have scanned of late advise the reader to have enough money in reserve for what may be a very long period of time after leaving the workforce. Without question, this is wise advice. But it is also important to save as much physical reserve capacity as possible for the retirement years.

• Treat mouth tenderly to reduce canker sores
I often get painful sores in my mouth that usually last about a week. I don't know what causes them. My doctor told me they are canker sores and said to take Tylenol or Advil to help relieve the pain. Is there anything I can do to prevent getting them and can you recommend anything better to take for the pain?

• Finding help for child who pulls own hair
My friend's third-grader has started to pull out all of her eyelashes and doesn't seem able to stop herself. My friend is very upset and trying to get appointments with specialists, but she said there is a two-month wait. Meanwhile, she fears that the eyelashes won't grow back if her daughter keeps pulling them out. Her daughter says she can't help herself, and tells her mother that sometimes she doesn't remember doing it. Have you heard of this problem and do you have any suggestions for her?