The lymphatic system is an essential, but often overlooked, internal bodily function that works ceaselessly and imperceptibly to keep the body healthy. It’s often only when something goes wrong with the lymphatic system that we become aware of the important part it plays in the functioning of our body.

Strokes can occur suddenly and without warning. The effects can be devastating, either resulting in a permanent disability or worse, death.  In the United States alone, more than 700,000 people suffer from a stroke every year.

While no one can be sure whether they will have a stroke, risk factors such as high blood pressure or heart disease are often used to predict whether someone has a higher risk. However, according to some studies, the eyes may provide vital information as to whether someone is likely to have a stroke.

Anyone who has experienced tetanus will understand just how frightening and serious this disease can be. Tetanus, once commonly called ‘lockjaw’ is rarely seen in the western world thanks to immunization programmes beginning in early childhood. It can be a disabling and life threatening disease, so it pays to be aware of the symptoms and the appropriate treatment required.

Periods. They're the bane of women's lives from early puberty through to middle age, but without them, human life would cease to exist. A period, or menstruation, is a sign that a woman is fertile and able to reproduce. Without a period, there is no egg to be fertilized by a man’s sperm. The reasons why women have periods is a complex process involving hormones, the brain and the woman’s reproductive system and they’re a vital part of the human life cycle. Read more ...

The body mass index (BMI) chart is an alternative way of finding out at a glance, what your BMI is. Using the BMI chart, you don't need to perform any calculations or enter any numbers into an on-line calculator. However, the BMI chart only gives you a BMI as a whole number, whereas calculating it will provide a slightly more accurate BMI score to decimal places, for example, 23.8 instead of 23 or 24 as found on a chart.

Some people seem to be blessed with a head full of beautiful, healthy looking hair while others struggle to achieve any kind of bounce or shine.

Although many of the hair care products available today can work wonders with lackluster, dull or thinning hair, it’s the vitamins from the food we eat which will eventually determine how healthy our hair appears.

Healthy Foods for Good Dental Health Published At: 04-18-2011  When looked after properly, our teeth should last us a lifetime. Along with good dental hygiene, which includes regular brushing, flossing and dental checkups, eating healthy food can play a major part in keeping our teeth strong and healthy.

Colds and flu both can both make us feel extremely ill and they do share many symptoms. However, they are not the same. Although many people who are suffering from a bad cold often claim they have the flu, in reality, this is unlikely to be the case. Those who have the flu will find it almost impossible to move from their beds, while cold sufferers will be able to struggle into work (probably spreading their germs!). Read this article for more on how you can tell the difference between a cold and the flu.

While the title of this article may be a little exaggerated, it might not be far off the mark for some. For, despite the fact that obesity is rife in the Western world, it seems the bigger we get, the less likely we are to realise it. But how can this be?

 Apparently, it’s all down to who we hang out with, or even the size of the general population around us.

The intestines are an integral part of the digestive system, without which, we wouldn't be able to absorb the vital nutrients from our food.

Together with organs including the liver and pancreas, the intestines perform an amazingly complex series of functions which work seamlessly to break down and process everything we eat. What's more, we don't have to consciously do anything other than enjoy the food we're putting into our mouth.

Looking after your teeth is just as important as your health. Most of us are fully aware that eating too much sugar is likely to result in cavities if we're not careful with dental hygiene. However, it's not only unhealthy food such as cakes, sweets and ice cream that can ruin your teeth. There are a few healthy foods to watch out for which are just as capable of wreaking havoc on your teeth.

Here are 5 healthy foods that can wreck your teeth.

Binge drinking is a growing concern pervading all sectors of society, from stressed out, high income earners to the unemployed. And hardly a day goes by without newspaper reports detailing the alcohol-fueled antics of drunken teenagers, rampaging through city centers. But what sort of toll is binge drinking taking on their health?

It’s quite incredible to think that a single sneeze is capable of expelling an average of 40,000 droplets while reaching speeds of up to 90 miles per hour. As such, it’s probably fortunate that we’re unable to see these microscopic disease carriers.

But even if you’ve managed to reach for your Kleenex in time, it takes a lot more than your tissue to stop a sneeze in its tracks.

Coffee, consumed daily by millions worldwide, often carries worrying health warnings. It’s well known that coffee contains caffeine and that drinking too much can make us jittery, anxious and less likely to sleep. At the same time, withdrawing from it altogether can leave us suffering from headaches.

However, drinking coffee in moderation can offer protection against a whole host of diseases. And with so much of what we enjoy eating or drinking being deemed bad for us, it makes a welcome change to learn that a beverage as popular as coffee, can actually do us some good.

Grains are enjoyed in many forms and are eaten as the staple part of the diet around the world. However, people eating a diet high in refined grains such as white rice or white bread, tend to have higher rates of cardiovascular disease and diabetes than those eating plenty of whole grains.

Since whole grains are an important source of dietary fiber and carbohydrates, they should form the foundation of a healthy, well-balanced diet. But which grains are the healthiest and what are their benefits?

Zebrafish

Fish is already extolled for its many nutritional health benefits. But now it seems a small tropical fish may hold the key to repairing damaged heart tissue in heart attack sufferers.

The exotically striped zebrafish has scientists particularly excited because it has an incredible ability to repair its own heart muscle. Scientists are hoping that with extensive research, they will be able to discover exactly how the zebrafish manages to repair or replace damaged heart muscle. And if they do, they hope to find a way of making it possible for people to do the same.

Ground beef is the most widely eaten type of meat in the United States. It's easy to see why as ground beef forms the basis of many popular dishes, most notably hamburgers, meatloaf and chili. As well as its versatility, it's an inexpensive and convenient form of meat to buy. Unfortunately, the majority of red meat is high in fat when compared to poultry, for instance. And high consumption of ground beef is responsible for much of the fat content found in the American diet.