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Adolescence – A Time for Vaccinations

Adolescent Health Concerns For many people in the U.S., adolescence is one of the healthiest times of life. Most parents hope to keep it that way for their young children and teenagers as they progress to young adulthood. The World Health Organization widely defines adolescence as a period of time that begins at the start of puberty and ends when an adult identity and behavior are accepted. Though the timing and extent of these changes may vary among young people, they usually happen from the...

Getting the Facts About Some Common Pregnancy Complications

Many mothers envision having an uneventful pregnancy with little to no symptoms and the delivery of a healthy, full-term baby. Thankfully, most pregnancies and deliveries go on without a hitch. However, for some expectant mothers, health problems do occur. The good news is that only 8% of pregnancies involve complications. These complications can involve the mother, baby or both. Even women who were healthy prior to getting pregnant can have complications. Though not all complications can be...

Living with Alopecia: A Young Woman’s Path to Self-Acceptance

Six years old is a young age to become a patient advocate for a health condition. But Laura Pellicano had no choice. In the summer between kindergarten and the first grade, she lost all of the hair on her head, and then soon after, her eyebrows, eyelashes, and all body hair.  Laura has alopecia universalis, the most advanced form of alopecia areata, a condition that causes hair to fall out on the scalp and/or the body. She dreaded returning to school. “The kids had questions and it's definitely...

Managing Your Mental Health During a Pandemic

The World Health Organization recently declared a pandemic in the wake of a global outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). And while the majority of people affected by the disease will recover without any long-lasting consequences, there are many others who will suffer the short-term and long-term health effects of stress, anxiety and other mental health complications. We all respond differently to stress and anxiety. Our response is often based on our family upbringing...

A Liver Disease Diagnosis Leads to Positive Lifestyle Changes

Jenni Tucker was a sophomore in college, studying to be a nurse, when the signs of her silent illness began to slowly appear. She felt tired all the time. She’d stay home all day, with no energy to get off the couch. The Southbridge, Mass. native was naturally pale, but she noticed her face lacked any color. Tucker, then 19, saw her doctor. And after a liver biopsy, she got a diagnosis that surprised her: she’d developed NASH, or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, the most severe form of non...

6 Ways to Help Manage Stress After a Breast Cancer Diagnosis

Pfizer’s Chief Patient Officer, Dr. Freda Lewis-Hall, is partnering with other top health experts for the best tips on how to Get Healthy, Stay Healthy. Originally posted on Thrive Global.When you’re faced with a breast cancer diagnosis, stress levels can quickly reach an all-time high. Uncertainties about the future, worrying about treatment plans, balancing work, finances, and the sheer number of questions that occupy your mind can all play a role in building up this stress. And while there’s...

Why You May Need an Eczema Care Team

If you have atopic dermatitis—the most common type of eczema—you may be all too familiar with the periodic flare-ups and the itching that often is worse at night and can interfere with sleep.Along with atopic dermatitis, you may have other co-occurring conditions such as food allergies or asthma. You may also have an increased risk for co-existing conditions such as skin infections, heart disease, cancer, depression or anxiety. These issues can have both an emotional and social impact on your...

Get the Facts About Vaccinations

To listen to a podcast on the story of the first vaccine, click here: https://www.pfizer.com/news/features/podcasts/the-antigen Vaccinations are recommended by doctors and scientists because of their proven benefits. Specifically, for children receiving them, vaccinations have been shown to prevent about 20 million illnesses and more than 40,000 deaths at a savings of $70 billion. Despite the evidence supporting the benefits of vaccines, a number of myths surround their use. Belief in these...

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Parenting with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Being a parent can be challenging for anyone, but it may be even more so for people living with a chronic (lost-lasting) condition such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Trying to keep up with all of a newborn’s needs—feedings, lifting and carrying, changing diapers, and bathing (coupled with a general lack of sleep)—may be even more difficult when you’re dealing with a chronic disease, let alone an RA flare.As your child grows, he or she will likely want to involve you in even more physically...

High Cholesterol

FAST FACTS Cholesterol is a soft, wax-like substance that is manufactured by your body, but can be absorbed from foods like meat, poultry, and full-fat dairy Cholesterol circulates in the blood, and as the levels of cholesterol in your blood rise, so does your chance of getting heart disease or having a stroke Raised cholesterol is estimated to cause 2.6 million deaths yearly To confirm if you have high blood cholesterol, your doctor may ask you to undergo a blood test Certain factors can...

Blood Pressure

FAST FACTS High blood pressure is a serious medical condition which occurs when the force of the blood pumping through blood vessels is very strong High blood pressure can be caused by different risk factors such as age, family history, and unhealthy lifestyle habits Long-term high blood pressure can increase the likelihood of cardiovascular disease and organ damage Making simple lifestyle changes such as doing regular exercise, incorporating healthy diet, changing unhealthy habits and...