Is a Gluten-Free Diet Right for You?

Chances are you know at least one person who's given up eating gluten. Maybe you've even given it up yourself. But who can really benefit from a gluten-free diet?

"Gluten is one of the main proteins found in wheat, barley and rye," said Dr. Joseph Levy, division director of pediatric gastroenterology at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City. "It's actually a group of proteins and not a single component, but gluten is the general term."

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Marijuana Extract Holds Promise as Diabetes Treatment

The marijuana plant contains at least 60 different chemical compounds, only one of which gets a smoker high. GW Pharmaceuticals Plc (GWP) says one of the other 59 shows promise in treating Type 2 diabetes.

In a mid-stage study, an experimental drug, currently known by its candidate name GWP42004, helped improve the pancreas’s ability to produce insulin and led to a drop in blood sugar levels between meals, among other findings, according to the London-based company. GW plans to publish the results of that trial this year.

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Aches and Pains: What's Normal, What's Not 

Pain affects us all, whether it’s minor aches and pains or a chronic, longer-lasting condition. And while we all occasionally have a little twinge here or little ache there — especially as we get older — it's important to know when we can treat it ourselves and when it might be a sign of something serious.

Whenever pain strikes suddenly and there is no obvious explanation, it's hard to avoid worrying that it could be cancer or some other serious condition.

"As a general rule, anything that lasts more than six weeks is a red flag," says Stephanie Haridopolos, M.D., a board-certified family physician in Merritt Island, Fla.   Read more....