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Whether you're hiking in the summer or skiing in the winter, if you're headed for high altitudes, it's good to be aware of symptoms of altitude sickness.

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Gallstones. One in 10 people have them. They can be as small as a grain of sand or as big as a golf ball.

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Even if you're done having children, or past menopause, your uterus can cause health problems -- including cancer.

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You probably don't give your nose much thought, unless it's stuffy from a cold. It does much more than allow you to smell the roses -- it cleans, moistens and warms the air you breathe before it reaches your lungs.

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In many cases, women first need a supplement at menopause or in later years, but increasingly, calcium deficiency is seen in younger women.

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Mayo Clinic researchers have identified a new member of the important B7 family of immune system "co-stimulators." Co-stimulators are molecules that are capable of turning the immune system on or off -- and in the process, profoundly affecting human health.

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A colorless, odorless gas that kills more than 500 Americans each year plays an important role in maintaining healthy digestion, according to findings of a Mayo Clinic study.

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Patients with an early stage of vascular disease that prevents heart arteries from expanding normally are at significantly increased risk not only for heart attack but also for stroke, according to findings of a Mayo Clinic study.

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If you have high blood pressure and haven't been able to manage it with lifestyle or diet changes, your doctor will likely recommend one or more medications.

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It's true that nuts are generally high in calories and fat, but eaten in moderation as part of a healthy diet, these nutrient-dense nuggets offer potential health benefits.

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You have a marble-sized lump in your armpit. It's been there a week and doesn't hurt. What is it, and should you be concerned?

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A heart rhythm disturbance that affects more than 2 million Americans is twice as likely to recur in patients with untreated sleep apnea, according to a Mayo Clinic study published in the May 27 edition of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a condition that causes people to repeatedly stop breathing during sleep.

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The Women"šs Cancer Program of the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center has been awarded a $6 million research grant to conduct research on biomarkers that may indicate which women with benign breast disease are at risk for eventually developing breast cancer.

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Mayo Clinic researchers have found that those who have experienced a head injury are four times more likely to develop Parkinson's disease than those who have never suffered a head injury. The risk of developing Parkinson's increases eightfold for patients who have had head trauma requiring hospitalization, and it increases 11-fold for patients who have experienced severe head injury.

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Mayo Clinic researchers have identified a naturally occurring "good guy" for patients infected with HIV. It is a helpful gene mutation that impairs the HIV virus"š cell-killing machinery, thus preserving immune system function.

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When was the last time you had your blood pressure checked? What may have been considered a normal reading before may now signal the start of high blood pressure (hypertension).

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Completing a crossword puzzle. Playing cards. Taking up a musical instrument. Do these and other mind-challenging activities help prevent Alzheimer's Disease? Research shows a connection, but no solid proof.

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Attempting to recapture life as it was before cancer can be a major frustration. For the cancer survivor, jubilance may be tempered by fear of recurrence. Your body may be different. Almost certainly your perspective and priorities have changed.

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Cold water or ice? Bandage or not? A review of home care for minor burns can help minimize the pain.

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It is time to schedule a Pap test? There are new guidelines on how often to have this test for cervical cancer, according to the May issue of Mayo Clinic Women"šs HealthSource.

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The demand for garlic -- sometimes called the stinking rose -- is surging because of possible health benefits. But it"šs not clear yet whether garlic has earned its healthy reputation, according to the May issue of Mayo Clinic Women"šs HealthSource.

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Patches of red, thick skin covered with silvery scales are the hallmark of psoriasis, a chronic skin disease. The scaling occurs when cells in the outer level of skin reproduce faster than normal and pile up on the surface of your skin.

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The more possible physical causes of fainting that exist in a patient are likely to increase the risk of an earlier death.

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Alzheimer's disease can make it difficult to accomplish tasks like cooking, making a phone call or taking a bath. Modifying the home environment can make it safer and easier for loved ones to function at home. "Mayo Clinic on Alzheimer's Disease" offers these suggestions for simplifying your living space.

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A collaborative study between Mayo Clinic and a medical center in Russia found that alpha lipoic acid significantly and rapidly reduces the frequency and severity of symptoms of the most common kind of diabetic neuropathy.

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Thirty minutes a day? Sixty minutes a day? How much time should you be exercising?

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Calcium helps prevent osteoporosis. A daily calcium intake of 1,200 milligrams is generally recommended for men and women over age 50. While milk, yogurt and cheese are excellent sources of calcium, there also are other sources.

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Seeing animals or people that you know aren't there. Hearing music or voices giving commands. These are hallucinations. And they aren't an uncommon experience, especially for older adults.

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A Mayo Clinic study is the first to show that for some patients with early stage multiple myeloma, the drug thalidomide may effectively delay the need for chemotherapy or more aggressive treatment for as much as two years.

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Good lifestyle habits can go a long way toward keeping your digestive system healthy. How much you eat and the manner in which you eat -- relaxed or hurried -- play key roles.

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Doctors have suspected for a long time that declining estrogen levels instigate hot flashes, a phenomenon that affects about 75 percent of postmenopausal women

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Lowering your blood pressure -- even by a few points -- can help reduce health risks such as coronary artery disease, heart failure, stroke and kidney failure.

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Most eye conditions you experience as you get older are treatable and not usually a threat to your sight. Detached retinas are another story.

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A key component of blockages in the heart's blood vessels appears to originate in the bone marrow instead of the vessel walls, according to findings.

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New Mayo Clinic research provides evidence that environmental factors may play a greater role in the development of Parkinson's disease in men, while for women, hereditary factors may play a greater role.

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Using a new approach, Mayo Clinic researchers have successfully "taught" an RNA molecule inside a living cell to work as a decoy to divert the actions of the protein NF-kappaB, which scientists believe promotes disease development.

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Results of a study of 65 patients who underwent total hip replacement surgery at Mayo Clinic show that the procedure can be done safely and effectively in patients 90 years and older, and provide them years of improved quality of life.

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There are 100,000 different kinds of molds that reside everywhere. Despite the sometimes scary headlines, small amounts of mold in your home don't mean you will wind up with a serious illness.

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If you already have osteoporosis or are at risk for developing it, strong back muscles are the best way to prevent spinal fractures. The most effective way to strengthen the back is to exercise.

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There's evidence that some vitamin supplements can be beneficial, such as vitamin D combined with calcium to help prevent osteoporosis. But there is less support for vitamin supplements in general.

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What's the number one disease that kills women? If you said breast cancer, you're not even close. It's heart disease, a deadly disease that takes the lives of about 375,000 American women each year, compared with about 41,500 women who die from breast cancer.

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A long-term study of patients in Rochester, Minn., with the eating disorder anorexia nervosa found that their survival rates did not differ from the expected survival rates of others of the same age and sex.

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Mayo Clinic researchers have proven for the first time that cells produced by the bone marrow can form new heart-muscle cells in adults, providing an important boost to research that could enable the body to replace heart muscle damaged by heart attack.

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Mayo Clinic has found that for patients with eye shingles, oral antiviral drugs are critical to prevent long-term consequences in the eye.

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Doctors are finding ways to seek out and eliminate specific cells or proteins responsible for disease. This targeted approach to treatment avoids damaging or weakening other healthy cells.

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The term "vegetarian" can mean different things, depending upon the types of animal-based foods -- if any -- eaten. All vegetarian diets emphasize plant-based foods, which are associated with lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure, less heart disease, lower risk of some cancers and decreased weight.

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If you avoid sandals because of thick, yellow toenails, you aren't alone. 40 percent to 50 percent of people over age 50 have a fungal nail infection that causes thick, crumbly, ragged nails.

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Over one-half of golfers affected by the "yips" report symptoms that strongly suggest a physical rather than psychological origin of the problem, according to findings of a Mayo Clinic study.

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Although the benefits of green tea are widely touted, a study conducted by Mayo Clinic Cancer Center and North Central Cancer Treatment Group shows green tea is not an effective treatment for advanced prostate cancer.

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The most powerful magnet ever made for research into cellular proteins and DNA -- a one-of-a-kind, ultra high-field 12 Tesla-strength magnet -- is expected to arrive Feb. 27 from England for installation at the Mayo Clinic.