Health Expert Lisa Emrich shares health management news and commentary at HealthCentral.com. HealthCentral.com is one of the top health destinations on the Web, with more than 35 condition-specific, wellness and general health Web properties. http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/72218/index http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/72218/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/72218/index http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/72218/160902/depression-ra Thu, 16 May 2013 22:18:24 -0400 Lisa Emrich Living with a chronic illness can lead to depression and anxiety.  Research has indicated that patients diagnosed with RA are more likely to experience depression than healthy individuals.  Similarly, patients diagnosed with depression are more likely to experience anxiety.   When you were first diagnosed with RA, did you feel relief to have a diagnosis?  Were you worried about the future?  Did you feel helpless and get... http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/72218/160902/depression-ra http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/72218/160445/celebrating-day Sun, 21 Apr 2013 15:05:23 -0400 Lisa Emrich Celebrating Earth Day everyday of the year.  Environmentally conscious clean living is not just good for the planet, it is good for the mind, body, and soul.  When the first Earth Day was organized in 1970 by former U.S. senator from Wisconsin, Gaylord Nelson, as a way to bring environmental protection onto the national political agenda, I was not yet two years old.  I don’t remember celebrating Earth Day in school, but... http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/72218/160445/celebrating-day http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/72218/160394/favorite-books Thu, 18 Apr 2013 14:47:51 -0400 Lisa Emrich When was the last time you took advantage of your local library?  In college, I worked in two libraries on the campus of Indiana University, the main School of Music library and the Archives of Traditional Music.  I enjoyed both of these jobs. At the School of Music library, one of my jobs was to digitize their vast sound recording collection for use over the computer system.  Students would not need to check out the physical... http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/72218/160394/favorite-books http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/72218/160346/ra-methotrexate Tue, 16 Apr 2013 13:09:52 -0400 Lisa Emrich A new study published in the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) journal, Arthritis Care & Research, suggests that medications used to treat rheumatoid arthritis may affect abortion rates in women.  Some drugs used to treat RA, such as methotrexate, may be harmful to a developing fetus.   In North America, up to 50% of pregnancies are unplanned and that nearly half of unintended pregnancies are terminated (Winner, 2012). ... http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/72218/160346/ra-methotrexate http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/72218/160034/autoimmune-run Thu, 28 Mar 2013 17:21:50 -0400 Lisa Emrich Are you the only member of your family that lives with an autoimmune disease?  Do you have more than one autoimmune disease, a condition known as polyautoimmunity?  We have talked about comorbidities, such as my dual diagnoses of MS and RA, but we haven’t talked much about autoimmune diseases which tend to cluster (aggregate) in our families. Several studies have focused on an isolated autoimmune disease, often with complex... http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/72218/160034/autoimmune-run http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/72218/159709/nutrition-fight Tue, 12 Mar 2013 14:45:03 -0400 Lisa Emrich Do you know the common saying - eat an apple a day keeps the doctor away?  I grew up hearing phrase this often.  Perhaps my grandmother, the nurse, helped to spread this medicinal proverb from 19th century Wales.  Apples contain several nutrients which promote health including vitamin C, pectin (soluble fiber), boron, quercetin (a flavonoid), and a number of phytonutrients including vitamin A, vitamin E, and beta carotene. Eating... http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/72218/159709/nutrition-fight http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/72218/159412/deficiency-ra Wed, 27 Feb 2013 16:58:58 -0500 Lisa Emrich Rheumatoid arthritis is a relatively common autoimmune disease for which the cause is still unknown.  Researchers are investigating the contributing factors for developing disease, including the impact of vitamin D.  Vitamin D deficiency has been implicated in the development of autoimmune disease such as type I diabetes and multiple sclerosis. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble hormone which is synthesized in the body as sunlight... http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/72218/159412/deficiency-ra http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/72218/159055/day Mon, 11 Feb 2013 02:11:00 -0500 Lisa Emrich With Valentine’s Day approaching, love is in the air.  Hugs and kisses, roses and chocolate, sex and... condoms.  February 14 is National Condom Day and today begins the annual celebration of National Condom Week.   Condoms are not just for the prevention of pregnancy.  In the US, there are approximately 19 million new cases of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) each year, with about half occurring among teenagers... http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/72218/159055/day http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/72218/158664/con Mon, 21 Jan 2013 17:10:41 -0500 Lisa Emrich The month of January marks the 12th anniversary of National Mentoring Month, sponsored by the Harvard Mentoring Project, MENTOR, and the Corporation for National and Community Service.  The purpose of National Mentoring Month is to recruit volunteer mentors for young people and to spread awareness of the importance of guiding our youth. When I think back to adults who were important in my life, who influenced who I have become today, my... http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/72218/158664/con http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/72218/158349/acid Mon, 07 Jan 2013 17:01:02 -0500 Lisa Emrich Folic Acid Awareness Week is January 6-12, 2013 sponsored by the National Council on Folic Awareness (NCFA), a partnership of national organizations, associations, and state folic acid councils. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Council on Folic Awareness emphasize that adequate folic acid intake is important for the prevention of birth defects.   As a person living with RA, I am aware of the importance... http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/72218/158349/acid