Doctors Directory

General Health Info

FRIDAY, April 2 (HealthDay News) -- Death can be tough to talk about -- especially if it's your own death, or that of a loved one. Yet end-of-life conversations are worth the discomfort, experts say. Armed with information from such talks, people can make sure that their wishes, or those of a friend or family member, are followed when it's most crucial. "It's very important to have multiple people who know what you want and can stand up for you, and support each other," said Dr. Gail Austin Cooney, a neurologist and palliative medicine specialist who's president of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine and medical director of the Hospice of Palm Beach County, Fla. "As a society, we're still very much in denial about death," she said. "We still like to pretend it's an optional event." What can be learned from such talks might be surprising. Beverly Bus found that out when her husband insisted on having an end-of-life conversation with her last April, just before he had open-heart surgery. by Medlineplus

Diabetes & Hypertension

There are so many types of diabetes. According to Medlineplus "Diabetes is a disease in which your blood glucose, or sugar, levels are too high. Glucose comes from the foods you eat. Insulin is a hormone that helps the glucose get into your cells to give them energy. With Type 1 diabetes, your body does not make insulin. With Type 2 diabetes, the more common type, your body does not make or use insulin well. Without enough insulin, the glucose stays in your blood."