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Nicotine is the drug in tobacco that makes tobacco products addictive.  People become addicted to nicotine over time which is why the first few weeks after quitting smoking are the hardest. Some people who give up smoking have withdrawal symptoms.  They may become irritable, hungry and tired.  Some people may have headaches, feel depressed, or have trouble sleeping or concentrating. Some people … [Read more...] about Smoking Cessation

Everyone feels blue now and then. It is part of life.  If you, however, no longer enjoy activities that you usually like you may have a more serious problem.  Being depressed without any letup can change the way you think and feel.  Doctors call this clinical depression.  Feeling down over a long period of time is not the norm as you grow older.  It is a more common problem than you may think and … [Read more...] about Treating Depression

Colon cancer is cancer of the large intestine. Rectal cancer is cancer of the rectum. These forms of cancer have many common features. Together they are referred to as colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer is more common in older people, so doctors usually screen people age 50 and older. Some people have risk factors that make them more likely to get colorectal cancer at a young age and they … [Read more...] about Colorectal Cancer Screening

Osteoporosis is a disease that weakens bones to the point they break easily.  Bones in your hip, spine and wrist are most often affected.  Osteoporosis is called the silent disease because you may not noice any changes until a bone breaks even though your bones had been losing strength over the years. To keep bones strong there are things you can do at any age.  Eat foods rich in calcium … [Read more...] about Osteoporosis

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, commonly known asCOPD, is a progressive disease that makes it hard to breathe. Progressive means that the disease get worse over time. COPD can cause coughing that produces a large amount of mucus, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and wheezing. The number 1 risk factor for COPD is smoking. Most people who have COPD used to smoke. People who have … [Read more...] about Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Type 2 diabetes is a serious disease. People get type 2 diabetes when their blood glucose level(blood sugar) is too high. Type 2 diabetes can lead to dangerous health problems such as heart attack or stroke. The good news is that there are things you can do to take control of type 2 diabetes and prevent its problems. To determine if you have type 2 diabetes your doctor will order a blood … [Read more...] about Type 2 Diabetes

Arthritis is one of the most common diseases in the United States.  You might have some type of arthritis is you have:  Ongoing joint pain, joint swelling, joint stiffness, tenderness or pain when touching a joint, problems using or moving a joint normally, or warmth and redness in a joint. Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis in older people.  OA starts when cartilage that pads … [Read more...] about Advice from Dr. Norman – Arthritis Management

You can have high blood pressure or hypertension and still feel just fine. That is because high blood pressure does not always cause signs of illness that you can see or feel. High blood pressure is sometimes called the silent killer and is a major health problem. If high blood pressure is not controlled with lifestyle changes and medicine, it can lead to stroke, heart disease, eye problems or … [Read more...] about Advice From Dr. Norman – Controlling Blood Pressure