A family member has Alzheimer's. You want to help the person live at home. But soon the stress of care creates another victim of the disease. Coping methods and devices can help. Memory Care Home Solutions, a non-profit organization, helps figure them out.

As flood waters go down, medical problems can go up. Pay special attention to your body if you are helping in a flood area.

Dr. Cindy Haines is a family physician in St. Louis, managing editor of HealthDay-Physician's Briefing and president of Haines Medical Communications Inc. Her weekly column on health care issues appears in the Beacon each Friday.

The report that 8 percent of Americans now have diabetes mirrors an explosion of the disease worldwide. Biologist George Johnson looks at the parallel rise in obesity and the research that is being done and outlines the promising findings of studies with mice.

"Every time there's a food scare, it's like a billboard advertising local food," says Andy Ayers, owner emeritus of Riddles Penultimate Cafe and Wine Bar in U. City.

This summer's tomato scare has left many wondering what is the safest way to enjoy the fruits of summer. Here's some advice.

The collapse of honeybee colonies has increased attention on the insects, bugs and even reptiles that pollinate plants. A program coordinated by the University of Illinois and the St. Louis Zoo is trying to get an idea of how large the local bee population is.

Yellowjacket photo by Rachel Heidenry | The Beacon 

Complete remission of a malignant melanoma that had already spread to internal organs? It happened. The New England Journal of Medicine published the report June 19.

Dr. Cindy Haines is a family physician in St. Louis, managing editor of HealthDay-Physician's Briefing and president of Haines Medical Communications Inc. Her weekly column on health care issues will appear in the Beacon each Friday.

No one quite knows what causes fibromyalgia - a mixture of pain, muscle discomfort, fatigue, sleep problems and other symptoms. That uncertainty poses special challenges for drug companies trying to develop treatments. 

The 1002nd use for duct tape? Tape the bottom of your pants to the top of your hiking boots to keep ticks from crawling up your legs.

To many of us, summer outdoors in Missouri not only means lush forests and clear streams, but also ticks and chiggers. Both belong to the mite family of eight-legged creatures. But while chigger bites cause only intense itching, a tick bite can cause a serious disease. The lone star tick (right) is the most common tick in Missouri.

Hospital buildng projects will get increasingly expensive as credit problems continue to afflict the bond markets. According to one analyst, the hospitals most likely to be affected in this area are smaller independent and rural hospitals.

Illustration by Srbichara | Sxc.hu