The summer has arrived early in Korea this year, as the weather has been unusually warm in June.While it offers more opportunities for outdoor activities and sports, the warm weather also increases the prevalence of summer diseases. The Health Ministry says it is particularly important to be aware of illnesses such as eye infections and mosquito-borne diseases, as well as food-borne illnesses. The best way to avoid eye infections and food-borne diseases is to wash your hands properly and regular

Lee Gyeong-ae remembers Dec. 15 of last year as the most monumental day of her life.It was the opening night of the Heart to Heart Orchestra concert, of which her autistic son, Jae-yoon, is a member. Sitting in the Seoul Arts Center, one of the most prestigious venues for the performing arts in South Korea, Lee could not stop crying even before the curtain rose. “I never thought that such a day would come,” Lee said. “I never thought Jae-yoon would one day perform at the Seoul Arts Center. When

Many eyes are on the National Insurance Policy Deliberation Committee, as it is scheduled to finalize the health insurance payments for next year by Thursday. The costs are likely to rise as the Park Geun-hye administration last year announced that the national insurance program will gradually broaden its coverage of expenses related to “four major diseases” by 2017. The illnesses are: cancer, heart disease, cerebrovascular disease and a total of 138 yet-to-be cured conditions such as Crohn’s di

The Health Ministry plans to raise cigarette prices, which have been fixed at about 2,500 won ($2.45) a pack depending on the brand for the past decade, in order to boost public health. South Korea has the cheapest prices for cigarettes among OCED countries, along with China. Meanwhile, it has one of the highest smoking rates. The smoking rate for Korean adult males is 49 percent.The World Health Organization advises nations which have signed its Framework Convention on Tobacco Control that thei

Lee Jae-hwanFor those hoping to lose weight, the general recommended caloric intake to lose weight ranges between 1200 to 1500 calories depending on the individual’s basal metabolic rate, with the aim of reducing 300 calories per day (a low-calorie diet), along with regular cardio exercises (at least one hour of fast-paced walking, cycling or swimming for at least five days a week) to expend 200-300 calories each day. This results in a loss of 300 calories from dieting, together with a loss of 3

Song Yoon-hee shares her experience writing for renowned auteur Im Kwon-taek’s latest film

The number of elderly parents living separately from their children has increased dramatically over the past 20 years, according to a report released by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Services.The report says the number of senior citizens who live alone with their spouse increased from 26.8 percent in 1994 to 48.6 percent in 2011. The number who live with their children, on the other hand, decreased from 54.7 percent in 1994 to 27.3 percent in 2011.The number of seniors who live alone

Dr. Ju Woong, who teaches at Ewha Womans University’s department of obstetrics and gynecology, won an award at an international conference for his latest research findings on genital infections. Ju’s thesis, which deals with how genital warts and other human papillomavirus (HPV)-related diseases impact patients psychologically, was given the best poster award at the conference organized by the Asia Oceania Research Organization on Genital Infections and Neoplasia. The event took place in Beijing

Some 30 percent of patients are males in their 30s and 40s

Jeon Hong-jinAfter experiencing threatening life stress, the nervous system becomes extremely stimulated. This response helps one prepare for similar cases. However, an excessive or abnormal response can be a medical condition. This is when such a state of anxiety remains even without such threats, or after the event has passed. These neurotic symptoms are not normal anxious states to protect oneself from risks; these states are pathological, and are termed posttraumatic stress disorder. Patient

(123rf)Universities are on alert as some students have been diagnosed with tuberculosis or measles, health officials said.It was confirmed that among the 11 people infected with measles, nine are students at Kookmin University in Seoul and one is a student at nearby Kwangwoon University, said disease control officials. Another 49 people are also suspected of having measles and among them 45 were identified as Kookmin University students, the agency added.“It was found that the disease first brok

Most spinal stenosis patients were found to be older women, with the prevalence increasing in recent years, a report showed Thursday. According to 2012 data released by the state-run National Health Insurance Service, 60 percent of spinal stenosis cases ― 615,000 ― occurred in women over age 50. Spinal stenosis is an abnormal narrowing of the spinal canal, which causes severe pain by compressing the nerves.Normally, there is enough space in the spinal canal to accommodate the nerve fibers branch

Yellow dust is of particular concern for children who are active outdoors and have weaker immune systems than adults, and those who suffer from allergies or respiratory conditions. Yellow dust travels from the Gobi Desert in Mongolia and China, so we cannot escape it. Therefore, people need to take appropriate action to combat the harmful effects of yellow dust. Yellow dust causes various conditions and can worsen preexisting ones. The main diseases include respiratory, eye and skin conditions.R