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Its almost Thanksgiving, the iconic American holiday centered on food. The mere mention of Thanksgiving conjures up images of a juicy turkey with all its trimmings and a table full of pies.

Millions of people have no problems with the generic drugs they take. But a growing number of disturbing patient experiences and drug recalls have made it clear that some generics are not being manufactured according to the high standards set by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA).

We all know people who seem younger or older than the number of birthdays theyve had. Youll hear someone say, Shes a young 80, or He looks 10 years older than he is. Thats because chronological age-the number of years you have been alive-does not always correspond with physiological age, or how fast your body is aging.

A key differentiator is the intensity of pain.In the movies, heart-attack victims often clutch their chest and grimace in pain before collapsing. But it is unusual for a heart attack to produce intense pain. Heart-attack pain is generally described as an unrelenting sensation of pressure, like an elephant sitting on your chest.

When blood is redirected to the skin to cool the body, it may compromise the heart's blood supply. Dehydration from fluid loss due to sweating causes the heart to pump faster and work harder and may increase the tendency for blood to clot. Add high humidity, which further interferes with the body's cooling mechanisms, and you could have a potentially dangerous situation for anyonewith heart disease.

If you are prone to carrying a substantial amount of extra weight, you have likely tried and failed multiple diets. Even if you were able to lose those unwanted pounds, its unlikely you were able to keep them off with diet alone. Thats where bariatric surgery can help. For a high percentage of people, it is the only successful and durable long-term treatment forobesity.

At rest, a normal heart beats 60 to 100 times a minute, depending on your age and level of fitness. This means your heart beats at least 86,400 times a day or 31,536,000 times a year. That's a lot of work for a muscle the size of your fist. And just like any other muscle that is exercised, the heart will grow bigger when it is forced to strain.

Patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) have atherosclerosis in the smaller vessels of their body, usually in their legs, feet and arms. PAD increases the risk of losing a limb to amputation. It also increases the risk of having coronary artery disease (CAD) or cerebrovascular disease. PAD patients have a higher risk of dying from a heart attack or stroke than CAD patients who dont have PAD.

The average American consumes 3,500 milligrams (mg) of sodium a day-far more than the American Heart Association recommendation of no more than 1,500 mg, or about one teaspoon, of salt. Because this amount is so strict, Cleveland Clinic sets the limit at 2,300 mg. "The difference in effect is only a drop of 2 to 3 mmHg," says Dr. Laffin. "At minimum, we recommend lowering sodium intake by at least 1,000 mg per day."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 30.3 million people in the U.S. have diabetes. Another 84.1 million have pre-diabetes, a condition that can lead to type 2 diabetes within five years, if its not treated. Diabetes is a major risk factor for early death from heart attack, stroke and many cancers. It also increases the risk of kidney disease, blindness and amputation. But these outcomes are not inevitable, if you learn about the disease and your role in managing it.