Conditions and illnesses

Epilepsy comes from a Greek word meaning 'possession.' The Greeks believed seizures were caused by demons, and regarded them as a supernatural phenomenon. The true nature of epilepsy has long been distorted by myth and fear, and people continue to hold mistaken notions about the disorder.

False. Kidney disease takes many different forms and may lead to kidney failure. Although there are ways to treat people with kidney failure—namely dialysis or kidney transplant—these treatments are not actual cures for kidney disease.

A: There are many factors to think about when considering organ donation, both for the person receiving the graft and the person donating a kidney.

The kidneys are powerful organs that play a vital role in keeping the human body healthy. What’s more, they perform not just one but three essential functions in our bodies.

Kidneys aren't organs you think about very often, but they are vital to our survival, because they filter waste, extra fluid and salt from the body. When the kidneys stop working properly (known as kidney failure or kidney “injury”), the person may need acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term) dialysis and kidney transplantation.

True. Confusion can arise because the words “tumor” and “cancer” are often regarded as the same thing. A tumor is not necessarily cancer, however.

Your son is one of many teens who are making the decision to become a vegetarian. People who choose vegetarian diets do so for any number of reasons, whether it’s a desire to get more of their nutrition from plant-based foods or a concern for animal welfare. Following a vegetarian diet is easier than it used to be. And with the growing availability of foods from other cultures, vegetarian diets have become a lot more interesting too.

Who doesn’t love a chocolate chip cookie straight out of the oven? Or an icy cold soft drink on a hot summer day? These are tempting for sure, but do you know how much sugar you or your kids are eating when you indulge in one of these sweet treats?

That’s a question that many parents ask from time to time. Insomnia is a disorder in which a person has a hard time falling asleep or has difficulty staying asleep.

If your child has ever had trouble sleeping, you’ve probably lived first-hand what researchers have proven: when a child doesn’t get enough sleep they can develop problems with behaviour, attention, learning or memory.