Investigators, partially supported by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, have found that a deficiency in the protein caveolin-1 (cav-1) is linked to the development of interstitial lung disease, the scarring of lung tissue that causes disability and death in people with scleroderma.

Elena Tourkina, Ph.D., Richard Silver, M.D., and other scientists from the Medical University of South Carolina also showed that a special peptide called caveolin scaffolding domain (CSD) inhibits progression of the disease in mice. The study was reported in "Fibrogenesis & Tissue Repair." Dr. Tourkina and Dr. Silver both recently were awarded research grants by the Scleroderma Foundation.

Learn more about this breakthrough study now. 

Although many dietary supplements (and some prescription drugs) come from natural sources, "natural" does not always mean "safe." For example, some herbs can seriously damage your liver.

Read more about what the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine says about how to safely use dietary supplements. 

Difficulty sleeping, also called insomnia, is a common and frustrating problem. If you don't sleep well at night, you may not feel well during the day. Insomnia can lead to fatigue, depression, anxiety, irritability, poor memory and poor concentration. It also can impair the immune system and other bodily functions, leading to medical problems.

Read this article from Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates on how to improve your sleep routine. 

Last month, Novartis Consumer Health voluntarily recalled all lots of select bottle sizes of Excedrin® and NoDoz® Alertness Aid products with expiration dates of Dec. 20, 2014, or earlier as well as Bufferin® and Gas-X® Prevention® products with expiration dates of Dec. 20, 2013, or earlier, in the U.S.

Be sure you check your medicine cabinet for these products. Click here to learn how to return recalled products or see if you may have lots that have been effected.