Health & Medical Glossary
Plain-English explanations of medical terms, conditions, and concepts
A
Adrenal Fatigue — Adrenal fatigue is a term used in alternative and integrative medicine to describe a collection of symptoms — including ...
Allergen — An allergen is any substance that triggers an abnormal immune response in a person who is sensitized to it, even though ...
Used in 1 article
Amino Acid — Amino acids are organic molecules that serve as the fundamental building blocks of proteins in your body. There are 20 s...
⭐ Used in 3 articles
Anemia — Anemia is a condition in which your blood doesn't have enough healthy red blood cells or hemoglobin to carry adequate ox...
⭐ Used in 6 articles
Anti-inflammatory — Anti-inflammatory refers to any substance or treatment that reduces inflammation — the body's natural immune response to...
⭐ Used in 11 articles
Antibody — An antibody is a Y-shaped protein produced by specialized white blood cells called B lymphocytes (B cells) as part of th...
⭐ Used in 3 articles
Antigen — An antigen is any molecule or molecular structure that can be recognized by the immune system and trigger an immune resp...
Used in 1 article
Aorta — The aorta is the largest artery in the human body, originating from the left ventricle of the heart and extending down t...
Arrhythmia — An arrhythmia is any abnormality in the timing or pattern of your heartbeat. Your heart normally beats in a regular, coo...
Used in 2 articles
Atherosclerosis — Atherosclerosis is a condition where fatty deposits called plaques build up inside the walls of your arteries — the bloo...
Used in 2 articles
Autoimmune Response — An autoimmune response occurs when the immune system mistakenly identifies the body's own healthy cells and tissues as f...
Used in 1 article
B
Biomarker — A biomarker (short for biological marker) is a measurable indicator of a biological state or condition. Biomarkers can b...
Blood Glucose — Blood glucose refers to the concentration of glucose (a simple sugar) circulating in your bloodstream. Glucose is your b...
⭐ Used in 6 articles
Blood Pressure — Blood pressure is the force exerted by circulating blood against the walls of your arteries as the heart pumps it throug...
⭐ Used in 16 articles
Blood-Brain Barrier — The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a highly selective semi-permeable border of specialized cells that separates the circul...
⭐ Used in 3 articles
BMI — BMI (Body Mass Index) is a numerical value calculated from a person's weight and height that is used as a screening tool...
Used in 1 article
Brain Fog — Brain fog is a term used to describe a cluster of cognitive symptoms including difficulty concentrating, forgetfulness, ...
⭐ Used in 8 articles
Bronchodilator — A bronchodilator is a type of medication that relaxes and widens (dilates) the airways (bronchi and bronchioles) in the ...
Used in 1 article
C
Cardiovascular — Cardiovascular refers to anything related to the heart (cardio) and blood vessels (vascular) — the circulatory system th...
⭐ Used in 21 articles
Cholesterol — Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance found in every cell of your body. Despite its bad reputation, cholesterol is e...
⭐ Used in 7 articles
Chronic Inflammation — Chronic inflammation is a prolonged, low-level inflammatory response that persists for weeks, months, or even years — un...
⭐ Used in 5 articles
Circadian Rhythm — A circadian rhythm is a roughly 24-hour internal biological cycle that regulates many of your body's processes, includin...
⭐ Used in 3 articles
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy — Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a structured, evidence-based form of psychotherapy that focuses on identifying and...
⭐ Used in 9 articles
Collagen — Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body, making up approximately 30% of all protein and serving as the p...
⭐ Used in 5 articles
Cortisol — Cortisol is a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal glands (small glands sitting atop each kidney) that plays a centra...
⭐ Used in 15 articles
Cytokines — Cytokines are small proteins released by cells that act as chemical messengers of the immune system. They play a crucial...
⭐ Used in 8 articles
D
Detoxification — Detoxification is the physiological process by which your body identifies, neutralizes, and eliminates harmful substance...
DHEA — DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) is a hormone produced primarily by the adrenal glands that serves as a precursor — a build...
Dopamine — Dopamine is a neurotransmitter — a chemical messenger that transmits signals between nerve cells in the brain and throug...
⭐ Used in 9 articles
Dysbiosis — Dysbiosis refers to an imbalance in the composition or function of the microbial communities (microbiome) that live in a...
Used in 2 articles
E
Ejection Fraction — Ejection fraction is a measurement of how well your heart pumps blood with each beat, expressed as a percentage. Specifi...
Electrolytes — Electrolytes are minerals that carry an electrical charge when dissolved in body fluids like blood, urine, and sweat. Th...
Used in 2 articles
Endometriosis — Endometriosis is a chronic condition in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus (the endometrium) grows outside...
Endorphins — Endorphins are a group of neurotransmitters produced naturally by the central nervous system and pituitary gland that ac...
Enzyme — An enzyme is a specialized protein that acts as a biological catalyst — it speeds up chemical reactions in the body with...
⭐ Used in 6 articles
Epigenetics — Epigenetics is the study of changes in gene expression that occur without altering the underlying DNA sequence. While yo...
Estrogen — Estrogen is a group of steroid hormones that play central roles in the development and regulation of the female reproduc...
Used in 1 article
F
Fascia — Fascia is a thin, tough, web-like connective tissue that wraps around and connects every muscle, bone, organ, nerve, and...
Used in 1 article
Free Radicals — Free radicals are unstable, highly reactive molecules that have one or more unpaired electrons in their outer shell. Thi...
Used in 1 article
Functional Medicine — Functional medicine is a patient-centered, systems-based approach to healthcare that focuses on identifying and addressi...
Used in 1 article
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