Day: January 27, 2010

Can Asheville convince its neighbors that chipping in on city expenses benefits the entire region? Asheville City Council hopes so. The city's ability to provide the level of services and infrastructure residents desire may rely on forming partnerships with other governing bodies and organizations, as well as lobbying Raleigh for legislative action. In a Jan. … Read more

Ever since the dawn of junk food, countless school-age kids have had the mantra "You are what you eat" drilled into their heads. Yet many Americans still tend to dismiss this wisdom, turning instead to processed foods laden with preservatives and trans fats. Perhaps not surprisingly, heart disease and obesity are increasingly prevalent in our … Read more

Mammograms to remain prime water-cooler topic The medical world has been abuzz in recent months about the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force's surprising new mammography guidelines, which Time magazine ranked the No. 1 medical breakthrough of 2009. Updated this past November, they now recommend that women begin getting routine mammograms at age 50 rather than … Read more

Health insurance is expensive and not always reliable, and in hard times, people already scrambling to make ends meet may have an even greater struggle finding ways to pay for medical care. In this week’s wellness issue Faultless frugal food Wellness trends for 2010 We care Saving drug money Wellness issue part 1 Fortunately, Buncombe … Read more

For the uninsured and underinsured, paying for medications can be as much of a challenge as finding an affordable health-care provider. Fortunately, a number of organizations and programs offer cheap or free drugs to those who qualify. Here's a roundup of some key local sources for discounted meds. (And if you know of one we … Read more

The pursuit of health and happiness continues this week in the second of our two-part focus on wellness. Last week, we noted Western North Carolina's history as a health mecca and its growing reputation as a nexus for both Western and Eastern medicine traditions — from 19th-century tuberculosis sanitariums to modern cardiac centers and traditional … Read more