When the body doesn’t use the insulin it naturally produces in an efficient manner, it’s called insulin resistance and it’s the first step on the road to diabetes. Physician Assistant and Certified Diabetes Educator Gerald Brown discusses insulin resistance in this edition of Health Connection.

What is insulin and what role does it play in the body? (first question)

What is insulin resistance? (skip to 0:45)

What causes insulin resistance? (skip to 1:10)

Who is at risk for developing insulin resistance? (skip to 1:40)

What health problems can insulin resistance cause? (skip to 2:10)

Do all people with insulin resistance automatically have diabetes too? (skip to 2:37)

What are the symptoms of insulin resistance? (skip to 3:10)

How is insulin resistance diagnosed? (skip to 3:20)

How is insulin resistance treated? (skip to 3:51)

Are there lifestyle choices that can be made that will reduce the chances of developing insulin resistance? (skip to 4:13)

What foods should we eat more of and what foods should we avoid if we suffer with insulin resistance? (skip to 4:53)

Can children have insulin resistance? (skip to 5:16)

Can insulin resistance be reversed or cured? (skip to 5:40)

Prior to World War I, nearly 30 percent of all homes were infested with bed bugs. Widespread use of pesticides such as DDT all but eradicated bed bugs for nearly 50 years. But with declining use of pesticides and the elimination of DDT, bed bugs have staged a comeback and are reported in all 50 states. There is even an iPhone app that allows users to track bed bug sightings. Dr. Jeffrey Levin of the U.T. Health Science Center at Tyler discusses bed bugs in this post to healthconnection.tv.

What are bed bugs and where do they come from? (first question)

What do bed bugs look like? (skip to 1:03)

Why are we hearing about bed bugs now? (skip to 1:33)

How do I know if I have bed bugs in my home? (skip to 2:36)

How is an infestation of bed bugs treated? (skip to 3:31)

What are the signs and symptoms of bed bug bites and how are they treated? (skip to 5:24)

Are bed bugs like ticks or mosquitoes, can they spread more serious disease? (skip to 6:35)

Is there anything to be done to prevent an infestation on one’s home? (skip to 7:16)

How can I check to see if a hotel I am staying in has bed bugs? (skip to 8:35)

Everyone gets in a funk from time to time. It’s a natural part of being human. But for millions of Americans every year, it goes beyond being in a bad mood. It’s a debilitating disease called depression. For many sufferers, the first challenge is to recognize the problem. In this post, we’re joined by the U.T. Health Science Center’s Dr. Wyn Andrews as he discusses diagnosing and treating depression.

What exactly is depression? (first question)

Why can’t I just “get over it?” (skip to 1:17)

How big a problem is depression in the United States? (skip to1:44)

Are some people more prone to depression than others? (skip to 2:15)

How do I know if I truly am clinically depressed? (skip to 2:57)

How long does depression typically last? (skip to 3:42)

What are the common treatments for depression? (skip to 3:58)

How effective are medications in treating depression? (skip to 4:11)

What is “major depression?” (skip to 4:33)

When is it time to seek help from a physician that specializes in the treatment of depression? (skip to 4:53)

Generally speaking, is there hope for people who suffer with depression? (skip to 5:34)

Are there any new and more effective drugs in the pipeline waiting for approval? (skip to 6:00)

Are there serious side effects to the drugs currently being used to treat depression? (skip to 6:48)